They'll raise the curtain on a new Northern League season tonight with all the possibilities that come with a fresh slate. From soul- crunching failure to the unparalleled heights of a championship, it's all out there in the ether waiting for someone to grab and claim as its own.
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Pitcher Brian Beuning took advantage of Wednesday’s balmy conditions as the Goldeyes prepared for tonight’s home opener against the Kansas City T-Bones.
As Steve Winwood says, "While you see a chance, take it," and that's exactly what Opening Day is all about. Opportunity for something special is available to all. Winning isn't one of those things a body can just sign up for but takes pain and suffering to accomplish. It takes that unquantifiable and magical formula known as "the right stuff." Whether or not these Winnipeg Goldeyes have all the right bits and pieces and enough luck in the good drawer with a little less in the bad remains to be seen. But that's the fun of following a team. Throw your heart into something you have absolutely no control over and trust that your team will try and protect the love you give it. Expect to be crushed more often than not but do it with the knowledge that every once in a while, your horse will come in. And there's nothing like a winner. So enjoy. Here's five things to look for in the 2008 Goldeyes. See you at the park:
1. As always, the best show within the show is Max Poulin. The Quebec-born shortstop will make a play or two each homestand that will leave you shaking your head. He's got range, a decent arm and uncanny instincts up the middle. After a terrible season at the plate two years ago, Poulin rebounded with a career year in 2007. Always accessible and a fan favourite, Max makes a trip to the park worth the gas money.
2. Somewhere on the Goldeyes roster lies a kid or a vet with a little more to give than the rest. And perhaps it's enough to make us all watch in wonder until a big league club catches on and we get to say goodbye until we see him again on a big league broadcast. Think George Sherrill or Bobby Madritsch or Jeff Zimmerman. If the ball gets rolling for one of these Fish, it becomes great theatre. Scouts will begin to pop up along the road and even here in Winnipeg and each at bat or trip to the mound gains a little added tension.
3. Rick Forney is entering his third season in the big chair and is starved for a title. We're not sure if this is the year but Forney has managed to squeak his club into the post-season with a wild- card berth in each of the last two years and earned himself a contract extension during the off-season. The Maryland native has become a little more patient with his roster and more comfortable overseeing a club. Maybe this is the year Forney joins the ranks of managers with a title. Or maybe not.
4. Fehlandt Lentini is always a threat to do something special with an at bat or in the field. Lentini can run, has a little power and makes the Goldeyes offence go. When he's on, Lentini is among the most dangerous players in the league and has the potential to become the first Fish to win league MVP honours since Sean Hearn turned the trick in 1998.
5. Wayne Foltin hit the mid-90s on the radar gun on a chilly night in Fargo last week suggesting he could get it up to 98 or 99 m.p.h. when the weather gets a little warmer. That kind of smoke is rare at this level and with Foltin scheduled to begin the season as closer, the Fish could have their first legitimate shutdown man in quite some time. Foltin has a little Rick Vaughn (Charlie Sheen's character in Major League) in him and can get a little wild at times. But that just makes for happy feet in the batter's box. A healthy Foltin should be something to see.
gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca
YOUR 2008 WINNIPEG GOLDEYES
We sat down with Goldeyes' manager Rick Forney and asked him for thumbnail sketches on his boys of summer, 2008 edition. Here's what he had to say:
Ronald (Bear) Bay (RHP)
"He's going to be our opening-day starter... He's the most experienced guy we've got. He's pitched in Triple A, he's pitched in Double A, he's been highly successful in his career."
Brandon Kintzler (RHP)
"Rookie, good sinking fastball, good slider, was our Game 1 starter for us in the playoffs last year, so that says enough about how I feel about Brandon Kintzler."
Andrew (Ace) Walker (RHP)
"Logs a lot of innings and hoping he can do that with the Goldeyes. He'll be an important piece to our starting rotation. Has pitched in AA before."
Robert Ransom (RHP)
"Expecting big things. His durability's in question right now because last year was his first year back from missing two seasons. Very good in training camp, fastball well above 90."
Zach Baldwin (LHP)
"Expecting big things from him, but it's going to be a learning process. If he can give me five or six innings every fifth day, we're going to get a good deal with Zach Baldwin."
Brian Beuning
"Very important piece to our bullpen. Very versatile and can pitch four, five, six days a week. Super with stranding inherited runners and pitching out of jams. Very reliable, very durable. "
Dustin Pease
"Left-handed relief specialist, he's tough on left-handed sticks. Dustin's a sidearm reliever who's a very difficult matchup for left-handed hitters."
Ryan Airial
"Left-handed relief guy, power arm, still developing. Ryan's more of a power guy in his ability to throw 90-plus."
Ivan Blanco
"Power arm from Venezuela, expecting huge things out of him in that seventh, eighth inning range. Coming off a solid season in Venezuela Winter League, Triple A-calibre league."
Wayne Foltin
"Another power arm, low- to mid-90s fastball, hoping he'll be able to close out games for us. The other night in Fargo, he was 93, 95 miles an hour on the gun. He's a power arm."
Cristian Mendoza
"A lot of success in the CanAm League pitching for Quebec as the closer there. Capable and will finish some games for us at times, but I'd like for him to fill that eighth-inning role."
Brady Everett
"He'll be our everyday catcher, first time he's ever gotten a chance to catch every day since college. Coming off a good season where he had 30 doubles and 10 home runs in Class A ball."
Dustin Richardson
"My first pick in the Northern League tryout camp, had an outstanding training camp with us here. Playing time's going to be limited, but it's going to be a learning experience."
Trino Aguilar, utility
"Maybe our most versatile player. He can play anywhere in the infield, will play in the outfield. Expecting huge things out of him, 16 home runs led the American Association last year."
Antoin Gray, 2B
"All-star second baseman in our league last year with 12 home runs and over 50 RBIs and a high on-base percentage for us. We're just hoping he can come in and do the same thing."
Brent Metheny, 3B
"Very important player on our team. Not only is he our everyday third baseman but our backup catcher. He had maybe a career season last year, 21 home runs and 70 RBIs. Good baserunner."
Max Poulin, SS
"What more can I say about that guy? He's just a tremendous shortstop, one of the best to ever play in this league, if not the best. Hoping he can continue his progress on the offensive side."
Scott Schade, 1B
"Great team player, super in the clubhouse, will do anything that I ask... Coming off a season where he was leading our club in batting average and RBIs until he got hurt."
Fehlandt Lentini, CF
"One of the top two or three players in our league and it's no secret this guy's the straw that stirs our drink here. He's fun to watch and we're awfully lucky that he's on our team."
Tydus Meadows, LF/DH
"Just a professional hitter, .300 hitter, high on-base percentage guy, very patient up there, works the pitchers well. Expecting big things out of Tydus holding that veteran spot."
Kevin West, RF
"A veteran, calming influence in our clubhouse, a big power bat, so we're expecting a lot of things from Kevin on the offensive side and a lot of leadership in the clubhouse."
Colin Roberson, OF
"He came out of nowhere to make our club. Capable of playing all three outfield positions, left-handed stick that can play first base as well, well above average base-runner."
Aaron Jackson (RHP)
"A lot of versatility and upside. Maybe has the best breaking ball on our team. If someone gets hurt or falters a little bit, I won't hesitate to rush him into action."
-- Chris Cariou
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