Kountis, Beatty named to all-league team
One current Wild Things player and one former standout were named Sunday to the Frontier League’s end-of-season all-star team.
Relief pitcher Jonathan Kountis and designated hitter C.J. Beatty were among the 11 players selected.
Kountis became the first player in Frontier League history to have 30 saves in a season when he pitched the 10th inning of Washington’s 3-2 victory Friday night at Gateway. Kountis has a 1-4 record and 2.70 ERA. He has converted 30 of 32 save opportunities. Kountis had a streak of 26 consecutive save opportunities converted.
Beatty had his contract purchased by the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 12. At the time, he was batting .275 with 18 home runs, 57 RBI and 15 stolen bases. The 18 home runs ranks fourth in the league. Beatty is currently playing for the Winston-Salem Dash of the Class A Carolina League.
Both Kountis and Beatty are on the all-league team for the second time. Kountis made it in 2012 as a member of the Lake Erie Crushers. He signed with Washington as a free agent during the last offseason. Beatty was the all-league second baseman last year.
Evansville third baseman Shayne Houck (.311, league-leading 22 home runs, 62 RBI) was named the winner of the Morgan Burkhart Award as the league’s Most Valuable player. Houck is a Pennsylvania native and played his college ball in the PSAC at Kutztown before being drafted by the San Francisco Giants.
Southern Illinois starter Matt Bywater (8-4, 2.38 ERA, league-leading 112 strikeouts) won the Brian Tollberg Award as the Pitcher of the Year. Bywater has 14 quality starts in 20 outings.
Rockford second baseman Tanner Witt (.305) won the Jason Simontacchi Award as the Rookie of the Year. Witt is from Kansas State.
Evansville’s Andy McCauley was named Manager of the Year.
Others chosen to the all-league team are catcher Tyler Shover and outfielders Sam Judah and Mike Schwartz of Normal, Florence first baseman Sam Eberle, Lake Erie second baseman Vincent Mejia, Gateway shortstop Michael Wing and Windy City outfielder Kyle Robinson.
The Observer-Reporter was voted the Newspaper of the Year.
Wild Things radio broadcaster Randy Gore received the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence for his broadcasting and community work. Gore was instrumental is organizing the recent Ovarian Cancer Night at Consol Energy Park.
Former Wild Things trainer Rebecca McFeaters, who now works for Rockford, was named the league’s top trainer.
Gateway's Adam Young was chosen as the Broadcaster of the Year and the Grizzlies were named Organization of the Year. Gateway's Steve Gomric was named the Executive of the Year. Joliet infielder Max Casper will receive the Fran Riordan Award for citizenship.
A few random thoughts on the all-league selections and awards:
Beatty being chosen as the DH was the most interesting of those on the 11-player team, if only because of the position at which he was put on the ballot. I don't have the exact number, but Beatty played about 17 games at DH. He did play 58 in left field.
Having Beatty on the ballot as a DH meant that Saxon Butler, who is second in the league in RBI and only one behind the leader, did not make the all-league team.
There were some hard decisions for voters. First base had four viable candidates, shortstop was a tough call between Wing and Southern Illinois' Ryan Cavan, Joe Staley of River City had good power numbers at catcher, and in addition to Witt there were three other solid candidates for Rookie of the Year.
McCauley would not have been my first choice for Manager of the Year. That's not a knock on what he has done with Evansville, which has been at or near the top of the East all season and overcame the loss of three starting pitchers to affiliated ball. What caught my attention is the jobs done by Steve Brook at River City and Chris Mongiardo at Lake Erie.
Brook lost six players to affiliated ball, and we in Washington all know what losing just two players can do to a team's lineup. Also, when River City was in Washington the first time, the Rascals had suffered a rash of injuries and were so depleted that they played one of those games without a position player on the bench.
Mongiardo, who probably should be known as Captain Hook, has Lake Erie currently in a playoff spot despite having to start the season with his best hitter, Andrew Davis, on the disabled list and going through the season with the fewest quality starts (25 so far) of any team except the Greys. Mongiardo has worn out a path between the dugout and pitcher's mound. He has made 306 pitching changes. Evansville has made only 180 pitching changes.
Kountis became the first player in Frontier League history to have 30 saves in a season when he pitched the 10th inning of Washington’s 3-2 victory Friday night at Gateway. Kountis has a 1-4 record and 2.70 ERA. He has converted 30 of 32 save opportunities. Kountis had a streak of 26 consecutive save opportunities converted.
Beatty had his contract purchased by the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 12. At the time, he was batting .275 with 18 home runs, 57 RBI and 15 stolen bases. The 18 home runs ranks fourth in the league. Beatty is currently playing for the Winston-Salem Dash of the Class A Carolina League.
Both Kountis and Beatty are on the all-league team for the second time. Kountis made it in 2012 as a member of the Lake Erie Crushers. He signed with Washington as a free agent during the last offseason. Beatty was the all-league second baseman last year.
Evansville third baseman Shayne Houck (.311, league-leading 22 home runs, 62 RBI) was named the winner of the Morgan Burkhart Award as the league’s Most Valuable player. Houck is a Pennsylvania native and played his college ball in the PSAC at Kutztown before being drafted by the San Francisco Giants.
Southern Illinois starter Matt Bywater (8-4, 2.38 ERA, league-leading 112 strikeouts) won the Brian Tollberg Award as the Pitcher of the Year. Bywater has 14 quality starts in 20 outings.
Rockford second baseman Tanner Witt (.305) won the Jason Simontacchi Award as the Rookie of the Year. Witt is from Kansas State.
Evansville’s Andy McCauley was named Manager of the Year.
Others chosen to the all-league team are catcher Tyler Shover and outfielders Sam Judah and Mike Schwartz of Normal, Florence first baseman Sam Eberle, Lake Erie second baseman Vincent Mejia, Gateway shortstop Michael Wing and Windy City outfielder Kyle Robinson.
The Observer-Reporter was voted the Newspaper of the Year.
Wild Things radio broadcaster Randy Gore received the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence for his broadcasting and community work. Gore was instrumental is organizing the recent Ovarian Cancer Night at Consol Energy Park.
Former Wild Things trainer Rebecca McFeaters, who now works for Rockford, was named the league’s top trainer.
Gateway's Adam Young was chosen as the Broadcaster of the Year and the Grizzlies were named Organization of the Year. Gateway's Steve Gomric was named the Executive of the Year. Joliet infielder Max Casper will receive the Fran Riordan Award for citizenship.
A few random thoughts on the all-league selections and awards:
Beatty being chosen as the DH was the most interesting of those on the 11-player team, if only because of the position at which he was put on the ballot. I don't have the exact number, but Beatty played about 17 games at DH. He did play 58 in left field.
Having Beatty on the ballot as a DH meant that Saxon Butler, who is second in the league in RBI and only one behind the leader, did not make the all-league team.
There were some hard decisions for voters. First base had four viable candidates, shortstop was a tough call between Wing and Southern Illinois' Ryan Cavan, Joe Staley of River City had good power numbers at catcher, and in addition to Witt there were three other solid candidates for Rookie of the Year.
McCauley would not have been my first choice for Manager of the Year. That's not a knock on what he has done with Evansville, which has been at or near the top of the East all season and overcame the loss of three starting pitchers to affiliated ball. What caught my attention is the jobs done by Steve Brook at River City and Chris Mongiardo at Lake Erie.
Brook lost six players to affiliated ball, and we in Washington all know what losing just two players can do to a team's lineup. Also, when River City was in Washington the first time, the Rascals had suffered a rash of injuries and were so depleted that they played one of those games without a position player on the bench.
Mongiardo, who probably should be known as Captain Hook, has Lake Erie currently in a playoff spot despite having to start the season with his best hitter, Andrew Davis, on the disabled list and going through the season with the fewest quality starts (25 so far) of any team except the Greys. Mongiardo has worn out a path between the dugout and pitcher's mound. He has made 306 pitching changes. Evansville has made only 180 pitching changes.
posted by Chris Dugan at
1:58 PM
16 Comments:
And congrats to you Chris, and the O-R for your well deserved Frontier League recognition.
WT win DH. Attendance, including no-shows, 1411.
Park the Park! What a joke.
Keep Consol Empty Park E-M-P-T-Y.
Glad you stayed home 5:24. Had a great time at CEP. Sweep was sweet. Go Wild Things!
I would guess the number of actual people in the park was <500.
WT lose 10-5 Attendance, 1581 including no shows. Pack the Park.
No Way! Stay home again tonoght. Nothing to see at CEP.
So, why did William Beckwith leave the team?
Anonymous said...
So, why did William Beckwith leave the team?
Yes, I'd like to know that also.
All that was said in the paper was that he had left the team and placed on the "Suspended" list.
Only telling half of the story is the same as telling no story at all.
I'll return to watch a game at CEP just as soon as I know Kevin Gryboski is no longer with the team. Until that happens I will just stay home and watch TV.
Keep CEP empty until Gryboski is gone fron the team!
Why is the story about what happened with Wm. Beckwith being kept a secret?
OMG, who is the offcial scorer for the Wild Things? Does this person even have the slighest clue about how to score? Or, is it just home town scoring conducted in such a manner to favor Wild Things players. That call in the top of the 8th inning was such obviously a fielding error that a blind person could have called it. Wouldn't you just know this scorer actually called it a hit. Even the radio broadcasters thought it was an error (which it was). So that's why the WT have a great fielding percentage - I'm not at all shocked by this blantant favoritism. Goog old Frontier League stuff. Just plain amateurism on a grand scale.
Why do you suppose that Chris Dugan only reported half the story about Beckwith?
If the facts were not released by the WT why didn't he tell us that. Something about this Beckwith adventure has a smell about it.
Bad attitude. That's why he was released.
Dugan said...
Bad attitude. That's why he was releasedI thought you sais he "left"he team not that he was "releasted. You also said he was on the Suspended List.
Not released but suspended so that Washington can retain his rights. He was placed on the list because of a "bad attitude." For example, if you watch the video of Sergey's perfect game, then I doubt you'll find him celebrating on the field after the game. Also, I was told that he refused to take batting practice one night at Gateway.
Wild Things win a playoff for the first time in almost a decade last night but some "fan" is obsessed today with the status of a first baseman who can't hit his weight. Got to like those "fans" in Little Warshington.
...
Not released but suspended so that Washington can retain his rights. He was placed on the list because of a "bad attitude."
If that's the case a lot of WT players could be, and should be, on a list. I don't think Suspended would be the list though. I think a lot of them belond on the Arrogant list.
Also, why would the WT want to retain the rights to a player with a bad attitude? I doubt of ant other team would want him either.
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