HARRISBURG -- The Lancaster Barnstormers captured the Atlantic League's three major post-season awards on Friday as Butch Hobson was named the league’s Manager of the Year; Blake Gailen was selected as Player of the Year; and Dwayne Pollok was picked as the Pitcher of the Year.
Lancaster, which won an Atlantic League-record 88 games this season placed seven players on the league’s first postseason all-star squad, as well, according to the team. The York Revolution says it has a total of seven all-stars on the league's first- and second-teams.
Gailen, who was previously announced as Baseball America’s Independent League Player of the Year, also won the Atlantic League's top honor based on a season in which he led the league with a .338 average, belted 22 homers and drove in 89 runs, both in the league’s top five, respectively. The California native also stole 25 bases and played tremendous defense throughout the season. He contributed three home runs in the first two games of the postseason.
Pollok was one of four Atlantic League hurlers to win 14 games, finishing the season with a 14-4 mark. He led the league with a 2.30 ERA, topping Bridgeport’s Paul Oseguera by 0.22. That mark set the Lancaster franchise record. Pollok is the first Barnstormers pitcher to be named Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year.
Hobson, who has won the award four times, led a team that was the first since the 1999 Bridgeport Bluefish to top the league in both hitting (.297) and team ERA (3.60). His club had seven players signed by major league teams.
In addition to Gailen and Pollok, outfielders Adam Godwin, Fehlandt Lentini and Ryan Harvey; catcher Emerson Frostad, and reliever Tim Hamulack were named to the season-ending all-star squad.
“Butch's accomplishments this year are extraordinary,” said Lancaster general manager Kristen Simon in a statement. “It is wonderful to see the league recognize and acknowledge his efforts in putting together a record-setting team that worked well on and off the field.”
The 2012 Barnstormers are the first team in the league's 15-year history to sweep all three major awards.
Chris Nowak and Andres Perez, who were both selected to Baseball America’s All-Independent Team, were named Atlantic League all-stars, as well. York also had outfielders Michael Hernandez and Brandon Haveman, starting pitchers Corey Thurman and Ryan Feierabend, and reliever Ricardo Gomez.
