IL1 International League

2010 International League Preview

Published on April 1, 2010 under International League (IL1) News Release


BUFFALO BISONS

www.Bisons.comAffiliate: New York Mets

Year in IL (Buffalo, NY): 96th Record: 7,056-6,653

Governors' Cups: 6Last Cup: 2004

2009 Finish: 56-87, 6th in North (-26.0)

Manager: Ken Oberkfell (2nd year in Buffalo)

Coaches: Ricky Bones (2nd year), Jack Voigt (1st year)

Ballpark: Coca-Cola Field (18,150)

Probable Starters: 1B - Ike Davis; 2B - Alex Cintron/Luis Hernandez; SS - Russ Adams;

3B - Mike Hessman/Mike Cervenak; C - Josh Thole/Omir Santos;

LF - Nick Evans/Jesus Feliciano; CF - Fernando Martinez; RF - Jason Pridie;

DH - Mike Hessman/Mike Cervenak/Val Pascucci.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Dillon Gee, RH Tobi Stoner, LH Adam Pettyjohn, RH R.A. Dickey, LH Bobby Livingston. Relievers - RH Eddie Kunz, RH Sean Green, RH Bobby Parnell,

RH Manny Acosta.

Strengths of the Club: Offense! Lots of veteran free agent talent and solid prospects like Fernando Martinez, Ike Davis and Josh Thole should be a major improvement for an offense that that was 13th in IL in 2009 in average (.255), runs (502), and HR (80)...... The bullpen is also a strength. Sean Green and Bobby Parnell spent all of 2009 in New York while Kunz had 27 saves for Double-A Binghamton in 2008 and pitched 40 games for Buffalo in 2009.

Weaknesses of the Club: Starting pitching is an issue. The Bisons have no true ace apparent, no stud prospect with any proven record at the high end of minors.

Top Prospects: Ike Davis, the son of former Yankees reliever Ron Davis, hit 20 HR last year between Class-A and Double-A and hit .333 in helping Team USA win the World Cup in Italy in September. He's the Mets' No. 4 Baseball America prospect...... Josh Thole hit .328 in Binghamton and .321 in a September call to New York. He doesn't have much power (1 HR), but has excellent discipline (46 BB, just 39 K in 2009)...... The Mets are still hopeful that Nick Evans can develop after a disastrous 7-for-75 start in Buffalo last year landed him in Double-A. With New York later in the season he hit .231 in 30 games...... Fernando Martinez is the Mets' No. 3 prospect. He hit .290 in Buffalo before a mid-season promotion but batted just .176 in New York. He continues to be dogged by injuries. Still only 21, he could use the full year in Triple-A.

Other Organizational Prospects: Ruben Tejeda was a Double-A standout as a 19-year-old shortstop last year (.289-5-46, 19 SB) at Binghamton...... Jenrry Meija, New York's top prospect as rated by Baseball America, has pressed in spring training to make the Mets as a 20-year-old in an 8th inning relief role. He did not win in 10 Double-A starts last season.

Veterans to Watch: Jesus Feliciano was the 2009 Buffalo MVP. He returns after a third straight .300 season in the Mets chain. He had 154 hits last year to lead the IL...... Russ Adams, the former Blue Jays No. 1 draft pick, should be a defensive anchor in the Buffalo infield...... Mike Hessman, the former IL MVP (Toledo 2007) is the active Minor League HR leader (311)...... IL All-Star Mike Cervenak is coming off back-to-back .300 seasons at Lehigh Valley...... Valentino Pascucci has 120 HR over 5 seasons in the Pacific Coast League. He had a huge 2007 season (.284-34-98) at Albuquerque and went .290-27-81 playing for Ken Oberkfell in the Mets chain at New Orleans in 2008...... Jason Pridie hit .393 against Buffalo last year for Rochester.

Items of Interest: The team's 56-87 record last season was its worst since going 55-89 in 1994, the final season of affiliation with Pittsburgh. The 2009 Bisons went 2-16 in April, batting just .197 as a team, and were never able to recover...... The home opener on April 14 vs. Pawtucket will come on the exact anniversary of the Coca-Cola Field inaugural game, a 1-0 win over Denver on April 14, 1988.

LEHIGH VALLEY IRONPIGS

www.IronPigsBaseball.comAffiliate: Philadelphia PhilliesYear in IL (Allentown, PA): 5th Record: 183-284

Governors' Cups: 0

2009 Finish: 71-73, 3rd in North (-11.5)

Manager: Dave Huppert (3rd year in Lehigh Valley)

Coaches: Greg Gross (3rd year), Rod Nichols (3rd year)

Ballpark: Coca-Cola Park (10,000)

Probable Starters: 1B - Andy Tracy; 2B - Brian Bocock; SS - Wilson Valdez;

3B - Cody Ransom; C - Paul Hoover; LF - Chris Duffy; CF - Quintin Berry;

RF - John Mayberry; DH - Neil Sellers.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Drew Carpenter, LH Joe Savery, RH Nate Bump,

LH Brian Mazone, RH Ryan Vogelsong. Relievers - RH Scott Mathieson, LH Mike Zagurski, RH Jason Anderson, LH Jake Woods.

Strengths of the Club: This team should be able to score some runs...... The starting pitching could be solid...... There are also strong arms in the bullpen.

Weaknesses of the Club: A lack of young prospects means reliance on veterans. That approach didn't work so well two years ago, when the team had records early in the season of 0-11, then 3-22, and 5-30.

Top Prospects: John Mayberry is a 40-man roster player. The former Texas 1st-round pick is in his second year in the Phillies organization. He homered off of Andy Pettitte in his MLB debut...... Quintin Berry, a 5th-round pick in 2006 is also on the 40-man roster. He has 155 steals in his first three professional seasons...... Drew Carpenter (40-man) bounced back from a rough 2008 season to earn a spot on the IL mid-season All-Star Team. He led the Minor Leagues with 17 wins at Clearwater in 2007...... Joe Savery, a 1st round pick in 2007, tied for 2nd in the minors with 16 wins last season...... Scott Mathieson (40-man) overcame three surgeries in 16 months (two of them Tommy John) to return last year. He's rated the 5th-best prospect in the organization after jumping from Reading (7-2, 2.91, 99 SO in 92 IP) to the Phillies in 2006...... Mike Zagurski also returned from Tommy John surgery last year. He played on four levels in 2007

(25 games with the Phillies) and was named the top pitcher in system that year before an elbow injury and surgery in spring of 2008...... Neil Sellers, a Minor League Rule 5 pick in 2007 from Houston, has hit .294 with 36 HR and 164 RBI over the last two years at Double-A Reading.

Other Organizational Prospects: OF Domonic Brown is the top prospect in the organization and one of top 50 in baseball (Baseball America)...... RHP B.J. Rosenberg combined for 22 saves between Lakewood and Reading last year...... RHP Phillippe Aumont, RHP J.C. Ramirez, OF Tyson Gilles are all prospects obtained from Seattle in the Cliff Lee deal. All three are starting the 2010 season at Reading.

Veterans to Watch: Andy Tracy is back for a third year with the IronPigs, ranking among the top three active minor leaguers in home runs...... Cody Ransom has 20 or more homers in three of the last four seasons...... Chris Duffy was the starting Opening Day center fielder for Pittsburgh in 2006 and 2007...... Nate Bump is a former 1st round pick of the Giants. He has pitched well since missing the 2007 season with a shoulder injury...... OF Rich Thompson has 51 steals over the last two seasons for the IronPigs...... Brian Mazone is 27-23 with a 3.15 ERA in the IL since 2006.

Items of Interest: The IronPigs have never been over .500 in franchise history...... The Triple-A All-Star Game is coming to Coca-Cola Park. The Game takes place on Wednesday, July 14...... Lehigh Valley is one of the top-drawing teams in Minor League Baseball. Over 1.2 million have attended IronPigs games in the franchise's first two seasons.

2010 International League Preview - North Division

PAWTUCKET RED SOX

www.PawSox.comAffiliate: Boston Red Sox

Year in IL (Pawtucket, RI): 38th Record: 2,577-2,671

Governors' Cups: 2Last Cup: 1984

2009 Finish: 61-82, 5th in North (-21.0)

Manager: Torey Lovullo (1st year in Pawtucket)

Coaches: Gerald Perry (1st year), Rich Sauveur (3rd year)

Ballpark: McCoy Stadium (10,031)

Probable Starters: 1B - Aaron Bates; 2B - Jeff Natale; SS - Angel Chavez;

3B - Christian Colonel; C - Mark Wagner; LF Josh Reddick; CF - Bubba Bell;

RF - Darnell McDonald; DH - Brett Harper.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Michael Bowden, RH Junichi Tazawa, RH Adam Mills,

LH Fabio Castro, LH Felix Doubront. Relievers - LH Dustin Richardson, RH Fernando Cabrera,

RH Randor Bierd, RH T.J. Large, RH Jorge Sosa.

Strengths of the Club: The PawSox biggest strength heading into the 2010 season is the pitching staff.

Weaknesses of the Club: Potential left fielder Josh Reddick could make the Boston roster. That situation, along with the development of Aaron Bates, will go a long way towards determining whether or not the PawSox have a legitimate power threat in their lineup this season.

Top Prospects: 23-year-old right-hander Junichi Tazawa pitched for Portland, Pawtucket, and Boston last season. With Portland he was 9-5 with a 2.57 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 18 starts. Between Portland and Pawtucket, he only walked 27 in 109 1/3 innings...... 22-year-old lefty Felix Doubront has fanned 239 and walked 80 in 250 1/3 innings over the last two seasons in the minors. He allowed zero runs while pitching seven innings for Boston in exhibition games...... Dustin Richardson, another lefty, split last season between Portland and Pawtucket. He struck out a combined total of 96 batters in 74 innings...... Outfielder Josh Reddick played for Portland, Pawtucket and Boston last season and is rated by some scouts as a five-tool player. He hit his first two Major League home runs when he made a brief appearance with Boston.

Other Organizational Prospects: Other Boston Red Sox prospects who could reach the Triple-A ranks this season include OF Ryan Kalish, C Luis Exposito, RHP Casey Kelly, and 1B Lars Anderson.

Veterans to Watch: Reliever Fernando Cabrera led Pawtucket last season with 22 saves and posted a 1.78 ERA...... Pitcher Michael Bowden made "cameo" appearances for Boston each of the last two seasons and could be at the top of the list if the Red Sox need help in their starting rotation or the bullpen...... Outfielder Darnell McDonald split last season between Louisville and Cincinnati. With the Bats he hit .314 with nine homers and 40 RBI. McDonald can play all three outfield positions.

Items of Interest: Pawtucket will unveil a state-of-the art, high-definition Lighthouse Video Board that will be 22' high by 38' in length and will be more than twice the size of the old board it will replace at McCoy Stadium. It will be one of the largest in all of Minor League Baseball and will rival those in Major League parks...... For the second straight year, Pawtucket will sponsor a Kids Eat Free initiative at McCoy Stadium which will provide youngsters 12 and under a free hot dog, soda and bag of chips...... Daisuke Matsuzaka, who didn't pitch in an exhibition game for Boston until March 25, could make a rehab start when Pawtucket opens its season on April 8 at McCoy Stadium...... 2010 will mark the 40th year that Boston and Pawtucket have been affiliated.

ROCHESTER RED WINGS

www.RedWingsBaseball.comAffiliate: Minnesota Twins

Year in IL (Rochester, NY): 123rd Record: 9,022-8,584

Governors' Cups: 10Last Cup: 1997

2009 Finish: 70-74, 4th in North (-12.5)

Manager: Tom Nieto (1st year in Rochester)

Coaches: Bobby Cuellar (2nd year), Floyd Rayford (1st year)

Ballpark: Frontier Field (10,840)

Probable Starters: 1B - Brock Peterson; 2B - Matt Tolbert; SS - Trevor Plouffe;

3B - Danny Valencia; C - Wilson Ramos; LF - Charlton Jimerson; CF - Dustin Martin;

RF - Jacque Jones; DH - Luke Hughes.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Anthony Swarzak, RH Jeff Manship, LH Mike Maroth,

LH Glen Perkins, LH Ryan Mullins (or RH Cole Devries). Relievers - RH Anthony Slama,

RH Alex Burnett, RH Rob Delaney, LH Jose Lugo, RH Tim Lahey, RH Chris Province.

Strengths of the Club: The front end of the rotation is strong, led by right-hander Anthony Swarzak. Swarzak posted a 3.28 ERA in 13 starts for Rochester in 2009...... Danny Valencia is one of the top prospects in the IL. He was chosen by Minnesota in the 19th round of the 2006 draft out of the University of Miami......Jacque Jones could add leadership to a young team.

Weaknesses of the Club: The bullpen is unproven...... There is not a lot of power in the lineup.

Top Prospects: Danny Valencia is considered the future third baseman of the Minnesota Twins. He spent the first two months of 2009 with Double-A New Britain (.284-7-29) and hit .286-7-41 in 71 games for the Red Wings. He's a career .299 hitter in four Minor League seasons......

Wilson Ramos makes his Triple-A debut this season. He hit .317 in 54 games for New Britain last year but was sidelined much of the season with injuries...... Anthony Swarzak was the Twins' 2nd-round draft pick in 2004. He made his big-league debut last season (3-7, 6.25 ERA) and will fine-tune his game in Triple-A. He is 45-36 with a 3.56 ERA in the minors...... Anthony Slama saved 25 games for Fort Myers in 2008 and 25 for New Britain in 2009. He appeared in 11 games for Rochester last year and saved four.

Other Organizational Prospects: There's a chance Red Wings fans could see super prospect Ben Revere before the year is out. The outfielder has a .337 batting average in parts of three Minor League seasons, including .379 at Single-A Beloit in 2008.

Veterans to Watch: Jacque Jones will try to revive his career with the Red Wings. The outfielder, who turns 35 in April, spent seven of his 10 big league seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Rochester's current parent club. He hit more than 20 home runs four times. Jones played 28 games last year with the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League...... Charlton Jimerson has played in the Major Leagues with Houston and Seattle. Last year, he hit .335 with 21 home runs and 62 RBI for the Newark Bears...... Mike Maroth went 9-21 for the horrid 2003 Detroit Tigers and is the last big league pitcher to lose 20 games.

Items of Interest: The Red Wings had produced six straight winning seasons under the Minnesota Twins until finishing 70-74 last year. Rochester has a record 10 Governors' Cup titles but has not won one since 1997, the longest drought in team history...... Former big league catcher Tom Nieto moves up from Double-A New Britain and replaces Stan Cliburn as manager. Cliburn held the post from 2006-2009...... On Aug. 13, Red Wings legend Joe Altobelli will be honored with a bronze, life-sized statue to be exhibited inside the gates at Frontier Field. "Mr. Baseball" in Rochester played first base for the Red Wings from 1963-66, managed the team from 1971-76, was general manager from 1991-94 and the radio color analyst from 1998-2008. His 1971 team won the Junior World Series led by Bobby Grich and Don Baylor and is considered one of the greatest Minor League teams of all time.

2010 International League Preview - North Division

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE YANKEES

www.SWBYankees.comAffiliate: New York Yankees

Year in IL (Scranton/WB, PA): 22nd Record: 1,558-1,443

Governors' Cups: 1Last Cup: 2008

2009 Finish: 81-60, North Champs, lost to DUR in Finals

Manager: Dave Miley (4th year in Scranton/WB)

Coaches: Scott Aldred (2), Aaron Ledesma (2), Butch Wynegar (4)

Ballpark: PNC Field (10,310)

Probable Starters: 1B - Juan Miranda; 2B - Reegie Corona; SS - Eduardo Nunez;

3B - Kevin Russo; C - Jesus Montero; LF - Jon Weber; CF - Greg Golson;

RF - Reid Gorecki; DH - Colin Curtis.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Zach McAllister, RH Ivan Nova, RH Jason Hirsh,

RH Dustin Moseley, RH Romulo Sanchez. Relievers - RH Mark Melancon, RH Kevin Whelan, RH Eric Wordekemper, RH Ryan Zink, LH Kei Igawa.

Strengths of the Club: Pitching depth is a strength, with starters like Zach McAllister and Ivan Nova, plus a cast of relievers led by Mark Melancon...... Another strength is catching, with Jesus Montero making a push for the big leagues and Austin Romine (the organization's second-best prospect) waiting right behind him in Double-A Trenton...... Defense will be strong, especially in the outfield where center fielder Golson is so fast it's said he can cover two positions at once.

Weaknesses of the Club: There is a lack of power compared to previous years, especially after the loss of Shelly Duncan through free agency...... Also, the infield will be untested with new faces Eduardo Nunez and Reegie Corona part of the everyday lineup. Plus Kevin Russo will be making the move from second to third base.

Top Prospects: A 20-year-old native of Venezuela, C Jesus Montero (rated as New York's top prospect) is being groomed as the successor to Jorge Posada. He hit a combined 17 homers with 70 RBI between Single-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton last season, and carries a .325 minor league batting average through three pro seasons. He has made tremendous improvement defensively, which had been his weakness...... RHP Mark Melancon is a 25-year-old late-inning relief specialist who's being groomed to eventually succeed Mariano Rivera. Melancon received his first taste of the major leagues last year. The power pitcher made 13 appearances going 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings for New York, and was 4-0 with a career-high three saves and a 2.89 ERA for Scranton/WB..... 1B Juan Miranda is 26. For the second straight season in 2009, the left-handed power hitter made the most of a late-season call to New York, where he hit .333 in eight games and walloped his first big league homer. Miranda's been a big bat in Scranton/WB's lineup for the past two seasons. His batting average has remained around the .290 mark at Triple-A, where he has 31 homers and 134 RBI..... Gritty 25-year-old infielder Kevin Russo was added to New York's 40-man roster after batting .326 with 25 extra-base hits, 51 runs scored and 31 RBI in his first Triple-A season last season. He'll make the shift this year from second base to third, his more natural position.

Other Organizational Prospects: Other prospects within the organization likely to reach the Triple-A level include RHP Adam Olbrychowski, OF Dan Brewer, and LHP Wilkin De La Rosa.

Veterans to Watch: Kei Igawa, the winningest pitcher in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise history, shifts this season from the starting rotation to the bullpen, where the lefty will likely be best suited to help New York...... After offseason shoulder surgery, RHP George Kontos tries to reclaim the form that helped him have some success after a mid-season promotion in 2009. He went 3-4 with a 3.35 ERA in nine starts for Scranton/WB during his first taste of Triple-A.

Items of Interest: The SWB Yankees received bad news this week when they learned projected starting pitcher Alan Horne will be lost for the season after tearing his rotator cuff.

SYRACUSE CHIEFS

www.SyracuseChiefs.comAffiliate: Washington Nationals

Year in IL (Syracuse, NY): 96th Record: 6,435-6,971

Governors' Cups: 8Last Cup: 1976

2009 Finish: 76-68, 2nd in North (-6.5)

Manager: Trent Jewett (1st year in Syracuse)

Coaches: Greg Booker (1st year), Jerry Browne (1st year)

Ballpark: Alliance Bank Stadium (11,071)

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Probable Starters: 1B - Josh Whitesell; 2B - Seth Bynum; SS - Alberto Gonzalez;

3B - Pete Orr; C - Jamie Burke; LF - Jerry Owens; CF - Justin Maxwell;

RF - Mike Daniel; DH - Chris Duncan.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Collin Balester, RH Brad Meyers, LH Matt Chico,

RH Shairon Martis, RH Luis Atilano, RH J.D. Martin. Relievers - LH Doug Slaten,

LH Jesse English, LH Atahualpa Severino, RH Rafael Martin, RH Josh Wilkie,

RH Andrew Kown.

Strengths of the Club: Offensively, the Chiefs are a pretty experienced bunch. In their projected Opening Day lineup, all but Seth Bynum and Mike Daniel have spent significant time in the Major Leagues. Bynum was an International League Postseason All-Star in 2009.

Weaknesses of the Club: Pitching, specifically the bullpen, is a different story. Of the pitchers who make up the projected relievers for Syracuse, only Doug Slaten has any Major League experience.

Top Prospects: OF Justin Maxwell made his Triple-A debut last season and hit .242 with 13 homers and 42 RBI. He also hit .247 in 40 games with the Nationals. He went 0-16 in seven May games with Washington, but rebounded to hit .306 when recalled again in September. The 26-year-old Maxwell has seen injuries disrupt four of his last six seasons...... OF Mike Daniel made his first Triple-A appearance last August and ended up hitting .279 in 11 games with the Chiefs. Daniel was selected in the 7th round of the 2005 draft out of the University of North Carolina.

Other Organizational Prospects: RHP Stephen Strasburg will open the season with Double-A Harrisburg. He has been called a "once in a generation talent". He was selected by Washington as the first pick of the 2009 draft...... RHP Drew Storen figures to be a closer or set-up man in the future for the Nationals. Also taken by Washington in the first round last year, Storen reached Double-A and allowed no runs on three hits while saving 9 games in 10 appearances for Harrisburg.

Veterans to Watch: Utility infielder Pete Orr is in his third season with the Nationals. He played in 120 games for the Chiefs last season before going on to hit .253 in 27 games with Washington in August and September...... 1B Josh Whitesell is a power hitter who has collected at least 16 home runs in every season between 2004 and 2008. After two years with the Diamondbacks, Whitesell makes his return to the organization that drafted him (Expos chose him in the 6th round of the 2003 draft out of Loyola Marymount.

Items of Interest: 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of community ownership for the Chiefs. The team will be celebrating the past 50 years throughout the season with several special events. In March the Chiefs unveiled a logo that will be used by the team during the celebration. The logo, a combination of a headdress and the current train logo symbolizes the transformation from old to new in Syracuse. In the late 1950's, a group of local businessman organized a stock drive to purchase the International League's Montreal franchise and relocate it to Syracuse for the 1961 season. The Community Baseball Club of Central New York has operated the franchise in every season since.

2010 International League Preview - West Division

COLUMBUS CLIPPERS

www.ClippersBaseball.comAffiliate: Cleveland Indians

Year in IL (Columbus, OH): 50th Record: 3,699-3,367

Governors' Cups: 7Last Cup: 1996

2009 Finish: 57-85, 4th in West (-27.0)

Manager: Mike Sarbaugh (1st year in Columbus)

Coaches: Lee May, Jr. (1st year), Charles Nagy (1st year)

Ballpark: Huntington Park (10,100)

Probable Starters: 1B - Wes Hodges; 2B - Brian Bixler; SS - Jason Donald;

3B - Brian Buscher; C - Carlos Santana; LF - Stephen Head; CF - Jose Constanza;

RF - Shelley Duncan; DH - Chris Gimenez.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Hector Rondon, RH Jeanmar Gomez, RH Yohan Pino,

LH Scott Lewis, LH Jeremy Sowers, RH Carlos Carrasco (or LH David Huff).

Relievers - RH Jess Todd, RH Josh Judy, RH Frank Hermann, LH Mike Gosling, RH Josh Tomlin.

Strengths of the Club: The Clippers should be among the best hitting teams in the League with the lineup bolstered by the additions of the veteran Shelley Duncan with top prospect Carlos Santana...... The starting rotation is younger than a year ago and has more upside.

Weaknesses of the Club: There is not much speed in the lineup besides Jose Constanza. That could change if either Michael Brantley or Trevor Crowe, both Clippers from 2009, are late cuts on the Indians spring roster...... The team's bullpen does not have much experience at the Triple-A level.

Top Prospects: Carlos Santana is a switch-hitting catcher. He was the Double-A Eastern League's Most Valuable Player in 2009 and the Cleveland organization's top prospect heading into 2010......RHP Jeanmar Gomez was the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year in 2009...... Carlos Carrasco (if he doesn't make the big team) had a good spring and is in the short-term plans of the Cleveland Indians.

Other Organizational Prospects: Lonnie Chisenhall is considered one of the top third base prospects in all of Minor League Baseball. At 22 years of age, he'll open the season as one of the youngest players in the Double-A Eastern League...... OF Nick Weglarz endured a disappointing season in 2009 with Double-A Akron, hitting just .227 while playing with an injured back. He will return to Akron to open 2010...... 1B Brad Mills was a first round draft pick of the Indians back in 2007. His father Brad is the current skipper of the Houston Astros......RHP Zach Putnam went 4-2 with a 4.13 ERA between Kinston and Akron last year.

Veterans to Watch: Last season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Shelley Duncan was the International League's Most Valuable Player. Duncan led the League in home runs and RBI...... Jordan Brown was the International League's batting champion with the Clippers in 2009. He suffered a knee injury in March and is expected to join the Clippers in late April or early May...... Austin Kearns (if he doesn't make the Tribe) could see time in Columbus. Kearns is a former starting outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals......Russell Branyan will open the season with the Clippers on an injury rehab (back) and will DH and play first base. Branyan hit 31 home runs for the Seattle Mariners last season.

Items of Interest: It is the second season of baseball at Huntington Park, which led the International League with an attendance of 666,797 in the inaugural 2009 campaign...... Mike Sarbaugh takes over as manager, replacing Torey Lovullo who is now managing Pawtucket. Sarbaugh guided Cleveland's Double-A affiliate in Akron to an 83-59 record and the Eastern League championship in 2009.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS

www.IndyIndians.comAffiliate: Pittsburgh Pirates

Year in IL (Indianapolis, IN): 14th Record: 943-930

Governors' Cups: 2Last Cup: 2000

2009 Finish: 70-73, 3rd in West (-14.5)

Manager: Frank Kremblas (2nd year in Indianapolis)

Coaches: Jeff Branson (2nd year), Dean Treanor (1st year)

Ballpark: Victory Field (15,500)

Probable Starters: 1B - Steve Pearce; 2B - Brian Friday; SS - Argenis Diaz;

3B - Pedro Alvarez; C - Jason Jaramillo; LF - Brandon Jones; CF - Jose Tabata;

RF - Neil Walker; DH - Brian Myrow.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Brad Lincoln, RH Kevin Hart, LH Donnie Veal,

RH Chris Jakubauskas, RH Virgil Vasquez. Relievers - RH Steven Jackson, RH Jeff Karstens, RH Brian Bass, RH Jeremy Powell, RH Vinnie Chulk, RH Jean Machi, LH Justin Thomas.

Strengths of the Club: The club will have some intriguing arms at the top of its rotation, led by Lincoln. Veal is a power-throwing lefty that is returning to a starting role after pitching in relief with the Pirates last year. Hart also has notable upside, though he'll have to show much improved control to match his potential...... The bullpen should also be fairly formidable, with a number of members having Major League experience under their belts.

Weaknesses of the Club: The Indians don't have much speed, so don't expect to see any stolen base records falling in Indianapolis this summer. They days of watching Nyjer Morgan and Andrew McCutchen running all around the basepaths are over.

Top Prospects: Pedro Alvarez, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft, will arrive in Triple-A after splitting the '09 season between high-A and Double-A last year. Alvarez combined to hit .288 with 32 doubles, 27 homers and 95 RBI last season, his first in professional ball. He was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year. Alvarez is expected to be in Pittsburgh sometime during the summer...... Brad Lincoln finished 2009 with the Indians and went 6-2 with a 4.70 ERA in 12 starts. He started the season by posting a 2.28 ERA in 13 Double-A starts. The 2006 first-round pick is likely to be in the Pirates' rotation before the end of the season. The Pirates really want Lincoln to focus on his changeup, which they believe will make him a solid Major League starter...... 21-year-old OF Jose Tabata is also expected to be in the Majors at some point in 2010. He will move around all three outfield positions since he likely won't be playing center field in Pittsburgh. Tabata played his final 32 games last year in Indianapolis and hit .276 with 11 extra-base hits and 10 RBI. Tabata has been in the organization since 2008, when the Pirates acquired him in a six-player trade with the Yankees.

Other Organizational Prospects: Other Pirates prospects who could reach Triple-A this season include Tim Alderson, OF Gorkys Hernandez, and SS Chase d'Arnaud.

Veterans to Watch: Steve Pearce and Neil Walker have combined to play in over 460 games for Indianapolis since 2007. Pearce, a former outfielder, continues his transition to first base this season, while Walker, who has played third base for the Indians for three straight seasons after being drafted as a catcher, will now try his hand at the outfield.

Items of Interest: Howard Kellman, in his 35th season as the "Voice of the Tribe," is expected to call his 5,000th game for the Indians in 2010...... This season will be the Indians' 15th at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis...... For the first time in club history, all 72 home games will be televised live on local television...... Victory Field has added a new digital board on its left field wall. The new board - which is 6½ feet tall by 120 feet wide - will feature interactive videos, advertising, scores, and statistics.

2010 International League Preview - West Division

LOUISVILLE BATS

www.BatsBaseball.comAffiliate: Cincinnati Reds

Year in IL (Louisville, KY): 18th Record: 1,277-1,158

Governors' Cups: 1Last Cup: 2001

2009 Finish: 84-58, West Champs, lost to DUR in First Round

Manager: Rick Sweet (6th year in Louisville)

Coaches: Smokey Garrett (8th year), Ted Power (5th year)

Ballpark: Louisville Slugger Field (13,200)

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Probable Starters: 1B - Yonder Alonso; 2B - Todd Frazier; SS - Chris Valaika/Zach Cozart; 3B - Juan Francisco; C - Corky Miller/Wilkin Castillo; LF - Danny Dorn;

CF - Josh Anderson/Chris Burke; RF - Chris Heisey; DH - Drew Sutton.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Justin Lehr, LH Matt Maloney, LH Ben Jukich, RH Sam LeCure,

RH Mike Leake. Relievers - RH Logan Ondrusek, RH Enerio Del Rosario, RH Kip Wells,

LH Bill Bray.

Strengths of the Club: Though young, the Bats are loaded with top prospects. Said manager Rick Sweet, "The age of this ball club is going to be by far the youngest club I've ever gone into the season with."

Weaknesses of the Club: Louisville's biggest weakness heading into the season is inexperience at the Triple-A level.

Top Prospects: 1B Yonder Alonso was a Florida State League All-Star in 2009. He was selected by the Reds in the 1st round (7th pick overall) of the 2008 draft. He joined the Bats during last year's Governors' Cup playoffs, getting five hits including a homer in the first round against Durham......INF Zach Cozart was a Southern League All-Star in 2009, after being named a Baseball America Class-A All-Star in 2008. He was a 2nd round pick for the Reds in 2007...... 3B Juan Francisco has been the organization's Minor League Hitter of the Year for two straight seasons. He batted .359 with 5 HR and 19 RBI in 22 games for Louisville in 2009, adding two homers and 5 RBI in the playoffs...... INF/OF Todd Frazier entered the 2010 season rated the organization's No. 1 prospect by Baseball America. In 16 games with Louisville in 2009 he batted .302 (19-63) with 2 home runs and 9 RBI...... OF Chris Heisey received the Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award as the organization's Minor League Player of the Year in 2009. In 63 games with Louisville in 2009 he batted .278 (68-245) with 17 doubles, 9 home runs and

37 RBI....... RHP Mike Leake was selected by the Reds in the 1st round 2009 draft. As a junior at Arizona State he was named the 2009 National Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association...... LHP Matt Maloney started 22 games last year for Louisville and compiled a 9-9 record with a 3.08 ERA, while striking out 125 and walking only 24.

Other Organizational Prospects: LHP Aroldis Chapman is considered one of the most talented prospects in baseball. According to published reports, on 12/20/08 he threw a pitch that reached 102 miles per hour to break Maels Rodriguez' record for the fastest in Cuban baseball history.

Veterans to Watch: RHP Jon Adkins was Louisville's Co-MVP in 2008, leading all Reds farmhands with 26 saves...... OF Josh Anderson was Richmond's Player of the Year in 2008, as well as an IL All-Star...... INF/OF Chris Burke is one of baseball's most versatile players. He is a Louisville native...... RH Justin Lehr was the 2009 IL Most Valuable Pitcher.

Items of Interest: Last season the Bats finished 84-58 and claimed their second consecutive IL West Division Title. It marked the first time since 1926 a Louisville club won back-to-back division titles, as well as the first time since 1961 a Louisville team won 80 games or more in consecutive seasons......Rick Sweet enters his sixth season in the Reds organization and his 22nd as a minor league manager. In 2009, he became the first skipper in nearly 30 years to earn consecutive IL Manager of the Year honors. He is the winningest manager in Louisville history.

TOLEDO MUD HENS

www.MudHens.comAffiliate: Detroit Tigers

Year in IL (Toledo, OH): 47th Record: 3,078-3,417

Governors' Cups: 3Last Cup: 2006

2009 Finish: 73-70, 2nd in West (-11.5)

Manager: Larry Parrish (8th year in Toledo)

Coaches: Leon Durham (10th year), A.J. Sager (3rd year)

Ballpark: Fifth Third Field (10,300)

Probable Starters: 1B - Jeff Larish; 2B - Will Rhymes; SS - Brent Dlugach; 3B - Kory Casto; C - Robinzon Diaz; LF - Ryan Strieby; CF - Casper Wells; RF - Clete Thomas; DH - Wilkin Ramirez.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Armando Galarraga, RH Ruddy Lugo, LH Ryan Ketchner,

RH Alfredo Figaro, RH Enrique Gonzalez, LH Phil Dumatrait. Relievers - RH Casey Fien,

LH Daniel Schlereth, RH Robbie Weinhardt, RH Josh Rainwater, RH Jay Sborz, RH Zach Simons.

Strengths of the Club: The outfield boasts power, with 20-homer potential in Strieby, Wells, and Ramirez...... The offense also should have speed with Ramirez and Rhymes...... There is depth with the pitching staff, especially the starting rotation...... The infield is filled with experienced veterans, all of whom are above-average on defense.

Weaknesses of the Club: A majority of the outfield prospects have not played above Double-A, so they will need to adjust quickly...... There isn't a lot of depth in the infield...... Many of the bullpen prospects are inexperienced above Double-A and must adapt to a new level.

Top Prospects: LHP Daniel Schlereth came to Detroit in a trade from Arizona. The first-round pick from 2008 was ranked as the fifth-best Tiger prospect by Baseball America...... OF Wilkin Ramirez was the eighth-ranked prospect. Last season he hit .258 with 17 homers, 51 RBI, and

33 stolen bases for the Mud Hens...... Toledo should have several other fine outfield prospects besides Ramirez, including Brennan Boesch, who led the Eastern League in home runs with 28 last season; Ryan Strieby, who had 19 home runs in 86 games for Double-A Erie; and Casper Wells, who hit 15 home runs for the SeaWolves last season...... RHP Robbie Weinhardt, a reliever, led the Arizona Fall League in strikeouts.

Other Organizational Prospects: It's possible that several top prospects may be optioned to Toledo if they struggle in Detroit. The possibilities include OF Austin Jackson (ranked third),

C Alex Avila (ranked sixth), and 2B Scott Sizemore (ranked 10th)...... Most of Detroit's other top prospects will begin the season in Single-A, making a move to Toledo difficult at best early on. Options include RHP Cody Satterwhite, IF Cale Iorg, and IF Audy Ciriaco.

Veterans to Watch: SS Brent Dlugach was an IL Postseason All-Star after hitting .294-9-59 last season...... 1B Jeff Larish hit 21 home runs for the Hens in 2008...... 2B Will Rhymes stole 20 bases for Toledo last year...... The Hens have a veteran catching duo in Robinzon Diaz and Mike Rabelo, both of whom have big league experience...... RHP Ruddy Lugo tied for the IL lead with 13 wins last season...... LHP Phil Dumatrait won 10 games for Louisville in 2007...... RHP Armando Galarraga won 13 games for Detroit in 2008...... RHP Casey Fien led the Hens in saves last season with 14...... 3B Kory Casto hit .271 for Syracuse last season and was once a top prospect for the Nationals.

Items of Interest: Manager Larry Parrish needs only one win to reach 500 for his career in Toledo. He needs 52 wins to pass Cal Ermer and become Toledo's all-time leader in that category...... Fifth Third Field was changed slightly as the fence in center field was moved in six feet. The new fence is 406 feet from home plate and, more importantly, is just 7 feet tall, allowing outfielders the chance to turn home runs into outs with leaping catches.

2010 International League Preview - South Division

CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS

www.CharlotteKnights.comAffiliate: Chicago White Sox

Year in IL (Charlotte, NC): 18th Record: 1,183-1,237

Governors' Cups: 2Last Cup: 1999

2009 Finish: 67-76, 4th in South (-15.5)

Manager: Chris Chambliss (2nd year in Charlotte)

Coaches: Rich Dotson (3rd year), Gary Ward (2nd year)

Ballpark: Knights Stadium (10,002)

Probable Starters: 1B - Dayan Viciedo; 2B - C.J. Retherford; SS - Brent Lillibridge;

3B - Keith Ginter; C - Tyler Flowers; LF - Josh Kroeger; CF - Jordan Danks;

RF - Stefan Gartrell; DH - Miguel Negron.

Key Pitchers: Starters - LH Wes Whisler, RH Daniel Hudson, RH Lucas Harrell,

RH Carlos Torres, RH Jeff Marquez. Relievers - RH Jhonny Nunez, RH Brian Omogrosso,

RH Justin Cassel, LH Erik Threets.

Strengths of the Club: Starting pitching appears to be Charlotte's biggest strength. Daniel Hudson is the organization's top pitching prospect. He reached the majors last season in his first year of pro ball. Carlos Torres led the International League with a 2.39 ERA for Charlotte last season, earning him a pair of promotions to the White Sox. Wes Whisler was a 10-game winner on the heels of collecting 12 wins for the Knights in 2008. Last year for Charlotte Lucas Harrell enjoyed his first healthy season since 2005. While no longer considered a top prospect by the White Sox, he is being given ample opportunity to change the organization's thinking with a great season for the Knights.

Weaknesses of the Club: There is a lack of experience in the batting order. Jordan Danks and Dayan Viciedo might be the two players who can make or break this team. Neither has played at the Triple-A level. Viciedo has played primarily third base, but is now learning first base.

Top Prospects: Charlotte should have four of the White Sox organization's top seven prospects to start the season. C Tyler Flowers hit .297 with 15 homers between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte last season...... RHP Daniel Hudson was 10-1 with a 2.27 ERA in 20 games across three levels of the farm system in 2009...... OF Jordan Danks hit .266 and scored 75 runs between Class-A and Double-A......1B/3B Dayan Viciedo was a .280 hitter with 12 home runs and 78 RBI with Birmingham last season.

Other Organizational Prospects: RHP Clevelan Santeliz went 4-0 with a 0.96 ERA and saved 10 games at Double-A in 2009...... 3B Brent Morel is also consistently rated among the franchise's top ten prospects. Morel hit .281 and crushed 16 home runs with 79 RBI for Class-A Winston-Salem.

Veterans to Watch: OF Josh Kroeger hit 17 homers last season for the Knights. He is beginning his seventh season at the Triple-A level...... 3B Keith Ginter has spent parts of six seasons in the majors with Houston, Milwaukee, and Oakland. He is able to play second base as well. This will be his fourth consecutive season in the International League...... Brent Lillibridge made his big league debut with Atlanta as a shortstop. The White Sox are remaking him into a utility player. He played second base, third base, and center field for the Knights last season.

Items of Interest: The first major league exhibition game in Charlotte in nine years will take place on April 1 at Knights Stadium. Jake Peavy is expected to start for the White Sox as they take on the Knights...... Having signed a four-year lease extension to continue playing at Knights Stadium, the club plans to renovate the ballpark this season. Plans include expanding the picnic area to the field level on the third base side and increasing the size of the party deck on the right field concourse.

DURHAM BULLS

www.DurhamBulls.comAffiliate: Tampa Bay Rays

Year in IL (Durham, NC): 13th Record: 914-805

Governors' Cups: 3Last Cup: 2009

2009 Finish: 83-61, South Champs, def. LOU, SWB for Gov. Cup

Manager: Charlie Montoyo (4th year in Durham)

Coaches: Xavier Hernandez (4th year), Dave Myers (2nd year)

Ballpark: Durham Bulls Athletic Park (10,000)

Probable Starters: 1B - Chris Richard; 2B - Elliot Johnson; SS - Reid Brignac;

3B - Joe Dillon/Angel Chavez; C - John Jaso; LF - Fernando Perez; CF - Desmond Jennings; RF - Justin Ruggiano; DH - Dan Johnson.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Jeremy Hellickson, LH Carlos Hernandez, RH Jeff Bennett,

LH Heath Phillips, LH Jason Cromer. Relievers - RH Winston Abreu, RH Joe Bateman,

RH Dale Thayer.

Strengths of the Club: The Bulls will have a lot of speed at the top of the lineup, particularly if Fernando Perez, Desmond Jennings, and Justin Ruggiano are on the club together and in the first three spots in the batting order...... There should be positive team chemistry with so many veterans returning along with manager Charlie Montoyo and his coaching staff...... The Bulls will also have a very solid bullpen.

Weaknesses of the Club: There are some question marks with the starting rotation...... There are also health concerns in the Rays organization heading into the season. There have been at least nine key injuries during spring training.

Top Prospects: OF Desmond Jennings was named the Rays Minor League Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player of the Double-A Southern League in 2009. Heading into this season, he was dubbed Tampa Bay's top prospect and the No. 6 prospect in baseball by Baseball America...... The same publication rates RHP Jeremy Hellickson as the organization's top pitching prospect and No. 18 prospect overall in the game...... SS Reid Brignac, named the Rays' No. 5 prospect and best defensive infielder by Baseball America), returns to the International League where he was an All-Star in 2009.

Other Organizational Prospects: Other prospects who could reach Triple-A this year in the Tampa Bay organization include several talented players. LHP Jake McGee (Baseball America's No. 8 Rays prospect) owns a 3.53 ERA through his first 109 starts in the Minor Leagues...... LHP Alex Torres (No. 9) won 13 games last season combined between Class-A and

Double-A...... 1B Matt Sweeney is ranked as the system's best power hitter by Baseball America. Before suffering an injury in 2008, Sweeney tore up the Class-A Midwest League by hitting 18 homers with 72 RBI in 2007.

Veterans to Watch: It will be interesting to see how OF Fernando Perez responds after an injury-plagued 2009 campaign...... INF Elliot Johnson, likewise, endured an injury-hampered 2009 season. Will he be able to consistently hit for average?

Items of Interest: Durham has been the International League's winningest team since getting the expansion franchise in 1998...... The Bulls are the defending Triple-A Baseball National Champions, and have played in the Governors' Cup Finals each of the three years since Charlie Montoyo became manager...... The club is in the first year of a three-year contract sharing the park with Duke University's improving baseball team, and the park will host a USA vs. Korea collegiate series in July......The Bulls will play their first game at historic Durham Athletic Park on May 10 against the Toledo Mud Hens.

2010 International League Preview - South Division

GWINNETT BRAVES

www.GwinnettBraves.comAffiliate: Atlanta Braves

Year in IL (Lawrenceville, GA): 2nd Record: 81-63

Governors' Cups: 0

2009 Finish: 83-61, Wild Card, lost to SWB in First Round

Manager: Dave Brundage (2nd year in Gwinnett)

Coaches: Derek Bothelo (2nd year), Jamie Dismuke (2nd year)

Ballpark: Coolray Field (10,427)

Probable Starters: 1B - Barbaro Canizares; 2B - J.C. Holt; SS - Brandon Hicks;

3B - Wes Timmons; C - Clint Sammons; LF - Matt Young, CF - Gregor Blanco;

RF - Brent Clevlen; DH - Mitch Jones.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Todd Redmond, RH James Parr, LH Scott Diamond,

RH Kyle Cofield, RH Ryne Reynoso. Relievers - RH Craig Kimbrel, LH Mariano Gomez,

LH Mike Dunn, RH Jeff Lyman, RH Vladimir Nunez. RH Luis Valdez, who led the IL last year with 27 saves, is still home in the Dominican Republic because of visa problems. He is expected to miss at least the first month of the season.

Strengths of the Club: The bullpen again looks strong even without Valdez to start the season and the team should be better offensively with the addition of Jones, who hit 35 homers last season for Albuquerque. A key will be how quickly CF Jordan Schafer and SS Diory Hernandez get into the lineup. Schafer is recovering from wrist surgery and Hernandez from shoulder surgery.

Weaknesses of the Club: The rotation, the team's strength at the start of last season, goes into 2010 as a question mark. Three of the potential starters are up from Double-A and none are considered prime prospects.

Top Prospects: RHP Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta's closer of the future, is making a bid to stick in Atlanta...... RF Jason Heyward, who played three games for Gwinnett towards the end of spring training, made it impossible this spring for the Braves to send him back to the minors. He will be opening the season with Atlanta.

Other Organizational Prospects: 1B Freddie Freeman may start the season at Double-A Mississippi, but he is sure to make it to Gwinnett by mid-season. He may be Atlanta's first baseman as soon as 2011.

Veterans to Watch: 3B/2B Joe Thurston, who spent all last season with St. Louis, was battling Brooks Conrad for the final roster spot in Atlanta. It is likely one or the other will open the year with the G-Braves...... C/1B J.R. House, who has MLB time with Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Houston, was signed as a free agent, as was former New York Yankees first-round pick (and former SWB Yankee) 3B/1B Eric Duncan and 2B/SS Luis Bolivar, who played at Louisville last year...... 1B/DH Barbaro Canizares has been an All-Star in the International League in each of the last two seasons. In 2009 he was 3rd in the League with 149 hits, 4th with 79 RBI, and 6th with 130 games played.

Items of Interest: North Johnson takes over as General Manager, replacing Bruce Baldwin, who retired after a tenure of 23 seasons with the organization. Johnson arrives from Myrtle Beach of the Carolina League. Previous to Myrtle Beach he was General Manager of Kinston in the Carolina League and Rancho Cucamonga in the California League...... The home of the Gwinnett Braves, formerly known as Gwinnett Stadium, is now known as Coolray Field. Coolray Heating and Cooling signed a 16-year agreement with the Braves.

NORFOLK TIDES

www.NorfolkTides.comAffiliate: Baltimore Orioles

Year in IL (Norfolk, VA): 42nd Record: 2,975-2,813

Governors' Cups: 5Last Cup: 1985

2009 Finish: 71-71, 3rd in South (-11.0)

Manager: Gary Allenson (4th year in Norfolk)

Coaches: Mike Griffin (2nd year), Richie Hebner (1st year)

Ballpark: Harbor Park (12,067)

Probable Starters: 1B - Brandon Snyder; 2B - Justin Turner; SS - Blake Davis;

3B - Josh Bell; C - Adam Donachie; LF - Jeff Salazar; CF - Joey Gathright;

RF - Lou Montanez; DH - Scott Moore.

Key Pitchers: Starters - RH Chris Tillman, RH Jake Arrieta, LH Troy Patton,

RH Brandon Erbe, RH Alfredo Simon. Relievers - RH Kam Mickolio, RH Jim Miller,

RH Ross Wolf, LH Alberto Castillo, RH Dennis Sarfate, RH Andy Mitchell.

Strengths of the Club: Four pitchers in the likely rotation have success at Triple-A. Combined with the young infield of Bell (23), Snyder (23), Turner (25) and Davis (26), Norfolk should have a solid nucleus of young talent eager to prove themselves worthy of a call to Baltimore. The Tides bullpen has a lot of experience, as Jim Miller (30 career saves with Norfolk), Andy Mitchell (31 career wins with Norfolk) and Alberto Castillo (2.53 ERA and 17 saves in two seasons with Norfolk) should be solid. The Orioles don't have as many openings, meaning young prospects such as Bell, Arrieta, and Snyder should get more time to hone their skills in Norfolk.

Weaknesses of the Club: CF Jeff Salazar is the only regular who swiped more than 10 bases a year ago (16), although potential backup Jonathan Tucker did steal 34 bases with Bowie...... Gary Allenson will juggle playing time between Josh Bell, Brandon Snyder, Scott Moore, Rhyne Hughes and Michael Aubrey. Moore, Hughes and Aubrey might have to learn to play outfield.

Top Prospects: The Tides should open the season with five of the top eight prospects in the Baltimore system according to Baseball America, a list which does not include RHP Chris Tillman...... Switch-hitting third baseman Josh Bell is the #2 prospect in the organization after he came to the Orioles in a 2009 deadline deal that sent George Sherrill to the Dodgers. Bell combined for 20 HR, 35 2B and 76 RBI between Double-A Chattanooga and Bowie last season...... #4 is starting pitcher Jake Arrieta, who led all Orioles minor leaguers with 148 SO while tying for 1st with 11 victories between Bowie and Norfolk last season...... 1B Brandon Snyder is the #6 prospect after he ranked among the leading minor leaguers in RBI (2nd, 88), home runs (T-2nd, 12) and average (.289) last season. Snyder was impressive in the Arizona Fall League, (.354 with three home runs and 18 RBI in 17 games).

Other Organizational Prospects: Pitcher Zach Britton (#3) and catcher Caleb Joseph (#10) could force their way to Norfolk with strong performances in Bowie.

Veterans to Watch: OF Lou Montanez will most likely open the season in Norfolk despite the fact hitting safely in each of his past 35 minor league games. Montanez (who won the 2008 Eastern League Triple Crown) suffered a thumb injury in 2009 after he was promoted to Baltimore in April...... Another player coming off a thumb injury is Scott Moore, who slugged 7 HR in just 32 G for Norfolk last season...... Speedster Jeff Salazar will man the outfield at Harbor Park after he hit .270 and stole 16 bases for Indianapolis in 2009.

Items of Interest: With 31 wins in Norfolk, Andy Mitchell enters the season eight shy of tying the franchise mark of 39 wins (Roy Lee Jackson)...... Jim Miller has amassed 31 saves in three seasons with the Tides, a mark that ranks him 6th on the franchise list (Derek Wallace tops the list with 49 saves)...... Manager Gary Allenson has 924 career wins as a minor league skipper.

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International League Stories from April 1, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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