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IL1 International League

Top Rookie-Of-The-Year Candidates Shine

August 20, 2007 - International League (IL1) News Release


The International League announced today that Louisville infielder/outfielder Joey Votto and Buffalo pitcher Aaron Laffey have been named the League's Batter and Pitcher-of-the-Week for the period from August 13-19. Votto is the second Bats' hitter to be named IL Batter-of-the-Week this season, following Pedro Lopez (July 2-8), while Laffey becomes the fourth member of the Bisons to win an IL weekly award in 2007, joining Sean Smith (May 14-20), Andy Marte (June 4-10), and Jason Cooper (July 30-August 5). Louisville's JOEY VOTTO enjoyed one of the League's best two-game outbursts of the season Friday and Saturday to slug his way to the Batter-of-the-Week award. No IL hitter had more homers or RBI for the entire week than Votto accumulated over the two-game stretch. He went deep twice in each contest, driving in 9 runs to lead the Bats to back-to-back victories. For the week he totaled five homers with 12 RBI, and also tied for the League-lead in extra-base hits (6) and slugging percentage (1.000). Votto is wrapping up an incredible rookie campaign at the Triple-A level, finding himself among the League leaders in several offensive categories. He is 9th in hitting (.303), 4th in home runs (21), 2nd in RBI (87), 3rd in hits (134), and T-3rd in on-base percentage (.391). Votto's bat has been consistent in the midst of a season where he is learning a new defensive position. The career first baseman has played 33 games in left field. 23-year-old Joey Votto was selected in the 2nd round of the 2002 draft by Cincinnati. In his first year at the Double-A level in 2006, he was named the Southern League MVP after leading the circuit with a .319 average, 162 hits, 46 doubles, a .408 on-base percentage, a .547 slugging percentage, 70 extrabase hits, 85 runs scored, and 78 walks. Votto is a native of Toronto, Ontario.

Southpaw AARON LAFFEY made a welcome return to Buffalo this week, winning twice for the Bisons to help pull the Herd within 2.5 games of the Wild Card. Laffey made his Major League debut earlier this month, going 1-1 in a pair of starts with Cleveland. He returned to Buffalo for a big game Tuesday against one of the teams the Bisons are chasing for the Wild Card. Laffey was brilliant against Rochester, allowing only four hits and striking out eight in 8.0 innings. He gave up three runs (two earned), but the Buffalo offense provided more than enough support as the Bisons won the game 7-3. Laffey took the hill again yesterday in Ottawa, this time allowing just one run in 6.0 innings to lead the Herd to a 3-2 victory. Since Laffey's return, the Bisons have won five out of six games and find themselves very much alive in the IL playoff chase with just 15 days remaining in the regular season. 22-year-old Aaron Laffey was selected by Cleveland in the 16th round of the 2003 draft. He had a great season in 2006, going 12-4 with a 3.16 ERA between Class-A Kinston and Double-A Akron. He started the 2007 campaign in Akron, going 4-1 with a 2.31 ERA in six starts before earning his first promotion to the Triple-A level. Laffey is a native of Cumberland, MD.

BATTER OF THE WEEK - JOEY VOTTO, LOUISVILLE BATS

G AVG H AB R 2B 3B HR RBI SLUG BB SB

Week: 6 .360 9 25 7 1 0 5 12 1.000 2 2

Season: 119 .303 134 442 67 18 2 21 87 .495 64 16

PITCHER OF THE WEEK - AARON LAFFEY, BUFFALO BISONS

G GS CG SHO W-L ERA IP H R ER BB K SV

Week: 2 2 0 0 2-0 1.93 14.0 12 4 3 4 13 0

Season: 16 15 2 1 9-3 3.08 96.1 89 36 33 23 75 0

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