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Cougars mark 25 years with silver anniversary team

To mark their 25th anniversary, the Kane County Cougars released their star-studded silver anniversary team Wednesday, honoring former Cougars who went on to have major league success.

The roster was determined by fan voting online, which began in March. Cougars general manager Curtis Haug said thousands of fans participated.

"It's a pretty strong team that the fans put together, from the pitching staff to the position players and even to the field staff," Haug said. "The Cougars are really proud to have these guys in our history and it really sets us apart."

Anniversary celebrations will continue on July 30 when the Cougars host Burlington. The first 1,500 fans at that game will receive a 25th anniversary team card set.

Here is the Cougars' description of their silver anniversary team roster:

Starting pitchers: Josh Beckett, Dallas Braden, A.J. Burnett, Ryan Dempster, Dontrelle Willis.

Beckett ('00 Cougar) was a three-time Major League All-Star and won a 2003 World Series MVP award with the Florida Marlins. Braden ('04) threw a perfect game with Oakland in 2010. Burnett ('98) holds the Cougars' single-season record for most strikeouts with 186 and has 11 big league seasons with 10 or more wins. Dempster ('96) won a 2013 World Series championship with Boston and won 10 or more games in nine big league seasons. Willis ('02) was teammates with Beckett in 2003 with the Marlins and was named National League Rookie of the Year that season.

Relief pitchers: Antonio Alfonseca, Andrew Bailey, Santiago Casilla, Huston Street.

Alfonseca ('94) received the 2000 Rolaids Relief Pitcher Award while saving 45 games that season with Florida. Bailey ('07) was named American League Rookie of the Year in 2009 with Oakland and is a two-time Major League All-Star. Casilla ('2003-04) is a three-time World Series champion with San Francisco. Street ('04) is currently 27th on the all-time Major League saves list with 292.

Catcher: Charles Johnson, Gregg Zaun.

Johnson ('93) was a two-time Major League All-Star, four-time Gold Glove Award winner and 1997 World Series champion with the Florida Marlins. Zaun ('91) enjoyed a 16-year big league career.

First base: Ross Gload, Adrian Gonzalez.

Gload ('98) played in the big leagues for 10 years. Gonzalez ('01) is a four-time Major League All-Star and has won four Gold Gloves along with a pair of Silver Slugger awards.

Second base: Luis Castillo, Jemile Weeks.

Castillo ('95) was a two-time Major League All-Star and World Series champion with the Florida Marlins. Weeks ('08) batted .303 in his rookie season with Oakland in 2011.

Shortstop: Alex Gonzalez, Edgar Renteria.

Gonzalez ('96) was a Major League All-Star in 1999 and played on the Florida Marlins 2003 World Series championship squad. Renteria ('93) was a five-time big league All-Star, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner and two-time World Series MVP with Florida and San Francisco.

Third base: Jeff Baisley, Miguel Cabrera.

Baisley ('06) made his big league debut with Oakland in 2008 and holds the Cougars' franchise record for most RBI in a season with 110. Cabrera ('01) won the Triple Crown in 2012 (the first occurrence since 1967), is a 9-time Major League All-Star and has won a pair of American League MVP awards.

Outfield: Nelson Cruz, Andre Ethier, Mark Kotsay, Scott Podsednik.

Cruz ('03) is a three-time Major League All-Star with 20 or more home runs in six straight seasons. Ethier ('03) is a two-time big league All-Star and has more than 600 career RBI. Kotsay ('96) drove in 720 runs in his big league career. Podsednik ('97) helped the White Sox to the 2005 World Series championship as a Major League All-Star that season.

Designated hitter: Kevin Millar.

Millar ('94) won the 2004 World Series with Boston and had 7 seasons with 15 or more home runs.

Field staff: Lynn Jones (Manager), Matt Winters (Hitting Coach), Brian Peterson (Pitching Coach).

Jones (1994-97) won 275 regular season games at Kane County, managing several future big league stars including Millar, Podsednik, Dempster and Alfonseca. Winters (1996-2001) was hitting coach of the 2001 Midwest League champion Cougars squad that included Cabrera, Gonzalez and Josh Willingham. Peterson ('1993-97) spent 5 seasons as Cougars pitching coach and worked with Alfonseca, Dempster, and many other future big leaguers.

Fort Wayne snaps Cougars' win streak at four games

Edgar Renteria earned a spot on the 25th Silver Anniversary Team for the Kane County Cougars. Photo courtesy of Kane County Cougars
Ryan Dempster earned a spot on the 25th Silver Anniversary Team for the Kane County Cougars. Photo courtesy of Kane County Cougars
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