06.18.2011: Just Two Days Away!

The Voyager Blast is today starting at 4:00pm going until 6:00pm, with an open practice starting immediately afterwards. It is going to be a great event. It's free. There's food, games, and tons of fun as you get introduced to the 2011 Great Falls Voyagers.

Speaking of meeting the Voyagers, let's hear from one of the returning Voyagers, Michael Earley, as I had a chance to speak to him yesterday:

Michael is currently one of 31 players on the roster. Let's take a look at this year's team, By the Numbers.

There are...

-18 pitchers, 3 catchers, 6 infielders, and 4 outfielders

-12 right handed pitchers and six left handed pitchers, while zero are undecided

-13 position players that throw right handed, while not a single position player throws left handed

-10 position players who bat right handed, 2 who bat left handed (Pangilinan, Tanner) and 1 switch hitter (Millender)

-2 pitchers who had qualifying batting averages over .300 while at college (Vance, .322; McMillen, .354)

-2 players who turned pro with an organization other than the White Sox (Bachanov, Angels; Jacquot, Mariners)

-5 returning 2010 Voyagers (Gehle, McCray, Pangilinan, Earley, Thorpe; plus Salvador Sanchez from the 2007 team)

-an additional 9 players who, while new to Great Falls, were with the White Sox organization in 2010

-16 players who are fresh out of college

-5 players who are from a college with California (with a chance of up to 3 more, depending on if the 3 players from Cal still in the CWS sign and if they do, where they are assigned)

-2 American-born players who did not attend college (Bachanov, Pangilinan)

-4 players who are listed below 6'0" (Gulbransen, McCray, Patino, Millender)

-12 players who are listed above 6'2"

-4 players who are listed above 6'5" (tallest: Sam Phippen, 6'9")

-4 players born in January

-0 players born in February (1 coach: Ryan Newman)

-5 players born in March

-4 players born in April

-(is) 1 player born in May

-(is) 1 player born in June

-2 players born in July

-(is) 1 player born in August

-4 players born in September

-3 players born in October

-4 players born in November

-3 players born in December

-(is) 1 player born in 1985 (Salvador Sanchez)

-8 players born in 1987

-8 players born in 1988

-9 players born in 1989

-3 players born in 1990

-2 players born in 1991 (Leighton Pangilinan, who is 4 months older than Jerry Puentes)

-Players that reside in California (8), Texas (2), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (2), Missouri (2), Kentucky (1), Arizona (1), Wisconsin (1), Georgia (1), Ohio (1), Colorado (1), Nevada (1), Mississippi (1), Virginia (1), Alabama (1), Domincan Republic (1), Venezuela (1), Panama (1)

This is your Opening Day Roster Breakdown.

Hot Sports Opinion: My mind is still too high up on cloud nine to generate an analytical and interesting sports opinion. The Mavericks Championship is still front and center on my mind. I have spent so much time watching videos, reading articles, and just rejoicing in their victory. Such a special moment for a fan, especially when you've been a fan through rough (re: losing) times, and even more so than that when its your own city. A very well respected long time sports radio host in Dallas put it great when he said that: "In my years as a sports fan, I have not had a happier moment than seeing Dirk Nowitzki win a championship." It's ironic how much the celebration and the praise has focused on him and how deserving he is for someone who is so team-oriented and strays away from the individual spotlight.