Blue Jays fly high on FSL All-Star squad

The Dunedin Blue Jays boast five players on this year's Florida State League Postseason All-Star Team, but neither of them scored Most Valuable Player or Pitcher honors.

Those kudos belong to Jupiter Hammerheads first baseman Logan Morrison and former St. Lucie Mets right-hander Dylan Owen, now hurling for Double-A Binghamton.

Morrison tops the league in average (.334), hits (157) and doubles (37). He has driven in 71 runs, scored 70 and has a .500 slugging percentage.

Owen was 12-6 with a 3.43 ERA with St. Lucie before moving up to Binghamton, where he is 1-0 in two starts. The right-hander still leads the FSL in wins. He is third in strikeouts (116) while walking (33) and threw two complete games, including one shutout.

Dunedin dots the roster with righty Ray Gonzalez, second baseman Brad Emaus, outfielder Cory Patton, designated hitter Brian Dopirak and manager Omar Malave. Not surprising, since the Blue Jays own the Florida State League's best record at 43-20.

Also on the pitching staff are starters Rick Porcello (Lakeland) and Graham Taylor (Jupiter) and relievers Anthony Slama (Fort Myers) and Francisco Samuel (Palm Beach).

Porcello (8-6), a former first-round Draft pick, is second in the league with a 2.66 ERA for the Flying Tigers. Taylor (11-6) is tied for second in wins with three pitchers (Gonzalez, Lakeland teammate Jonah Nickerson and Fort Myers' Deolis Guerra) and has one shutout for the Hammerheads.

In the bullpen, Slama (3-1, 1.06 ERA) ranks fourth in the league with 25 saves and has fanned 108 while walking 24 in 68 innings for the Miracle. Samuel (4-6, 3.15 ERA) tops the field with 28 saves, striking out 83 and walking 45 over 54 1/3 frames for the Cardinals.

Morrison and Emaus are joined on the infield by shortstop Cale Iorg (Lakeland), third baseman Juan Francisco (Sarasota) and utility infielder Taylor Green (Brevard County).

Emaus leads the league in runs (83), is third in hits (139) and doubles (33) and sixth in average (.300). Francisco, who played in the All-Star Futures Game for the World Team, is second in the league in hits (142), doubles (34) and RBIs (91) and third in homers (22).

Green is sixth in homers (15) and RBIs (73), while Iorg has 92 hits and 20 stolen bases.

The squad's backstops are Fort Myers' Wilson Ramos (.286, 124 hits, 76 RBIs, 48 runs) and St. Lucie's Josh Thole (.304, 102 hits, 53 RBIs, 49 runs).

The outfield contingent includes Patton, the Clearwater Threshers' lone representative, Quintin Berry (136 hits, league-leading 129 games), Sarasota's Chris Heisey (125 hits) and Daytona's sole All-Star, Jim Adduci (126 hits).

Although he is now up with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Dopirak trails only Francisco in batting (.308) and his 27 homers are second to Lakeland's Ryan Strieby (29). Heisey, Adduci and Dopirak stand second in the league with 77 runs and third behind Strieby and Francisco with 88 RBIs.

In the dugout, Manager of the Year Malave is joined by coaches Jeff Smith of the Miracle and Gaylen Pitts of the Cardinals.

The team was selected by field managers, official scorers and club sportswriters for the FSL's 12 teams.