'Wolves Roster and Rotation Set!
STARTING ROTATION The 'Wolves starting rotation has a strong mix of experience and talent. Four of the five starters spent part of the 2009 season with the SeaWolves.
Lefty Jon Kibler gets the nod for Phil Nevin on Opening Day in Trenton this Thursday. Kibler posted a 6-9 record and 4.06 ERA with Erie in 2009. The 2008 Tigers Minor League Pitcher of the Year tied for the Eastern League lead with 27 games started, finished third in the league with 161.2 innings pitched and finished 10th in the league in ERA. He was fourth in the EL with a 1.53 ERA (35.1 IP/6 ER) in five starts during May...tied for fourth in the league with three wins during July...tied for third in the league with 29 strikeouts during August.
L.J. Gagnier - Spent majority of the season with Lakeland making 23 starts and was tabbed as Lakeland's Pitcher of the Year...tied for the lead in the FSL with 15 home runs allowed, while he tied for third with two complete games and 123 strikeouts...third among all league starters with 8.44 strikeouts per nine innings...second in the league with 41 strikeouts during June, while he finished ninth with a 2.18 ERA (33.0 IP/8 ER) in five starts...tied for second in the league with four wins during July...promoted to Erie on August 30 and made two starts for the SeaWolves...struck out 11 hitters in 13.1 innings of work compiling a 1-0 record and 2.03 ERA in those two starts.
Duane Below - What began as a promising season for Below in '09 turned following an early May start in Akron. He finished 13th in the Florida State League with a 1.86 ERA (19.1/4 ER) in four starts during April with Lakeland and was promoted to Erie on May 15. Below made two starts for the SeaWolves before landing on the disabled list with a season-ending left elbow sprain. He went 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in his two Erie starts.
Thad Weber - Selected to the FSL mid-season all-star squad and was the winning pitcher for the FSL North Division in the All-Star game...third in the FSL with a 0.75 ERA (24.0 IP/2 ER) in four starts during April...promoted to Erie on June 23...tabbed the EL Pitcher of the Week for August 17-23 after he fanned 10 hitters in a no-hitter against Akron on August 22...tied for second in the league with out shutout, while he tied for fifth with one complete game...selected the Tigers Minor League Pitcher of the Month for August after compiling a 3-0 record and 3.13 ERA (31.2 IP/11 ER) in five starts...tied for fifth in the EL with three wins during August...saw action in eight games with Peoria in the Arizona Fall League following the season, posting a 4.50 ERA (12.0 IP/6 ER) and 13 strikeouts.
Andy Oliver - Oliver was the Tigers second round pick in the June 2009 draft out of Oklahoma State University. He will make his professional debut on Monday in Binghamton. The lefty posted a 1-1 record, 2.81 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 11 outings with Peoria in the Arizona Fall League. He posted a 5-6 record with a 5.30 ERA in his junior season at OSU with 97 strikeouts in 17 games (16 starts)