Piecing together the roster
As we hang the 2009 calendar on the wall, we realize it's time to start putting together the Wild Things' roster for next season. We can give new manager Mark Mason and general manager Ross Vecchio some help and advice on who to keep and who to release.To give you a better understanding of what roster decisions the Wild Things must make, keep in mind that each Frontier League team must follow these guidelines:
1. A team can have no more than 3 Veterans.
2. A team can have no more than 2 players classified as L2 (this will increase to 3 in 2010).
3. A team can have no more than 7 players classified as L1.
4. A team that goes with the maximum 24-man roster must have at least 12 players who are Rookies.
If a team does not have the maximum number of players in a particular classification, it can fill with players from a lower classification. For example, if you have only 2 Veterans, then you can carry 3 L2 players on your roster.
The Wild Things have already signed outfielder Jason Appel for 2009. He is a Rookie. Pitcher Aaron Ledbetter has aged out of the league.
Here is the current roster:
Veterans:
LHP - Brooks Dunn
SS - Brett Grandstrand
OF - Chris Sidick
L2:
RHP - J.J. Hollenbeck
RHP - Mike Schellinger
1B - Nathan Messner
OF - Jacob Dempsey
OF - Chris Raber
L1:
C - Gerard Haran
C - Kris Rochelle (IR)
3B/OF - Brad Arnett
2B - Phil Butch
INF - Chris Carrara
Rookies:
RHP - Rick Austin
LHP - Burke Baldwin
RHP - Joe D'Allesandro
RHP - Zach Groh
LHP - Dan Horvath
RHP - Sam Mann
RHP - Matt Maradeo
RHP - Chris Rivera
P/C - Josh Eachues
OF - Jason Appel
OF - Tim Alberts
OF - Rob Vernon
As you can see, the problem for the Wild Things is at the L2 spot. If they keep the 3 Veterans, then 3 of the L2 players must go. If they keep only 2 of the Veterans - which is a strong possibility - then at least 2 of the L2s must go.
As for the Veterans, Sidick is a keeper. With Grandstrand coaching at Ringgold High School this spring, you have to expect he will be back with the Wild Things. Dunn will be a tough decision. At times he was dominating last year, at other times only average.
At L2, I expect Washington to keep Dempsey and either Hollenbeck or Schellinger. If they go with only 2 Vets, then both pitchers can be kept.
posted by Chris Dugan at
12:24 PM
26 Comments:
Any chance Drew Hoisington makes it back this year?
I was told by the WT that Haran would not be returning this season. Hope they were not 'pulling my leg' on that one!
Well we were also told Jelks would be back...Ross is a joke.
Well, I would not say that.
Sometimes things change that alter the way he has to operate. I think you are being a little harsh.
It was a joke that Jelks was even considered to come back.
The reason Greg Jelks was fired was because the white people that go to the games didn’t like him because he is black! We all no by now that blacks not welcome at Falconi Stadium. Only 16 days left until things will begin to change Thats gonna be NO joke.
Jamal
Ross hired Jelks and adamantly said that he would be back. And Ross put the team together before Jelks even got there. Those jerk players were his players. 7 years and 0 championships. Oh but he is a great GM. How many situations can someone mishandle (Teke, Maz with Dugan, Jelks) before he is held accountable?
Jamal,
Let's be realistic. For one, that's not why he got fired. When you coach all winter and spring in Australia it's hard to find players here in the US. Jelks can't be here and in Australia. Ross chose to go with a manager who can recruit players here right now and in the springtime. As far as I know Jelks and Ross are pretty good friends. They've known each other for many years. Secondly, I don't think Obama will be wasting his time thinking everyone in Washington is a racist , since that's not true anyways. We all know he's more worried about the BCS...
Who will the assistant coaches be?
I wonder if Jamal is too old to be the bat boy?
Obuma said:
“Who will the assistant coaches be?
I wonder if Jamal is too old to be the bat boy?”
He is certainly not smart enough to be the bat boy. Perhaps he could be the ‘color man’ on the radio broadcast team!
Lloyd
Making the playoffs every year with all those managers makes Ross a pretty accountable GM to me.
Is anyone here ready to let go of last years season and move on to the upcoming season? Lord knows I am.
No Ross, we are NOT ready for that.
Haha actually I'm not Ross, pretty close though, good for you.
Jelks is gone and so will some if not most of the players judging from last years finish. I guess i was just being naive in thinking that maybe we AS FANS were ready to drop last year and start talking about the year to come.
Great,No more Jamal at W.T. games.No more Jelks.No all we have to do is get rid of the rest of the non-white players to make C.E.P a happy place again.Hey I know lets have KKK Friday's.And no more rap music should be played to intro the players,only country.
L.C.
By the way I am being sarcastic.All you people need to grow up.Face facts Jelks was no good.The players thought they were entitled(because of 2007).The pitching was horrible,that comes down on Jelks and Wayman.And let's not forget about Maz who mis-managed the team out of a championship.Most of the people who go to the games are fair-weather fans,they are there to get in a contest,and watch the mascot.They could care less about the actual game.
Great,No more Jamal at
Anonymous said,
W.T. games.No more Jelks.No all we have to do is get rid of the rest of the non-white players to make C.E.P a happy place again.Hey I know lets have KKK Friday's.And no more rap music should be played to intro the players,only country.
--------------
You were 100 per cent correct up to that point. You should have stopped there!
Brooks Dunn? Brooks Dunn?
Don't talk about Brooks Dunn! Crap, that jerk was a BIG part of he 'attitude'
problem the WT had last year.
DON'T TALK ABOUT BROOKS DUNN!!
He should try a few months in anger management rehab then be shipped to Siberia with a one-way ticket!
DON'T TALK ABOUT BROOKS DUNN - PERIOD.
Jeff
Seems like Jeff has an attitude problem. Don't publish any comments from JEFF.
No chance Hoisington comes back. Atleast not with some of the games I saw.
Just to update, the Wild Things will start announcing signings and releases as early as next week. I am told that one of the new players signed will be a local guy.
Just because he is a "local guy" does NOT automatically make him a good player.
I don't care where a player is from so long as he has the talent to produce.
Jeff
BTW: "Dont' talk about Brooks Dunn!!
Actually, I think his name is Dumb Dunn!
Perhaps we should just call him Done Dunn
Jeff: I didn't say the local guy was a GOOD player. I was just trying to give everyone a heads up that a player (perhaps more than one) that is known locally will be signed. I think we're all aware that there is no guarantee that anyone signed in January will make an impact.
I don't believe Hollenbeck will return. He's got something going in VA and probably won't give that up. Plus, his 'buds' are all gone--O'Brien, Ledbetter, Werman.
It'll be interesting, as most years I have a feeling there won't be that much turnover to this coming year's teams.
If Hollenbeck doesn't return, then the decision with L2 players (IMO) is realtively simple. You bring back Dempsey and Schellinger or trade for another L2 - preferably a pitcher - and bring back Dempsey. I have heard the Wild Things are trying to trade for an L2.
Chris, what kind of trade bait do you think we have?
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