Reno Off-Season

Reno's off-season has been a plethora (yes, I said plethora) of activity.

Reno has parlayed this activity into 6 of the first 63 picks in the upcoming rookie/re-entry draft.

During the off-season, Reno Aces Manager, Richard Robertson, put into play his master plan to become Championship contenders as early as the 2011 season. Most fans will note that the Aces, formerly the Stonington Scallops, were in the League Championship Series during the 2009 season; however, Mr. Robertson felt that his team was too dependent on a heavily lefty starting pitching staff as well as a team that was scued to terrorize left-handed pitching. This came into play during the League Championship Series when the Scallops were swept away by the Oahu Glorious Wonders in four games, all started by right-handed pitchers.

The Aces began the off-season by acquiring perennial All-Star David Wright to complement his other infield All-Stars and add more on-base possibilities. The Aces also added some young stars in the making with Jay Bruce, Nate Schierholtz, Daniel Murphy, and Aaron Laffey. Whether these youngsters become something or not is still up in the air, but the trip will be interesting anyways. The Aces also added switch-hitting catcher Greg Zaun to go with lefty bashers Kelly Shoppach and Carlos Ruiz behind the plate.

At this time the Aces roster has plenty of talent but no considerable closer or top of the rotation starter. James Shields will anchor the team in 2010 and hope for a bounceback season in 2011. J.P. Howell becomes the teams defacto closer as Brian Fuentes and his unpredicatability was shipped off in the off-season. Branden Webb is lost for the entire 2010 campaign but with a potential influx of young pitching from the draft and his return for 2011, the pitching staff will look to right itself after what will be an interesting rebuilding campaign in 2010.

The Aces rosters is currently as such:

Catchers - Kelly Shoppach, Carlos Ruiz, Greg Zaun
First Basemen - Kevin Youkilis, Daniel Murphy
Second Base - Orlando Hudson
Third Base - David Wright
Shortstop - Yunel Escobar
Leftfield - Luke Scott
Centerfield - Cody Ross, Brett Gardner
Rightfield - Cory Hart, Jay Bruce

Starting Pitchers - James Shields, Tim Wakefield, Aaron Laffey, Branden Webb (IR)
Relief Pitchers - J. P. Howell, Ramon Ramirez

Without any more off-season activity this looks to be the team that will join the rookies in the upcoming baseball season.

Aces Management has shown significant interest in the upcoming draft with pitching prospects and defensive minded position players. Chris Carpenter, Neftali Feliz, Rick Porcello, and Tommy Hanson are some of the prospects which will most likely elude the Aces grasp.