Bees Opening Day Roster Set
Like Campbell, lefty Ryan DiPietro also returns from injury. DiPietro tore his ACL in his sixth start last year. Right-handers Chris Hayes, Mario Santiago, and Angelo Morales also return from last year's pitching staff. Hayes led the staff with 45 relief appearances last year while recording seven saves. Santiago joined the Bees after just one start in the short-season Arizona Rookie League and was 3-6 with a 5.37 ERA in twelve appearances, including eight starts. Morales led the Arizona League with 76 innings pitched in 14 starts and was tied for third in the league with six wins before joining the Bees for just one start at the end of the last season. Lefty Brent Fisher will also be a key contributor to the staff. Baseball America ranks Fisher tenth on the Royals Top 30 Prospect List making him the highest ranked player on the current roster. Fisher is 8-3 with a 2.49 ERA in 28 career games. Everett Teaford, a 12th round pick last year out of Georgia Southern gives the Bees four lefties on the pitching staff. Harold Mozingo (6th Round, Virginia Commonwealth), Josh Cribb (8th Round, Clemson), Tyler Chambliss (11th Round, Florida State) also come out of last year's draft with major Division I college experience. Aaron Hartsock, and Henry Barrera round out the pitching staff. Hartsock tied for the Pioneer League lead with six wins last year. Barerra was a 5th round pick in 2004 and finished second in the Arizona League with six saves in his first season.
C Brady Everett, SS Chris McConnell, and IF/OF Jeremy Jirschele are the returning position players. Everett hit .256 with 5 homers and 22 RBI in 86 games last year after missing the first part of the season with a broken hand. After two great years in short-season ball, McConnell struggled and hit .172 in 69 games to start last year before going back to Idaho Falls. Baseball America still ranks McConnell 27th on the Royals prospect list. Jirschele played nearly every position on the field for the Bees last year and contributed 20 RBI in 84 games. 2B Kurt Mertins (#26) and OF Joe Dickerson (#28) also make the BA Top 30 list. Mertins, a 13th Round pick out of the College of the Desert last year, hit .342 and was 26-30 in stolen bases for Idaho Falls last year. Dickerson, a 4th Round pick in 2005, hit .281 with 7 homers and 38 RBI for Idaho Falls last year. 3B Marc Maddox, a 9th round pick last year out of the University of Southern Mississippi is also coming off a big offensive debut. He hit .336 with 22 doubles and 40 RBI in 62 games for Idaho Falls. Michael Thompson (Astros) and Scott Lucas (Twins) were both signed as minor league free agents and have Minor League experience. 1B Jase Turner has spent the last two seasons at Idaho Falls and rounds out the infield. Matt Morizio and Ross Boudreaux round out the catching corps behind Everett. Boudreaux will start the season on the disabled list.
Fans will have their first chance to see the players at the Meet the Bees dinner in the banquet room at FunCity on Wednesday night. Doors open at 6:00. Tickets are $11 for adults and $8 for kids 12 and under. Opening Night is Thursday at 7:00 at Community Field. The Bees host the Kane County Cougars on a Thirsty Thursday sponsored by The Sombrero Bar & Grill and KQ92. The first 1,500 fans in attendance will also get a magnet schedule sponsored by Mazzio's Italian Eatery. The Bees will also host the Cougars Friday and Saturday with fireworks after the game on Friday night. For tickets, fans can contact the Bees at (319) 754-5705 or visit the Bees official website at www.gobees.com.