Vikings Draft

The Vikings just finished their 2008 Draft and came away with 5 good players and 6 if you want Jared Allen who they acquired in a trade before the Draft for our 1st round pick and both our 3's.



2nd Round

• Tyrell Johnson S Arkansas St- The Vikings gave up their 4th round pick to Philadelphia to move up 4 spots in the 2nd round to select Johnson. In alot of mock drafts i saw him getting a 1st round grade and Darren Sharper is not getting any younger. I see him taking over in a year or 2 and bringing everything a Safety in the Cover 2 needs to bring. He can get deep to stop the deep pass and can move up in the box and help out against the run. The thing that brought him up was at the combine he ran a 4.4 40yard dash. He was the sunbelt defensive player of the year and i think he is learning from a pro and will be an outstanding safety in a few years.

5th Round

• pick 137 John David Booty- The Vikings had to trade up with Green Bay to get the quarterback they wanted and had to surrender their 7th round pick to get him. I am very high on Booty because he is perfect for the Vikings because he is a very accurate passer and ran a similiar offense at USC. What i really like about him is he is used to big game situations and is a coaches son so they knows hard work. If you can handle the pressure of being the QB at USC i think you can handle everything. Maybe not next year but in 09 if Jackson doesn't work out i think Booty could be the starting QB for the Vikings and will be a good one.
• pick 152 Letroy Guion DT Florida St- This is a project for the Vikings he did not start alot of games in college, but he has the size the Vikings are looking for. Pat Williams is 34 years old and eventually you need to find a replacement for him and Letroy is a hit or miss prospect because alot of people are high on him and hopefully he can play with a chip on his shoulder and prove the Vikings right in using the pick on him.

6th Round

• pick 187 John Sullivan C Notre Dame- I really like this pick it is a developmental center who possibly could take over for Matt Birk. I would sign Birk to a short term contract to give John time to develop his body a little. He will be facing guys bigger than he ever faced before so he needs to gain some weight and go against the bigger nose guards a little bit better.
• pick 193 Jaymar Johnson WR Jackson St- I think this was a little bit of a reach since we already have some guys with return ability. I think he is too small to help out at the wide receiver position so really his only way he can help the team is to return kicks and punts but i think they had other spots they could of went with.

• Draft Grade A-
• I think they had a solid draft the only one i question is Jaymar Johnson but the rest filled depth questions and if you add Jared Allen it was a good weekend for the Vikings.

Sunday, April 27th

Rochester Wrap

Rochester 10 Leigh Valley 0

Rochester 11-12 5 games back

• POG: Glen Perkins- Glen had his first great start of the season last night throwing a complete game for the Redwings and only giving up 2 hits and walking 1 while striking out 7 on the night. Its the game we have been waiting for all year from Perkins becuase he is very talented and last night he finally showed what we have been expecting all year. Hopefully he can keep it up and if he can it really helps the Red Wings.


• Howie Clark hit his 1st homerun of the year and drove in 4 runs to pace the Red Wings 20 hit attack. Everyone had atleast 2 hits for the Red Wings. Hopefully, that is a start of things to come as the hitters got going.


• Denard Span made his return with a 2-5 game with a walk and a run scored and also a stolen base.


• Rochester finishes their series with the Iron Pigs today at Leigh Valley. Gametime is at 12:35 with Heath Totten getting the start for the Red Wings

New Britain Business

New Britain 7 Trenton 4 12innings

New Britain 10-11 5 games back

• POG:Steve Tolleson- Steve had a huge game for the Rock Cats going 3-6 with his 2nd Homerun of the year and 3rbi's with 2 runs scored. With the good game it raised Steves average to .230 on the year. Steve has gotten off to a slow start so hopefully this game will be a catalyst for Steve to put up the numbers he's capable of.


• Brandon Roberts got the game winning hit for the Rock Cats a rbi single to break the tie in the top of the 12th for the Rock Cats


• Anthony Swarzak rebounded after a rough 1st inning to go 6 innings and only gave up the 3 runs he gave up in the first. You knew he wasnt going to keep pitching like he was early on but he gave his team a chance to win and thats all you can ask for from a pitcher.


• Today the Rock Cats finish their series with the Thunder in Trenton. Gametime is at 12:05 with Jay Rainville getting the start as he tries to rebound after a terrible start his last time out.

Fort Myers Musings

Lakeland 3 Fort Myers 2

Fort Myers 13-10 First Place

• POG:Kevin Slowey- Kevin made his 2nd and final rehab start with the Miracle and went the first 5 and didnt give up a hit or run while walking 1 and striking out 5 for the miracle. It was only a pitstop for Kevin as he is on his way up to Twins with another pitstop in Rochester for a couple more starts, but he will be with the Twins before long.


• The Miracle were only able to muster 2 hits against a really good pitcher for Lakeland so there wasn't alot of good things to say about the Miracle hitters.


• Matthew Fox had a rough outing going 2 innings and giving up 3 runs in relief of Slowey. It was a surprise because Fox had been really solid for the Miracle before this game so hopefully he can shake it off.


• Today the Miracle continue their series with Lakeland in Lakeland. Phenom Deolis Guerra gets the start for the Miracle as they try to break a 3 game losing streak.

Beloit Beat

Beloit 6-5 Wisconsin 3-0

Beloit 7-15 9.5 games back

• POG:Steven Singelton- Steve went 3-7 in the 2 games for the Snappers. With the 3 hits it raises his average to a team high .368 on the season. Steve is the most professional hitter the Snappers have on their team.
• The Snappers got some bad news with Deibinson Romero is going to miss 4-6 weeks with a torn Meniscious.
• More bad news with Pitcher Michael Mccardell who has been the most consistent pitchers the Snappers have had. He has bone chips in his elbow hopefully rest will help that get better. But like Seth says Johan Santana had bone chips before his first cy young. So hopefully he can come back healthy along with Romero.
• Today the Snappers finish their series with Wisconsin this afternoon in Wisconsin. Gametime is at 1:05 with Daniel Berlind getting the start for the Snappers.

Saturday, April 26th

Rochester Wrap
Leigh Valley 6 Rochester 2

Rochester 10-12 5.5 games back

• POG:Randy Ruiz- For the 2nd consecutive day Randy had a impact for the Red Wings. He was 1-4 with 2 more RBI's for Randy to bring his rbi total to up to 12 on the season. Hopefuly, he can keep it going because the Red Wings offense needs his bat in there for the Red Wings to continually get runs.
• Philip Humber struggled again on the mound only able to make it 4.2 innings and giving up 4 runs on 8 hits. I don't know what to say about this guy becuase he has too much talent to have a era in the 5's in AAA. He needs to look himself in the mirror and figure things out if he wants to make it with the Twins.
• The Twins sent down Francisco Liriano and Denard Span so that should help the Red Wings. The only bad thing is they lost closer Bobby Korecky so they will need to find a new person to close for the red wings.
• Tonight the Red Wings continue their series in Leigh Valley as the series moves to Leigh Valley. Gametime is at 6:05 with Glen Perkins getting the start.

New Britain Business

Trenton 8 New Britain 3

New Britain 9-11 5.5 games back

• POG: Luke Hughes- for the record 4th straight day Luke got the pog by going 1-4 with his 7th homerun and 3rd in 3 days and 2rbi's. With the game his average actually lowered to a team high .367. Luke continues to be the class of the Rock Cats and i find it hard to see him staying with New Britain for very much longer especially with Rochester continuing to struggle swinging the bat so it will be interesting.
• For the first time this year Ryan Mullins struggled getting his 2nd loss of the year only going 4 innings and giving up 5 runs and 7 hits to raise his era to 2.33. The tall lefty will be fine all good pitchers have days that are unforgettable and this is one for Ryan and he will be fine.
• I don't know why the Twins organization continue to put up with Danny Graves who was awful again going an inning and giving up 2runs on 3 hits. I just don't see why they keep him in the organization it is just a waste.
• Today the Rock Cats continue their series with Trenton in Trenton. Gametime is at noon today with phenom Anthony Swarzak getting the start for the Rock Cats.

Fort Myers Musings

Tampa 3 Fort Myers 2

Fort Myers 13-9 First Place

• POG: Jeff Manship- Jeff had his best start of the season last night going 7 innings and only giving up 3 hits and 1 run for the Miracle. Jeff is the leader of that great pitching staff and seems like when he is on he is tough to beat.
• The Miracle's defense left them in the late innings with late errors by Toby Gardenhire and Zach Day. Usually, the Miracle have good defense and i think it was an anomaly so we shouldnt worry about them except it cost them a win.
• Toby Gardenhire had a good night at the plate but im sure he wishes he could take back that error. But at the plate he went 3-4 to raise his average to .314. With games like that Toby will find more and more playing time.
• Tonight, the Miracle begin a series in Lakeland wiht the Flying Tigers. Gametime is at 5pm with Kevin Slowey making a rehab start for the Miracle. He is expected to throw about 70 pitches tonight before he moves onto Rochester.

Beloit Beat

• Last nights game with Wisconsin was rained out and will be made up with a double header today. The first game's starter pitcher is David Bromberg with gametime at 1pm. The second game's starter will be Michael Tarsi after the first game.

Mock Draft 11.0 final mock draft

1. Miami- Jake Long OT Michigan

2. St. Louis- Chris Long De Virginia

3. Atlanta- Glen Dorsey DT LSU

4. Oakland Darren Mcfadden RB Oakland

5. Kansas City- Derrick Harvey DE Florida

6. New York Jets- Vernon Gholston DE Ohio St

7. New England- Sedrick Ellis DT USC

8. Baltimore- Matt Ryan QB Boston College

9. Cincinnatti- Keith Rivers LB USC

10. New Orleans- Mike Jenkins CB South Florida

11. Buffalo- Devin Thomas WR Michigan St

12. Denver- Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois

13. Carolina- Ryan Clady OT Boise St

14. Chicago- Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh

15. Detroit- Leodis Mcklevin CB Troy

16. Arizona- Jonathon Stewart RB Oregon

17. Kansas City- Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt

18. Houston- Dominique Rodgers Cromartie CB Tennessee St

19. Philadelphia- Jerod Mayo LB Tennessee

20. Tampa Bay- Aqib Talib CB Kansas

21. Washington- Phillip Merling DE Clemson

22. Dallas- Felix Jones RB Arkansas

23. Pittsburgh- Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina

24. Tennessee Titans- Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma

25. Seattle- James Hardy WR Indiana

26. Jacksonville- Calais Campbell DE Miami

27. San Diego- Gosder Cherlious OT Boston College

28. Dallas- Limas Sweed WR Texas

29. San Francisco- Desean Jackson WR California

30. Green Bay- Dan Conner LB Penn St

31. New England- Forfeited

32. New York Giants- Kenny Phillips S Miami

Mock Draft 10.0

1. Miami- Jake Long OT Michigan
2. St Louis- Chris Long DE Virginia
3. Atlanta- Glen Dorsey DT LSU
4. Oakland- Darren Mcfadden RB Arkansas
5. Kansas City- Derrick Harvey DE Florida
6. New York Jets- Vernon Gholston DE Ohio St.
7. New England- Keith Rivers LB USC
8. Baltimore- Matt Ryan QB Boston College
9. Cincinnatti- Sedrick Ellis DT USC
10. New Orleans- Mike Jenkins CB South Florida
11. Buffalo- Devin Thomas WR Michigan St
12. Denver- Brandon Albert OT Virginia
13. Carolina- Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
14. Chicago- Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh
15. Detroit- Leodis Mcklevin CB Troy
16. Arizona- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee St
17. Kansas City- Ryan Clady OT Boise St
18. Houston- Jonathon Stewart RB Oregon
19. Philadelphia- Limas Sweed WR Texas
20. Tampa Bay- Aqib Talib CB Kansas
21. Washington- Phillip Merling DE Clemson
22. Dallas- Felix Jones RB Arkansas
23. Pittsburgh- Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina
24. Tennessee- James Hardy WR Indiana
25. Seattle- Desean Jackson WR California
26. Jacksonville- Calais Campbell DE Miami
27. San Diego- Gosder Cherlious OT Boston College
28. Dallas- Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma
29. San Francisco- Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech
30. Green Bay- Jerod Mayo LB Tennessee
31. New England- Forfeited
32. New York Giants- Kenny Phillips S Miami

Friday, April 25th

Rochester Wrap
Rochester 8 Leigh Valley 2
Rochester 10-11 4.5 games back

• POG:Brian Duensing- Brian continued his revival with another solid start for the Red Wings. He went 7 innings and only gave up 1 run on 3 hits to lower his ERA to 2.40 on the year. His last 2 starts have been awesome in 12.2 innings Brian has only given up 2 earned runs and 7 hits. I don't understand why he doesn't get more press because i feel he is the ace of the Red Wings staff and is ready for a callup to the Twins. The only problem is the surplus of pitching but i really believe by the end of the year he will be in the major leagues either with the Twins or possibly some where else.
• Jose Morales continued his resurgence by going 3-4 with 2 Rbi's for the Red Wings. In his last 4 games Jose is 6-15 a .400 average with a homerun, 4rbi's and a run scored. Jose is getting back to being the offensive force the Red Wings knew that they had in him and someone you have to keep an eye on.
• Randy Ruiz had one of his first good games of the year going 2-3 with his first hr and 4 rbi's for the Red Wings. Randy like Jose Morales has to get it going for the Red Wings if they are going to contend in the International League and he can do it he has hit everywhere he has been so hopefully he can keep it up.
• Tonight, the Red Wings finish their series with Leigh Valley as they go for the sweep. Gametime is 6:05 with Philip Humber on the mound trying to get on track for the Red Wings.

New Britain Business

Trenton 2 New Britain 1

New Britain 9-10 4.5 games back

• POG: Yohan Pino- Yohan was the toughluck loser going 7 innings and only giving up 2 runs on 4 hits, but the Rock Cats hitters couldn't help him out so he took his first loss of the season. It is 3 consecutive quality starts for Yohan and he is turning out to be one of the best pitchers on the staff and a quality prospect the Twins need to look at.
• After being in such a groove offensively the Rock Cats ran into a buzzsaw in Trenton and were only able to scrape 1 run across on 7 hits. You know what they say good pitching always beats good hitting and every once in a while your going to have a night like that. Hopefully, the Rock Cat hitters can get back on track tonight.
• Only bright spots offensively were Dustin Martin who went 2-4 to raise his average to .358 and David Winfree who hit his 3rd homerun of the year to give the Rock Cats their only run of the ballgame.
• Tonight, the Rock Cats try to get back into the winning column as they play game 2 against Trenton. Gametime is at 6:05pm with Ryan Mullins getting the start for New Britain.

Fort Myers Musings

Tampa 4 Fort Myers 2

Fort Myers 13-8 First Place

• POG: Cole Devries- Cole had his first quality outing in my opinion of the year going 5 solid innings and only giving up 2 earned runs and striking out 5. Cole is a hit and miss pitcher who has struggled so far this season. Hopefully, this start will get him going so that he can reach the potential we all want for him because he has a good arm he just hasn't shown it this year so far.
• It was a rough day at the plate for the Miracle only able to muster 6 hits on the game. But they have been hitting really well and theres no reason to think this will last longer than a day.
• On a positive note Rene Tosoni went 1-4 to raise his average to a team high .339 a point ahead of Brian Dinkelman. Should be fun to watch because those guys are going to be battling all year for the team batting lead.
• Tonight, the Miracle finish their series off with Tampa in Tampa. Gametime is at 6pm in Tampa with Jeff Manship getting the start for Fort Myers.

Beloit Beat

Day off

Beloit 6-14 9.5 games back

• Beloit had the day off and begin a series with Wisconsin tonight. Gametime is at 6:35pm with David Bromberg getting the start for the Snappers

Mock Draft 9.0

1. Miami- Jake Long OT Michigan

2. St Louis- Glen Dorsey DT LSU

3. Atlanta- Matt Ryan QB Boston College

4. Oakland- Vernon Gholston DE Ohio St

5. Kansas City- Chris Long DE Virginia

6. New York Jets- Darren Mcfadden

7. New England- Brandon Albert OT Virginia

8. Baltimore- Sedrick Ellis DT USC

9. Cincinnatti- Ryan Clady OT Boise St

10. New Orleans- Keith Rivers LB USC

11. Buffalo- Devin Thomas WR Michigan St

12. Denver- Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois

13. Carolina- Derrick Harvey DE Florida

14. Chicago- Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh

15. Detroit- Leodis Mcklevin CB Troy

16. Arizona- Mike Jenkins CB South Florida

17. Kansas City- Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt

18. Houston- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee ST

19. Philadelphia- Kentawn Balmer DT North Carolina

20. Tampa bay- Aqib Talib CB Kansas

21. Washington- Phillip Merling DE Clemson

22. Dallas- Felix Jones RB Arkansas

23. Pittsburgh- Gosder Cherlious OT Boston College

24. Tennessee- James Hardy WR Indiana

25. Seattle- Desean Jackson WR California

26. Jacksonville- Jerod Mayo LB Tennessee

27. San Diego- Jonathon Stewart RB Oregon

28. Dallas- Limas Sweed WR Texas

29. San Francisco- Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma

30. Green Bay- Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech

31. New England- forfeited

32. New York Giants- Dan Conner LB Penn St

Thursday, April 24th

Rochester Wrap

Rochester 5 Leigh Valley 3
Rochester 9-11 4.5 games back

• POG: Jon Knott- Jon came out of his slump a little bit going 2-3 with his first Hr of the years as the Red Wings came back in the bottom of the 8th inning to get the win. Jon has really struggled this year hitting only .214 so he needs to get going with the bat because he is a much better hitter than that.
• Kevin Mulvey had a solid start again giving up 1 earned run in 5.2 innings for the Redwings. He was a little more wild walking 4 while striking out 5 batters, but overall he has been the most consistant starter for the Red Wings and probably the first one to get the call if something happens.
• The Red Wings continue their horrible defense with 3 more errors on the night. That is one reason that not many people will get promoted cause if you dont play defense you wont be in the majors.
• Rochester continues their series with Leigh Valley tonight at 5:35 gametime. Brian Duensing gets the start for the Red Wings.

New Britain Business

New Britain 15 Reading 6

New Britain 9-9 4.5 games back

• POG: For the 4th straight day i have to give it to Luke Hughes. Luke went 4-5 with his 5th and 6th homeruns and 5 rbi's and 2 runs scored to raise his average to .380 on the season. I have said it before but i think Rochester could use his bat in their lineup. With a player like him you need him to either sink or swim to see how big of a future he has for the Twins.
• The Rock Cats continued their offensive explosion by scoring 15 runs and 21 hits. In the last 2 games they have scored 22 runs and 35 hits.
• Oswaldo Sosa got hit pretty good giving up 4 runs and 8hits in only 3 innings but the bullpen did a decent job and with the sticks they had it was a easy win.
• Tonight the Rockcats travel to Trenton to take on the Thunder for a 3 game series. Yohan Pino gets the start for the Rock Cats in the opener

Fort Myers Musings

Fort Myers 8 Tampa 1

Fort Myers 13-7 First Place

• POG: Wilson Ramos- Looks like Wilson is breaking out of a early season slump by going 3-5 with a double and 2 rbi's. Wilson Ramos is a key to this offense and getting him going is the key for the Miracle scoring runs.
• Alex Burnett had a good outing going 5.2 innings and only giving up 2 hits and 1 run while walking 4 and striking out 3
• A big encouraging note was the return of Danny Hernandez. Hernandez has been battling injuries who made his Miracle season debut by going the 9th inning without giving up a hit for the miracle.
• This morning the Miracle continue their series with Tampa with an early 10 am game today. Cole Devries got the start for the Miracle.

Beloit Beat

West Michigan 5 Beloit 4

Beloit 6-14 9.5 games out

• POG: Brian Kirwan- Brian continued his strong start on the hill for the Snappers going 7 innings and only gave up 3 earned runs while striking out 2. His ERA now stands at 2.42 on the season. Brian is one of the most consistant pitchers on the Snappers staff.
• Garrett Olson was the shining star offensively going 3-6 with a run scored for the Snappers.
• Blair Erickson blew it in the 13th he did not get an out and gave up the winning run to raise his era to 7.36 and his record to 0-3.
• The Snappers get a well needed day off before they face the Wisconsin Rattlers in a series this weekend.

Mock Draft 8.0

1. Miami Dolphins- Jake Long OT Michigan
2. St Louis Rams- Glen Dorsey DT LSU
3. Atlanta Falcons- Matt Ryan QB Boston College
4. Oakland Raiders- Darren Mcfadden RB Arkansas
5. Kansas City Chiefs- Chris Long DE Virginia
6. New York Jets- Vernon Gholston DE Ohio St
7. New England Patriots- Branden Albert OT Virginia
8. Baltimore Ravens- Keith Rivers LB USC
9. Cincinnatti Bengals- Sedrick Ellis DT USC
10. New Orleans Saints- Mike Jenkins CB South Florida
11. Buffalo Bills- Devin Thomas WR Michigan St
12. Denver Broncos- Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinios
13. Carolina Panthers- Ryan Clady OT Boise St
14. Chicago Bears- Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh
15. Detroit Lions- Derrick Harvey DE Florida
16. Arizona Cardinals- Leodis Mcklevin CB Troy
17. Kansas City Chiefs- Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt
18. Houston Texans- Dominique Rodgers- Cromartie CB Tennessee ST
19. Philadelphia Eagles- Limas Sweed WR Texas
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma
21. Washington Redskins- Desean Jackson WR California
22. Dallas Cowboys- Aqib Talib CB Kansas
23. Pittsburgh Steelers- Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina
24. Tennessee Titans- James Hardy WR Indiana
25. Seattle Seahawks- Dustin Keller TE Purdue
26. Jacksonville Jaguars- Phillip Merling DE Clemson
27. San Diego Chargers- Jonathon Stewart RB Oregon
28. Dallas Cowboys- Felix Jones RB Arkansas
29. San Francisco 49ers- Jerod Mayo LB Tennessee
30. Green Bay Packers- Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech
31. New England Patriots- Forfeited
32. New York Giants- Kenny Phillips S Miami

Wednesday, April 23rd

Rochester Wrapup

• Rochester had the day off but begin a series with Leigh Valley tonight at 5:35 in Rochester with Kevin Mulvey gets the start as the Red Wings try to improve their 8-11 record.

New Britain Business

Reading 11 New Britain 9

New Britain 8-9 5.5 games back

• POG: Luke Hughes- For the record 3rd straight day Luke gets player of the game honors with a 2-5 game with his 4th homerun and scored 3 runs for the Rockcats. With the 2 hits it raises his team high average to .348. Makes a person wonder how long is he going to be in New Britain with Rochester really struggling offensively. Luke would be an upgrade at 3rd base for the Red Wings, but i think they are going to give it a little more time to see if he comes down to earth or if he is that good.
• Jay Rainville got lit up last night going 3.2 innings and giving up 13 hits and 10 runs while walking noone and striking out 1. He has really struggled this year and he needs to get it going because he has been the worst pitcher for New Britain and there are guys in Fort Myers waiting for the call.
• Seems like the Rock Cats have come out of their offensive slump getting 14 hits on the night so if they can get their pitching in order they will win some games.
• Today the Rockcats finish their series with Reading with an early 9:35am game today in New Britain. Oswaldo Sosa goes for the Rock Cats as they try to rebound.

Fort Myers Musings

Fort Myers 10 Lakeland 9

• POG: Juan Portes- Juan led the Miracle back from a 9-3 deficit with a 2 run homerun in the bottom of the 9th to win the game for the Miracle. He went 2-4 with 3 rbi's and 2 runs scored. He is the hottest player on the miracle team going in his last 5 games he is 10-21 which is a .476 average to raise his average to .302. He is on fire so lets see if he can keep it coming.
• Tyler Robertson was not helped out much by his defense as they committed 3 errors which led to 5 unearned runs. I thought he pitched decent and a little defense behind him he would of had solid stats so i am not too worried about him.
• Johnny Woodard continued his strong start going 3-4 with 2 runs scored to raise his average to .317
• Tonight the Miracle begin a 3 game series with the Yankees in Tampa. First pitch is at 6:05 with Alex Burnett getting the start for the Miracle.

Beloit Beat

West Michigan 5 Beloit 3

Beloit 6-13 9.5 games back

• POG: Mark Dolenc had a solid game going 2-3 with a run scored for the Snappers to raise his average to .283. The good thing about Mark is he is very flexible he can play so many different positions and does a good job wherever you put him.
• Daniel Berlind had a solid outing going 4 innings and giving up only 2 earned runs his defense betrayed him by giving up 2 unearned runs to make his out look worse than it actually was.
• Lets be honest Beloit is not a very good team and it doesn't help when Chris Parmalee is in a 0-13 streak to lower his batting average from .351 to .255. If they are going to win some games he has to be the key to it or they will continue to struggle.
• Tonight the Snappers continue their series West Michigan. Game time is 6:35 with Brian Kirwan getting the start for the Snappers

Mock Draft 7.0

1. Miami Dolphins- Jake Long OT Michigan
2. St Louis Rams- Glen Dorsey DT LSU
3. Atlanta Falcons- Matt Ryan QB Boston College
4. Oakland Raiders- Darren Mcfadden RB Arkansas
5. Kansas City Chiefs- Branden Albert OT Virginia
6. New York Jets- Vernon Gholston DE Ohio St
7. New England Patriots- Chris Long DE Virginia
8. Baltimore Ravens- Sedrick Ellis DT USC
9. Cincinnatti Bengals- Derrick Harvey DE Florida
10. New Orleans Sainst- Keith Rivers LB USC
11. Buffalo Bills- Devin Thomas WR Michigan St
12. Denver Broncos- Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt
13. Carolina Panthers- Ryan Clady OT Boise St
14. Chicago Bears- Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh
15. Detroit Lions- Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals- Mike Jenkins CB S. Florida
17. Minnesota Vikings- Leodis Mcklevin CB Troy
18. Houston Texans- Jonathon Stewart RB Oregon
19. Philadelphia Eagles- Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Aqib Talib CB Kansas
21. Washington Redskins- Desean Jackson WR California
22. Dallas Cowboys- Felix Jones RB Arkansas
23. Pittsburgh Steelers- James Hardy WR Indiana
24. Tennessee Titans- Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma
25. Seattle Seahawks- Dustin Keller TE Purdue
26. Jacksonville Jaguars- Phillip Merling DE Clemson
27. San Diego Chargers- Gosder Cherlious OT Boston College
28. Dallas Cowboys- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee ST
29. San Francisco 49ers- Limas Sweed Wr Texas
30. Green Bay Packers- Jerod Mayo LB Tennessee
31. New England Patriots- Forfeited
32. New York Giants- Dan Conner LB Penn St

Tuesday, April 22nd

Rochester Wrap

Scranton 3 Rochester0

Rochester 8-11 5 games back

• POG: Glen Perkins- It was not an easy decision because Glen was not great, but compared to the hitters he was great. Glen went 5 innings and gave up 1 run on 6 hits with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. The only problem is he was only able to go 5 innings because he threw 99 pitches in his 5 innings. I have said this before but i think his future is in the bullpen because he is better in short bursts than for many innings. Last night's performence lowered his era to 4.26 on the season.
• The Red Wings had no answer for pitcher Darrell Rasner of Scranton only getting 2 hits for the night. Its tough to win a game with only 3 hits so they need to do better.
• The Red Wings bullpen struggled again giving up 2 runs in 4 innings in a game in which they needed to be perfect with the lack of hitting and they couldnt hold them down
• The Red Wings have the night off before they begin a series with Leigh Valley tommorrow in Rochester

New Britain Business

New Britain 5 Reading 2

New Britain 8-8 4.5 games back

• POG: Luke Hughes- For a record 3rd straight game Luke gets player of the game by going 2-4 with his 3rd HR of the year with an rbi, a run scored and also a walk. With the great game Luke improved his average to a team high .344 for the Rock Cats
• Anthony Swarzak struggled for the first time this season only lasting 4 innings. The problem was he had trouble throwing strikes, but he found a way to get out of some jams only giving up 2 runs in the 4 innings. He gave up 7 hits and walked 3 batters while striking out 5. He raised his ERA to 1.35 on the year, but im not worried at all about him because he has been awesome this year and he wasnt terrible last night its just he set such a standard that when he gives up a run he looks terrible. I look for Anthony to rebound in his next start and be the pitcher we have seen so far.
• Armando Gambino was awesome last night going 3.1 in relief of Swarzak and throwing scoreless ball and let the Rock Cats offense take over. He gave up 4 hits and struck out 4 without a walk to lower his era to 1.80.
• Tonight the Rockcats continue their series with Reading. First pitch is at 5:35pm with Jay Rainville getting the ball for the Rock Cats

Fort Myers Musings

Fort Myers 10 Lakeland 4

• POG: Johnny Woodard- Johnny continued his hot streak with a Hr and 5 rbi's to raise his average to .286. In his last 4 games he is 7-16 with 6 rbi's and 4 runs scored. Johnny when healthy brings a big bopper to the lineup that they need so hopefully he can keep it coming.
• With the win the Miracle moved back into a first place tie with Dunedin at 11-7
• Danny Valencia continued his resurgence going 3-4 with an rbi to bring his average to .279 on the season. Like i said with Woodard when Danny is hitting it makes everyone better. But not to be outdone was Rene Tosoni went 4-5 to bring his average up to a team leading .373. Last night our 1-5 went 13-21 which is a .619 average with a Hr and 9 rbi's all i can say is wow
• The pitching kept its end too Kevin Slowey got the start and went 3 innings and only gave up a solo homerun and struck out 5 in his 3 innings of work.
• Deolis Guerra came in relief and was ok not as good as he has been but still solid going 4 innnings and gave up 2 earned runs on 4 hits while walking 2 and striking out 3 to bring his era up to 1.42. He did fine but when you come into the game with a .60 era it doesnt take much to go up.
• Tonight the Miracle finish their 3 game series with Lakeland in Fort Myers. Game time is at 6:05 with phenom Tyler Robertson getting the start for the Miracle.

Beloit Beat

West Michigan 2 Beloit 1

Beloit 6-12 9.0 games back

• POG: Michael Tarsi- For the first time this year Micheal showed what he is made of on the hill going a complete game and giving up 2 runs on 6 hits while striking out 4 without a walk. This is the kind of performance the Snappers have been waiting all year out of Michael and if they are going to have a decent year they need more of the same out of Michael Tarsi
• Once again the Snappers struggled with the bat only able to get a run on 6 hits
• Chris Parmalee has struggled since his big game last week going 0-10 since he went off to lower his average by about 70 points.
• Deibinson Romero got the only run with a Hr but the bigger issue is he has really struggled this year so far at the plate in the field. There are alot of people that are very high on him but he has not delivered. He is only hitting .214 with a Hr and 7 rbi's with 7 errors already. He is way too talented to keep this up but its a little disconcerting because some people including myself looked at him as the 3rd basemen of the future but if he is struggling this much at Beloit whats it going to be like for him as he goes forward. I believe he will turn it around but he needs to get better in every sense of the game offensively and in the Twins organization he needs to play better defensively or he wont be around long so he is someone to keep an eye on.
• Tonight the Snappers continue their series with West Michigan. First pitch is at 5:35 with Daniel Berlind getting the start for the Snappers.

Mock Draft 6.0

1. Miami Dolphins- Jake Long OT Michigan
2. St Louis Rams- Glen Dorsey DT LSU
3. Atlanta Falcons- Matt Ryan QB Boston College
4. Oakland Raiders- Darren Mcfadden RB Arkansas
5. Kansas City- Chris Long DE Virginia
6. New York Jets- Vernon Gholston DE Ohio St
7. New England Patriots- Brandan Albert OT Virginia
8. Baltimore Ravens- Leodis Mcklevin CB Troy
9. Cincinnatti Bengals- Sedrick Ellis DT USC
10. New Orleans Saints- Keith Rivers LB USC
11. Buffalo Bills- Mike Jenkins CB South Florida
12. Denver Broncos- Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt
13. Carolina Panthers- Derrick Harvey DE Florida
14. Chicago Bears- Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh
15. Detroit Lions- Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals- Aqib Talib CB Kansas
17. Minnesota Vikings- Ryan Clady OT Boise St
18. Houston Texans- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee St
19. Philadelphia Eagles- Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Devin Thomas WR Michigan ST
21. Washington Redskins- Phillip Merling DE Clemson
22. Dallas Cowboys- Felix Jones RB Arkansas
23. Pittsburgh Steelers- Gosder Cherlious OT Boston College
24. Tennessee Titans- Limas Sweed WR Texas
25. Seattle Seahawks- Dustin Keller TE Purdue
26. Jacksonville Jaguars- Calais Campbell DE Miami
27. San Diego Chargers- Jonathon Stewart RB Oregon
28. Dallas Cowboys- Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech
29. San Francisco 49ers- Desean Jackson WR California
30. Green Bay Packers- Dan Conner LB Penn St
31. New England Patriots- Forfeited
32. New York Giants- Kenny Phillips S Miami

Monday, April 21st

Rochester Wrap
Rochester 7 Scranton 4

• POG: Jason Pridie- Jason continued his strong resurgence for the Red Wings with a game winning 3 run Hr in the top of the 9th to culminate a good comeback for the Wings. Jason has been very solid lately to bring his average to .274. Yesterday he went 1-4 with the hr 3 rbi's and 2 runs scored.
• Philip Humber continues to struggle on the mound for the Wings giving up 4 runs in 5 innings of work. I know people are wondering if Francisco Liriano should of been brought up, but who else could they of brought up Humber has not done enough at Rochester to warrant a recall with an era of 5.09. At the time Liriano was the only one who could of been recalled. Yesterday Humber gave up 4 runs in which 3 were earned in 5 innings with 4 walks and a strikeout. Thankfully the Wings offense and bullpen bailed him out he really needs to step it up if he wants to be with the Twins sometime this year.
• Jose Morales continues his hot streak going 1-4 with his first hr of the year and continuing his resurgence.
• Tonight, the Red Wings finish their 2 game series vs the Yankees in Scranton. First pitch is at 6:00pm with Glen Perkins getting the start.

New Britain Business

New Britain 5 Trenton F/12innings

• POG: Brock Peterson- I was struggling to who to give the player of the game honors to yesterday considering it was a well played game. But with the pressure on his shoulders Brock Peterson came up big. He had a 2 out rbi single in the bottom of the 12th to send the faithful home happy. He was 1-5 with that rbi to win a game the Rock Cats had to have after coughing up a 9th inning lead the prime time players need to step up and thats what Brock did.
• Another good start for Ryan Mullins he went 6 innings and gave up 3 runs, but only 1 of them were earned to lower his era to 1.57. I really believe that Ryan is ready to take the next step and try his hand up at AAA in Rochester. He has been dominant at New Britain and i think he has deserved a chance to see if he is ready to take the next step. Keeping him with the Rock Cats is not a bad deal it will help the team win games, but i think his talent would be better served in Rochester.
• I have been really disappointed in Jay Sawatski this year he has given up leads left and right and he did it again yesterday. Putting the first 2 guys on in the 9th which led to Trenton tying the game. He needs to get this fixed because right now he is just not very good.
• Tonight, the Rock Cats start a 3 game series with Reading in New Britain. Game time is at 5:35pm with Phenom Anthony Swarzak getting the start.

Fort Myers Musings

Fort Myers 6 Lakeland 2

• POG: Danny Valencia- Danny came out of his slump with a 2-4 night with his 3rd homerun of the year and 3 rbi's to raise his average to .246. Danny is too talented of a player to be hitting in the .230's. I have a lot of hope for Danny as he is going forward and i think this is just the beginning of his revival and by the end of the year Danny will be putting up the kind of numbers he had last season in Beloit and Fort Myers
• Jeff Manship had a very solid outing probably his best of the year to be honest. He went 5.2 innnings and gave up only 2 runs on 6 hits. He is a key to success of the Miracle pitching staff becuase he brings leadership and a guy that knows how to pitch so hopefully he can keep it going.
• Brian Dinkelman continued his hot streak going 2-2 with 3 walks and 2 runs scored. With the good day it raised his average to an unbelivable .351. All i can say is wow and hopefully he can keep it going.
• Tonight, the Miracle continue their series with the flying Tigers in Fort Myers. Gametime is 6:05 with Twins pitcher Kevin Slowey making a rehab start for the miracle.

Beloit Beat

Wisconsin 4 Beloit 3

• POG: Ramon Santana- There is not alot to get excited about with the Snappers as they dropped another one to fall 8 games back already. But Ramon Santana continues to fill the box score every game. Yesterday he went 2-3 with a stolen base, a double, a run scored, and his first hr and rbi of the season.
• Another quality start by Michael Mccardel who has been the most consistant starter for the Snappers. Yesterday he went 5 innings and only gave up 1 run.
• For a 6-11 team with every positive there will be 2 negatives but the biggest negative is the bullpen or should i say lack of bullpen. Yesterday Mccardell left with a 3-1 lead and hoping to get a win. But in the last 4 innings the bullpen gave up 3 runs and 3 hits along with 3 walks to yank a victory away.
• Tonight the Snappers begin a series with the Tigers in West Michigan. Michael Tarsi gets the start for the Snappers with gametime at 5:35pm.

Mock Draft 5.0

1. Miami Dolphins- Jake Long OT Michigan
2. St Louis Rams- Glen Dorsey DT LSU
3. Atlanta Falcons- Matt Ryan QB Boston College
4. Oakland Raiders- Chris Long DE Virginia
5. Kansas City- Branden Albert OT Virginia
6. New York Jets- Darren Mcfadden RB Arkansas
7. New England Patriots- Vernon Gholston LB Ohio St
8. Baltimore Ravens- Sedrick Ellis DT USC
9. Cincinnatti Bengals- Ryan Clady OT Boise St
10. New Orleans Saints- Keith Rivers LB USC
11. Buffalo Bills- Leodis Mcklevin CB Troy
12. Denver Broncos- Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt
13. Carolina Panthers- Derrick Harvey DE Florida
14. Chicago Bears- Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh
15. Detroit Lions- Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals- Mike Jenkins CB South Florida
17. Minnesota Vikings- Dominique Rodgers-Cromratie CB Tennessee St
18. Houston Texans- Aqib Talib Cb Kansas
19. Philadelphia Eagles- Devin Thomas WR Michigan St
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Desean Jackson WR California
21. Washington Redskins- James Hardy Wr Indiana
22. Dallas Cowboys- Felix Jones RB Arkansas
23. Pittsburgh Steelers- Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina
24. Tennessee Titans- Phillip Merling De Clemson
25. Seattle Seahawks- Limas Sweed WR Texas
26. Jacksonville Jaguars- Gosder Cherlious OT Boston College
27. San Diego Chargers- Dan Conner LB Penn St
28. Dallas Cowboys- Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech
29. San Francisco 49ers- Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma
30. Green Bay Packers- Jonathon Stewart RB Oregon
31. New England Patriots- Forfeited
32. New York Giants- Kenny Phillips S Miami

Sunday, April 20th

Rochester Wrap
Scranton 1 Rochester 0

• POG: Brian Duensing- Brian continued his strong start this season going 5.2 innings and only giving up 1 run on 4 hits. After a slow start he has been really solid the last few starts and has really come on. With the solid start it lowered his era to 2.74 on the young season and his record dropped to 1-3.
• Julio Depaula really struggled again when he came in the 6th inning there was runners on first and third with 2 outs and he walks 2 hitters in a row to force in a run. I know Brian Duensing got credit for the run but i blame Depaula. He has good stuff he just walks to many hitters in 12.2 innings so far he has walked 12 batters. Until he gets his control better he will never make it to the majors.
• You could tell that the Red Wings really missed the bat of Brian Buscher who earlier in the day had gotten called up to the Twins after Adam Everett got put on the disabled list. The Red Wings were only able to mount 3 hits off Scranton pitching and its becoming obvious the Red Wings have little hitting and its going to be a tough year.
• Today the Red Wings continue their series with the Yankees in Scranton. Game time is 12:30 today in Scranton with Philip Humber getting the ball for the Red Wings.

New Britain Business

Trenton 5 New Britain 3 F/11innings

• POG: Luke Hughes for the second consecutive day gets player of the game honors for the Rock Cats. Luke went 3-5 with his 2nd hr of the year and also scored 2 runs for the Rock Cats. With the 3 hits it raises his team high average to an impressive .365 on the year. He has really impressed me and if he keeps it up wouldnt surpise me to see him in Rochester before the end of the year.
• Yohan Pino continued his strong start going 5 innings and giving up only 1 run on 3 hits and left with the lead.
• For a change the bullpen did not get the job done giving up a 3-1 lead. Jason Miller was awful giving up 2 runs in his 2.1 innings of work. In extra innings Ben Julianel was awful giving up 2 runs in the 11th and barely getting out of the 10th. He is a good pitcher who will help you more than he will hurt you.
• Today the Rock Cats continue their series with the Thunder in New Britain. First pitch is at 2pm with Ryan Mullins getting the start for the Rock Cats.

Fort Myers Musings

Sarasota 2 Fort Myers 1

• POG: Juan Portes- Juan was a bright spot for the Miracle going 3-4 on the night with his 4th rbi of the year. The Miracle had many chances but couldnt put the hits together to score runs. Juan raised his average to .289 on the season and seems to be coming around after a little slow start.
• Cole Devries had a solid start for the Miracle going 5 innings and giving up only 2 runs which should be looked at as a step forward for Cole who had been struggling so far this season.
• With the loss the Miracle drop to 9-7 and drop into 2nd place behind Dunedin a game behind them.
• Today the Miracle take on the Flying Tigers in Fort Myers. First pitch is at 4:05 with Jeff Manship getting the start for the Miracle.

Beloit Beat

Wisconsin 5 Beloit 3

• POG: Steve Singleton was the hitting star for the Snappers going 2-4 with his 2nd Homerun of the season and drove in his 10th and 11th runs of the year. He has been the most consistant hitter for the Snappers all season raising his average to .400 on the season.
• David Bromberg had his first quality start of the season going 6 innings and only giving up 2 runs. He has been the real disappointment of the team with a run of bad starts and he is the one people were expecting the most out of so hopefully this was the beginning of things to come.
• The Snappers bullpen did not come to the office either Spencer Steedley got the loss in relief for the Snappers giving up 2 runs in 2.1 innings. He is a good pitcher and that wont happen very often.
• Today the Snappers continue their series with the Rattlers in Wisconsin. Gametime is at 2:00 pm with Micheal Mccardell getting the start for the Snappers.

Liriano Start 2

Francisco Liriano had his 2nd start of the season last night and had some good points and some bad points.

• He threw 88 pitches and got threw 5 innings of work
• He seems to be able to locate his slider and changeup and they both have good break on them.
• His velocity is still down he is only throwing 89-92 on his fastball and only 80-82 on his off speed pitches
• He can't locate his fastball at all yet its all over the place
• In 88 pitches he only threw 47 strikes

What does all this mean i look at it is a work in progress and i like that he is doing this up here because he pitched good enough to win last night if we could of hit we could of got him a win. Its like baby steps he was a little bit better than his first start and i think that will continue. I think it will be a year long thing but i am hopeful after this start that eventually we will see the Liriano of old. The reason i say that is he had some bite on some of this sliders and changeups that is something we didnt see in his last start. Be patient with him and i think you are going to see The Franchise back by the end of the year.

Wadena-Deer Creek Shockers

TT: Briefly can you tell me about 2007 season with your record and how you did in the playoffs and any special acheivements worth noting.

RJ:Around .500 no acheivements

TT:Is there any key additions to the team?

RJ: No

TT: is there any key losses from the team?

RJ: No

TT: What do you view as the teams strengths this season?

RJ: Pitching

TT: What are some things the team needs to work on to be the best it can be come playoff time.

RJ: hitting with runners in scoring position

TT: What are the expections you have for your team going into the season.

RJ: regions and a dent in regional playoffs

TT: If you could say what player is the key to your success or failure and why

RJ: Jamie Nordland

TT: Break down your league for me and where do you see your team fitting into your league.

RJ: tied for second....D.L. Shockers, Bluffton, Bertha

TT:Where do you see amateur baseball going in the next 5 years.

RJ: The Same

TT: If you could change something about amateur baseball what would it be.

RJ: Some how bring it back to is old status of that was the only thing in town to do.

I would like to Thank Randy Jahnke for answering my questions on the Shockers. I know he didn't shed too much light on them but from my experience playing them they have solid pitching with the George brothers. Solid defense should be a strength with them up the middle and a team people should check out and watch some good baseball

Saturday, April 19th

Rochester Wrap
Rochester 1 Richmond 0

• POG: Jose Morales- Jose is coming out of a god awful early season slump going 2-4 last night and throwing out a runner at 2nd base. He is too good of a hitter to struggle this much with the bat. With the 2 hits it raises Jose's average to still a terrible .143 on the season but it looks like he is coming around.
• Heath Totten had a solid start as he is continuing to build up arm strength going 4 innings giving up 0 runs on 4 hits with 5 strikeouts. I was really skeptical on him but he has been solid so far as a starter.
• Jason Pridie continued his hot streak getting a hit and driving in the only run of the game.
• Tonight, the Red Wings try to build on their series with Richmond as they travel to Scranton to take on the Yankees. First pitch is at 6pm with Brian Duensing getting the ball for the Red Wings.

New Britain Business

Trenton 8 New Britain 4

• POG: Luke Hughes- Luke continued his hot streak going 3-4 with a double and a rbi and a run scored. He has really been hot after starting out slow he has raised his average to a great .340 on the season.
• Oswaldo Sosa struggled again for the Rock Cats going only 4innings and giving up 5 hits and 4 runs to raise his era to 5.84. I was expecting more out of him i thought he would do better than he has so far this season.
• Dustin Martin has cooled down from a hot start and it makes you wonder why we are not seeing Brandon Roberts in there more.
• Tonight the Rock Cats continue their series with Trenton in New Britain. First pitch is at 5:35pm with Yohan Pino getting his 2nd start of the season trying to get that first win out of the way.

Fort Myers Musings

Fort Myers 5 Sarasota 3

• POG: Rodolfo Palacious- For someone who has hardly any playing time at all for the Miracle to come out with 2 hits and 2rbis says a lot. Makes you wonder why he hasn't been playing a little more.
• With the win the Miracle moved into a first place tie with Dunedin in the Western Division of the Florida State League.
• Danny Vais improved to 3-0 on the young season going 1.1 innings in relief of Alex Burnett to get the win. His ERA now stands at 0.75 on the season. He is developing into quite the bullpen guy and someone you can count on for good innings.
• Tonight the Miracle try to go into first place all by themselves as they finish their quick 2 game series in Sarasota against the Reds. Cole Devries gets the ball for the Miracle with game time scheduled for 5pm.

Beloit Beat

Beloit 5 Wisconsin 3 Final 5innings

• POG: Joe Benson- Joe shrugged off a early season slump with his first homerun of the season and also reaching on a walk. His job is to get on base and that is something he has struggled with so far this season. His OBP is only .357 and its usually higher than that so thats something he needs to work on.
• Brian Kirwan continued his early season success going 4.2 innings and giving up 2 runs to bring his ERA to 1.76. Brian has been the most consistant starter for Beloit so far and hopefully he can keep it up.
• Its obvious that teams don't want to pitch to Chris Parmalee right now so it was a positive sign that he took 2 walks last night. If he can continue to show that kind of patience at the plate his strikeouts will go down and his walks will go up which will only help him.
• Tonight the Snappers continue with their series with the Timber Rattlers in Grand Chute,Wisconsin. Game time is 6:30pm with David Bromberg getting the start for the Snappers.

Wolf Lake Wolf Pack

Boone Caughey of the Wolf Pack was nice enough to answer my questions about the Wolf Pack and their upcoming season.

TT: Briefly can you tell me about 2007 season with your record and how you did in the playoffs and any special acheivements worth noting.

BC:We finished with a 23-8 record, won Region 16C, and advanced to the state tournament where we lost in the first round. Our goal the last few years has been to win the state tournament, which we obviously didn’t accomplish, but overall I’d say that 2007 was a success. We won a tournament in Brookings , SD which was fun, in part because the trophy is absolutely huge. I’m not kidding, it’s probably four feet tall.

TT: Is there any key additions to the team?

BC: We haven’t signed anyone new yet but a couple guys have expressed an interest. We are getting a couple guys back from injuries so that’ll help.

TT:Is there any key losses from the team?

BC: Not that I know of.

TT: What do you view as the teams strengths this season?

BC: We’re strong up the middle and our pitching staff is pretty solid

TT:What are some things the team needs to work on to be the best it can be come playoff time?

BC: Our coaching needs improvement

TT:What are the expections you have for your team going into the season?

BC: I expect Ron Litzau to concoct a lame excuse why he has to DH, Shane and Ryan Hendrickson to each break a bat per game in BP, Isaac Hjermstad to pick up about 30% of the signs, the temperature to be at least 95 the day we play at the always lovely Matt Leritz field, and finally I expect to win all but a handful of the team poker tournaments.

TT: If you could say what player is the key to your success or failure and why?

BC: Whoever is pitching that day. It’s a lame answer but picking one guy is impossible.

TT:Break down your league for me and where do you see your team fitting into your league.

BC: We play in the North Division of the Lake and Pine. Wolf Lake and Midway have finished 1-2 for as long as I can remember, and I expect the same this year. However, Lakes Area Lightning is new to our division in 2008 and I think they’ll be far more competitive than Nevis , the team they’re replacing, so it should be interesting. Nimrod and Red Eye are two of the top teams in the South Division and I expect them to battle for the top spot again this year.

TT: Where do you see amateur baseball going in the next 5 years?

BC:Unfortunately amateur baseball is on a downswing and I don’t see that changing over the next five years. Ten years ago it was not uncommon to see a 16 year old and a 45 year old on the same field. Now the 16 year old works a summer job or sits on the computer, and the guys that used to play forever retire at 30 so they can be at the lake all summer. It’s a shame

TT: If you could change something about amateur baseball what would it be?

BC: I would get rid of the draft.

I would like to thank Boone for answering my questions about the upcoming season and im sure the Wolf Pack will have another outstanding season this year. They are one of the best teams in this area so casual fans if you get a chance to watch them go ahead and do it you will see good baseball.
BC: