MassBrew

Very good article in the Victor Valley Daily Press today, providing an overview of the 2003 Mavs and quotes from Tim Blackwell and the High Desert front office. In addition, we learn the starting rotation to begin the year: www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-...7202,7729,

Here's the roster the High Desert front office is releasing today, keeping in mind there's still time for last-minute adjustments: Catchers: Kade Johnson Brian Foster It's dawned on us that the organization's potentially brightest catching prospects have both been assigned to former roving catching instructor and now High Desert Manager Tim Blackwell's team -- smart move, considering the roving catching instructor slot was eliminated. Infielders: Scott Candelaria Ozzie Chavez Brad Nelson Johnny Raburn Ralph Santana Froilan Villanueva Todd West Outfielders: Jason Belcher Dan Boyd D.J. Clark Chris Morris Potential burner speed at the top of the order in Morris and Raburn, should the lineup work out that way. There should be ample RBI opportunities for Nelson, Clark, Belcher, Johnson/Foster, etc... Pitching Staff: RHP J.M. Gold Wouldn't surprise us to see Gold working out of the pen to build up arm strength in the early going... LHP Justin Gordon RHP Dan Hall RHP Dan Kolb LHP Brian Mazone RHP Chris McGee RHP David Nolasco RHP Jeff Robinson Robinson's likely to open the season on the Maverick disabled list while extending his Arizona stay... RHP Greg Schaub RHP Chris Saenz LHP Pete Smart RHP Tony Stavros No official word yet on rotation vs. bullpen assignments -- the Mavericks could go a number of ways here -- it wouldn't surprise us to see guys who performed well in the Beloit bullpen given starting opportunities in Adelanto as the season goes on.... RHP Bobby Bystrowski Bystrowski's a 26-year-old former independent leaguer who did not see action last year. When he did play in the past, it was in the outfield, although it seems he's going to come on board as a pitcher. He's a recent signee, and Baseball America muddied things a bit when they listed him as released earlier this week. We'll see where things fall with his roster spot over the next week or so... Victor Valley Daily Press Article Link: Article was written prior to all the formal announcements -- www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-...010,26467, Absent from the High Desert roster and also not necessaily mentioned by Don Money in the Beloit Daily News piece, we await word on the status of young catcher Manny Ramirez. We had also thought that OF Tommy Carrow may have snuck up to A+ ball, but we'll have to wait and see on him as well. Finally, these post-Rule 5 assignments aren't listed within our Transaction archive, but here's how everyone landed in High Desert: 40-man roster option: Gold Transferred from Indy's Rule 5 roster: Clark, Morris, Villanueva, West, Raburn, Foster, Mazone, Johnson, Robinson Transferred from Huntsville's Rule 5 roster: Candelaria, Gordon, McGee, Schaub Was already listed at High Desert: Nelson, Boyd, Smart, Hall Promoted from Beloit: Belcher, Chavez, Santana, Saenz, Kolb, Stavros, Nolasco New to the organization: Bystrowski We'll continue to keep you updated as the other moves within the organization are announced....