Former Princeton Rays making impact on Tampa Bay's full-season minor league rosters
The AAA Durham Bulls have had quite a run of recent success under their manager (and former 1997 P-Rays' skipper) Charlie Montoyo. At least in the beginning, there will not be a heavy Princeton flavor on the Bulls roster. Outfielder Desmond Jennings (2006 P-Ray), who saw some playing time in the big leagues late in the 2010 season, will be joined only by infielder Omar Luna (2007), and fast-rising pitcher Alex Cobb (2006). The trio will begin the '11 campaign just one step away from the majors. Also, in roster moves taking place on April 8, pitcher Brian Baker (2005) was added to the Durham roster. Baker has been steadily productive in his years in the TB farm system, beginning with a 6-2 record on the 2005 P-Rays and a 2.60 E.R.A. in 17 appearances. In an even more recent roster move, catcher Craig Albernaz (2006) was also added to the Durham roster.
There is a lot of excitement nationwide about the starting pitching rotation of the Rays' AA entry, the Montgomery Biscuits of the Southern League. Topping the bill is lefty Matt Moore (2007-08), who has led all of minor league baseball in strikeouts in each of the past two seasons. He was Montgomery's starting pitcher for their season opener on April 7. Moore is joined in the rotation by two other P-Rays, Joe Cruz (2007-08) and Nick Barnese (2007), who were both with the Charlotte Stone Crabs last season and had stingy earned run averages of 2.85 and 3.02 respectively. The only other former P-Ray starting the 2011 season as an active member of the Biscuits pitching staff is Jeremy Hall (2007), who will return to Montgomery after logging 148.1 innings on the mound for them last season. There were only tbree former P-Rays' position players on the Biscuits' active opening day roster: catcher Nevin Ashley (2006), infielder Tim Beckham (2008), and outfielder Kyeong Kang (2007). The eyes of baseball followers everywhere are trained on Beckham to see if this will be the season that the overall number one pick of the 2008 draft will have his long-awaited breakout year. Currently rehabbing from injuries but listed on the Montgomery roster are former P-Rays' players shortstop Shawn O'Malley (2006), outfielder John Matulia (2005), and outfielder / first baseman Henry Wrigley (2006), who last year crushed 21 homers and 83 RBI while splitting time between Charlotte and Montgomery.
Tampa Bay's high-A team last year, the Charlotte Stone Crabs, led the Florida State League with 80 wins and hope to retain that performance with a large influx of former P-Rays on that roster. Eight names on their opening 13-man pitching staff toiled on the mound for Princeton at some point in their careers. The eight pitchers are: Chris Andujar(2006-07), Alexander Colome (2008), Frank De Los Santos (2007), Mike Jarman (2008), Alex Koronis (2009), Deivis Mavarez (2009), Shane Minks (2010), and Scott Shuman (2009). Jarman appeared in 45 games for the Stone Crabs last year and Minks was "lights out" at three different Rays' affiliates last year, posting a 1.16 overall E.R.A. Many of the remaining pitchers all pitched well with many of them finishing the 2010 with Port Charlotte. Three other former P-Ray hurlers are staring the season on the disabled list for the Stone Crabs: Kyle Lobstein (2008), Albert Suarez (2008), and Kirby Yates (2009). The three-man catching corps for the Stone Crabs all formerly were behind the plate for the P-Rays: Mayo Acosta (2007-08), Mark Thomas (2007), and David Wendt (2009). Only one other P-Rays' former position player, outfielder Dustin Biell (2007-08) will start the 2011 season on the Stone Crabs active roster while two others, infielder Julio Cedeno (2009) and outfielder Ty Morrison (2008-09) were sidelined on the disabled list after both spent 2010 at Bowling Green. Morrison had a solid breakout year last summer with 40 extra base hits and 58 stolen bases for the Bowling Green Hot Rods. The staff at Port Charlotte includes former 2008 P-Rays' manager Joe Szekely as hitting coach and 2009 P-Rays' trainer Andrew Hauser filling the same role for the Stone Crabs.
The quality of players on the 2010 Princeton Rays was validated when it is taken into account that 11 of them jumped right past short-A Hudson Valley and will be starting the season on Tampa Bay's other full-season "A" team, the Bowling Green Hot Rods of the Midwest League. Many of the pitchers off the P-Rays' strong pitching staff from last season will be on the mound for the Hot Rods and include the top two pitchers in the Appy League last year Enny Romero (1.95) and Braulio Lara (2.18) along with George Jensen, Victor Mateo, Chris Rearick, C.J. Riefenhauser, and Eliazer Suero. Pitcher Matt Stabelfeld (2009) returns to Bowling Green while two other pitchers, Jairo Delarosa (2004 & 2009) and Wilking Rodriguez (2009) will open the season on the disabled list for the Hot Rods. Only two Bowling Green infielders, Robi Estrada (2007) and Hector Guevara (2010), have previously seen playing time in Princeton. However, the outfield has the possibility to be "All-Princeton" in the form of Cody Rogers (2009) and a pair from last year's P-Rays, Todd Glaesmann and Kevin Kiermaier. Also, in April 16 transactions, pitcher Omar Bencomo (2009) was moved onto the Hot Rods roster from extended spring training. Former P-Rays' coach Manny Castillo and 2008 P-Rays' trainer Scott Thurston are on the Bowling Green staff this summer.
If there is a name you were looking for that you did not see, the player would still be either in Florida for "extended spring training" or has been released. The P-Rays usually post transactions as they happen on the team's Facebook page. P-Rays' fans are reminded that they can listen to all of the game broadcasts of Tampa Bay's full-season affiliates on-line by going to the teams' respective websites and following the instructions from there.
To get more immediate and breaking information year-round on Princeton Rays Professional Baseball as it occurs, do not forget that the P-Rays are now on Facebook. Be sure to check out our Facebook section on our website at www.princetonrays.net. Don't miss your opportunity to sign up for this free service! ANOTHER FREE OPPORTUNITY for you to keep up with your P-Rays is to follow the team on "Twitter" at www.twitter.com/princetonrays.