Stars to be Well Represented at Southern League All Star Game

June 27, 2003 - Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Jacksonville, Florida will be invaded by the Huntsville Stars when they host the Southern League All-Star Game on July 8th at the brand new Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. Seven Stars players along with the entire coaching staff will appear in the Southern League's version of the midsummer classic.

JJ Hardy, Dave Krynzel, Corey Hart, Derek Lee, Mike Jones, Matt Parker and Luis Martinez will represent the Stars on the Western Division squad managed by Frank Kremblas and his staff. The staff gets the honor by winning the first half divsion title but the players are there based solely on merit.

The teams are selected by Southern League Field Managers, General Managers, Radio Broadcasters and Media from each city. The Stars have more players on the team than any other team including Eastern Division Champion Carolina, who placed six on the East team. To see updated stats on the Stars All-Star selections visit the Clubhouse section of our website.

Kremblas, Hardy and Krynzel in Futures Game

Huntsville Stars manager Frank Kremblas and Stars players J.J. Hardy and Dave Krynzel have been selected by Major League Baseball to compete for the U.S. squad in the All-Star Futures Game to be held as part of All-Star Sunday on July 13 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. The game begins at 5:30 p.m. and will be televised live on ESPN2.

Kremblas will be one of five coaches for the U.S. team that will be managed by Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk. In his second year in Huntsville, Kremblas managed the Stars to a first-half Southern League West Division title by seven games.

Both Krynzel and Hardy have excelled in their first extended stay at the Double-A level. As the Stars' starting centerfielder, Krynzel leads the Southern League in stolen bases (28) and triples (7). He is also tied for first in runs scored (48) and sixth in batting average (.315). In 55 games at shortstop, Hardy is hitting .290 and slugging .497 with nine homers and 40 runs batted in.

The All-Star Futures Game will feature the top U.S. and international Minor League prospects competing against each other as Major League Baseball, in conjunction with the 30 Major League clubs and Baseball America, selected the 25-man rosters for each team (U.S. Team and World Team). Each Major League organization is represented and the World Team features players from seven foreign countries and Puerto Rico. Players from all full-season Minor Leagues were eligible to participate.

There are 76 players from the first four All-Star Futures Games in the Major Leagues. In addition, six players have competed in both the All-Star Futures Game and the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Those players are Lance Berkman (Houston Astros), Mark Buehrle (Chicago White Sox), Adam Dunn (Cincinnati Reds), Ben Sheets (Milwaukee Brewers), Alfonso Soriano (New York Yankees) and Barry Zito (Oakland Athletics).

The All-Star Futures Game will end after seven innings, regardless of score. Players and coaches will be outfitted in special jerseys and will wear the caps of their Major League organization with a game logo embroidered on the side. Six Minor League umpires will work the game.

Hendrickson Back from Disabled List

Stars top pitching prospect Ben Hendrickson returned from the Disabled List Tuesday and pitched brilliantly over six innings, allowing only one hit and no runs as the Stars downed Carolina 5-3. Hendrickson had been in Arizona rehabbing a sore elbow, but returned to midseason form in helping the Stars salvage the series finale against the Mudcats in a mathcup of division winners.

To make room on the roster for Hendrickson, the Brewers released RHP Jeff Robinson.



Southern League Stories from June 27, 2003


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