| April 5, 2004 - Lansing, MI- The 2004 Lansing Lugnuts Opening Day
roster is officially set. Thirteen players who have worn a Lugnut uniform
at some point during their minor league career will highlight a 25-man
roster that opens the 2004 campaign at the Battle Creek Yankees on
Thursday, April 8th at 6:00 p.m. The Lugnuts' home opener is set for
Friday, April 16th when they play host to the South Bend Silver Hawks at
7:05 p.m.
Pitchers Ronald Bay and Sean Marshall
highlight the pitching staff, which will feature six of the thirteen
familiar faces on Lansing's roster. Bay, the Cubs' 25th round draft
pick in 2002 went 7-1 for Mesa (R) last season. Marshall spent a majority
of the 2003 season with Boise (A), going 5-6 with a 2.57 ERA before
winning both of his outings with the Lugnuts, including his Game 2 win in
the Eastern Division Championship Series. Other notables on the pitching
staff include Billy Petrick, who was 2-5 with Boise (A) and Jermaine Van
Buren, who was 9-4 with the Fort Worth Cats in the independent Central
League. Other familiar names on the pitching staff include Carlos Marmol,
Adalberto Mendez, Weston O'Brien, Clay Rapada and Randy Wells.
Outfielder Ryan Fitzgerald, who hit .381 for Mesa, and sluggers Brian
Dopirak and Andrew Larsen will bolster the Lugnuts' offense along with
the return of 2003 lineup regulars Kevin Collins, Robinson Chirinos and
Jake Fox. Fox, C.J. Medlin and Alan Rick will anchor the catching duties.
Chirinos, Collins, Dopirak and Alfredo Francisco are infielders that have
seen action in Lansing, while Larsen and Carlos Rojas are newcomers. Kyle
Boyer, Fitzgerald, Tony McQuade and Chris Walker will patrol the
Lugnuts' outfield.
Manager Julio Garcia and coaches Mike Micucci and Mike Anderson all
return to Lansing for their fourth season. Under Garcia's guidance, the
Lugnuts have qualified for the Midwest League playoffs each of his three
seasons and have advanced to the Midwest League Championship Series the
last two seasons, losing in 2002 to Peoria and winning it all last season
over Beloit. Athletic trainer Chuck Baughman replaces Jason Palmateer and
rounds out the coaching staff.
The Lugnuts will arrive in Lansing around 6:00 p.m. on Monday and will
hold practices on Tuesday, April 6th at 7:00 p.m. and Wednesday April 7th
at 1:00 p.m. Please contact Seth VanHoven at 517-485-4500 ext. 233 to set
up media requests and to confirm practice times for both dates.
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