Opponent: Yakima Bears.
When: 2:05 p.m.
Where: Everett Memorial Stadium.
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM).
Probable starters: Everett left-hander Tony Butler (0-1, 2.91 earned run average) vs. Yakima left-hander Shane Dove (2-5, 1.93).
Out of position
Everett’s Leury Bonilla finds himself in unfamiliar territory.
Bonilla, a third baseman by trade, became a makeshift left fielder as the AquaSox go about trying to solve their outfield crisis.
“I don’t care where I’m playing,” Bonilla said through translator Danny Santin. “I’m just having a lot of fun.”
Bonilla’s switch to left was one of two improvisations forced by a shortage of bodies in the outfield.
Everett has four outfielders on its roster: Kevin Reynolds, Gavin Dickey, Bryan Sabatella and Carlos Peguero. However, Reynolds is in Tacoma, serving as an emergency injury replacement for the Class AAA Rainiers, and Gavin Dickey suffered a bruised wrist Thursday that’s kept him out since. That left the AquaSox with just two outfielders: Bryan Sabatella and Carlos Peguero.
But wait, there’s more. Just Reynolds and Dickey have played center field. Therefore, Sabatella had to be moved to center, a position he’d never played before, with Bonilla going into left.
For Sabatella, who had never played outfield prior to last season, the transition hasn’t been too difficult.
“It’s not too bad,” Sabatella said. “I got put in the outfield last year for the first time, so I’m kind of used to switching around a little bit. It’s basically the same thing. I take flyballs out there every day, the only difference is the ball sometimes spins opposite ways. But it’s not too bad, I’m pretty comfortable out there.”
Meanwhile Bonilla, who had a grand total of two games experience in the outfield from his time in the Dominican Summer League, seems to have made a quick adjustment. He made every potential play in his first two games in left.
“There’s different situations and you have to go about outfield differently than playing the infield,” Bonilla said. “But that’s all just being around baseball long enough and knowing what’s going on.”
The jury-rigged configuration may have to hold for a while. Reynolds now isn’t expected back for a couple days, and Dickey continues to sit out with his wrist wrapped.
But when asked whether he was ready to play outfield the rest of the season if necessary, Bonilla needed no translator to express his feelings:
“No problem.”
Spinning turnstiles: The AquaSox celebrated their 2-millionth fan in franchise history Saturday night.
Everett surpassed the 2-million mark in its 23rd year of existence. That’s good for approximately 88,000 per season or 2,300 per game.
Garry Hoogerhyde of Bothell, the 345th fan through the gates Saturday, was honored as the 2-millionth fan. Hoogerhyde received a prize package from the team that included four season tickets for 2007, as well as several other gifts from the team’s sponsors.
Fernandez returns: Everett catcher Jair Fernandez was back in the lineup Saturday. Fernandez was not with the team when it began its series against Yakima on Thursday, having temporarily been called up to Class AAA Tacoma to serve as an emergency backup. He got back from Tacoma just prior to Friday’s game, but did not play. The stint in Tacoma was Fernandez’s second of the season.
Nick Patterson, Herald writer
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