Starscreams | Russelville Nine Fall Just Short of Postseason (55.11)

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Starscreams: A Valencia Stars Baseball Blog

Russelville Nine Fall Just Short of Postseason

08/18/2055
Brianna Robles, Starscreams contributor

For those of you who might have forgotten that the Stars had a rookie league team called the Russelville Rockets, it might come as a surprise to learn that the team recently enjoyed its first winning season since '46. And if you had forgotten about the Rockets, there's a fair chance you work in the Valencia front office. The Stars under current management have not exactly neglected their minor league system, but they have been fairly indifferent to the on-field performance of those teams, seeing team success as a signal to move players up the ladder.

Unsurprisingly, the Stars' official website made no mention of Russelville's accomplishment, or their 38-30 record. When the topic was broached at general manager Alejandro Suárez's most recent biweekly news conference he said, “Wow. Good for them. They keep score in rookie ball, huh? Sounds like maybe we were slow in promoting some guys.”

The Rockets were led by the Stars second round pick in 2054, Ángel Trejo. The seventeen year-old Trejo slashed .348/.406/.574 (166 wRC+) while playing left field, and did earn a promotion to Class A Short Season Saturn at the conclusion of the Rockets' season. Trejo's coaches praise the youngsters dedication and focus, and while they like his raw speed, they say he has a lot to learn about playing in the base-paths. Honorable mentions go out to SS Jack Wesman (155 wRC+) and 1B Sloan Davidson (161 wRC+).