(Rochester, MN) The Northwoods League announced its 2008 Postseason All-Star Team on Monday. In addition to the 25 players that were selected to the honorary team, Mankato catcher Carlos Ramirez was named as the Most Valuable
Player as voted by the League's coaches and members of the media. Alexandria, Mankato, Rochester, and St. Cloud, all from the North Division, led all teams with three players selected. Alexandria outfielder Josh
UpChurch was named as a postseason all-star for his second consecutive season.

Mankato MoonDogs catcher Carlos Ramirez (Chandler-Gilbert CC) brought home the NWL's top honor as League MVP. Ramirez dominated the offensive leader board in the first half of the season and is still a presence in most significant categories. Heading into the final day of the regular season he leads the League in home runs (10), slugging percentage (.560), and extra-base hits (29). He also places in batting average (.315), runs batted in (44), doubles (19), and on-base percentage (.433). Ramirez received 41 percent of the MVP votes edging St. Cloud River Bats second baseman Derek McCallum (Minnesota) who finished second in the balloting with 24 percent. Duluth Huskies first baseman Tim Jobe (Indian River CC) received seven percent of the votes to finish third.

Alexandria Beetles outfielder Josh UpChurch is the only two-time postseason all-star on this year's list. He's currently tied for second in the League in stolen bases with 26 and is hitting .281 for the third place Beetles. Relief pitchers Dan Zehr (Northeastern) and Xavier Esquivel (Loyola Marymount) were the leading vote getters for the 12 hurlers named to the team. Both pitchers have a dominating ERA and were selected on 73 percent of the ballots. Zehr has pitched out of the bullpen for the Thunder Bay Border Cats for the entire season and still managed to qualify as the ERA champion. Zehr holds a Northwoods League-best 1.15 ERA in 23 games where he's thrown 55 innings. He's 4-0 with two saves and a 46 to 8 strikeout to walk ratio. Esquivel is the closer for the St. Cloud River Bats and has allowed just one earned run all season. In addition to his 0.33 ERA, Esquivel is 2-0 with 12 saves and a 32 to 11 strikeout to walk ratio in 27.2 innings.

Mankato's Jason Nell (Iowa Lakes CC) is the 2008 Manager of the Year after leading the MoonDogs to their first playoff berth in team history. It's his third season at the helm in Mankato. Wisconsin's Brandon Steele (Tusculum)
was selected as Coach of the Year with his Woodchucks earning a playoff spot in the South Division. It's his second year on Jim Gantner's staff in Wausau.

Below is a complete list of the 2008 NWL Postseason All-Stars and award winners listed alphabetically by team:

Pitchers
Nick Gaudi RHP Alexandria (Pepperdine)

Chris Odegaard RHP EauClaire (Minnesota State-Mankato)

Matt Lange RHP Green Bay (Portland)

Cole Green RHP La Crosse (Texas)

Jimmy Reyes LHP Mankato (Elon)

Peter Burg LHP Rochester (St. Scholastica)

Zach Robertson LHP Rochester (Iowa Central CC)

Xavier Esquivel RHP St. Cloud (Loyola Marymount)

Ryan Sheldon RHP St. Cloud (Nebraska-Kearney)

Jimmy Stanley RHP Thunder Bay (Belmont)

Dan Zehr LHP Thunder Bay (Northeastern)

Bobby Pritchett RHP Wisconsin (Central Arkansas)

Keith Castillo C Alexandria (Southern California)

Carlos Ramirez C Mankato (Chandler-Gilbert CC)

Tim Jobe 1B Duluth (Indian River CC)

Derek McCallum 2B St.Cloud (Minnesota)

Josh Prince SS Green Bay (Tulane)

Joe Bonfe 3B Eau Claire (Creighton)

Jeff Cowan X-INF Wisconsin (High Point)

Josh UpChurch OF Alexandria (Florida Gulf Coast)

Cory Vaughn OF La Crosse (San Diego State)

Rob Lyerly OF Madison (Charlotte)

Michael Rockett OF Mankato (Texas-San Antonio)

Joey Register OF Waterloo (Texas A&M)

Eric Stephens DH Rochester (Cal State-Fullerton)


MVP
Carlos Ramirez Mankato MoonDogs
Chandler-Gilbert CC


Manager of the Year
Jason Nell Mankato MoonDogs
Iowa Lakes CC


Coach of the Year
Brandon Steele
Wisconsin Woodchucks
Tusculum College (TN)

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