skyhawks are looking good

[Skyhawker]

projected line up
1 CF Ron Perodin- good speed, steals, hits
2 2B Mike Torres- hits for average with a little power
3 1B Yohanny Valera- power, could possibly hit like 14 homers
4 RF Jorge Moreno- power and speed, could hit 15 homers and steal 25 bases
5 LF Alex Frazier- power and an arm could hit 12-14 homers
6 DH Larry Bethea- power and an all aeound fan favorite. the big friendly could hit upwards of 10 dingers and like 20 or so doubles
7 3B Ben Tinius- could hit 5 to 10 homeruns, and a great third basemen
8 C Tom Terrill- showed a little talent last year, looking to improve this year
9 SS Kevin Rios- error prone, but could hit some doubles and get the table set for the top of the line up.

bench is looking more promising this year too. robby gandolfo, brian grupp, and possibly brian rios, still probably looking for another outfielder. guys i like in leagues around the country are derrick gibson, saw him hit the furthest shot ive ever seen, out of skylands park, in 2005 and i also like ed montague on atlantic city and joe mathis, up in the northern league.

tell me whatcha guys think! im excited for the coming season, and our pitching staff looks great too, could use maybe one more solid reliever. what are your guys projections, comments or thoughts on the skyhawks???

[Bonhomme]

Yohanny Valera will be catching. They traded for his skills at handling pitchers.

Don't forget that Worcester won the league's championship in its first year in the league... with Valera behind the plate and directing traffic in the infield. He's a take-charge kind of guy!

Catching is much too important to have a rookie at the position!

You're right about Ben Tinius... decent glove and some pop!

The team is still 3 veterans over the limit of 4 so I expect them to trade or release 3 of the following players:
Bethea *
Gandolfo *
Brian Rios *
Torres
Moreno

* my choice

Bethea has no position, and no bat for a guy his size. 3 regular players on the team had a better slugging average last year (.400)

Tinius has the hot corner so Rios is a goner.

Gandolfo: A team can't waste a veteran slot on a 2nd baseman!

[Skyhawker]

thanks for the response. yeah, yohanny is a better catcher, i just couldnt figure out who'd play first base. i guess they will be getting a first basemen soon, by trading some of those vets, i agree with your idea about gandolfo, bethea and rios. how about trading them to schaumburg flyers for 1B patrick O'Sullivan and 2B mike Rohde. rios will probably retire. :(

[Bonhomme]

The needs of the team after last season were:

1- A manager... filled with the arrival of Hal Lanier

2- Piching: the team had by far the worst ERA in the league in 2007 at 5.16 mostly due to 446 bases on balls compared to Noth Shore's 224! Who was behind the plate? That's why Hal Lanier is going with a veteran catcher!

They don't need any more hitting. Bear in mind that defense is 50% of the game and each and every defensive play starts with the pitcher releasing the ball.

At first base... a slugger!

Hal Lanier doesn't have a reputation for being very patient with players who don't perform! So you may see a lot a personel moves early in the season if the teams doesn't win!

[Bonhomme]

As expected, Hal Lanier is shedding surplus veterans.

Larry Bethea is all but released.... traded for 2 rookies with major control problems!

The team now has 15 pitchers, 7 of which are rookies.

Hal Lanier's tendency is to have experience in the lineup. The 7 rookies will be on the mound during training camp but no more than 3 should make the team on opening day.

[Bonhomme]

The trade for Chris Brown, a second baseman, confirms that Rob Gondolfo is a goner!

The only question is WHEN.

[Bonhomme]

It's now official...

Bethea (traded), Gandolfo (traded) and Brian Rios (released) are gone!!

The club now has 2 veteran and 1 LS-4 slots available. I would not be surprised if Hal Lanier fills 2 of those 3 slots with a starting pitchers! Pitching looks pretty thin right now! The other slot will be used for a slugging 1st baseman!

[Skyhawks96]

The Skyhawks are definetley a playoff team by now. I have just made some changes to the lineup.
Lineup
1.CF Ron Perodin- This kid can probably steal 40 bases.
2.RF Jorge Moreno- Hits, steals, and is not talked about enough for his good defense.
3.C Yohanny Valera- My personal favorite player
4.DH Walter Young- Can and I think will break Latingua's HR record.
5.LF Alex Frazier- I would'nt be suprised if he hits more than 20 HRS this year
6.2B Mike Torres- Now that he is batting 6th he can drive in more runs
7.3B Ben Tinius- Reminds me of David Wright, all around player.
8.1B Matt Weston- A great fit for the Skyhawks first base job, he hits alot like Carlos Beltran.
9.SS Nick Vardaro- A young phenom, I believe he'll beat out Rios for short.

Rotation
1.Matt Bishop- a young ace, looks like John Kelly to me.
2.Kyle Ruwe- another young phenom
3.Gary Galvez- Good pitcher, coming from a strong pitching team in North Shore
4.Vince Davis- Loading up the rotation, moving the #2 man down to 4 is only making things better.
5.Roger Lincoln- A nice fit for the 5th spot, he had more strikeouts than anyone on the current rotation last year. GO SKYHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!:D

[newfan]

Skyhawker, What do you know about the young phenom Nick Vardaro?

[newfan]

Sorry that was meant for skyhawks96

[Skyhawks96]

newfan, Nick Vardaro was just signed by the Skyhawks after coming out of the University of Southern Maine, the young shortstop hit .308, with 16 RBI's 30 runs, and one home run in just 39 games as the starter at short. I thought he was one of the best prostpects in the Indy draft this year.

[newfan]

Thanks for the info . Im looking forward to the season. Did you go to the indy tryouts ? /

[Skyhawks96]

newfan, no problem, your welcome to ask me any questions if you need to. Actually I did'nt go to the Indy tryouts but I was able to get some research in. I'm hoping to go sometime in the next few years.

[Skyhawks96]

I just heard that the Skyhawks traded P Trey Stephens for someone to be named later. I'm guessing it might be Alexis Hernandez, I think they can get a good player like hernandez for a solid reliever like stephens.

[Skyhawks96]

The Skyhawks have just signed first baseman Matt Weston. In my opinion, this is a great signing. When given the right amount of games he can hit with major power. One position down, two to go. I still think they should go after a DH, unless Chris Brown will but I doubt that. No disrespect to Kevin Rios but I think he can be a key to a trade for someone like Bobby Mosby.
I think the Mosby trade will look something like this.
Kevin Rios
Joe Walentin - Bobby Mosby
Edisbel Benitez
And maybe Eric Thomas but I would think Lanier would want to keep him around. I can't wait for the season!!!:D

[Skyhawker]

to much of a staple to the pitching, eddy benitez is. i dont think they'd give him up. they should go after the 6' 5" 290 lb calvin pickering recently released up on the northern league. he has MLB experience with the orioles royals and reds. with his size he'd be like another larry bethea, boy do i miss him, n the season hasnt even started. he was an awesome regardless of his talent. the BIG FRIENDLY, BIG PAPA, your an awesome guy!!!

[Skyhawks96]

Skyhawker, I kinda agree with you on Benitez, I just thought that tough ERA brought him down. I didnt know that Pickering was released, the Skyhawks have a free ticket there. I miss Larry Bethea alot too, whenever I went to a game he'd always come over to the first row and have fun with the fans. Although fans would miss Papi, Pickering would be an upgrade. GO SKYHAWKS!!!!:D

[Skyhawks96]

I must break the news, the Skyhawks have officially signed former major- leaguer Walter Young. Him and his big bat are gonna be the DH no question. They have also officially signed Matt Weston, who is listed as an outfielder, will probably play first base. Here is my projected lineup.
*= favorite player
1. Ron Perodin- CF
2. Jorge Moreno- RF
3. Yohanny Valera*- C
4. Walter Young- DH
5. Alez Frazier- LF
6. Mike Torres- 2B
7. Ben Tinius- 3B
8. Matt Weston- 1B
9. Nick Vardaro- SS- Im still sticking with my bold prediction that Vardaro will win the job.

I think Young is too good to be denoted to a 6th spot, please tell me what you think! GO SKYHAWKS!!!!:-D

[Skyhawker]

holy friggin crap. i think walter is awesome, we got a new big papa. 6'5 290 pounds holy crow
lefty, bombs will be flying out of right field every game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Skyhawker]

the follow are my predictions. haha however bold they may be, tell me which ones are realistic!!!!!!!! GO SKYHAWKS



1 CF Ron Perodin- 20 SB, 20 Doubles, 5 Triples
2 RF Jorge Moreno- 20 SB, 20 HR, 30 Doubles
3 C Yohanny Valera- solid Defense, 10 to 12 HR's and good baseball knowledge all around
4 DH Walter Young- 25 to 30 homeruns!!!!!!! could challenge eddie lantiguas record of 31 homeruns in the canam league.
5 LF Alex Frazier- 18 to 25 homeruns, doubles galore
6 2B Mike Torres- doubles, defensive, batting average, gonna be very good
7 3B Ben Tinius- 8 to 12 homeruns, david wright type defense
8 1B Matt Weston- 6 to 11 homruns given enough playing time
9 SS Nick Vadero- young phenom

1 INF Chris Brown
2 SS Kevin Rios
3 C Brian Grupp

bench guys will come through when needed

i think that when we need a different outfielder, we can get away with putting a guy like tinius or valera at first base, then put weston in the outfield. when this would happen, if tinius moved to first, then torres would go to third and brown would go to 2B.

pitching

1 kyle ruwe- 10 game winner
2 vince davis- 10 game winner
3 Gary Galvez- 6 game winner
4 craig snipp - 5 to 7 wins
5 eddy benitez- will get a few solid wins

1 Jamie Merchant- will hold lead until thomas can shut them down
2 Bart Braun jr- same as merchant
3 Edward Roberts- could be long reliever
4 Matt Salvato- reliever
5 Joe Walentin- middle relief
6 Eric Thomas- this guy will be the closer

inactive- bishop, we need him back. anyone know why he went on inactive???? bishop if healthy by season opener, will be a 10 to 12 game winner.

[OttawaBallFan]

Walter Young is now with the Skyhawks?

I remember him with the Ottawa Lynx in the IL. I think he was listed at 297 pounds back then, we rounded it to 300. I actually met him after a game and he didn't seem that tall or heavy to me. But he definately is a big dude.

[Skyhawks96]

Skyhawker, they are ALL pretty much realistic! I still think Perodin will break the 40- steal mark. I'm getting kind of nervous about Bishop, but I would think by May he would be ready, but he might sit out the exibition games. Young is a great boost and now we can give Torres the chance to drive in more runs later in the batting order. Now all they have to do is finish up the awated trades (gandolpho and Stephens) and bulster that bullpen! Also that is a good idea about moving the positions around, but we really need a guy like Tinius to be at the hot corner when people like Madera and Latingua come up.

[Skyhawker]

while awaiting the results of these trades, lets thin of what we still need. i think that another solid starter and an outfielder/util guy would be great.

do you guys think we could get oufielder/1B josh rabe from camden for gandolfo, or get eric allen or adam clay from edinburg for trey stephens?

how about signing some guys to fill empty spots. if you know where the following players are right now please tell me.
SS rey ordonez
UTIL dionys cesar
OF estee harris
P andy van hekken
P travis wade

how about adrian brown, or roosevelt brown or ramiro mendoza or maybe jared sandberg, or jarrod patterson. or jason smith??? if you guys know where these players are please mention it.

[Skyhawks96]

I think we might be able to get Julio Castro from edinburg, and Josh Rabe from camden. Skyhawker, I think that Ordonez retired after 2004. Also, Skyhawker, what are your predictions for 2008? (post them in the Predictions for 08 thread).

[Skyhawks96]

The Skyhawks have signed Roger Lincoln. In my mind, this is a great signing. Lincoln will most likely be the 5th starter and now they can have Bart Braun either close or set up. The pitching rotation is looking much better with that assured 5th starter, I'm now going to change my projections.

[Skyhawks96]

AWWWW @#$!:eek: , we lost Tinius:( . The Skyhawks have traded him and V.Davis to Lincoln for Yaconetti and a player to be named later. Im tellin ya this trade is down the crapper unless they get Dittfurth back as the player to be named later. What do you guys think, will they get Dittfurth back??????:confused:

[Skyhawker]

i attended the skyhawks home exhibition game, nad was please with a few things that they did. i also listened ot todays game, MORENO HOMER!!!!!!! Yaconetti two run double oh yeah!!!! SKYHAWKS WIN!!! i wanna know what you guys think after seeing all these guys perform!!! lets hear the good the bad and the ugly!!! breakdown the skyhawks gameplay after these two games.

[Skyhawks96]

hey skyhawker what was the batting order?

[Skyhawker]

Game 1 at skylands....

1 CF Ron Perodin
2 2B Chris Brown
3 RF Jorge Moreno
4 DH Walter Young
5 LF Alex Frazier
6 C Yohanny Valera
7 1B Matt Weston
8 3B Jay Yaconetti
9 SS Kevin Rios

Game 2 at yogi berra.....

1 CF Perodin
2 SS Rios
3 RF Moreno
4 DH Young
5 C Valera
6 LF Frazier
7 1B Weston
8 3B Yaconetti
9 2B Brown