The season has continued to head south for the Mariners’ northernmost minor league team, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, but three of their players have been chosen for the Midwest League All-Star game.
Among them is Andy Barb, the former Everett Community College pitcher who lives in Lake Stevens.
Barb entered the weekend 2-1 with a 2.10 earned run average, and was 7-for-7 in save opportunities. He’d struck out 33 in 252/3 innings, and opposing hitters had a .143 average off him.
The Mariners acquired Barb last August as part of the Jamie Moyer trade to the Phillies. Barb, who graduated from Juanita High School in 2002, has a career 2.66 ERA in his fourth minor league season.
Also selected for the All-Star game from the Timber Rattlers were right-handed pitcher Joe Kantakevich and infielder Carlos Truinfel. Truinfel won’t play because of injury. The game will be played June 19 in Geneva, Ill.
The Timber Rattlers were 17-40 entering a weekend series against Kane County, next-to-last in the eight-team Western Division and 18 games behind first-place Beloit.
Elsewhere around the Mariners’ minor league system:
Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers: Center fielder Adam Jones went 4-for-5, hit two home runs and drove in three runs in the Rainiers’ 23-11 loss at Colorado Springs on Thursday.
It lifted Jones’ average to .302 and gave him 12 homers and 41 RBI this season. He has three multi-homer games this season.
Outfielder Wladimir Balentien continued to hit well with a .311 average 12 homers and 40 RBI. Infielder Mike Morse led the Rainiers with a .313 average.
Right-hander Justin Lehr finally lost his first game of the season, but is 6-1 after 12 starts with a 3.22 ERA.
The Rainiers were 25-36, fourth in the Pacific Coast League’s Pacific North Division.
Class AA West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx: Left-hander Justin Thomas shut out Huntsville on three hits through eight innings Thursday and, after allowing a single and a walk in the first inning, retired 19 of the next 20 hitters.
Thomas is 2-2 with a 2.38 ERA in nine starts.
Outfielder Charlton Jimerson hit two solo home runs Thursday, his second straight multi-homer game, and has eight homers in 111 at-bats. Jimerson played in the Houston organization, including 18 games with the Astros in 2005 and 2006, before asking for his release in March.
The Diamond Jaxx were 27-34 and tied for third in the Southern League North Division, six games behind first-place Huntsville.
Class A High Desert Mavericks: Outfielder Casey Craig entered the weekend ranked second in the California League with 72 hits and was third with 50 runs. He had hit safely in 24 of 26 games, batting .393 in that span.
Infielder Mike Saunders had hit safely in 24 of 29 games (.355 in that period with seven homers, seven doubles and a triple).
The Mavericks were 27-33 and last in the six-team California League South, although just four games behind first-place Inland Empire.
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