2015 Season Preview

South Carolina fans and team officials are excited about this upcoming season and feel it could be a turning point for this otherwise floundering franchise.

Amassing win totals of 61, 69 and 68 through the first three seasons, ANY improvement would and could be considered a step in the right direction.  But stability and quality players rather than rhetoric is what is being looked upon.

This season is looking like this right now:
SP: Gibbons, Nicholson, Martin, Ross
MR: Arnold, Henry, Dorsey, Hamilton, Rutledge
C: O'Neill, Yarbrough
INF: Guzman, Cooke, Smart, Pugh, Bustamante
OF: Jackson, O'Quinn, Everett, Buchanan

In previous seasons, there were players playing at the ABL Level that should have been parked at AAA but due to lack of depth in the organization coupled with injuries this wasn't the case, and specifically, nothing more apparent then the reliever rankings over this time.

This year sees very few holes overall and competition for roster spots!  What a concept!!!

STARTING PITCHING:
This year saw 8 SP's brought into camp for 5 spots, with 4 spots guaranteed (Cecil Gibbons, Dave Nicholson, John Martin and Tony Ross).  The remaining rotation spot is being battled out between Reijiro Yamaguchi, Matt Murphy and Jeremy Fisher.  Murphy is a long shot and Fisher looked good enough to possibly win out the job.  Yamaguchi is the odds on favorite to win this spot.  Should Murphy beat out Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi will move to the bullpen and be utilized as a spot starter and insurance for injury.
Aaron Harris, the 2013 1st Round Pick made two starts this spring for a teaser with the ABL club and moved down to AAA to continue his development.

RELIEF PITCHING:
Based on the being the Bombers Achilles Heel, a lot of off season attention has been spent on the reliever corps.
The Bombers have stated that they will be coming into the season with 7 spots for relievers and 5 of those spots are already spoken for.  Charlie Arnold, Mike Hamilton, Cal Henry, Jim Dorsey and Kevin Rutledge, leaving just two spots remaining to be battled out this spring.
Jose Carreon, 22; Stephen Douglas, 27; Nick Jones, 30; Joseph Matheson, 28 (coming off the DL this week, and at an obvious disadvantage); Johnny Ratzlaff, 26; Joe Ward, 24; Joseph Williams, 27; John Wood, 26;

Front runners right now would be Douglas and Williams, but based on other criteria (options, trades) this could change dramatically, even including with the Top 5.

CATCHING:
This is the only place on the team that management is okay with who is on the roster and have not brought in any players for competition.
Jayson O'Neill and Stu Yarbrough will be splitting time this season and manager Gary Altman has told each of these men that he will probably go with the "Hot Hand" most of the season.  Yarbrough is superior defensively, so Tim Ervin will probably NOT see O'Neill behind the plate during their series.

INFIELD:
There is room for 6 Infielders on this team, and 5 spots are already filled.
Orlando Bustamante, SS, Stephen Cook, 3B, "Get" Smart, 2B, Gerald Pugh, and Fernando Guzman.

Bustamante had his position changed on the team from LF to 1B, but is primarily the DH.
Pugh is a Rule V pickup and has already secured an apartment.
Smart and Guzman are experimenting swapping positions this spring training to give a little more flexibility to Altman.

In the mean time, there is healthy competition for the one remaining spot on the roster.
Ronald McAusland, 32, 1B; Jorge Rosas, 19, 2B; Dave Collins, 29, UTIL; Dan Mullen, 27, 2B; Walt Dobson, 24, 2B are the final combatants.
Collins could earn that final spot depending on any further injuries in the OF
Rosas is the future, and will be given a real good look this spring and could be one of the final cuts unless he struggles.
Dobson would appear to be the favorite of this bunch, but needs to show he can handle the bat.
The rest are long shots, especially McAusland.

OUTFIELD:
Probably the strength of this team and maybe one spot available.
Stephen Jackson, Chance Everett and Roy "ROQ" O'Quinn are our outfielders this season.  So, the two remaining spots are for backup roles.  Eugene White and last year's starting CF Martin Evans will battle out Mark Buchanan (DL, 2 weeks remaining) for the last spot.  Buchanan will come of the DL at the end of ST and be assigned to a 20 day Rehab assignment.  He's also out of options so, by default he'll be making the team.  So the final spot is between Evans and White.  This will be the toughest decision when the team breaks camp.  The thought process will be should Evans ride the bench and be a defensive replacement and get 150-200 AB's or have him lead off for the AAA squad and play everyday to get better.