Eastern League All-Stars named
The rosters -- which were announced Thursday for the July 13 game at Hadlock Field in Portland, Maine -- were determined by a combination of fan balloting and selections from the media, managers, team personnel and league officials.
The game pits the EL's Northern Division against the Southern Division.
Infielders Hanley Ramirez (the Red Sox's top-rated prospect), Kenny Perez (.296, two homers, 20 RBIs) and Jared Sandberg (15 homers, 49 RBIs), outfielder Brandon Moss (.287, 11 homers, 40 RBIs), and pitchers Jon Papelbon (4-2, 2.67 ERA) and Jon Lester (5-1, 2.51) will represent the Sea Dogs in front of the home fans at the mid-summer classic.
Reading and Altoona, both in the Southern Division, are each represented by five players on the roster, including highly touted prospects such as outfielder Michael Bourn (.281, four homers, 25 RBIs) of the Phillies and Curve pitcher Tom Gorzelanny (4-2, 3.08).
The game figures to be a smorgasbord of talented prospects. Eleven of the players are rated as Top 10 prospects by Baseball America for their individual organizations, and four are taking part in the 2005 XM Satellite Futures Game on July 10 at Comerica Park in Detroit.
Such stars include Binghamton's Yusmeiro Petit (New York's No. 4 prospect), Erie's Joel Zumaya (Detroit's No. 4 prospect), Norwich's Merkin Valdez (San Francisco's No. 2 prospect) and New Hampshire's Josh Banks (Toronto's No. 9 prospect). Ramirez, Petit, Valdez and Zumaya will be participating in the Futures Game as well.
The Sea Dogs coaching staff of manager Todd Claus, pitching coach Fernando Arroyo, hitting coach Russ Morman and trainer Masai Takahashi will serve as coaches for the Northern Division squad.
As a result of winning the 2004 Southern Division title, the Altoona Curve coaching staff -- manager Tony Beasley, pitching coach Jeff Andrews, hitting coach Matt Winters and trainer Jason Palmer - will coach the Southern All-Stars.
MiLB.com will provide live video and audio streaming of the 2005 Hannaford Eastern League All-Star Game, and it will also be televised throughout New England on the New England Sports Network (NESN).
Tickets for the game at Hadlock Field are sold out.