(ROCHESTER, MN) The Northwoods League announced the rosters for the 2009 All-Star Game that will be played Tuesday, July 21st at 6:05 PM Eastern in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
The host North Division All-Stars will take on their South Division counterparts at Port Arthur Stadium, home to the reigning Northwoods League Champion Thunder Bay Border Cats. The two-day event, which begins with a banquet dinner featuring Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins Monday night, July 20th, will conclude with the main attraction, the 2009 Northwoods League All-Star Game, Tuesday evening. The All-Star Game will be streamed over the internet with an enhanced video webcast on NorthwoodsLeague.tv. In the hours leading up to the game on the 21st, events will include a player scouting combine, a fan fest, and the annual Home Run Derby.
The Battle Creek Bombers and Rochester Honkers lead the way with seven all-stars per team. The North Division First-Half Champion Mankato MoonDogs placed six all-stars while the South Division Champion Eau Claire Express landed three all-stars. Headlining Rochester’s selectees is the Northwoods League’s leader in home runs with 11, shortstop Corey Jones (Cal State-Fullerton). The shortstop for the South Division, Michael Giller (Illinois) of Waterloo, currently leads the NWL in hitting at .376. The league’s RBI leader with 40, first baseman Harold Riggins (NC State) of Madison, is one of four Mallards on the team. Chuck Lukanen (Northern Illinois) brings his NWL leading six wins as one of four Green Bay pitchers on the South roster.
Five second-time All-Stars are on this year’s teams, including two from the Alexandria Beetles. First baseman Keith Castillo and outfielder Mike O’Neill, both from USC, return for their second consecutive NWL All-Star Game. Rochester pitcher Zach Robertson (Iowa), Battle Creek pitcher RJ Hively (Cal State-Fullerton), and Wisconsin pitcher Bobby Pritchett (Central Arkansas) will do the same.
This year’s All-Stars were chosen in a vote by the 14 member teams of the Northwoods League. Ballots were cast by each team’s field staff and radio and media contacts. The complete list of All-Stars is below:
North Division All-Stars
Player Position Year NWL Team School
Matt Fyffe RHP SO Alexandria Eastern Kentucky
Mitch Handley RHP JR Alexandria North Alabama
Michael Gedman LHP JR Brainerd Lakes Area Massachusetts
Dennis O’Grady RHP SO Brainerd Lakes Area Duke
Drew Smith RHP JR Brainerd Lakes Area Barton County (KS)
Sean Yost RHP FR Duluth Nebraska
Ryan Demmin LHP JR Mankato Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Tim Griffin RHP JR Mankato Rollins (FL)
James Wise RHP SO Mankato Washington State
Drew Gagnon RHP FR Rochester Long Beach State
Zach Robertson LHP JR Rochester Iowa
Arik Sikula RHP SO Rochester Marshall (WV)
David Deminsky LHP JR St. Cloud St. Cloud State (MN)
Tim Roberson C SO Alexandria Florida Gulf Coast
Kyle Knudson C JR Mankato Minnesota
Drew Beuerlein C JR Rochester UNLV
Keith Castillo 1B JR Alexandria Southern California
Adam Courcha 2B JR Thunder Bay New Mexico
Corey Jones SS JR Rochester Cal State-Fullerton
David Valesente 3B JR Brainerd Lakes Area St. Joseph’s (PA)
KC Serna X-INF FR Mankato Oregon
Mike O’Neill OF JR Alexandria Southern California
Rance Roundy OF JR Rochester UNLV
PJ Sequeira OF JR Rochester Oral Roberts (OK)
Danny Miller X-OF SO Mankato Minnesota State-Mankato
Nick Longmire X-OF SO St. Cloud Pacific (CA)
Coach Position NWL Team
Mike Orchard Manager Mankato
Jason Belk Coach Mankato
Kurt Elbin Coach Mankato
Ryan Ruiz Coach Mankato
Joel Barta Manager Thunder Bay
South Division All-Stars
Player Position Year NWL Team School
RJ Hively RHP SO Battle Creek Cal State Fullerton
James Jones RHP SO Battle Creek John A. Logan (IL)
Matt Talley LHP SO Battle Creek The Citadel (SC)
Rudy Jaramillo LHP FR Eau Claire New Mexico
*Devan Kline RHP JR Eau Claire Central Michigan
Dixon Anderson RHP FR Green Bay California-Berkeley
Joel Delorit LHP SO Green Bay Wisconsin-Steven Point
Chuck Lukanen LHP JR Green Bay Northern Illinois
Zach Varce RHP SO Green Bay Portland (OR)
Steven Gruver LHP FR La Crosse Tennessee
Cody Winiarski RHP SO Madison Madison Area Tech (WI)
Bobby Pritchett RHP JR Wisconsin Central Arkansas
Bryce Shafer RHP SO Wisconsin Valparaiso (IN)
Robert Brantly C FR La Crosse California-Riverside
Jimmy Tanner C JR Battle Creek South Carolina-Upstate
Ben Long C JR Wisconsin Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Harold Riggins 1B FR Madison North Carolina State
Greg Fujii 2B SO Battle Creek San Jose City College
Michael Giller SS JR Waterloo Illinois
Josh Valle 3B JR Battle Creek Marshall (WV)
Riley Henricks X-INF SO Green Bay Portland (OR)
Mark Ginther X-INF FR Madison Oklahoma State
Chris Lewis OF JR Battle Creek Western Michigan
Nolan Fadness OF SO Eau Claire Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Kurtis Muller OF SO Madison Iowa
Aaron Gates X-OF FR La Crosse Pepperdine
Justin Preckajlo X-OF JR La Crosse North Florida
*Will not play: signed pro contract.
(X-INF or X-OF represent reserves at those positions)
Coach Position NWL Team
Dale Varsho Manager Eau Claire
Nate Schwartz Coach Eau Claire
CJ Thieleke Manager Madison
Joe Potulny Coach La Crosse
