Evansville Hot Stove 2/21/08

Evansville has made a couple very significant signings in the past couple days, so now is as good of time as any to give the Beach Bums Nation an update on the Otters, who look to rebound with a new coaching staff for 2008. They will have their work cut out for them - Gateway, Rockford, and Windy City all return a core nucleus of players that took them to the playoffs last season - and Southern Illinois and River City won't be pushovers either.

Like Southern Illinois, Evansville has been extremely busy signing a lot of college players and their roster is already pushing the spring training limits, so I will just give you a run down of the biggest changes on their roster.

Key Additions:

OF Jose Pineda - The Otters made their most significant signing of the off-season today with outfielder Jose Pineda, who is a native of the Dominican Republic. Pineda played in 112 games for the Stockton Ports of the class high-A California League last season, hitting .271 with 25 doubles and 20 home runs. He will provide some much needed power to the Evansville lineup - something they sorely missed last year.

RHP Michael Hyde - The Otters pitching staff was their strength last year and will be again in 2008, especially with the addition of Michael Hyde. Hyde was 3-0 with a 3.46 ERA in 13 innings in rookie ball last year for the Yankees after completing a four year career at Florida State where he went 10-2 as a senior with a 3.35 ERA.

INF Alex Fonseca - Fonseca comes to Evansville after hitting .280 with 4 doubles and 2 home runs in 22 games for the Schaumburg Flyers of the Northern League last year. He also fielded .962 at shortstop, but might play either second base or third base for the Otters who are pretty deep on the infield.

SS Ryan Bethel - Bethel returns to the Otters after being "lent" to the Washington Wild Things for the playoff run last season. Bethel .249 in Evansville last season with 12 doubles and 2 home runs.

Key Losses:

RHP James Conroy - Conroy was the ace of the Otters' staff in 2007, finishing with a 8-9 record, 4.43 ERA, 111 innings pitched, and 97 strikeouts. He was traded to the Gary Railcats following the conclusion of the season.

RHP Michael Bille - Bille was one of the top closers in the Frontier League the past two seasons. Last year he had 15 saves and a 1.70 ERA in 47.2 innings. He was traded to St. Paul of the American Association.

Key Returners:

RHP Jake Haggerty - Haggerty struck out 104 hitters in 105 innings last year and finished with a 5-8 record and 5.02 ERA. He returns for his third season in Evansville.

RHP Justin Jordan - Jordan was a very consistent starter for the Otters last season, compiling a 6-8 record and 3.13 ERA in 123 innings.

CF Zack Pace - Pace was one of only a couple players to play in more than 70 games for the Otters last year, who shuffled players around quite a bit. A very good lead-off type hitter, Pace hit .254 with a .392 on-base percentage in 2007.

RHP Jon Lewis - Lewis was a steady bullpen arm last season, going 2-4 with a 2.76 ERA in 49 innings while striking out 38.

RHP Mark Murray - Murray fit nicely in the starting rotation by the end of the year, and finished a very solid rookie season with a 3-4 record, 3.34 ERA, and 56.2 innings pitched.

OF Daniel Burton - Burton joined the Otters after guiding Louisville to the College World Series last summer. In 44 games in Evansville, Burton hit .244 with 5 doubles and 6 home runs in just 160 at-bats.

Pitching will once again be the strength of Evansville, and if they can get a couple more players that can help them score some runs, they have a chance of giving the big boys in their division a run for their money. Evansville could be the dark horse of the West Division in 2008.