Three weeks into the season, Eric Eymann was a Chattanooga Lookouts utility infielder with a .190 batting average.

Monday, Eymann was named to the North Division roster for the Southern League All-Star Game. The game is scheduled for July 14 at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C.

“I think you always have to imagine yourself being what you want to be as opposed to what you are at the time,” Eymann said. “I imagined myself being there, and I imagined myself being in the starting lineup and showing what I can do, but the whole team has a hand in this. You can’t get RBIs if nobody gets on base.”

Other Lookouts named to the team were outfielder Shaun Cumberland (hitting .315 entering Monday night), starting pitcher Ben Jukich (7-3, 2.78 ERA) and reliever Robert Manuel (3-1, 1.27). Eymann, a third baseman, hit .302 in the first half and entered Monday with a team-leading 41 RBIs.

“What Eymann has done is taken the opportunity to be an everyday player and run with it,” Lookouts manager Mike Goff said. “To end up where he’s at right now and with the number of RBIs he has, I think that’s a tremendous accomplishment.”

Huntsville led all North teams with eight selections, while Carolina had six. The North’s starting lineup will be announced Wednesday.

Goff was hoping starting pitcher Sam LeCure (7-4, 3.46) and reliever Carlos Fisher (1-4, 3.63) also would be named. LeCure had a slow April, while Fisher has been used in a variety of roles, most recently as the closer.

Meanwhile, Lookouts shortstop Chris Valaika was named to the U.S. team for the July 13 Futures Game at Yankee Stadium. Valaika led the high Single-A Florida State League in batting average, home runs and RBIs before his May 7 promotion, and he hit .280 in his first 48 Double-A games.

“Valaika figured out real quick that you can’t make a living in the upper part of the strike zone in this league on fastballs,” Goff said. “He’s made some nice adjustments these last few weeks and has really done a nice job for us. Now he gets to go to Yankee Stadium, and he has no idea what he’s about to experience and what a rush that is.”

Comments