PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds Announce Opening Day Roster

Published on April 1, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


NASHVILLE - The Nashville Sounds - the two-time defending PCL American Conference Northern Division champions and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers - have announced their tentative Opening Day roster, a group of players highlighted by the Brewers' top two prospects, starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo and third baseman Ryan Braun, and five members of Milwaukee's 40-man roster.

Gallardo and Braun were selected as the Brewers' 2006 Minor League Pitcher- and Player-of-the-Year, respectively, and both players participated in last season's All-Star Futures Game in Pittsburgh.

Gallardo, 21, split the 2006 season between Class A Brevard County and Double-A Huntsville, going a combined 11-5 with a 1.86 ERA in 26 starts. He held opponents to a .192 batting average while striking out a Minor League-leading 188 batters in just 155.0 innings. Gallardo was recently ranked by Baseball America as the 16th-best minor-league prospect entering the 2007 season.

Braun, 23, also split his 2006 campaign between Brevard County and Huntsville and batted a combined .289 with 22 home runs, 77 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases in 118 games. He was recently ranked by Baseball America as the 26th-best minor-league prospect and was selected by the Brewers in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft.

The Sounds' Opening Day roster will also feature five members of Milwaukee's 40-man roster: pitchers Jose Capellan, Zach Jackson, and Dennis Sarfate, utilityman Vinny Rottino, and outfielder Drew Anderson, all of whom have previously played for Nashville.

In addition to top prospects Braun and Gallardo, other notable newcomers to the Sounds include starting pitcher Tim Dillard, the Brewers' 2005 Minor League Pitcher-of-the-Year, and a pair of players with ties to Music City: veteran right-hander R.A. Dickey, a Nashville native and 1993 graduate of Montgomery Bell Academy, and outfielder Tydus Meadows, who played collegiate ball at Vanderbilt University from 1996-98.

Twelve players return to Music City from the 2006 division-winning Sounds squad, including Jackson; relievers Steve Bray, Luther Hackman, Sarfate, Mitch Stetter, and Alec Zumwalt; All-Star catcher Mike Rivera; infielders Chris Barnwell, Ozzie Chavez, Brad Nelson, and Rottino; and Anderson.

Four players will make their first stop at the Class AAA level with the Sounds in 2007: Braun, Dillard, Gallardo, and second baseman Callix Crabbe, who advances to Nashville after two consecutive full seasons with the Double-A Huntsville Stars.

Left-handed pitcher Lindsay Gulin will open the season on Nashville's disabled list. The Sounds will make one additional roster move before Thursday to lower the team's active roster to the 24-man maximum allotted by the Pacific Coast League.

Returning to guide the club will be third-year manager Frank Kremblas, who has led Nashville to division championships in each of his two seasons at the helm and piloted the Sounds to the Pacific Coast League title in 2005.

Kremblas will be rejoined by pitching coach Stan Kyles and trainer Jeff Paxson for the third consecutive year on the Sounds' bench. Two new additions to the Nashville coaching staff are hitting coach Harry Spilman and strength and conditioning coach Nigel Price.

The Sounds open their 30th season on Thursday, April 5 at Greer Stadium with a 7:00 p.m. matchup against the New Orleans Zephyrs, the new Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets.

Media day at Greer Stadium will occur at 3 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, prior to the Sounds' annual 6 p.m. exhibition against Belmont University. The game includes free admission for all fans.

Ticket packages are currently on sale. Call (615) 242-4371 or visit the Sounds' website at www.nashvillesounds.com to order or for more information.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 1, 2007


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