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I have my Barons hat on right now too....now if only Brittney were here

2004 Kannapolis Intimidators Preview By Danny Santaromita April 16, 2004 FutureSox.com The Kannapolis Intimidators finished the 2003 season with a dismal 55-82 record. This was the worst season in the young club’s history. The 2004 season should prove to be very different. A talented rotation leads the way and is accompanied with some talented young position players. A very good draft last year by the Sox has stacked a lot of talent in both of the A ball teams. While Winston-Salem has the higher profile prospects like Ryan Sweeney, Brian Anderson, and Ricardo Nanita, Kannapolis has their fair share of talent. Manager Chris Cron joins the Intimidators for his first season with the club. He managed Great Falls last season. Cron should benefit from managing a lot of these players at Great Falls. He has a deep group of hitters and a very talented starting rotation. It’s an unenviable position that Cron is in, to decide who is going to play each game as the hitters are all capable of doing some damage. Hitting coach Brandon Moore is also new to the team while pitching coach Sean Snedeker finishes off the coaching staff of the Intimidators. The starting rotation is where the team’s strength lies. Brian Miller, who threw a no-hitter last season for the Intimidators, returns as the team’s ace. He started the 2004 campaign off with a shelling against Lakewood, but he should bounce back strong. Tim Tisch also struggled in his debut as the team’s second starter only pitching four innings and giving up three earned runs, but Kanny still got the win. 6-7 Brandon McCarthy will be the third starter and has shown some promise after spending two seasons in rookie ball. He posted a 3.65 ERA in Great Falls last season. He is still only 20 years old and can emerge as a top prospect with a good performance this season. Lefty Daniel Haigwood has electric stuff. He missed the 2003 season with a knee injury, but has major potential. Ryan Rodriguez is another guy who missed last season, but he pitched well for Arizona (rookie league) in 2002. The rotation has a lot of potential and talent. Look for them to shut down the opposition for much of the 2004 season. The bullpen will be led by 19 year-old Fabio Castro. Castro pitched out of the bullpen in Bristol for much of last season, but was promoted to make a couple starts for the Intimidators last season. He pitched well at both levels and a good season in Kannapolis will turn some heads. Joining Castro as the only other lefty out of the pen is Frasier Dizard. Adam Larson, Jeremy Hudson, and Todd Deininger return to the Intimidators bullpen this season. Deininger could join the rotation or move up to Winston Salem’s weak rotation pretty quickly. The rest of the bullpen includes John Hurd, Michael Moat, and Ehren Wasserman. The infield has some major talent. There will be a lot of competition between the players and one can only hope that pushes them to play harder. All six infielders are capable players and should bring a lot to the table for the Kannapolis offense. Shortstop Andy Gonzalez is the lone returning player in the infield and has the tools to make it; it’s just a matter of putting it together in his case, especially offensively. Brandon Bounds will play 1st base after playing very well at Great Falls last season. 18 year-old Robert Valido has started the season at 2nd base, but could move over to shortstop if Gonzalez struggles. Micah Schnurstein will play 3rd base. He showed a lot of promise after batting .332 for Arizona in 2002, but last season he struggled at Great Falls. Look for Schnurstein to play step up his game this season. Antoin Gray and Chris Kelly are good players that will have to settle for backup time, at least early on. Catcher Charlie Lisk and Gustavo Molina should behind the plate with Cesar Castillo being filling in as the third string catcher. Despite being named Kannapolis player of the year last year, Aussie Thomas Brice remains with the team due to the depth and talent in the outfield within the White Sox organization. Brice has started the season at DH. Chris Young is a very good defensive outfielder that made the Preseason All FutureSox Team. Look for Young to have a breakout season this year. He has great ability and will be a big part of a very good all-around offense for Kannapolis. Young will play center field and bat leadoff and has already started the season off well. Clint King will play left field and Seth Morris will play right field. Both hitters will hit towards the end of the lineup, but can still produce. This year’s Kannapolis Intimidators should be able to rack up a lot more wins than last season. Look for Brandon McCarthy and Daniel Haigwood to have big seasons. Both pitchers have the talent, potential, and the chance to elevate themselves as top prospects. Robert Valido is a great talent that could establish himself as one of the better middle infield prospects in all of baseball. Chris Young has the mold of a good leadoff hitter and should set the table for the Kannapolis offense this season.

Awesome. I missed the game but its great to get home to see this.

I'll take a real six pack of beer

You the man!!!!!!!!

Thats awesome Heather. Of course, does this mean your going to change your moniker to Heather Konerko

I've used it a few times on the site...I learned this site loads semi quick on dialup, but most everything on the net blows on dial up. If I had dial up, I'd have no use for a computer.

You got to see a good one

Wow, that is awful attendance for the 2nd game of the season.

I can safely say I've never got into an argument over anyone on the board. I just don't see the point.

For the time being, I am going to continue to say Koch.

I think the pitch he made to Beltran was a good pitch. The one to Sweeney wasn't. From the sounds of things, he said he went up and in to Sweeney one time and regretted it...as it left the ball park. I'll give Koch credit, he's got some serious balls to get right on the score and face the heat. I like his attitude and I still think he can get it done this year.

He's allowed a few do-overs a season. I won't jump off the cliff yet. The Sox came back and every pitcher is going to have a few games like that. The key is for Koch to get back on the mound next time and shut em down.

I think either way it would be up to the player to continue to run to his allotted base. Thats just my guess. I've been in the booth once before where the scorekeeper is and basically on odd plays they'll ask everyone in there what they think. Or like if its an error, they'll get some input and for all you know, its your response that can go down in the books

The one flaw is, upping the payroll to 70-75 mill, still wouldn't give the SOx a ton of money to add players to improve the team, but thats alright, I love the sound of getting Maggs resigned.

After Detroit its a real tough start to the season, imo. Detroit is a solid team too. Actually, I think every team in the Bears division has a shot at winning the division. Its the NFC North right, for some reason I'm having a brain fart.

Just tell them you got a job surfing.....Soxtalk that is This ended up being a fun game...I was emotionless when Koch gave up the runs, instead of being my usual pissed off self in those situations. I guess its something about this team that I just have confidence.

I think its up to Crede. He could of taken 2nd and force another run in or couldn't of. Kind of like whne Ventura hit that bases loaded grand slam to put the Mets in the world series a few years back. He stopped on first so it went down as a bases loaded single, even though he hit the homer.

Think of it this way people, while some peoples contracts will go up, you also lose Koch's contract and will be paying Jose less or have someone else at shortstop. Plus, I'm going to hope this team adds a little more revenue and such to allow the payroll to expand a little bit more.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Come on Crede.

Bases juiced after Carlos coaxes the walk. Come on Paulie

NIce...Magglio gets the leadoff walk. Now come on Big Frank get a basehit.