2010 Triple-A All-Star Game Tonight

23rd ANNUAL TRIPLE-A ALL-STAR GAME AT CCP
2010 Triple-A All-Star Game Notes
IL Roster
PCL Roster

PCL ALL STARS IL ALL STARS
Thomas Diamond, IOW (5-3, 2.86) Carlos Torres, CHA (7-5, 3.38)
Lineup:
1. Brock Bond (FRE) - 2B
2. Jarrett Hoffpauir (LAS) - 3B
3. Alex Gordon (OMA) - DH
4. J.P. Arencibia (LAS) - C
5. Jay Gibbons (ALB) - RF
6. Matt Miller (COL) - LF
7. Mark Trumbo (SLC) - 1B
8. Darwin Barney (IOW) - SS
9. Doug Deeds (REN) - CF
Lineup:
1. Jose Constanza (COL) - CF
2. Chase Lambin (SYR) - 3B
3. Eduardo Nunez (SWB) - SS
4. Dan Johnson (DUR) - DH
5. Andy Tracy (LHV) - 1B
6. Jeff Frazier (TOL) - LF
7. Dustin Martin (ROC) - RF
8. Erik Kratz (IND) - C
9. Chris Valaika (LOU) - 2B

Coca-Cola Park, Allentown, PA, First Pitch 7:07 p.m.

The International League, winners of five of the last seven meetings, will look to take their second straight Triple-A All-Star Game tonight at Coca-Cola Park with first pitch set for 7:07 p.m.

The All-Star game will be televised nationally on the MLB Network with Phillies broadcaster Tom McCarthy and former Phillies hurler Mitch Williams on the call. The Voice of the IronPigs Matt Provence will call the game on Westwood One along with New Orleans Zephyrs broadcaster, Tim Grubbs and the IronPigs own Jon Schaeffer.

The home, IL squad will send Charlotte’s Carlos Torres to the hill who finished the first half 7-5 with a 3.38 ERA. The 27-year-old, making his second consecutive trip to the Triple-A All-star Game, is currently second in the league in strikeouts with 105 behind only teammate, Dan Hudson (108). Torres was named the MiLB.com Pitcher of the year in 2009 pacing the league with a 2.39 ERA, that included a five-inning perfect game against Pawtucket.

The PCL, winners of four straight All-Star Games from 1999-2002, will counter with Iowa’s Thomas Diamond. The former first round (10th overall) selection of the Texas Rangers in 2004, is having a tremendous first-half in his first season in the Cubs organization after being claimed off waivers last September. Diamond leads the PCL in strikeouts (92) and opponent batting average (.213) and is fourth in the league in ERA (2.86). Prior to undergoing ‘Tommy John’ surgery in 2007, he was the Rangers Nolan Ryan Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2005 leading entire farm system in wins (13), ERA (3.53) and strikeouts (169).

The IronPigs will be well represented at this year’s showcase game in front of the home crowd. Like last year, three ‘Pigs will participate in tonight’s game including pitchers Scott Mathieson and Nate Bump and first baseman Andy Tracy. Both Mathieson and Tracy were voted in as starters, while Bump was selected by the League office. Former IronPig, Cody Ransom, was also elected to the game but due to his promotion to Philadelphia he was removed from the IL roster. Tracy, after pounding 18 homers out of Coca-Cola Park in the Home Run Derby on Monday, will be batting fifth and playing first tonight in the IL lineup.

Directly in front of the IronPigs slugger in the cleanup spot is Durham’s Dan Johnson, who edged Tracy in the tiebreaker to claim the Derby crown two nights ago. Johnson is putting up MVP-type numbers this year, leading the league in home runs (24) and RBI (80), totals that crush the rest of the IL.

The PCL is lead by Las Vegas’ catcher J.P. Arencibia, the number two prospect in the Toronto system. Arencibia, 24, leads all of baseball (Majors and Minors) with 25 homers at the break. The 6-1, 210-pound, Miami, FL native also boasts a .319 average with 26 doubles and 64 RBI. Arencibia tied Alex Rodriguez’s Westminster Christian High record for career home runs with 17 in 2004.

The IL will be piloted by fourth-year Durham Bulls skipper Charlie Montoyo while the PCL by fourth-year Tacoma manager Daren Brown. IronPigs boss hog, Dave Huppert, will serve as a bench coach on Montoyo’s staff.

BACON BITS:
ALL GROWN UP? In just it’s third season, Coca-Cola Park is the youngest venue to ever host the Triple-A All-Star Game

ON DECK: The 2011 showcase will be played at Spring Mobile Ballpark, home of the Salt Lake City Bees... The 2012 game will return to Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo, N.Y. (site of the first Triple-AAll-Star Game in 1988).

EVEN SPLIT: Since the All-Star Game went to its current format of pitting the International League vs. the Pacific Coast League in 1998, the all-time series is tied at 6-6. The IL has won five of the last seven contests after the PCL took four straight from 1999-2002.

ALL-STAR BOMBS: There have been 55 home runs hit in Triple-A All-Star Game history including a record seven in 1993. There have only been three games (’92, ’94 and ’00) in which neither team hit a homer. Ryan Klesko (’93) and Adam Dunn (’01) are the only players to homer twice in the showcase game.

SHOOTING STARS: Of the more than 900 players named as Triple-A All-Stars, 70 have gone on to play in the Major League All-Star Game including stars like Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones, Pedro Martinez, Justin Morneau, Chase Utley and Jim Thome.

Source: http://www.ironpigsbaseball.com/pressbox/news/index.html?article_id=1009