Roster Reload
The Rangers' 2011 roster features a couple of new faces with the additions of pitcher Matt Havey and catcher Andy Robledo. The rookie duo traces their roots back to their high school playing days at Loyola Academy. Havey went on to pitch collegiately at Northwestern University where he enjoyed a successful Big 10 career. Havey shores up a pitching staff anchored by another fellow Wildcat, Mike Folan. Robledo will spell Ranger slugger and franchise home run leader Isaiah Panatsis behind the dish.
The Rangers will attempt to find a way to live without Eric Morrissey, who not only managed the club but could play just about every where on the field. The loss of Morrisey's multi-dimensional role will be the Ranger's biggest challenge heading into 2011.
The Rangers also say goodbye to Brad Weigand, Mark Wegren, Ed Arambula, Dan Garcia, Pete Monroe, Darrin Meaders and Tony Bosma who have all officially hung up their Ranger cleats.
Managerial Modification
Long-time Ranger Matt Swary will begin his first season at the helm of the club. He takes over for a departed Eric Morrissey who has returned to the Big Apple. Swary has been with the club since its inception in 2002 and traces his Ranger lineage back to the great Loyola University Baseball Clubs of the late 1990's. Swary becomes the 5th manger in team history (Lucas Luecke, Tim Brannon, Mike LaRocco and Eric Morrissey).
The Only Original
With the departure of veteran Mark Wegren, only 4 members of the Rangers' inaugural 2002 team remain - Mike LaRocco, Lucas Luecke, Isaiah Panatsis and Matt Swary. That 2002 team went 12-15 in their first year.
2 comments:
Swag suggested the four of us should be called the "X-Men"!
In lieu of the new X-Men movie ("First Class") being released in early June, I for once concur with Swaggle.
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