Veteran Gac named Carolina MVP

Ian Gac doesn't have much more to prove at the Class A Advanced level, especially after collecting some hardware on Thursday.

The Winston-Salem Dash slugger turned in another big season in 2011, earning the Carolina League MVP award as the circuit announced its award winners and postseason All-Star team.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans left-hander Robbie Ross was selected Pitcher of the Year and Aaron Holbert of the Kinston Indians was named Manager of the Year.

Selected in the 26th round of the 2003 Draft, Gac has yet to advance past Class A Advanced, despite totaling 159 home runs and 545 RBIs over nine seasons with the Rangers and White Sox.

With Winston-Salem, the 26-year-old designated hitter is hitting .279 and leads the Carolina League with 33 homers, 93 RBIs and a .537 slugging percentage. He was a midseason All-Star and earned Player of the Week honors on Aug. 8.

Ross, 22, went 9-4 with a 2.26 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 123 1/3 innings with Myrtle Beach before his promotion to Double-A Frisco. The midseason All-Star still leads the league in ERA and was Pitcher of the Week on June 27.

In his second year with Kinston, Holbert had the K-Tribe in contention for the Southern Division second-half title heading into the final week of the season.

The league's top hitter, Andrelton Simmons of the Lynchburg Hillcats, is the All-Star shortstop after batting .306 with 51 RBIs. The Braves prospect is the only Carolina Leaguer with an average over .300.

Potomac Nationals catcher Sandy Leon and second baseman Jeff Kobernus joined Lynchburg first baseman Joey Terdoslavich, Pelicans third baseman Mike Olt around the infield, with Winston-Salem's Andy Wilkins selected as a utility player.

Pelicans teammates Ryan Strausborger and Jared Prince were selected to the All-Star outfield along with Potomac's Destin Hood and Bryce Brentz of the Salem Red Sox.

Kinston right-hander Preston Guilmet was chosen as the relief pitcher after leading the league with 34 saves.

All-Stars were chosen by league managers, general managers and media. Trainer Masanobu Koyanagi of the Wilmington Blue Rocks was selected in a vote of his peers conducted by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society.

2011 Carolina League Postseason All-Star Team
Position Players
POS	PLAYER	TEAM	AFFILIATE
C	Sandy Leon	Potomac	Washington
1B	Joey Terdoslavich	Lynchburg	Atlanta
2B	Jeff Kobernus	Potomac	Washington
3B	Mike Olt	Myrtle Beach	Texas
SS	Andrelton Simmons	Lynchburg	Atlanta
OF	Destin Hood	Potomac	Washington
OF	Ryan Strausborger	Myrtle Beach	Texas
OF	Bryce Brentz	Salem	Boston
DH	Ian Gac*	Winston-Salem	Chicago (AL)
UT INF	Andy Wilkins	Winston-Salem	Chicago (AL)
UT OF	Jared Prince	Myrtle Beach	Texas
Pitchers
POS	PLAYER	TEAM	AFFILIATE
SP	Robbie Ross**	Myrtle Beach	Texas
RP	Preston Guilmet	Kinston	Cleveland
Field Staff
POS	NAME	TEAM	AFFILIATE
Manager	Aaron Holbert	Kinston	Cleveland
Trainer	Masanobu Koyanagi	Wilmington	Kansas City

* Most Valuable Player
** Pitcher of the Year