Beavers announce opening pitching rotation
PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Beavers manager Terry Kennedy today announced his season-opening, starting-pitching rotation. The Beavers begin the 2010 season against Sacramento on Thursday at PGE Park. First pitch is 7:05 p.m.
The talented, season-opening rotation includes four returning starters from the 2009 team, including right-handers Josh Geer, Cesar Carrillo and Will Inman, and left-hander Wade LeBlanc. Right-hander Radhames Liz, who spent the last seven seasons in the Orioles system, rounds out the group of five.
Thursday, April 8 – vs. Sacramento (7:05 p.m.)
Wade LeBlanc (LHP) vs. RHP Vin Mazzaro (Sacramento)
LeBlanc begins his third season with the Beavers by making his first Opening Day start for the club. The 25-year-old southpaw, who will become the Beavers’ ninth different Opening Day starter in the team’s 10 years back in the PCL, was 4-9 with a 3.87 ERA in 24 games (20 starts) with Portland in 2009 and shared the team lead with 95 strikeouts. LeBlanc, the Padres’ second-round pick in 2006, also went 3-1 with a 3.69 in nine relief outings with the Padres. The Baton Rouge, La., native started the club’s home opener in 2009, but did not factor in the decision after allowing just two runs on two hits over 6.1 innings against Fresno.
Friday, April 9 – vs. Sacramento (7:05 p.m.)
Josh Geer (RHP) vs. RHP Graham Godfrey (Sacramento)
After starting the 2008 and 2009 season openers for Portland, Geer gets the nod in the team’s second game in 2010. Last season, Geer became the first pitcher in franchise history (since 2001) to win the team’s road opener when he held Fresno to one run over six strong innings. Geer, 26, was 2-5 with a 4.44 ERA in nine starts with Portland last season. The right-hander also spent a good portion of the 2009 season with the Padres, going 1-7 with a 5.96 ERA in 19 games (17 starts). Geer was a third-round pick by San Diego in 2005.
Saturday, April 10 – vs. Sacramento (7:05 p.m.)
Cesar Carrillo (RHP) vs. LHP Lenny DiNardo (Sacramento)
Carrillo, 25, returns to the Beavers rotation after going 0-3 with a 5.52 ERA in five starts for the club in 2009. The Padres’ first-round selection in 2005 spent a majority of last season with Class AA San Antonio, going 8-4 with a 4.24 ERA in 20 starts. Carrillo also made his major league debut with San Diego in 2009 and posted a 1-2 record and 13.06 ERA in three starts.
Sunday, April 11 – vs. Sacramento (2:05 p.m.)
Will Inman (RHP) vs. RHP Kyle Middleton (Sacramento)
The youngest player on the Beavers roster at 23 years old, Inman toes the rubber in Sunday afternoon’s series finale with Sacramento. The right-hander marks his second tour of duty in Portland after going 1-4 with a 6.71 ERA in 12 starts in 2009. He also made 15 starts for Class AA San Antonio and logged a 6-5 record and 3.40 ERA. A third-round pick of the Brewers in 2005, Inman was traded to the Padres in the July 2007 trade that sent pitcher Scott Linebrink to Milwaukee.
Monday, April 12 – vs. Colorado Springs (7:05 p.m.)
Radhames Liz (RHP) vs. RHP Alan Johnson (Colorado Springs)
The newcomer to the Beavers’ rotation after being claimed off waivers from Baltimore in the offseason, Liz is set to make his Padres organizational debut in Monday’s series opener with Colorado Springs. The 26-year-old right-hander out of the Dominican Republic combined to go 4-4 with a 4.78 ERA in 25 games (14 starts) between the Orioles’ Triple-A Norfolk and Class AA Bowie affiliates in 2009. Liz, who was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2003, also made two appearances with Baltimore last season.
The talented, season-opening rotation includes four returning starters from the 2009 team, including right-handers Josh Geer, Cesar Carrillo and Will Inman, and left-hander Wade LeBlanc. Right-hander Radhames Liz, who spent the last seven seasons in the Orioles system, rounds out the group of five.
Thursday, April 8 – vs. Sacramento (7:05 p.m.)
Wade LeBlanc (LHP) vs. RHP Vin Mazzaro (Sacramento)
LeBlanc begins his third season with the Beavers by making his first Opening Day start for the club. The 25-year-old southpaw, who will become the Beavers’ ninth different Opening Day starter in the team’s 10 years back in the PCL, was 4-9 with a 3.87 ERA in 24 games (20 starts) with Portland in 2009 and shared the team lead with 95 strikeouts. LeBlanc, the Padres’ second-round pick in 2006, also went 3-1 with a 3.69 in nine relief outings with the Padres. The Baton Rouge, La., native started the club’s home opener in 2009, but did not factor in the decision after allowing just two runs on two hits over 6.1 innings against Fresno.
Friday, April 9 – vs. Sacramento (7:05 p.m.)
Josh Geer (RHP) vs. RHP Graham Godfrey (Sacramento)
After starting the 2008 and 2009 season openers for Portland, Geer gets the nod in the team’s second game in 2010. Last season, Geer became the first pitcher in franchise history (since 2001) to win the team’s road opener when he held Fresno to one run over six strong innings. Geer, 26, was 2-5 with a 4.44 ERA in nine starts with Portland last season. The right-hander also spent a good portion of the 2009 season with the Padres, going 1-7 with a 5.96 ERA in 19 games (17 starts). Geer was a third-round pick by San Diego in 2005.
Saturday, April 10 – vs. Sacramento (7:05 p.m.)
Cesar Carrillo (RHP) vs. LHP Lenny DiNardo (Sacramento)
Carrillo, 25, returns to the Beavers rotation after going 0-3 with a 5.52 ERA in five starts for the club in 2009. The Padres’ first-round selection in 2005 spent a majority of last season with Class AA San Antonio, going 8-4 with a 4.24 ERA in 20 starts. Carrillo also made his major league debut with San Diego in 2009 and posted a 1-2 record and 13.06 ERA in three starts.
Sunday, April 11 – vs. Sacramento (2:05 p.m.)
Will Inman (RHP) vs. RHP Kyle Middleton (Sacramento)
The youngest player on the Beavers roster at 23 years old, Inman toes the rubber in Sunday afternoon’s series finale with Sacramento. The right-hander marks his second tour of duty in Portland after going 1-4 with a 6.71 ERA in 12 starts in 2009. He also made 15 starts for Class AA San Antonio and logged a 6-5 record and 3.40 ERA. A third-round pick of the Brewers in 2005, Inman was traded to the Padres in the July 2007 trade that sent pitcher Scott Linebrink to Milwaukee.
Monday, April 12 – vs. Colorado Springs (7:05 p.m.)
Radhames Liz (RHP) vs. RHP Alan Johnson (Colorado Springs)
The newcomer to the Beavers’ rotation after being claimed off waivers from Baltimore in the offseason, Liz is set to make his Padres organizational debut in Monday’s series opener with Colorado Springs. The 26-year-old right-hander out of the Dominican Republic combined to go 4-4 with a 4.78 ERA in 25 games (14 starts) between the Orioles’ Triple-A Norfolk and Class AA Bowie affiliates in 2009. Liz, who was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2003, also made two appearances with Baltimore last season.