Nick Kingham, postgame

Marauders starter Nick Kingham won his first game of the season Monday, throwing five innings in a 5-3 win over Jupiter.
He talks about what worked,

The Marauders looked to end their seven-game season-opening losing streak tonight against the St. Lucie Mets here at McKechnie Field.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Mets SP Jacob DeGrom is ranked the Mets' 12th-best prospect by MLB.com. He is 1-0 this year...3B Matt Reynolds is ranked 18th, and his batting .269 in seven games.

LINEUPS
Mets
T.J Rivera, 2b
Cam Maron, c
Matt Reynolds, ss
Aderlin Rodriguez, 3b
Brian Harrison, 1b
Charley Thurber, dh
Travis Taijeron, rf
Gilbert Gomez, cf
Jacob DeGrom, p

Marauders
Alen Hanson, ss
Dan Grovatt, lf
Gregory Polanco, cf
Jose Osuna, 1b
Dan Gamache, 2b
Willy Garcia, rf
Jacob Stallings, c
Carlos Mesa, dh
Chris Lashmet, 3b
Matt Bendict, p

Plenty of runs, hits and homers at McKechnie Field

A promotion - or demotion - to high Single-A Bradenton can inflate the ERAs of some of the pitchers in the Pirates' organization.
This according to Baseball America, which compiled park factors and run differentials for all of baseball's 120 full-season minor-league stadium.
McKechnie Field averaged 9.98 runs per game during the 2010-12 seasons, which was tops in the 12-team Florida State League, according to Baseball America.
McKechnie was second in the league in hits (17.59) and home runs (1.44) per game.
Appalachian Power Park, home to the Pirates' low-A team in West Virginia, averaged 9.76 runs, a differential of just 0.21 runs per game.
The biggest contrast, however, is when guys get a bump to Double-A. The Curve, the Pirates' Double-A squad, plays at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona, Pa., which averaged 8.15 runs per game, which ranks 11th  in the 12-team Eastern League.
It also averaged a league low-1.01 home runs per game, which was 104th overall.
The best place to pitch in the FSL? Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, home to the Palm Beach Cardinals and Jupiter Hammerheads. The park was last in the league in runs (7.5), hits (16.04) and homers (0.73, 118th overall). 
If home runs are your thing, head to Florida Exchange Stadium in Dunedin to catch the Blue Jays. That park served up a league-high 1.52 blasts per game over the past three years, ranking it 54th.

Lineups: Marauders vs. Miracle

Bradenton's boys of summer are back in town.
The Marauders play their fourth home-opener 6:30 p.m. tonight against the Fort Myers Miracle, who won last night's season-opener, 4-3, Thursday night in Fort Myers.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Miracle 3B Miguel Sano is the top-ranked prospect in Minnesota's organization, according to MLB.com, which ranks him 12th overall. Sano is ranked ninth overall by Baseball America. Sano hit 28 home runs and knocked in 100 runs last season with the Twins' low-A team in Beloit, and was named the Midwest League's Player of the Year...Miracle 2B Eddie Rosario is ranked eighth in Twins' chain by MLB...Marauders' CF Gregory Polanco was the Pirates' Minor League Player of the Year with low Single-A West Virginia last season and is ranked the team's fourth-best prospect. Ranked 65th overall by MLB and 51st by Baseball America, Polanco hit .325 with 85 RBIs last season...SS Alen Hanson is ranked third in the Pirates' organization, 54th by MLB and 61st by Baseball America...Pitcher Nick Kingham is ranked 17th in the Pirates' system.

LINEUPS
MIRACLE
Angel Morales, cf
Eddie Rosario, 2b
Miguel Sano, 3b
Michael Gonzalez, 1b
Kenny Vargas, dh
Lance Ray, rf
Jhon Goncalves, lf
Kyle Knudson, c
A.J. Petterson, ss
Jason Wheeler, p

MARAUDERS
Alen Hanson, ss
Taylor Lewis, lf
Gregory Polanco, cf
Jose Osuna, 1b
Dan Gamache, 2b
Willy Garcia, rf
Jacob Stallings, c
Eric Avila, 3b
Carlos Mesa, dh
Nick Kingham, p

2013 Bradenton Marauders

Here are the 2013 Bradenton Marauders, who were formally introduced this morning at Pirate City:

#     PITCHERS
23   Matthew Benedict
34   Zac Fuesser
35   Robbie Kilcrease
31   Nick Kingham
45   Quinton Miller
43    Joan Montero
26    Elecier Navarro
37    Jhonathan Ramos
50    Robby Rowland
39    Adrian Sampson
30    Zachary Thornton
32    Zack Von Rosenberg

#     CATCHERS
29   Elias Diaz
3     Jacob Stallings

#     INFIELDERS
15   Eric Avila
10   Dan Gamache
7     Benji Gonzalez
22   Alen Hanson
27   Chris Lashmet
36   Jose Osuna

#    OUTFIELDERS
24  Willy Garcia
14   Dan Grovatt
2     Taylor Lewis
41   Carlos Mesa
25   Gregory Polanco

MANAGER - Frank Kremblas
PITCHING COACH - Justin Meccage
HITTING COACH - Edgar Varela
 

Schedule for Marauders Opening Week

The roster for the Bradenton Marauders will be officially announced 7:30 a.m. Tuesday during the Manatee County Chamber's breakfast at Pirate City, and will be one of a number of events the team has scheduled for Opening Week.
The high Single-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Marauders open their fourth season Thursday when they head to Fort Myers to play the Miracle.
Following the roster unveiling, the entire team will be at the Walmart Supercenter, 5810 Ranch Lake Blvd., from 6 p.m. to 7:30 for a meet-and-greet with fans.
The home-opener is scheduled for Friday, when the Marauders play the Miracle at McKechnie Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., and fans who bring their Bright House Networks statement receive free admission to the grandstand, left-field bleachers or boardwalk.
There will be a happy hour from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., sponsored by Pier 22 Restaurant, which will feature 500 free hot dogs at the outfield concession stand as well as drink specials at the Kona Bar, located on the boardwalk.
A fireworks show is scheduled for after the game, presented by Bright House and Budweiser, and groups of 10 or more who book a group outing at least 72 hours before the game will receive a wristband to watch the show on the field. Wristbands are also available with the Marauders Fireworks Package, which includes admission to all five Marauders games featuring a fireworks show. The cost is $35.
An Easter egg hunt is scheduled for Sunday, April 7 before the Marauders play the Miracle at 1 p.m. The hunt will go from 12:15 to 12:30 and is for children ages 13 and younger.
All Sundays games are Wendy's Family Fun Sundays, which feature $1 tickets and hot dogs. Children ages 13 and younger can run the bases after the game.

At a glance: Potential 2013 Marauders

With just three home games remaining, the Pittsburgh Pirates are about to head north to begin the 2013 baseball season, while the Bradenton Marauders are set to begin their fourth season as the organization's high Single-A affiliate.
While the team's roster hasn't been announced, here is a look at some guys who may be here when Bradenton opens its Florida State League schedule Thursday, April 4 at  Fort Myers.
Again, this is purely speculative

Gregory Polanco, cf: The 20-year-old was named the Pirates' Minor League Player of the Year and is considered the franchise's fourth-best prospect by MLB.com, which ranks Polanco 65th overall. He spent all last season with Pirates' low Single-A team in West Virginia, where hit hit for average (.325), served as a run producer (85 RBIs in 116 games), flashed speed (40 steals), put the ball in play (64 strikeouts in 437 at-bats) and committed three errors in 98 games.
MLB.com says: "He has a chance to be a true five-tooler on the field...His plus speed will make him a long-term basestealing threat and an outstanding defensive outfielder."

Alen Hanson, if: Only Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon were ranked higher in the Pirates' system by MLB.com, which ranks Hanson 54th overall and eighth among shortstop prospects. After beginning the year with the Pirates' New York-Penn League team in State College, Hanson was bumped to West Virginia and led the South Atlantic League in total bases (258), triples (13) and runs scored (99) while finishing second in hits (151). Hanson, 20, hit 16 home runs, batted .309 and also swiped 35 bases. He needs to improve defensively after committing 40 errors in 103 games at short, but MLB.com said an erratic arm was Hanson's main problem, and he has the range and hands to be a good shortstop.
MLB.com says: "Hanson makes consistent contact and can drive the ball to all fields...An outstanding bunter, he has the strength to show occasional home run power."

Josh Bell, of: The 20-year-old Bell was ranked as baseball's 69th-best prospect heading into last year before a left meniscus tear ended his season after only 15 games at West Virginia. The Pirates' second-round pick in 2011, Bell is ranked sixth in the organization by MLB.com after hitting .274 with 11 RBIs with the Power. Bell spent the offseason working with Pirates Neil Walker, Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen at IMG, and his health with dictate where he winds up in '13.
MLB.com says: "...he has the tools to be an above-average defender with a strong arm, not to mention the offensive tools, to profile well (in right field)."

Nicholas Kingham, p: Drafted out of high school in 2010, Kingham, 21, has already logged 201 1/3 innings as a professional after spending all of 2011 in State College and all of last year in West Virginia. MLB.com considers Kingham the Pirates' 13th-best prospect after the righty went 6-8 with a 4.29 ERA in 27 starts. But the Las Vegas native got better as the year went on, posting a 1.68 ERA over his final nine starts, and he is averaging 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings as a pro.
MLB.com says: "The Pirates were very aggressive in going after high-ceiling high school arms in recent drafts and Kingham has a chance to be one of the best from that effort."