Your 2008 W.V. Power -- Latest: A Brief Catch-Up with Harvard Grad Steffan Wilson

[Mass Haas]

West Virginia Press Release:

 

POWER BRING BACK SIX CONTRIBUTORS FROM 2007

OPENING NIGHT ROSTER ANNOUNCED

 

CHARLESTON, WV (March 30, 2008) - The West Virginia Power, Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers have announced their opening day roster for the 2008 season.

 

Infielders John Alonso and Brent Brewer will return from last year's team along with pitchers Jared Sutton, Mike Ramlow, Roque Mercedes and outfielder Caleb Gindl who joined the team for the last two games of the Championship Series against Columbus.

 

Ramlow, Alonso and Brewer are the only three who remained with the team the entire season. Mercedes was sent down to Helena in June after beginning the year in Charleston, Sutton signed a free agent contract and joined the team in May and Gindl was promoted in September after he won the Pioneer League batting title with a .372 batting average in Helena.

 

The roster includes 19 players who finished the 2007 season as members of the Helena Brewers who lost in the first round of the Pioneer League Playoffs and hit .291 as a team during the regular season.

 

There are 26 names on the roster and a corresponding move will be made before the opener on Thursday to cut it down to 25. The roster consists of two catchers, six infielders, four outfielders and 14 pitchers. There are a total of six free agents, three 2005 draftees, six 2006 draftees and eleven 2007 draftees.

 

The Power will play an exhibition game against WVU Tech on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:05 PM. The Power will open the 2008 season at L.P. Frans Stadium against the Hickory Crawdads on Thursday, April 3 at 6:30 PM. Their first game at home will be on Monday, April 7th against the Augusta GreenJackets at 7:05 PM. All listed times are Eastern.

[Mass Haas]

2008 WEST VIRGINIA POWER ROSTER

AS OF 3/30/08

#	PITCHERS	POS	HT	WT	D.O.B.	Resides	Acquired
31	Evan Anundsen	RHP	6'3	200	5/17/88	Columbine, CO	4th Round 2006
52	Rob Bryson	RHP	6'1	200	12/11/87	New Castle, DE	31st Round 2006
24	Wes Etheridge	RHP	6'1	185	8/12/84	Huntington Beach, CA	12th Round 2007
39	Corey Frerichs	RHP	5'11	200	5/7/86	Willis, TX	30th Round 2007
45	Jose Garcia	RHP	6'3	180	5/25/88	Santo Domingo, DR	FA 2005
46	Pedro Lambertus	RHP	6'3	190	6/4/88	Semana Santa, DR	FA 2006
47	Roque Mercedes	RHP	6'3	185	10/28/86	La Romana, DR	FA 2004
20	Dan Merklinger	LHP	6'1	195	11/18/85	West Orange, NJ	6th Round 2007
37	Curtis Pasma	LHP	6'0	206	9/19/85	Madera, CA	36th Round 2007
23	Mike Ramlow	LHP	6'6	185	3/2/86

[DHonks]

wow, that's surprising to see Brewer and Alonso repeating. But I guess they are still among the youngest on the team.

[colbyjack]

It looks as though Eric Farris is getting the bump to BC, unless he's injured. That makes sense, as he's more than polished enough to handle the jump.

 

Our friend agent39 has hinted before that Brewer could repeat low-A. Hopefully he starts strong and gets bumped up at midseason like Ford a year ago.

 

Keep an eye on Pedro Lambertus, who got a late and brief bump to Helena to end the 2007 season after spending most of the season with the Arizona Baby Brewers. I think it's clear the Brewers like this young man's arm even if he did have a problem walking batters last year.

[DrWood]

that could be a pretty good pitching staff.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Brewer back with Power to start season

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

Spring training in Maryvale, Ariz., went well for Brent Brewer, who spent the 2007 season as a 19-year-old shortstop with the West Virginia Power.

Last season and again this spring, Brewer demonstrated occasional flashes of brilliance expected of an all-round athlete who had committed to play football at Florida State before signing with the Milwaukee Brewers in the summer of 2006.

And although the Georgia native, Milwaukee's second-round selection in 2006, showed steady progress throughout the 2007 season, he still needs work in such areas as defensive consistency and strike-zone recognition.

For those reasons, he'll open this season at shortstop for the Power and is one of five holdovers from last season.

"Defensively, I think you're going to see quite an improvement,'' said first-year Power manager Jeff Isom. "He made a lot of plays this spring that were outstanding. He's made a lot of real nice body-control plays. I wouldn't say he's a Gold Glove shortstop by any means, but he's got a year of experience under his belt, and I see a confident shortstop. And confidence in baseball goes a long way.''

With the speed he flashed as a wide receiver in high school, Brewer stole 42 bases in 49 attempts to rank fifth in the South Atlantic League and led the Power with seven triples in finishing the season with 11 home runs, 49 RBIs and a .251 average. He also committed 53 errors and struck out 170 times in 518 at-bats.

In a Baseball America poll, Brewer, who turned 20 in December, is rated as the best athlete in the Brewers organization and its seventh-best prospect.

In addition to Brewer, the Power roster includes four other 2007 veterans - infielder John Alonso and pitchers Roque Mercedes, Mike Ramlow and Jared Sutton. Outfielder Caleb Gindl joined the team for two games in the playoffs in September.

The Power roster, announced Sunday, also includes 19 players who played at least part of last year at Helena, Mont., which posted a 48-28 record and won a division championship in the short-season Class A Pioneer League.

"The good thing for me,'' Isom said from the Power's spring training base in Maryvale, "is that I was at Helena last year, and I'm seeing a lot of the same guys I saw last year. We had a very competitive club last year. They're out there bustin' their butts. They're a hard-working team.''

Mercedes, who split time between the Power and Helena, will pitch the Power's season opener at Hickory on Thursday. Mercedes was 0-4 with a 7.26 earned run average in 39 innings in Charleston, but pitched well at Helena, compiling a 7-4 mark and a 3.75 ERA in 84 innings.

http://www.wvgazette.com/images/art/Permanent-Items/NNN.GIF

POWER POINTS: Gindl and catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who have been assigned to the Power, ranked first and sixth, respectively, in Pioneer League hitting last year. Gindl, a 19-year-old native of Pace, Fla., batted .372, and Lucroy, a 21-year-old native of Umatilla, Fla., hit .342. Gindl is a fifth-round selection and Lucroy a third-rounder. ... The Power will arrive in Charleston Tuesday for an afternoon media day and play WVU Tech in an exhibition game at 7:05 Tuesday night at Appalachian Power Park. ... The team will open the season at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Hickory and play its home opener at 7:05 April 7 against Augusta as part of an eight-game season-opening homestand.

[Mass Haas]

It looks as though Eric Farris is getting the bump to BC, unless he's injured. That makes sense, as he's more than polished enough to handle the jump.

Apparently, colbyjack, Farris is slated for West Virginia but will open the season on the DL with an undisclosed injury. He is expected back soon, however.

[MJLiverock]

I didn't know where else to ask this but are there any updated on Zach Braddock? I know he hurt his arm last year but I haven't read or heard anything else about his rehab or when he is coming back. If I remember correctly, he was putting up some pretty good numbers in the low minors before getting hurt.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Power roster packed with potential

Many of Brewers' top prospects coming to Charleston

by Jacob Messer

Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter

 

The West Virginia Power will field what very well could be the most talented team in its four-year history this season.

The Power roster, which was released Sunday, features seven of the Milwaukee Brewers' top 30 minor league prospects, according to the 2008 Baseball America Prospect Handbook.

Power fans could see as many as five on the field at the same time, with No. 7 Brent Brewer at shortstop, No. 10 Caleb Gindl in left field, No. 16 Jonathan Lucroy at catcher, No. 22 Lee Haydel in center field and No. 11 Rob Bryson, No. 15 R.J. Seidel or No. 19 Nick Tyson -- all right-handed starting pitchers -- on the mound.

Bryson, Haydel and Lucroy are Milwaukee's second-ranked prospects at their positions, according to Baseball America. Seidel and Tyson are the Brewers' fourth- and sixth-ranked prospects in their category, respectively.

No. 23 Eric Farris isn't on the Opening Day roster because he is injured, but he will join the team soon, Power Manager Jeff Isom said. Farris is Milwaukee's top-ranked prospect at second base, according to Baseball America.

The Power roster also includes Steffan Wilson, the Brewers' third-ranked prospect at third base, and Roque Mercedes and Jose Garcia, their 10th- and 11th-ranked prospects among right-handed starting pitchers.

"We have a lot of talent throughout the lineup," said Isom, who replaces Mike Guerrero as West Virginia's manager. "There's no question about that.

"I had a lot of those players last season in Helena (Mont.) when they came into pro ball. We were a very competitive team last year and I expect the same this year. We have a lot of good guys who want to work hard and better themselves."

Brewer, Gindl, Mercedes, first baseman John Alonso, left-handed pitcher Mike Ramlow and right-handed pitcher Jared Sutton return for their second stints with West Virginia.

"We have a pretty solid team," Ramlow said. "I would expect some good things from us this season."

Ramlow, Alonso and Brewer are the only three who remained with the team the entire season last year. Mercedes was demoted to Helena in June after he began the year in Charleston. Sutton signed a free agent contract and joined the team in May.

Gindl was promoted from Helena to West Virginia in September after he won the Pioneer League batting title with a .372 batting average. He joined the team for the last two games of the South Atlantic League Championship Series against Columbus.

"We like the idea of their experience," said Isom, whose team will play an exhibition game against West Virginia University Tech at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday (6:05 Central) at Appalachian Power Park.

 

"For a lot of the players, it will be their first full season. So, it is good to have guys around who have been around for a full season. (The second-year) guys can let (the first-year) guys know how they prepare for the season. They have been through it before. They can tell them about the difference between a short season and a full season."

Added Ramlow: "We just need to lead by example. We can't go out and get crazy. We need to respect the game, we need to respect the team, we need to respect the city and we need to respect ourselves. We just need to go out there and do what we can do every game."

The roster includes 19 players who finished 2007 as members of the Helena Brewers, who lost in the first round of the Pioneer League playoffs and hit .291 as a team during the regular season.

"I had the majority of them," said Isom, who was Helena's manager last season. "We had a good mix last year.

"On the mound, we had a very good pitching staff. We were second or third in the league in pitching. In the field, we were very good defensively. We led the league in fielding percentage.

"At the plate, these guys go out and play hard. They run the bases very well and they swing the bat pretty good, too. I have heard the ball does fly out of the ballpark. We hit a lot of doubles last year, and I imagine some of those will turn into home runs this year."

The Power, which plays in the SAL Northern Division, posted an 82-54 overall record in 2007 (a 48-20 mark in the first half -- good for first place -- followed by a 34-34 mark in the second half -- good for third place).

The season opener is scheduled for 6:30 PM (5:30 Central) Thursday, when West Virginia will begin a four-game series against the host Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads at L.P. Frans Stadium. Mercedes will start for the Power.

The home opener is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central) April 7, when West Virginia will begin a four-game series against the Augusta (Ga.) GreenJackets at Appalachian Power Park.

The roster consists of two catchers, six infielders, four outfielders and 14 pitchers. There are six free agents, three 2005 draftees, six 2006 draftees and 11 2007 draftees.

A move will be made before the season opener to cut the roster from 26 to 25.

[Mass Haas]

It sure seems odd they would send 26 players to Charleston, only to have to move one before Opening Day, doesn't it? Can't remember a situation like that before.

No additional info on Braddock, sorry. New rules regarding medical privacy implemented within the last year or two make getting info very difficult, unless it's an obvious injury within the course of an actual game.

[colbyjack]

Thanks Mass. I was excited for a few hours there http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif.

[MJLiverock]

Thanks for responding on the Braddock front Mass Haas and thanks for all the minor league info on here.

[TheCrew07]

I must say I like this pitching staff, WV might be my team of choice again this year... I've always been sort of partial to Nashville, probably because the players are closer to the bigs, and Helena because of the recent draftees, but last year I started listening to WV and got caught up in the hype.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Another high-Power year ahead?

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

Like all teams at minor-league baseball's lower levels, the Power will open the season with a roster that scarcely resembles last year's.

But although the faces generally will be new, the style of play - particularly on the offensive side - may be quite similar.

If that's the case, it should be another season of high-volume base-running activity at Appalachian Power Park. The Power will play its season opener at Hickory on Thursday and open at home at 7:05 p.m. (6:05 Central) next Monday.

The Power team of 2007 led the Class A South Atlantic League in runs and batting average and ranked second in home runs, and the current bunch seems equipped to approach those numbers, especially in a ballpark that lends itself to offense.

"We're going to see some offense. It's an exciting team,'' said first-year manager Jeff Isom. "It should be a fun brand of baseball to watch.''

Isom is familiar with the Power's 2008 personnel, having managed the Helena Brewers of the short-season rookie-level Pioneer League last year and worked with the players who will constitute the bulk of this season's Charleston team. Of the 26 players on the current roster, 19 played at least part of last season at Helena, which finished with a 48-28 record and won its division championship.

The Power's new manager also liked what he saw in spring training.

"I think we had a high batting average as a team [in spring training],'' he said, "and I think we can expect that again this year. I hope so.''

Pitching coach John Curtis, who is beginning his fourth season with the Power, also liked what he saw from the Power's hitters this spring.

"Very good, very good,'' said Curtis. "We're going to have another good offensive club, it looks to me.''

This season's right fielder, 19-year-old Caleb Gindl, led the Pioneer League with a .372 batting average last season and finished with a .420 on-base percentage. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy hit .342 to rank sixth. Two other Helena players, infielders Eric Farris and Zelous Wheeler, placed in the top 20 with averages of .326 and .300, respectively.

As a team last year, Helena batted .291 to rank second in the eight-team league. In home runs, however, Helena was sixth with 55 in 76 games.

POWER POINTS: The Power will face WVU Tech in an exhibition game at 7:05 tonight at Appalachian Power Park. ... As the 2007 season unfolded, the Power as a team often led the South Atlantic League by as much as 20 points and finished with a .281 mark. Hickory was second at .275. The Power also led the league with 804 runs and averaged 5.9 per game. The team hit 128 homers in 136 games. ... Farris suffered a hamstring injury in spring training and will not open the season with the Power but is expected to join the team eventually. "He's probably one of the top prospects in the organization,'' said Isom. Farris makes consistent contact. In 239 at-bats last year at Helena, he struck out just 22 times for a ratio of once every 12.2 at-bats - the best ratio in the league.

[Mass Haas]

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Power's turf expert aiming for way more than average

by Mary Childress

Charleston Daily Mail staff

The West Virginia Power's official home opener is still a few days away, but there's already a fellow gunning for a title.

 

He's a 25-year-old graduate of Penn State with an actual degree in turf grass science.

 

"Most people don't know there's even a degree in turf grass science," said Brian Eiche, the new head groundskeeper for Appalachian Power Park in Charleston's East End.

 

"While working on my major, I was on the grounds crew at Penn State's Bigler Field all through school."

 

Eiche went to work the moment he hit the field a month ago. He hopped on the tractor and mowed his way around the outfield.

 

"It was overgrown by about 5 inches," he said.

 

On Monday afternoon, he still was working to get the field in shape.

 

The West Virginia Power is scheduled to make its local debut tonight with an exhibition game against WVU Tech at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central). And the home opener is scheduled for this coming Monday.

 

The regular season for the Power actually begins on the road Thursday against the Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads.

 

Eiche, a Pennsylvania native, came to Charleston from the AA team in Harrisburg, Pa., where he also was head groundskeeper.

 

Eiche is well-versed in all types of grass including the best surfaces for soccer fields, golf greens and fairways, football and baseball fields.

 

On the Power Park's warning track for outfielders between the field and its border, he's placed new Dura infield mix from Pennsylvania. He will place chemicals on the outfield and infield turf before opening day.

 

"The chemicals add a little color to the grass, but more than that helps the roots grow and prevents and destroys diseases in the turf," Eiche said.

 

"Since I've only been here a month, the guys in the front office have really helped me prepare the field for play," he said. "I'm very picky when it comes to the field, and I want to make it look and play the best no matter what it takes."

 

Eiche's pre-game duties including dragging the infield, working on the pitcher's mound, stringing lines and chalking. He has six guys on his grounds crew and additional help from the front office when needed.

 

He hopes the Appalachian Power Park field will be named "Field of the Year" when the season is over. It's an award that's voted on by the players, the umpires and the coaches of teams in the Sally League.

 

"That's what I'm striving for," he said. "I want this to be the best playing field in the league."

 

The ballpark was an anthill of activity on Monday.

 

As Eiche worked on the field, others were in the Power Park's kitchens developing a new menu.

 

Visiting chef Amanda Wolcloch with Aramark, a food service company, was busy preparing foods for a sample tasting for those occupying the Power Suites.

 

Wolcloch, who is from Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena, said the regular concession stands would be operating with hot dogs, popcorn, burgers, beer, soft drinks and more for tonight's game.

 

Aramark has taken over the food service for the park, and Wolcloch is planning the new menu the company will introduce to baseball fans during the home opener against the Augusta (Ga.) GreenJackets.

 

Jacob Hicks, 23, who works in construction for the City of Charleston, was helping to hang the backstop screen that runs from the third base line to home plate and down the first base line.

 

Power Park employee Julio Silva, 53, was placing recyclable containers and trash receptacles and doing general cleanup to prepare for this evening's game.

 

Photos available at the link above...

[WVdave01]

I snapped off a couple of pictures at the WV Power media day earlier this afternoon. You can check them out here: http://www.pbase.com/linda559/wvpower

[Mass Haas]

Charleston Gazette:

 

The Power players, of course, are looking to advance beyond Charleston and move up the baseball ladder but, in the meantime, have found Appalachian Power Park to be an enjoyable temporary home.

 

Right fielder Caleb Gindl, who led the short-season Class A Pioneer League with a .372 average in 2007, earned a promotion to the Power during last year's playoffs and remembers the ballpark as a lively, upbeat place.

 

"Based on the couple days I was here,'' said Gindl, "I told the guys they're going to love it. The people here are just nice, very, very nice.''

 

Catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who batted .342 in the Pioneer League last year, saw Appalachian Power Park for the first time this week but heard good reports during spring training.

 

"One thing I heard a lot about in Arizona,'' said Lucroy, "was that we have a lot of good fans. It's real loud, that kind of stuff. I'm pretty excited about that. I like playing in front of a lot of people.''

 

POWER POINTS: Jim Lett, who managed the 1990 Charleston Wheelers to a league championship, is the Power's hitting coach. A Winfield, W.V. native, Lett has spent 14 seasons as a big-league coach. "I've been blessed,'' he said Tuesday. ... The Power will begin a four-game series in Hickory Thursday night and open an eight-game homestand at 7:05 PM (6:05 Central) Monday against Augusta. ... Right-hander Roque Mercedes, who split time between Helena of the Pioneer League and Charleston last year, will pitch Thursday's game. Left-hander Mike Ramlow, who was 5-5 with a 6.11 ERA with the Power last season, is scheduled to pitch the home opener. ... In his spring-training conversations, Lucroy heard that Appalachian Power Park is a "launching pad,'' which is baseball vernacular for a ballpark that yields home runs in abundance. ... Infielder Eric Farris, a fourth-round draft choice who batted .326 at Helena last year, suffered a hamstring injury in spring training and has not yet joined the Power. He's expected to miss about a week.

 

Power's projected lineup for Thursday's opener

Player, position age Hometown How obtained Key 2007 stat

Lee Haydel, cf 20 Birmingham, Ala. 19th round .276 average at Helena

Brent Brewer, ss 20 Tyrone, Ga. 2nd round 42 steals with Power

Caleb Gindl, rf 19 Pensacola, Fla. 5th round .420 OBP at Helena

Jonathan Lucroy, c 21 Umatilla, Fla. 3rd round .342 average at Helena

John Alonso, dh 22 Orlando, Fla. 12th round 59 RBIs with Power

Steffan Wilson, 3b 21 State College, Pa. 28th round .612 slugging at Helena

Zelous Wheeler, 2b 21 Childersburg, Ala. 19th round .300 average at Helena

Curt Rindal, 1b 24 Mt. Vernon, Wash. 35th round .324 average at Helena

Kurt Crowell, lf 23 Downey, Calif. 38th round .289 average at Helena

 

Opening-night starting pitcher

Roque Mercedes (RH) 21 La Romana, D.R. Free agent 3.75 ERA at Helena

 

Photo Gallery (2) Link

[Mass Haas]

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Power pitcher overcomes injury

Amaury Rivas will start on the mound Friday

by Michael Dailey

Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter

 

For many baseball pitchers trying to recover from a serious arm injury, the biggest obstacle to overcome isn't the injury itself.

More often than not, the mental aspect of the recovery is the toughest part of getting back on the mound.

Fortunately for West Virginia Power pitcher Amaury Rivas, his biggest obstacle appears to be patience.

Rivas, a 22-year-old right-hander, tore his ulnar collateral ligament after just 8 2/3 innings of work in six appearances at rookie league Arizona last June.

Now, just 10 months removed from the potentially career-threatening injury, Rivas appears primed and ready to go as the Power prepares for Thursday's season opener in Hickory, N.C.

"He looks confident and not afraid to throw the ball," Power pitching coach John Curtis said. "Some guys get a little scared because they think something's going to snap in there again, but Amaury seems to have overcome that."

Indeed he has.

"I'm not scared," Rivas said via the translation of Power infielder David Fonseca. "I throw the ball hard every time. Some guys get scared because they don't want to really let it loose, but that doesn't get into my head. I let it loose every time.

"My elbow is very, very good. It's strong."

After UCL replacement surgery last summer, an operation in which a tendon from his left wrist was implanted in his right elbow, Rivas' biggest challenge was rebuilding the arm strength that was lost during the post-surgery recovery period.

"The toughest part about it is that I had to work twice as hard to build up strength in the arm," said Rivas, who will start for the Power on Friday evening. "My elbow is good and strong now. I'm throwing around 94 (mph) now."

Signed as a non-drafted free agent in February 2005, Rivas features a fastball, slider and changeup in his pitching repertoire.

Entering his fourth professional season, the first three of which were spent in rookie league, Rivas sports a career record of 8-7 with a 4.81 ERA in 118 innings pitched.

"He had a wonderful spring training where he threw hard with no ill effects with the elbow," Curtis said. "Right now, it looks like he's going to start game two in a tandem with Rob Bryson.

"He's got a good arm. The biggest thing for Amaury is that he remained healthy this spring. He threw hard and often during spring training. But we'll be careful with him. He'll be pitching in a tandem, so that will help us look after him."

Tandem or piggyback pitching pairs two starting pitchers together who rotate between starting and relieving roles every fifth day.

Bryson is the 11th-ranked prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system, according to the 2008 Baseball America Prospect Handbook.

Piggyback pitching helps prevent the overuse of young pitching arms by reducing the number of pitches thrown as the pitcher develops.

"I don't care," Rivas said of sharing innings with Bryson. "I'm just going to pitch when they tell me to pitch and stay out there as long as I can."

For now, Rivas' biggest challenge will be getting used to his first full season (140 games) of professional baseball.

"The hard part about it now is that I've got to come back and play a full season," Rivas said. "Now I've got to play a long season.

"It's a little tough, but I worked hard and my elbow feels a lot stronger now."

For Curtis, the biggest challenge when dealing with Rivas isn't protecting his pitching arm, it's helping to corral the emotions that seem to overflow from time to time when the competitive Dominican Republic native toes the rubber.

"I call him 'the baby bull' because he will go out there and take on the world for you," Curtis said. "He's a battler and a great competitor, but his biggest problem is that he gets really worked up and emotional when he's on the mound.

"The only negative side to Amaury's pitching is that he gets carried away with his emotions and loses his sense of what needs to get done. He gets a little hung up on what he wants to do and forgets he can only do so much.

"I haven't worked with him very long, so we'll have to see how he carries himself in the game.

"I know that if he gets knocked around a little bit, he seems to get a little angry, so we'll have to watch for that and help calm him down."

* * *

With its 5-3 win, the Power survived a scare from the West Virginia University Tech Golden Bears in an exhibition game Tuesday night at Appalachian Power Park.

The Golden Bears had runners at the corners with no outs in the ninth inning when Jose Santiago grounded into a 5-4-3 double play that scored their final run.

Gerardo Hernandez hit a solo home run for the Golden Bears.

Jonathan Lucroy delivered a two-run home run for the Power. Kurt Crowell had an RBI triple, Lee Haydel had an RBI single (one of his three hits) and Scott Houin had an RBI sacrifice fly.

The Power will open the season on the road at 6:30 PM Thursday (5:30 Central) with the first of a four-game series against the Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads at L.P. Frans Stadium.

The Crawdads will start right-hander Duke Welker. The Power will counter with right-hander Roque Mercedes.

[Mass Haas]

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Power's Wheeler not your average infielder

by Jacob Messer

Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter

At first glance, West Virginia Power player Zelous Wheeler doesn't exactly look like the average middle infielder.

Standing 5-foot-10 and weighing 210 pounds, Wheeler looks as though he'd be more comfortable behind the plate or roaming the outfield.

But as first-year Power Manager Jeff Isom can attest, looks can certainly be deceiving.

Isom, who managed Wheeler last season in short-season Class A Helena, was surprised at the athleticism the 21-year old Alabama native showed in his first professional season.

"He's not your prototypical type player," Isom said. "He's got kind of a Kirby Puckett-type body that makes you think he can't move very well. Last season I thought that about him as well, until about five games into the season when I saw him make an outstanding, athletic play.

"There was a ball in foul territory that was in front of our dugout, which was on the third base side, and Zelous was playing third. I didn't think anybody could catch this ball and Zelous just comes flying in out of nowhere. I was just standing there thinking, 'Did I just see Zelous Wheeler make that play?'

"I'll tell you, he's pretty impressive for a big guy with the way he moves. He just kept making play, after play, after play like that for us last season."

Wheeler's agility and quickness were so impressive last season, the Milwaukee Brewers decided to give him some work at shortstop and second base during the winter.

The transition went so well, Wheeler, a 19th-round pick in the 2007 draft, will start at second tonight when the Power begins its fourth season in Charleston in a game at Hickory, N.C.

The position change isn't the only difference in Wheeler this season either.

During the off season, Wheeler shed 20 pounds from his 230-pound playing weight last season, to help with the transition to the middle of the diamond.

"I lost 20 pounds during the off season," said Wheeler, who batted .300 with eight doubles and 23 RBI at Helena last season. "I was in the winter program in Phoenix and I just got my weight down by working out. Now I'm ready for the season and hopefully it will turn out good.

"They've got me at short and second base now, so I'm kind of a utility guy. I dropped those pounds, so I feel a little quicker now. I was quick at 230 (pounds), but I feel a little quicker now.

"I feel lighter on my feet and I feel ready for any balls that might come my way. I also just like the way my body looks now. I like my body better at a lower weight. I hope it just pays off for me and my future."

Isom also thinks the weight loss could help Wheeler make the transition from the hot corner.

 

 

"I'm interested to see what he can do this season because his body is in better shape," said Isom. "He worked real hard in the off season to trim himself down, but his footwork and hands are really impressive for a big guy.

"He'll end up being a fan favorite here just because when you look at him, you're thinking that there's no way this guy can play. But that's the funny thing about baseball. It doesn't matter what type of body you have, or what size it is, everybody has the opportunity to be successful."

At this point in his career, Wheeler is a stronger fielder than hitter, but Isom sees plenty of potential at the plate.

"He's still a work in progress," said Isom. "He's stronger defensively right now, but that's something that we're working on. He did a decent job at the plate last year. He's a strong kid, he's just got to keep working on getting some pitches to hit and not swinging at the ones that are out of the zone.

"He does a very good job of going the other way. He's a right-handed hitter and he goes to right center very well. If he stays that way, he'll be all right, but if he starts trying to pull the ball, he'll run into some trouble.

"He just needs to keep working hard."

Fortunately for Isom, Wheeler's work ethic is one aspect of his game that didn't need any off-season tweaking.

"I just come out and try to play hard everyday," said Wheeler, who helped lead Wallace State Community College (Ala.) to the 2006 Junior College World Series. "I'm trying to make a living for myself and not fail the people back home.

"My mom and dad always taught me to play hard and do the best I could do at everything, so I come out here and just work my butt off for my teammates and myself."

Another thing that Isom likes about Wheeler is his people friendly personality.

"Zelous is a fun individual, said Isom, as he chuckled. "He's a special person, not only for what he brings on the field, but what he brings off the field too.

"He's kind of the leader, if you will, with the guys and he keeps everything light. He's a fun loving guy off the field, but between the lines he's a really hard-working guy. He's a good guy and a good character to have on the team, that's for sure.

"Usually when you hear a bunch of guys laughing and carrying on, you can look over there and Zelous is in the middle of it. And I don't think it's on purpose. I think it's just the way that he is. He brings a good attitude and lots of energy to the team."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Hard-throwing Rivas emerging as Power's top hurler

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

On one occasion last month, Asheville hitters were hammering away against West Virginia Power pitching - until Amaury Rivas arrived from the bullpen.

 

Facing a Rivas fastball that sometimes reached 95 mph, the Asheville hitters suddenly found themselves unable to hammer away. The imposing velocity made a noticeable difference, especially in the Class A South Atlantic League, and induced weak pop-ups.

 

"They couldn't get their bat head through to get on top of those pitches,'' recalled Power pitching coach John Curtis.

 

After missing virtually all of last year because of Tommy John elbow surgery, Rivas, a 22-year-old Dominican Republic native, is quickly making his case as a big-league prospect, a hard-throwing right-hander whose slider, says Curtis, is already big-league quality.

 

For now, however, those 95-mph fastballs too often arrive high in the strike zone and, as he moves up the professional baseball ladder, Rivas will need to locate those deliveries mostly at knee level.

 

Nevertheless, Curtis likes Rivas' velocity, his ability to throw strikes, his bulldog approach and his slider, which darts down and away from right-handed hitters.

 

"If we had a must-win game today,'' said Curtis, "he would pitch. He's been our most effective starter, as far as dependability. So far, in his good outings, his fastball has been so strong that [hitters] can't get around on him.''

 

As a pitcher bouncing back from major surgery, Rivas will be somewhat limited in his workload this season and is alternating between starter and reliever. In 30 innings, he's 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA and has allowed just 25 hits and seven walks in 30 innings.

 

The parent Milwaukee Brewers feel no need to rush him through the system, especially in light of last year's surgery, but Curtis sees realistic big-league possibilities.

 

"Right now, given the pitches he has, I would probably see him as a situational reliever or a possible back-end-of-the-rotation starter,'' said Curtis. "He has a lot of work to do on his changeup and maybe he needs to introduce a fourth pitch.''

 

Rivas throws his changeup and slider, Curtis noted, at the same speed - a shortcoming that allows hitters a better opportunity to time his pitches - and he sometimes focuses too intently on the hitters and ignores the baserunners.

 

In addition, the energetic Rivas runs the risk of wearing himself out.

 

"Amaury's only problem is that he is so full of excitement that he really doesn't have an inner governor that says, 'OK, I need to rest today,' '' said the Power pitching coach. "His enthusiasm just carries him day by day.''

 

Before the season, Baseball America rated Rivas as the Brewers' No. 11 prospect. Rivas is likely to stay in Charleston for the full season.

[jjfanec]

"Before the season, Baseball America rated Rivas as the Brewers' No. 11 prospect. Rivas is likely to stay in Charleston for the full season."

 

This doesn't seem right. He is 48 on the Power 50. I only can find the Brewers top 10 prospects, but was Rivas really number 11?

[pogokat]

No, Rob Bryson was 11...Rivas wasn't listed..

[jjfanec]

I was wondering how a guy was talked about so little around here could be our number 11 prospect. Makes a little more sense now.

[Never Outhustled]

Rivas added velocity after TJ surgury, and should some himself make a steady climb up the P50. His stuff is ow as good or better than guys like Tyson and Bryson.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Top prospect makes debut for Power

by Michael Dailey

Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter

 

The West Virginia Power has added a talented player to its lineup, as highly touted second baseman Eric Farris made his South Atlantic League debut Monday night in a 4-2 loss to the Lake County Captains at chilly Appalachian Power Park.

 

While Farris was 0-for-4 at the plate in his West Virginia debut, Power Manager Jeff Isom believes the talented youngster's arrival eventually will help his club both offensively and defensively.

 

Isom knows of which he speaks, having managed Farris at Helena in the rookie Pioneer League a year ago.

 

"I had the pleasure of having him last season," Isom said of the 22-year old Farris, who is rated the No. 1 second base prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system by the 2008 Baseball America Prospect Handbook. "He's a gritty type player that goes out there and leaves it all on the field. Defensively, he's got some unbelievable range to his left and to his right.

 

"He makes the routine plays look easy and he makes a lot of the tough plays out there. He makes the plays that you would think couldn't be made. He understands the game and he's a student of the game. He wants to get better. From a clubhouse standpoint, he's a leader and he's a high-energy type of player. He leads by example and he's just a good guy to have on the club."

 

Farris, who came to West Virginia from extended spring training in Arizona, missed the first 35 games of the season while rehabbing a left hamstring injury sustained during spring training.

 

"I was left behind for about five weeks and that was tough," said Farris, a fourth-round pick in the 2007 Major League draft. "But I'm happy to be here now. It's good to be back with the boys.

 

"I checked on them everyday to see what all the boys were doing. I'm happy to see all the guys and I'm glad to be playing. It might take a few games to get adjusted, but I mean, I felt comfortable out there today. With every at-bat, I felt a little more comfortable. Hopefully, as the year goes on, it will continue to get better."

 

Isom, who watched Farris compile a .326 batting average with one homer, two triples, 16 doubles and 34 RBI in 63 games in his first professional season last year, looks for comparable numbers from Farris this season, once he gets a few games under his belt.

 

"This is no indication of what he's capable of doing," Isom said of Farris' hitless debut. "He's still trying to get his timing back because he's only been going at it for about a week now.