Former Bandit Justin Morneau in NL Final Vote; a QC alum selected to All-Star Game for 17th straight year
DAVENPORT, Iowa. (July 8, 2014) - Three Quad Cities alumni were among the selections for the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. St. Louis' Matt Carpenter and Pat Neshek were named to the National League squad while Minnesota's Glen Perkins will represent the American League at Target Field in Minneapolis on Tuesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. Colorado's Justin Morneau is on the Final Vote for the National League roster. At least one former Quad Cities player has been selected to every All-Star game since 1998.
Carpenter, who was a National League All-Star last season, leads the Cardinals with a .378 on-base percentage. The 28-year old second baseman also ranks second among NL leadoff hitters with 32 RBIs while also ranking in the top 10 in the league in runs (55) and walks (28). On the season, Carpenter is batting .282 with 22 doubles, a triple, four home runs and 32 RBIs. The Galveston, Texas, native played in 29 games for Quad Cities in 2009, batting .295/.405/.390 with six doubles, two triples and 10 RBIs.
Neshek leads all NL relievers with at least 30 innings pitched in ERA (0.77) and WHIP (0.57). The Brooklyn Park, Minn., native has allowed only one run in 35 appearances since April 9 and will be returning to his home state for his first All-Star Game selection. Neshek, 33, is 2-0 and has given up only 16 hits in 35 innings. The right-hander has fanned 35 against only four walks for an 8.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Neshek pitched in 28 games for the Twins-affiliated River Bandits in 2003, going 3-2 with 14 saves and a 0.52 ERA. He struck out 53 against 11 walks and 20 hits allowed in 34 1/3 innings.
Perkins is one of two representatives for the hometown Twins at this year's All-Star Game. The Stillwater, Minn., native was a member of last year's American League squad and is fourth in the Junior Circuit with 20 saves this season. Overall, the 31-year old southpaw is 3-0 with a 3.22 ERA in 36 games covering 36 1/3 innings. Perkins has punched out 48 against only seven walks and 33 hits allowed for a 1.10 WHIP and 6.86 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He made nine starts for Quad Cities in 2004, going 2-1 with a 1.30 ERA in 48 1/3 frames, surrendering only 33 hits and 12 walks against 49 strikeouts.
Morneau is one of five players in the NL Final Vote at MLB.com. The 2006 AL MVP and four-time All-Star is batting .316/.348/.518 with 20 doubles, 13 home runs and 59 RBIs in 84 games for the Rockies. The 33-year old first baseman spent 64 games with the River Bandits in 2001, batting .356/.420/.597 with 17 doubles, 12 home runs and 53 RBIs.
UP NEXT: Kids Eat Free and all individual bleacher tickets are buy-one-get-one free when the River Bandits celebrate Disco Night with '70s prices on food and beer at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for Dew for Twosday presented by Pepsi, WOC and Q106.5. Game tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com. To order any of the River Bandits 2014 ticket plans - with new lower prices - call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: Having just been named Ballpark Digest's winner of Best Ballpark Improvement in America under $1 million, the River Bandits ownership recently made one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 105 feet over the playing field, opened May 24, and Space Camp opened June 20. Soon to come is another new ride, this one called a "Drop and Twist." In 2013, the team unveiled a new 220-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a number of new bounce houses. Last season, the team's major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, saw all six of its affiliates reach the playoffs - the first time in a decade any MLB team can claim such success. The River Bandits were one of three affiliates to reach the championship round and one of two to win their league championship.
