Four Tulsa Drillers were named to the Texas League’s End-of-Season All-Star Team on Tuesday.
Drillers selected were outfielder Kyle Parker, shortstop Cristhian Adames, second baseman Angelys Nina as the utilityman, and pitcher Christian Bergman.
Voting was done by league managers, radio announcers and media members.
Corpus Christi led with five selections to the 21-man team while Tulsa and San Antonio had four each. Tulsa had its most all-stars since four in 2009.
Parker entered Tuesday tied for third with 23 homers and eighth with a .283 batting average to go with 71 RBIs. Adames, activated off the disabled list Tuesday, was batting .269 with three homers and 35 RBIs. Nina, edged out by Arkansas’ Taylor Lindsey at second base, is seventh in the TL with a .284 batting average. He has 10 homers and 49 RBIs.
Bergman, 8-7, is third in the TL with a 3.31 ERA. He leads TL starters in innings (166), lowest walks (1.19) per nine innings, is second in fewest baserunners (9.87) per nine innings and third in WHIP (1.07).
The all-star pitching staff also includes former Drillers right-hander Brandon Hynick of Arkansas and Midwest City graduate Jeremy McBryde of San Antonio.
Corpus Christi outfielder George Springer, who was promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City at the end of June, was named the player of the year. Springer batted .297 with 19 homers and 55 RBis. Corpus Christi pitcher David Martinez (14-2, 2.02 ERA) was named the TL’s top pitcher and San Antonio’s Rich Dauer was the manager of the year. Martinez leads the TL in wins and ERA. He is currently in the majors with Houston.
Corpus Christi outfielder George Springer was named the Texas League Player of the Year. Springer, who is currently playing for Triple-A Oklahoma City, hit .297 with 19 home runs and 55 runs batted in just over half a season in the TL. He is within three homers of becoming the first minor leaguer to have 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a season. Corpus Christi’s Gary Ruby was the Mike Coolbaugh Coach of the Year. That award is named for the Drillers coach who died after he was struck by a foul ball during a 2007 game.
I had a vote and agreed with almost all of the selections. However, it was sort of weird that some of the most feared hitters in the TL were left off the team -- homer leader Matt Fields of Northwest Arkansas, first baseman Xavier Scruggs of Springfield, first baseman Kiel Roling of Tulsa and outfielder Randal Grichuk of Arkansas. Low batting averages kept them off the team despite impressive power totals.
TEXAS LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM
1B: Anthony Aliotti, Midland; 2B: Taylor Lindsey, Arkansas; 3B: Ruben Gotay, Springfield; SS: Cristhian Adames, Tulsa; OF: Reymond Fuentes, San Antonio; Mike O’Neill, Springfield; Kyle Parker, Tulsa and George Springer, Corpus Christi; C: Max Stassi, Corpus Christi; DH: Brett Nicholas, Frisco; Utility: Angelys Nina, Tulsa.
Pitchers; Christian Bergman, Tulsa; Mike Foltynewicz, Corpus Christi; Carlos Hernandez, Midland; Brandon Hynick, Arkansas; Jeremy McBryde, San Antonio; David Martinez, Corpus Christi; Kevin Quackenbush, San Antonio; Neil Ramirez, Frisco; Keyvius Sampson, San Antonio.
Manager of the Year - Rich Dauer, San Antonio
Player of the Year - George Springer, Corpus Christi
Pitcher of the Year - David Martinez, Corpus Christi
Mike Coolbaugh Coach of the Year - Gary Ruby, Corpus Christi
— BARRY LEWIS, World Sports Writer
Follow Barry Lewis on Twitter.
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