Beach Bums Hot Stove Recap 2/4/2008

The Beach Bums have finished trading players at this point in the season and with a couple of contracts for pitchers out and waiting to be returned, we've also nearly wrapped up all of our moves until players start being released out of affiliated spring training in March.  So let's recap what has happened so far this off-season for the Blue & Gold:

Key Returners - 

All-Star 1B/C/DH Curtis Ledbetter (.304 AVG, .393 OBP, .434 SLG) - Ledbetter returns as one of the more steady hitters in the Frontier League.  The Beach Bums will look to Ledbetter to move to 1st base in 2008, but he will also see a few games behind the plate and in the DH spot.

RHP Bryan Rembisz (7-0, 1.78 ERA) - Rembisz got my vote for Rookie of the Year in 2007, but he missed too much of the beginning of the season to get enough votes.  He is one of the toughest competitors I've ever seen on the mound and will anchor our pitching staff in 2008.

2B Steve Young (15 SB, .991 FLD%) - Young returns for his third season in a Beach Bums uniform to help the team search for the franchise's first playoff appearance and championship.  Young is one of the best, if not the best, defensive second basemen in the league.  His sparkling .991 fielding percentage is only half the story as Young had the best range among every day second basemen in 2007.  Young suffered a difficult injury in spring training of last season, separating his shoulder and putting him out of the lineup for 5 weeks.  With his shoulder healthy, look for Young to be a much more productive offensive player in 2008 as well.

Other returners include outfielders Brad Roblin (.333 AVG, .427 OBP), RC Dickerson (12 runs, 4 SB), utility-man Jeff Brown (started at 5 different positions in 2007), and pitchers Ryan Gehring (7-8, 124 IP), Brett Bostelman (2.43 ERA, 37 K), Matt Dillard (2.04 ERA, .194 OAV), Jared Locke (3.42 ERA, .218 OAV), Nick Pepper (3.28 ERA, .243 OAV), and Jeff Williams (4.61 ERA, 52 K).

Key Additions -

OF Jake Whitesides (.281 AVG, 22 2B, 11 3B, 3 HR) - The Beach Bums picked up 8-year professional outfielder Jake Whitesides in a deal with the Joliet Jackhammers in December. Whitesides has played in four different MLB organizations (Astros, Marlins, Cubs, and White Sox) as well as four different independent leagues (Northern, Frontier, CanAm, American Association).  The 2008 season will be Whitesides' second stop in the Frontier League - he was named to the All-Star Team in 2003 for Mid-Missouri when he hit .298 with 23 doubles, 11 triples, 4 home runs, and 22 stolen bases.

3B/1B/DH Matt Imwalle (.263, 25 2B, 15 HR) - The Beach Bums picked up slugging switch hitter Imwalle from Sioux Falls of the American Association where he finished 3rd in the home run race with 15 and 5th in extra base hits with 42 en route to making the All-Star Team.  Imwalle will look to prey on Frontier League hitters - when 2006 Frontier League MVP Ian Church came from the American Association to the Frontier League, he went from 21 doubles and 5 home runs to 39 doubles and 31 home runs.

C Patrick Perry (.305, 17 2B, 7 HR) - Perry was an All-Star in the CanAm League in 2007 after putting up a fantastic offensive season.  He has a good eye at the plate and is very difficult to strike out, which could make Perry one of the toughest outs in the Frontier League in 2008.  Perry is also steady behind the plate with a good arm that has been reported at consistently under 2.0 seconds to second base.  Perry threw out 23% of would-be stealers in 2007.  Perry signed with the Beach Bums as a free agent after playing out his option year for the Worcester Tornadoes.

CF Mike Epping (Triple-A Portland Beavers) - The Beach Bums made a huge off-season signing in outfielder Mike Epping, who finished as the starting center fielder for the Portland Beavers in 2007, the triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.  Epping is a highly touted prospect that has great range in the outfield and terrific speed on the bases.

Other additions include C/OF Johnny Coit (Golden League), C Ryan Kottke (United League), OF James Conrad (Lafayette University), and pitchers Jacob Cook (Toronto Blue Jays Organization), and Josh Myers and Matt Lawrence, who both pitched in the United League in 2007.

Key Losses -

1B Brad Vericker,  SS Justin Holmes, 3B Sam Orr, C Matt Rademacher, and pitchers Robbie McClellan, Tony Casoli, and Phil Tognetti all announced their retirements this off-season.  Orr led all Beach Bums with more than 200 AB in batting average and on-base percentage while Casoli was named the 2006 Frontier League Pitcher of the Year before suffering some arm troubles last season.

OF Zack Kalter (.304 AVG, 51 RBI) - Kalter was one of the Beach Bums' best hitters in 2007, but wanted to play closer to home in California and pursue pitching, which he did in college.  Kalter was traded to Orange County Flyers of the Golden League in January for OF/C Johnny Coit.  He will concentrate 100% on pitching for the Flyers and I expect him to be in their starting rotation.

OF Aaron Garza (.279 AVG, 10 HR) - Garza showed a lot of power at the plate in his rookie season, hitting 10 home runs in just 47 games.  However, like Kalter, he wanted to play closer to home and was traded to the Grand Prairie AirHogs of the American Association in January.

The Beach Bums also lost closer Tyler Meigs (2.11 ERA, 11 saves) and pitcher David Nathanson (5-2, 2.95 ERA) to the Joliet Jackhammers in a deal that ultimately got the Beach Bums outfielder Jake Whitesides and 3B Matt Imwalle.