West Michigan caps MWL All-Star squad

West Michigan has dominated the Midwest League all season, so it's no surprise that the Whitecaps also dominate the roster of the league's 2006 Postseason All-Star Team.

The first-place Whitecaps had three players named to the 14-man squad, which was selected by a vote of the field managers of all 14 Midwest League clubs.

The Postseason All-Star Team is comprised of one player from each defensive position, as well as a designated hitter, a right-handed starter and reliever and a left-handed starter and reliever. As a result of a tie in the voting, two right-handed relievers were named to the team.

Standing out among the three West Michigan players selected is outfielder Cameron Maybin, who was also named the league's Prospect of the Year. Maybin, a first-round draft pick in 2005, is batting .321 over 340 at-bats this season. The 19-year-old has been compared to the likes of Darryl Strawberry and Eric Davis, and was a participant in this year's All-Star Futures Game at Pittsburgh's PNC Park.

Maybin was joined by shortstop Mike Hollimon and right-handed reliever Orlando Perdomo. Holliman's 13 triples are the most in the league, while Perdomo leads the league in saves with 28 and has struck out 48 batters over 43 1/3 innings pitched.

West Michigan skipper Matt Walbeck joins the trio as honorees as the league's Manager of the Year. The former Major League backstop has led his team to a combined 80-47 record this season.

The Southwest Michigan Devil Rays and the Swing of the Quad Cities are the only other teams with more than one All-Star representative. The Devil Rays had a pair of pitchers selected to the squad -- left-handed starter Jacob McGee and right-handed reliever Greg Dupas. McGee is just 7-9 on the season, but the 20-year-old has struck out a league-leading 157 batters over just 126 innings pitched, and opponents are batting .217 against him. Dupas' 24 saves are tied for second-most in the league, and he has a sparkling 1.76 ERA over 51 innings pitched.

Quad Cities' duo includes catcher Bryan Anderson and designated hitter Randy Roth. Anderson's .303 average ranks ninth in the league, while Roth hit .307 with 18 homers and 67 RBIs for the Swing before earning a promotion to the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Class A Advanced Florida State League.

Seven teams had one player named to the team, with the most prominent selection being third baseman Jeff Baisley of the Kane County Cougars. Baisley, 23, was named the league's Most Valuable Player on the strength of his .308 average, 21 homers and league-leading 102 RBIs.

Across the diamond from Baisley is Beloit's Erik Lis. The 22-year-old first baseman has 16 homers and 70 RBIs to go along with his league-leading .326 average. At second base is Burlington's Josh Johnson, who has walked 86 times against just 61 strikeouts.

Joining Maybin in the outfield is Fort Wayne's Will Venable and Dayton's Jay Bruce. Venable is batting .320 and has driven in and scored 81 runs, while the 19-year-old Bruce leads the league with 42 doubles and 63 extra-base hits.

Rounding out the pitching staff are right-handed starter Nick Adenhart of Cedar Rapids and left-handed reliever Ed Campusano of Peoria. Adenhart, who turned 20 today, went 10-2 with a 1.95 ERA before earning a promotion to Rancho Cucamonga of the Class A Advanced California League. Campusano also has moved beyond the Midwest League, as the 24-year-old Dominican picked up 21 saves over 26 appearances for the Chiefs before receiving a callup to the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx of the Double-A Southern League.