Friday, January 12, 2018

Predicting the Skitz 2018


Toughest post of the year is predicting the team roster months in advance, but thats how I like the first post of each new season to go!

WELCOME BACK, SKIPPER!

We learned the coaching assignments, the Biscuits are bringing back Mgr Brady Williams, pitching coach R.C. Lichtenstein and coach Gary Redus.

Last years hitting coach Dan Dement has been promoted to Durham, filling his role in Montgomery this year is Jamie Nelson. Nelson has been a roving instructor for the Rays and is a familiar face in the Skitz dugout over the past few years.

So for the most part, its business as usual in regards to the Biscuits coaching staff.



HONORABLE MENTIONS
Also among the coaching assignments for the Rays were some familiar names - Craig Albernaz will skipper Hudson Valley and Hector Torres is the Minor League Infield Coordinator.

Hector Torres
Albernaz was a catcher for the Biscuits in 2006 and again from 2008-20012. He batted .219 in 170 games during his time in a Skitz uniform, hitting three homers, playing two games at second base and one relief appearance.

Hector Torres was the Biscuits hitting coach back in 2005 and is a fascinating guy. He was a Little League World Series hero in 1958 and played professionally for the Astros and Cubs, among others. He has played and managed all over the world and is immensely suited to the role he has been assigned.



LET US LOOK INTO THE FUTURE......

As always, this is just a guess. Its impossible to know who is going where, but we can try to predict most of these players to make appearances for Montgomery this year. Barring trade. Or injury. Or a bad spring.

That being said, lets peer into Casey Stengel's crystal ball and see what the Biscuits 2018 team looks like!


Brett Sullivan

C Brett Sullivan*
1B Dalton Kelly*
2B Brandon Lowe*
SS Jake Cronenworth*
3B Peter Maris*
RF Ryan Boldt*
LF David Olmedo-Barrera*
CF Tommy Milone*
CF Jake Fraley*


bench
2B Riley Unroe#
C Mac James
MI Jim Haley
OF Nathan Lukes*
UT Andrew Velazquez#

Genesis Cabrera

SP Genesis Cabrera
SP Travis Ott
SP Eduar Lopez
SP Benton Moss
SP Matt Krook

RP Ian Gibeaut
RP Tyler Brashears
RP Brandon Lawson
RP Dalton Moats
RP Spencer Jones
RP Reece Karalus
RP Greg Harris
RP Ryan Askew

*indicates left handed hitter
# indicates switch hitter

Center field could go to Fraley if he swings the bat well in spring training, otherwise it is likely to be Milone. Or both, possibly.

We could start the year with Grant Kay or Mike Russell on the squad, Mike Franco could return to the staff in some role. Or another of the players on last years team, otherwise bound for Durham, could have a bad spring and return. However we can be fairly confident that most of these guys - and quite a few others - will inhabit the roster at some point this season.


I expect we will see plenty of Biscuits news popping up over the next few weeks, of course I will pass along anything I find out!