Maurer Named SL Most Outstanding Pitcher
MARIETTA, GA - The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs has announced Brandon Maurer of the Jackson Generals as its 2012 Most Outstanding Pitcher. Votes for this award were received from league field managers, radio broadcasters and print media.
The first member of the Generals franchise to be named the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher since Ricky Nolasco in 2005 when the club was known as the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, Maurer went 9-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 24 starts. The 6-foot-5 righthander led the league with an .818 winning percentage and ranked fifth in ERA, helping Jackson record the best record in the Southern League (79-61).
With an injury to James Paxton in late May and the promotion of Danny Hultzen to Triple A at the conclusion of the first half, Maurer emerged as the Generals' most dependable starter over the final three months of the season. Beginning with a complete-game, 6-1 win against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on June 1, Maurer went 7-1 with a 2.50 ERA in his final 14 starts.
On June 11, Maurer pitched 7 1/3 innings of an 8-0 win against the Jacksonville Suns as Jackson clinched the first-half title in the Southern League.s North Division. It was one of 11 starts in which Maurer allowed one earned run or fewer.
Maurer was particularly dominant in July, going 3-0 with a 1.99 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. He limited the opposition to a .198 batting average that month without surrendering a home run in five starts. Overall, Maurer gave up only four homers in 137 2/3 innings in 2012.
The 22-year-old Maurer concluded his regular season with six scoreless innings in a 5-2 win against the Mississippi Braves on August 16. It was Maurer's 14th quality start of the season.
Selected in the 23rd round of the 2008 draft by the Seattle Mariners, Maurer had managed only seven wins in his first four professional seasons. The native of Costa Mesa, CA recorded his seventh win of 2012 on July 17.
The first member of the Generals franchise to be named the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher since Ricky Nolasco in 2005 when the club was known as the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, Maurer went 9-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 24 starts. The 6-foot-5 righthander led the league with an .818 winning percentage and ranked fifth in ERA, helping Jackson record the best record in the Southern League (79-61).
With an injury to James Paxton in late May and the promotion of Danny Hultzen to Triple A at the conclusion of the first half, Maurer emerged as the Generals' most dependable starter over the final three months of the season. Beginning with a complete-game, 6-1 win against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on June 1, Maurer went 7-1 with a 2.50 ERA in his final 14 starts.
On June 11, Maurer pitched 7 1/3 innings of an 8-0 win against the Jacksonville Suns as Jackson clinched the first-half title in the Southern League.s North Division. It was one of 11 starts in which Maurer allowed one earned run or fewer.
Maurer was particularly dominant in July, going 3-0 with a 1.99 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. He limited the opposition to a .198 batting average that month without surrendering a home run in five starts. Overall, Maurer gave up only four homers in 137 2/3 innings in 2012.
The 22-year-old Maurer concluded his regular season with six scoreless innings in a 5-2 win against the Mississippi Braves on August 16. It was Maurer's 14th quality start of the season.
Selected in the 23rd round of the 2008 draft by the Seattle Mariners, Maurer had managed only seven wins in his first four professional seasons. The native of Costa Mesa, CA recorded his seventh win of 2012 on July 17.