No, this isn’t a rendition of The Who’s hit "Won’t Get Fooled Again" so
much as it is a re-introduction to the Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo.
Though he may not need an introduction to readers of Gotham Baseball,
(it is his third time leading the Brooklyn team) his two McNamara
Division titles and 2001 Co-Championship are definitely worth mentioning again.
"Fonzie" is excited about the 2008 season and the team he will be fielding. He is lucky to have 2008 first round draft pick shortstop Reese Havens and supplemental pick Brad Holt, a right handed pitcher out of UNC-Wilmington, along with 12 other fresh draftees. The team also has some familiar faces from the 2007 season. Tim Stronach, Jefferies Tatford, Will Vogl, Cesar Cordido, Brandon Kawal and Zach Lutz are all returning to Brooklyn for another ride on the Ol' Cyclone. Also returning to Brooklyn is Yury Santana. Santana played in Brooklyn in 2005 as a shortstop, but has since been converted to a right handed pitcher prior to the 2006 season.
“I’m really excited about this team,” Alfonzo said. “We have some good looking young players. I am happy and impressed with this group of kids.” There seemed to be added excitement in the manager’s voice when he mentioned newbies Eric Campbell, Josh Satin and Reese Havens as well as the returning Lutz.
Campbell is a third baseman from Boston College. In his 2008 season, he finished the season hitting .306 in 53 games. The 2008 eighth round draft pick was first on his team in doubles (18) and multi-RBI games (12). The 21-year-old Norwich, Connecticut resident was also named his team's Co-Captaing compiling 64 hits, six home runs and 41 RBI.
Satin plays second base and was drafted out of University of California-Berkeley in the sixth round of the 2008 draft. He played for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod League in 2006 and 2007 where he was honored with back-to-back All-Star selections. In 2007, he ended his summer on the Cape with a .255 batting average, 10 doubles, four home runs and 22 RBI. The Hidden Hills, California resident ended his senior year with a team best .379 batting average, 11 doubles, one triple, 18 home runs and 52 RBI, joining former Met Xavier Nady as the only California player to have earned Freshman All-America and regular All-America honors.
Havens, a shortstop out of University of South Carolina was drafted 22nd overall in the first round this year. He signed his contract one day before the Cyclones’ warm-up on June 14. Like Satin, Havens played in the Cape Cod League for the Cotuit Kettleers in 2007 where he had a .315 batting average. In his 2008 college season, the 21-year-old had a .359 batting average with 18 home runs, 13 doubles, two triples and 57 RBI. Havens showed durability, playing in all 63 collegiate contests. The Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina resident is a team player who is ready to give it his all seven days a week for the Cyclones.
“Whether I’m 4-for-4 or 0-for-4 I come out everyday and give it the best I’ve got and be the best teammate I can be,” Havens said. “That’s what I try to do everyday.”
Havens may come from a small southern town but New York’s fast pace doesn’t bother him -- in fact he’s excited. This is no surprise since his favorite players growing up were Cal Ripken and Chipper Jones. Havens, however, is not naïve and has heard about Brooklyn’s reputation of 8,000+ fans in attendance daily and is aware that the leap from college ball to professional ball is a large one. Still, he feels confident that he will succeed.
In the Mets organization there is always the chance that a player may have to change positions in order to accommodate the large farm system. Havens knows that there is always a possibility that this may happen to him but he has no worries. “I was drafted as a shortstop and the plan is to play as a shortstop,” Havens said. “But as long as I’m playing in the lineup I don’t care where they put me.”
Based on their past track record, the new Cyclones are ready, willing and able to perform for their adoring fans, but what about some of the returnees on the roster?
Brandon Kawal was a 2007 New York Penn League All-Star, despite playing in only 38 games for the Cyclones. A 39th round pick in the 2007 draft out of Concordia University in California, the Victorville, CA native's debut season was memorable. Kawal posted a .302 batting average, with 14 runs, five doubles, one triple and 14 RBI. Before coming back to Brooklyn, he played three games for the Single A Savannah Sand Gnats where he hit .250.
Fonzie will be relying on Kawal and his veterans to help the newly drafted players make a smooth transition. “In St. Lucie, I gave the guys from last year an assignment to guide the new players and show them the ropes and they’re doing that so far,” Alfonzo said.
Kawal is happy to have that assignment. “I’ll try to make myself available for the new guys and give them any advice they need,” Kawal said. “This is a tough city to play in especially in front of these fans. I was intimidated when I got here because, even though I’m from a city, there is nothing like New York. It has toughened me up.”
Opening day for the Cyclones is June 17 at 7p.m against the rival Staten Island Yankees. The first 2,500 fans will receive schedule magnets and the National Anthem will be performed by children’s music star Dan Zanes. Other promotions for the month of June include a Front Gate Replica on June 19 and a Cyclone Rollercoaster replica on June 30, both for the first 2,500 fans.
Meet the new boss, the same as the old boss. 