Skyhawks Set-Up Pitching Staff
Published on March 3, 2009 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Sussex Skyhawks News Release
Skyhawks manager Hal Lanier spent a busy week working on the pitching staff for the fast approaching 2009 season. Lanier resigned key cogs from the 2008 Can-Am Champion squad Kyle Ruwe and Justin Knoff and added four new pitchers to the rotation; Stephen Whalen, Alex Smith, Stephen Fox, and Ryan Dixon.
Ruwe started 18 games for the Hawks last season, posting a 12-5 record with 72 strikeouts to only 20 walks in 129 innings of work. Knoff took the mound nine times for the Skyhawks, compiling a 3-1 record with a 3.74 E.R.A., 33 strikeouts and an opposing batting average of .257 in 53 innings on the hill.
With those two key veterans returning, Lanier signed four new players to the Skyhawks roster. Stephen Whalen joins the Skyhawks after two stellar seasons with the University of New Orleans Privateers. In his two full seasons at UNO, Whalen compiled a 15-10 record in 47 games with 4 saves and 114 strikeouts in 150.2 innings pitched. Whalen also spent part of last year with the Midwest Sliders, the road team of the Frontier League, appearing in 6 games.
Alex Smith is a left-handed pitcher who comes to the Skyhawks via the University of Virginia. Smith appeared in 30 games for the Cavaliers, 26 of them as a set-up man. He threw 44.2 innings and struck out 33 opponents during his collegiate career.
Ryan Dixon was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 15th round of the 2001 player draft but chose to attend the University of Miami instead. Dixon was considered the best prospect in the University of Miami's 2002 recruiting class that was ranked #6 nation wide by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Dixon won a national championship in 2001 with Seminole H.S. in Seminole Florida and was a teammate of L.A. Angels Casey Kotchman. Dixon played one season with Miami, two with the Stetson University Hatters, one with the Johnson City Cardinals of the Appalachian League, and one with the New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am league.
The final addition to the Skyhawks staff is Stephen Fox who was a first team All-State pitcher in 2005 for Bergen Catholic in Oradell N.J., posting a 7-2 Record with a 0.89 E.R.A. for the Crusaders. Fox then went on to play his collegiate ball at Hofstra University in West Hempstead, Long Island.
Lanier is "very thrilled to be getting back our #1 starter who won 12 games (last year), and Justin, our #2 guy. Pitching is the name of the game and this puts us in a good position (for the 2009 season)." As for the new players, Lanier said "seeing them in person throwing 88-92 (M.P.H.) is why I signed them. We're excited to see what they can do in the spring against live batting."
Canadian American League Stories from March 3, 2009
- Three Skyhawks Play in Arizona Winter League - Sussex Skyhawks
- Skyhawks Trade Snipp to Frontier League - Sussex Skyhawks
- Skyhawks Set-Up Pitching Staff - Sussex Skyhawks
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