Staten
Island, NY-The Staten Island Yankees are on an “honor-roll”, as three more Baby Bombers were recognized for individual achievements this week. Aaron Rifkin, the NY-Penn League MVP, and Juan Camacho were each named as TOPPS Short-A/Rookie Stars, while Jason Arnold was given the SportsTicker “Star of Stars” Award.
Rifkin, who was in the top five of almost every batting category of the NY-Penn League, was also named a NY-Penn League All-Star, a Baseball America All-Star, and was #19 on the Baseball America Top Prospect List. This is the second time the first baseman has been honored by TOPPS, as he was named the TOPPS August Player of the Month for the league.
Camacho also garnered a few awards this season, as he was a NY-Penn League Post Season All-Star and followed Rifkin as the #20 Top Prospect in the NY-Penn League by Baseball America. The third baseman finished the season with a league best 51 RBI and tied for third with 10 home runs.
Arnold follows former Baby Bomber Andy Beal as the 2001 recipient of the SportsTicker “Star of Stars Award,” marking the second consecutive season that a Staten Island pitcher has won the award. This title is based on statistical achievement. Arnold finished his first professional season at 7-2 with a 1.50 ERA. He pitched the first complete-game no-hitter in Staten Island Yankee history on July 27 against the Vermont Expos, one walk away from being perfect. He was named TOPPS Player of the Month for July, a NY-Penn League Post-Season All-Star, a Baseball America Post-Season All-Star, #3 on the Baseball America Top Prospect List, and NY-Penn League Pitcher of the Week for July 23rd-29th.
The 2001 Season marks the most productive in individual awards in the Staten Island Yankees’ three-year history. Seventeen spots were claimed by five different players for eight different honors. This season marked the first year that a Baby Bomber was named a TOPPS Player of the Month (sweeping the 2001 awards) as well as a NY-Penn League MVP.
Southpaw Sean Henn and John-Ford Griffin, the 2001 first-round pick of the Yankees, are the other two Baby Bombers to be recognized this season, named the #2 and #6 Top Prospects of the league, respectively.
