The Garden Grove, California native put up eye popping numbers throughout July as he hit .420 (50-for-119) in 28 games with eleven doubles, five triples and 27 RBIs.  In addition, Valencia swiped 18 bases, while being caught only three times.  He scored a team high 33 runs, while achieving another team high of 16 extra-base hits on the way to a .450 on-base percentage.

In the past week alone, Valencia went 15-for-26 (.577) during a seven game roadtrip with five multi-hit games, including a current six game hit streak.  Valencia scored 13 runs over the seven games and knocked in five.  He also added five stolen bases, including three in one game to his league leading total of 31.

Valencia is near or at the top of the league in four other offensive categories.  While batting .343 (6th), he has scored 52 runs (2nd), recorded 86 hits (2nd) and collected seven triples (1st).

Valencia’s 18 game hit streak from July 1 to July 20 was good enough to place him third longest in the league this season and included eleven multi-hit games.

For the season, Valencia is batting .343 (86-for-251) with 21 doubles, 52 runs scored and 38 RBIs in 61 games.

It is the first 2011 Can-Am League Player of the Month award for Valencia, who captured the 2009 Can-Am League Rookie of the Year selection in his first year of professional baseball.

The Rox centerfielder went 15-for-26 (.577) on the trip with five multi-hit games, including a current five game hit streak.  Valencia scored 13 runs over the seven games and knocked in five.  He also added five stolen bases, including three in one game to his league leading total of 31.

Valencia is near or at the top of the league in four other offensive categories.  While batting .346 (5th), he has scored 50 runs (2nd), recorded 85 hits (2nd) and collected seven triples (1st).

The Garden Grove, California native can also make a case for player of the month of July.  He hit .420 (50-for-119) in 28 games with eleven doubles, five triples and 27 RBIs.  In addition, Valencia swiped 18 bases, while being caught only three times.  He scored a team high 33 runs, while achieving another team high of 16 extra-base hits on the way to a .450 on-base percentage.

Valencia’s 18 game hit streak from July 1 to July 20 was good enough to place him third longest in the league this season and included eleven multi-hit games.

For the season, Valencia is batting .346 (85-for-246) with 20 doubles, 50 runs scored and 38 RBIs in 60 games.

It is the first 2011 Can-Am League Player of the Week award for Valencia, who captured the 2009 Can-Am League Rookie of the Year selection in his first year of professional baseball.

Nathans went 1-for-3 in four games, with a run scored and stolen base.

Rox placed RHP Steven Richard on 15-day disabled list (bicep tendonitis) – retroactive to July 15, 2011

Rox acquired IF/OF Dan Barbero from New York (NYSL) in exchange for cash – official as of July 21, 2011

Barbero began the season with Quebec batting .264 with ten RBIs in 19 games before being released on July 5.  With New York he was batting .533 in four games against the Rox to open the second half.  Barbero rides a four game hit streak into the trade, while going 8-for-15 with New York and knocking in two.

Rox acquired IF/OF Alex Sumner from New York (NYSL) in exchange for cash – official as of July 21, 2011

In 100 at-bats with New York, Sumner hit .230 with eleven runs scored and eight RBIs.  He collected five doubles over 30 games, while striking out 17 times and walking nine.

The Brockton Rox roster now stands at 22 active (11 pitchers, 11 position players, 1 Disabled)

Jake Loye spent the beginning of the 2011 season with the New York Federals, before being signed by the Rox this week. The Reidsville, N.C. native, went 0-4 with a 5.02 ERA in five starts with New York.

In his Brockton debut, the 23 year-old picked up his first career win against his former team after allowing just one run off two hits in two innings of relief. Loye previously pitched at Averett University in Danville, VA., where he went 6-3 during his senior season with a 5.04 ERA.

The Rox now have four righthanders in the bullpen as Loye joins Jake Hale, Steven Richard and Jimmer Kennedy. The bullpen also features three lefties, in Daniel Schmidt, Jack VanLeur, and Mark Rosen.

The Brockton Rox roster now stands at 22 active (12 pitchers, 10 position players)

Rox release LHP Brad Hertzler – official as of July 18, 2011

The Rox released Brad Hertzler, after the southpaw recently suffered a left rotator cuff strain. Hertzler was in his third season with the Rox, and went 0-3 with a 4.43 ERA in 19 appearances in 2011.

The former Oakland Athletics product appeared in 90 games out of the bullpen during his tenure with Brockton, which is third all-time Rox history. The Westport, Mass. product compiled five wins and two saves during his Rox career.

Rox sign LHP Jack VanLeur – official as of July 17, 2011

VanLeur joins the Rox after spending four seasons at Creighton University, where he helped guide the Blue Jays to the College World Series in 2011.

A native of South Dakota, Van Leur made 115 appearances out of the bullpen in his four year career with the Blue Jays, and finished with a 10-8 record and a 3.84 career ERA. The southpaw struck out 91 batters in his career, and notched six saves. VanLeur was ninth in the nation in appearances as a sophomore in 2009 with 36.

However, as of late, Shawn Williams has been really showing his worth at the dish. On July 12th, about a month and a half into the 2011 season, Williams was hitting just .245. Williams wasn’t an everyday starter at the time, as he was primarily being utilized for his positional flexibility off the bench. One week later, Williams is hitting .315 and has been scorching hot. In fact, to say that Williams has been hot is an understatement. The 27 year-old increased his batting average by 70 points in a week; that’s unheard of. Through the month of July alone, Williams is hitting .500. with 11 runs and seven RBIs. In his last ten games, Williams is hitting a ridiculous .593, and an even more astonishing .700 in his last five games. Williams has been getting it done on the base paths too, with five steals in the month of July.

So what’s changed for Shawn Williams? Regular playing time. With the departure of Jorge Jimenez, Williams has been an everyday starter at second base, with Mike Torres shifting to third base to fill the vacancy. It’s also worth mentioning that Williams missed a few games here and there in the beginning of June with a nagging leg injury, so that certainly cut into his playing time as well. It appears as if Williams simply thrives on consistency. In this case, it’s consistent at-bats at the same position that has helped the Florida native find his rhythm.

Williams has definitely found his stroke over the past week, and has continued to heat up as the summer rolls along. The former Tampa Bay Rays prospect is as talented as any player on the Rox roster, and now that he’s playing everyday, Williams has been able to showcase skills. With the way Shawn Williams has been swinging the bat, it looks like he’ll be in the starting lineup for a while.

STARTING ROTATION

ISAAC PAVLIK – NEW JERSEY

In his seventh season with the New Jersey Jackals, Isaac Pavlik has been the most dominant pitcher in the Can-Am League. The 31 year-old leads the league in wins (8), strikeouts (64), innings pitched (79.2) and complete games (4). Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 10th round of the 2002 MLB Draft, Pavlik spent some time bouncing around the minor leagues before finding a home in the Garden State. The southpaw is a crafty veteran with a deceptive motion, and has excelled in the Can-Am League despite being undersized at just 5’8”, 170 lbs. He doesn’t possess overpowering stuff, but Pavlik seems to have a plethora of breaking pitches that stifle opposing hitters. At 8-1 with a 2.37 ERA, Pavlik has posted sparkling numbers so far this season, and has been the model of consistency. Pavlik has yet to allow more than four runs, nine hits, or three walks in any of his 11 starts this season, and it took until July 17th for Pavlik to finally lose a game. Opponents are hitting a measly .231 against the ace of the Jackals.

JAMES LEVERTON – NEW JERSEY

Isaac Pavlik hasn’t been the only dominating southpaw in the Jackals rotation. 25 year-old James Leverton has been outstanding in his first season in the Can-Am League. An 8th round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2008, Leverton ended up in New Jersey despite posting excellent numbers during his most recent stint with Double-A Tennessee in 2010. The lefthander has picked up right where he left off, as in 65 and 1/3 innings of work Leverton has been almost as dominant as his teammate Pavlik. If it weren’t for a couple of tough outings in which he was mostly let down by his defense, Leverton might have the best numbers in the league. Leverton is 6-3 with a 2.62 ERA and 53 strikeouts, and has opponents hitting just .239 against him. He ranks third in the league in wins, fourth in strikeouts, and fourth in innings pitched. Only twice has Leverton failed to get through six innings, and only twice has he allowed more than two walks. His July 8th outing against Quebec sums what he’s capable of, as he allowed just four hits and one walk in eight shutout innings, while striking out 12.

ZACH ZUERCHER – WORCESTER

The Worcester Tornadoes are known more for their potent offense and less for their pitching. Yet, Zach Zuercher has been as dominant as any pitcher in the Can-Am League. Sticking with the theme of crafty lefthanders, Zuercher is another southpaw who doesn’t overpower his opponents. Yet, his strikeout numbers are fantastic, as he’s fanned 52 batters, which is fifth in the league and a team-high. He has undoubtedly been the ace of the Worcester pitching staff, and has an ERA of 3.84. In his third season with the Tornadoes, Zuercher is on pace for a career-high in wins, as the 27 year old already has seven victories in 2011, which is second in the league. Zuercher finished with seven wins in each of his previous seasons with Worcester, and never finished with more than six wins during his four-year career in the St. Louis Cardinals’ farm system. The Warwick, RI native has an ERA of 3.84, and has shown impeccable command, walking just 12 batters so far this season. Zuercher has been roughed up a bit in two of his three losses this season, both of which were against Quebec. Take away those two starts against the Capitales and Zuercher has allowed just 11 runs in 50 and 2/3 innings, which would give him an ERA of 1.96.

BRYAN REMBISZ – QUEBEC

Although the Quebec pitching staff has a handful of marquee names to choose from, Bryan Rembisz has been the most dominant of them all. In nine starts this season, the righthander has been nearly untouchable. With a pristine 1.83 ERA to go along with a 5-1 record, Rembisz has shined for the Capitales all season. In 54 innings, the Connecticut native has allowed just 15 walks to go along with 27 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting just .224 against the former Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim prospect. In his first season in the Can-Am League, the undersized righthander has dazzled. At just 5’7″, 165 lbs., Rembisz doesn’t seem to be like much of a power pitcher; but the 25 year-old has stunned opposing hitters all year long. Quebec is in first place for a reason; their pitching has been fantastic. Rembisz might be the best of the bunch, and his most recent outing against Pittsfield (8 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) indicates that he’s only getting better.

DUSTIN BIROSAK – BROCKTON

Although it has been a small sample size, Brockton Rox lefthander Dustin Birosak has proven that he is among the top pitchers in the Can-Am League. After making a handful of appearances with the Rox in 2010, Birosak has become a fixture in the starting rotation in his second stint with Brockton. The Fullerton, CA native was signed by the Rox ten days into June, and began the season in the bullpen. However, after just three relief appearances, Birosak was thrown into the rotation. Since then, Birosak has made five starts with the Rox and has been ridiculously good. The 26 year-old is a perfect 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA, and has opponents hitting just .230 against him. A former Seattle Mariners prospect, Birosak is another crafty lefthander who has baffled hitters throughout the league. In 39 innings of work, Birosak has struck out 34 batters and walked just 13. His command has been outstanding, as he has shown the ability to use both his cutter and slider inside and outside against opponents. Although the entire Brockton Rox pitching staff has been solid, Birosak has arguably been the best of the bunch.

Honorable Mention: Bobby Blevins – Rockland, John Mariotti – Quebec, Matthew Rusch – Quebec, Alex Smith – Newark, Mike Smith – Brockton, Julian Sampson – Brockton, Freddy Flores – Brockton

BULLPEN

Dexter Bobo – Quebec

There’s no question that the Quebec Capitales have boasted the top pitching staff in the Can-Am League so far this season, as the Capitales have a league-high team ERA of 3.18. What is so unique about Quebec’s pitching is that much of it is dependent on the bullpen. Most of their starters won’t pitch past the sixth inning, leaving it up to the relievers to shut the door. The Capitales’ bullpen has been phenomenal, and Dexter Bobo is the centerpiece of that unit. Bobo, a former Milwaukee Brewers prospect, is 4-1 with one save this season, while posting a ridiculous 1.59 ERA. The southpaw has been untouchable, as opponents are hitting just .147 against him. The Capitales are loaded when it comes to pitching, and the 23 year-old has emerged as their go-to-guy in the bullpen. The Georgia native has allowed just eight walks, while striking out 21, and has only allowed a run in three of his 21 appearances. In fact, Bobo has yet to allow more than two hits in an outing this season, and has given up just four extra-base hits in 22 and 2/3 innings this season.

Mike Zenko – Pittsfield

In his second season of professional baseball, Mike Zenko has been the backbone of a stout Pittsfield Colonials bullpen. He’s recorded three saves in 2011, with two of them coming in the last week, as the Colonials have successfully gone with a “closer by committee”. What stands out about Zenko is that he is tied for the team lead with five wins, and all of those have come in relief. The 24 year-old has also yet to lose a game or blow a save this season. In his 18 appearances out of the bullpen, Zenko has only surrendered a run in three games. He’s been very versatile, as the righthander has been used in both long and short relief; he’s made several appearances in which he’s gone more than two innings. Zenko has an ERA of 1.72 to go along with 30 strikeouts and just ten walks.

Adrian Martin – Rockland

As far as closers are concerned, Rockland’s Adrian Martin has been as dominant as it gets. For starters, Martin is 3-0 with a league-high 12 saves so far in 2011, despite pitching for a team that has won just 20 games. Martin has done so in commanding fashion, as the righthander has surrendered just three runs all season, and has a remarkable 1.13 ERA. In 24 innings, the 26 year-old has only walked three batters, while striking out 24 batters. Opponents are hitting a paltry .231 against the former Toronto Blue Jays prospect. After making it as high as Triple-A Las Vegas with the Jays, Martin may be pitching his way back into affiliated baseball if he keeps this up.

HONORABLE MENTION: Sean Gregory – Worcester, Steve Fox – New Jersey, Guillaume Duguay – Quebec, TJ Stanton – Quebec, T.J. Hose – Newark, T. J. Wink – Pittsfield

At 21 years-old, Nathans becomes the youngest member of the Brockton Rox. The Warwick, N.Y. native was a two-sport star at Fairfield University, excelling in both baseball and soccer. He gave up soccer prior to his senior season at Fairfield in order to focus on baseball.

Nathans played in all 193 games on the Fairfield Stags’ schedule during his four year career, for the eighth longest active streak in the nation in 2011.

Nathans finished his career as the program leader in hits (263), doubles (61), and triples (10). Nathans also is second all-time in career runs scored with 141, one run shy of the program record, as well as second all-time in career RBI (155) and batting average (.352).

During his senior season, Nathans hit .344 with five home runs and 35 RBIs. Nathans also spent the summer of 2010 with the Danbury Westerners of the NECBL.

Nathans recorded a hit in his first professional at-bat on Saturday night as a pinch-hitter against the Jackals.

The Rox roster stands at 21 active players (11 pitchers, 10 position players).

The Rox sold the contract of 3B Jorge Jimenez to Cincinnati Reds (NL) – official as of July 14, 2011.

Jimenez will be assigned to the Bakersfield Blaze (Advanced-A, California League).

The former Pawtucket Red Sox third baseman batted .271 in 42 games with the Rox while knocking in 25 runs. Jimenez had an on-base percentage of .366, while walking 19 times and striking out eleven. Three of his five home runs came in his first career multi home run game that included a walk off blast. Jimenez was also among the league leaders in errors with ten.

The Rox roster stands at 20 active players (11 pitchers, 9 position players).

Meet the Rox: Jake Hale

Meet the Rox: Trey Hernandez

Meet the Rox: Mark Rosen

“We’re thrilled to have Ed’s positive energy and enthusiasm back in the clubhouse,” Rox CEO Chris Carminucci said. “We feel that Ed’s spark will be contagious and will help the team to reach its expectations.”

Currently, the Rox are 21-19, in fourth place in the eight-team Can-Am League with six games remaining in the first half.

Nottle replaces Bob Didier, who resigned from the club for personal reasons.