BlueSox roster set for 2010
The 2010 Butler BlueSox are ahead of schedule.
The Prospect League baseball team already has its roster completed for next season, despite having only two returning players.
"We put out an open invitation to every player we had last year," BlueSox general manager Leo Trich said. "They all had the right of first refusal, but we needed to know by the end of September."
The only returning players are pitchers Brian Warheit and Derek Peluso, both from Butler County. Warheit pitched for Butler and plays for Seton Hill University. Peluso is a Seneca Valley graduate and pitches for Point Park.
"Brian Warheit was a workhorse for us last year in terms of innings pitched," Trich said.
Two other former county players are on the roster. D.J. Cannon is a Mars graduate, a pitcher and a teammate of Warheit's at Seton Hill. Zach Duggan is an outfielder from Seneca Valley who now plays at Pitt.
Evan Oswald, a Butler graduate who is a freshman with the Panthers, could be a BlueSox in the future, but not next season.
"We inquired about him. We definitely wanted Evan," Trich said. "But Pitt wants him to stay at school over the summer and become more acclimated to their system. He may be ready to play for us the following year."
Former Seneca Valley and Pitt quarterback Kevan Smith, now a catcher on the Panthers baseball team, verbally agreed to play for the BlueSox. His contract was sent to him Wednesday, but it hasn't been returned yet.
One Slippery Rock University player, third baseman-shortstop Adam Jury, will be with the BlueSox in 2010.
While the roster turnover was unexpected by BlueSox management, the situation has an explanation.
"A few of our players are college seniors now and no longer eligible," Trich said. "Others moved up to bigger leagues and, in other cases, their college coaches wanted to place them in other leagues just to move them around and see different pitching.
"Still, we had at least 50 players or coaches contact us wanting to play here. We'll probably hear from a few more."
Brian Billigen, who plays at Cornell University and was one of the top players in the Prospect League last summer, will not be returning to the BlueSox. He is joining another league.
"Brian told the Cornell coach about his positive experience here and how well he was treated," Trich said. "We got a player from Yale and one from Columbia as a result.
"Word of mouth is a valuable tool. Our goal was to have a roster put together by Christmas. We never dreamed it'd be done before Thanksgiving."
The BlueSox finished 28-26 last season, two games behind East Division champion Chillicothe (Ohio).
The Prospect League, which expanded from 11 teams to 14, will release the 2010 schedule in a few weeks.
<B>PitchersBen Ballantine (6-feet5- 7, 215 pounds) University of MichiganMatt Broder (6-5, 205) University of MichiganD.J. Cannon (6-3, 185) Seton HillTim Giel (6-2, 220) ColumbiaTravis Lumby (6-2, 185) Chandler-Gilbert, Ariz.J.R. Leonard (6-3, 205) PittVinny Nittoli (6-1, 200) XavierDerek Peluso (6-2, 200) Point ParkBen Rawding (6-4, 220) MercyhurstRyan Thompson (6-3, 180) ConnecticutBrian Warheit (6-3, 200) Seton HillCorey Young (6-0, 180) Lafayette</B>CatchersTyler Finley (5-10, 185) Menio (Calif.) CollegeKevan Smith (6-3, 225) PittJohn Sulzicki (6-3, 215) Connecticut<B>InfieldersKody Campbell (6-4, 215) Southeastern Missouri, 1B-3B-OFJonathan Craycraft (5-10, 180) Murray State, 2B-SSAdam Jury (6-1, 205) Slippery Rock, 3B-SSTyler Sciacca (5-10, 170) Villanova, SSAustin Wulf (5-10, 170) Tennessee Tech, INF-OF</B>OutfieldersBen Carson (6-2, 160) George MasonZach Duggan (5-8, 170) PittCameron Squires (5-7, 150) YaleMax Vogel (6-2, 190) Winthrop
