EVERETT – Let the games begin.
After a week of preparations, the Everett AquaSox are ready for the real contests to get underway as the 2007 Northwest League season kicks off tonight.
“It’s definitely exciting,” said pitcher Nolan Gallagher, the highest draft pick currently on the roster. “They’ve really welcomed me here in Everett the last three days and it’s been fun getting to know the guys. We’re ready to get the games going.”
This is Everett’s 24th season in the short-season single-A Northwest League and the 13th as a Seattle Mariners affiliate. The AquaSox open against the Yakima Bears at 7:05 p.m. tonight at Everett Memorial Stadium.
And from the players’ perspective it’s about time the real games began.
“There’s a little bit of jitters, but it’s what I’ve been waiting for my whole life,” outfielder Joe Dunigan said. “It’s a long road and this is where I start. It’s a good place to get ready for it.”
Everett is seeking its first Northwest League title since 1985. Now that he’s had a chance to get a decent look at his players, Everett manager Mike Tosar believes he has the personnel to compete.
“We’ve had four or five days out there and so far it’s a good group of guys,” Tosar said. “Fundamentally they’re sound, pitching wise it looks like we’ve got some good power arms, and offensively we’ve got some guys with power.
“I think a good year’s going to be around .500, maybe a few games over,” Tosar added. “We’ve got a lot of young guys and a lot of first-year guys, but it’s a well-balanced club.”
The player who could have the most immediate impact for the AquaSox is tonight’s starting pitcher, Edward Paredes. The left-hander from the Dominican Republic made his first appearance in the U.S. when he was called up for a spot start at Class AAA Tacoma on Thursday, and he had a remarkable debut. He threw five no-hit innings, walking one and striking out five against substantially higher competition than he’s expected to face in the Northwest League.
“It’s nice to have someone like that, without a doubt,” Tosar said. “That was great for him to go to Tacoma and do really good. It’s going to be a confidence builder for that kid, not only for his first outing here, but hopefully for the rest of the year.”
Rounding out the starting rotation for the first couple weeks will be right-handers Juan Ramirez, Rob Harmon, Doug Salinas and Gallagher. Ramirez, Harmon and Salinas, like Paredes, were at the Mariners’ extended spring training in Peoria, Ariz. Gallagher, Seattle’s fourth-round pick out of Stanford, is the only one straight out of college who is initially in the rotation.
As for the offense, Everett has a number of promising bats in the lineup. Dunigan, the Mariners’ fifth-round pick this year, had a monster season at the University of Oklahoma in the spring, leading the Sooners in batting (.352), home runs (11) and RBI (54). As a left-handed batter with an enormous frame (6-foot-2, 247 pounds) he appears well suited for Everett Memorial Stadium’s short right-field fence.
Another power candidate is third baseman/first baseman Manelik Pimentel, who led the Sox with 10 home runs and 42 RBI last season.
Then there’s the Dutch duo of Gregory Halman and Kalian Sams. Halman is an athletic outfielder who struggled at full-season single-A Wisconsin earlier this season, but was a solid contributor at Everett last season. Sams, in his first season as a North American professional, is another outfielder capable of hitting the ball a long way.
“We’re going to have a power lineup and speed at the same time,” Tosar said. “Any time you’ve got power and speed it’s a good combination.”
The Sox hit a slight bump in the road Sunday when they were beaten 10-5 by the semipro Everett Merchants in the Everett Cup. But they’re confident that result was not representative of what to expect this season.
“That’s what exhibitions are for, to get those first-game jitters out before you start the season,” Dunigan said. “I think we definitely got that out and I think we’ll be ready to play (today).”
Everett has one player questionable for today. First baseman Kris Sanchez is listed as day-to-day with a cut on his thumb. Sanchez suffered the cut Sunday when he was caught by a spike while running the bases during the Everett Cup.
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