Three Mavs lead Cal League All-Star squad
Catcher -- Miguel Montero, Lancaster JetHawks: League leader in batting average (.349), 24 homers, 84 RBIs, .403 on-base percentage, .625 slugging percentage. The 22-year-old Hawaiian had five four-hit games before his mid-July promotion to Double-A Tennessee.
First base -- Bryan Lahair, Inland Empire 66ers: .309 batting average, 22 homers, tied for the league lead with 112 RBIs. On Aug. 1, the 22-year-old from Massachusetts slugged three homers and knocked in five runs.
Second base -- Howie Kendrick, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes: .384 batting average, 69 runs, 12 homers, 13 stolen bases. Since his mid-July promotion to Double-A Arkansas, the 22-year-old from Florida is batting .355 with six homers and 41 RBIs and has hit safely in 27 of his last 28 games.
Shortstop -- Brandon Wood (Most Valuable Player), Rancho Cucamonga Quakes: League leader in home runs (41), RBIs (112), runs (105), hits (167), doubles (50), extra-base hits (95), total bases (348) and slugging percentage (.671). In a three-game stretch from Aug. 21-23, the 20-year-old Texan went 8-for-14 with five homers and 13 RBIs.
Third base -- Ian Stewart, Modesto Nuts: 14 homers, 31 doubles, 77 RBIs, 77 runs. From June 20 to July 6, the 20-year-old from California scored at least one run in 12 straight games.
Outfield -- Kevin Mahar, Bakersfield Blaze: .318 batting average, 17 homers, 88 runs, 16 stolen bases, .400 on-base percentage. On July 19, the 24-year-old went 4-for-4 with two homers and three runs.
Outfield -- Joe Gaetti, Modesto Nuts: .313 batting average, 17 homers, 76 RBIs, 77 runs, .404 on-base percentage, .562 slugging percentage. From June 17 to Aug. 12, the 23-year-old son of former Major League All-Star third baseman Gary Gaetti hit safely in 29 of 30 games.
Outfield -- Eddy Martinez-Esteve, San Jose Giants: .317 batting average, 16 homers, 91 RBIs, 83 runs, 41 doubles, 83 walks, .428 on base percentage. On Apr. 17, the 22-year old from Maryland raised his batting average 96 points by going 5-for-6 with four doubles, a homer and six RBIs.
Designated hitter -- Billy Butler (Rookie of the Year), High Desert Mavericks: .348 batting average, 25 homers, 91 RBIs, 30 doubles, .419 on-base percentage, .636 slugging percentage. Before his early August promotion to Double-A Wichita, the 19-year-old Texan had six multiple-homer games.
Utility -- Brandon Powell, High Desert Mavericks: .293 batting average, 17 homers, 66 RBIs, 71 runs, 29 doubles. On June 14, the 25-year-old from South Carolina slugged two homers and knocked in a season-high five runs.
Pitcher -- Jared Wells (Pitcher of the Year), Lake Elsinore Storm: 11-3, league-leading 3.44 ERA, 80 strikeouts in 120 1/3 innings, league leader with two complete games. Before his late July promotion to Double-A Mobile, the 23-year-old Texan won nine of his last 10 decisions.
Pitcher -- Thomas Diamond, Bakersfield Blaze: 8-0, 1.99 ERA, 101 strikeouts and 53 hits in 81 1/3 innings. In his final start before his late June promotion to Double-A Frisco, the 22-year-old from New Orleans fanned 14 batters in a one-hit shutout.
Pitcher -- John Gragg III, High Desert Mavericks: Tied for the league lead in wins with a 12-5 record, 4.51 ERA, 92 strikeouts in 143 2/3 innings. From June 10 to July 9, the 24-year-old Floridian posted a five-game winning streak.
Pitcher -- Garret Mock, Lancaster JetHawks: Tied for the league lead in wins with a 12-7 record, 4.35 ERA, tied for the league lead with 144 strikeouts in 161 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old workhorse from Vermont has lasted at least five innings in 24 of his 26 starts.
Manager -- Lenn Sakata (Manager of the Year), San Jose Giants: Led his team to a first-half championship in the Northern Division and trails Stockton by 1.5 games in the second half with a 36-27 (.571) record. The 51-year-old Hawaiian batted .230 with 25 homers, 109 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 11 Major League seasons.