Link while active, text follows: Brevard County trio an All-Star hit BY MARK DeCOTIS, FLORIDA TODAY VIERA -- The Florida State League standings don't reflect it, but the Brevard County Manatees are getting their share of hits and have their share of All-Stars. Heading into Friday night's game against the Fort Myers Miracle, the Manatees (17-30) had three hitters in the league's top 13 in batting average: shortstop Matt Cline (.336), outfielder Erik Komatsu (.322) and infielder Sergio Miranda (.314). And those three players were named to the league's North Division All-Star team for the June 12 game at Space Coast Stadium. Komatsu was tied for the league lead in hits -- 59 -- and was ranked seventh in steals with 13. Cline was fourth in the league in hitting at .333 and fourth in on-base percentage at .435. Miranda was tied for sixth with 33 runs batted in and has struck out just 16 times -- as have Cline and Komatsu -- with Miranda's coming in 185 at bats compared to 183 for Komatsu and 143 for Cline. In short, they are having noteworthy -- and All-Star caliber -- seasons. "It feels awesome, after working out in the offseason," said Miranda who played 82 games for the Manatees last season. "I lost 25 pounds. It's been good that all that work is paying off." For Komatsu, the All-Star selection follows him missing all but 26 games in 2009 thanks to a broken wrist and a torn hamstring. But he has bounced back in the midst of the grind that is Advanced Class A baseball. "It was a rough year last year," he said. "My first year in pro ball (2008) I played pretty much every day in Helena, Mont. This year . . . I'm just trying to stay healthy and just trying to stay on the field. "It's a higher level (here). There's no doubt about it. The pitching's much better." Cline, who also broke in at Helena and played 32 games for the Manatees in 2008, also is adjusting. "It gets to you," he said about the FSL's demanding, play-nearly-every-day schedule. "But you've just got to find a way to grind through it and just know when to do extra work and when to take some time off." Players not selected as All-Stars will get three days off in June, but naturally the Manatees trio welcomes the opportunity to trade time off for the extra, showcase game. "To me it's another game, so I'm going to go out there and I want to win," Cline said. "I don't want to go out there and lose just because it's the All-Star game. I'm going to go out there and compete." Ditto for Komatsu. "I'm not going to out there and just lollygag," he said. "I'm going to try and do my best." There's another aspect to the game as well for the honorees who, because of their selection, could have an opportunity to become leaders. "We were talking about this the past few days," Miranda said. "We're the guys, we need some leaders on this team in general and obviously to have this honor, it can help us in that area a little bit. "But we have to actually do it the right way. We have to show how we respect the game. That would carry to the other guys too." 2010 Brevard County Manatees All-Stars MATT CLINE Age: 24 Born: Anaheim Hills, Calif. College: Cal State Long Beach Bats: Right; Throws: Right ERIK KOMATSU Age: 22 Born: Camarillo, Calif. College: Cal State Fullerton Bats: Left; Throws: Left SERGIO MIRANDA Age: 23 Born: Richmond, Va. College: Virginia Commonwealth Bats: Switch hitter; Throws: Right Brevard County Manatees players (left to right), Sergio Miranda Erik Komatsu and Matt Cline will represent the team at next month's Florida State League All-Star Game. (Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY) http://cmsimg.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=A9&Date=20100529&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=5290320&Ref=AR&Profile=1002&MaxW=550&MaxH=650&title=0 Of course, for the photographer's symmetry, Matt Cline holding his bat as though he were a left-handed stick. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif