Two Mesa Miners signed by MLB organizations
September 20, 2005 - Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Mesa Miners News Release
(Yuma, AZ) - The Golden Baseball League announced today that two members of the Mesa Miners' pitching staff have become the 12th and 13th GBL players to be claimed by major league organizations. Miners' ace Manuel Ayala has been signed by the San Diego Padres, while Miners' rookie reliever Tom King has signed a deal to join the San Francisco Giants' organization.
Ayala was the runaway choice for the GBL's Rookie Pitcher of the Year, going 12-4 with a 3.05 earned run average in 112 innings pitched. His walks-to-strikeouts ratio was also excellent as he gave up only 23 free passes while fanning 82 batters. Ayala made more appearances against the Scorpions than against any other team in '05. Out of his 22 appearances on the season, Ayala appeared against the Scorps 7 times, going 4-2 in 4 starts and 3 relief appearances. Ayala wasn't nearly as effective against the Scorpions as he was against the rest of the league, giving up 14 earned runs in 30 2/3 innings.
Meanwhile, in his short time in the league, King became a stalwart in the Miners' bullpen, and was a thorn in the side of the Scorpions. The former Miami Hurricane fireballer was astoundingly effective, not allowing a run of any kind-earned or unearned-in 20 1/3 innings of work (nearly eclipsing Scorpions' reliever Jared Terrebonne's accomplishment of 22 1/3 straight scoreless innings). Opponents batted a paltry .092 against King, and the submariner struck out an amazing 29 hitters in those 22 1/3 innings. The Scorpions fared no better against King, getting shut out and striking out 11 times in just 6 1/3 innings.
Ayala has already signed a contract with the Padres, and is in the process of reporting to the Padres' fall league squad in Peoria, Arizona. Once the Giants sign King to a deal, they will decide whether to send him to their fall instructional league team or wait and have him join the team in time for 2006 spring training.
Golden Baseball League Stories from September 20, 2005
- Two Mesa Miners signed by MLB organizations - Mesa Miners
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