Barden, Palmer win weekly awards
Offensive Player of the Week
Brian Barden, Tucson
.357 (10-28), 10 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 5 BB, 3 SO, 0 SB, .821 SLG
Barden has been named the PCL's Player of the Week, the first time he has received these honors since -- drumroll, please -- last week. The red-hot Sidewinder hit a grand slam on both Saturday and Sunday, the latter of which came as part of a 3-for-8 performance in Tucson's 28-5 shellacking of Salt Lake. Oh, and let's not forget Tuesday, when Barden went 4-for-4 with four RBIs in an 11-1 romp over Portland. The 25-year-old has now driven in 29 runs in the month of July and shows no signs of cooling down. Be afraid, PCL pitchers. Be very, very afraid.
Brian Barden, Tucson
.357 (10-28), 10 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 5 BB, 3 SO, 0 SB, .821 SLG
Barden has been named the PCL's Player of the Week, the first time he has received these honors since -- drumroll, please -- last week. The red-hot Sidewinder hit a grand slam on both Saturday and Sunday, the latter of which came as part of a 3-for-8 performance in Tucson's 28-5 shellacking of Salt Lake. Oh, and let's not forget Tuesday, when Barden went 4-for-4 with four RBIs in an 11-1 romp over Portland. The 25-year-old has now driven in 29 runs in the month of July and shows no signs of cooling down. Be afraid, PCL pitchers. Be very, very afraid.
Pitcher of the Week
Matt Palmer, Fresno
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 14.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 12 SO
Palmer turned in a pair of eerily identical starts this week. The Tennessee native hurled seven shutout innings against Salt Lake on Tuesday and seven more against Tacoma on Sunday. In each outing, he struck out six and walked one. On Tuesday, he had to settle for a no-decision. On Sunday, he earned a well-deserved win as Fresno won by a score of 3-1. Both of Palmer's starts came at home, lowering his ERA at Grizzlies Stadium to 1.44.