|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Affiliate: Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Years in IL: 6
2002 Finish: 80-64, first in South (+4.0), defeated Buffalo for Governors' Cup
Manager: Bill Evers (6th year) Career - 16 yrs. 1,166-993
Coaches: Joe Coleman (4th year); Richie Hebner (2nd year)
Stadium: Durham Bulls Athletic Park (10,000)
Probable Starters: 1B - Ryan Jackson; 2B - Antonio Perez/Jay Canizaro; 3B - Jared Sandberg/Chris Truby; SS - Jason Smith; C - Charlie Greene/Sandy Martinez/Hector Ortiz/Angel Pena DH - Ryan Thompson/Justin Baughman; LF - Thompson/Baughman; CF - Matt Diaz; RF - Chad Mottola
Key pitchers: Starters - RH Dewon Brazelton, RH Luis De Los Santos, RH Gerardo Garcia, RH Delvin James, RH Jason Standridge. Relievers - RH Brandon Backe, LH Cedrick Bowers, RH Lee Gardner, RH Todd Williams, LH Matt Perisho, RH Erik Sabel, RH Jorge Sosa.
Top Prospects: RHP Dewon Brazelton, the third overall pick in the 2001 June Draft, struggled in his professional debut last season, as he managed just one win in his first 20 starts. The 22-year-old rebounded to go 5-0 in his final seven starts (six with Orlando, one with Durham) before joining the parent Devil Rays to close the season. He is ranked #4 in the organization by Baseball America...2B Antonio Perez (#8) has been traded for All-Star outfielders Ken Griffey, Jr. and Randy Winn in the past two seasons, joining Tampa Bay this off-season in the compensation deal for manager Lou Pinella. Last year Perez batted .258 with 2 HR, 24 RBI, and 15 steals at San Antonio.
Other Organizational Prospects: OF Josh Hamilton (#2) has had an injury-plagued career since being selected by Tampa Bay with the first pick of the 1999 June Draft (out of nearby Raleigh, NC). He hit .303 in 56 games with Class A Bakersfield in 2002 before shoulder and elbow injuries ended his season in July. Hamilton will likely start at Double-A Orlando, but could return to North Carolina during the summer to join Durham...RHP Seth McClung (#5) & RHP Doug Waechter (#10) were both, like Hamilton, selected in the 1999 June Draft by Tampa Bay. Each advanced to Double-A last season as they went a combined 20-20 with 267 strikeouts for Class A Charleston, SC, Bakersfield and Orlando. Both will likely return to Orlando in 2003.
Veterans to Watch: 3B Jared Sandberg and RHP Jason Standridge are both supposed to make it in Tampa, but can they show enough consistency to get promoted and stick with the Devil Rays? Sandberg has spent parts of each of the past three seasons in Durham, but was Tampa Bay's starter at 3B for much of last season, struggling with a .229 batting average in 102 games. Standridge is 15-19 in 49 starts for Durham over the past two seasons, but has yet to show the consistency that made him the South Atlantic League's Most Valuable Pitcher in 1999...Veteran power hitters Ryan Jackson, Chad Mottola, and Ryan Thompson could get another shot at the Majors if they get off to a fast start at the plate. All three have extensive IL experience - Mottola was the 2000 MVP, Thompson has played for 6 IL clubs, and Jackson was an IL All-Star with Durham in 2000 and spent almost all of the 2002 season with Toledo.
Items of Interest: The Bulls' Governors' Cup Title in 2002 was Durham's first League Championship since 1967. The Bulls have never had a losing IL season.
Strengths of the Club: Pitching should be very strong with proven IL experience...Power should be above average with proven Triple-A star outfielders Jackson, Mottola, and Thompson, and 3B Sandberg...Defense should be good...Manager Bill Evers has won four South Division Titles and a Governors' Cup Championship in five IL seasons.
Weaknesses of the Club: Speed. The club's best base-stealing threats should be Diaz, Perez, and Baughman (combined 77 SBs in 2002) although Evers loves to run.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||
 |
|
||||
 |
|
||||
 |
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||
 |
|
||||
