Madison Marches On2008 Wolves Preview Madison has owned the Johnson League Midwest Division since 1997, when it eeked into first place with an 83-79 record, the only JLM team above .500. Since then the club has failed to win 100 games once, in 2003, when it won 99. Last year the team finished with 102 victories and went to the post-season for the 11th straight season. Perennial success has not damped local enthusiasm for the club: in 2007, 4.2 million fans entered the turn styles at the Den, setting a franchise record.
Madison is odds-on favorite to win the JLM again in 2008, despite challenges from a revamped Phoenix team and its own internal losses. Longtime Wolf Bolt Vanderhugen had career highs of 52 home runs and 147 rbis, could not settle with Madison on a new contract, and took a working vacation to Rome. The Wolves lost four other players to free agency, including C John Behnke. Mid-rotation starter Johnny 'Zombie' Ginn is out for the season with a torn UCL; he joins three other hurlers (Gonzales, Mathieu, and Alonzo) on the DL. Speedy sophomore outfielder Tim Wallace was dealt to Las Vegas just after Spring Training (see outfield report).
Despite this loss of talent, the talent that remains includes perennial All-Stars infielder Charles 'Cricket' Puckett, SS Bopper Kengos; and SP mainstay John Rasmussen.
In addition, Madison GM Chris Wilson has not been inactive on the market this offseason, signing catchers Hurley Reyes, who shared in Madison's glory days for four years (97-2000); as well Ray Crabb, the most disliked player in the league. Crabb tested positive for drugs in October 1996 and has had yet to live that down, despite smashing 34 home runs for ATC in 2003 and 30 for Valencia in 2005. Madison has recognized Crabb's hitting talents and has penciled him for #1 catcher. Let's see if a year with the JL's most successful franchise won't gain him some positive karma. Meanwhile Reyes, one of the most popular players in the game, is 37 shy of 500 home runs.
At first, look for Jaden France, who also had career highs in home runs and rbis last season with 27 and 91. The most homers this versatile infielder previously had in one season was 12. France covered 2b last season but is the apparent heir to Vanderhugen at 1b. Either of two free agents signees, Jason Wortman and Juan Longoria, expected compete at DH (q.v.), can spell France at first.
Likewise, expect last year's 3b to slide over to 2b: Charles Puckett. His name alone is a vivid description of him for any MBBA follower. As are his 5 trophies for JL batter-of-the-year.
At 3b, then, will be Robb Wells, another free agent signee. Wells has lost some of his defensive prowess but has remained one of the most dependable day-in and day-out players since his rookie campaign of 1995. Well showed that everyday reliability this spring by hitting .312 and 5 home runs in a team high 77 at bats.
SS: Bopper Kengos. Again, is further description needed for this household name? Except 3 time batter-of-the-year and 11-time All-Star?
The richly-stocked OF will be manned by returning stars Rf Big Show Thomas (.261-25-83), Cf Roland Carroll .302-27-67), and sophomore Ed Mansfield (.290/.337./.461). Éric LaFrance, obtained from Las Vegas after Spring Training, hits righties well and could complement Thomas or Mansfield in a platoon role. Michael Schoenfield and Mark Hurt (who was hurt most of 2007 with ruptured tendon) return as backup outfielders. But Wolves fans are on the lookout for Chase Daniel, Madison's 2005 #1 pick to make the jump from Double-A to the big leagues.
DH – Veteran Jason Wortman, who hit .343 this spring, has apparently won the starting job over another talented batsmen, Juan Longoria. A platoon situation is a possibility.
PITCHERS
You don't finish first 11 straight years without great pitchers, whether they're nice or not. But changes in the pitching staff the last two years have left the 3rd through 5th rotation spots open for challengers.
SP John Rasmussen has been a fixture on the starting staff since 2000, and he has not failed to take his regular turn in the rotation since then. Last year he had his lowest win total (13) since 2000; his ERA was almost a point higher than in 2006, but his WHIP increased only a tenth of a point. Rasmussen may need to step it up a notch with the loss of Ginn. In all likelihood, he will, as he still commands one of the best change ups in the league to offset his powerful fastball-slider combination.
SP Ramon Ayala (14-5, 3.84) begins his third season for Madison. The veteran features near-perfect control (he was second in BB/9IP), but has a tendency to allow the long ball (he's ranked in the Top 4 in the category 7 times, although not last season).
Tom Sharp (13-9, 4.15), and Ken Quinney (16-8, 4.02) are next up to the mound for the Wolves. Zombie Ginn is out. But Russell "Big Dipper' Martin, a rookie, was 2-0, 1.80 in 5 starts this spring.
CL Justin 'Fat Cat' Marco (2-5, 4.04, 31 saves) has been the team closer since Madison began its dominance of the JLM. Although past his prime, figure him to be given the ball 67 times in relief, his average the past 11 seasons.
RP Jorge García (13-0, 4.72), returning for his 8th season, is the prime set-up man. He will be assisted by sophomore John Edwards (4-7, 4.89) as well as Carlos Selem, Chris Henry, and Steve Bradshaw. 26-year-old Eric Craigston pitched well in the spring but is perhaps a season or two away from being a major player.
Madison has two prime set-up men and potential stand ins for Marco who are still 3-4 months away from active duty: Byron Gonzalez and Freddy Alonzo. The latter was signed by Madison in January this year in hopes of a second-half resurgence.
OUTLOOK
The Wolves have battled injury and adversity for over a decade, now. But returned again and again to the playoffs. The challenge this year is not so much the loss of Vanderhugen (who was often out of months at a time the past decade), but the threat of underperformance to some of its major players (Marco, Thomas, et al.) and, externally, the rebuilt Phoenix Talons.
