Appalachian League opens 95th season

It's time for one of the Minors most historical leagues to play ball.

The Appalachian league, which was started in 1911, has deep roots in Minor League Baseball. The league has been producing All-Stars ever since and has only been modified three times in 95 years.

As the Appy-league teams start another season, here's a look at which teams to watch, what returning players to keep an eye on and what top draft picks have a chance to shine.

Bluefield Orioles (Baltimore Orioles)
LAST YEAR: The Orioles were 31-36, fourth in the East Division.

COACHES: Manager Gary Allenson, who managed Ottawa, the Orioles Triple-A affiliate, in 2003, returns to the organization in Bluefield. Allenson managed Double-A Carolina last season. Larry Jaster returns for his third season in Bluefield and his 10th year in the organization. Giomar Guevara is making his first-ever appearance as a coach. During his career, Guevara played 10 seasons in the Minors and 26 games for the Seattle Mariners. Coach Jerry Greeley is in his fourth season with the Orioles.

OUTLOOK: The Orioles have yet to sign many of their prospects, but the two that are signed stand out. Baltimore's fifth-round pick, shortstop Bobby Henson from Tuttle (Okla.) High School, was previously tabbed as "one of the most athletic shortstops in the Midwest" by Baseball America. Henson had committed to Arkansas but has signed with the Orioles since the draft. Ninth-round southpaw Brett Bordes, who was voted as Arizona State's Most Valuable Player, was also an All-Pac 10 honorable mention and the Sun Devils' all-time leader in appearances on the mound. Bordes was 7-1 with a 3.15 ERA last season.

Bristol Sox (Chicago White Sox)
LAST YEAR: The Sox were 30-36, second in the West Division, but 17 1/2 games behind league champion Elizabethton.

COACHES: Manager Nick Leyva is back in Bristol after being the White Sox Minor League infield instructor in 2003-04 and the Charlotte Knights manager last season. Hitting coach Bobby Tolan and pitching coach Roberto Espinoza join him in the dugout.

OUTLOOK: Third-round draft pick left-hander Justin Edwards is set on Bristol's roster already, bringing plenty of promise to the mound. Edwards, who was drafted out of Olympia High School (Fla.) had committed to the University of Georgia but signed a contract with the White Sox. Edwards doesn't have much speed but has good command. Fourth-round catcher Tyler Reves, out of Texas Tech, hit .300 with 13 home runs and 51 RBIs last season.

Burlington Indians (Cleveland Indians)
LAST YEAR: The Indians were 24-43, last in the East Division.

COACHES: Manager Kevin Higgins was the hitting coach last season and has spent time in the Yankees, Giants and Expos farm systems, including managing the NY-Penn league's Vermont Expos. Pitching coach Tony Arnold is spending his 14th season in the Indians' system, and hitting coach Dennis Malave was an assistant last season.

OUTLOOK: The Indians have plenty of promise in their infield. Catcher Matt McBride, their second-round pick from Lehigh, hit .417 with 12 home runs and 61 RBIs. Third baseman Jared Goedert, their ninth-round selection from Kansas State, hit .337 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs last season and adds even more firepower to an already powerful roster.

Danville Braves (Atlanta Braves)
LAST YEAR: The Braves were 47-20, finishing on top of the East Division.

COACHES: Manager Paul Runge returns for his second year in charge of the Braves. Danville's 47-20 mark last season is its best ever, and Runge returns to try it again. Hitting coach Mel Roberts returns for his second year, as well, while pitching coach Doug Henry, who was with Myrtle Beach last season, is in his first season with the Braves.

OUTLOOK: The Braves acted quickly on their top draft picks, as they have already signed their top seven picks. All three first-round picks -- first baseman Cody Johnson, right-hander Cory Rasmus and left-hander Steve Evarts -- add a lot of talent but are all straight from high school. Johnson, from Mosley High School (Fla.) has shown promise, and broke a commitment to Florida State to sign with the Braves. In his senior season he hit .522 with 15 home runs and 43 RBIs. He even gave a glimpse of speed, stealing 10 bases.

Elizabethton Twins (Minnesota Twins)
LAST YEAR: The Twins won the Appalachian League Championship, compiling a record of 48-19.

COACHES: Manager Ray Smith has become a common sight in Elizabethton, as he began managing the Twins in 1987. In that span, Smith has won five league championships and been named the Appalachian League Manager five times. Hitting coach Jeff Reed is spending his third year with the Twins, and pitching coach Jim Shellenback, who's gearing up for his 13th year with the Twins, completes the experienced coaching staff.

OUTLOOK: On top of having an experienced coaching staff, the Twins have a lot of young prospects entering the system. Outfielder Joe Benson, a second-round selection from Joliet Catholic High School (Ill.) hit .489 with seven home runs and 47 RBIs his senior year. Third-rounder Tyler Robertson, a southpaw from Bella Vista High School (Calif.), had a stellar senior season, compiling a 9-1 record while maintaining a 0.76 ERA. In 74 innings pitched, Robertson struck out 143 batters.

Greeneville Astros (Houston Astros)
LAST YEAR: The Astros finished 29-37, third in the West Division.

COACHES: Manager Ivan DeJesus joins the team from Class A Salem and is entering his sixth year as manager in Houston's sytem. Hitting coach Pete Rancout is coming back for his third season with the Astros, also marking his sixth year in the organization. Pitching coach Bill Ballou is in hit 11th year with Houston but only his second in Greeneville.

OUTLOOK: The Astros bring a lot of pomise to the mound with their 11th- and 15th-round picks. Southpaw Tom Vessella, of Whittier College (Calif.), was 8-2 with a 1.85 ERA, while striking out 91 batters in 82 innings pitched. Fellow left-hander Kevin Fox, who pitched in the NAIA conference, also brings potential to the Houston organization.

Johnson City Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals)
LAST YEAR: The Cardinals went 28-39, finishing fourth in the West Division.

COACHES: Manager Dan Radison, who was a Minor League catcher for the Cardinals, starts his first year as manager of Johnson City after coaching in Vero Beach last year. Radison will be joined by hitting coach Joe Almaraz and pitching coach Al Holland.

OUTLOOK: Even the late-rounders have potential in Johnson City. First baseman Jared Schweitzer, if he ends up with Johnson City, has shown potential for the team. Taken in the 30th round from Kansas, Schweitzer was a First-Team All-Big 12 selection, hitting over .360 for the past two years. Right-hander Kyle Mura, a 42nd-round selection, comes from a baseball background -- his father, Stephen Mura, pitched on the 1982 Cardinals' World Series Champion team.

Kingsport Mets (New York Mets)
LAST YEAR: The Mets were 28-40, last in the West Division.

COACHES: Manager Donovan Mitchell, entering his seventh year in the Mets system, was the hitting coach in Brooklyn for the past two seasons. Pitching coach Dan Murray and hitting coach Juan Lopez are back with the Mets as well. Murray is in his second straight season in Kingsport, while Lopez returns after serving with Mitchell in Brooklyn. Lopez was the hitting coach in 1999 and 2000, as well.

OUTLOOK: Kingsport has potential to have a solid season, especially after returning 10 players from last year's team: Pitchers Danny Arizmendi, Dusty Childress, Jusef Frias and Jose Gonzalez, catcher Sean McCraw, infielders Todd Lietz, Anthony Manuel and DJ Wabick and outfielder Parris Austin and Sean Henry. Wabick hit .303 last season and drove in 25 runs.

Princeton Devil Rays (Tampa Bay Devil Rays)
LAST YEAR: The Devil Rays were 34-31, second in the East Division.

COACHES: Manager Jamie Nelson, who has won more games than any other manager in Princeton's history, is returning for his fourth year. Pitching coach Rafael Montalvo returns for his second straight year and hitting coach Rafael DeLeon rejoins the Devil Rays' organization this season.

OUTLOOK: The P-Rays are returning nine players from last season's second-place team. Right-hander Heath Rollins could be a great addition if he's assigned to Princeton. Rollins, Tampa Bay's 11th-round selection out of Winthrop University, was the Big South's Most Valuable Player, compiling a 13-4 record and a 3.51 ERA. He struck out 143 in 123 innings.

Pulaski Blue Jays (Toronta Blue Jays)
LAST YEAR: The Blue Jays were 34-33, third in the East Division.

COACHES: Manager Dave Pano, pitching coach Vince Horseman and hitting coach Clayton McCullough join up to try and get Pulaski another winning season.

OUTLOOK: Some of the Blue Jays' late rounders could flourish early. On the mound, the Blue Jays' 31st round selection, right-hander Adam Rogers from Evansville, was a second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, going 7-5 with a 363 ERA. Catcher CJ Ebarb was a second-team All-SLC player, hitting .286 with seven home runs and 52 RBIs.