When the Washington Wild Things take the field tonight for their season opener against the Florence Freedom on the road at 7:05 p.m., some things will be different.
Overall, though, skipper Bart Zeller is optimistic about the upcoming season.
“Everyone is cautiously optoimistic. There’s not a manager in the Frontier League that doesn’t feel good when they start,” Zeller said. “The thing about baseball is that your team changes every year. On paper we have we have a solid ballclub.”
The Wild Things have some changes this season, though. Changes that Zeller thinks will help his team this season.
The team’s emotional leader has changed positions, the heart of the pitching rotation will look different and some new faces will be emerging.
Last season, second baseman CJ Beatty hit .305 with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs. In the offseason, the Wild Things re-signed the All Star but will be giving him a change of scenery. This season, Beatty will play a little deeper than second base in the outfield.
“CJ had a career year last year offensively,” Zeller noted. “However he made a number of errors and I sternly believe you have to be strong up the middle to start the season.”
Filling that voice will be Nick Ratajczak, a second baseman out of Louisville.
Ratajczak might have been the steal of the offseason for the Wild Things. Ratajczak was named an All-Big East selection during his senior season after batting .283 while driving in 34 runs and crossing the plate 52 times.
But his glove is what draws rave reviews. A one-time Defensive Player of the Year in community college, Ratajczak has been noted as having some of the best hands on the team by his teammates and coaches, including skipper Bart Zeller.
“He’s got as good a hands as I’ve seen in independent baseball,” Zeller said of the new addition. “He’s certainly aware of his place out there.”
Had it not been for an injury during his senior season, Ratajczak could have been looking at an MLB contract, but playing with the fuel of getting a second chance, the Wild Things are expecting big things.
Ratajczak comes with the experience of playing with Frontier League All Star Stewart Ijames. The two played together at Louisville and Ijames helped the Wild Things pursue the second baseman.
Ijames, himself, will be looking to have another successful season with Washington after hitting .297 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs a season ago.
Along with Ijames and Beatty, the Wild Things will look to Jim Vahalik to provide veteran leadership to a brand new group of Wild Things.
Washington offensively will be without the likes of Shane Stoner, Mark Samuelson, Quincy Lattimore and Jovan Rosa. The four combined to hit .251 with 53 doubles and 34 home runs while driving in 133 runs.
Zeller said that while those players provided some offensive presence, he believes his team has brought in guys who will surpass previous players, saying, “Offensively, I think we will be a better ballclub.”
Three of the four players played in the infield while Lattimore keyed the outfield last season. Samuelson also took the role of designated hitter, a role that was left void this spring.
Defensively, thouh, Vahalik hopes to return to form after suffering a season-ending injury a season ago to man the catcher’s spot. Keying the other midfield position will be Ryan Kresky, a sure-handed fielder who Zeller thinks gives the Wild Things one of the best midfields in the league. The outfield will be keyed defensively by center fielder Daniel Poma along with Ijames and Beatty.
As for the view from the hill, the Wild Things will look for Scott Dunn, who they traded All Star third baseman Jovan Rosa for, to have another spectacular season after the right-hander went 14-1 last season. Next will be right-hander Chris Phelan who went 7-2 as a rookie with a 2.02 ERA. With those two at the top, along with the hard work from pitching coach Kevin Gryboski, Zeller believes the pitching staff will come together nicely.
My one-two starters look very sold and there’s a big fight for three through five. That’s the way you like it,” Zeller said of the pitching outlook. “I can’t tell you enough about my pitching coach. They like the way he works and he has them working really hard.”
With a slew of exhibition games under their belt, the Wild Things are now ready for the season 2014 season to get under way, with a host of new faces leading the charge.
Photo Credit: Washington Wild Things
