So I recently received an e-mail from a reader in the hopes that I would project the 2009 Trenton Thunder roster.
One of part of it reads: “Chad Jennings over at his blog already answered most of our requests to guess the 2009 roster for the SWB Yankees.”
Well, I’ve got to let you in on a little secret. Chad Jennings is actually a robot. I didn’t want to say anything, but I noticed the control panel on his neck when he came down to Trenton to cover the exhibition game. There were various dials and knobs that determined the frequency of his excellent, well thought out and well informed blog posts. Sometimes they’re set so that posts are made every few days, and sometimes the posts are made every few hours.
I mean, that’s got to be the only way that he does that excellent of a job on that blog in the off-season. Either that, or it could just be that’s really good at what he does and he works really hard.
All incredibly poorly thought out jokes aside — and for those of you I’ve confused, Chad isn’t actually a robot…right? — I’d like to be able to do a little more with this particular blog in the off-season, but my focus has turned towards covering the Trenton Devils hockey team, which I’ve been doing since October.
So getting back to projecting the Thunder roster…it’s January, so I know just about as much as you guys do right now. But the reader who sent in the e-mail, Rich, was kind enough to include his thoughts on what the roster would look like.
So for the purposes of creating some discussion, let me post what he sent along…and then you guys can post your own or agree/disagree with his.
My quick thoughts on it are that I don’t think Nova is necessarily a lock for the Thunder rotation even if he doesn’t stick with the Padres…and I agree with Rich that he most likely will not.
I think his bullpen is a little too deep, and his bench might be a guy or two short. I also think you might see Chris Malec factor into the Double-A picture to start out the year…maybe Kevin Russo as well, depending on what Scranton ends up with to start the year.
—
STARTING ROTATION
RHP Eric Hacker
RHP George Kontos
RHP Ivan Nova (no way San Diego will put him on the 25 man roster)
RHP Ryan Pope
RHP Zach McAllister
BULLPEN (a lot of candidates)
RHP Kevin Whelan
RHP Kaneoka Texeira
RHP Eric Wordekemper
RHP Jose Valdez
RHP Josh Schmidt
LHP Wilkins Arias
RHP Jonathan Hovis
RHP Philip Bartleski
RHP Brett Smith
LINEUP
C Francisco Cervelli
1B Kevin Smith
2B Reegie Corona (???)
SS Ramiro Pena
3B Marcos Vechionacci
LF Colin Curtis
CF Tim Battle (???)
RF James Cooper
DH Jorge Vazquez (I hope he’s a beast)
BENCH
IF Carlos Mendoza
OF Andre Perez (???)
C Joseph Muich (???)
Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com
Mike Ashmore's Thunder Thoughts 
January 19, 2009 at 7:19 am |
YOU DON’T LIKE EDWAR AS YOUR DH
January 19, 2009 at 7:05 pm |
Right now I think that Malec and Gonzalez are in Triple-A. Tough to say right now, but here is my guess.
C- Cervelli (Lock)
1B/DH – Vazquez (Lock – I hope he is Alfredo Aceves II)
1B/DH – Smith (Likely)
2B – Corona (50%), Carlos Mendoza (25%), Luis Nunez (25%)
SS – Pena (Did nothing to earn a promotion)
3B – Vechionacci (Lock)
LF – Curtis (Lock)
CF – Fortenberry
RF – Cooper
I think guys like de la Rosa and McAllister start the year at Tampa.
SP #1- Eric Hacker (At no fault to him – Triple-A is just packed)
SP #2- George Kontos (See above)
SP #3- Michael Dunn
SP #4- Chris Garcia
SP #5- Ryan Pope
I think that Tex goes up to Triple-A.
RP-Wordekemper
RP-Whelan
RP-Gardner
RP-Arias
RP-Dunn
RP-Bartleski
RP-Schmidt
RP-Valdez
RP-Hovis
January 19, 2009 at 7:07 pm |
Whoops. Accidentally posted. I meant to take Dunn out of the pen.
The bench will probably be something like Muich and 2 or 3 filler guys.
January 19, 2009 at 7:10 pm |
True story: I was going to make a “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper” comment about James Cooper. But first, I wanted to make sure that you didn’t already do that. Sure enough, I found that article and found my favorite line ever: “Somewhere, Mark Curry is smiling. Either that or waiting tables somewhere.”
January 19, 2009 at 11:18 pm |
EDWAR GONZALES WILL BE BACK IN TRENTON
January 20, 2009 at 12:38 am |
I deny any and all association with robots.
As for the Trenton roster, I haven’t researched this nearly as much as the Triple-A roster possibilities, but these are a few noteable names that jump out at me as good bets for Double-A…
Pitchers:
Eric Hacker
Chris Garcia
George Kontos
Kanekoa Texeira
Michael Dunn
* Crowded Triple-A pitching staff hurts some of these guys. The organizational pitching depth remains incredible despite all the recent trades.
Infielders:
Francisco Cervelli
Kyle Anson
Jorge Vazquez
Kevin Smith
Marcos Vechionacci
* Mark Newman has indicated Cervelli will open in Trenton and there certainly won’t be room for Anson in Tampa, not with Montero and Romine likely to open there.
** I also think at least one — maybe two — of Ramiro Pena, Kevin Russo and Chris Malec will return to Trenton. I tend to agree with Steven, I think Pena will be there while some mix of Bernier, Berroa and/or Ransom plays short in Scranton. At least at the beginning of the season.
Outfielders:
Seth Fortenberry
At least one of Colin Curtis and Edwar Gonzalez, maybe both
* I would guess Tim Battle and James Cooper will be there too, but with two first basemen and two catchers worth at-bats, not sure there’s room for five Trenton outfielders.
January 20, 2009 at 11:19 am |
I’d be surprised if Edwar was in Trenton, not surprised if Curtis was.
Would think Garcia definitely spends most of the year in the Thunder rotation as well…
January 20, 2009 at 11:46 pm |
I cant wait to see El Destructor Jorge ‘Chato’ Vazquez! He has got mad power. Ive seen him in Cancun. Incredible power to all fields and hits for high average. Im dissapointed he wasnt invited to big league camp, but I think he didnt becuase the Yanks knew he was playing in the WBC. He was invited to mini-camp that started Monday. Enjoy him Trenton, he wont be there for long.
January 24, 2009 at 2:53 pm |
[…] ———————————————————————————————————– Yanks, Mets feel the economic downturn / Projecting The 2009 Thunder Roster […]
February 8, 2009 at 12:38 pm |
Hovis rules.
February 19, 2009 at 8:16 pm |
[…] ———————————————————————————————————– Yanks, Mets feel the economic downturn / Projecting The 2009 Thunder Roster […]
February 26, 2009 at 11:56 pm |
leave Brett Smith on or off? and why? I can’t find anything about his health status or the Yankees’ plans at this point.