Lumberjacks set to open season Versatile squad has power, speed

When training camp opened for the Bangor Lumberjacks, manager Kash Beauchamp was confident he had experience, good power, and the potential for solid up-the-middle defense.

As it turns out, he may have even more than that.

The 22 players who survived roster cutdown day offer the Lumberjacks a mix of power, experience, youth, versatility… and speed?

“I would say, surprisingly, our team speed is much better than I expected it to be. We have some big guys who can run too,” Beauchamp said. “We have some good, smart baserunners who know how to pick spots and take what the pitchers give them and get good jumps.”

Two days away from opening day, The Northeast League’s newest team has finalized its roster.

Monday at noon was the deadline for NEL teams to get their rosters down to the league-mandated 22-man limit. The ‘Jacks did so by placing lefthanded pitcher Danny Miller on the disabled list with a shoulder injury; releasing Lisbon native and right-handed pitcher Jeremy Shorey, outfielder Junior Medina, third baseman Paul Powell, and sidearm reliever Eric Frodsham; placing lefty outfielder Eddie Rivero on the inactive list; and designating righty pitcher Kevin Orga for assignment.

“These by far are the toughest preseason decisions I’ve made. Usually when you make your cuts, it’s easy, but in this case, there were some guys I hated to let go,” said Beauchamp. “I’m wondering if I’m doing the right thing. If they come back to haunt us, good for them.”

If that just sounds like polite lip service paid to those outgoing players, consider this: There was little dead weight among these players, all of whom Beauchamp expects to hook on with other teams fairly soon.

Medina played for the (Adirondack) Lumberjacks all of last season, hitting .255 with 13 RBIs out of the leadoff and No. 9 slots in the batting order. Shorey was a 21st-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers three years ago. Frodsham is one of baseball’s most valuable commodities, a lefthanded pitcher.

Orga was put on waivers and claimed by two other NEL teams, so the Lumberjacks took him back and are negotiating a trade with both teams. Beauchamp said they’ll try to work a deal or let him become a free agent if no deal can be made.

Rivero, who was acquired in an offseason trade, is a teacher. He was put on the inactive list to allow him to finish his school year. He hit .248 with 13 home runs and 32 RBIs last season.

Among those who survived the cut is Mo Blakeney, 20-year-old center fielder who is a career .257 hitter with 17 homers and 100 RBIs in 253 minor league games. He joins 6-foot-5, 218-pound Floridian Stephen King (yes, that’s his real name) and Juan Silvestre, a native of the Dominican Republic’s baseball-star-producing San Pedro de Macoris, in the outfield.

Northeast League MVP and Dominican Republic countryman Juan de la Cruz is back with the Lumberjacks after leading the league with a .367 batting average and 75 RBIs.

The infield features a Far Eastern flavor with Mituru Kobayashi of Kanagawa, Japan, at shortstop and Kenichi Miura of Tokyo at second base; 6-6 Jude Voltz and fellow lefty Donnie Ross at third; second baseman-utility player Todd Brock; and catchers Brad Hargreaves and Daliene Rengifo.

Beauchamp says his squad should be very strong up the middle and he calls Voltz a vacuum cleaner at first base.

“My biggest question defensively is at third base because Ross has played first most of his career, but he’s had an unbelievable spring with the bat,” he said. “We have probably four or five players who could hit 10 or more home runs, which is a lot in a 92-game season.”

Bangor’s squad is fairly young with nine rookies, four more than the NEL minimum.

“Yeah, but they’re not normal rookies,” said Beauchamp. “I’m thrilled. We’re young and we may have some growing pains, but we’ll take what we get while they’re maturing.”

Most of them (seven) are pitchers.

The starting rotation appears set with former major leaguer Jeff Sparks anchoring the staff. The 30-year-old former Tampa Bay Devil Rays reliever missed the 2002 season with Tommy John reconstructive arm surgery after signing with Milwaukee. Following him in the rotation are fellow righties John Vigue, 24 and Kevin Pincavitch, 32; lefty Tim Rall, 23; and righty Jerry Long, 22.

“Jerry’s got the school record for career strikeouts at Cleveland State and I had Rall in my mind as the number one pick in the Northeast League draft, but we got him with the seventh overall pick,” Beauchamp said.

Relievers include right-handers Brandon Bowe, Luke Debold, Santiago Henry, and Matt Tindell plus lefties Roger Kalinowski and Donnie Thomas.

Like the Boston Red Sox, the Lumberjacks are still looking for a closer and hoping someone eventually emerges.

“The closing situation is kind of up for grabs still and until we play other teams, we won’t really know what we have,” Beauchamp said. “It’s more a mentality thing than anything else. I would like somebody to step up and seize that role.”

Bangor opens the season Thursday on the road against the Allentown (Pa.) Ambassadors at 7 p.m.. The ‘Jacks’ first home game is May 30 against defending league champ New Jersey.

LUMBERJACKS’ FIRST 10

MAY: 22, at Allentown (Pa.), 7 p.m.; 23, at Allentown, 7 p.m.; 24, at Allentown, 7 p.m.; 25, at Allentown, 2 p.m.; 26, at Brockton, Mass., 28, at North Shore, Mass., 7 p.m.; 29, at North Shore, 7 p.m.; 30, New Jersey, 7 p.m. (HOME OPENER); 31, New Jersey, 7 p.m.; JUNE: 1, New Jersey, 2 p.m.