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Affiliate: Detroit Tigers
Years in IL: 40
2002 Finish: 81-63, first in West (+2.0), lost in first round of playoffs
Manager: Larry Parrish (2nd year) Career - 4 yrs. 178-163
Coaches: Jeff Jones (9th year); Leon Durham (3rd year)
Stadium: Fifth Third Field (10,000)
Probable Starters: 1B - Kevin Witt; Warren Morris; 3B - Tom Evans; SS - Danny Klassen; C - Bill Haselman/Matt Walbeck; DH - Kevin Barker/Derek Nicholson; LF - Ernie Young; CF - Craig Monroe; RF - Cody Ross
Key Pitchers: Starters - LH Nate Robertson, RH Seth Greisinger, RH Chris Mears, RH Shane Loux. LH Andy Van Hekken. Relievers - LH Eric Eckenstahler, LH Adrian Burnside, LH Tim Kalita, RH Brian Schmack, RH Fernando De La Cruz, RH Mark Johnson, RH Pat Ahearne, RH Fernando Rodney.Top Prospects: OF Cody Ross was ranked as Detroit's 12th-best prospect by Baseball America. He hit 19 homers in Double-A Erie last season and has a strong, accurate throwing arm...LHPs Adrian Burnside and Eric Eckenstahler both are future major-league bullpen candidates. Both throw hard with good breaking pitches, but both need to work on command of their pitches.
Other Organizational Prospects: RHPs Jeremy Bonderman and Preston Larrison are rated the Tigers' two top prospects by Baseball America. Both look to have won spots in Detroit's rotation, but if either struggles they might be sent to Toledo for refinement...The rotation in Double-A Erie will include pitchers Kenny Baugh and Rob Henkel; both should pitch in Toledo by season's end...Other prospects who will begin the season in Double-A with a chance to move up to the Hens include 3B Jack Hannahan and C Maxim St. Pierre.Veterans to Watch: 1B Kevin Witt led the International League in RBIs last season with 107 for the Hens' rivals, Louisville...OF Craig Monroe finished second in the league in batting average with a .321 mark despite playing just 99 games...1B/OF Kevin Barker's best years include back-to-back 23 home run seasons for Louisville in 1998 and '99...OF Ernie Young hit 14 homers in just 48 games for Tucson of the Pacific Coast League last season...RHP Shane Loux led the International League in complete games (five) and shutouts (three) last season.
Items of Interest: Last season the Hens won their first division title since 1968 and claimed their first playoff berth since 1984. This season the Hens look to finish above the .500 mark in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1984-85...Toledo enters this season with a streak of 10 consecutive sellouts (including a pair of playoff games) and has sold out 13 of its last 14 home games...By Opening Day the Hens expect to have sold roughly 350,000 tickets for the coming season, a season total that would trail only last year's record-setting attendance mark of 547,204...New manager Larry Parrish managed the Hens in 1994, leading the team to a 56-62 record. He also managed the parent Tigers at the end of 1998 and for all of 1999, posting an 82-104 record in Detroit
Strengths of the Club: Good power hitting on the club with experienced home-run hitters such as Kevin Witt, Kevin Barker and Ernie Young...Experienced players at every position around the diamond...The team also is versatile, with a number of players who can play multiple positions...There are a lot of experienced arms in both the rotation and bullpen.
Weaknesses of the Club: Very little team speed...The uncertainty surrounding the roster of the parent Tigers may affect the Mud Hens by season's end. In other words, expect a lot of movement, with players shuffling up to Detroit and back down to Toledo all season long. If a player performs well for the Mud Hens, expect him to be recalled to Detroit...If Andres Torres makes the Detroit roster, the Hens won't have an experienced centerfielder.
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