The summer is the quietest time in university baseball. But the three months between the finish of the college season in mid-June and freshers’ week in late September are filled with anticipation for the Thieves coaching staff, wondering what talent the freshers draft of 2008 will bring. The fall draft of 2007 was in many ways a bumper crop: experienced catchers such as Igoe and Togashi, accomplished American exchange students Vermilya and Charron, a GB player in Lintern, and an array of inexperienced but enthusiastic young British talent, highlighted by infielders Crute and Hinds, and outfielders Longdin, Warren and Raine.
So what will the men in green look like in 2009? Notable subtractions are Hall of Famers Irving and Peel, exchange students Vermilya, Charron and Togashi, and right fielder and assistant manager Rowan Ellis. Also missing will be Rookie of the Year 2008 Pat Igoe, who is on exchange in Canada for a year.
The senior Thieves squad is generally made up from 15 to 20 individuals, plus a handful of less experienced players promoted from the development squad. This squad is usually divided into five overlapping groups: pitchers, catchers, corner infielders, middle infielders and outfielders. We will now have a look and see which positions the Thieves will particularly need to address come September.
Pitchers:
Remaining: Yogo, Lintern, Brown, Cho
Left: Peel, Irving, Vermilya, Charron, Igoe
Pitching is the most important position on the field, and a deep rotation is crucial for success on any roadtrip or homestand. The Thieves are lucky that two of their most talented pitchers, Yogo and Lintern, remain, and the experience of Brown and Cho will also be invaluable. It is hoped that Peel and Irving’s innings will be replaced by the development of Crute and Hinds into full-time pitchers in the fall, but an absolute minimum of two more talented pitchers will be required to give the squad the necessary depth.
Catchers:
Remaining: Cho, Lintern, Crute
Left: Igoe, Togashi.
As usual, this is possibly the most crucial area of need for the Thieves coming into the 2008/9 season. Lintern and Crute will both be needed on the hill and in the infield, and with Cho also showing signs of development as a pitcher, combined with his occasional unavailability due to work issues, an experienced catcher, or preferably two, is an absolute must this offseason.
Corner Infield:
Remaining: Brown, Hinds, Warren
Left: Irving, Peel
Losing two Hall of Fame players from these crucial positions is undoubtedly a setback. Brown will continue to anchor the infield at first, although his availability in the second half of the season may be an issue, Hinds has shown a useful versatility in moving across the diamond from third to first, and Mark Warren gained some experience at the hot corner at the end of the 2008 season. Like-for-like replacements for Irving (a slugging first-baseman) and Peel (a high calibre third-baseman) would be the ideal scenario.
Middle Infield:
Remaining: Yogo, Crute, Lintern, Hall
Left: Charron, Vermilya
All four remaining middle infielders are capable of playing both short and second, but with their talents also called upon in the Thieves battery, backups will be required, most likely at second base. If Hall is able to play with a little more regularity it would help to fill the gap, but at least one additional good glove will be required to man the 4 spot.
Outfield:
Remaining: Lee, Raine, Warren, Gill, Pougher
Left: Longdin, Ellis, Krishnan
Outfield is generally the easiest position to fill, as it requires the least experience to be able to play well. JK Lee is an accomplished hitter, but his injured knee remains a concern and Ashley Raine has shown glimpses of the range necessary to slide over and fill Longdin’s spot in centerfield. The outfield of 2009 will most likely be filled with talented players from the development squad who learn the position quickly.
In summation: On top of the usual array of young talent, the Thieves will be specifically looking to recruit experienced players at the following positions:
