September 14, 2005

WLODARCZYK NAMED PRINCETON'S PITCHER OF THE YEAR

DALLAS, TEXAS – Sports Pro Services (SPS) client Mike Wlodarczyk (LHP) has been named the Princeton Devil Rays Pitcher of the Year. Wlodarczyk spent over half the season pitching for the D Rays in the Appalachian League, and threw the leagues first complete game shutout on July 30th . The 2005 7th round draft choice of Tampa Bay was later promoted to Hudson Valley in the New York-Penn League.

At the time of Wlodarczyk's departure from Princeton, he ranked third in the Appalachian League in earned run average at 2.54 while striking out 50 hitters against only seven walks in 49.2 innings of work. His 50 strikeouts ranked him ninth in the league, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than 7 to 1 ranked him second in the league out of all starting pitchers. Wlodarczyk was also tied for the League lead in Games Started with 10 and was fifth in the league in innings pitched with 50.

After his promotion to Hudson Valley, Wlodarczyk was even more dominant. In five starts, he compiled a team low 1.90 ERA in 23.2 innings of work. He struck out more than one batter per inning with 25, and surrendered less than one hit per inning with 22. Between Princeton and Hudson Valley, Wlodarczyk registered an extremely impressive 2.33 ERA in 73.1 innings with 75 strike-outs and 19 walks. He started a combined 15 games and gave up less than a hit per inning in his first professional season while striking out just over one batter per inning.

Prior to joining Princeton, Wlodarczyk had just finished a stellar season at Boston College. The 6'5” 235 lb. native of Medford, NJ posted a 10-2 record with a 2.96 ERA while striking out 83 batters in 79 innings of work, while showing impeccable command with nearly a 4 to 1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He was also named First Team All Big-East, and was rated by Baseball America as the #2 prospect from the state of Massachusetts heading into the 2005 Draft.

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