Indians on the road for their opener

The Spokane Indians hit the road early this morning for the long trip to Boise and their season-opening Northwest A League baseball game.

Tonight’s game will afford manager Darryl Kennedy the chance to remove the “on-paper” label from this year’s version of the defending league champions and see what a new season brings.

“Looking at it on paper, I think we’re pretty comparable to last year,” said Kennedy. “We’ve just got to get these guys to go out there, play nine hard innings and see what happens after we get going.”

Pitching may not be as dominant as last year when Wes Littleton, Matt Lorenzo and Matt Farnum held sway, Kennedy said.

“However, I think we’re in better shape at the beginning of the season simply because we have more guys who can get us through a game,” he said. “At the beginning of last season a lot of the guys were new and there were not many who could take the brunt of the pitching responsibilities at the beginning, so we were really strapped.”

This year’s crew of opening-game starter Clayton Jerome, Justin Lensch, Kevin Altman, Josh Rupe and recently arrived Mark Roberts, may not be as overpowering, but have a high enough pitch count that there won’t be the need to baby them through the early stages of the season.

Roberts, an eighth-round draft choice from Oklahoma, pitched late enough into his college year, said the Indians manager, that “I think he’s close to being game-ready. He’ll get side work down there in Boise and hopefully we’ll get him in the rotation and go from there.”

Besides, if the staff throws strikes, makes hitters put the ball in play and lets the defense do its job, this year’s version of the Indians appears to have enough offensive pop to do plenty of damage, said their manager.

The feeling in the Rangers organization is that Spokane’s will be a solid offensive lineup.

“We should be able to score some runs,” said Kennedy.

First baseman Jim Fasano, 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, a left-handed hitter, third baseman Travis Metcalf, 6-3 and 200, and outfielder Kevin Mahar, at 6-5, 215 provide potential power.

“I think Kevin will be pretty good defensively, and hopefully he’ll be able to put the ball over the fence,” said Kennedy. “Plus, we have Chris Alexander back who had a pretty good year here.”

He also likes the look of the defense.

Bobby Lenoir, like Fasano from Richmond, is penciled in at shortstop. Tobin Swope and Alex Guerra are other middle infielders and Alexander, at 6-4, 223, will play first base and designated hitter.

In the outfield, speedy Brandon Cashman will be in center field.

“Hopefully he’ll be getting on base for us and scoring on those big boys,” said Kennedy.

Brock Jacobson and Billy Susdorf, a late arrival from UCLA are other outfield prospects. Susdorf will join the team today in Boise.

“We’ll see where he is as far as game ready, get him some batting practice, make sure his arm’s in shape and get him in there as soon as we can,” said Kennedy.

At catcher tonight is Angel Sanchez, one of three on the roster. He’ll be the Indians’ backstop at least until the fourth catcher, Georgia Tech draft signee Mike Nickeas, reports for Spokane’s home opener on Monday against Salem-Keizer in a rematch of 2003 Northwest League championship series foes.

Nickeas, a 6-foot, 208-pounder, was selected in the fifth round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft. He hit .275 with seven home runs and was solid defensively for the NCAA Super Regional qualifier.

Kennedy, 35, is in his seventh year as a manager, second at Spokane. The six previous years his teams have made the postseason.

The Indians announced Thursday night that the Rangers had signed Auburn University second baseman Tug Hulett, son of major league veteran Tim Hulett, and that he will join the Indians in Boise.

Hulett was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection.