07/07/2008 2:15 PM -
ST. PAUL, MN (July 7, 2008) – The home crowd will have five extra reasons to cheer loudly during the American Association All-Star Game presented by Medica at Midway Stadium as the St. Paul Saints will be represented by catcher Kevin Sullivan, outfielders Brent Krause and Heath Keel and pitchers Charlie Ruud and Craig Molldrem.
The 30-year-old Sullivan is hitting .282 with seven homers and 28 RBI in 50 games at one of the most demanding positions on the diamond. In 188 at bats he’s scored 30 runs, has 11 doubles, a .452 slugging percentage and a .357 on base percentage. This is Sullivan’s third All-Star Game appearance. He was a reserve at the 2001 Northern League All-Star Game and the 2006 American Association All-Star Game.
The 26-year-old Krause is hitting .303 with eight homers and 34 RBI while playing all 54 games. In 208 at bats he’s scored 41 runs, has 18 doubles, one triple, a .514 slugging percentage and a .378 on base percentage. Krause is currently second in the league in doubles and extra base hits and fifth in runs scored. This is Krause’s third consecutive All-Star appearance, making the 2006 Northern League All-Star Game and the 2007 American Association All-Star Game as a Saint. He didn’t play, however, because he was signed by the Baltimore Orioles organization.
The 24-year-old Keel turned out to be a great addition to the Saints, who claimed him off waivers from the Wichita Wingnuts on June 26. In 10 games with the Saints he is hitting .417 with two homers and seven RBI. In 36 at bats he has scored eight runs, hit three doubles, a .667 slugging percentage and a .476 on base percentage. His numbers between the two teams are just as impressive hitting .288 with seven homers and 29 RBI in 50 games. In 170 at bats he’s cored 31 runs, clubbed nine doubles, one triple, a .476 slugging percentage and a .328 on base percentage. This is Keel’s first All-Star Game nod.
The 26-year-old Ruud has been one of the best pitchers in the league this season. He is 9-1 with a 2.73 ERA and one complete game in 11 games (10 starts). In 62.2 innings pitched he has walked just 12 and struck out 35 while opponents are hitting just .265 against him. He surpassed the all-time wins mark by a Saints pitcher this season and is nearing the most innings pitched and strikeout mark as well. Ruud leads the league in wins and is tied for sixth in the league in ERA. This is Ruud’s first All-Star Game selection.
The 26-year-old Molldrem has been one of the most dominant relievers in the American Association. With his 90+ mile per hour fastball he has blown hitters away. He is 0-3 with a 2.10 ERA in 23 relief appearances. In 34.1 innings pitched he has given up just eight runs on 21 hits while walking 10 and striking out 35 while opponents hit a miniscule .176 against him. This is Molldrem’s second All-Star Game. He was selected to the 2005 South Atlantic League All-Star Game with the Florida Marlins organization.
The Saints will host the 2008 American Association All-Star Game at Midway Stadium and Saints manager George Tsamis will manage the North Division team. With the Saints reaching the American Association Championship in 2007, Tsamis was rewarded with the All-Star Game managerial duties for the North Division. He will use his coaching staff, hitting coach Lamarr Rogers, pitching coach Mitch Wylie and bullpen coach T.J. Wiesner.
The All-Star Game starters were selected from the 10 managers and 10 media members from each city. Voters could only vote for their own league and were allowed to vote for their own team. The reserves and pitchers were selected by each team’s managers, Tsamis for the North and Fort Worth Cats manager Chad Treadaway for the South.
Tickets for the All-Star Game are $12 for box seats, $8 for bleacher reserved and $5 for general admission. Pre-game festivities, including the skills competition and home run derby, begin at 5:00 p.m. with the game taking place at 7:05 p.m. To purchase tickets contact the Saints box office at 651-644-6659 or visit saintsbaseball.com.
The full All-Star Game rosters for both the North and South Division are below:
North Division
Manager: George Tsamis St. Paul Saints
Hitting Coach Lamarr Rogers St. Paul Saints
Pitching Coach Mitch Wylie St. Paul Saints
Coach TJ Wiesner St. Paul Saints
Catcher Kevin Sullivan St. Paul Saints
1B Dustin Yount Lincoln Saltdogs
2B Brenan Herrera Wichita Wingnuts
SS Kevin Hooper Wichita Wingnuts
3B Grant Richardson Sioux Falls Canaries
DH Will Smith Sioux Falls Canaries
OF Brent Krause St. Paul Saints
OF Beau Torbert Sioux Falls Canaries
OF Ben Van Iderstine Sioux Falls Canaries
Reserve Catcher Paul Smyth Sioux Falls Canaries
Reserve Infielder Michael Thompson Wichita Wingnuts
Reserve Outfielder Heath Keel St. Paul Saints
P Paige Dumont Sioux City Explorers
P Ryan Ford Sioux Falls Canaries
P Travis Kane Sioux Falls Canaries
P Pat Mahomes Sioux Falls Canaries
P Kris Regas Sioux Falls Canaries
P Craig Molldrem St. Paul Saints
P Charlie Ruud St. Paul Saints
P Brett Reid Sioux City Explorers
South Division
Manager Chad Tredaway Fort Worth Cats
Hitting Coach James Frisbie Fort Worth Cats
Bench Coach Heath Autrey Fort Worth Cats
Catcher J.B. Tucker Grand Prairie Airhogs
1B Brandon Sing Pensacola Pelicans
2B Ron Fenwick Shreveport Sports
SS Nilson Teilon Fort Worth Cats
3B Edwin Moldonado Grand Prairie Airhogs
DH John Allen Fort Worth Cats
OF Rafael Alvarez Pensacola Pelicans
OF Brian Fryer Fort Worth Cats
OF J.D. Reininger El Paso Diablos
Reserve Catcher Ken Lup Fort Worth Cats
Reserve Infielder Jake Gautrau Fort Worth Cats
Reserve Outfielder Stantrel Smith El Paso Diablos
P Scott Drucker Grand Prairie AirHogs
P Kieran Mattison Grand Prairie Airhogs
P James Morrison Grand Prairie AirHogs
P Pedro Flores Fort Worth Cats
P Dan Grybash Fort Worth Cats
P Jon Hunton Fort Worth Cats
P Joel Kirsten Fort Worth Cats
P Donny Langdon Pensacola Pelicans
