Lefties stand out on Miners 2009 roster

PALMER — Every spring Mat-Su Miners general manager Pete Christopher frets about the potential of his pitching staff for the upcoming summer. And every year, during Christopher’s time with the Miners, Mat-Su finishes at or near the top of the Alaska Baseball League in earned run average.

“I always worry about the pitching,” Christopher said as he scanned the list of players slated to hit the Mat-Su Valley in early June.

So chances are, if Christopher is worrying now, the Miners will once again have one of the top pitching staffs of the ABL.

One difference though between this group of pitchers and squads in the past is the abundance of left-handers. Mat-Su currently sports five southpaws on the 2009 roster.

“I’ve only had about two or three a year,” Christopher said. “It just worked out that way. It’s weird how all the lefties were available.”

Among the top lefties slated to play for Mat-Su this summer are Lubbock Christian junior R.L. Eisenbach, Washington State sophomore David Stilley, Texas A&M freshman Estevan Uriegas and Texas Tech freshman Ben Flora.

And then there’s the most intriguing prospect on the Mat-Su roster, Western Oklahoma State Junior College sophomore Danny Almonte.

The first-team preseason junior college All-American is known for his involvement in a Little League age scandal — his father was accused of forging his birth certificate to make Almonte appear two years younger — but now he’s a junior college standout making an impact at the plate and on the mound.

Almonte is currently 6-0 on the mound with 55 strikeouts in 36 innings. He’s walked only 15, and opponents are hitting just .240 against him.

But despite Almonte’s pitching numbers, Christopher said the versatile prospect may be penciled into the spot in left field. He currently leads his club — the fifth-ranked junior college club in the nation — with a .497 batting average. He has 12 home runs and 55 RBI. He’s scored 55 runs and stolen 10 bases in 12 attempts.

Eisenbach could be an ace on the staff, and has potential to be selected the Major League Baseball first-year player draft in June, Christopher said. He’s currently 10-0 with a 3.29 ERA. Eisenbach has fanned 87 hitters in 67 innings.

Stilley, who has 25 strikeouts and a 2.91 ERA in 34 innings, is a candidate for the closer spot, Christopher said.

Among the right handers are a trio of Mat-Su Miner veterans. Eastern Connecticut junior Will Musson and Lafayette junior Jeremy Atkins are both back for another summer in the Valley. Scottsdale Community College sophomore and Palmer High School graduate Mike Carlson returns for another summer with his hometown team.

Like Almonte, Musson is pitching and playing the field. He’s 6-0 with a 3.18 earned run average, and his hitting .250 with 12 RBI.

Atkins is 2-3 with a 5.30 ERA. He has gone nine innings in two of his eight starts.

Carlson is 2-3 with a 2.84 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 44 innings with SCC.

A pair of returners are among Mat-Su’s top position players. Chipola Community College freshman Blake Newalu and California-Poly sophomore D.J. Gentile are both back after finishing as two of Mat-Su’s top three hitters in 2008.

Gentile led the Miners with 37 hits and a .370 average and is expected to man right field this season. Newalu hit .270 and was among Mat-Su leaders with 34 hits and 19 runs.

Gentile is hitting .358 for Cal Poly this spring.

Newalu was Mat-Su’s top infielder last year, committing only a combined eight errors at three different positions.

Joining Newalu in the infield are St. Mary’s junior Jonathon Cisneros, Loyola Marymount sophomore Jonathon Johnson, Central Florida junior Shane Brown and Stony Brook sophomore Chad Marshall.

Cisneros, a lefty who is hitting .323 with 40 RBI, is expected to play first, Christopher said.

Johnson and Marshall should see time at second while, Brown — who leads Central Florida with a .386 batting average — is likely to man the corner at third.

In the outfield are Gentile, Columbia sophomore Nick Cox, Florida State freshman James Ramsey and Texas A&M freshman Scott Arthur.

The Miners will have a pair of freshman behind the plate. Arkansas freshman James McCann and Hawaii freshman Nick Croce will handle the catching duties.

Christopher has also brought in Wes Smith, a past standout on the Alaska Road Warriors American Legion team, to be the bullpen catcher.

Oklahoma assistant Russell Raley is the new head coach. Western Oklahoma State’s Matt Kruse and Kansas State’s Craig Ringe are the assistants.

Mat-Su makes its Alaska Baseball League season debut hosting the Anchorage Bucs on June 10.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

2009 Mat-Su Miners

Pitchers

Player B/T School Year Hometown

Danny Almonte L/L Western Oklahoma JC Soph. Bronx, NY

Jeremy Atkins R/R Lafayette Jr. Woodlands, Texas

Mike Carlson R/R Scottsdale CC Soph. Palmer, Alaska

Matt Carr R/R Indiana Soph. Indianapolis, Ind.

Ryan Cole R/R St. John’s Jr. North Suracuse, NY

RL Eisenbach L/L Lubbock Christian Jr. Newark, Ohio

Ben Flora L/L Texas Tech Fr. Plano, Texas

Connor Hulse R/R Harvard Fr. Sam Ramon, Ariz.

Dan Jensen R/R Cincinnati Soph. Centerville, Ohio

Justin Kraft R/R Centenary Soph. Yakima, Wash.

Sam Murphy R/R Arkansas Soph. Omaha, Neb.

Will Musson R/R Eastern Connecticut Jr. Wethersfield, Conn. David Stilley L/L Washington State Soph. Silverdale, Wash.

Estevan Uriegas L/L Texas A&M Fr. Round Rock, Texas

Catchers

Player B/T School Year Hometown

Nick Crose R/R Hawaii Fr. San Diego, Calif.

James McCann R/R Arkansas Fr. Santa Barbara, Calif.

Wesley Smith R.R Saguaro (Ariz.) HS Sr. Palmer, Alaska

Infielders

Player B/T School Year Hometown

Shane Brown R/R Central Florida Jr. Winter Park, Fla.

Jonathon Cisneros L/R St. Mary’s (Texas) Jr. San Antonio, Texas

Jonathon Johnson L/R Loyola Marymount Soph. Lakewood, Calif.

Chad Marshall L/R Stony Brook Soph. Paris, Ontario, Canada

Blake Newalu R/R Chipola CC Fr. McDonough, Ga.

Outfielders

Player B/T School Year Hometown

Scott Arthur R/R Texas A&M Fr. Spring, Texas

Nick Cox R/R Columbia Soph. Lake Mary, Fla.

DJ Gentile R/R Cal Poly Jr. Petaluma, Calif.

James Ramsey L/R Florida State Fr. Alpharetta, Ga.

Head coach: Russell Raley, Oklahoma

Pitching coach: Matt Kruse, Western Oklahoma Junior College

Assistant coach: Craig Ringe, Kansas State