East Division preview
Joliet SlammersLocation: Joliet, Ill.
Stadium: Silver Cross Field (6,016)
Manager: Bart Zeller (1st year)
Last year: NA
Impact newcomers: OF Josh Flores (105 career games in Class AA); 1B Erik Lis (4 seasons, 1,208 at-bats in Class AA, 51 games last year in Class AAA); INF Hector Pellot (4th round pick of New York Mets in 2005); P Billy Petrick (3rd round draft pick of Chicago Cubs in 2002, pitched in eight major-league games in 2007); P Jake Renshaw (26 career wins in affiliated ball).
Outlook: The league’s newest team, the Slammers play in what is a former Northern League ballpark and market. Zeller was a coach with Southern Illinois for four years, so he knows the league and has put together what could be a good offense. The key will be the pitching. Teams new to the league have had a strong track record of making the playoffs, but since 2000, only Lake Erie (2009) has won a championship in its debut season.
Did You Know? Silver Cross Field is the largest in the Frontier League and has 14 luxury suites.
Lake Erie CrushersLocation: Avon, Ohio
Stadium: All Pro Freight Stadium (5,000)
Manager: John Massarelli (3rd year - 336-227 career in Frontier League)
Last year: 50-46, 4th in East
Key returners: 3B Andrew Davis (.285, 10 HR, 61 RBI); P Jeff Cinadr (4-3, 8 saves, 2.21); P Travis Risser (8-4, 2.70); P Josh Roberts (10-5, 2.62)
Impact newcomers: 2B Chase Fontaine (former 2nd round draft pick of Atlanta Braves); OF Kellen Kulbacki (former 1st round draft pick of San Diego Padres, 2 years in Class AA); C Chad Maddox (56 doubles, 21 HRs over last 2 seasons with River City); OF Patrick Norris (stolen at least 31 bases in all 4 pro seasons);
Outlook: The Crushers went 9-1 down the stretch last year to avoid their first losing season. Massarelli, who guided the Crushers to the league championship in 2009, said last year’s pitching staff was the best he’s had. The problem was the offense, which finished last in batting average and runs. Kulbacki and Fontaine, a pair of high draft picks, should jump start the offense and Norris should be a terror on the bases.
Did You Know? Last year was the first time a Massarelli-coached Frontier League team failed to make the playoffs.
Rockford RiverHawksLocation: Rockford, Ill.
Stadiums: Road Rangers Stadium (3.279).
Manager: Rich Austin (1st year)
Last year: NA
Impact newcomers:INF Jake Eigsti (.253, 11 HR, 52 RBI with Rockford in Northern League); 1B Jeremy Hamilton (5th round pick of Philadelphia Phillies in 2008); OF Freddy Parejo (2,252 career at-bats including 762 in Class AA); P Brett Durand (10 wins with Rockford in 2009); P Tony Marsala (10-8, 4.20 with River City); P Brian Parker (119 games in Baltimore Orioles’ system); P Brett Scarpetta (24-12 last 3 years with Southern Illinois);
Outlook: The RiverHawks returned to the Frontier last month after one season in the now-defunct Northern League, which did not have an age limit. Austin, who led the RiverHawks to the Frontier title in 2004, takes over as manager. He’s already put together a strong pitching staff, and Parejo should be an impact hitter. But you have to wonder if Rockford had enough time to slap together a winning team in only seven weeks.
Did You Know?Austin was the Frontier League MVP in 2004.
Travese City Beach BumsLocation: Travese City, Mich.
Stadium: Wuerfel Park (4,600)
Manager: Gregg Langbehn (3rd year - 97-94 career)
Last year: 55-41, 2nd in East, lost to River City in finals
Key returners: 1B Chase Burch (.299, 19 HR, 88 RBI); P Scott Mueller (4-4, 14 Sv, 2.04).
Impact newcomers: OF Zach Pace (.268, 30 SBs with Oakland County); 3B Jose Vargas (19 HRs last 2 years in Chicago White Sox system).
Outlook: After posting the worst record in franchise history in 2009, the Beach Bums gutted the roster last year as only two players returned. It proved to be the right move. Traverse City made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, thanks in large part to going 12-0 in games against Washington. This year’s team will relay heavily on Pace at the top of the order and Burch in the middle, but better seasons can be expected from outfielders Jason Codirolli and Matt Brown. The Bums have a very young pitching staff, but Wuerfel Park is a pitcher’s haven. Should be back in the playoff hunt.
Did You Know? Beach Bums pitcher Scott Dunn is a product of Slippery Rock University and South Side Beaver High School. He has relatives who live in Hickory.
Washington Wild ThingsLocation: Washington, Pa.
Stadium: Consol Energy Park (3,200)
Manager: Darin Everson (2nd year, 38-57 in Frontier League)
Last year: 38-57, 5th in East
Key returners: P Justin Edwards (5-2, 3.79); P Kevin Hammons (5-4, 2 Sv, 2.62); OF Chris Sidick (.300, 32 SBs, FL’s all-time leader in games, hits, runs, triples, walks).
Impact newcomers: DH Josh Banda (.270, 14 HR, 52 RBI with River City); 1B Ernie Banks (24 HRs in Frontier League in 2009); P Vidal Nuno (11-8, 3.92 in 2 seasons in Cleveland Indians’ system); P Mick Mattaliano (28 saves in 2008 while in Baltimore Orioles’ system); P Taylor Wulf (1-1, 2.66 with Oakland County).
Outlook:The Wild Things’ record has been on the decline for five consecutive seasons and they haven’t reached the playoffs since 2007. Washington finished 11th in the league in both runs and home runs last year, but both the offense and fielding should be improved as six-year minor-league free agents were signed at catcher, second base and shortstop. The bullpen will be solid, but can the starting pitching give them enough leads to protect?
Did You Know?Wild Things pitching coach Mark Dewey had seven saves for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1993.
Windy City ThunderBoltsLocation: Crestwood, Ill.
Stadium: Standard Bank Stadium (2,598)
Manager: Mike Kashirsky (2nd full season, 98-53 career)
Last year: 56-38, 1st in in East, lost to Traverse City in first round of playoffs.
Key returners: OF Brandon Anderson (.275, 23 SBs); OF Ryan Basham (.302, 19 2Bs); P Dustin Williams (7-3, 2.39, league’s Rookie of Year).
Impact newcomers:P Paul Fagan (Frontier League Pitcher of the Year in 2009 with Lake Erie); Todd Privett (9-5, 4.06 with Joliet); OF Josh Womack (2nd round draft pick of Seattle in 2002, nine seasons as a pro, 2,497 career at-bats).
Outlook:The ThunderBolts won the East last year because of a smallball offense – they led the league in batting average but was last in home runs – and solid pitching. If Windy City can find a closer and a reliable RBI guy, the ThunderBolts will be back in the playoff hunt.
Did You Know? The ThunderBolts made the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, the longest current streak in the league.
posted by Chris Dugan at
4:52 PM
14 Comments:
You forgot to mention what their respective playing surface is!
It would also be interesting to know how the stadiums were financed. Private or public funding. I believe the Washington stadium was more than 50% public funding.
Maybe post the link to their respective blogs too?
What a pitiful start. Looks like a rerun of last year.
"pitiful start"--the wild things got five baserunners on in the first two innings against a guy who pitched in "the show". couldn't get the big hit, take the early lead. it happens. it's an event. doesn't make it a precedent.
Same old Everson too.
It was way after 11:00 AM before there was anything posted on the WT website. Maybe they think we would not notice. All this group does is talk, talk, and more talk. They must be smoking the grass from last years field.
I thought I saw real grass I did, I did, I saw real grass. How about that taxpayers?
I believe you have Chad Maddox and Craig Maddox confused.
if someone's confused, anon 12:36, it must be you: "Billy Petrick. The 26-year old from Morris, Illinois was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 2002 Amateur Draft. Petrick made a big splash in 2007. He started the year in Daytona and after six strong games was promoted to Double-A Tennessee. With the Smokies he was 1-1 with a 2.37 ERA in 18 games before moving up to the Iowa Cubs. After only nine games with Iowa, Petrick got the call every player dreams of hearing: he was going to “The Show.” Petrick stepped on the mound for the first time at baseball’s highest level on June 27, 2007 at Wrigley Field against the Colorado Rockies. He held opponents scoreless in five out of eight appearances.
Re:Billy Petrick. Don't tell us where he has been, look where he is now - there must be a good reason for that. Otherwise, he still be in the "show".
anon 9:58 am--it's better to be a "has been" like billy petrick that a "never was" like most of the posters on this blog.
That includes you
What does Billy Petrick have to do with Chad Maddox and Craig Maddox?
I simply pointed out that a newcomer for Lake Erie is listed as "Chad Maddox", when in reality he plays for River City. Craig Maddox is how it should read. Your response made very little sense.
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