Panthers 1st Sim Write-Up

Current Record: 4-1 Power Ranking: #3 AVG: .314 ERA: 2.80

• The Panthers were two runs away from an opening home series sweep of division rival Pocatello. Vista doubled (22) the amount runs of the Boccabellas scored (11). The best game of the series for the Panthers was on Tuesday when Tim Welply went 9 strong inning giving up only 2 hits with only 101 pitches. Rich Anderson and Sam Treadway both hit 2-run homers with Treadway also hitting a 2-run scoring double to round out the Panthers scoring in front of an almost sold out crowd of 39,825 at Blackberry Field in Vista. 

• In addition to Welply's standout performance, three other starters held their own. Julio Lopez went 6 innings in the opener, giving up 1 earned with 4 strikeouts sot help lead the Panthers to an Opening Day victory. Sophomore Star Warren Piniella followed with an 8 inning performance giving up 3 earning a win and new veteran arrival Carlos Castillo did the same at Haddonfield to hand the Hackers their first loss of the season. Donald Brewer, brought over from Sunnyvale in free agency received the only loss of the first 5 games, by giving up 5 runs in 7 innings, all of them coming in the 6th and 7th. 
• Butch Hogan got a quick start to the season collecting 10 hits in 22 ABs with 4 SB's only 2 K's and 1 HR. Sam Treadway made a quick statement for more playing time with 6 RBI and 2HR in only 7 ABs. Veteran addition Wilbert Perkins had a strong start with 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3R and 3BB in only 3 games of action and last year's team MVP Ivan Rosales turned in a solid performance from his new spot in the lineup, with 5 hits, 4 RBI and no strikeouts in 12 ABs enjoying time away from the leadoff role.
• The Panthers fans were more excited this year than ever before for this team as Fan Interest rating have reached 100 for the first time since Vista's start in the VBL. Time will tell if this team will live up to the hype but it definitely doesn't hurt to have a 3-1 early series lead over the one division rival everyone has pegged to win the Beeblebrox Division this year. 

Next Sim: 2 Games @ Haddonfield Hackers, 2 Games vs Madison Bombers

• Rotation: @ Haddonfield - 1st game Julio Lopez (1-0, 1.50) 2nd Game - Warren Piniella (1-0, 3.38) ; vs Bombers - 1st game Tim Welply (1-0, 0.00) , 2nd game Donald Brewer (0-1, 6.43)

OPENING DAY!

Vista Opening Day Roster

Vista opens this season with a 4 game homestead against division rival Pocatello

The Panthers GM, Jordan Calhoun has said they will go with the following line-up on opening day (w/2011 stats):

1B Butch Hogan (AAA Santa Monica/Vista - 15 HR 78 RBI 31 SB .268/.332/.413)

2B Ivan Rosales (Vista - 17 HR 96 RBI 13 SB .300/.390/.466)

DH Tony Warrilow(AAA Santa Monica/Vista 7 HR 47 RBI .314/.421/.443)

RF Wilbert Perkins ( Somerton - 25 HR 80 RBI .271/.371/.485)

CF Emilio Morin (Vista - 22 HR 73 RBI .314/.386/.562)

SS Roger Anderson (Vista - 15 HR 58 RBI 32 SB .245/.335/.400)

LF Oliver O'conner (Jersey Shore - 13 HR 57 RBI .289/.385/.449)

3B Phil Ingilby (AAA Santa Monica/ Vista - 11 HR 58 RBI 51 SB .256/.324/.489)

C Rafael Herrera (New Westminster - 12 HR 31 RBI .281/.359/.459)

SP Julio Lopez (Vista - 10-9 3.34 ERA, 138K)

the 26 year olds Warren Piniella (19-7 3.15), Tim Welply  (10-9 4.45) and Donald Brewer (9-9 4.18) will close out the opening series.

Spring Training Update 1

VISTA SPRING TRAINING UPDATE #1

After 19 games in the spring the 2011 Panthers find themselves with a 9-10 record. Standouts include:

Infielders Butch Hogan (.353 AVG, .404 OBP 10 SB) and  Sam Treadway (.357/.378/.643 2 HR, 8 RBI) 

Reliever Martin White (21.2 IP, 1.25 ERA, .171 BAA) 

Starters Julio Lopez (16 IP, 1.69ERA, 1.00 WHIP 5K/BB), Warren Piniella (16.0 IP, 2.25 ERA) and Tim Welpy (16 IP, 2.81 ERA, .185 BAA). 

So far the Panthers have made 9 cuts to their 40-man roster, sending pitchers Israel Aguilar, Gabriel Morales, Curt Olson, Larry Hamilton and hitters Roberto Bojoruez, Wilson Ortiz, Xun Shuai, Carlos Rios and Thomas Johnston to their respective minor league camps.

Spring Training Standout: 

The Panthers aren't worried about the 9-10 record as spring training is used for evaluating players and getting some of the rust off before the season. The Panthers organization is happy with the performance of First Baseman Butch Hogan. Butch struggled his rookie year, striking out 129 times but was good on the basepaths with 43 steals and hit 9 HRs in 159 Games. His sophomore year didn't go so well, hitting a weak .230/.285/.364 line in 81 games. He was then sent down to AAA Santa Monica so he could work on a new swing with hitting coach Norberto Hernandez and Manager Armando Figueroa who has a history of working well with young players.  Butch turned it around at the AAA level hitting a line of 302/.383/.458) with 9 HRs in 288 ABs. Butch came into spring training more in shape than last season, "I felt a little off last season. I was mad at myself every day and just letting each game get down on me. I feel like I let the team down. You're supposed to get better after your rookie year, not worse so I wanted to work hard this offseason to avoid letting down my teammates" the young First Baseman said in an interview after a 16-7 victory over the Jersey Shore D-Bags, a game in which he went 1 for 2 with 1 run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout and two stolen bases.