"Come on out to Roach Field and hear what all the buzzzzz is about. . . ."
Opening Day: April 4th: Cockroaches Vs. New York Mastiffs First 10,000 fans get Roach antennae and a magnetic calendar GM: Mike Isaacs EMAIL: [email protected]
The Cockroaches are still undergoing some growing pains after their first year in Shoeless Joe League Baseball. The off-season, following a mediocre inaugural year, was filled with controversy and even some anger from faithful fans. Opening Day can not come soon enough.
Perhaps the greatest controversy of the winter were persistent rumors that Roach superstar Big Mac was being peddled to Shoeless Joe general managers. He was said to be part of several blockbuster deals that never quite came to fruition.
Media hounds staked out Big Mac's every move this winter, salivating for some comment on the trade rumors. When he refused to speak time after time, the media settled for Big Mac's take on the Lewinsky-Clinton scandal. His comments made the front pages of all Chicago newspapers. But as the trade rumors persisted, there became a local and then national frenzy to hear how Big Mac was dealing with the pressure. In January, Big Mac agreed to sit down with Barbara Walters for a frank talk. The date was moved back to February for sweeps month.
"It's hard to take,'' Big Mac told Babs. "Certainly, I know that I'm as responsible as anyone else for filling up that ballpark last year. If they're going to trade me, fine. Do it. But the waiting and the rumors are what's getting to me. It's hard to enjoy the off-season."
Also revealed to Walters on the show were that McGwire's favorite color is magenta and that if he could be any condiment in the world, it would be relish.
Cockroach management released this statement following the interview:
"Mark McGwire is a valuable and vital part of the Chicago Cockroaches. He most assuredly will be playing first base on opening day and we look forward to seeing his mammoth home runs fly out of Roach Field throughout the summer. Any trade discussions that included Big Mac were made, not out of any disrespect to our greatest star, but with the future of this young franchise in mind."
Rumors still persist that Big Mac could be peddled this year to a contending team interested in acquiring one of the greatest single-season bats in all of baseball...
More controversy surfaced late in the season when the Roaches announced the team would keep Mark Wohlers on its Major League roster. Wohlers is said to have lost all control of his pitches and simply is not the pitcher he once was. Enterprising freelance vendors have revealed that they will be selling, outside the ball park this year, "Mark Wohlers protective helmets" for $19.99 to be worn by fans when Wohlers comes in from the pen. Baseball can be so cruel...
Cockroach management made this statement in light of the controversy: "Mark Wohlers will be used in a very limited capacity in 1999. We still have great faith, however, that Mark will fully rebound from his recent on-the-mound problems and will become the same dominant relief pitcher in future years that he once was...Mark is still an important member of our Roach family..."
If that weren't enough controversy for one off-season, the annual draft brought some more heat to Cockroach management. Toward the end of the draft, it became apparent that Cockroach management had forgotten that young 23-year- old outfielder Terrence Long was on the team's minor league roster. Cockroach management even inquired about drafting Long, only to later discover that he was already a Roach.
Long, who thought he was making some real promise in the Minor Leagues, was said to be devastated by the management mistake. Long wouldn't speak to the media, but a close friend said, : "Terry is taking this hard. He hit .297 in Minor League ball last year and popped 16 out of the park. He thought he had earned some real attention from management. Now he feels like they don't even know he's alive.''
Cockroach management issued this statement following the controversy: "Players are not the only ones to make errors. This was an embarrassing mistake and an indication that management and our players are growing up with this young franchise together. We are very pleased that Terrence Long is a member of the Cockroach family and look forward to the day when he takes his place in the Roach Field outfield. While this was a mistake quite inexcusable, Cockroach management is still pleased by the promising young talent it acquired in the draft, and believes it is heading in the right direction."
Cockroach management has all but said that 1999 has to be a year of rebuilding. The Major League team is not expected to do much this summer, but its promising minor league talent will be moving that much closer to making an impact at the Major League level. Patience is the name of the game.
Still, the Roaches will generate its share of excitement with big boppers like McGwire, Bichette, Conine and King wearing out the basepaths with free trips from home to home. The team's OBP is still a problem on the offensive side. The Roaches hope that some of the young talent acquired in this year's draft will rectify that problem in years to come.
The Roaches are pleased by the addition of Todd Dunwoody, acquired in a trade for Kirk Rueter this winter. Dunwoody, along with new minor league prospects Mike Darr and Gary Matthews Jr., and older prospects like Jacque Jones and Terrence Long, give the Roaches a very promising outfield for the future. The Roaches are so filled with outfield prospects now that they are willing to entertain trade talks throughout the year for pitching and/or middle infield help.
The Cockroaches also tried to take care of its future catching problems. Catching has been a weakness for the Roaches since they became part of the league. Aging veterans Joe Girardi and Charlie O'Brien will share duties this summer. The future, the Roaches hope, belongs to Ben Davis and Ramon Castro.
Joe Lawrence was a surprise second-round pick for the Roaches. Cockroach management acknowledges that he went higher than most GMs expected, but one of their goals was to acquire up-the-middle help. With Escobar and Giles already selected, there weren't many choices left and the Roaches did not want to lose Lawrence. It's a gamble on several fronts: Lawrence offensively significantly improved last year but whether that was a blip or not is uncertain. Lawrence could also be converted to 3B or catcher, thereby taking away the middle- infield help the Roaches want. But in getting Lawrence along with Ben Davis and Darr and Matthews Jr., the club fulfilled its goal of improving its up- the-middle void.
Pitching will be a nightmare in 1999 after the rotation gets past the top two: Park and Neagle. The team is left with unimpressive John Burkett, Frank Castillo, Jeremi Gonzalez and Jack McDowell to fill out the rotation. The Roaches had intended to draft AJ Burnett in the first round but he was taken just before their turn. Still, Jeremi Gonzalez is expected to return strong from an injury and there is much hope for Freddy Garcia and Roy Halladay in future years.
I will be going to Mesa Arizona next week to scout top prospects in the Cubs organization. That's a little like looking for a woman in a red at a funeral. When I return, I look forward to the greatest two words ever uttered by the human race: "PLAY BALL." See you all at the ball park.
Roach Roster
Major Leagues: Minor Leagues:
Pitching: Pitching:
Armando Benitez Patt Daneker
John Burkett Adam Eaton
Frank Castillo Freddy Garcia
Wayne Gomes Roy Halladay
Jeremi Gonzalez Jason Lakman
Jack McDowell Todd Noel
Denny Neagle
C.J. Nitkowski
Chan Ho Park
Mark Wohlers
Catching:
Joe Girardi Catching:
Charlie O'Brien Ramon Castro
Ben Davis
Brad Ramsey
Infielders:
Troy Cameron
Edwin Diaz
Infielders: Kevin Eberwein
Kurt Abbott Jay Hood
Dave Berg Joe Lawrence
Freddy Garcia Chad Meyers
Alex Gonzalez
Jeff King
Outfielders:
Mark McGwire Mike Darr
Pokey Reese Jacques Jones
Juan LeBron
Terrence Long
Gary Matthews Jr
Outfielders:
Dante Bichette
Jeff Conine
Chad Curtis
Todd Dunwoody
Jermaine Dye and Preston Wilson
Road Lineup
Vs. RHP: Vs. LHP
1. Curtis CF 1. Gonzalez SS
2. Abbott 2B 2. King 3B
3. McGwire 1B 3. McGwire 1B
4. Bichette RF 4. Bichette RF
5. Conine LF 5. Conine LF
6. King 3B 6. Dunwoody CF
7. Gonzalez SS 7. Berg 2B
8. Girardi C 8. Girardi C
Main Hitting Instruction: When Cockroaches are down in ninth inning and Girardi comes to bat, always pinch hit for him. I will barely have enough at- bats in the catching position this year so I'm trying to do whatever it takes to get by without a penalty or having to rent-a-player. This will cut down on number of Girardi at bats. If the Roaches tie it or take the lead, play Charlie O'Brien the following inning.
Jermaine Dye is always the main pinch hitter again lefties. Preston Wilson can be defensive sub very late in game. He should pinch hit only in the rarest of circumstances. Pokey Reese and Freddy Garcia should pinch hit against righties...
Home lineup Vs. LHP Vs. RHP Gonzalez SS Gonzalez SS Dunwoody CF Curtis CF McGwire 1B McGwire 1B Bichette RF Bichette RF King 3B Conine LF Dye LF Garcia 3B Berg 2B Reese 2B O'Brien C O'Brien CGM NOTE: Home lineup will very throughout the year to attempt not to overuse players. Since Conine is starting in every road game, for example, he will not start every home game against RHPs. Likewise, O'Brien and Garcia will start at home only until they runs out of bats. There will be some home juggling to try to get through the season...
ROTATION: April 1 (At Mastiffs): Park, Neagle, Burkett April 4: (Vs Mastiffs): Castillo, Park, Neagle April 8: (Vs Heroes): Burkett, Castillo, Gonzalez April 11 (At Heroes): Park, Neagle, Burkett April 15 (At Hexers): Castillo, McDowell, Park April 18 (Vs Hexers): Neagle, Burkett, Gonzalez April 22 (At Plutonium): McDowell, Park, Neagle April 25 (Vs Plutonium): Burkett, Castillo, Gonzalez April 29 (Vs Greens): Park, Neagle, Burkett May 2 (At Greens): Castillo, Park, Neagle May 6 (At Leones): Burkett, Castillo, Gonzalez, Park May 10 (Vs Leones): Neagle, Burkett, Castillo, Park May 15: (Vs. Cbaggers): Neagle, Burkett, Castillo, McDowell May 19: (At Cbaggers): Park, Neagle, Burkett, Castillo May 24: (At Sprockets): Gonzalez, Park, Neagle, Burkett May 28: (Vs. Sprockets): Castillo, Gonzalez, Park, Neagle June 2: (Vs.Panthers): Burkett, Castillo, Park, Neagle June 6: (At Panthers); Burkett, Gonzalez, Park, Neagle June 11: (At Whirlwind): Burkett, Castillo, McDowell, Park June 15: (Vs Whirlwind): Neagle, Burkett, Castillo, Gonzalez June 20: (Vs PolarBear): Park, Neagle, Burkett, Castillo June 24: (At PolarBear): Park, Neagle, Burkett, Castillo June 29 (At Mastiffs): Gonzalez, Park, Neagle July 2: (Vs. Mastiffs): Burkett, Castillo, McDowell July 6: (Vs. Heroes): Park, Neagle, Burkett July 9: (At Heroes): Gonzalez, Park, Neagle July 13: (At Hexers): Burkett, Castillo, Gonzalez July 16: (Vs. Hexers): Park, Neagle, Burkett July 20: (At Plutonium): Castillo, McDowell, Park July 23 (Vs.Plutonium): Neagle, Burkett, Castillo July 27 (Vs. Greens): Park, Neagle, Burkett July 20 (At Greens): Gonzalez, Park, Neagle STARTS: Park: 24 Neagle: 24 Burkett: 23 Castillo: 19 Gonzalez: 12 McDowell: 6: Pitching instructions: Park, Neagle and Burkett should go as deep as possible. At least 7 innings if possible. Other pitchers should go at least seven if at all possible -- at least six. McDowell can be used in long relief or start in case of injury. However, the first three pitchers in rotation should go as long as possible. Gomes can be used in middle to late innings to get to other pitchers Nitkowski is especially adept at facing lefties but can go one or two inns on occasion Benitez can serve in many capacities. Closer or he can go a couple of innings to close out game. Wohlers should only be used for one batter if strategy calls for it. Use as sparingly as possible.
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