2008 IBL MVP, Rookie of the Year and All-Star Teams

2008 IBL MVP Frankie Hare receives award from IBL Commissioner Jim Rooney

Rawlings IBL Player of the Year Award/John Bell Memorial Trophy – Frank Hare, Guelph Royals (OF).

Hare, a 26-year-old outfielder, led the Guelph Royals to a second-place finish with a .436 batting average on 61  hits, 12 doubles, eight home runs, 42 runs scored, 39 RBI's and 20 stolen bases which placed him among the league leaders in each of those categories.

Hare played in 34 of Guelph’s 36 games and finished second in the batting race to MVP runner-up Josh McCurdy of the Brantford Red Sox who won the batting crown by six points with a .442 average. Hare was also second in RBI’s, stolen bases and runs scored. His 12 doubles tied him for third in that category and he was tied for fifth in home runs.

His 2008 season was a near repeat of 2006 when he finished second in the League with a .382 batting average and led the League in hits and doubles while placing second in stolen bases and third in RBI’s. He finished third in the MVP voting that season.

Hare picked up 35 points in the voting, including seven first-place votes while McCurdy was runner-up with 17 points. He is the first Guelph Royal to win the MVP award since Erik Laseke’s three-peat from 1993-1995.

IBL Rookie of the Year/BRIAN KERR MEMORIAL TROPHY – Randy Schwartz, Barrie Baycats (3B)

Schwartz, 22, blasted his way into the IBL this season with a .327 average and a league-leading 10 home runs. Playing in 28 of Barrie’s 36 games, he was third on the Baycats in batting average while leading the team with 10 home runs and 31 RBI’s.

A 6’4”, 220 lb. third baseman, Schwartz, committed only seven errors in 26 games for a .923 fielding percentage.

He collected 28 points in the voting, including five first-place votes while London Majors' Adam Echlin was second with 18 points and Zach Dickson of the Guelph Royals was third with 14 points. Schwartz becomes the second Baycat to win the award – right-handed pitcher Brad Grieveson won in 2002.

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