On paper, Pirates look like formidable group
MOSES LAKE — Summer league baseball teams typically have a lot of turnover from year to year, and the Moses Lake Pirates are no exception.
Second-year head coach Gabe Boruff and his staff are preparing for a roster that has just two returning players — pitchers Jorge Reyes and Dale Reneau. The remainder of the 24-man lineup are virtual unknowns, both for the coaches and for Columbia Basin fans.
"We don't know what to expect," Boruff said Thursday. "On paper we look pretty good and we're excited about the kids we've got coming in. We've got a lot of confidence in them."
Seven of the incoming Pirates are still in the midst of their collegiate seasons, with their respective teams having been selected for the 64-team Division I championship tournament. A few will likely be missing when Moses Lake opens its season June 8 with non-league action against the visiting Tacoma Cardinals.
The Pirates have some extra help this year, having added OJ King as pitching coach. Moses Lake didn't have anyone filling that role in 2006 and Boruff expects King to make a difference.
Reyes, a Warden High School product now with defending NCAA champion Oregon State, should be a key part of the Pirates' 10-man staff. As a freshman for the Beavers, Reyes has compiled a 4-3 record and 3.54 earned-run average in 20 appearances, striking out nearly one man per inning.
Reneau, the Pirates' closer last summer, is also still playing with tournament-bound Oral Roberts, though he's thrown just 10 innings this spring for the Golden Eagles. Teammate Marcus Tackett (.231 batting average, 10 runs scored, 17 runs batted in) will be joining Reneau in Moses Lake and should compete for a starting infield spot.
Other players who will join the Pirates as soon as their collegiate seasons end include Long Beach State right-handed pitcher Daniel Wolford and outfielder Steve Tinoco, Illinois-Chicago catcher Kevin Coddington and Missouri southpaw pitcher Vinny Losorelli.
While the 2007 Pirates will feature players from all regions of the country, they've drawn a majority from the West Coast. Big Bend infielder Ryan Bernsen will stay in Moses Lake for the summer, and Wenatchee Valley's Josh Fish (pitcher), Curran Redal (outfield) and Edward Rodriguez (outfield) won't have far to go.
"We have a lot of Division I kids coming in from a lot of good West Coast programs," Boruff noted.
Ephrata High School graduate Michael Ratigan gets a homecoming of sorts, returning to the Basin following his freshman campaign at Washington State. Ratigan was a redshirt for the Cougars this spring after an all-league and all-state pitching career at Ephrata.
Other Pac-10 players coming to Moses Lake include California outfielder Michael Capbarat, who batted .218 with two home runs and 14 RBIs for the Golden Bears this spring; Stanford first baseman Steven Swinford, a 2007 redshirt from Lake Oswego, Ore.; and Washington southpaw Ben Guidos, another redshirt who started every game of his four-year career at Burien's Highline High School.
The West Coast Conference also has representation with the Pirates. Loyola Marymount catcher T.J. Bernardy (.233, eight runs, 12 RBIs) and pitcher Lee Roberts (1-1, 6.00 ERA in 24 innings) are on board, as is San Francisco outfielder Zach Kim (.359, one homer, 13 RBIs).
Two Rhode Island players are donning the Pirate uniform as well. Outfielder Zoey Angulo hit .244 in 17 games with the Rams this spring, while infielder Oliver Palmer hit .262 in 35 games, driving in 14 runs and going 7 for 7 in stolen bases.
Nevada-Reno infielder Jesse Ayala, Chabot (Calif.) pitcher Tyler Rogers and Hutchinson (Kan.) pitcher Ben Graham round out Moses Lake's preseason roster.
While Boruff admits there are a lot of unknowns with summer league teams — some players have terrific summers, others have inexplicably poor ones — he sees this year's roster as being more disciplined and ready to excel.
"Last year we had a lot of guys who were unfocused," Boruff said. "This year we've got a lot of kids coming in with a purpose.
"The biggest thing for a summer team is to stay healthy and come together," he added. "The kids are just going to have to gel together, have some chemistry and have some intensity."
Host families are still needed, Pirates owner Brett Kirwan said Thursday. Host families receive free season tickets and other benefits. Interested parties may contact Kirwan at 509-764-8200.