Lakeland Flying Tigers Announce Opening Day Roster
April 6, 2009 - Florida State League (FSL1) - Lakeland Flying Tigers News Release
Lakeland, FL - The Lakeland Flying Tigers have announced their 2009 Opening Day roster. It will feature seven top ten draft picks and nine players who appeared in games for the Flying Tigers in 2008. The roster includes 13 pitchers (one on disabled list), 2 catchers, 7 infielders and 4 outfielders.
Several players spent most of last season in Lakeland including Jeff Kunkel, Michael Bertram, Jeramy Laster and Duane Below. Kunkel was a Florida State League (FSL) All-Star last season and is rated as the best defensive catcher in the Tigers organization by Baseball America. Bertram was 5th on the team with a .285 average and was second on the team with 106 hits and 21 doubles. Laster was tied for third in the FSL with 24 home runs. Below, a left-handed starter, led the FSL with 126 strikeouts and was tied for the league lead with 26 games started.
Scott Green (3rd round), Brett Jacobson (4th round), Andy Dirks (8th round) and Robbie Weinhardt (10th round) were all drafted by the Tigers in last year's June draft. Green attended the University of Kentucky and pitched in 15 games for West Michigan of the Midwest League last year. Jacobson attended Vanderbilt and pitched in 21 games for West Michigan in '08. Dirks attended Wichita State University and hit .412 in 34 at-bats with the Gulf Coast League Tigers. Weinhardt appeared in 21 games with Lakeland after attending Oklahoma State University. Weinhardt went 3-1 with 4 saves for Lakeland.
Justin Henry was the West Michigan Player of the Year where he was a Midwest League All-Star and was 6th in the league with a .295 batting average. He was selected as the TOPPS
Midwest League Player of the Month for July. Chris Carlson and Joe Tucker were also selected to the Midwest League All-Star team in helping the Whitecaps advance to the playoffs.
Andy Barkett will again lead the Flying Tigers in the 2009 season. It will mark his second year as manager of the Flying Tigers and third year as a manager within the Tigers organization. In 2007, he managed the Oneonta Tigers to a first place finish in the Stedler Division of the New York-Penn League with a record of 44-32. Joe Coleman (pitching coach) and Larry Herndon (hitting coach) have returned for the upcoming season.
The Flying Tigers will open the 2009 Florida State League season against the Tampa Yankees on Thursday, April 9 at 7:00 pm at Joker Marchant Stadium. Gates open at 5:30 and there will be a special Happy Hour from 5:30-7:00 pm. The first 1,500 fans will receive a 2009 Flying Tigers magnet schedule.
Tickets for the 2009 season start as low as $4 and are available by calling the Flying Tigers at (863) 686-8075 or visit the online home of the Flying Tigers at www.LakelandFlyingTigers.com.
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Florida State League Stories from April 6, 2009
- Lakeland Flying Tigers Announce Opening Day Roster - Lakeland Flying Tigers
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