All-Star Albert Wall Heads to Toledo, Debuts

By KYLE KEOUGH
Double Day AP

One of the premiere hitters in Double Day, former two-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year Albert Wall has been traded as part of a four-player deal to the Toledo Maumees. Toledo (26-8) adds Wall to what is already the roster with the best record in baseball in an attempt to strengthen their World Series chances.

The move comes two days after it was initially reported that Toledo was in discussions for a power hitter and had contacted Omaha regarding Wall. The 6-foot, 220-lb. Wall has been a Most Valuable Player finalist and a Silver Slugger at first base. His career numbers: .302, 122 home runs and 277 RBIs.

Coming into this season, Wall ranked fourth all-time in home runs (110). In his Toledo debut, he went 1-for-three with a home run and two RBIs. Those two runs put the Maumees ahead of Cleveland 2-0 in the fourth inning, and vaulted them to a 4-1 victory, their fifth straight.

Along with Wall, Toledo also acquired 21-year-old Erik Stein, a highly regarded SP/RP prospect who was, at the time of the deal, pitching in AA and had yet to allow an earned run in 8 innings pitched.

For Wall, Omaha has landed Ronald Webb, a young first baseman with big power (97 home runs in his first two seasons) yet only a lifetime .273 average. Webb has thus far been labeled by the Toledo media as a minor disappointment, with expectations being that he'd be by now an elite-level hitter. In 34 games this season, Webb is hitting a more-than-pedestrian .289 with 10 home runs and 26 RBIs, but has yet to put up the game-changing numbers fans expect of him.

Omaha will also build its post-Wall existence around young starting pitcher Harry Bennett. The highly touted Bennett was 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA in seven starts in AAA this season, and owns a lifetime 3.35 ERA in the minor leagues after having been drafted by the Maumees in season one.

Following the Wall acquisition, the betting line on Toledo to reach the World Series dipped to a meager 3:1, the same as league rival Louisville. After having been swept by the Colonels on 12/28, the four-game hotly anticipated penultimate meeting between Double Day's top two clubs has been penciled in for 2/3 and 2/4. If both teams retain their tremendous winning paces, expect coverage of the series here on Doubleday Daily.