Kalamazoo Kings Hot Stove 2/27/08

Kalamazoo hasn't been very busy this off-season, presumably saving most of their roster spots for guys getting released out of spring training. Here is a look at the current status of the Beach Bums' downstate rivals;

Key Additions:

OF Casey Bowling - The Kings traded their 2008 first round draft pick to the Midwest Sliders for the rights to OF Casey Bowling, who was the Sliders best player in 2007 aside from Nate Yoho, who was traded to Florence near the end of the season (and has since been traded to the United League). Bowling's numbers should improve from the .267, 12 doubles, and 9 home runs he had last year with KZOO's short porch in left.

1B/3B/C Rick Owens - Owens comes to Kalamazoo from the Amarillo Dillas of the United League, where he was teammates with current Beach Bums pitchers Matt Lawrence and Josh Myers (Owens actually played with Lawrence in college at Bellhaven, too). Owens hit .298 with 14 doubles and 4 home runs in 151 at-bats for the Dillas and is another guy that will enjoy Kalamazoo's short porch in left.

Key Losses:

OF Josh Carter - Carter was an All-Star for the Kings last season, hitting .311 with 21 doubles, 12 home runs, and finishing 2nd in the league in RBI with 75. He aged out following the season.

OF Keith Brachold - Brachold hit .261 with 21 doubles and 12 home runs for the Kings, but was traded to Amarillo for Rick Owens following the season.

RHP Dan Caldwell - The submarining Caldwell aged out of the league after a career year in 2007 where he went 2-0 with a 3.69 ERA in 40 appearances, pitching 61 innings, with 42 walks and 51 strikeouts.

RHP Steve Shippey - The former Beach Bums revitalized his career in Kalamazoo after struggling in Traverse City last year. After having an 11.79 ERA in Traverse City, he went 5-3 with a 2.79 ERA in Kalamazoo. Shippey aged out of the league as has signed with Schaumburg of the Northern League.

The Kings also released pitchers John Sullivan, Mark Kelly, and Dane DeValk along with 1B Robert Moron and C Trevor Eastman. Kelly was the best player of the bunch, but he will be an LS-1 in 2008 and is an Australian, which usually raises some logistical and financial concerns with Frontier League teams.

Key Returners:

RHP John Brownell - After being released by Rockford a couple weeks into the 2007 season, the Kings signed Brownell and he pitched very well the rest of the way - 4-4, 3.38 ERA, 56 IP, 25 BB, 45 K, .238 OAV.

OF Jeff Grose - Grose had a terrific rookie season, hitting .314 with 14 doubles, 5 home runs, and a .378 on-base percentage. Grose will most likely be KZOO's everyday center fielder and lead-off man once again in 2008.

OF AJ Johnson - Johnson is a Veteran that the Kings signed at the end of last season who started out hot, but finished with a .263 average with 7 doubles and 5 home runs in 114 at-bats. Another power hitter, AJ should improve on those numbers as an every day guy in 2008, probably either in left field or at 1st base.

2B Kyle Kmiecik - Kmiecik is another Veteran leader of KZOO and had a great second half of the season in 2007. Overall, he hit .281 with 21 doubles and 10 home runs while fielding .971 at 2nd base.

RHP Jeff Long - Long is the workhorse of the KZOO staff, pitching 140 innings in 2007 with an 11-5 record. He will return as the ace of the staff in 2008.

LHP Trent Lare - Lare had a very solid rookie campaign last summer, going 5-4 with a 3.17 ERA in 65 innings.

RHP Sam Mann - Mann was another rookie sensation for the Kings last year, going 6-2 with a 3.65 ERA in 86 innings.

C Mike Russell - Russell is one of the best catchers in the Frontier League and he knows how to hit it to that short porch in left field in Kalamazoo. Last year he hit .255 with 18 doubles and 17 home runs.

3B Joe Ramos - Ramos had an All-Star season in 2007, hitting .302 with 34 doubles, 7 triples, 5 home runs and 32 stolen bases. He also had a .363 on-base percentage.

LHP Jon Troop - Troop was traded from Florence to KZOO at the end of the season last year and had a 1.79 ERA in 17 innings out of the KZOO bullpen down the stretch. He will be a key member of their bullpen again next year.

OF Simon Williams - Williams is another Veteran hitter for the KZOO club - last year he hit .274 with 18 doubles and 9 home runs. However, he led the league in strikeouts with 98.

Kalamazoo returns a solid starting rotation of Jeff Long, Trent Lare, and Sam Mann, as well as a solid group of Veteran hitters in Joe Ramos, Simon Williams, Kyle Kmiecik, Mike Russell and AJ Johnson. Their bullpen will be a question mark heading into next season, but expect them to fill the holes with some solid talent out of spring training and compete for the East Division, as always.