Three Rays Hurlers Named All-Stars
June 26, 2003 - Southern League (SL1)
Orlando Rays News Release
Orlando, FL -Three Orlando Rays pitchers have been selected to play for the East Division All Star team in the Southern League All Star Game, the league office announced today.
Starting pitchers Jim Magrane and Jose Veras and reliever Bartolome Fortunato will join the rest of the East Division All-Stars for the annual SL classic, to be held at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville on July 8.
Magrane currently leads all O-Rays pitchers with a 7-3 record on the season, and currently holds a 3.95 ERA through 15 games with Orlando. He earned a last May promotion to Class AAA Durham but was returned to Orlando after just four days with the Bulls when Orlando RHP Brian Stokes went on the disabled list. The 24-year-old Magrane is in his 4th year in the minors, all with the Devil Rays organization. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Iowa, where he left holding or sharing several school pitching records, including setting the marks for innings pitched (107.2) and strikeouts (110) in the 1999 season. He also tied the record for strikeouts in a single game when he fanned 17 Western Illinois batters on 4/14/99.
Veras, 22, has had a solid year despite his 3-6 record. His 3.49 ERA is tops on the O-Rays staff (minimum 60 IP), and the hard-throwing right-hander has allowed one or fewer earned runs in eight of his 16 starts this season. A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Veras also leads the team with 78 strikeouts and has held opposing batters to a .216 average. He struck out a season-high 10 Jacksonville batters on May 11, and has struck out 5 or more batters in a game eight times this season. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1998, Veras is in his sixth year in the minors, all in the Tampa system.
Fortunato, 22, has been nearly unhittable in recent weeks, posting a 3-0, 1.08 record over his last 18 appearances, allowing only three earned runs in that span. He hasn't allowed an earned run in his last seven outings, and on the season Fortunato has struck out 46 batters over 38.2 innings pitched. On the season Fortunato is 3-2 with 1 save and a 2.33 ERA over 26 relief appearances. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 1996 and is in his 5th year in the minor leagues, all with the Devil Rays organization.
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