Kane County Cougars Homestand Preview: Opening Night Set for Thursday
April 3, 2013 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release
GENEVA, IL - The Kane County Cougars, Class-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, begin the 2013 season with a seven-game homestand beginning tomorrow evening, Thursday April 4th. Homestand highlights include Opening Day festivities on April 4th and the start of the Ozzie's Reading Club Kids Day games. Tickets are available for each game on the upcoming homestand by calling (630) 232-8811 or visiting kccougars.com.
Thursday 4/4 Quad Cities River Bandits (Houston Astros farm team) 6:30 p.m. (gates open at 5:30 p.m.) WBIG 1280 AM (6:15 p.m.)
- Opening Day
- Cougars Opening Day baseball caps for the first 1,500 fans, courtesy of Presence Mercy Medical Center
- Pre-game autograph session with Cougars players
- Introduction of rosters
- National Anthem - Kaneland Harter Middle School (Sugar Grove)
- Color Guard - DuPage County Marines Color Guard
- Fans can run the bases after the game
Friday 4/5 Quad Cities River Bandits 6:30 p.m. (gates open at 5:30 p.m.) WBIG 1280 AM (6:15 p.m.)
- Pre-game Ozzie's Reading Club Parade
- National Anthem - Kennedy Junior High School Chorus (Lisle)
- Fans can run the bases after the game
Saturday 4/6 Quad Cities River Bandits 1 p.m. (gates open at 12 p.m.) WBIG 1280 AM (12:45 p.m.)
- Pre-game Ozzie's Reading Club Parade
- Pre-game autograph session with Cougars players
- National Anthem - Franzen Chorus (Itasca)
- "42"-themed weekend - celebrating the upcoming Jackie Robinson movie
- Take Me Out to the Ballgame - led by Freeman Elementary School (Aurora)
- Fans can run the bases after the game
Sunday 4/7 Quad Cities River Bandits 1 p.m. (gates open at 12 p.m.) WBIG 1280 AM (12:45 p.m.)
- Pre-game Ozzie's Reading Club Parade
- Pre-game autograph session with Cougars players
- National Anthem - Traughber Junior High Acapella Choir (Oswego)
- "42"-themed weekend - celebrating the upcoming Jackie Robinson movie
- Fans can run the bases after the game
Monday 4/8 Clinton LumberKings (Seattle Mariners farm team) 3 p.m. (gates open at 2 p.m.) WBIG 1280 AM (2:45 p.m.)
- Pre-game Ozzie's Reading Club Parade
- National Anthem - TBD
- Fans can run the bases after the game
Tuesday 4/9 Clinton LumberKings 12 p.m. (gates open at 10 a.m.) WBIG 1280 AM (11:45 a.m.)
- Pre-game Ozzie's Reading Club Parade
- Ozzie's Reading Club Kids Day
- High School Sports Business and Marketing Seminars (Naperville North HS, York HS, Stevenson HS, Elk Grove HS, Barrington HS)
- National Anthem - Cowherd Middle School Cougar Band and Choir (Aurora)
- Fans can run the bases after the game
Wednesday 4/10 Clinton LumberKings 11 a.m. (gates open at 9 a.m.) WBIG 1280 AM (10:45 a.m.)
- Pre-game Ozzie's Reading Club Parade
- Ozzie's Reading Club Kids Day
- High School Sports Business and Marketing Seminars (West Chicago HS, Hinsdale South HS, Wauconda HS, Lyons Township HS, Conant HS, Hoffman Estates HS, Schaumburg HS)
- National Anthem - Maple School (Northbrook)
- Fans can run the bases after the game
Homestand Notes
Here we go: The 23rd season of Kane County Cougars baseball in Geneva begins on Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. as the Cougars host the Quad Cities River Bandits. This will be the first game of the Cougars' affiliation with the Chicago Cubs as both organizations signed a player development contract last fall. This will be the first game as Cougars manager for Mark Johnson, who spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons in the managerial post at Short-A Boise.
Ozzie's Reading Club is back: Ozzie's Reading Club is back for its 19th year of promoting reading for Chicagoland youth. This season, the program includes 430 Chicago area schools and a total of 145,000 students who are improving their reading skills through Ozzie's Reading Club. Participating students who complete reading goals set by teachers are rewarded with a ticket to a Cougars game, a food voucher, Ozzie's Reading Club T-Shirt, and a chance to take the field for a pre-game parade. Ozzie's Reading Club is sponsored by Presence Mercy Medical Center and Cantigny Park.
High School Sports Business Seminars: The Cougars' High School Sports Business Seminars will take place before two games on April 9 and 10. The seminars, led by Cougars staff members, provide an inside look at the sports industry and give students a chance to enjoy a Cougars game.
Cougars to promote new Jackie Robinson movie this weekend: In conjunction with the upcoming movie release of "42", the Cougars will be holding a weekend of promotions surrounding the movie. Various Jackie Robinson-themed promotions will take place, including a stolen base contest and other prize giveaways such as complimentary movie passes. The movie will be out in select theaters on April 12.
Team News: The Cougars will open the season at home for the first time since 2006...the projected Opening Day pitcher for the Cougars will be right-hander Pierce Johnson...Dan Vogelbach, the Cubs' second round pick in 2011, is Kane County-bound. Baseball America ranks Vogelbach, who will likely play first base and serve as designated hitter, as the seventh-best prospect in the Cubs farm system and the best power hitter. Vogelbach hit .322 and belted 17 home runs in 61 games between Rookie-level Mesa and Boise last season. BA writes that Vogelbach "controls the strike zone, takes his walks and uses the entire field with an effortless swing". Third baseman Jeimer Candelario (ranked 8th in the Cubs farm system by BA) was the youngest regular in the Northwest League last season and batted .281 with 6 home runs and 47 RBI for Boise as an 18-year old. Candelario is "advanced for his age in terms of plate discipline, pitch recognition and willingness to use the entire field", according to BA. Middle infielder Gioskar Amaya (ranked 21st in the Cubs farm system by BA) led the Northwest League with 12 triples last season and topped NWL second basemen with a .968 fielding percentage. Amaya was used as an emergency infielder at Triple-A Iowa last May, and doubled in his lone at-bat. Marco Hernandez (ranked 20th in the Cubs farm system by BA) split last season between Class-A Peoria and Boise, batting .286 with at Boise in 67 games. Both Amaya and Hernandez made their US debuts in 2011 at Mesa.
The Cougars' pitching corps features right-hander Pierce Johnson, the 43rd overall selection in last June's draft. Johnson pitched collegiately at Missouri State and made four starts at Boise last season. According to BA, Johnson is the sixth-best prospect in the Cubs farm system and can reach 96 MPH with his fastball. Jose Arias, another right-handed starter, posted a 3.25 ERA in 13 starts at Boise last season. Right-handed pitcher Tayler Scott, a native of South Africa, made 15 starts at Boise last season, going 5-1 with a 2.52 ERA. Lendy Castillo, a right-handed pitcher who converted from an infielder, appeared in 13 games with the Cubs last season. Castillo was acquired by the Cubs from Philadelphia in the December 2011 Rule 5 draft. Castillo was originally signed by the Phillies as a shortstop in 2006.
Alumni News: There are quite a few former Cougars who will open the season at various level in the Kansas City Royals' farm system, as Kane County was the Royals' Class-A affiliate in 2011 and 2012. Last season's Cougars Player and Pitcher of the Year, Jorge Bonifacio and Angel Baez, will open the season at Class-A Advanced Wilmington. Other players from the past two seasons who will open at Wilmington include Aaron Brooks, Antonio Cruz, Malcom Culver, Cody Fassold, Kellen Moen, Kyle Smith, Andrew Triggs, Robinson Yambati, Kyle Zimmer, Kenny Swab, Danny Mateo, Murray Watts, Justin Trapp, Cheslor Cuthbert, Jack Lopez, Lane Adams, Geulin Beltre, Chris Elder and Tim Ferguson. The following players will open the season at Double-A Northwest Arkansas: Jason Adam, Edwin Carl, Andy Ferguson, Santiago Garrido, Jon Keck, Sugar Ray Marimon, Brooks Pounders, Matt Ridings, Nick Rogers, Yordano Ventura, Cole White, Juan Graterol, Angel Franco, Orlando Calixte, Brett Eibner and Brian Fletcher. Former Cougar Justin Marks, who was an A's prospect when playing at Kane County in 2010, will open the season at Triple-A Omaha in the Royals' farm system...pitcher Sam Demel ('07) was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees.
Midwest League Stories from April 3, 2013
- Kernels Homestand Preview: April 4-7 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- LumberKings Announce 25-Man Roster - Clinton LumberKings
- Kane County Cougars Homestand Preview: Opening Night Set for Thursday - Kane County Cougars
- River Bandits Will Broadcast Every Game in 2013 - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Dow Diamond to Host Viewing Party for UM Final Four Matchup - Great Lakes Loons
- Opening Weekend of High School Baseball Coming to Fifth Third Field - Dayton Dragons
- Watch the Iowa/Baylor Game on the Largest TV in Iowa - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- South Bend Silver Hawks Rev up the Season against Bowling Green Hot Rods - South Bend Silver Hawks
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