Louisville Preview 2009

[Al-Hoot]

Louisville Preview

In 2008, Louisville earned the Number 1 pick of the 2009 Amateur Draft. In other words, the team
finished with the worst record in the MBBA (58-104). Nevertheless, the club's "GM Hopkins era,"
which began in mid-June 2007 continues in a dogged determinism of the uphill battle of rebuilding.

ROTATION:
This year the Sluggers signed a pitching staff to help incumbent ace Allen Izatt. The signings included
southpaw Víctor Páez of EBA Belfast; Cleo Blanco, released by Montreal; and Curt Bandelow, recently
of the Vancouver farm system. The four will see the bulk of the starts this season, with #5 man Pat
Hughes, acquired soon after Hopkins took over the Sluggers in a trade that reaped three decent arms
for the outgoing (and I don't mean in personality) Jessie Wright. Meanwhile, 7th-year Slugger Chris
Allen has the tools to work himself back into a regular starting role.

THE PEN
Long time set up man Kevin Norman starts the year as closer. While former closer Nathan Campbell takes
a step back. Although there are rumors that the two relievers simply switched jerseys to give the appearance
that Hopkins was busy remodeling the pen. After all, Enrique Escues, Héctor Molina, and Jeff Hartle (acquired
in another brilliant Hopkins trade that also brought the multi-talented infielder Luis Costello to Kentucky for the
now-retired Javy Cordero).

The team may take awhile to surface as a contender, but at least the GM makes good trades. He traded his Buick
for a Honda Odyssey just to please his insignificant other.

STARTING LINE UP
1. Luis Costello, who's on first, had a .347 OBP last year

2. 25-year-old rookie C Jorge Díaz will bat second v RHP and lower v LHP.

3. CF Pat Park, whose career almost derailed last year due to 3 separate injuries, hopes to regain top form. (He
led the JL in games played with 157 in 2007.)

4. RF Sam Sung, who was drafted twice on the same day by Louisville in 2007, has the potential to accrue
a .500 OBP and 50 doubles. Sung denies swimming from North Korea to San Francisco to seek political asylum.

5. 3b Devin 'Fungo' Clark (.300-27-126) will perhaps put up better numbers this season

6. Lf Marquez Rayas, a Rule Cinco pick off Baltimore, starts his 3rd year in the Blueglass State. That's not a typo:
Rayas wears blue-tinted shades.

7. Bob Wilson and César 'Commie Child' Vega will platoon at DH

8. 2b Bill Wordsworth, a waiver claim from Baltimore, will start at second, and the familiar...

9. ss Terry Coture, a .283 lifetime BA in 6 seasons, all with Sluggers, returns at short


So there ya have Louisville's starters. A full year from Park, and the exciting youngsters Sam Sung
and Jorge Díaz, along with the remolded starting staff, will be the rise or fall of the Sluggers this season.

OF Joseph Ellis, who played 146 games last year, starts on the bench in 2009. Most other reserves are, by Hopkins
admission, AAAA level players.

C Díaz, a .260-.270 hitter in the minors, has the potential to hit .300 in the bigs. But Louisville runs the
risk of rushing his development.

I don't do predictions. So I won't say that Louisville will finish 4th in the JLA for the 5th straight year. The team
does have some highly-ranked prospects, including P Zach Bauer, last year's Number 1 draft pick.

[trmmilwwi]

Great writeup... I miss Javy. I may have to do a player profile on that kid some day.

[Al-Hoot]

He'd be worth it!

[felipe]

hmmm...I was hopingf for a first place prediction...currently working on yours BTW