So I got to wondering what an All-Star team of Volcanoes would look like from the 15 years of existence of the Volcanoes. Now let me make this clear this is not an all-major league team so you wont see guys like Buster Posey and Tim Lincecum who only played a couple of games with the Volcanoes. I do plan on doing an All-Major League team but that is going to take a bit more digging and thought. This list is from players who had great complete season with the Volcanoes.
Catcher
Adam Witter 2006 -.285 BA 16 HRs 52 RBIs
Witter made it as high as AAA in 2009 before going to play in the Independent Leagues. Although he had a good year in 2007 and 2008 neither compared to his 2006 performance.
1st Base
Sean McGowan 1999 – .335 BA 15 HRs 62 RBIs
McGowan was a 3rd round pick by the Giants in 1999. His performance with the Volcanoes was the first of 4 productive seasons that McGowan had in the minor leagues. He never made it to the major league level but still played well at almost every location he played.
2nd Base
Travis Young 1997 -.334 BA 6 Triples 40 Stolen Bases 80 Runs 107 Hits
Young made it as high as AAA with the Giants and although he never matched what he did with the Volcanoes he still showed excellent speed on the bases at each level.
3rd Base
Lance Niekro 2000 – .362 BA 5 HRs 44 RBIs
Niekro was drafted in the 2nd round by the Giants in 2000. He played a total of 195 games at the Major League level with the Giants and had a batting average of .288 and 17 home runs.
Shortstop
Joe Panik 2011 – .341 BA 6 HRs 54 RBIs 92 Hits
Although Panik still has a lot of his baseball story to be written last season’s Northwest league MVP season easily took the top spot for the Volcanoes all time team. Panik may not be a shortstop for his entire career but for at least one season he was as good as anyone could of hoped for here in Salem-Keizer.
Outfield
Mike Mooney 2005 – .342 BA 5 HRs 57 Runs 104 Hits
Mooney a 16th round pick in 2003 by the Giants played 7 season in the Giants minor league system, reaching as high as AAA.
Brian Horwitz 2004 -.347 BA 2 HRs 93 Hits 24 Doubles
Horwitz signed as a free agent in 2004 and played 21 games with the Giants hitting 2 home runs.
Brad Vericker 2003 – .284 BA 15 HRs 47 RBIs 47 Runs
Vericker played 3 seasons in the Giants minor league system. He followed up his 2003 season with 14 home runs in 2004 but never quite found his power after that.
DH
Mike Murray 2011 – .326 BA 6 HRs 48 RBIs
Murray was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2010 out of Wake Forest. He played two seasons in the Giants minor league system hitting for a combined average of .331 over those two seasons.
Utility Player
Matt Downs 2007 – .338 BA 8 HRs 48 RBIs 33 Doubles
Downs split time between 2nd base, 3rd base and Shortstop in 2007 and it made it hard to put him in just one position so I did the easiest thing and created a spot just for him. In his three years in the majors Downs has played 6 different positions.
Pitchers (5 starters and 2 closers)
Ryan Vogelsong 1998 – 6 wins – 1 loss 1.77 ERA 66 Ks
After spending some time in Japan playing baseball Ryan has returned to the Giants and has made a huge impact. Making the All-Star team in 2011 came as a surprise to most baseball experts but looking back to his 1998 season with the Volcanoes really showed that Ryan had the potential to accomplish a lot at the Major League Level.
Adam Cowart 2006 – 10 wins – 1 loss 1.08 ERA 55 Ks
Cowart followed up his dominating season with the Volcanoes by going 14 – 7 with a 2.39 ERA with Augusta the next season. He played a total of 4 seasons in the Giants minor leagues totaling a record of 34 – 17.
Jesse Foppert 2001 -8 wins – 1 loss 1.93 ERA 88 Ks
Foppert pitched in 27 games with the Giants, starting 23 and had a record of 8 – 9.
Sergio Romo 2005 – 7wins – 1 loss 2.75 ERA 65 Ks
Although Romo was a starter with the Volcanoes he has transformed into one of the best relievers in all of baseball. With Romo in the 8th inning and Brian Wilson in the 9th (before his season ending injury) the Giants have a great pair of relievers to hold onto the lead against any team.
Mike Riley 1997 – 9 wins – 2 losses 3.68 ERA 96 Ks
In six seasons in the Giants minor league system Riley had a record of 36 – 36 and made it as high as AAA.
Brian Anderson 2005 – 3 wins – 1 loss 19 saves 1.95 ERA
Anderson followed his strong season as the Volcanoes closer by posting 37 saves with San Jose in 2006 and 29 saves with Connecticut in 2007.
Dan Otero 2007 – 0 wins – 0 losses 19 saves 1.21 ERA
Otero made his debut in the major leagues with the Giants this season.