Miners look to speed as strength

Sports editor

PALMER -- When he put together his pitching staff for the 2004 season, Mat-Su Miner field manager Mike Buchmiller chose a group of hurlers that could succeed in the pitchers-friendly Alaska Baseball League. And when scouting position players for the 2004 Miner roster, Buchmiller looked for players with the attributes to contend against pitching -- the traditional strength of the ABL.

Buchmiller lists character and intelligence as characteristics in each player he considers, but at or near the top is speed.

"You can't teach speed," Buchmiller said. "Speed doesn't slump."

Buchmiller was not only looking for quickness on the base paths, but the speed to chase down fly balls in the spacious Hermon Brothers outfield.

"It's a pitchers ballpark. The outfield is very big," Mat-Su general manager Pete Christopher said. "He wanted three rabbits out there. We've basically got four centerfielders."

Chris Errecart (California-Berkley), Derek Decater (Arizona), Brett Bigler (UC Riverside) and Mathew Weston (Mt. San Antonio College) will make up Buchmiller's corps of outfielders on the 2004 roster.

Buchmiller is confident his group of outfielders will be able to consistently chase down the long fly balls at Hermon Brothers Field, but the outfield should not be the only strength on the Miner defense.

Behind the plate Mat-Su could have a pair of the best young catchers in college baseball. University of Miami (Fla.) freshman Eddy Rodriguez and Stanford sophomore John Hester are expected to be among the best at the Division I level before their careers are done.

"These are two guys that should be starting for the top two teams in the country next year," Buchmiller said. "They're flat-out the strength of our ballclub."

Rodriquez was listed as one of the top 100 players in college baseball, by Baseball America. Buchmiller said the Miami backstop is as polished as many Triple-A receivers and the only question is whether Rodriguez can hit at the professional level.

"Rodriquez is the future of Miami baseball. He's the most polished high school catcher coming out," Buchmiller said.

Hester is one of the top young prospects in the Pac-10 conference, and according to scouts could start on most college teams. Also on the roster are Mat-Su veterans Billy Munich and Brian Weller. Munich, an Oregon State sophomore, returns to the Valley after suffering a hand injury midway through the 2003 season. Weller, a Bemidji State University sophomore and Palmer High graduate, returns as the club's bullpen catcher.

The strength of the infield for Mat-Su could be right up the middle. Miami freshman Roger Tomas and California freshman Josh Satin are expected to make up the Miner middle infield. Both, according to Buchmiller, are versatile infielders with a tremendous amount of talent. Tomas is now a starter at shortstop with the Hurricanes.

"Roger walked into the starting position at Miami and has done a phenomenal job," Buchmiller said.

Satin took a medical redshirt after a shoulder injury before his freshman season. Buchmiller said if not injured, Satin would start for the Golden Bears.

The Miners have another infielder with tremendous talent, Chris Valaika, on the roster, but will be without the UC Santa Barbara freshman for at least three weeks. Valaika recently earned an invite to tryout for the Team USA squad. If Valaika is one of 18 chosen, he will be lost for the season. If one of the 18 who does not survive the cut, Valaika should be available in late June.

"The tough breaks of the business," Buchmiller said. "He had absolutely a phenomenal year. If he does not make the cut, he will fulfill his contract."

At the corners of the Mat-Su infield will be University of Notre Dame junior Matt Edwards and Northern Illinois sophomore Scott Simon.

Edwards and Simon should also be among the Miners' leaders at the plate.

"Matt Edwards is a big time RBI guy for the middle of our order," Buchmiller said. "He really wanted to come to Alaska."

Edwards hit .313 with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs and earned All-Big East honors this year. Simon hit .374 and drove in 71 runs as an All-MAC performer. Buchmiller said Simon was courted by other leagues, such as the Cape Cod League, but he very much wanted to play in Alaska.

"It wasn't a tough sell," Buchmiller said.

Buchmiller said his team speed will also be an asset at the plate, and a key for the Miners.

"We need guys to put the ball into play -- stretch a single to a double. We need extra bags," Buchmiller said.

The 2004 edition of the Miners will make their debut Wednesday at 7 p.m. with a home date against Stockton.