Despite the loss of several key members of 2007's Western Division champions, Missoula manager Brent Hathaway is looking forward to taking the field with this year's squad when the Mavs open the campaign with a nonconference doubleheader on Saturday at Lindborg-Cregg Field against the Great Falls Stallions.
“I think overall we're very athletic and we're going to be pretty quick,” said Hathaway, beginning his 16th season at the helm of the AA team. “These are going to be our strengths - we're going to be solid defensively and we're going to hit the ball well. But the fact remains that we took a heavy hit with graduation. We'll have to have some people step up and see how they handle stepping into the roles that need to be filled.”
Most would use the bitter taste of the previous season's postseason failure as motivation for the season ahead. But Hathaway has turned the page and refuses to let the 2008 Mavericks dwell on the past.
“They worked hard and did everything they could, but sometimes, for whatever reason, it just doesn't work out,” he said. “Actually, the way it ended, it was surprising. But we don't take that into this year. That was last year and we're going to focus on this year.”
Some of Hathaway's big contributors from a year ago have returned in good form. Second baseman Taylor King, who is always reliable in the field, is looking to build on a productive 2007 at the plate. Last year he batted .291 with a team-leading eight home runs and was second on the Mavs with 46 RBIs and 27 extra-base hits.
After seeing extensive playing time in their first seasons at the AA level, Hathaway expects right fielder Taylor Nordby and third baseman Brendan Brown to flourish this season.
“I think Brown and Nordby had big years last year,” he said. “But that first year, there's always a bit of an adjustment. With that experience under their belts, they should continue to improve.”
Sean Dwyer, who is poised to take over the starting catcher's job, and late-season call-up Sam Sopko have looked good in winter workouts, according to Hathaway. He's also been impressed with Kendal Maier, who led last year's Class A team with a .423 average, 59 RBIs, 85 hits and 121 total bases.
But the success of the team will ride greatly on its pitching staff, which lost aces Conor Dwyer and Brian Fowler in addition to closer Travis Johnsen. The Mavs must also do without right-handed team ERA champion Drew Lytle, who has been shut down indefinitely due to soreness in his pitching arm.
Missoula's top two starters are Brown and Cody Burgmeier, each of whom went 9-3 last season. Others competing for a spot in the rotation include Wes Martens, Sean Griffith and Anthony Maes, each of whom are up from the A team.
“We're going to rely heavily on (Brown and Burgmeier),” Hathaway said. “Wes Martens is up as are Sean Griffith and Anthony Maes. Those three guys have had success at the A level and now we'll see how quickly they adjust to this level of competition. But as of right now, the other spots in the rotation are completely open.”
One thing that's new this year to the program is the expansion of the Mavericks' annual Memorial Day tournament, which will now include 11 teams and will be split between Lindborg-Cregg and the home of the Missoula Osprey, Ogren-Allegiance Park.
But for the time being, Hathaway is anxious to see how the Mavs fair in their 20-game preconference schedule.
“These early season games ... we use them to try and get sharp,” he said. “The pitchers are always ahead of the hitters and it's really all about timing and rhythm and getting rid of those early-season jitters.”
Class AA Missoula Mavericks schedule
State Aug. 2-6 at Great Falls
Regional Aug. 14-18 at Bozeman
World Series Aug. 22-26 at Shelby, N.C.
April 19 Great Falls Stallions (dh), 1 p.m.
April 20 at Bitterroot Red Sox (dh), 1 p.m.
April 26 Helena Senators (dh), 1 p.m.
April 27 Great Falls Electrics, (dh), 1 p.m.
May 3 at Great Falls Stallions (dh), 1 p.m.
May 4 Belgrade Bandits (dh), 1 p.m.
May 7 Bitterroot Red Sox, 6:30 p.m.
May 10 at Billings Scarlets (dh), 1 p.m.
May 11 at Billings Scarlets (dh), noon
May 14 Mission Valley Mariners, 6:30 p.m.
May 17 at Belgrade bandits (dh), 1 p.m.
May 18 at Helena Senators (dh), 1 p.m.
May 21 Bitterroot Red Sox, 6:30 p.m.
May 23-26 Memorial Day tournament
May 31 at Kalispell Lakers (dh), 3 p.m.
June 1 at Glacier Twins (dh), 1 p.m.
June 8 Butte Miners (dh), 1 p.m.
June 13-15 at Palouse tourney, Pullman, Wash.
June 17 Kalispell Lakers (dh), 3 p.m.
June 19-22 Scott Klaudt Memorial tournament
June 24 Glacier Twins (dh), 5 p.m.
June 26 at Great Falls Electrics, 7 p.m.
June 27 at Great Falls Electrics, TBA
July 1-6 at Rapid City, S.D., tournament
July 9 Med. Hat Moose Monarchs, 7:30 p.m.
July 10 Med. Hat Moose Monarchs, 1 p.m.
July 12 at Great Falls Stallions, 5 p.m.
July 13 at Great Falls Stallions, 1 p.m.
July 15 Great Falls Electrics, 7 p.m.
July 16 Great Falls Electrics, 7 p.m.
July 18 at Lethbridge Elks, 6 p.m.
July 19 at Med. Hat Moose Monarchs, (dh), 2 p.m.
July 20 at Lethbridge Elks, noon
July 22 Great Falls Stallions, 7 p.m.
July 23 Great Falls Stallions, 3 p.m.
July 26 Lethbridge Elks, 7 p.m.
July 27 Lethbridge Elks, noon
July 29 at Butte Miners, 3 p.m.
July 30 at Helena Senators, 5 p.m.
Legion schedules, rosters requested
Western Montana's American Legion baseball teams are encouraged to send in schedules and rosters to the Missoulian and report all their games this spring and summer.
This includes Class AA and Class A teams. It's best if games are called in by 10 p.m. Please use the paper's toll free number, 1-800-366-7186.
Managers and coaches can fax schedules and rosters to (406) 523-5226 or e-mail them to sportsdesk@missoulian.com.
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