Eastern League Baseball

Eastern League News
"The League Leader"
The Official Newsletter of the Eastern League of Professional Baseball Clubs, Inc.

Volume XVI

September 16, 2008

Issue 24

Quote of the Week

" After last year being such a magical season, you think it can't get any better. Then you surpass what we did last year by winning another championship in consecutive years. "

Tony Franklin
Trenton Thunder


The Trenton Thunder Are The 2008 Eastern League Champions
The Trenton Thunder capped off their 15th Anniversary campaign by winning the Eastern League Championship for the second straight season. The Thunder clinched the title with a 4-1 victory over the Akron Aeros at Waterfront Park on Sunday night. Trenton won the best-of-five series in four games, with their only loss coming in game two last Wednesday night at Canal Park. The Thunder pitching staff allowed just one run in all three of their wins during the series against Akron. Led by Eric Hacker, who was 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in two starts during the postseason, the Trenton pitching staff posted a 2.90 ERA in the playoffs. Offensively, the Thunder were paced by outfielder Austin Jackson, who drove in a team-high seven runs during the postseason. Among those seven RBI were two key runs in the final two wins over Akron. After the game four win, Austin was announced as the 2008 Eastern League Playoff MVP. Trenton kicked off their playoff run by sweeping Portland in three straight games in the Northern Division Championship Series. The Thunder won each of the three games against the Sea Dogs by one run.
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2008 Trenton Thunder Road To The Championship
Northern Division Championship Series (Trenton over Portland, 3-0) Game One, September 3: Trenton 2, Portland 1 Game Two, September 4: Trenton 4, Portland 3 Game Three, September 5: Trenton 5, Portland 4 Eastern League Championship Series (Trenton over Akron, 3-1) Game One, September 9: Trenton 3, Akron 1 Game Two, September 10: Akron 13, Trenton 10 Game Three, September 13: Trenton 4, Akron 1 Game Four, September 14: Trenton 5, Akron 1
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Trenton’s Austin Jackson Named Eastern League Playoff MVP
Following their 5-1 victory over the Akron Aeros in the fourth game of the Eastern League Championship Series, it was announced that Trenton Thunder center fielder Austin Jackson was selected as the Eastern League Playoff Most Valuable Player. In seven games during the Trenton playoff run, the 21-year old batted .259 (7-for-27) with two doubles, two homers, seven RBI, four runs scored and five walks. Jackson, who is rated by Baseball America as the second best prospect in the Yankees organization, not only stood out with his bat, but also played outstanding defense throughout the postseason. Among his defensive highlights were two catches in game three of the Eastern League Championship Series that robbed the Aeros of would be home runs. Austin, who is a native of Denton, Texas, also hit a home run in that game to help lift Trenton to a 4-1 victory that gave the team a two games to one lead in the series. The 6’1”, 185 lb. slugger did not limit his heroics to the series against Akron, as he hit a three-run homer in Trenton’s 4-3 come from behind victory against the Sea Dogs in the second game of the Northern Division Championship Series.
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Bowie’s Matt Wieters Named Baseball America 2008 Minor League Player of the Year
Last Monday, it was announced that Bowie Baysox catcher Matt Wieters has been named the Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year. Wieters is the fifth Eastern League player to win the award since its inception in 1981. The last Eastern Leaguer to take home the award was Joe Mauer from the New Britain Rock Cats during the 2003 season. Wieters, who was chosen by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round of the 2007 draft out of Georgia Tech, started the 2008 season by making his professional debut with the Frederick Keys of the Class-A Carolina League. The 22-year old hit .345 with 15 home runs, 48 runs scored and 40 RBI with the Keys to earn a promotion to Bowie on June 27. Matt continued to impress despite making the jump to Double-A, hitting .365 with 12 homers and 51 RBI in 61 games for the Baysox while helping lead the team to a first place finish in the Southern Division. Wieters will continue his season in the Arizona Fall League with the Surprise Rafters next month. Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Award Winners Who Played in the Eastern League 1993 Manny Ramirez, OF Canton/Charlotte (Indians) 1994 Derek Jeter, SS Tampa/Albany/Columbus (Yankees) 2001 Josh Beckett, RHP Brevard County/Portland (Marlins) 2003 Joe Mauer, C Fort Myers/New Britain (Twins) 2008 Matt Wieters, C Frederick/Bowie (Orioles)
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2008 Final Eastern League Playoff Leaders
OFFENSIVE LEADERS Batting Average Jorge Jimenez (POR), .455 Colin Curtis (TRE), .414 Nolan Reimold (BOW), .412 Ramiro Pena (TRE), .345 Ryan Khoury (POR), .333 P.J. Pilittere (TRE), .333 Carlos Rojas (BOW), .333 Matt LaPorta (AKR), .320 Steve Torrealba (BOW), .308 Aaron Bates (POR), .300 Hits Colin Curtis (TRE), 12 Ramiro Pena (TRE), 10 Matt LaPorta (AKR), 8 Josh Rodriguez (AKR), 8 Bronson Sardinha (AKR), 8 P.J. Pilittere (TRE), 8 Home Runs Nolan Reimold (BOW), 4 Matt LaPorta (AKR), 3 Travis Hafner (AKR), 2 Austin Jackson (TRE), 2 Matt Whitney (AKR), 2 RBI Nolan Reimold (BOW), 11 Bronson Sardinha (AKR), 8 Travis Hafner (AKR), 7 Austin Jackson (TRE), 7 Matt LaPorta (AKR), 6 Runs Scored Josh Rodriguez (AKR), 8 Matt LaPorta (AKR), 7 Ramiro Pena (TRE), 6 Bronson Sardinha (AKR), 6 Three Players Tied At 5 Doubles Aaron Bates (POR), 3 Five Players Tied At 2 PITCHING LEADERS ERA Michael James (POR), 0.00 Frank Herrmann (AKR), 1.46 Kris Johnson (POR), 1.50 Eric Hacker (TRE), 1.54 Brad Bergesen (BOW), 2.25 Chad Thall (BOW), 2.25 Ryan Keefer (BOW), 2.70 Ryan Edell (AKR), 3.00 Jeffrey Marquez (TRE), 3.27 Jason Jones (TRE), 4.00 Wins Eric Hacker (TRE), 2 Neil Wagner (AKR), 2 Seven Players Tied At 1 Strikeouts Clay Buchholz (POR), 9 Ryan Edell (AKR), 8 Jeffrey Marquez (TRE), 8 Four Players Tied At 7 Saves Jhonny Nunez (TRE), 3 Michael Dunn (TRE), 1 Jason Jones (TRE), 1 Erik Stiller (AKR), 1 Jose Valdez (TRE), 1 Games Reid Santos (AKR), 6 Erik Stiller (AKR), 5 Michael Dunn (TRE), 4 Tony Sipp (AKR), 4 Neil Wagner (AKR), 4 Innings Pitched Frank Herrmann (AKR), 12.1 Ryan Edell (AKR), 12.0 Eric Hacker (TRE), 11.2 Jeffrey Marquez (TRE), 11.0 J.D. Martin (AKR), 9.1
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2008 Bank of America Eastern League Player of the Week Recap
Here is a weekly recap of the winners of the 2008 Bank of America Eastern League Player of the Week Award: April 13: Mike Carp, Binghamton Mets April 20: James Boone, Altoona Curve April 27: Luke Hughes, New Britain Rock Cats May 4: Ben Copeland, Connecticut Defenders May 11: Steve Tolleson, New Britain Rock Cats May 18: Zach Daeges, Portland Sea Dogs May 25: Lou Montanez, Bowie Baysox June 1: Ryan Patterson, New Hampshire Fisher Cats June 8: Travis Ishikawa, Connecticut Defenders June 15: Wes Hodges, Akron Aeros June 22: Trevor Crowe, Akron Aeros June 29: Trevor Crowe, Akron Aeros July 6: Wyatt Toregas, Akron Aeros July 13: Ryan Robertson, Erie SeaWolves July 20: Austin Jackson, Trenton Thunder July 27: Pablo Sandoval, Connecticut Defenders August 3: Lou Montanez, Bowie Baysox August 10: Casper Wells, Erie SeaWolves August 17: Lars Anderson, Portland Sea Dogs August 24: Steve Torrealba, Bowie Baysox September 1: Noland Reimold, Bowie Baysox
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2008 Bank of America Eastern League Pitcher of the Week Recap
Here is a weekly recap of the winners of the 2008 Bank of America Eastern League Pitcher of the Week Award: April 13: Justin Masterson, Portland Sea Dogs April 20: Chris Waters, Bowie Baysox April 27: Kris Johnson, Portland Sea Dogs May 4: Julio Manon, Bowie Baysox May 11: Cory VanAllen, Harrisburg Senators May 18: David Huff, Akron Aeros May 25: Alfredo Aceves, Trenton Thunder June 1: Randy Newsom, Akron Aeros June 8: Yoslan Herrera, Altoona Curve June 15: Daniel Christensen, Erie SeaWolves June 22: Joey Martinez, Connecticut Defenders June 29: Robert Ray, New Hampshire Fisher Cats July 6: Nate Bump, Connecticut Defenders July 13: Craig Stammen, Harrisburg Senators July 20: Phil Coke, Trenton Thunder July 27: Brett Cecil, New Hampshire Fisher Cats August 3: George Kontos, Trenton Thunder August 10: Scott Lewis, Akron Aeros August 17: Jean Machi, New Hampshire Fisher Cats August 24: Victor Zambrano, Trenton Thunder September 1: Kyle Aselton, New Britain Rock Cats
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Eastern league Team News and Notes For the week ending 8/30/99
Akron Aeros None Altoona Curve None Binghamton Mets None Bowie Baysox None Erie SeaWolves None Harrisburg Senators None		New Britain Rock Cats None New Hampshire Fisher Cats None Connecticut Defenders None Portland Sea Dogs None Reading Phillies None Trenton Thunder None


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