Watch a preview of the Missoula Osprey.This summer the Osprey celebrate their 10th season in Missoula and as most fans can imagine that'll mean plenty of promotions by the minor league franchise, which first settled in the Garden City in the summer of 1999. It also means the Arizona Diamondbacks, who use the city as a revolving door for their rookie-level players, should have a nice stage to showcase their latest talent.
The Osprey are once again a mix, including a handful of regulars from last year's lineup combined with a hungry group of first-year players that were either picked up in the Major League Baseball draft or through free agency, like so many of the talented players from the Dominican Republic.
“This year is going to be different than last year,” said Vicente. “We want to win a lot of games. It's going to be a good time.”
Vicente, who at age 31 is the youngest manager to put on a Missoula uniform, brims with an infectious enthusiasm that already has the Osprey front office comparing him to former manager Hector De La Cruz. De La Cruz, of course, led the O's to the 2006 Pioneer League title in just his second year as a manager.
“They have tremendous similarities, that's for sure,” said pitcher Brett Reynolds, who's the only holdover from the '06 team. “They're both characters and they're both fiery. They have a lot of go, go, go. They try to keep you on your toes. Every minute it's something different.”
Vicente makes his managerial debut in the United States when the Osprey host the Billings Mustangs on Tuesday in the first of a three-game series. Suffice to say, he's excited.
“We have good players. We want to win the championship, but I'll tell you this, we're going to work hard for it,” Vicente said. “At the same time our players will have fun and play hard. They'll do it the right way - the Diamondback way - I promise you that.”
His style seems to have caught on with the players, especially the returnees.
“This is a good manager,” said Reynaldo Navarro, who starred at shortstop for the O's last year. “I feel brave because he talks in Spanish and I have confidence with him. We talk a lot. I feel good right now. All the team is good, young guys and we feel good with him.”
“I like him,” said center fielder Tyrell Worthington, who played in 13 games last season. “He's funny, but serious at the same time when he needs to be. He's a real good guy. I'm excited.”
But will that translate to wins?
“I think we're going to do pretty well,” Worthington said. “Last year we were good, but we just couldn't get it together. All the guys are pretty cool this year. I think we'll be good.”
Vicente replaces Damon Mashore, who was not rehired following his only year with the Osprey. The '07 team went 5-7 in its first month under Mashore and slowly got worse as the season progressed. Missoula finished with a 27-49 record, the worst mark in club history.
Steve Merriman is the only member of the 2007 coaching staff to return. The popular pitching coach is joined by first-year hitting coach Alan Zinter, a former big leaguer with 19 years of professional baseball experience. Together with Vicente they hope to lead Missoula to the playoffs. The Osprey have not won a first- or second-half title in the Pioneer League since 2001. They were a wild-card team when they won it all in '06.
Vicente is banking on many of the guys' experience at extended spring training, which broke just a few days ago, and that's what Vicente told his players less than 48 hours prior to Tuesday's season opener.
“Just do whatever you were doing, the same way we did in extended spring,” he said. “We won first place, we won like 17 games, but most importantly the guys were playing outstanding baseball and that's what we want right now.”
Merriman is banking on a solid group of starters to lead the way.
That group is led by Reynolds, a right-hander who's moved to the starting rotation after starting his pro career in the bullpen with the O's in '06. He tore an oblique muscle just four days before the start of the 2007 season, when he was picked to be the opening-game starter. A year later he's getting a second chance.
“Last year was a little disappointing,” Reynolds said. “Now, getting another shot at it means a lot to me. I'm really excited to be back in Montana, throwing for some great fans.”
Reynolds is one of five players on the roster who spent time in Missoula last summer. That's two fewer returnees than a year ago, but promising considering the stock includes Navarro, the 18-year-old native of Puerto Rico, who batted .250 with one homer, 17 RBIs and six stolen bases in 60 games with the O's a year ago. He began his first year in pro ball with a 10-game hit streak.
“I want to do that in this season, too,” he said, “but when I have a hot start, I want to keep it going. All the time I try to be the best.”
There's also catcher Bill Musselman, who made a stop this spring in Visalia (Calif.), the D-backs' advanced Class A team, before turning to Missoula for more playing time, hopefully.
“I hope that's the plan,” he said. “I'm the veteran this year, so hopefully that'll give me some more games behind the plate and that'll give me an opportunity to get my reps in and lead the team to some victories.”
Musselman doesn't know much about the new batch of pitchers Arizona just picked up in the draft, but he's worked with many of the arms that have come over from the Dominican.
“They have some talent, but also some growing up to do,” he said. “They're really young.”
Some of those arms in the bullpen include Victor Capellan, Pedro Rodriguez, Keny Sosa and Nicaraguan Bayron Zepeda. There's also Justin Mace and Jesse Orosco Jr., the son of the left-handed MLB journeyman.
Following Reynolds in the rotation are right-handers Randy Rodriguez, 17-year-old Miles Reagan, the D-backs' seventh-round draft choice, Santo Baez, another one of the returners, and fellow Dominican righty Rafael Quezada.
Joining Worthington in the outfield are Ryne White, the fourth-round pick this year, Ollie Linton, the 13th-round pick, and Bobby Stone, a 15th rounder. Also, Andrew Beshenich, who was drafted by Arizona out of high school in '06, made a stop in Missoula before shoulder injuries shelved him for a year. He spent '07 in Yakima.
Notes: The eight-team Pioneer League and its affiliates have not changed in the past year: The Northern division includes Missoula (D-backs), Helena (Brewers), Billings (Reds) and Great Falls (White Sox). The Southern division is made up of Orem, Utah (Angels), Idaho Falls (Royals), Casper, Wyo., (Rockies) and Ogden, Utah (Dodgers). ...Great Falls and Casper changed their team nicknames from that of their parent clubs to the Voyagers and Ghosts. ... Season openers are being held Tuesday in Helena, Orem, Idaho Falls and Missoula. ... The Pioneer League uses a split-season format as both the first- and second-half winners earn automatic berths to the postseason. The first half ends July 27 and the second half ends Sept. 5. ...The PBL began in 1939, but has been primarily a rookie-level league since 1964.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)