Four Broncos named to ULB All-Star team

By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

It was announced on Tuesday that four Broncos were named to the 2008 United League vs. Golden League All-Star game in San Angelo on July 15.

The United League team consists of 20 players. The Amarillo Dillas led all teams by having five players named to the elite squad.

The Broncos, Alexandria Aces and San Angelo Colts boast four representatives, while the Harlingen WhiteWings named two and the Edinburg Coyotes named one.

Each team manager and a media representative from each team were given ballots to vote for players on the other five teams in the league besides their own.

From Laredo, infielder Luany Sanchez, outfielder Dwayne White, and pitchers Santo Hernandez and Gregorio Martinez will make the trip next week.

Outfielder Edgard Clemente would also have been named to the team, but he would have been unable to make the trip due to an ailing hamstring.

Instead, Amarillo’s Keith Brachold will take his place.

“It was exactly what I expected,” Broncos General Manager Jose Melendez said. “I was hoping (pitcher) Andy (Schon) or (infielder) Arnoldo (Ponce) would make it because they’ve had nice years, but it was what I expected.”

Schon is 6-2 with a 4.32 ERA. He has a 4.2 strikeout/walk ratio.

Ponce has missed 12 games due to injury but is batting .327 with 24 RBIs and three home runs.
Aces skipper Ricky VanAsselberg, who will manage the all-star team, will decide on a starting pitcher and make a starting lineup along with Colts manager Doc Edwards, who will be serving as his bench coach.

“I’m thrilled with this ballclub,” VanAsselberg said in a press release. “I don’t see any holes with this team. We can hit, field and certainly pitch. I think we’ll match up very well with the best the Golden League has to offer.”

Broncos Manager Dan Shwam also was satisfied with the selections, noting the interesting fact of a fourth-place team boasting four All-Stars.

As of July 7, the Broncos were 28-25, two games out of third place and six games ahead of fifth place.

“It just speaks of the talent on this team,” Shwam said. “I’d really like to see this team at full health and see what we can do. For a fourth-place team to name a lot of players to the All-Star team says a lot because it shows that other people around the league realize the talent and ability on this club.”

Heading into Tuesday’s action, Sanchez was tied for first in the league in home runs with 14 and led the league with 58 RBIs.

He’s batting .351 with 47 runs scored.

White owns the league’s longest hitting streak this season, 24 games.

He’s hitting .383 with 44 RBIs and seven home runs.

Hernandez leads the league in ERA at 2.71.

He has compiled a 6-3 record and struck out 84 in 69.2 innings pitched.

Martinez is 4-1 with a 4.82 ERA. He has struck out 73 in 62 innings pitched.

Hernandez and Martinez are 1-2 in the league in strikeout totals.

“I always knew Luany was a nice hitter, but not the slugger like he’s shown,” Melendez said. “Santo is his usual self, a strong and consistent pitcher. Gregorio was actually a surprise because he hasn’t had the best outings lately. But it goes to show the amount of respect others have for him as a pitcher.

“This team is good. It’s surprising to be in fourth place because we know we’re better than that. I have a good feeling we could finish in first place, and this team will only get better.”

The all-star position players are as follows: first baseman Andres Rodriguez (San Angelo), second baseman Luis Guance (Alexandria), third baseman Gary Schneidmiller (Amarillo), shortstop Danny Bravo (Amarillo) and utility infielder Bryan Sabatella (Alexandria).

The outfielders are Keith Brachold (Amarillo), Bryan Frichter (San Angelo), Jose Torres (San Angelo) and White.

The catchers are Kevin Griffin (Harlingen) and Sanchez.

The pitchers are right-hander Julio Castro (Edinburg), Hernandez, left-hander Chad Linder (Alexandria), left-hander Ron Lowe (Amarillo), left-hander Jorge Lugo (Harlingen), Martinez, right-hander Luke Massetti (San Angelo), right-hander Juan Carlos Ovalles (Alexandria) and left-hander Micah Posey (Amarillo).

This is the first of two years that the United League and Golden League will face each other, with the ULB All-Stars also visiting the GBL in 2009.

San Angelo’s Foster Field will not only host the game this year, but will also host a home run derby between the two leagues preceding the game.