WICHITA, KS - The Wichita Wingnuts are proud to announce that three members of their organization will represent the American Association this month in the league's third annual All-Star Game. Shortstop Kevin Hooper, second baseman Brenan Herrera, and third baseman Michael Thompson will play for the North Division, comprised of players from the Wingnuts, Lincoln Saltdogs, St. Paul Saints, Sioux City Explorers, and Sioux Falls Canaries. Hooper and Herrera were voted into the starting lineup by the league's field managers and media. Thompson was selected as a reserve by Saints' manager George Tsamis, who will lead the North Division squad.
Hooper, a 10th year pro from Lawrence, KS, currently ranks second in the league in batting at .364, third in stolen bases with 17, and fourth in on-base percentage at .428. On May 28th, Hooper collected his 1,000th career base hit with an infield single against Sioux Falls. The former Shocker had a 13-game hitting streak from May 25th through June 7th in which he went 20-58 (.345). Hooper is 58 for his last 148 (.392) since May 24th, and has anchored an infield defense that leads the league with 64 double plays.
Herrera, a native of Lawton Oklahoma, ranks sixth in batting at .338. A former Oklahoma Sooner, Herrera has hit safely in 42 of his 50 games played this season, while collecting 19 multi-hit games. Herrera has excelled in the clutch, batting .358 in 53 at bats with runners in scoring position, and .429 in 21 at bats with runners in scoring position and two outs. In May, Herrera had hitting streaks of both eight and nine games.
Thompson, originally from Covina, CA, leads the American Association with 30 extra-base hits. He also ranks first with 22 doubles, fourth in slugging percentage at .554, and eighth in batting at .326. Thompson was an All-Star in the Midwest League in 2007 while playing for the Burlington Bees in the Kansas City Royals organization. Thompson reached base in 30 consecutive games with a hit or walk to begin the year. He is the only remaining Wingnut to appear in all 53 games this season.
Each club received two votes, one per manager and one per media representative, to determine the starters. Tsamis and Fort Worth Cats' manager Chad Tredaway chose the reserves for their respective squads. The Saints and Cats faced each other in last year's American Association Championship Series. The rest of the league's All-Stars can be found in a press release at the league's website www.americanassociationbaseball.com
Wichita returns home for the first time in the second half with a four-game series vs. the Canaries beginning tonight at 7:05 p.m.
- WINGNUTS -
