In response to your comment last post...
The news is, #9, you should move back to Pittsburgh. The economy is great right now I'm sure you'd have no trouble finding a job. Maybe Faust is looking for a roommate.
There could be a lot of competition for playing time, and we appear to have some depth at key positions such as middle infield and pitcher (Seriously, depth, imagine that). On this note, A.Smith showed some versatility in fall ball' playing error free outfield and finishing the fall season with a better batting average than his coach, the Ducks' all time hits leader.
I will get to play outfield primarily.
However, there is still a lot up in the air, if everyone who has made even the most remote commitment to play on the Ducks this summer is a go, we'll have about 20 guys on the roster (and will never forfeit), but who knows, there's a lot of time for people to move away or decide they want to play on the Gray Bats.
South Oakland could lose several starters from last season, so we're hedging our bets. Barring a series of catastrophes the Ducks will have a better team than last year, it will just be a matter of different guys stepping up in clutch situations.
The key is pitching as always, and we will definitely have Homa, Guthrie, Smith and Schwartz, and the Kuhnses out of the bullpen. If we can put Necheff in that rotation it will be huge, if we get Necheff and Barchie that's the best 1-2-3 in the PGH-NABA, if we get this other kid we have a line on who has pitched at a very high level, it will be unfair to everyone else, given the pending debut of Tony Cassale and Mike Watson in the infield, who are absolutely sick. (the guys from the Ghostbusters), but we don't know how the rotation will fill out yet, either way defensively we will be better, if Novak and McCray return they could move to the corners, or beat out the newcomers for their spots up the middle last season (we don't know if they will be back this spring) we also had another infielder who has played at a high level fall into our lap, (also named Bob), so who knows. I'm cautiously optimistic.
We could wind up just ridiculously stacked, and then the biggest test for Dr. Jones will be keeping everyone happy, playing time wise. this is always easier when the team is winning, though. We're assuming we will lose all the incumbent "maybes", Jones doesn't want to turn anyone away who can help, and then have a shortage of ball players so we're loading up as usual. A lot will depend on who leaves.
More as this develops and we get the roster set, and begin working out as a team. Winter sucks. I turn 28 soon, "Old man Gwin", they'll call me.
