Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 8, 1993 TAG: 9304080585
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
BUCS OPEN ON ROAD
If there's a bright side to the fact that the Salem Buccaneers' runs have been coming in spurts this spring training, it's that they may not need to score that many to win.The 1993 Carolina League season opens tonight with the Bucs on the road at the Kinston Indians. An early reading on Salem after the team broke camp and headed north from Bradenton, Fla., is the Bucs will be long on arms and fleet of foot. But if the team is going to do better than the sub-.500 it managed in Florida, the bats are going to have to do some bopping.
"Look for us early to do some of the fundamental things to try to score some runs," new Bucs manager Scott Little said. "We may bunt, we may hit and run, we will be aggressive. I'm not big on sacrifice bunting with somebody on first and nobody out, but we may even do that.
"We need to score some runs because the pitching we have is going to keep us in games."
The five-man all right-handed rotation is a good one. Leading the way is Dave Doorneweerd, who topped the Pirates' minor-league organization with 152 strikeouts in 148 innings at Augusta, Ga., where Little managed last year. Little and pitching coach Dave Rajsich (and the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, for that matter) also are high on Esteban Loaiza (10-8, 3.89 earned run average), Gary Wilson (2-3, 2.67), Mariano De los Santos (7-8, 2.25, 103 strikeouts in 96 innings), and Dennis Konuszewski (3-3, 2.31).
De los Santos is being moved from the bullpen to the rotation so he can get the extra innings.
"All of them are top prospects," Little said.
What he may mean is some of them may not be here long before they go to work for former Bucs boss John Wockenfuss at Class AA Carolina.
Lefty Jason Christiansen is the setup man and 6-foot-7, 215-pound Jeff McCurry is the closer. They are holdovers from last year, along with Sean Evans, Matt Ruebel and Kevin Rychel.
Salem will have some scooters on the basepaths, particularly shortstop Tony Womack, who will bat leadoff or ninth, and left fielder Jeff Conger, who combined for 86 steals at Augusta. Conger (.244, 74 hits at Augusta) has shown occasional power and will bat third.
"I definitely think these guys have the potential to swing the bats," Little said.
Outfielder Jon Farrell (.222, eight home runs, 48 runs batted in) was the Pirates' top choice in the 1990 draft and will play center field. He's been moved down to sixth in the lineup to take some pressure off. Marty Neff, who will be a designated hitter until he gets over a sore arm, will bat cleanup where it is hoped he will be able to approach the 23 home runs he hit in snug Municipal Field and in Augusta last year.
Second baseman Chance Sanford will lead off if Womack does not and third baseman Rich Juday, a good two-strike hitter, will bat second. The platoon of first basemen Michael Brown and Joe Calder will bat fifth. Brown bats against right-handers and Calder against lefties.
The lineup is rounded out by Trace Ragland in seventh and catcher Angelo Encarnacion batting eighth.
The rest of the everyday players include catchers Tim Marx and Marcus Hanel, who starts the season on the disabled list, and utilitymen Ken Bonifay and Don Garvey.
Salem's initial homestand starts April 13 with the new Wilmington (Del.) Blue Rocks (exiles from the Virginia Peninsula) and continues three games later with the Frederick Keys.
"I'm not going to say we're going to win it all, but with the pitching we've got it's possible," Little said. "That is, if we get some hitting."
\ SALEM BUCS 1993 OPENING DAY ROSTER
CATCHERS: Angelo Encarnacion, Marcus Hanel, Tim Marx.
INFIELDERS: first base Ken Bonifay; first base Michael Brown; first base Joe Calder; second base Don Garvey; third base Rich Juday; second base Chance Sanford; shortstop Tony Womack.
OUTFIELDERS: Jeff Conger; Jon Farrell; Marty Neff; Trace Ragland.
PITCHERS: Left-hander Jason Christiansen; right-hander Mariano De los Santos; right-hander Dave Doorneweerd; left-hander Sean Evans; right-hander Dennis Konuszewski; right-hander Esteban Loaiza; left-hander Jim Martin; right- hander Jeff McCurry; left-hander Matt Ruebel; right-hander Kevin Rychel; left- hander Michael Teich; right-hander Gary Wilson.
\ See microfilm for Carolina League capsules.
Keywords:
BASEBALL