Warthogs' 2006 roster set for opener
April 5, 2006 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
Winston-Salem, NC - The Chicago White Sox announced the 2006 opening day roster for the Winston-Salem Warthogs roster Wednesday. Of the 25 players, only five have spent time with the Warthogs. Fifteen players earned South Atlantic League championship rings last season at Kannapolis.
PITCHERS
Wes Whisler, Fernando Hernandez, Michael Moat, Garry Bakker and Cory Haggerty each spent time in Winston-Salem last season. Both Moat and Bakker also logged innings with Kannapolis. Whisler and Hernandez each spent the entire 2005 season with the Warthogs. Whisler made the second most starts, 21, with the Warthogs last season. Hernandez pitched in a team high 45 games in 2005. Haggerty split time with both Winston-Salem and AA Birmingham.
Of the 15 players promoted to Winston-Salem from Kannapolis, nine are pitchers. Jack Egbert, Lucas Harrell, Adam Russell and Carlos Torres, each starters, combined for 27 wins and 88 starts for Kannapolis in 2005. The quartet will join LHP Wes Whisler in the starting rotation. Demetrius Banks, Dewon Day, John Hurd and Jay Marshall will fill up innings out of the bullpen. Matt Zaleski, who lead the Intimidators with 22 saves in 2005, figures to be the Warthogs' closer.
CATCHERS
Both Donny Lucy and Adam Ricks split catching duties at low A Kannapolis. Lucy missed the first two months of 2005 with a fractured right ring finger, but rebounded to hit a career high .264 in 54 games with the Intimidators. Ricks not only started 35 games as a catcher for Kannapolis, but also had starts at first base (23), third base (13) and shortstop (5).
INFIELD
Jose De Los Santos, Victor Mercedes, Garrett Guest and Chris Kelly will all see time on the infield. De Los Santos led Kannapolis in hitting at .294 in 103 games. Guest appeared in 67 games for rookie Great Falls. Kelly only played in 28 games in Kannapolis before seeing his season cut short after separating his left shoulder. Mercedes, acquired as a free agent, is a Carolina League veteran after playing with Lynchburg and Potomac in 2004 and '05.
OUTFIELD
David Cook, Evan Tartaglia, Sean Smith, Rod Allen Jr. and Anderson Gomes will vie for playing time in the outfield. Cook tied for the team lead last season with 24 home runs at Kannapolis. Tartaglia, who played college ball at Surry Community College and Elon, hit .305 for rookie Great Falls last season. Smith led Kannapolis with 35 stolen bases. Allen, originally a 12th round draft pick by the Yankees in 2004, was signed as a free agent in January. Allen's dad, Rod Sr., won a World Series ring with Detroit in 1984. Gomes, another free agent signee, has spent some time in the Japanese minor leagues.
COACHING STAFF
Rafael Santana makes his managerial debut in 2006. J.R. Perdew returns as pitching coach, after spending 2005 in that capacity at Kannapolis. Ryan Long is the Warthogs' hitting coach. Josh Fallin returns for his sixth consecutive season as the Warthogs' athletic trainer. Winston-Salem native, Raymond Smith, will be the team's strength and conditioning coordinator.
The Warthogs open the regular season at home Thursday against Kinston.
Carolina League Stories from April 5, 2006
- Ballpark naming rights sold to Lewis-Gale Medical Center - Salem Red Sox
- Figueroa and Liz Keys to victory - Frederick Keys
- 2006 season begins on Thursday, April 6th at Ernie Shore Field - Winston-Salem Dash
- Warthogs' 2006 roster set for opener - Winston-Salem Dash
- Keys postpone fireworks shows due to statewide open air burning ban - Frederick Keys
- It's baseball season - Potomac Nationals
- Ballpark naming rights sold to Lewis-Gale Medical Center - Salem Red Sox
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