Weekly Minor League Awards (LaPorta Honored)

[twobrewers]

Huntsville swept the awards this past week.

Southern League
Mat Gamel, Huntsville
.517 (15-29), 8 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 5 SO, 1 SB, .931 SLG
At the end of April last season with Brevard County, Gamel was hitting just .230, and made his 11th error at third base in the month's final game. Of course, Gamel would go on his own hot streaks last season, ending with an .850 OPS on the good side, and 53 errors on the bad. This season has been a far different story, as Gamel's April has been good with the bat and shown much improvement with the glove -- an error Thursday was just his fifth of the season, and first since April 12. More important, Gamel collected three hits in three of Huntsville's four games with Jacksonville over the weekend, and his hitting streak now stands at 13 games.

Southern League
Sam Narron, Huntsville
1-0, 1.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 9.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
A clean sweep for Huntsville this week, as Narron joins teammate Mat Gamel who claimed the weekly honors for offensive players. It's only fitting, as Gamel's RBI double and run scored in the first inning on April 23 was all the offense Narron would need in a 9-1 win over Mississippi, his first complete game since Aug, 1, 2007. Narron took a perfect game into the eighth inning, retiring Mississippi's first 23 hitters, before Diory Hernandez tripled and Mark Jurich walked in the eighth. It should be noted left-handed hitters are batting just .161 against the southpaw this season.

 

[sheetskout]

Gamel has been MASHING!!

[DrWood]

Gamel up to .367 last time I looked. It's only 98 AB, but I didn't think he had the capability to hit that well. 8 errors in 25 games, though.

[lexi881]

If you didn't know he had the ability to hit that well, then you have obviously not been following his career and are far less than knowledgeable as to what his abilities are or are not.

 

Please let me fill you in:

per milb.com:

 

Named to the Florida State League Postseason All-Star team. ... Finished tied for second in the FSL in triples (eight) and extra- base hits (54), third in hits (140) and doubles (37), fourth in runs scored (78) and ninth in batting average (.300). ... Was named the FSL Player of the Week for May 28 - June 3 after hitting .563 (9-for-16) with three RBIs. ... Selected as the Brewers Organizational and TOPPS FSL Player of the Month for June, batting .421 (40-for-95) with two homers and 20 RBIs. ... Recorded a 33-game hitting streak from May 28-July 6 which was the longest in Class A Advanced in 56 years. ... Led the Minors with 53 errors in 128 games at third base. ... Named as the Hawaiian Winter Baseball League MVP and Offensive Player of the Year after playing for North Shore. ... Hit .333 with a league-high eight homers and 25 RBIs in 33 games. ... Selected to the HWB All-Star team. ... Named the fifth-best prospect in the Brewers organization by Baseball America.

Spent the entire season at Class A West Virginia where he was named a South Atlantic League Midseason and Postseason All-Star. ... Finished third in the SAL with 88 RBIs.

Began the season at Rookie-level Helena. ... Promoted to West Virginia on Aug. 23 where he finished the season. ... Combined to hit .311 (69-for-222) in his first season.

[pogokat]

lexi---

 

I don't think he meant to downplay Mat's accomplishment's...i think he was just surprised to see Mat batting .367...that's Hall of Famer territory

[twobrewers]

No surprise - LaPorta wins a player of the week honor.

 

Southern League

Matt LaPorta, Huntsville

.526 (10-19), 9 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 3 BB, 5 SO, 0 SB, 1.211 SLG

It took LaPorta all of a month to establish himself as one of the Southern League's most prolific hitters. Though this represents his first full season in the Minors, even veterans are finding it hard to stop the Stars' outfielder. LaPorta appears to like Southern hospitality as he made himself entirely at home in Montgomery's Riverwalk Stadium during Huntsville's five-game set with the Biscuits. LaPorta quickly grabbed the spotlight, hitting three home runs in the first two games, including two in Thursday's 4-2 win, collecting four RBIs in each contest. The Biscuits would battle back to win the next two games, holding LaPorta hitless on Saturday. However, the first round selection doubled twice Friday driving in two, and scored following each of his three singles Sunday to lead the charge in Huntsville's 11-3 win.