Great News for Horne

Written by Greg Fertel | 25 August 2007

(Trenton, NJ)- The Eastern League of Professional Baseball announced today that Thunder RHP Alan Horne has been selected as the 2007 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year.  A ceremony to present his award will be made prior to tonightâ??s game against the Binghamton Mets. The 24-year old has been the ace of the Northern Division leading Trenton pitching staff, compiling a record of 12-4 with a 2.97 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP while striking out 158 batters and walking 51 in 142.1 innings of work this season.  The 6â??4â?, 195 lb. hurler has been dominant for the Thunder all season, giving up one earned run or less in 13 of his 25 appearances and striking out at least six batters in a game 21 different times.  Horne, who was 6-9 with a 4.84 ERA and 122 strikeouts while making his professional debut for the Single-A Tampa Yankees of the Florida State League last season, currently leads the league in ERA (2.97) and is also ranked among the league leaders in strikeouts (158-2^nd), wins (12-3^rd) and innings pitched (142.1-tied 4^th). Horne was named the right-handed starting pitcher on the recently announced 2007 Eastern League All-Star Team and was also one of the pitchers chosen to represent the Northern Division at the 2007 Eastern League All-Star Game in Norwich, Connecticut on Wednesday, July 11^th where he struck out a pair of batters during one scoreless inning of work in the rain-shortened contest. Alan, who entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the 16^th best prospect in the Yankees organization, was selected by the New York Yankees in the 11^th round of the 2005 draft after going 10-2 with 108 strikeouts and a 4.05 ERA in 113.1 innings pitched during his junior year at the University of Florida. Bowie right-handed starter Radhames Liz finished second in the voting for the award and Portland right-handed starter Clay Buchholz finished third in the voting.  The award was voted on by respective Eastern League team managers and coaching staffs, writers and radio and television broadcast personnel.