6/27/12

PRESS RELEASE - Bisons All-Stars

Bisons’ Cabrera, Harvey & Pascucci
Named to International League All-Star Team
25th Annual Triple-A All-Star Game Two Weeks from Today

June 27, 2012 –Three Bisons players will represent Buffalo at the 25th Annual Triple-A All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 11 at Coca-Cola Field, presented by the New Era Cap Company and The Buffalo News (7:00 p.m.). The International League announced its full 30-man All-Star Team today.

RHPFERNANDO CABRERA was elected as a starter for the International League while RHPMATT HARVEY and OF VALENTINO PASCUCCI were selected to the IL’s All-Star Squad as reserves.

Cabrera has made 32 appearances for the Bisons this season, the second most in the International League. The righty is a 15-for-16 saving games this season, with more saves than any other pitcher in the IL. Overall, Cabrera is 2-3 with a 4.04ERA and 31 strikeouts in 35.2 innings of work.

Cabrera, who has pitched in more Bisons games (110) than any other pitcher in the team’s modern era, was also named to the IL All-Star Team while with the Herd during the 2005 season. He did not play in that game because of his promotion to Cleveland. He was also named an IL All-Star while with Pawtucket in 2009.

Harvey leads the Bisons in all three of the pitching triple crown categories. The Triple-A rookie has six wins, a 3.69ERA and 87 strikeouts in 85.1 innings pitched. Harvey ranks third in the IL in strikeouts and is one of four pitchers in the league with 16 starts in 2012. Just 23-years old, the Mets’ #2 prospect byBaseball America is 6-3 overall on the season.

Harvey was a Florida State League All-Star last season for St. Lucie, his first year in professional baseball.

Pascucci leads the Bisons with 13 home runs and 45RBI in a team-high 73 games played. He ranks 8th in the IL in homers and tied for 7th in runs driven in. Overall, Pascucci has hit .238 (61-256) with 11 doubles and a team-high 37 runs scored. The slugger has also drawn 57 walks this season –tie for second most in the International League- for a team-best .375 on-base percentage.

Pascucci was named a PCL All-Star during the 2007 season while playing for Albuquerque. He homered and drove in two for the PCL in a 7-5 loss to the IL squad.

The 2012 International League All-Star squad is made up of 13 elected players (including Cabrera) who have received the most votes from ballots submitted by club's field managers and general managers (1/3), members of the media (1/3), and online fan voting (1/3). The elected players are joined by 17 additional All-Stars selected by the International League office. Each of the IL's fourteen clubs will be represented in Buffalo.

Two of the League's strongest clubs this season lead the way with four All-Stars on the Team. The Pawtucket Red Sox brought home a remarkable four of the roster's elected slots, including C RYAN LAVARNWAY, SS PEDRO CIRIACO, RHP JUSTIN GERMANO and DHMAURO GOMEZ, an IL All-Star last season with Gwinnett. Charlotte, the South Division leaders, will also send four players to Buffalo. 2010 All-StarDAN JOHNSON returns to the event after being elected as the starting third baseman for the IL. OFGREG GOLSON of Charlotte was also elected, and will be joined by selected CJOSH PHEGLEY and starting pitcher and IL ERA leader CHARLES LEESMAN from the Knights.

The hero of last year's All-Star Game, Top StarRUSS CANZLER, returns as a member of the Columbus Clippers along with two elected teammates in 2BCORD PHELPS and OF MATT LAPORTA.  LaPorta was the leading vote recipient in the 2012 Online Triple-A All-Star Balloting presented by PERT® Plus.  Also boasting three All-Stars are the West Division-leading Indianapolis Indians who will be sending selected INF JORDY MERCER, OF STARLING MARTE, and LHP RUDY OWENS.

The remaining elected All-Stars are 1BERNEST MEJIA of Gwinnett, OF COREY BROWN of Syracuse, RHP TYLER CLOYDof Lehigh Valley, and RHP CHRIS BOOTCHECK of Toledo.

A complete 2012 International League All-Star roster –both elected and selected players -is enclosed with this email.

With the International League's 3-0 victory at last year's Triple-A All-Star Game, the IL owns an 8-6 lead in the fourteen years since the event changed to the current IL vs. PCL format. The winning League this season will once again earn the right to have its champion play as the "home team" at the Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game which will take place Tuesday, September 18 in Durham, North Carolina.

The Pacific Coast League All-Star Team will be announced on Thursday, July 28 at 1 p.m.

All-Star Notes: The three All-Stars are the most players the Bisons have sent to the Triple-A All-Star Game since the 2005 season. That year, four Bisons –C Ryan Garko, INF Jake Gautreau, INF Jeff Leifer, DH Ernie Young- joined the IL squad in Sacramento, CA…The Bisons will also be represented by trainer Joe Golia and radio announcer Ben Wagner in the All-Star Game…If any player is promoted to the Major Leagues before the Triple-A All-Star Game, they will be replaced on the roster by the International League office.

No comments: