A 4-6 start in June for Maple has the fans and owner concerned. We have tough week ahead of us. We play SoCAL at home and then travel across the country to play in Seattle. Maple is in last place in the Billy Martin TML Division trailing front runner San Francisco by 15 games. Maple in previous years has been down by double digits but, this year optimism in the locker room is faint.
There is some good news though longer term. The team has managed to rebuild with some youth and star potential. After the team recently waived the following main stays in Marauder gear: Frank Powers, Anthony Lewis, Doug Smith and Vic Jennings; the team announced some youngsters will get some major playtime in the ABL. The AAA roster call ups include: Ronnie Haynes SP, Brandon Farmer 1B, Clay Wadden UTIL, Floyd Lowery OF and Brooks Petersen OF. Chandler Fisher will return to his familiar role in the pen as a MR. The team also waived & DFA 1B Vernon Burns. We are excited about giving an opportunity to Lowery and Petersen both of which were tearing up the baseball in the minors.
Recent trade activity also gave an opportunity to a couple of RPs; Jonathan Martin and Mitchell Thompson. Mitchell was an interesting player to follow in the minors. He was drafted as a 2B but, was quickly converted to a RP in the minors. A very unique player for sure. In addition the recent trade activity has risen the Maple organization from the bottom of the ranks to 8th overall in the top prospects category compliments of Brooks Petersen's acquisition from Dallas for MR Ken Dixon.
The draft according to sources in Maple went as planned. We were very pleased with our draft choices. Only a couple of players drafted have been released, however; their 1st Round pick William "CANNON" Lee is already ranked as the #17 overall prospect after he quickly accepted his bonus. He will start his career in Kingwood, Texas playing A Ball the rest of the year. In the 2nd Round, Maple could not resist another big hitter 1B in Michael Knaus. Knaus has been a consistent .400 type hitter at Fresno in the NCAA. SS Taro Omori was taken as the Round 3 choice. This NBL allstar combines a "hoover" vacuum cleaner defense with a strong contact bat. Maple also landed the best knuckle ball pitcher in the draft; John Wallace in Round 11. John will be the 5th man in the rotation in Single A Kingwood this year to see what he can do.
We are also optimistic on some future talent coming up through the organization including; SP Subaru Kishita (he really drives a honda) AA who has bounced back and forth between AA and A this year, CL Zeus "BIG THUNDER" Hallman last years Round 1 pick who is dominating in A Ball, CL Manny "BLITZ" Palma who has struggled in the minors and has also drawn alot of interest from ABL teams, Garrett Bennett 1B, AA who may have a short term 1B job in Maple by the end of next year to keep the base warm for the "CANNON" and the OF duo of Brad Thomas and Martin Petersen at AAA. Brad, Martin, Floyd and Brooks were making up the solid 4-some in AAA Astoria that put the "HURT" on SPs.
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