The 6'5" Hope hit well in the minors but couldn't get a shot until last year at the age of 25. A trade from Calgary to Phoenix in '98 proved to be what he needed, and the Talons made him their full-time catcher last season. He didn't hit as well as they would have liked out of the block but has more than made up for that this year, hitting for both power and average and showing a strong arm behind the plate.
CF Brett Caves – Baltimore
The 29-year old Caves emerged last year as one of the best hitters in the league but didn’t make the team. This year, his name is all over the leaderboards, and he leads the league in Isolated Power. 30 homers and 75 RBI at the break isn’t too shabby. On top of that, he has shown incredible range in center field and hasn’t made an error all year.
RF Casey Martin – Madison
Talk about a grinder, Martin was undrafted, being signed to an MLC by the Wolves back in ’95 and was a top 35 prospect within two years. His secret was realizing he was much better against righties and putting all of his focus into that aspect of his game. He’s so good at it that, even playing primarily in a platoon, he is fourth in the league in VORP. He’s also leading the league in batting, is a very good defensive outfielder, and even shows a little speed.
P Keith Cabana – Valencia
This 6’5” native Californian is popular in Valencia, as you would expect for a young man who has won 32 games in the last two years and is still only 26. He’s got a killer combination of junk pitches, all thrown at high velocity, but nothing straight enough to be called a fastball. He’s leading the league in ERA, VORP and Opponents’ OPS and has a shot at 20 wins this year.
RP Ronnie Murry – Greenville
Veteran reliever has been up and down with the Shiners for several years but has been dominant this year after being given the full-time closer role. He brings strong intangibles and quiet manner to the club to go with his impeccable control. He’s also a favorite with locals who have enjoyed seeing a good ol’ boy succeed in spite of mediocre talents.
P Andrew Bogan – Phoenix
Yep, we have a problem here. Bogan actually has pitched in Flagstaff all year, having thrown a grand total of 3 innings in the big leagues. Methinks league management made a boo boo.
C Robin Larker – Louisville
I was shocked to see that the 34-year old veteran with over 300 homers had never made an All Star team. He seems to have found new life after signing a free agent deal with Louisville and is on pace for his best season ever. No longer a good defensive catcher, he still brings big power to the plate and has a shot at 40 homers for the first time in his career.
RF Sadaharu Oh, Jr. - California
Here’s another surprising first-timer. He couldn’t make the team in his many seasons with the Marauders but somehow caught the eye of the selectors this season. The problem with Oh’s career has been inconsistency as some years he is among the best, and other years you wonder where he disappeared to. He’s scheduled to be a free agent after the season. Will this year’s performance be enough to inspire California to re-sign him?