By Stan Olson The Charlotte Knights haven't won an International League title since 1999. Maybe this is the year.
The Knights will start their 144-game chase for the crown today at 11:15 a.m. at Knights Stadium, opening the baseball season against the Gwinnett Braves, formerly of Richmond.
Charlotte is managed by a familiar face, former major league All-Star first baseman Chris Chambliss. He's pleased with the team the parent Chicago White Sox assembled for him.
“I'm real happy with the club. We've had a real good spring,” he said. “We've hit the ball real well; we've got a lot of offense. And it's diverse. We've got speed and power.”
While several of Chicago's better prospects will start the season at Class AA Birmingham, the Class AAA Knights are an experienced group that includes players who have had Triple-A success and have played in the major leagues.
Powering Up
Knights Stadium has always been home run-friendly, and this club has been built to take advantage of that. Chambliss has perhaps a half-dozen players he could comfortably stick into the cleanup slot. They include ex-big leaguer Ben Broussard, right fielder Josh Kroeger, first baseman Brian Myrow and left fielder Mike Restovich, among others.
What To Watch
The lineup below doesn't tell the whole story. Veteran CF Jerry Owens, a late addition to the club, will get considerable work. He's a blur on the bases, and stole 30 in just 89 games with Charlotte in 2008. The year before, he split time with the Knights (23 steals) and Chicago (32), for a season total of 55 SBs.
What To Watch II
If you're an Atlanta Braves fan, there's good reason to check out today's opener. Right-hander Tommy Hanson, perhaps the best pitching prospect in the league, will likely start for Gwinnett. He'll face Charlotte right-hander John Van Benschoten, a veteran who saw time with Pittsburgh last year.
Biggest Disappointment
The Knights did not get two key prospects. Left-hander Aaron Poreda is ranked as the organization's No.2 prospect on some lists. Poreda, 22, gets outs with a sinking fastball and a rapidly developing slider. His ERA at Birmingham in '08 was 2.99. Also missing is shortstop Gordon Beckham, possibly the Sox' top prospect, and Chicago's No.1 pick (eighth overall) in last year's draft after setting numerous batting records at Georgia.
The Lineup
While Chambliss wasn't ready to announce his starting nine Wednesday, this combination is a possibility:
1/MIGUEL NEGRON, CF: Speedy leadoff man stole 25 bases at Birmingham, hit .299 and had an on-base percentage of .381.
2/EIDER TORRES, SS: Maybe the best baserunner on the team, stole 28 bases and batted .307 while playing for Norfolk of the IL last year.
3/JOSH KROEGER, RF: Came over from Phillies' organization after hitting .307 with Class AAA Iowa. Still a prospect at 26, with decent speed (12 SBs last year).
4/BEN BROUSSARD, 1B: Spent most of five years as a major league regular in Cleveland, with career highs of 21 HRs and 82 RBIs. Now 32, should provide much of lineup's pop.
5/BRIAN MYROW, DH: Another vet, who at 32 should provide needed lineup stability. Hit .314 last year at Class AAA Portland, with a whopping .454 on-base pct.
6/MIKE RESTOVICH, LF: More MLB experience here; Restovich, 30, spent part of six seasons in the big leagues. Whiffs too much but four times in the minors topped 20 HRs.
7/JAVIER CASTILLO, 3B: A rapidly developing hitter who split time between Birmingham and Charlotte last year, totaling 45 extra-base hits and batting .288.
8/COLE ARMSTRONG, C: Hit .275 in a partial season with the Knights after being promoted from Class AA Birmingham, where he hit .252. Great baseball name.
9/KEITH GINTER, 2B: Another smart veteran who played over 100 games for Milwaukee in 2003 and '04. He hit 19 HRs in '04.
The Rotation
1/JOHN VAN BENSCHOTEN, RH: Former first-round pick of the Pirates never quite made it there, hopes to do so after signing with Chicago.
2/WES WHISLER, LH: Made the most of his first AAA season, going 12-10 with a 3.81 ERA for the Knights in 2007.
3/JEFF MARQUEZ, RH: Former Yankees prospect came over in the Nick Swisher deal. Still just 24, and the White Sox brass seem to like his upside.
4/LANCE BROADWAY, RH: Another promising prospect who changes speeds well; went 9-6 with Charlotte last year, but 4.49 ERA could be improved on.
5/CARLOS TORRES, RH: Solid at Birmingham (9-5, 3.20 ERA) before late-season callup to Charlotte; his pitches have good movement and velocity.
The Closer
JON LINK: Did a fine job at Birmingham last season, saving 35 games. Link, 25, also was 5-4 with a 3.02 ERA. He also struck out 66 in 56.2 innings.
Source: charlotteobserver.com
The Knights will start their 144-game chase for the crown today at 11:15 a.m. at Knights Stadium, opening the baseball season against the Gwinnett Braves, formerly of Richmond.
Charlotte is managed by a familiar face, former major league All-Star first baseman Chris Chambliss. He's pleased with the team the parent Chicago White Sox assembled for him.
“I'm real happy with the club. We've had a real good spring,” he said. “We've hit the ball real well; we've got a lot of offense. And it's diverse. We've got speed and power.”
While several of Chicago's better prospects will start the season at Class AA Birmingham, the Class AAA Knights are an experienced group that includes players who have had Triple-A success and have played in the major leagues.
Powering Up
Knights Stadium has always been home run-friendly, and this club has been built to take advantage of that. Chambliss has perhaps a half-dozen players he could comfortably stick into the cleanup slot. They include ex-big leaguer Ben Broussard, right fielder Josh Kroeger, first baseman Brian Myrow and left fielder Mike Restovich, among others.
What To Watch
The lineup below doesn't tell the whole story. Veteran CF Jerry Owens, a late addition to the club, will get considerable work. He's a blur on the bases, and stole 30 in just 89 games with Charlotte in 2008. The year before, he split time with the Knights (23 steals) and Chicago (32), for a season total of 55 SBs.
What To Watch II
If you're an Atlanta Braves fan, there's good reason to check out today's opener. Right-hander Tommy Hanson, perhaps the best pitching prospect in the league, will likely start for Gwinnett. He'll face Charlotte right-hander John Van Benschoten, a veteran who saw time with Pittsburgh last year.
Biggest Disappointment
The Knights did not get two key prospects. Left-hander Aaron Poreda is ranked as the organization's No.2 prospect on some lists. Poreda, 22, gets outs with a sinking fastball and a rapidly developing slider. His ERA at Birmingham in '08 was 2.99. Also missing is shortstop Gordon Beckham, possibly the Sox' top prospect, and Chicago's No.1 pick (eighth overall) in last year's draft after setting numerous batting records at Georgia.
The Lineup
While Chambliss wasn't ready to announce his starting nine Wednesday, this combination is a possibility:
1/MIGUEL NEGRON, CF: Speedy leadoff man stole 25 bases at Birmingham, hit .299 and had an on-base percentage of .381.
2/EIDER TORRES, SS: Maybe the best baserunner on the team, stole 28 bases and batted .307 while playing for Norfolk of the IL last year.
3/JOSH KROEGER, RF: Came over from Phillies' organization after hitting .307 with Class AAA Iowa. Still a prospect at 26, with decent speed (12 SBs last year).
4/BEN BROUSSARD, 1B: Spent most of five years as a major league regular in Cleveland, with career highs of 21 HRs and 82 RBIs. Now 32, should provide much of lineup's pop.
5/BRIAN MYROW, DH: Another vet, who at 32 should provide needed lineup stability. Hit .314 last year at Class AAA Portland, with a whopping .454 on-base pct.
6/MIKE RESTOVICH, LF: More MLB experience here; Restovich, 30, spent part of six seasons in the big leagues. Whiffs too much but four times in the minors topped 20 HRs.
7/JAVIER CASTILLO, 3B: A rapidly developing hitter who split time between Birmingham and Charlotte last year, totaling 45 extra-base hits and batting .288.
8/COLE ARMSTRONG, C: Hit .275 in a partial season with the Knights after being promoted from Class AA Birmingham, where he hit .252. Great baseball name.
9/KEITH GINTER, 2B: Another smart veteran who played over 100 games for Milwaukee in 2003 and '04. He hit 19 HRs in '04.
The Rotation
1/JOHN VAN BENSCHOTEN, RH: Former first-round pick of the Pirates never quite made it there, hopes to do so after signing with Chicago.
2/WES WHISLER, LH: Made the most of his first AAA season, going 12-10 with a 3.81 ERA for the Knights in 2007.
3/JEFF MARQUEZ, RH: Former Yankees prospect came over in the Nick Swisher deal. Still just 24, and the White Sox brass seem to like his upside.
4/LANCE BROADWAY, RH: Another promising prospect who changes speeds well; went 9-6 with Charlotte last year, but 4.49 ERA could be improved on.
5/CARLOS TORRES, RH: Solid at Birmingham (9-5, 3.20 ERA) before late-season callup to Charlotte; his pitches have good movement and velocity.
The Closer
JON LINK: Did a fine job at Birmingham last season, saving 35 games. Link, 25, also was 5-4 with a 3.02 ERA. He also struck out 66 in 56.2 innings.
Source: charlotteobserver.com
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