JULY 29 - Dan Johnson and Jeremy Hellickson are both chasing history. The batting Triple Crown has been won just seven times in the IL's 127 seasons, while only three men ever won a pitching Triple Crown. Catch the latest on all 14 IL clubs with News & Notes.
16 was a magic number in the IL this past week. Norfolk's Michael Aubrey collected 16 RBI, while Toledo pitcher Alfredo Figaro struck out 16 batters to earn IL Player of the Week honors. More
Bisons third baseman Mike Hessman hit 140 home runs in five years with Toledo. (Buffalo Bisons)
This week's IL notebook visits with Buffalo third baseman Mike Hessman, who returned to Toledo for the first time since leaving the Mud Hens, for whom he played from 2005 to 2009.
The official 2010 International League "Top Prospects" card set from Choice is available now in all IL ballparks. Among the many great young players featured: Stephen Strasburg, Aroldis Chapman, Ike Davis, Pedro Alvarez, Jeremy Hellickson, and Carlos Santana.
Josh Beckett has allowed four runs over eight innings with Pawtucket. (Louriann Mardo-Zayat)
International League fans have gotten an up-close look at several big-name players of late as Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, Nate McLouth and others work their way back to the Majors.
Held hitless until the fifth inning, the International League got an RBI double from Chase Lambin and a run-scoring single from Elliot Johnson in the sixth to win the Triple-A All-Star Game, 2-1.