Moscow was busy this offseason negotiating with agents and players to improve their roster. The most notable additions were to the pitching rotation and bullpen.
Hud Bannon was signed to replace the departed Grigore Balas. Bannon spent last season with Athens going 10-12 with a .437 ERA while striking out 121 batters. He is the lone left-handed arm in the starting rotation for the Thunder Bears this season
Samuel Vankrimpen will move into the closer role for Moscow, replacing Derry Vacher, who moves into middle relief. Vankrimpen employs a two-pitch arsenal, a fastball & curve, that should force a solid number of ground balls.
Bruno Bugbie 35 year old Bruno Bugbie was added to the starting rotation after spending the last few years in the Atlantic City Gamblers organization in the BBA. Moscow hopes he has some gas left in the tank to be a mid rotation starter this season.
Ricardo Munoz takes over at second base for Juan Feliz, who was not re-signed at the end of the season. Munoz should be able to provide solid defense at 2nd for the Thunder Bears.
The final cuts have been made, bringing the roster size to the required 27 players.
Moscow Thunder Bears 2060 starting lineup:
1B - Carlos Arroyo
2B - Ricardo Munoz
SS - Frank Lee
3B - Ryobe Watanabe
LF - Biao Li
CF - Yoshitoki Goto (welcome back)
RF - Adil bin Lahab
C - Blake McCoy
DH - Maximilian Nielson
SP1 - Jerry Bourque
SP2 - EwungaGoiba Ghera
SP3 - Bruno Bugbie
SP4 - Hud Bannon
SP5 - Juan Guerrero
