Kendrick named PCL Rookie of the Year

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Howie Kendrick of the Salt Lake Bees has been named 2006 Pacific Coast League Rookie of the Year, an honor annually chosen by the League's managers and media representatives in recognition of a player's outstanding achievement during his first year at the Triple-A level, the League announced today.

Kendrick, 23, from Jacksonville, Florida, hit .369 with 13 home runs and knocked in 62 runs for the Bees before being called up to the Los Angeles Angels on July 14. His promotion came just two days after participating in the Triple-A All-Star Game in Toledo as the starting second baseman for the PCL.

"He's a special player," Salt Lake manager Brian Harper said of Kendrick. "Hitting success isn't achieved by accident, it takes hard work, and he's a very committed young man. He's showing that now with the Angels."

Since joining Angels, Kendrick has continued his success, hitting for a .317 average with 19 RBIs.

Created in 1998 when the PCL expanded to 16 teams, previous PCL Rookies of the Year include Bobby Crosby, then with Sacramento, Jeremy Giambi with Omaha, Chris Burke with New Orleans, and the 2005 winner Felix Hernandez from Tacoma.

Other PCL players considered to receive the 2006 award were Las Vegas's James Loney, Nashville's Tony Gwynn Jr., and Tucson's Stephen Drew.