BSA Hits Mid-Summer Classic; Bags Send 6 Players

We reached the unofficial halfway point of the 2017 season where the league's stars headed off to Niagara Falls for the 2017 All-Star game.  It comes as no surprise in a season where Jersey has produced the best record in the BSA that they would send more players to the game than they ever had before.  Jersey had set the bar last year sending 5 players but they one upped the 2016 team by sending 6 players this season, including 3 first timers.  

SP Jose Ramos: 8-4, 3.35 ERA.  The young ace of the staff in his first full season in the BSA gets the nod for the first time as an All-Star.  After bursting on the scene last year, Ramos future appears to be very bright.  On the season he also has 3 complete games and his first career shutout coming against Greenville in May.

SP Greg Schaefer: 13-0, 3.07 ERA. It seems it just took Schaefer a little longer to develop than your average BSA player.  Playing in his 6th season in the BSA, Schaefer has gotten better every year reaching his 1st BSA All-Star game at age 27.  At the time of the break he had yet to lose a game, which would eventually be halted after 23 starts, which is the 5th longest streak in BSA history.   

CL Jaime Saenz:  4-1, 29 saves, 1.84 ERA.  In his 2nd year as the Jersey closer, Saenz has been named to his 2nd straight All-Star game.  The flame throwing lefty leads the CL in saves while his 11.83 K/9 is the 2nd best in his career.  He is on pace to shatter his own team saves record of 40 which he set last season.

C Warren Goyer: 26 HR, 73 RBI.  Jersey's starting catcher in his first full season in Jersey after coming over Cleveland in a trade last season is putting up bigger numbers than anyone could have imagined.  His 26 HR put him in a tie atop the CL HR leader-board and puts him in a position to challenge Matt Doyle's team record of 44 which happened in 2015.  Goyer has 4 multi-HR games this season, including a 3-HR game June 26th against Toronto.

2B Mike Bryant:  .311, 19 HR, 68 RBI.  While Bryant isn't re-producing the numbers he put up last season in his triple-crown season, he was still almost a unanimous choice for the starting position at 2B for the CL.  Bryant is in his 4th full season and is making his 4th All-Star appearance.  He is one of 27 players all time to be selected to the Mid-Summer classic 4 or more times.  Bryant passed the 150 HR mark this season and will surpass 1000 hits sometime early next season.  He leads the franchise in both categories.

DH Matt Doyle: .309, 24 HR, 84 RBI.  For the 3rd straight year Doyle will be headed to the All-Star game and first time as a DH.  With Alberto Perez manning 1B for much of the season Doyle has been solely used for his bat, which he doesn't seem to mind.  At the time of the break Doyle was leading the CL in RBI with 84 and on pace for his 4th straight 100 RBI season.  Doyle should hit the 150 HR mark at 500 RBI mark later this season.

GO D-BAGS