Former Canes Ready for Night on the Big Stage
July 12, 2011
Coral Gables, Fla. – While the University of Miami has the most players from any school on this year’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game roster, Hurricanes fans may know and remember when Ryan Braun, Chris Perez and Gaby Sanchez were turning in “all-star” performances wearing Orange and Green at Mark Light Field – now Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
Ryan Braun will not suit up tonight for the National League due to injury, but his selection to this year’s team is no less important. As for Gaby Sanchez and Chris Perez, their selections make it known that UMiami Baseball has and always will continue to turn out some of the best talent year-in and year-out as the Hurricanes annually vie for a national title run and a showing in the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers is in his fifth major league season and was selected last weekend to make his fourth MLB All-Star Game appearance. Braun had a successful first half of the year, batting .320 with 62 RBI. He ranks fifth in the National League in each of those categories. One of Braun’s best games this year came in a 9-6 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 15. Braun finished that contest 2-for-3 at the dish with a triple, a home run, three RBI and two walks. While at UMiami, Braun carried a batting average of .388 in his final season. Braun had 10 more home runs than anyone else on the squad and tallied 76 RBI in 2005.
Some of Braun’s standout games from his time at Miami came against Maryland on April 30, 2005 and in the first game of the Super Regionals against North Carolina State on June 6, 2003. Against Maryland, Braun finished the game 3-for-5 with five RBI and a home run in a 12-8 victory for the Canes. As a freshman against NC State, he powered up for two home runs – including a game winning homer in the bottom of the ninth to secure the Canes a 10-9 come-from-behind win.
Chris Perez of the Cleveland Indians is in his fourth major league season and has just been selected to make his first MLB All-Star Game. Through 32 1/3 innings pitched this year, Perez has a 2.23 ERA and sits third in the American League in saves (21). Perez has only blown one save all season long. His most impressive save of the year came against the New York Yankees on June 13, where he struck out the side in a 1-0 victory.
In his final season at the University of Miami, Perez led the team with a 1.79 ERA. Two of his best outings from the 2006 campaign were against Wake Forest on May 13, 2006 and in the final game of Super Regionals against Mississippi on June 12, 2005. Against Wake Forest, Perez entered the game with one out in the eighth inning and was able to pitch 2 2/3 scoreless frames to pick up the save in an 11-10 victory. With Miami’s season on the line against Ole Miss in the Oxford [Miss.] Super Regional, Perez came in to give the team five innings of relief work and pick up the win and lead them to the College World Series.
Gaby Sanchez of the Florida Marlins is now in his second full major league season and has just been selected to make his first appearance on the MLB All-Star Game roster. In 91 games thus far during the 2011 campaign, Sanchez bats .293 and has driven in 50 runs. Sanchez leads the fish in batting average, hits, and on-base percentage. He has enjoyed many great games this year, but his best may have come in an 8-0 victory against the Washington Nationals on May 8. Sanchez finished that game a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, and three RBI.
In his final season at the University of Miami, Sanchez hit .316 with 47 RBI. Some of Sanchez’s best games came in the Super Regionals against NC State on June 6, 2000, and again versus the Wolfpack on June 5, 2004 in the Coral Gables [Fla.] Regional. In his freshman season against NC State in the Super Regional, Sanchez finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, as well as producing a key three-run homer to cut into the Pack lead, 9-3. The Canes ended up winning that game, 10-9. In the following year against NC State in the Coral Gables [Fla.] Regional, Sanchez went 3-for-5 with six RBI and a home run in a 19-5 commanding win for UMiami.
On Tuesday night, Perez and Sanchez will each have a chance to add to their MLB All-Star seasons and careers. They will represent the Canes as all-stars, and they will represent the “U” as two of the best – with Braun etched in there as a unanimous selection and fan favorite, on a night where America will watch its favorite past time.
For more information on the MLB All-Star Game and a complete list of this year’s American League and National League rosters, please visit MLB.com.
For more information on the University of Miami baseball team, please log on to HurricaneSports.com. To follow the UM Baseball Team via twitter, please navigate to Twitter.com/CanesBaseball. You can also access the official UMiami Baseball blog at TheUBaseball.com.
Fans can keep up-to-date with all UM Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/HurricaneSports. You can also become a fan of the Canes on Facebook at Facebook.com/MiamiHurricanes.
