Trio of Outfielders, Cecchini to Represent Spinners at All-Star Game in Lowell
August 9, 2011 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Lowell Spinners News Release
LOWELL, MASS. - The Lowell Spinners, Class-A Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, are pleased to announce all three starting outfielders for the 2011 Lowell Spinners and injured third baseman Garin Cecchini have been selected to the American League All-Star roster for the 2011 New York-Penn League All-Star Game, presented by Lowell General Hospital.
The game, hosted by the Spinners, will be played Tuesday, August 16 at LeLacheur Park, with a day full-of-festivities leading into the game.
From left-to-right field, Matty Johnson, Keury De La Cruz and Seth Schwindenhammer were all selected to the roster.
Johnson has been a spark plug no matter where Manager Carlos Febles puts him in the Spinners line-up. A switch-hitter, Johnson was signed by the Red Sox out of the independent Frontier League in 2010. Through 30 games, the diminutive Johnson is batting .333 with 21 runs scored and 15 stolen bases in 16 attempts.
De La Cruz, the 2009 Red Sox Latin Program Player of the Year, has recently moved from the lead-off spot down in the line-up. He has thrived no matter the placement, batting .299 with 11 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 22 RBI, stealing 15 bases and scoring 21 runs.
Schwindenhammer, currently vying for the title in MiLB.com's "Minors Moniker Madness" competition, is a second year Spinner. Originally a fifth round pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, Schwindenhammer has shown impressive power in 2011, leading the team and ranking second in the NYPL with nine home runs. The nine home runs are already a franchise record for a left-handed batter. Though Schwindenhammer also leads the league in strikeouts (79), he is batting .458 (33-for-72) when he makes contact.
Selected to the squad but unable to play due to injury is third baseman Garin Cecchini. The Red Sox fourth round selection in the 2010 Draft, Cecchini was batting .298 with 12 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 23 RBI, adding 12 stolen bases, in his professional debut when he was struck on the wrist by a pitch. He suffered a non-displaced fracture of the wrist, most likely a season-ending injury, in the midst of a torrid stretch where he was batting .571 with seven RBI earning him NYPL Player of the Week honors.
The All-Star game pits the best players from NYPL American League affiliated teams against their counterpart National League affiliates. 2011 represents the first time the game has come to Lowell and the team is sparing no expense on the evening.
Gates will open at 3:30 and feature autograph signings by both the American League and National League Teams followed by a skills competition, the game and post-game fireworks. A limited number of tickets to the game are still available by visiting www.LowellSpinners.com or calling the Box Office at (978) 459-1702.
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