April 3, 200421 yr Warthogs Announce 25 Man Roster By Jason Gage April 3, 2004 FutureSox.com The Winston Salem Warthogs announced their opening day roster on Saturday. The Warthogs will be managed by Ken Dominguez, who is taking over for Razor Shines (New Skipper for Birmingham). They will carry 12 pitchers, 3 catchers (1 on DL), 7 infielders and 4 outfielders. Last season the Warthogs won the Carolina League title behind a one-two punch of Kris Honel and Ryan Wing. This season, the Warthogs looks to have a very strong offensive unit. The big names on the roster are Ryan Sweeney, Brian Anderson, and Ricardo Nanita. All three were selected in last years draft and all have considerable upside. Sweeney and Anderson opened quite a few eyes this spring. Normand Martel will be the fourth outfielder. The infield will be led by holdover Casey Rogowski, while Pedro Lopez (2nd base) and Mike Myers (Shortstop) project as the teams double play combo. Myers and Lopez both have good tools. Troy Cameron, signed this off-season from the Joliet Jackhammers, will probably start at 3rd. The rest of the infielders are on the roster are: Tommy Nicholson, Chris Amador, and Brian Becker. The pitching staff from Winston Salem will be the key to the Warthogs success. The offense looks like it will be capable of putting runs on the board, but the rotation doesn’t consist of any so-called “aces”. B.J. Lamura and Sean Tracey be the front end of the rotation, while Rick Hummel will be the closer. The rest of the pitchers are: Nik Lubisich, Jose Espinal, Rob Purvis, Brad Murray, Dwayne Pollock, Julio Castro, Byeong Hak An, Jason Stumm, and Paulino Reynoso. Wally Rosa and Carlos Lee will handle the catching duties. Rosa spent last season in Winston Salem, while Carlos Lee spent the season in Great Falls. Lee is the brother of White Sox left fielder, Carlos Lee. The Warthogs will carry a 3rd catcher, Ryan Wade, who will open the season on the disabled list. Wade spent the past three seasons as a coach at Hillside Baptist College in Moore, Oklahoma. Check out FutureSox in the coming days for a preview on the Warthogs season.
April 3, 200421 yr TWO CARLOS LEES! That'd be cool is Lee2 made the roster in the future. and he is carlos' bro, thta musta been weird with 2 kids named carlos
April 3, 200421 yr Myers to High-A? That's a big surprise from my point of view. Guess that means Gonzalez will be stuck at Kannapolis and Valido will be headed to Great Falls.
April 4, 200421 yr I think Sean Tracey will open some eyes this year. If healthy, he can be a very solid pitcher. I'm looking for a big season from Sweeney and Anderson as well. I hope P. Lopez gets the stick together. He has so much potential it's not even funny. Like Jas said he has very good tools. Hopefully he'll put it all together this year.
April 4, 200421 yr So The Schnur will be in Kanny then? Wasn't there also another 3rd baseman at about the same level? Grey?
April 4, 200421 yr So The Schnur will be in Kanny then? Wasn't there also another 3rd baseman at about the same level? Grey? Antoin Gray is who you are referring to. Kannapolis is probably about right for him. He could move up if he keeps hitting, but I think there are defensive questions about him as well.
April 4, 200421 yr Author Gray was converted to 2nd if I recall. He could probably play 3rd as well, but his arm strength isn't that good. I agree on Tracey. I also like Dwayne Pollock and I'm assuming he'll be a starter. I sure hope Valido plays full season, but I think your right Cerb, he must be playing short season, unless the Sox plan on having Gonzalez play for a short period and then move up to Winston Salem. I do agree that Myers is making a pretty big jump, but he has like a .314 career average from his two seasons of rookie ball.
April 4, 200421 yr Thanks for the info on Gray guys, I'd be pissed as all hell if they put the Schnur back in rookie ball again.
April 4, 200421 yr Author Trust me, Schnur will be in Kanny. Then I'm thinking in midseason he'll make the jump to Winston Salem if he's hitting the ball. Winston Salem doesn't really have anyone at 3rd base that would get in Schnur's way. I really am intrigued about the whole Andy Gonzalez/Valido situation cause I'd like to see the Sox push Valido a bit and give him a full season in Kanny. I'm assuming I'm going to get info on the other affiliates rosters sometime in the next day to two, so then more questions will be answered. But I should put myself on the record to say I like Gray. He really seems like a guy thats going to flat rake the ball.
April 4, 200421 yr Thanks CSF, The Schnur is my guy. He's another guy I wanted to ask Bull about, I'm assuming he had a good ST since they gave him an A game AB but you never know. How about BMac? Thought for sure he'd be in W-S.
April 4, 200421 yr Author McCarthy spent spring on the Warthogs roster, so he was playing in their exhibition games, but he will start the season in Kanny. I think he'll be one of those guys that will finish the year in Winston Salem. The Sox took things slow with Bmac last year and I think they now know they got a pretty good pitcher in him. He's not mentioned under the same breath as Honel, Cotts and Wing, but if he pitches like he has, he will be by the end of the season.
April 4, 200421 yr A lot of eyes will be on this team early while Sweeney and Anderson are starting in the outfield.
April 4, 200421 yr I'm glad Anderson and Sweeney jumped at least one level of A ball. I would not be surprised if one or both get kicked up to Rex's country in mid-summer.
April 4, 200421 yr Thats quite the offense there for W-S. And i'm glad Sweeney and Anderson are together and not in Kannaplois. The chances of them being pitched around are now much less.
April 4, 200421 yr Thats quite the offense there for W-S. And i'm glad Sweeney and Anderson are together and not in Kannaplois. The chances of them being pitched around are now much less. good point, I hadn't thought of that!
April 4, 200421 yr Gray was converted to 2nd if I recall. He could probably play 3rd as well, but his arm strength isn't that good. I agree on Tracey. I also like Dwayne Pollock and I'm assuming he'll be a starter. I sure hope Valido plays full season, but I think your right Cerb, he must be playing short season, unless the Sox plan on having Gonzalez play for a short period and then move up to Winston Salem. I do agree that Myers is making a pretty big jump, but he has like a .314 career average from his two seasons of rookie ball. Valido is headed to Kannapolis, I believe...... Andy Gonzalez star may be fading....
April 4, 200421 yr Valido is headed to Kannapolis, I believe...... Andy Gonzalez star may be fading.... The Sox gave up pretty quick on Gonzalez then. I still think that Valido could be in line for extended Spring Training with Gonzalez being Kanny's SS. If he keeps hitting like Ceasar Izturis I wouldn't be surprised to see him converted.
April 4, 200421 yr The Sox gave up pretty quick on Gonzalez then. I still think that Valido could be in line for extended Spring Training with Gonzalez being Kanny's SS. If he keeps hitting like Ceasar Izturis I wouldn't be surprised to see him converted. Valido is headed to Kanny........ that has been confirmed. Gonzalez has attitude issues. He needs to mature.
April 4, 200421 yr Rex, did Gonzalez' poor hitting in 2003 cause the attitude problem, or did the attitude problem cause his sub par stats last year?
April 4, 200421 yr Thanks for the roster. It's not up on the hogs site yet. Today, there is an exhibition game at Kannapolis vs. the Hogs. Guess we'll go and pray the wnd does'nt blow us all away. Go Hogs!!
April 4, 200421 yr Rex, did Gonzalez' poor hitting in 2003 cause the attitude problem, or did the attitude problem cause his sub par stats last year? Details are sketchy, but what I hear is he is immature, not a bad kid. Has problems with pouting and getting down on himself. And apparently when he is not in the lineup he sulks and basically sits by himself, not doing the team thing, like he is mad at the world. That is vague, but I am only going on what I have heard from a few different people. I heard he has gotten suspended/disciplined a few times, but that is not confirmed. That help at all?
April 4, 200421 yr Another surprise is Brian Becker's name on the roster. I was told he had been released. Not sure if he initially refused the assignment to W-S and then changed his mind or what.... Apparently there were a couple of guys that were released and then were saved a day or two later for one reason or another.
April 4, 200421 yr I am glad Myers got the job at SS, he is the type of player we would all appreciate. AGon is never going to hit, need to convert to a P now. I assume Kyle Kane either made Charlotte or is history now? Surprised Deininger and Miller stayed in Kanny, moreso on Deininger.
April 4, 200421 yr Author I am glad Myers got the job at SS, he is the type of player we would all appreciate. AGon is never going to hit, need to convert to a P now. I assume Kyle Kane either made Charlotte or is history now? Surprised Deininger and Miller stayed in Kanny, moreso on Deininger. That definately surprised me. I was looking at their starting rotation thinking, where's Deininger and Miller. Those two guys with Tracey and Lamura would of been a very solid 1-4. I'd guess they'll move up pretty quickly.
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