Alen Hanson named FSL Player of the Week

Marauders shortstop Alen Hanson has been named the Florida State League Player of the Week for May 20-26.
Hanson, 20, batted .444 (11-for-25) with an RBI and five runs scored in six games against the Tampa Yankees and St. Lucie Mets.
Ranked the Pirates' third-best prospect by MLB.com and fifth-best by Baseball America, Hanson is hitting .290 with 20 RBIs, 11 steals, five triples, 10 doubles and 24 runs scored for the Marauders.

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.