Thank You Fans!
The Mustangs would like to thank our friends, fans, and supporters for
another successful season!
See you at Hooker Field in 2009!
Rowdy Hardy to play in Arizona Fall
League
Rowdy Hardy, a standout pitcher for the
Martinsville Mustangs in 2005 has been selected to play in the
prestigious Arizona Fall League beginning in early October. Hardy will
be a member of the Surprise Rafters. Hardy recently completed his
first season at the Double A level, posting a 6-10 record on the year
with a 4.56 ERA for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Texas
League. Hardy was the Carolina League Pitcher of the Year in 2007
after going 15-5 with a 2.48 ERA for the Wilmington Blue Rocks.
The Arizona Fall League begins it's 17th season on Tuesday, October
7th. The Arizona Fall League has been a stepping stone to the Major
Leagues as over 1,500 players have reached the big leagues after
spending time in Arizona. In 2008 there were 413 Ex-AFLers on Opening
Day MLB Rosters with names such as MVPs Jason Giambi, Ryan Howard,
Justin Morneau, Albert Pujols, and Jimmy Rollins. Each team in the
league is made up of 35 players, which is seven players per Major
League Organization. Hardy, a member of the Kansas City Royals
organization will join members of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore
Orioles, Texas Rangers, and Cleveland Indians on the Surprise roster.
Hardy spend the 2005 season with the Mustangs posting a team record
six wins with a 1.87 ERA in 13 appearances. Hardy worked a total of 77
innings on the mound for Martinsville, striking out 55 while walking
just 22. His three complete games in 2005 are also a team record for a
single season for the Mustangs.
"We are excited for Rowdy to be picked to play in such a league as the
Arizona Fall League, this will undoubtedly help him progress towards
his dream of playing in the Major Leagues," said Mustangs General
Manager Doug Gibson. "Rowdy has advanced farther than any former
Mustang to date and hopefully this will give him the experience to
become the first Mustang to reach the big leagues."
Mustangs Sign Three for 2009
MARTINSVILLE, VA --- With the
2008 season in the rearview mirror the Martinsville Mustangs are full
steam ahead moving towards 2009. The Mustangs have announced the
signing of the first three players that will make up a part of the
2009 Martinsville roster as they enter their 5th Anniversary Season in
the Coastal Plain League.
Jeff Taylor, an infielder who joined the Mustangs late in 2008 will
return to Martinsville for the entire 2009 summer. Taylor hit .341 in
11 games for the Mustangs after completing a very successful summer in
the Southern Collegiate League. Taylor is a rising junior at Lynchburg
College. In 2008, Taylor posted .392 average for the Hornets with 42
RBIs and 25 stolen bases and was named to the ODAC All First Team in
his sophomore season.
Joining Taylor from Lynchburg College is outfielder Cameron Grant, a
42nd Round Draft Pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006. Grant is
also a rising junior at Lynchburg College and was a summer teammate
with Taylor in the SCBL in 2008. Grant hit .339 with 11 doubles and 12
stolen bases for Lynchburg in his sophomore season in 2008 for
Lynchburg.
Rounding out the trio of signings is shortstop Brad Agustin from the
University of Buffalo. Agustin is a red-shirt junior for the Bulls
after sitting out last spring with an injury. Agustin was named the
Most Valuable Player in the SCBL this summer after hitting .390 for
the Morganton Aggies with 43 runs scored, 11 doubles, six homeruns,
and 41 RBIs.
“The Mustangs are proud to have Jeff Taylor returning to Martinsville
for the 2009 summer, he made an instant impact this past summer and it
will be good to have him in the line-up come opening day in 2009,”
said Mustangs General Manager Doug Gibson. “We are also excited to
have a player that has been drafted in Cameron Grant and a proven
summer league wooden bat player in Brad Agustin who had a huge year
this past summer,” added Gibson.
Mustangs Fall Just Short in Playoff Race
The Martinsville
Mustangs bid for a third straight playoff appearance came up just
short in the final week of the 2008 Coastal Plain League Season.
Martinsville finished the second half at 15-12 which was good for
second place in the Western Division but not good enough to earn an
at-large berth at the Petitt Cup Tournament in Columbia, SC.
This Mustangs
honored their 2008 Team Award winners on Monday, August 4th:
