MWL1 Burlington Bees

Thompson Named MWL Post-Season All-Star

Published on August 29, 2007 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Burlington Bees News Release


Burlington, IA (August 29, 2007) - In a vote of Midwest League Managers, Michael Thompson of the Burlington Bees has been named as the Designated Hitter on the Midwest League's Post-Season All-Star Team. Thompson currently ranks fourth in the league with 19 home runs and leads the team with 54 RBI. He has the highest home run total of any Bees' player since Darron Ingram hit 29 in 1997. Thompson was also named to the Western Division All-Star team at mid-season.

The Bees have now had a player voted to the post-season All-Star team for the second straight year. Last year, 2B Josh Johnson received the honor and became the first Bee to make the team since OF Brady Clark in 1997. Since joining the MWL in 1962, there have been 46 players voted to the post-season All-Star Team, including: Sal Bando (1965), George Hendrick (1968), Chet Lemon (1973), Paul Molitor (League MVP, 1977), Randy Ready (1981), and Ugueth Urbina (1993).

The Royals also announced the Player and Pitcher of the Year for each of their affiliates yesterday and named OF Joe Dickerson and RH Mario Santiago for the Bees honors. Dickerson will finish the year on the disabled list after batting a team-high .289 through 115 games. He had a 17-game hitting streak earlier this year and set a franchise record by reaching base safely in 35 straight games from June 23rd-August 2nd. Santiago has a misleading 5-10 record, putting together a standout season with a 3.77 ERA in a team-high 131.1 innings pitched. Relief pitcher Chris Hayes got the Bees' Player of the Year Award in a vote of the fans over the final home stand of the regular season edging fellow reliever Aaron Hartsock. Hayes is 4-4 with a 3.24 ERA and leads the team with 11 saves in a team-high 41 appearances. Since the All-Star Break, he is 3-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 21 games and has converted seven of nine save opportunities. Hayes also spent 2006 with the Bees and ranks third all-time in appearances with 85 and is tied for fourth all-time with 18 saves.

Several former Bees were honored with the Royals' other affiliates. RH Billy Buckner (2004 with Bees) was named the Omaha Pitcher of the Year for Triple-A and made his Major League debut last week. LH Dusty Hughes (2004) and 1B Mike Stodolka (2001-02) were named for Double-A Wichita and OF Jose Duarte (2006) got the nod for high-A Wilmington. All of the Royals Minor League Players and Pitchers of the Year will attend Royals Futures Day at Kauffman Stadium on September 28th and presented with their award in a pre-game ceremony before the Royals game against Cleveland that night.

Hughes and Duarte were one of seven former Bees selected by the Royals to participate in the distinguished Arizona Fall League this year. RHP Greg Atencio (2003-05), LHP Nate Hoelscher (2003), 1B Kila Kaaihue (2004-05), 3B Marc Maddox (2007), and OF Chris Lubanski (2004) will all be a part of the Surprise Rafters. Steve Luebber will serve as the team's pitching coach and was the Bees' pitching coach last year before moving up to Wilmington for this season. Maddox started this season with the Bees and hit .301 with 2 homers and 17 RBI in 21 games before getting promoted. He is the first player to play with the Bees and in the Arizona Fall League in the same year.

The Bees play their final home game of the season tonight at 7:00 against the Swing of the Quad Cities and finish the season with five straight road games at Cedar Rapids and Clinton.

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Midwest League Stories from August 29, 2007


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