May 4: Training Camp Opens Today

It is one of the finest rosters ever assembled by a Goldeyes manager.

From top to bottom, these Goldeyes give the impression they can hit, field their positions and, hopefully, pitch with the likes of pre-season favorites such as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and Gary SouthShore RailCats.

Spring training opens today and the excitement surrounding this year’s team is palpable.

“This just might be one of the best teams I’ve ever played on,” new centre fielder Aharon Eggleston said last week. “There are some very good players on this team. If we all just do what we’re capable of doing, we’ll be competitive right to the end.”

When training camp opens, there will be three important things to watch before the regular season begins on May 20:

1. The pitching. After Ace Walker, Zach Baldwin and Ian Thomas, we don’t really know this year’s pitching staff. However, as Forney points out “There are four of them with Double A experience so they should be pretty good.” It will be fun to watch.

2. The battle for the catching position. Luis Alen, 25, is back after spending two years in the Mets organization. He hit .333 with the Goldeyes in 2007. Brett Wallace, 27, was acquired from Gary in the off season. “I’ve always liked Brett,” said first base coach Rudy Arias. “He really plays hard. He leaves it all out on the field.” And the third catcher is the exciting young Travis Howell, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound, 25-year-old with a gun for an arm. This will be the best individual competition at camp.

3. The decision on the first baseman: Kevin West will probably play right field, but he could play first. Cory Patton was a solid centre fielder who could play right and could also play first. And then there is young Jeremy Hamilton, 23, who comes highly recommended by veteran third baseman Vince Harrison, has shown real pop at the Single A level and is a natural first baseman. All three of these guys will play, but where they’ll play is a question that still needs an answer.

“It should be a pretty good camp,” said Arias with a sly grin. “I’m excited about it.

“The line-up is great and all of these guys can field their positions. The pitching could be very good, too. This could be a really competitive team. I think I like it.”

Training camp goes Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and then the Fish start the pre-season with games Thursday and Friday in St. Paul and Sunday and Monday in Sioux Falls. Sandwiched in-between is the team’s annual open house, which goes Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Canwest Park.