Carew tops among BlueSox
On a squad full of great teammates, Ben Carew has stood out.
The outfielder for the Butler BlueSox is the recipient of the team's 2017 Diamond Award.
The native of Appleton, Wisc., is batting .294 with 28 runs scored, 21 RBI and 14 extra-base hits, but his offensive output is only one aspect of Carew's contribution to the team.
“Stats are just one factor for this award,” said BlueSox managing partner William “Wink” Robinson, who presented the award prior to Friday's game against Lafayette at Kelly Automotive Park. “We also look at leadership, character and integrity. (Manager) Cody Herald and (pitching coach) Josh Forbes vote on it. It's fitting because they're with these guys every day.
“It was a tough decision because this team is the most cohesive group we've seen here,” added Robinson. “They work, laugh and even lose together.”
Carew had no prior knowledge of receiving the honor.
“I found out when every one else did,” he said. “Three things you can control in this game are your hustle, attitude and effort. This award embodies all three, so it means a lot to me to receive it.”
Herald, a Butler High School graduate and former player for the BlueSox, was the first recipient of the award in 2014.
“It came down to Ben and Kristian Webb,” he said. “They're two guys who do whatever we ask them to do. If they're not playing, they're not sitting on the bench mad about it. They are cheering for their teammates and they keep the team up.”
Carew, who plays at Kent State University, said he wasn't sure what to expect in his first season of summer ball.
“I just heard other players say that it was a long season, but being part of this team has made it fun. We all just want to improve,” he said.
Carew is being hosted by Mike and Staci Slater of Meridian. His effort this year has helped the BlueSox win the Prospect League's East Division title. Butler's best-of-three league semifinal series against West Virginia was scheduled to start on Sunday.
“We just got on a roll,” he said. “When we realized that we were going to be in the playoffs and were going to be spending another week in Butler, we figured we might as well go for it all.”
Russell Clark (2015) and Tyler Sullivan (2016) have also received the BlueSox Diamond Award.
