In American Association Daily, the Minor League Sports Report and This Week in the Association name their Pitcher and Player of the Week for Week 14 of the 2019 American Association season. This week, Chicago Dogs 1B Keon Barnum was selected as the Player of the Week, the second time he has received the honor.  Winnipeg Goldeyes left-hander Mitch Lambson was named the Pitcher of the Week, also the second time he has been chosen.

Player of the Week – Week 14: Keon Barnum, Chicago Dogs

The Chicago Dogs Keon Barnum was selected as the Player of the Week after hitting .357 with six homers and 10 RBI in seven games this week. Barnum helped his team to a 5-2 record, leap frogging over the Winnipeg Goldeyes and into third in the North Division.

Barnum started the week with a 4-15 performance against the Lincoln Saltdogs. He homered in each of those contests, and drove in six total runs, including four in the final game of the series. The slugger also scored a run in each contest.

The Dogs then moved onto Winnipeg where they would take two of three from the Goldeyes. Barnum was 3-9 in the series, with a homer and two RBI. He scored two runs and drew six walks in the series, raising his on-base percentage to .392.

On Sunday, Barnum helped Chicago defeat the Milwaukee Milkmen, 6-0. The power hitting first baseman was 3-4 with three runs scored, two homers, and two RBI.

For the week, Keon Barnum posted a .471 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage. His OPS was 1.471. Barnum was also selected as Player of the Week by the Minor League Sports Report back in Week 10. He joins teammate Victor Roache who has won the award twice this season as well.

Pitcher of the Week – Week 14: Mitch Lambson, Winnipeg Goldeyes

Winnipeg Goldeyes left-hander Mitch Lambson was selected as the Pitcher of the Week for Week 14. The left-hander made two starts, going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA. Both of his victories came following losses by the team.

Lambson’s first start of the week was on Monday, when he blanked the St. Paul Saints, 8-0. The left-hander went the distance, allowing just two hits and two walks, while striking out nine.

He opened the contest by issuing a two out walk and then hitting the next batter. However, he got out of the frame with a flyball to end the threat. He then gave up a two out single in the third before retiring the next seven batters. His only other hit allowed came to start the sixth, but that runner was erased by a double-play. Lambson retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced.

The Goldeyes then lost the next four games. It looked like their season may be coming to a premature end as the Chicago Dogs had taken the first two games of their series, but Lambson stopped the skid, allowing two runs in seven innings in a 10-2 victory.

The left-hander gave up both runs in the fifth, when his team was already leading 4-0, but then shut the door. He found himself in trouble in the seventh, yielding back-to-back singles to start the frame, but then got a strike’em out-throw’em out double play before recording a strikeout to end the threat.

For the week, Mitch Lambson allowed seven hits in 16.0 innings. He walked seven and struck out 16. The left-hander leads the league in wins with 12 and he is first in strikeouts with 117. He is also tied for first in complete games with three.

Mitch Lambson was chosen as the Pitcher of the Week in Week 5.

2019 Players of the Week

Week 13 – Colin Willis, Gary Southshore RailCats
Week 12 – Victor Roache, Chicago Dogs
Week 11 – Tyler Hill, Winnipeg Goldeyes
Week 10 – Keon Barnum, Chicago Dogs
Week 9 – Josh Allen, St. Paul Saints
Week 8 – Max Murphy, Brady Shoemaker, St. Paul Saints
Week 7 – T. J. Bennett, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
Week 6 – Max Murphy, St. Paul Saints
Week 5 – Nate Samson, Sioux City Explorers
Week 4 – Tim Colwell, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
Week 3 – Victor Roache, Chicago Dogs
Week 2 – Tony Rosselli, Chicago Dogs
Week 1 – Zach Nehrir, Cleburne Railroaders

2019 Pitchers of the Week

Week 13 – Carlos Sierra, Sioux City Explorers
Week 12 – Reese Gregory, Lincoln Saltdogs
Week 11 – Michael Tamburino, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
Week 10 – Kevin Hilton, Texas AirHogs
Week 9 – Luke Westphal, Chicago Dogs
Week 8 – Angel Ventura, Milwaukee Milkmen
Week 7 – Frank Carvallo, Gary Southshore RailCats
Week 6 – Bret Helton, Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
Week 5 – Mitch Lambson, Winnipeg Goldeyes
Week 4 – Taylor Jordan, Sioux City Explorers
Week 3 – Eddie Medina, St. Paul Saints
Week 2 – Eddie Medina, St. Paul Saints
Week 1 – Jake Matthys, St. Paul Saints

Notes About Player/Pitcher of the Week Winners

The Player and Pitcher of the Week are chosen each week by the Minor League Sports Report’s Robert Pannier and by Kevin Luckow of the Tenth Inning Stretch. Honorees are chosen based upon statistics, quality of opponent, and importance in relation to overall performance of their own team.

By Robert Pannier