VB Devil Rays' Hellickson and Fields Earn Weekly League Honors

Hellickson Recognized as Pitcher of the Week, Fields Player of the Week

VERO BEACH, Fla. - The Florida State League announced Vero Beach Devil Rays right-handed pitcher Jeremy Hellickson (Des Moines, Iowa) was named FSL Pitcher of the Week, and first-baseman Matt Fields (Seattle, Wash.) was named FSL Player of the Week, for the week of April 14-20.

Hellickson was fantastic in his third start of the season, as the Rays defeated the Jupiter Hammerheads 3-1 on April 15. With the winds blowing in, Hellickson held Jupiter to just three hits, and the game was completed in two hours and 11 minutes as a result. His 13 strikeouts were a career high for the Iowan, who fanned 10 batters twice last season for Class A Columbus. With 30 strikeouts already this year in 23 innings and a season ERA of 0.78, Hellickson is not only the league leader in both categories, but the leader of Minor League Baseball.

Fields collected eight doubles in seven games, and his dynamic week culminated in the Devil Rays' trio of victories over the weekend as he went 8-11 with three walks and four extra-base hits. He scored three times after reaching base on five occasions Sunday, April 20 against the Brevard County Manatees, and he ripped his fourth home run of the season. After striking out 12 times in nine games to start the year, Fields whiffed just three times during the week.

Hellickson and Fields' FSL weekly honors mark the first of the season in both the pitcher and player categories for the Vero Beach Devil Rays during the 2008 season.

The Vero Beach Devil Rays kick off a seven-game home stand on Wednesday, April 30, first facing the Palm Beach Cardinals for three games, and then the Dunedin Blue Jays in a four-game series. For ticket or schedule information call 772-569-4929, or visit the team online at www.vbdrays.com.