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Article published Apr 15, 2009 Team turns to speed and power Strong roster could make playoffs a reality this season
They've got a fresh identity, new state-of-the-art ballpark and what looks like a ton of talent.
They're the 2009 Fort Wayne TinCaps, the Class Low-A affiliate of MLB's San Diego Padres. They opened the season last Thursday with six road games before they christen their new ballpark - Parkview Field - on Thursday.
“The energy, you can see it right now,” said TinCaps manager Doug Dascenzo after the team arrived in Fort Wayne on April 7. “But it comes down to playing the game of baseball, playing it properly, doing the fundamentals properly and enjoying everything that's around us.”
After 16 years in Memorial Stadium and playing under the nickname Wizards, the organization underwent monumental changes by moving to the $31 million facility and asking fans to rename the team. After two years of not making the Midwest League playoffs, the TinCaps have a roster this year that could end that streak.
Three first-round draft picks head this year's Opening Day roster - left-handed starting pitcher Nick Schmidt (23rd, 2007), shortstop Drew Cumberland (46th, 2007) and first baseman Allan Dykstra (23rd, 2008). They are three of eight players on the roster drafted by the Padres in the fifth round or higher.
Baseball America ranks six TinCaps in the top 30 prospects of the Padres minor-league system: Dykstra (8), third baseman James Darnell (10), right-handed pitcher Simon Castro (14), Cumberland (15), centerfielder Blake Tekotte (19) and Schmidt (21).
A late spring training injury held back outfielder Jaff Decker from joining the TinCaps. The 19-year-old is the third-ranked prospect in the Padres' farm system and was a supplemental first-round pick in the June 2008 draft. He should join the team in a few weeks.
“It's a great bunch of guys,” Cumberland said. “All of them are a joy to be around. There's a lot of talent here, a lot of speed. A few guys have power. I think it's going to be a good season.”
Dascenzo likes the components of the roster, too, but isn't getting too high prematurely.
“It looks good on paper and all that kind of stuff, but when the umpire says ‘Play ball!' you don't put the rosters out on the field, you have to put the players out on the field,” he said.
The starting pitching rotation will be righty Anthony Bass, Schmidt, Castro, lefty Rob Musgrave and right-hander Stiven Osuna. Six-foot-six righty Brad Brach is the closer. Tom Bradley, who pitched seven seasons in the majors, enters his third season as pitching coach. The team finished third in the 14-team league in strikeouts and last in walks allowed under his guidance last season.
Bass, Castro and Musgrave all starred for Class-A Short Season Eugene last year.
Power and plus-speed are the strengths of the offense. The left-handed Dykstra had a home run, double and 10 RBIs in just 24 at-bats last season in Class-A Advanced Lake Elsinore. Designated hitter/first baseman Matt Clark hit 28 home runs last season at LSU, tied for first in NCAA Division I.
Dascenzo said Darnell, right-fielder Sawyer Carroll and catcher Adam Zornes will provide some occasional power.
Left-fielder Dan Robertson, Cumberland and Tekotte are all good runners and will steal some bases. Robertson hit .377 and broke the Short-Season Northwest League's single-season hits record with 114 in just 73 games.
“We probably don't have as much speed as last year,” Dascenzo said. “But we've got a good amount of speed. And we've definitely added more power.”
Fort Wayne's 66 home runs was tied for 10th in the league last season.
Tom Tornincasa enters his seventh season as hitting coach. The team drew the most walks, was second in on-base percentage, third in RBIs and sixth in hits last season under his tutelage.