Aug. 31, 2009

By Sean Hilen, UK Media Relations

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Former Kentucky standout Michael Bertram was named the Eastern League Player of the Week for his performance last week as a member of the Erie SeaWolves, it was announced Monday.

Bertram, a 39th-round pick of the Detroit Tigers in 2006, was promoted from class-A Lakeland to class-AA Erie in late July and has kept up the momentum, batting .346 (9-for-26) with two doubles, two triples, two home runs, 11 RBI, eight runs scored, three walks and a .808 slugging percentage over the last six games.

The former product of Lafayette High School in Lexington is not the first UK player to receive the award this season, as former Kentucky All-American and teammate Ryan Strieby was also named Eastern League Player of the Week for the week ending July 12th. Bertram and Strieby have been part of the same team since they arrived at Kentucky in 2006, being drafted by Detroit, starting in single-A Lakeland and now the double-A SeaWolves.

On the season, combining both levels, Bertram has hit .286 (110-for-384) in 106 games, adding 25 doubles, six triples, 16 home runs and 71 RBI. While with Erie, Bertram has hit .304 (28-for-92) in 24 games, with six doubles, three triples, six homers and 24 RBI.

During Bertram’s four years at UK, he recorded eight home runs, three triples and 37 doubles while batting .312 (188-for-602) average in 182 career games. In 2006, Bertram and Strieby helped lead UK to the 2006 Southeastern Conference Championship, Kentucky’s first league crown in the 75-year history of the conference.