Joey Votto named Southern League MVP and other news and notes
The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs is pleased to announce that Chattanooga Lookouts' first baseman Joey Votto has been named the Most Valuable Player as voted upon by the league's field managers, radio broadcasters and print media.
A Triple Crown contender for much of the season, Votto's name appears near the top of the league leader-board in nearly every offensive category. He is currently leading the Southern League with a .313 average, 154 hits, 44 doubles, 67 extra-base hits, 82 runs scored, a .402 on-base percentage and a .539 slugging percentage. He also ranks third in the league with 76 RBI and is tied for third with 21 home runs.
This season, the 22-year-old has posted 44 multi-hit games, including eleven 3-hit games and one 4-hit game. He has driven in multiple runs on 17 occasions, including five 3-RBI games and one 4-RBI game. He enjoyed a season-high 10-game hitting streak August 7-17. He also put together a 9-game streak June 10-19 and two 8-game streaks (July 14-22 and August 22-current).
The Toronto, Ontario native was named to the Southern League's Postseason All-Star team as a first baseman. He was also the North Division's starting first baseman in the 2006 Southern League All-Star game.
Previously, Votto was named the TOPPS Southern League Player of the Month for the month of June after hitting .355 with 9 doubles, 8 home runs and 24 RBI. He was also named the BC Headache Powder Hitter of the Week for the week of June 12-18, hitting .519 with 4 home runs and 9 RBI.
Votto joins a select group of players who have won the award. Current Major League standouts Joe Crede, Carlos Delgado, Jason Kendall and Derrek Lee have all been named the Southern League's MVP in the past. Last year's winner, Delmon Young, made his Major League debut on August 29, 2006.
The Cincinnati Reds selected Votto in the second round of the 2002 draft. Prior to the season, Baseball America named him the ninth-best prospect in the Reds' organization.
Three Lookouts named to the Postseason All Star Team
Outfield Noochie Varner Chattanooga
Relief Pitcher David Shafer Chattanooga First Baseman Joey Votto Chattanooga
2. Homer Bailey, Reds
Age: 20.3 H/9: 6.23 BB/9: 2.99 K/9: 10.13Really, you are looking at 1a and 1b here. If I ranked them tomorrow I might take Bailey. The next day I might go back to Hughes. The two are remarkably similar. Bailey was born about 50 days earlier than Hughes and both were 2004 first round picks out of high school. They both have classic power-pitcher builds, with Bailey at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds and Hughes a little bigger at 6-foot-5, 220. Both have electric stuff; while Bailey has a little more juice, Hughes has better command. Both began the year in the Florida State League, both dominated there, and both have had no problems adjusting to Double-A, holding opposing batters to a sub-.200 average while striking out more than a batter per inning. Both have made 25 starts, and their total numbers are nearly mirror images. Bailey has faced 560 batters, Hughes 542. Bailey has given up 96 hits, 46 walks and recorded 156 strikeouts, while Hughes has totals of 90, 34 and 163, respectively. Their immediate futures, however, couldn't be more different. Rumors in Southern Ohio have the Reds calling up Bailey to fill a rotation slot down the stretch as the Reds gun for a playoff slot, while Hughes will enjoy a peaceful offseason and is more than likely beginning next year at Triple-A Columbus. Bailey is expected to be the savior of a Reds rotation in desperate need of an ace, while Hughes will be eased into a star-studded lineup, with only the unique pressures of playing in New York on his shoulders. Flip a coin here folks, but my gut gives Hughes the wafer-thin edge.
posted by Doug Gray @ 11:38 AM
<< Home