Champs Roster Taking Shape Former Outfielder To Fill A Gap, Ace Inks Extension
April 6, 2010 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Amarillo Dillas News Release
AMARILLO, TX - The Amarillo Dillas Baseball Club announced transactions today that include the signing of former Dillas outfielder Stephen Douglas and re-signing of pitcher Ralph Roberts. A familiar face in a familiar place, Douglas was a member of the Dillas 2008 United League championship team and returns to Amarillo after playing in the Frontier League for the Traverse City Beach Bums and Gateway Grizzlies, last year. Roberts will return for his third season in a Dillas uniform but more importantly, this move puts him under contract potentially through the 2011 season.
Douglas, a native of Smyrna Georgia, was originally selected in the 16th round of the 2006 MLB Amateur Draft by the Cleveland Indians out of East Tennessee State University. As a member of the Dillas 2008 championship roster, Douglas appeared in 78 games batting .290 with 13 doubles and 2 triples to go along with 3 home runs while driving in 45 runs in 293 plate appearances. The 6'2 185 pound outfielder returns to Amarillo after a one-year hiatus and is expected to spend time playing both center field and right field in effort to fill the void left behind from the recent trade of Keanon Simon.
"Stephen (Douglas) will give us veteran leadership and provide some stability to our defense", Dillas manager Brady Bogart said. "Depending on how some other aspects of the roster shake-out, it is very possible he could be our everyday centerfielder or rightfielder and having roamed the spacious outfield of our ballpark before it won't take long for him to get back in the saddle".
The career journey for Ralph Roberts has been a highway of promise dating back to his playing days in North Carolina at Cherryville High School. His path would include being drafted on three separate occasions before finally making his professional debut in 2001. In 1998, the Gastonia (NC) native was drafted out of high school in the 27th round by the San Diego Padres after leading Cherryville to the state high school championship. He did not sign with the Padres rather choosing to attend Lenoir Community College (NC) instead, where as a sophomore he would be drafted again this time by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 36th round of the 1999 MLB Amateur Draft.
After two years at Lenoir, Roberts transferred to the University of North Carolina where his first-team all-region and third-team All-American honors gained the attention of the Arizona Diamondbacks, when they selected him in the 32nd round of the 2000 MLB draft but did not sign with Arizona. Roberts, now an unrestricted free agent, would sign with the Atlanta Braves in 2001 eventually making his first professional appearance in the Appalachian League on July 14th, as a member of the Danville Braves. Roberts was released by the Braves following the 2006 season.
In 2007, Roberts pitched one season for the Macon Music (GA) a team in the now defunct South Coast League. Roberts signed with as a free agent with the Dillas in May 2008 and served in the closer role during their first of consecutive championships. Moving into the 2009 season, the lack of starting pitching led Dillas manager Brady Bogart to approach Roberts about taking his talent from the last inning to becoming a starter which is not an easy transition in a short season, such as the Dillas play.
"Ralph was outstanding for us as a closer in 2008 but we needed some depth in the starting rotation last year", Bogart said. "We discussed the idea of switching over to a starter during the off-season so he could arrive to camp mentally and physically prepared for the additional innings of work. It was a slow process at first because we needed to stretch him out a bit, but Ralph is the consummate pro and took on his new role without disappointment".
His professional career spans nine years and in just his second season as a starting pitcher and first with the Dillas, Roberts posted a record of 8-3 striking out 83 batters versus 23 free passes with a 2.42 earned run average while yielding just 31 runs in a little over 96 innings of work, in 14 games started. The transition from bullpen to dugout on off days seemingly was pretty easy based on those stats and for Dillas manager Brady Bogart it couldn't have worked out any better.
"It was great to watch him (Roberts) pitch last year making progress every pitch, every inning", Bogart said. "Coming into camp this year his growth brings tremendous comfort (as the manager) knowing that he will be even more adapt to the starting role, now does that mean the expectations are for him to duplicate last year, no. But it wouldn't surprise me at all if he equals last year's numbers or even improves upon them that's just his makeup".
It's only April 6th but barring any unforeseen circumstance, it is most likely that Roberts will get the opening day nod against rival San Angelo on May 27 and rightfully so, he's earned it.
ULB Opening Day 2010 is Thursday, May 27 when the Dillas travel to San Angelo for a two-game series against the Colts. The reigning United League Champions will open their home schedule Saturday, May 29, when the Colts follow the Dillas back to Amarillo to play a four-game series. Season tickets are still available and single-game tickets officially go on-sale Saturday, May 1st. For more information about season and individual game tickets, game times, promotions, marketing opportunities, full game schedule, and everything else Dillas, visit the "Official Website of the Amarillo Dillas" by logging onto www.myamarillodillas.com.
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