MWL Awards

The Midwest League Pitcher and Offensive Player of the Week awards have been announced.

Lansing teammates Kyle Ginley and Nate Starner are co-pitchers of the week.

Kyle Ginley, Lansing
2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 12.2 IP, 10 H, 2R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO
Outside of a minor 13-run debacle on April 25, the Lansing Lugnuts pitching staff was brilliant last week, allowing just nine runs combined in the club's other five games. As a result, Lansing walks away with a pair of Pitcher of the Week recipients. Our first hero, Kyle Ginley, set the tone on Monday allowing Peoria just an unearned run over five innings to grab his third win of the season. Ginley would bookend the accomplishment on Saturday, helping the team rebound from its 13-2 loss by limiting Clinton to one unearned run in 7 2/3 innings -- and shrinking his season ERA to 0.89.

Nathan Starner, Lansing
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13.0 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 14 SO
In Lansing's land of anything you can do, I can do better, it was hard to pick a winner, as Nathan Starner treated opponents to a nasty one-two combination pitching the day after Ginley. The southpaw was flawless, working six scoreless innings April 22 and seven of the same five days later, and collecting seven strikeouts on both occasions. Starner has now allowed just six singles to left-handed hitters this season as they are managing a mere .366 OPS against him.

Ginley is scheduled to pitch Thursday against the Rattlers and Starner is scheduled to pitch Friday against the Rattlers.

Jason Taylor of Burlington is the offensive player of the week.

Jason Taylor, Burlington
.471 (8-17), 8 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 6 BB, 3 SO, 4 SB, 1.118 SLG
A big week was precisely what the doctor ordered for Taylor, as the former second-round pick was mired at .167 eight days ago. As the temperature heated up in Iowa, though, so did Taylor's bat, with his OPS jumping 300 points on the week. Taylor came out smoking as he homered twice, stole two bases and scored three runs in a 5-2 win to open a road series with Quad Cities. He would reach base at least once in every game on the week, homering again on Saturday, and adding a triple in the Bees' 2-0 win over South Bend. With the climate having cooled in the Midwest, it will be interesting to see if the Virginia Beach native can keep his bat warm.