Ogden Raptors: Awards for 2008
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1 comment [ View ]By Trent Toone
Raptors Notes
What would a season at Lindquist Field be without the Standard-Examiner's version of the Dundies?
It would probably still be entertaining and memorable, but regardless, here are some well-deserved accolades for the team that came back from a 1-10 start to have a shot at the Pioneer League playoffs.
Biggest prankster -- According to sources deep inside the clubhouse, this award goes to Joe Becker and Matt Wallach, with translator Daisuke Masumoto getting an honorable mention. There have been stories about eyeblack in helmets and shoes, shoes getting set on fire and cups of water falling on unsuspecting players. The story about shower shoes being super-glued together was also funny.
Most bats thrown into the stands -- Pedro Baez. At the beginning of the season, he really helped fans to pay attention.
Biggest story-teller -- Again, according to sources, Gabriel Casanova, Jon Dutton and Tony Delmonico have some good fish tales. Name a topic, theses guys could spin a story, we're told.
Foreign player who speaks the best English -- Javier Solano, Marcel Prado and Robert Boothe have learned to speak the language this season, and more than just "locker room words."
Best clubbies in the Pioneer League -- When it comes to cleaning up after the players and making sure the clubhouse stays in order, Logan McWilliams, 17, and Cole Bennett, 15, are among the league's finest.
Best poker player -- Michael Watt says he learned how to play the game of poker from teammate Cal Stanke, who has since moved to another team. He likes to play online at home and when on the road and he passes his time reading books about poker.
Post game fan favorite, especially with the ladies -- Kyle Russell has posed for more photos and signed more autographs this season, his teammates say, than most players sign in a career. Must be the Texas accent.
Hardest worker -- While many players could have earned this award, another Texan, outfielder Clay Calfee, was nominated by teammates for his dedication and persistence.
Heart of the team -- Wallach, the catcher, has been spoken of as "the old-man/father-figure" for the Raptors this season. He quietly goes about his business and occasionally comes up with the big play when it is needed.
Hustler -- Teammates nominated pitchers Marcel Prado and Jon Runnels for this award. You never see these guys walking off the field.
Defensive player -- Ironically, the guy with the most errors on the team was also selected as the best defensive player. Shortstop Dee Gordon, who has 23 errors, has also made some spectacular plays in the infield. Baez, who plays third base, was also considered for this award.
Best relief pitcher -- Luis Garcia is currently second in the Pioneer League in saves with eight for the season. He can always be relied on to help the Raptors out of a late-game jam, just as he did Saturday night.
Top starting pitcher -- For his overall performance this season, Michael Watt gets the nod here. The lefty is among the league leaders in wins (8) and recently pitched his first complete game. Geison Aguasviva (3-4, 2.90 earned run average) and Jon Dutton (who leads the league with nine wins) were also considered.
Offensive player -- If not for a dislocated shoulder keeping him out of most of the first half of the season, Travis Vetters could have been MVP. Still he is hitting .429 at the plate and has compiled nine homers and 33 RBIs. Vetters has delivered in the clutch several times.
Finally, the MVP -- When asked how he might feel about being named the MVP, Russell laughed. He talked about all the guys who probably deserved it more, especially on a team with as much depth as the Raptors. Even so, Russell has been consistent all season, hitting around .300 with nine homers, 40 RBIs and always coming up with a timely hit.
Final useless factoids -- According to the clubbies, the Raptors used between 60 and 80 baseballs a game. About 120 balls are kept in the bag each time the players take batting practice. In 38 home games, the clubbies estimate that more than 2,500 baseballs are used.
Good choices for player awards. Good luck, guys, in the playoffs