2011 barnstormers season preview
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Obituaries
BarnstormersA supplement of the Intelligencer Journal / Lancaster New Era
A Look at ThisYear’s TeamPage 4
Baseball CardsPages 8, 9, 13
Butch Hobson:A Life in BaseballPage 3
Lancaster, Pa.� APriL �8, �011
T.J.Beam RHP 26 6-7 215 Right Right Scottsdale,Ariz.
JeffBennett RHP 30 6-3 206 Right Right Donelson,Tenn.AlvinColina C 29 6-3 209 Right Right PuertoCabello,Venez.
BenCopeland OF 27 6-1 190 Left Left Bradford,Pa.*EvanEnglebrook RHP 29 6-8 225 Right Right Mechanicsburg,Pa.TommyEveridge 1B 27 6-0 245 Right Right GlenEllen,Calif.EmersonFrostad C-1B-3B28 6-1 210 Left Right Clearwater,Fla. ChrisGarcia 1B 23 6-1 214 Left Right Brooklyn,N.Y.AdamGodwin OF 28 5-11 170 Right Right AlexanderCity,Ala.
TimHamulack LHP 34 6-4 210 Left Left Ithaca,N.Y.
AaronHerr 3B 30 5-11 180 Right Right Lancaster,Pa.
KevinHoward UTL 29 6-2 190 Left Right Hinsdale,Ill.
J.C.Holt OF 28 5-10 170 Left Right Alexandria,La.
JohnKoronka LHP 30 6-1 180 Left Left Vancouver,B.C.,Can.
TimMcNab RHP 30 6-0 170 Right Right Hollywood,Fla.
GilbertoMejia 2B 28 5-9 160 Switch Right Bani,D.R.
YuniorNovoa LHP 26 6-4 180 Left LeftLasMatasdeFarfanD.R.
ZackParker LHP 29 6-2 205 Right Left Paris,Texas
RossPeeples LHP 31 6-4 200 Left Left Albany,Ga.
JustinSegal RHP 26 5-10 180 Right Right Tarzana,Calif.
FernandoSeguignol DH 36 6-6 245 Switch RightBocasDelToro,Panama
TerryTiffee 1B-3B 32 6-3 212 Switch Right NorthLittleRock,Ark. LesWalrond LHP 34 6-3 205 Left Left Muskogee,Okla.
MattWatson OF 32 5-11 200 Left Right Lancaster,Pa.
JeromeWilliams RHP 29 6-3 180 Right Right Honolulu,Hawaii
MattWright RHP 29 6-4 220 Right Right Waco,Texas
CharlieZink RHP 31 6-1 190 Right Right Carmichael,Calif.
*Will begin the season on the inactive list due to a shoulder injury.
2011 BARNSTORMERS ROSTERPLAYER POS AGE HT WT BATS THROWS BIRTHPLACE
Barnstormers �011
Lancaster manager Butch Hobson is looking to lead the Barn-stormers back to the playoffs for the first time since their championship season in 2006.
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Contents2011BarnstormersRoster........................................................................ Page2ButchHobson:ManagingLifeThroughBaseball.................................. Page3BuildingaWinner......................................................................................... Page4TeamBios...........................................................................................Pages6,7,13BaseballCards.................................................................................Pages8,9,13HistoryofSeason-openingLineups........................................................Page10StadiumDiagram,2011Schedule,TicketPrices.............................Pages12NewBarnstormerLogos...........................................................................Page13AtlanticLeaguePreview............................................................................Page14Barnstormers’2010Statistics................................................................Page15
•••Production crew
Editors:BurtWilson,KevinFreemanandRoxanneMcRobertsWriters:BurtWilsonandKevinFreemanPhotographer:MartyHeiseyGraphics:DanMorrisCoverDesign:DanMarschkaandMartyHeisey
•••Editor’s note
Barnstormers 2011 went to press on Tuesday, April 26. The teammayhavemadepersonnelchangesbetweenthattimeandthissection’srelease date of Thursday, April 28. Any such changes are not reflected in thepublication.
Q: Butch Hobson is the fifth person to manage the Barnstormers Who were the other four?
????????????????
A: Tom Herr, Frank Klebe, Rick Wise and Von Hayes.
Lancaster, Pa. APriL 28, 2011 �
Managing life through baseballButch Hobson, the Barnstormers’ new skipper, is a classic players’ manager
BY BURT WILSONSports Staff
Here’s the key to Butch Hobson’s success as a manager: Baseball is not the most impor-tant thing in his life.
It’s that simple. Many es-pouse that philosophy. But Hob-son lives it and gets his players to buy into it. The ironic thing is, it leads to more victories on the field.
It’s not that he doesn’t care about the game. He wants to win, does win, and when he crosses those white lines, baseball is the only thing that matters.
But before and after the game, he’s more concerned about the welfare of his players. And the players appreciate that and they prepare harder, play harder and the effort is evident in the results.
“You don’t want to let him down, said Derrick DePriest, the Barnstormers closer in 2007, who played for Hobson at both Nashua and Southern Mary-land. “You know how much he believes in you, and you just feel special ’cause you’re one of his guys.”
The road to Hobson’s mana-gerial career began on the gridiron. Hobson grew up in football-crazed Alabama, even played for the legendary Bear Bryant.
He was an exceptional base-ball player, maybe could have gotten drafted out of high school.
But ...“When you grow up in Ala-
bama, you play football,” Hob-son said.
A quarterback, Hobson played well against Nebraska in the Orange Bowl at the end of his junior season, entering the game for the injured starter.
Knowing he wasn’t going to make it to the NFL, and having scouts in his ear about how good he could be at baseball, Hobson decided he wanted to concen-trate on the summer game.
But he had to break the news to Bryant that he was leaving the football team.
“I went into his office a week before we were going to start
two-a-days,” Hobson said. “I said, ‘I really want to concen-trate on my baseball, coach.’”
Bryant had his back to Hob-son looking out his office win-dow, onto the Alabama baseball field. Smoking a Pall Mall, of which he consumed about four non-filtered packs a day, Bryant said to Hobson, “From what I’ve seen of your baseball playing, you’ll be back with me playing football next year.”
“That motivated me,” Hob-son said. “I thought, I’m gonna show him I can do it. But Coach was always doing things like that to motivate his players.”
Following a good baseball season for the Crimson Tide in the spring of ’73, Hobson was drafted in the eighth round by the Boston Red Sox. Late that summer, he signed and was sent to Winston-Salem, Boston’s high Class A team. He played 17 games that year and all of the ’74 season at Winston-Salem.
The next season, he played 138 games for Double-A Bristol and then got the call. On Sept. 7, 1975, Hobson made his major-league debut at Fenway Park.
Please see HOBSON, page 5
Butch Hobson, shown talking to Kevin How-ard, will teach both baseball lessons and life lessons as manager of the 2011 Lancaster
Barnstormers. The Barnstormers are the third Atlantic League team Hobson has man-aged.
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BY BURT WILSONSports Staff
Lancaster Barnstorm-ers manager Butch Hobson has carefully assembled a team he
believes can contend for a playoff spot in the Atlantic League this season.
He put together the ’Storm-ers squad by filling each position with great care, much like a ma-son builds a wall brick by brick.
The 2011 Barnstormers have:n Experience. There are 12
Barnstormers who have spent time in the majors and nine oth-ers who have reached Triple-A.n Power. Best example is the
return of last season’s Atlantic League’s Co-MVP, Aaron Herr.n Speed. Three players have
stolen over 30 bases in at least one season in their careers. And that speed will also help on de-fense.
In addition, they have a very good bullpen, which Hobson al-ways utilizes.
And the most important
thing, they have a manager who’s adept at replacing players when they get hurt or signed by affiliated organizations.
All that should add up to Lan-caster’s first winning season and playoff appearance since their championship year of 2006.
The Barnstormers’ dismal record since they won the title has been a black eye for the or-ganization, especially since half of the teams in the league make the playoffs each season.
Hobson was hired to remedy the situation, which will also be made easier by the fact that Lancaster is in the same division as the Road Warriors.
The team without a home that is run by the league will not make the playoffs. That means two teams out of the Somerset Patriots, York Revolution and the Barnstormers will make the playoffs.
“I’m really excited about this team,” Hobson said. “I’m excit-ed to get going.”
The middle of the Barnstorm-ers lineup is going to be scary for opposing pitchers.
Two Lancaster natives re-turn. Third baseman Herr, the co-MVP who led the league with a team record 103 RBIs, and Matt Watson, who hit .317 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 30 games for the Barnstormers be-fore signing with Oakland and making it back to the majors last season.
“MVP of the league and a guy who was in the big leagues last year, why wouldn’t you want them back,” Hobson said.
The heart of the order will also include two switch hitters.
First baseman-DH Fernando Seguignol, who has been in 118 major league games and has also played extensively in Ja-pan, and corner infielder Terry Tiffee, who has played 97 games in the bigs and has been there as recently as 2008.
“He’s a class act,” Hobson said of Seguignol. “His club-house presence is going to be tremendous and he can hit.”
Tiffee, who hit .378 in Triple-A in 2008, is coming back from a back injury. If healthy, he won’t be with the Barnstormers for long.
Drawing from his blueprint for success built on experience, Butch Hobson hasgiven the Barnstormers a solid foundation
Please see BUILDING, page 11
J.C. Holt and Adam Godwin
(12), above, will roam the
Barnstormers’ outfield and switch hitter
Fernando Seguignol,
right, will provide
power in the middle of the
Lancaster lineup.
Building a winner
Lancaster, Pa. APriL 28, 2011 �
Hobson: Readies players for life after baseballHe got his first base hit off
Cleveland’s Rick Waits and he played his first full game in the regular-season finale.
That was the season the Red Sox won the pennant. Hobson wasn’t able to be with the team for their postseason run (the classic seven-game series with the Reds, including the dra-matic extra-inning Game Six with Carlton Fisk waving his winning homer fair). But he experienced enough to know he wanted to stay.
H o b s o n split ‘76 be-tween Triple-A Rhode Island and the Red Sox. Boston’s starting third baseman, Rico Petrocelli, had an inner-ear infection leading to Hobson’s return to the bigs. In his first game, he hit an inside-the-park homer and a double off Orioles ace Jim Palmer.
Petrocelli got better and Hobson was sent back down. Two weeks later, the Red Sox fired manager Darrell John-son and replaced him with Don Zimmer, who recalled Hobson.
He would be Boston’s third baseman through the 1980 sea-son.
“I knew I had something they liked,” Hobson said. “It’s all about being in the right place at the right time and producing. I was fortunate enough to be do-ing that and Rico was at the end of his career.”
Hobson had his best season in 1977 hitting 30 homers, driv-ing in 112 runs and batting .265, but he had too many at-bats the previous year to be eligible for the Rookie of the Year award.
For his career, he hit .248, with 98 home runs and 397 RBIs, having played all or part of eight major league seasons.
He had a good run, but he was hindered by injuries in part because of how hard he played the game.
“I always felt I had an abil-ity,” he said. “But I didn’t have the ability of being able to run fast. I had a good arm, but I didn’t have a great arm. I knew the only way I was going to make it was to play with a foot-ball mentality and that’s what I did.”
Hobson’s only regret was not taking better care of himself during that time.
“I wasn’t smart,” he said. “I didn’t live my life right. I thought, I’m in the big leagues. I’m with big leaguers, you go out and party and it hurt me.
“But I’m thankful for my time. If I had been smart, my career would have been better and longer. But I’m fortunate that I can say I played in the big leagues.”
Hobson’s last three seasons as a player (1983-85) were spent
in Colum-bus, where the Yankees had their Tr i p l e - A team. That’s where the seeds as a future man-ager were planted.
“ S t u m p Merrill and Johnny Oates groomed me,” Hobson said. “I would take the lineup card out before the game. They would bring me in and we would talk about the team because of my veteran status. That’s when I knew that I wanted to coach.”
Hobson managed minor league teams in the Mets and Red Sox systems before return-ing to the majors as Boston’s manager from 1992-94 where he was 207-232.
In 1996, while managing the Phillies’ Triple-A team at Scran-ton/Wilkes-Barre, Hobson was fired following a cocaine arrest.
The charges were later dropped.
“I’ve done some things I’m not proud of, but I learned from it,” Hobson said. “And now I talk to kids about it, college teams, minor league teams.”
Since then, he has turned his life around by becoming one of the top minor league managers in the game.
Hobson returned to manag-
ing with Boston’s Class A team in Sarasota, Fla. in 1999.
In 2000, he went to Nashua in the Atlantic League where, for the first time, he would have to build the roster.
Hobson was in Nashua through 2007, the last two sea-sons competing in the Can-Am League. From 2008-10, he man-aged the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
Continued from 3
“If things don’t go right, he’s got a way of resolving it,” DePriest said. “But it’s going to be based on hard work, not a lot of smoke
and mirrors.”
Derrick DePriestFormer pitcher on playing for Butch Hobson
Seven of nine Atlantic League teams Butch Hobson has managed have made the playoffs. Hobson, the fifth man-
ager in Barnstormers history, talks strategy with Aaron Herr.
Please see HOBSON, page 16
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Lancaster, Pa.� APriL 28, 2011 Barnstormers 2011
2B Gilberto Mejia
About Mejia: The Dominican has played the last 4 seasons with the Windy City Thunderbirds in the Frontier League. He was signed as a free agent by Detroit in 2000 and was in that organization for 7 seasons, reaching as high as Double-A in ’05. He is a career .255 hitter in 9 minor league seasons.
Last Season: The switch hitter batted .294 in 85 games for the Thunderbirds.
Height: 5-9 Weight: 180 Age: 28
LHP Ross Peeples
About Peeples: The only Barnstormer to have been with the team since the first season in 2005, he is the ’Stormers all-time leader in appearances with 199, which is 10th most in Atlantic League his-tory. He pitched four seasons in the Mets system after being drafted by that organization in 1999.
Last Season: He was 4-1 with a 3.28 ERA in 41 appearances, six of them starts.
Height: 6-4 Weight: 220 Age: 31
RHP Tim McNab
About McNab: Spent 8 years in the Mets sys-tem after being drafted by them in the 22nd round in 2002. Pitched parts of 4 seasons at Triple-A.
Last Season: He was 6-3 with 8 saves and a 3.75 ERA in a team-leading 62 appearances (sec-ond-highest total for a season in club history for the Barnstormers). In 81.2 innings, he walked just 15 and allowed just 6 home runs.
Height: 6-0 Weight: 195 Age: 30
RHP Charlie Zink
About Zink: International League Pitcher of the Year in 2008, he started his pro career with Yuma in the independent Golden League in 2001. Reached the majors for a game with the Red Sox in ’08.
Last Season: The knuckleballer spent spring training with the Cardinals before going 0-2 with a 12.75 ERA for the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate.
Height: 6-1 Weight: 190 Age: 31
LHP Tim Hamulack
About Hamulack: Pitched in 39 major league games (6 with the Mets in ’05 and 33 with the Dodgers in ’06).
Last Season: In 55 games, he was 6-5 with a 2.35 ERA and a team-leading 11 saves for the Barnstormers. He struck out 92 in 68.2 innings and twice struck out 7 in a relief appearance. He allowed just one homer in his last 45 outings.
Height: 6-4 Weight: 220 Age: 34
C Alvin Colina
About Colina: Spent eight seasons in the Colo-rado organization after being signed by the Rockies in 1998. Reached the majors with the Colorado for 2 games in 2006. Has spent the last 3 seasons at the Triple-A level for Cincinnati, Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Is a .249 hitter in 2,565 minor league at-bats.
Last Season: Hit .231 with 7 homers and 28 RBIs in 51 games for Triple-A Durham.
Height: 6-3 Weight: 210 Age: 29
RHP Justin Segal
About Segal: The submarine-style reliever played the 2007 season in the Yankees system after signing with them following a collegiate career at UC-Santa Barbara. Has spent the last three sea-sons in the independent Golden League.
Last Season: Was 3-2 with 5 saves and an 0.92 ERA in 49 apperances for the Chico Outlaws. He struck out 48 and walked 12 in 49 innings.
Height: 5-10 Weight: 175 Age: 26
C Emerson Frostad
About Frostad: Played for Canada in the ’08 Olympics. Selected by Texas in the 13th round and played in the Rangers system from ’04 through last season. Has also played the corner infield positions. Hit .258 with 63 homers and 314 RBIs in 664 mi-nor league games.
Last Season: Played at both Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Height: 6-1 Weight: 210 Age: 28
RHP Matt Wright
About Wright: Selected by the Braves in the 21st round of the 2000 draft. Spent all or part of four seasons in Triple-A where he is 18-25 with a 5.13 ERA in 74 games. Overall is 68-70 with a 4.03 ERA in 11 minor league seasons.
Last Season: Compiled a 7-3 record and a 3.20 ERA in 15 starts for Midland, Oakland’s Dou-ble-A affiliate.
Height: 6-4 Weight: 220 Age: 29
LHP Zack Parker
About Parker: Chosen by the Rockies in the 21st round of 2001, this will be his fourth stint with the Barnstormers. He spent part of ’07 and ’08 and all of ’09 in Lancaster. He has also pitched in the Rangers organization. His Lancaster stats are: 6-1 with a 2.49 ERA in 9 games in ’07; 2-0, 1.32, 4 starts in ’08 and 4-6, 4.05 in 25 starts in ’09.
Last Season: Pitched in Taiwan.
Height: 6-2 Weight: 195 Age: 29
LHP Yunior Novoa
About Novoa: In 8 minor league seasons, he is 22-38 with a 4.02 ERA in 191 games (70 starts). He was signed by the White Sox and pitched 3 seasons in their organization. He has spent the last 5 seasons with the Nationals, reaching Triple-A Syracuse for 19 games in ’09.
Last Season: He was 0-5 with a 5.57 ERA in 23 games, 22 in relief, for Double-A Harrisburg.
Height: 6-4 Weight: 190 Age: 26
RHP T. J. Beam
About Beam: Made his major league debut with the Yankees in ’06 after being drafted by that club in the 10th round in ’03. Was 2-0 with an 8.50 ERA in 20 games for New York that year. Went 2-2 with a 4.14 ERA in 32 appearances with Pittsburgh in’ 08. Played college ball at Mississippi.
Last Season: At Triple-A Reno, was 3-3 with a 6.33 ERA and 5 saves in 43 relief outings.
Height: 6-7 Weight: 215 Age: 30
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GO BARNSTORMERS!Q: When Matt Watson got back to the big leagues last season, he hit his first major league home run. Which pitcher served up the homer?
????????????????
A: Boston starter Clay Buchholz.
Lancaster, Pa. APriL 28, 2011 �
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LHP John Koronka
About Koronka: He is 8-13 with a 6.25 ERA in 31 major league games. He last pitched in the bigs in ’09 when he went 0-2 for the Marlins.
Last Season: He spent spring training with the Dodgers before going 0-3 with a 4.95 ERA in 7 starts with Double-A Chattanooga and he lost his only start for Triple-A Albuquerque. He gave up five earned runs in 2.1 innings for the ’Stormers.
Height: 6-1 Weight: 190 Age: 30
OF Adam Godwin
About Godwin: Hit a combined .270 and stole 110 bases playing 5 seasons in the Dodgers or-ganization after being chosen by L. A. in the 11th round of the 2005 draft. Played at Double-A level in both ’08 and ’09.
Last Season: Batted .345 with 5 triples, 4 hom-ers and stole 17 bases in 49 games with the New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League.
Height: 6-1 Weight: 185 Age: 28
OF Matt Watson
About Watson: The Lancaster native is a vet-eran of 46 major league games and also played two seasons in Japan.
Last Season: Hit .317 in 30 games with the ’Stormers before signing with Oakland. Was pro-moted from Triple-A Sacramento, reaching the bigs for the first time since ’05. Played 12 games for the A’s and hit his first major league homer on July 21.
Height: 5-11 Weight: 200 Age: 32
OF J.C. Holt
About Holt: Picked in the third round of the ’04 draft by Atlanta after playing at LSU. Played center field in college but Braves converted him to a sec-ond baseman. Will return to the outfield with the ’Stormers. Played at Triple-A in portions of the last four seasons. Is a career .277 hitter and has 141 stolen bases in 2,537 minor league at-bats.
Last Season: Split time between AA and AAA.
Height: 5-10 Weight: 170 Age: 28
1B-3B Terry Tiff ie
About Tiffie: Selected by Minnesota in the 26th round of the ’99 draft, he reached the majors with the Twins in ’04. He played parts of 3 seasons with the Twins (91 games) and 6 games for the Dodgers in ’08. He hit .324 to help the U.S earn a bronze medal in the ’08 Olympics. In 1,022 minor league games, he hit .294 with 90 homers and 606 RBIs.
Last Season: Missed year with injured back.
Height: 6-3 Weight: 212 Age: 32
RHP Evan Englebrook
About Englebrook: A native of Mechanicsburg, he pitched college ball at Shippensburg. Is 29-26 with a 3.96 ERA in 7 minor league seasons. Was selected by Houston in the 8th round of the ’04 draft and played in the Astros’ system through last season. Spent part of last 2 seasons at Triple-A.
Last Season: Split time between Double-A Cor-pus Christi and Triple-A Round Rock.
Height: 6-8 Weight: 225 Age: 29
RHP Jerome Williams
About Williams: Drafted in the first round by San Francisco in ’99, he was the 39th overall pick. Reached the bigs with the Giants in ’03. Has also pitched in the majors for the Cubs and most recent-ly (in 2007), the Nats. Is 23-29 with a 4.25 ERA in 76 major league games, 71 of them starts.
Last Season: Played in Taiwan for the Uni-Presi-dent Lions.
Height: 6-3 Weight: 180 Age: 29
OF Ben Copeland
Ben Copeland: Selected by San Francisco in the fourth round of 2005 and was in that organization before moving to the A’s system in 2009. He spent time in Triple-A in each of the last three years. Has a .282 average through six mi-nor league seasons.
Last Season: Played all 3 outfield positions and hit .280 with 4 homers, 8 triples and 16 doubles in 127 games for Fresno, San Francisco’s Triple-A affiliate.
Height: 6-1 Weight: 190 Age: 27
UTL Kevin Howard
About Howard: Chosen by the Reds in the 5th round of the 2002 draft. Also played in the Yanks, Dodgers, Phillies, Mariners, Blue Jays, Padres and Cardinals organizations. Has a .283 average, 77 homers and 456 RBIs in 8 minor league seasons. Has spent most of the last 3 seasons at Triple-A.
Last Season: Batted .242 with six homers and 27 RBIs for Triple-A Memphis, a Cardinals affiliate.
Height: 6-3 Weight: 207 Age: 29
DH Fernando Seguignol
About Seguignol: Batted .249 in 17 homers and 40 RBIs in 366 major league at-bats. Played a portion of each season from ’98-2001 with Mon-treal. Played 5 games with the Yankees in’03. Has played 6 seasons in Japan.
Last Season: Batted .189 in 11 games for Orix in Japan’s International League and hit .337 in 28 games for Newark.
Height: 6-5 Weight: 230 Age: 36
3B Aaron Herr
About Herr: Has led the ’Stormers in RBIs and doubles each of the last 2 years. Was selected by Atlanta with the 40th overall pick in the 2000 draft. Has averaged .272 over 11 pro seasons.
Last Season: Was co-MVP of the Atlantic League after batting .321 and clubbing 23 hom-ers. Set Barnstormer franchise season records with 103 RBIs and 35 doubles.
Height: 5-11 Weight: 180 Age: 30
RHP Jeff Bennett
About Bennett: Reached the majors in 2004 with Milwaukee. Has also played in the bigs with Atlanta and Tampa Bay. He is 8-17 with a 4.30 ERA in 179 MLB games. He last pitched in the majors in 2009 when he went a combined 2-4 with a 5.01 ERA for the Braves and Rays.
Last Season: Was in Triple-A before having sur-gery to repair his injured labrum.
Height: 6-3 Weight: 206 Age: 30
Q: In addition to the Boston Red Sox, what other major league teams did Butch Hobson play for?
???????????????????????????????????
A: The California Angels and New York Yankees.
Lancaster, Pa.� APriL 2�, 2011 Barnstormers 2011
PitcherTJ. Beam
PitcherJeff Bennett
PitcherMatt Wright
PitcherJerome Williams
PitcherJustin Segal
PitcherRoss Peeples
PitcherYunior Novoa
PitcherJohn Koronka
PitcherLes Walrond
PitcherTim Hamulack
PitcherTim McNab
InfielderChris Garcia
Lancaster, Pa. APriL 28, 2011 �
InfielderTommy Everidge
Catcher Emerson Frostad
InfielderTerry Tiffee
First Base-DHFernando Seguignol
Second BaseGilberto Mejia
OutfielderJ.C. Holt
UtilityKevin Howard
PitcherCharlie Zink
Third BaseAaron Herr
OutfielderAdam Godwin
CatcherAlvin Colina
OutfielderMatt Watson
Lancaster, Pa.Barnstormers 201110 APriL 28, 2011
Lance Burkhart (top) and Jutt Hileman (middle) were both in the Lancaster Barnstormers season-opening starting line-up each of the team’s first four years. Both are now retired and Burkhart is in his second season as the Barnstormers batting coach. Quincy Foster was the starting left fielder at the beginning of each of the Barnstormers first three sea-sons.
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Lancaster, Pa. APriL 28, 2011 11
Another player who will add pop in the middle of the lineup is Tommy Everidge, who also might not be in Lancaster for an extended time. Everidge had 20 or more homers four different seasons in the Oakland organi-zation.
“We’re going to lose some guys (to affiliated organiza-tions),” Hobson said. “That’s just the way it is. You have to prepare for that.”
The only drawback to all the big boppers is some may have to play out of position to get all the bats in the lineup. So, for example, at some point this sea-son, fans will see Aaron Herr in the outfield.
“He said he liked it and wants to try a whole game there,” Hob-son said of Herr, who played a stint in right field during an ex-hibition game.
The Barnstormers’ speed contingent will be led by yet another switch hitter, Gilberto Mejia, who will be at second base and at the top of the Barn-stormers’ lineup.
“This kid will steal 35 bases
and be an all-star in our league,” Hobson said.
J.C. Holt is the Barnstorm-ers’ center fielder. Holt played the outfield at LSU before being drafted by Atlanta and convert-ed to an infielder.
“I’m really excited about his speed,” Hobson said. “He can really cover it in center field.”
Holt will still spend some time in the infield since the Barnstomers lost Hainley Sta-tia, the man who was penciled in as the starting shortstop when he was signed by the Mil-waukee Brewers.
Adam Godwin will also be in the outfield.
“He’s an excellent outfield-er,” Hobson said. “If he plays consistently, he can steal 35 or 40 bases.”
The starting rotation for the Barnstormers shapes up like this:
Lefty Ross Peeples, who is the last remaining original Barnstormer, will start the sea-son opener. Peeples started 20 games for the ’Stormers in ’06, their inaugural season, but he has been a reliever since that time, except for making six spot starts last season.
Right-hander Jerome Wil-liams, who has pitched in 76 major league games, will start.
Matt Wright, a right-hander who was in the Braves organi-zation, will also start this sea-son.
“He’s a big strong starter who’s going to eat up innings this year,” Hobson said.
Knuckleballer Charlie Zink, who made it to the majors with Boston in 2008, will fill another spot.
The last spot in the rotaton will be filled by Zack Parker, who played for the Barnstorm-ers part of 2007 and 2008 and all of ’09. He will join the team May 4 after completing his semester at the University of Texas.
In the bullpen, righty Tim McNab, who led the Barnstorm-ers in appearances with 62, and lefty Tim Hamulack, who led the Barnstormers in saves with
11, both return.Also in the ’pen will be:n T.J. Beam, a righty who
has major league time with the Yankees and Pirates;n Jeff Bennett, another
righty who has 179 games of major league experience;n Les Walrond, a lefty who
has pitched in the bigs with the Royals, Cubs and Phillies;n Yunior Novoa, a lefty who
reached Triple-A in the Nation-als organization;n Justin Segal, a submarine-
throwing righty;n And lefty John Koronka,
who was with Lancaster briefly last season.
“If you look at our bullpen, I don’t know how I can improve it,” Hobson said.
Handling the pitchers will be catchers Emerson Frostad and Alvin Colina.
Frostad, who played for Can-ada in the ’08 Olympics, can also play first, third and the outfield.
“Emerson’s very versatile,” Hobson said. “I have no doubt he can play every day behind the plate.”
Colina reached the majors for two games with Colorado in 2006.
“He’s an established Triple-A catcher that can catch and throw,” Hobson said. “He’s very good defensively and very ath-letic.”
That’s the team at the begin-ning of the 2011 season. A team that looks promising. A team that looks like it can contend. A team that is likely to end the Barnstormers’ drought of four straight losing seasons.
Continued from 4
Building
Adam Godwin will provide speed on offense and defense.
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Terry Tiffee is one of Lancast-er’s three switch hitters.
Lancaster, Pa.12 APriL 28, 2011 Barnstormers 2011
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Lancaster, Pa. APriL 28, 2011 13
Hit One Out Of The Park,Barnstormers!
1834 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA 17602259 North Reading Road, Ephrata, PA 17522
Hitting CoachLance Burkhart
PitcherEvan Englebrook
ManagerButch Hobson
Pitching CoachMarty Janzen
PitcherZach Parker
Newlogos
The Lancaster Barnstormers have three new logos for the upcoming sea-son as well as two new uniforms.
The Hex sign (top, right) will be a shoulder patch on the new uniforms shown in the baseball cards pictured above.
The uniform pictured above will be used for games Sunday through Friday. The caps will feature the “LB” logo (bot-tom, right). The weather vane logo (top, left) will be on caps that will go with the Saturday alternate jerseys, which will be black.
The Barnstormers will continue to wear their gray uniforms with “Lan-caster” across the front and their red caps for away games.
INF Chris Garcia
About Garcia: Chosen in the 15th round of the 2007 draft by the Angels and played two years at the Rookie level in their organization. Has played the last two seasons in independent ball. Has a .359 average with 23 home runs and 194 RBIs in 957 minor league at-bats.
Last Season: In 94 games in the American As-sociation, hit .383 with 14 homers and 90 RBIs.
Height: 6-1 Weight: 214 Age: 23
LHP Les Walrond
About Walrond: Signed with Cardinals after being selected in the 13th round of the ’98 draft. Reached the majors with Kansas City in 2003. Has also played in the bigs with the Cubs in ’05 and the Phillies in ’08. He is 1-4 with a 7.07 ERA in 23 major league games. Spent spring training this year with the New York Mets where he did not give up a run in 2 games (1.2 innings).
Height: 6-3 Weight: 205 Age: 34
INF Tommy Everidge
About Everidge: Selected by Oakland in the 10th round of the 2004 draft. Played 24 games in the majors with the Athletics in 2009. First major league hit was a double off Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon.
Last Season: Played for three different Triple-A teams in the Pacific Coast League and hit a com-bined .249 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs.
Height: 6-0 Weight: 245 Age: 28
Lancaster, Pa.14 APriL 28, 2011 Barnstormers 2011
2011 Atlantic League previewBridgeportBluefish2010 record: 83-5736-34 (first half)47-23 (second half)
CamdenRiversharks2010 record: 62-7739-31 (first half)23-46 (second half)
RoadWarriors2010 record: DNPLast season played:2007, record: 43-83
Long IslandDucks2010 record: 70-6836-34 (first half)34-34 (second half)
SomersetPatriots2010 record: 75-6536-34 (first half)39-31 (second half)
S. MarylandBlue Crabs2010 record: 82-5741-29 (first half)41-28 (second half)
YorkRevolution2010 record: 69-7140-30 (first half)29-41 (second half)
Manager:Willie UpshawSecond season
Stadium:Ballpark at Harbor YardCapacity: 5,3002010 avg. attendance: 2,471
OUTLOOK: With the Newark Bears having left the Atlantic League for the Can-Am League, the Road Warriors, the Atlantic League’s “travel team,’’ is back. They will compete in the Freedom Division.
FAMILIAR FACES: INF Danny Gonzalez, who played four seasons for the Barnstormers, is on the Road Warriors’ ros-ter. He will be joined by fellow former ’Stormer LHP Jason Norderum, who made 16 appearances for Lancaster in 2007. He pitched for Calgary (Golden League) and Long Island last season.
HISTORY: The Road Warriors were placed in the league for the sixth time overall and first time since 2007. Note: The team could get players who are cut from the other seven Atlantic League rosters prior to the season’s start.
Manager:Von HayesSecond season
Stadium:Campbell’s FieldCapacity: 6,4252010 avg. attendance: 3,618
Manager:Roy HowellFirst season
Manager:Kevin BaezFirst season
Stadium:Bethpage BallparkCapacity: 6,0022010 avg. attendance: 6,038
Manager:Sparky Lyle14th season
Stadium:TD Bank BallparkCapacity: 6,1002010 avg. attendance: 5,354
Manager:Pat OsbornFirst season
Stadium:Regency Furniture StadiumCapacity: 6,0002010 avg. attendance: 3,540
Manager:Andy EtchebarrenSecond season
Stadium:Sovereign Bank StadiumCapacity: 5,2002010 avg. attendance: 4,155
OUTLOOK: Coming off a season that saw the Bluefish capture the Liberty Division title but fall to York in the league championship series, Bridgeport heads into the new season with an emphasis on putting together a strong pitching staff.
FAMILIAR FACES: RHP Matt Pike (12 wins), RHP Miguel Saladin (0 runs allowed, six hits, 18 Ks in 18 appearances) and RHP Pat Ryan (5-1, 1.39 ERA) return to Bridgeport. Also returning is OF Danny Putnam, who had 11 HRs and 56 RBIs last season. Former Barnstormer RHP Antonio Alfonseca will be in the Bridgeport bullpen.
HISTORY: Willie Upshaw was named Atlantic League Manager of the Year last season after leading the Bluefish to the league’s best regular-season record.
OUTLOOK: The Riversharks signed players with major-league experience in the offseason, including LHP John Bale, C Toby Hall, INF Mike Lang and RHP Jason Johnson.
FAMILIAR FACES: Camden returns a couple of their top offensive weapons from a season ago in OF Brian Burgamy (15 HRs, 85 RBIs), C Paul Padron (13 HRs, 52 RBIs) and INF Juan Francia (21 SB). Former Barnstormer INF Lloyd Turner is also on the roster along with LHP Eddie Camacho.
HISTORY: The Riversharks are looking to rebound from last season that saw them finish with the second-worst record in the league. Camden owns two Atlantic League titles (2004, 2008).
OUTLOOK: The Ducks elevated coach Kevin Baez to manager. A coach for the last six seasons, Baez takes over for Dave Lapoint. Long Island did not re-sign their two top pitchers from last season, Randy Leek and Jake Dittler.
FAMILIAR FACES: Anchoring the Ducks’ offense will be returnee OF Matt Esquivel who led Long Island in home runs (17), runs (85), hits (132) and doubles (28). Also back for the Ducks is INF Ray Navarrete who hit .275 with 13 homers last season.
HISTORY: The Ducks are entering their 12th season in the Atlantic League. Long Island won its lone league champion-ship in 2004.
OUTLOOK: The return of big boppers INF Matt Hagen, 1B Josh Pressley and 3B Jeff Nettles make the Patriots a team to beat in the Freedom Division.
FAMILIAR FACES: Hagen had 27 doubles and 57 RBIs last season. Pressley whacked 22 homers, one off the league high, which was shared by Lancaster’s Aaron Herr and Reggie Taylor. Nettles (.299 battting average, 52 RBIs) was an
Atlantic League Second Team All-Star.
HISTORY: Somerset won the Freedom second half title but fell to York in a divisional playoff series.
OUTLOOK: Three Atlantic League First-Team All-Stars return to anchor the Blue Crabs, including C Chris Lopez, 2B Casey Benjamin and RHP Jim Ed Warden, a reliever (closer) who is 6-foot-7.
FAMILIAR FACES: SS Travis Garcia is back for another season in Southern Maryland after hitting .262 with 17 homers and 71 RBIs last season. The Blue Crabs will have to do without last season’s Pitcher of the Year, Dan Reichart.
HISTORY: The Blue Crabs posted a franchise-best record of 82 wins last season en route to the playoffs for a second straight season in only their third year of existence. They bowed to Bridgeport in a divisional series.
OUTLOOK: The Revolution have several pieces from last season’s league championship team with which to make another run.
FAMILIAR FACES: OF Scott Grimes, last season’s Co-Player of the Year (with Lancaster’s Aaron Herr), returns. Grimes hit .312 with 32 doubles during the regular season and .371 in the playoffs. OF James Shanks (19 HRs, 86 RBIs) also returns.
HISTORY: The Revs went from being the worst team in the league in 2009 to winning the league title last season.
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????????????????
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Lancaster, Pa. APriL 28, 2011 15
2010 BARNSTORMERS STATS BATTING Batter Avg. G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS SLG. OBP. EBrett Harper .372 19 78 14 29 9 0 6 14 3 12 0 0 ..718 .390 0
Solomon Manriquez .333 8 27 4 9 0 0 1 4 5 6 0 0 .444 .471 0
Ryan Mulhern .322 86 298 49 96 19 1 14 59 39 72 4 3 .534 .395 10
Aaron Herr .321 127 508 91 163 35 0 23 103 37 110 4 2 .526 .370 17
Matt Watson .317 30 101 22 32 7 2 4 14 23 14 1 0 .545 .463 2
Reggie Taylor .308 102 393 66 121 20 1 23 69 44 62 11 4 .539 .379 7
Octavio Martinez .296 51 189 24 56 9 1 2 29 6 17 0 2 .386 .332 2
Jason Perry .295 97 370 75 109 22 2 22 72 56 90 13 5 .543 .406 2
Bryant Nelson .288 135 549 84 158 28 0 22 91 36 43 4 7 .459 .330 28
Vic Gutierrez .286 78 266 31 76 10 1 1 23 13 26 7 3 .342 .318 13
Adam Witter .275 64 222 41 61 12 1 17 48 37 47 0 10 .568 .375 9
Lloyd Turner .240 131 521 76 125 29 4 8 52 48 90 19 11 .357 .312 12
Josh Johnson .237 48 139 16 33 5 0 1 8 15 39 6 3 .295 .335 10
Michael Woods .229 85 297 41 68 13 3 3 26 38 87 11 5 .323 .322 5
L.J. Biernbaum .225 24 89 18 20 2 0 1 8 11 18 1 0 .281 .310 1 Jed Morris .224 66 210 26 47 10 0 27 25 36 19 1 2 .375 .324 4
Joe Gaetti .218 118 385 56 84 14 0 14 46 49 115 3 7 .364 .322 3
Toshihisa Nishi .208 31 106 9 22 2 0 1 3 7 17 2 3 .255 .257 0
Brett Flowers .143 18 42 3 6 0 0 0 1 5 10 0 1 .143 .250 2
Scott Patterson .000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 0
Ben Fritz .000 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 3
Total-All Batters .275 139 4790 747 1315 246 16 170 697 497 911 85 56 .439 .348 130
PITCHING Opp. Pitcher W-L ERA G GS CG Sho SV IP H R ER HR HB BB SO WP Avg. Reymond Cruz 0-0 0.00 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 .200
Tim Hamulack 6-5 2.35 55 0 0 0 11 65 54 20 17 3 0 17 92 1 .221 Scott Patterson 1-1 2.81 17 0 0 0 8 16 14 5 5 2 0 3 18 0 .226
Eric Junge 2-1 3.08 4 4 0 0 0 26.1 25 10 9 4 0 8 36 3 .245
Ross Peeples 4-1 3.28 41 6 0 0 1 68.2 71 30 25 9 1 15 49 3 .261
Ben Fritz 3-7 3.72 23 22 1 1 0 126 118 63 52 10 7 52 119 7 .248
Tim McNab 6-3 3.75 62 0 0 0 8 81.2 93 38 34 6 3 19 44 1 .292
James Heuser 1-0 4.05 21 0 2 0 0 26.2 23 16 12 2 4 13 33 2 .228
John Muller 1-1 4.50 19 1 0 0 0 24 20 13 12 3 1 13 27 1 .205
Josh Hall 13-7 4.90 28 28 2 0 0 167 181 111 91 8 10 65 111 21 .276
Jose Sanchez 7-11 5.45 28 27 1 0 0 153.2 198 102 93 16 10 65 102 9 .316
Sean Thompson 4-8 5.64 30 11 0 0 0 97.1 102 65 61 5 7 67 81 11 .271
Austin Hinkle 0-2 5.76 29 5 0 0 0 45.1 62 36 29 9 5 24 33 8 .330
Jason Simontacchi 5-7 5.78 26 15 0 0 0 99.2 136 74 64 16 5 16 69 8 .325
Neal Musser 1-1 5.94 4 1 0 0 0 16.2 22 11 11 3 0 4 7 0 .319
Charlie Weatherby 1-5 6.36 23 0 0 0 2 28.1 40 24 20 5 1 14 21 1 .336
Macay McBride 0-0 6.75 1 1 0 0 0 4 5 3 3 0 0 3 1 1 .333
Pat Overholt 4-4 7.12 37 0 0 0 1 43 54 37 34 6 4 90 211 14 .261
Nick Maness 0-3 7.99 8 5 0 0 0 23.2 32 23 21 3 3 20 15 7 .323
Rick Bauer 0-4 8.00 14 6 0 0 0 36.0 57 40 32 5 2 28 26 2 .354
Wayne Franklin 2-5 8.72 9 5 0 0 0 43.1 62 42 42 9 3 27 34 0 .341
Eric Ackerman 2-0 8.81 16 0 0 0 0 16.1 27 20 16 6 0 8 13 0 .351
Adam Bostick 0-0 10.81 2 0 0 0 0 3.1 4 4 4 1 0 2 7 0 .308
Daniel Brauer 0-0 16.22 2 1 0 0 0 3.1 10 6 6 1 0 1 2 1 .526
Bill Muldowney 0-0 19.05 4 0 0 0 0 5.2 13 13 12 5 2 1 3 0 .485
John Koronka 0-0 19.23 2 0 0 0 0 2.1 2 5 5 0 0 6 3 0 .286
Josh Johnson 0-0 36.00 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 4 4 0 0 1 0 0 .571
Total-All Pitchers 63-76 5.24 508 139 4 1 31 1226.1 1433 714 596 137 137 518 987 92 .287Stats are only those compiled while playiing for the Barnstormers.
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www.lancasterhonda.com
Returning to the Barn-stormers this season are Tim Hamu-lack (top), last season’s saves leader; Matt Watson (left), who went to the bigs after starting in Lancaster; and Tim McNab, who led the staff in appear-ances.
Lancaster, Pa.16 APriL 28, 2011
Physicians • MRI • Physical and Hand Therapy • Outpatient Surgery • Pain Management
Barnstormers 2011
And now, he is set for his first season as the Barnstormers’ skipper.
Along the way, his Nashua team won the Atlantic League ti-tle in 2000 and a Can-Am cham-pionship in 2007. He earned Manager of the Year Honors in 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008.
Seven of his nine Atlantic League teams reached the play-offs and four of those reached the finals.
The key to his team’s win-ning, according to Hobson, has been bringing in stellar base-ball players who are also quality guys off the field.
“He finds the right guys,” De-Priest said. “He won’t just chase after the best ballplayer, he finds the right fit.”
“I will never put up with a turd,” Hobson said. “I’ve never had to, except (when told to by an organization). If I can’t change a player in a two-week period to be what I think he’s supposed to
be as a man and as and athlete, then I’ll send him somewhere else. Because I’m not wasting my time anymore.’’
“He cares about his players,” Barnstormers batting coach Lance Burkhart said. “He puts together a great group of guys and everyone knows his role.
“He has an eye for talent and he puts them in situations where they are going to be success-ful.”
However, it’s not all lovey-dovey.
“If things don’t go right, he’s got a way of resolving it,” De-Priest said. “But it’s going to be based on hard work, not a lot of smoke and mirrors.”
“I don’t tolerate loafing,” Hobson said. “I don’t tolerate cockiness. I want you to be confi-dent and walk with an air of con-fidence. But you put your pants on like everyone else.
“You don’t stand at home plate and watch balls. If it’s a walk-off, stand at home plate and watch it. But if it doesn’t go over the fence, I’m going to be on you.”
Hobson feels his most impor-tant job is teaching his players. Yes, he teaches baseball. He’s al-ways at the cage offering advice on a player’s swing. But he feels his most important job is coun-seling them about things off the field.
“Coach Bryant taught us life after football,” Hobson said. “I try to teach life after baseball, because these guys have to real-ize it’s real close.”
But before those careers come to an end, it would not be a shock if his players helped their manager win another champi-onship.
Continued from 5
Boston Red Sox players from left Carlton Fisk, George Scott, Jim Rice and Butch Hobson gather in the locker room after a June 23, 1977 game with the Baltimore Orioles in Baltimore. Fisk hit two home runs and the others hit one each, setting a major league mark for most home runs in eight consecutive games with a total of 29.
Associated Press
Hobson
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