IL1 Indianapolis Indians

Indianapolis Indians 2006 season preview

Published on April 5, 2006 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


Season Opener -- April 6 at Pawtucket ... Home Opener -- April 14 vs. Syracuse

Indianapolis will look to build on its most successful season in five years when the 2006 campaign opens on Thursday at Pawtucket. The season opener, which will be carried by WHMB-TV 40 and ESPN-950 AM, kicks off an eight-game road trip. The home schedule begins Friday, April 14, when the Tribe faces Syracuse.

The 2006 Opening Day roster is expected to have 11 players back from last year's club. The 2005 Tribe posted a 78-66 regular-season record and advanced to the International League Governors' Cup Finals. Manager Trent Jewett and hitting coach Hensley "Bam Bam" Meulens return for their second season with the Indians, while pitching coach Jeff Andrews, trainer Jason Palmer and strength & conditioning coach Mubarak Malik begin their first year with the organization.

INFIELDERS

A handful of familiar faces return to the Indianapolis infield as Jose Bautista, Brad Eldred, Yurendell de Caster and J.J. Furmaniak all spent time with the Tribe a season ago. The list of utility infielders includes Jason Alfaro, Gookie Dawkins and Mike Edwards.

Alfaro spent the 2005 season with Triple-A Syracuse (N.Y.), where he hit .247 with 10 HR and 45 RBI in 105 games. He appeared in 51 contests at third base, 40 at second base, eight at first base and four at third base for the Skychiefs.

Bautista was named Pittsburgh's Minor League Player of the Year after hitting .283 with 23 HR and 90 RBI for Double-A Altoona (Pa.). He added a .255 BA with one dinger and four RBI in 13 games for Indianapolis. Bautista, who was invited to the All-Star Futures Game, was honored as an Eastern League mid-season and post-season All-Star.

Dawkins spent the 2005 campaign with league-champion Toledo, where he hit .242 with 10 HR and 38 RBI in 103 affairs. He appeared in 79 games at shortstop, five in right field, three in left field and one in center field for the Mud Hens.

De Caster played the entire season in Indianapolis, hitting .280 with 11 HR and 61 RBI in 122 games. He won the Tribe's "Most Versatile Player" award after starting at five different positions -- first base (17), second base (10), third base (24), left field (4) and right field (50). In the off-season, de Caster was named Baseball America's Winter League Player of the Year after batting .325 with 17 HR and 47 RBI for Oriente of the Venezuelan League.

Edwards comes to Indianapolis after splitting the 2005 campaign between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Triple-A Las Vegas. He combined to hit .258 with seven HR and 36 RBI in 120 contests.

Eldred returns after splitting time between Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Altoona a season ago. The 6-foot-5, 274-pound slugger combined to hit .267 with 40 HR and 102 RBI. He became just the third player in baseball history to hit 10 or more home runs at three different levels during the same season.

Furmaniak split last year between Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Triple-A Portland (Ore.). He was acquired by the Pirates organization in a July 28 trade that sent C David Ross to San Diego. Furmaniak combined for a .268 BA with 16 HR and 69 RBI. He also hit safely in a career-best 17 straight games (.348 BA, 24-for-69, 7 R, 13 RBI) from Aug. 11-29.

CATCHERS

Two of last year's catchers -- Paul Chiaffredo and Ronny Paulino -- are back for the 2006 campaign.

Chiaffredo hit .207 with seven HR and 21 RBI in 56 games for Indianapolis a season ago.

Paulino batted .292 with six HR and 20 RBI in 43 games for Altoona and a team-best .315 with 13 HR and 42 RBI in 77 games for the Tribe. Paulino, who launched the game-winning dinger in Game 5 of the IL Division Series against Buffalo, represented the Dominican Republic in last month's World Baseball Classic.

Justin Elliott, who comes to Indy after spending the 2005 season with Low-A Hickory (N.C.), is penciled in as the club's No. 3 catcher.

OUTFIELDERS

The Indians should have plenty of speed in the outfield between Rajai Davis, Raul Gonzalez and Ray Sadler.

Davis spent the 2005 campaign with Altoona, setting a franchise record with 45 stolen bases. He added a .281 BA, 82 runs and .351 on-base percentage in 123 games for the Curve. Davis represented the Southern Division in last year's Eastern League All-Star Game.

Gonzalez spent the 2005 season with Triple-A Memphis, where he hit .308 with 14 HR and 50 RBI in 93 games. Gonzalez has played in 348 big league games between Chicago-NL (2000), Cincinnati (2001-02), New York-NL (2002-03) and Cleveland (2004).

Sadler spent time with Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Altoona in 2005, combining to hit .252 with 16 HR and 54 RBI. Sadler batted .259 with 10 HR and 30 RBI in 69 contests for the Indians. He hit .244 with five long balls and 23 RBI in 62 affairs for the Curve.

STARTING PITCHERS

All five of Indianapolis' projected starters have seen action in the Major Leagues.

LHP Sean Burnett missed all of 2005 while recovering from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. The former first-round pick (19th overall) went 5-5 with a 5.02 ERA in 13 starts for Pittsburgh during the 2004 campaign.

RHP Brandon Duckworth, who made seven big league appearances for Houston last season, went 8-6 with a 4.62 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 20 games for Triple-A Round Rock (Texas). Duckworth came up through the Philadelphia organization, making 65 appearances for the Phillies from 2001-03.

LHP Tom Gorzelanny is currently rated by Baseball America as Pittsburgh's No. 3 prospect. Last year, he spent time with Pittsburgh and Indianapolis after playing most of the year in Altoona. Gorzelanny, who combined for an 8-6 record and 3.65 ERA in 26 regular-season contests, started for the Southern Division in the Eastern League All-Star Game.

RHP Britt Reames has appeared in 95 big league showdowns between St. Louis (2000), Montreal (2001-03) and Oakland (2005). He spent the majority of last season with Triple-A Sacramento (Calif.), going 6-6 with a 3.31 ERA in 42 appearances.

RHP Nerio Rodriguez split the 2005 campaign between Triple-A Memphis and Aceros de Monclova. He went 0-3 with a 6.95 ERA in four starts for the Redbirds and 4-1 with a 3.44 ERA in 10 Mexican League starts.

RELIEF PITCHERS

Indianapolis is expected to have plenty of experience in the bullpen.

RHP Terry Adams has appeared in 574 Major League games between Chicago-NL (1995-99), Los Angeles-NL (2000-01) and Philadelphia (2002-05). He split time between Philadelphia and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) in 2005, going 1-2 in 14 games for the Red Barons and 0-2 in 16 affairs for the Phillies.

RHP Jonah Bayliss was acquired by Pittsburgh in a Dec. 7 trade that sent LHP Mark Redman to Kansas City. He split time between Kansas City and Double-A Wichita (Kan.) in 2005, combining to go 1-2 with a 3.15 ERA.

RHP Giovanni Carrara, who pitched for Indianapolis during the 1996, ‘97 and ‘99 seasons as a Cincinnati Reds farmhand, brings five years of Major League experience to the table. He spent last year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, going 7-4 with a 3.93 ERA in 72 outings. Carrara owns Victory Field records for career wins (28) and strikeouts (264).

RHP Ron Chiavacci appeared in 10 games for Indianapolis last season, going 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA. Chiavacci also played for SK Wyverns of the Korean Baseball League, pitching in seven games without allowing a run.

LHP Mike Johnston returns to Indianapolis after going 2-1 with a 2.97 ERA in 52 appearances last season. He also saw action in two big league contests for the Pirates.

RHP Marty McLeary comes to Indianapolis after pitching for Triple-A Portland (Ore.), where he went 5-8 with a 4.75 ERA in 41 appearances. McLeary established a career high with 110 innings pitched in 2005.

LHP C.J. Nitkowski split time between Washington, Indianapolis and Triple-A New Orleans last season, going a combined 4-2 with a 2.83 ERA in 52 games. Nitkowski is a six-year Major League veteran, having spent time with Cincinnati (1995), Detroit (1995-96, 99-01), Houston (1998), New York-NL (2001), Texas (2002-03), New York-AL (2004) and Washington (2005) over the course of 12 years.

RHP Scott Strickland split the 2005 season between Houston, Triple-A Round Rock (Texas), Triple-A Norfolk (Va.) and High-A St. Lucie (Fla.), combining for a 2-3 record and 4.21 ERA in 34 appearances. Strickland has five years of Major League time between Montreal (1999-2002), New York-NL (2002-03) and Houston (2005).

RHP Matt Whiteside is a six-year Major League veteran, having spent time with Texas (1992-97), Philadelphia (1998), San Diego (1999-00), Atlanta (2001) and Toronto (2005). Last season, he spent the majority of the year with Triple-A Syracuse, going 0-4 with a 2.94 ERA in 40 appearances. Whiteside owns 170 career saves -- the most of any active Minor League hurler.

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