Alex Rios Sends a Pair Over the Fence; Brandon Boggs a Player to Watch

Players of the Day for Monday, March 7, 2011

American League

Alex Rios

Alex Rios slugged two home runs and drove in five runs as the Indians and White Sox demolished each other's bullpens in a 16-16 tie.

The two teams combined for 39 hits, employing a total of 13 pitchers, who gave up 6 homers and 10 doubles.

Rios, one of last season's most under-appreciated stars, batted .284 with 21 homers, 88 RBI and 34 stolen bases in his first full season with the White Sox following a late-season trade from Toronto in 2009.

National League

Brandon Boggs

Milwaukee bats were booming as the Brewers banged out 25 hits against defending N Central division champion Cincinnati in a 15-2 plundering.

Right fielder Brandon Boggs, hoping to make the final roster, homered, tripled and singled twice in five at-bats, scoring twice and driving in four runs to spearhead the onslaught.

A graduate of Georgia Tech, Boogs has spent considerable time in the minors but played 101 games with the Rangers in 2008, knocking 8 homers and 41 RBI. His .226 batting average and 93 strikeouts in 283 at-bats earned him a return trip to the minors. Milwaukee picked up Boggs, from Texas, in the off-season following the 2010 campaign.