Grizzlies begin building team for title defense
Published on February 23, 2004 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
The Gateway Grizzlies announced today that they have exercised their option on 23 players from last season's championship team. Seven players have committed to the Grizzlies for the 2004 season, including Frontier League and Grizzlies career wins leader Pete Buck, team MVP Tony Coyne, and playoff hero Phil Warren.
Buck, who tied the all-time wins mark in the Frontier League last season with his 26th career victory, has been with the organization since its inception and is the last remaining player from the inaugural 2001 season. Buck, who is in his last season of eligibility in the Frontier League, holds nearly every career pitching record for the Grizzlies.
Coyne will return for his third season with the Gateway Grizzlies, after a standout 2003 campaign. Coyne was named to the Frontier League mid-season and post-season all-star teams. He led the league with 104 hits. He finished fifth in the league with a .313 average. Like Buck, Coyne holds a plethora of Grizzlies career records, including most games played, hits, doubles, triples and extra base hits. Coyne led the team with six RBIs in last season's playoffs.
Warren, a St. Louis native, will begin his second season with the Grizzlies in 2004. Warren led the team with 13 home runs and was second with 56 RBIs. He was also second on the team with a .295 batting average. Warren holds the Grizzlies record for grand slams in a season and a career with two. He also holds the record for most games played in a season appearing in a team-high 86 games. He also shares the Grizzlies record for home runs in a season (13) with Todd Oetting. Warren led all hitters with a .500 batting average during last season's playoffs. He also had a home run and three RBIs.
Also agreeing to terms with the team for the 2004 season were utility player Ryan Sullivan, catcher Wayne Astrauskas, and pitchers Brad Garrett, and Ricky McCool.
No other contracts have been finalized for the 2003 season. Each player who chooses to return to the Grizzlies will participate in spring training, as will any player that is picked up either in the league draft, or in a tryout. Spring training will begin in May, at Sauget Field, where the Grizzlies played the 2001 season.
The Grizzlies will begin their fourth Frontier League season, and defense of their 2003 league championship Friday May 21, on the road at River City. The Grizzlies open their home season May 28 when the Rockford RiverHawks come to town.
Season tickets and mini-plans are currently on sale and are available by calling the Grizzlies at 618-337-3000 or visiting the GMC Stadium box office.
Frontier League Stories from February 23, 2004
- RiverHawks FanFest a Hit - Rockford RiverHawks
- RiverHawks sign ex-Sox farmhand - Rockford RiverHawks
- Kalamazoo Kings back on WQSN in 2004 - Kalamazoo Kings
- Grizzlies begin building team for title defense - Gateway Grizzlies
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