Greetings from the Wolves' new spring training facility ... located in beautiful Jupiter, Florida.
Spring training has been underway for about a week now, and the team is getting rounded out as you read. The starters are doing their best to impress Dave Stewart and earn a spot in the rotation. The rotation appears to be set this way so far:
(1) Wade Miller
(2) Mark Mulder
(3) Kevin Tapani
(4) Sidney Ponson
(5) Being battled between Nelson Figueroa, Chris George, and Joe Kennedy.
As it stands right now, the inside track appears to be to Joe Kennedy, but there's talk that a veteran starter may come into camp. It's rumored that Kennedy and George will start the year in AAA Richmond, but Kennedy will be the first minor league call-up.
Hitting coach Jay Buhner has been working really hard with all the Wolves' hitters, and has been impressed by some of the recent draftees. "Johnson doesn't get fooled easily, and Berroa looks to be a nice line-drive hitter, and Dunn has a TON of power potential> He kind of reminds me of me in my youth.", Buhner remarked.
The Wolves' starting outfield appears to be set for opening day:
In LF will be Alex Ochoa
In CF will be Tsuyoshi Shinjo
In RF will be Chris Singleton
Bench coach David Caddell made the final decision sighting range as the final determining factor. "Ochoa's arm would look great in right, but moving him to left and Singleton to right provides us an outfield that should be able to get to most anything in the field of play," Caddell stated. He further added, "Kapler will get some games in LF and RF, but CF will either be patrolled by Shinjo or Singleton this season."
Manager Eddie Murray has liked the team's focus in camp, and is looking a bit more optimistic as the days go on.
GM William Blandford is also in Jupiter, and he has an obvious presence on the field. He's been seen pitching for batting practice and playing catch with different players from time to time. "Having the GM on the field is odd, but he really wants us to know that he's a person and baseball fan," Chipper Jones said. "He is not a bad batting practice pitcher either; everything he throws is around the plate."
The weather has been very pleasant in the Sunshine State thus far, and the Wolves seen to have let the sun's rays give them a sunny disposition about the upcoming season. "We will be a different club" was the setiment I got on the field from all the players I spke with, and from what I've seen ... this team will not repeat their dismal 2001 season.
Tom Hadricort Milwaukee Sentinel
Questions To Answer At Spring Training
