| Friday, September 19, 2008 For Immediate Release |
Contact: Jesse Goldberg-Strassler ( 517) 485-4500 ext. 233 |
Several Lugnuts take organizational honors
LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts, in conjunction with the Toronto Blue Jays, announced today that three members of the 2008 Lansing club have been named organizational award winners this season.
Starting pitcher Marc Rzepczynski has been selected as the 2008 recipient of the R. Howard Webster Award, which recognizes the most valuable player at each of the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league affiliates.
Lansing manager Clayton McCullough was named the winner of the Bobby Mattick Award, recognizing dedication and excellence in player development.
Justin Jackson, the Lugnuts’ starting shortstop this season, was selected as the winner of the Blue Jays Community Service Award.
Rzepczynski finished the season robustly, putting up his best numbers in August. Over the season’s final 30 days, he earned Lansing’s Pitcher of the Month award, going 2-2 with a 2.56 ERA. Following the impressive stretch run, he was chosen as the staff ace to begin the Midwest League Playoffs.
Overall, Rzepcynski finished seventh in the Midwest League, sporting a 2.83 ERA in 121.0 innings and 22 starts. He went 7-6 for the Lugnuts, allowing 100 hits, 42 walks and striking out more than a batter per inning with 124 K’s.
The 23 year-old California native was originally selected in the fifth round of the 2007 draft.
He joins seven other Blue Jays farm hands in receiving the award, including David Purcey (AAA), former Lugnuts Scott Campbell (AA) and Brian Dopriak (A Advanced), Robert Bell (SA), Balbino Fuenmayor (R), Carlos Perez (DSL) and Oliver Dominguez (DSL).
Five former Webster winners can currently be found on Toronto’s Major League Roster. Roy Halladay (1996) headlines the list and is accompanied by Alex Rios (2003), Aaron Hill (2004), Adam Lind (2004, 2005 & 2006) and Travis Snider (2006 & 2007).
McCullough finished his first season as the skipper of the Lugnuts with a 76-64 record, which was the third highest win total in team history. He also led the club to the Eastern Division’s first-half championship, the first outright division title for Lansing in any half since 1999. By doing so, McCullough managed the Eastern Division All-Stars during the Midwest League All-Star Game at Dow Diamond in June.
This was just McCullough’s second season as a manager. He now holds a career record of 112-88 (.560) with the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays and the Lugnuts.
Jackson was a leader on and off the field this year for Lansing. The supplemental first round selection in 2007 completed nearly 15 hours of service to the community, including autograph sessions for the American Red Cross during a blood drive, and for children in conjunction with Sparrow Hospital.
The native of Asheville, North Carolina, also ran an afternoon clinic for children and parents in need of recognition at the stadium. On top of all that work, Justin quickly became a fan favorite for his willingness to sign autographs before and after games.
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