Is This the Year for The Winnipeg Goldeyes?

Author: Scott Taylor

March 8, 2010

Scott Taylor's E-Take is sponsored by BioTech Laser, who utilize a low intensity laser that stimulates the natural healing of tissue.

Rick Forney will not go out on a limb.  He will simply not allow himself to get too excited.  But that doesn’t mean his players won’t let themselves go a little.

“I think everybody is pretty excited about the upcoming season,” said Goldeyes rightfielder, Cory Patton.  “At first, nobody was quite sure who was coming back and we all kind of wondered what Rick was going to do.  Now that the nucleus of the ball club is under contract and committed to coming back, it’s getting exciting.  Adding Aharon (Eggleston) is a great for the club.  With Aharon in centre and Dee Brown in left, there aren’t many balls that are going to fall safely in that outfield.  I don’t want to jinx anything, but this could be a really special team.”

It’s kind of a Winnipeg thing, but professional sports championships in our town arrive only on occasion.  The Bombers haven’t won a Grey Cup since 1990.  The Moose, although they got close last year, have never won a title – neither in the International League nor the American League.  And the Goldeyes, who won a Northern League championship in 1994, haven’t won since.

But this year, down at Canwest Park, there is plenty of excitement.  Although no one wants to speak too loudly, if this team stays healthy and the pitchers do what their historical records suggest they are capable of doing, the Goldeyes could breeze to a NL title.

For one thing, there are nine returning veterans from 2009.  That hasn’t happened too often in recent years.

In fact, the defence, which was better than excellent last year, should be even better this year.  League all-star Vince Harrison (.322, 11 homers) is back at third base while league all-star Wes Long (.341 in 41 games before a broken ankle sidelined him for the second half) is back at short.  Josh Asanovich (.285, 56 runs scored), who had a great second half, is back at second base, while Luis Alen, who hit .333 in 2007, has returned to assume the catching duties.  The outfield is loaded with Patton in right, all-star Aharon Eggleston (acquired from Kansas City) in centre and all-star Dee Brown (.322, 12 homers, 53 RBI) in left.  Big Juan Diaz (.317 with league leading 29 homers and team leading 75 RBI).

On the mound, the Goldeyes will have lefties Zach Baldwin and Ian Thomas back to join the Northern League’s pitcher of the year, Ace Walker (12-6, 3.32 ERA, 77 strikeouts).

“Yeah, we should be OK,” said Forney, who just won’t let himself get too excited.  “The guys just have to do what they’re capable of doing.  We’ll see.  Lots can happen before the season begins.”

On paper, not even the defending champion Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks should test the Goldeyes.  The Fish have plenty of power with Diaz, Harrison, Patton and Brown; the best centerfielder in the league in Eggleston; a middle infield in Long and Asanovich, that Walker said was the reason he had the best year of his career; a catcher who hit .333 before going off to play in the New York Mets organization; the second-team all-Independent all-star pitcher in Walker; and not one single hole in the lineup.

“That’s the part that impresses me most,” said Harrison, who lit it up last year after being acquired from Joliet.  “You look at that lineup and there isn’t a spot where the opposing pitcher can take a rest.”

It’s likely Long will lead off once again followed by Eggleston and then Diaz.  Harrison will hit clean-up, followed by Brown, Patton and Asanovich.  Alen, or backup catcher Brett Wallace (.284 in Gary last year) will hit eighth and the team’s first baseman will hit ninth, although, as Forney says, “anything can happen.”  If unsigned Carlos Sosa stays with the team, he might bat fifth.  If Sosa goes elsewhere, only Forney knows what will happen next.

Regardless, this could be the most talented Goldeyes team since Doug Simunic put together that championship club of 1994.

“I’m excited about getting back to Winnipeg this year,” Harrison said.  “I think Rick is really building a good one up there and right now, we have a very good team.”

Yep, maybe the best one ever.

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