Travelers Open Season Thursday Night in North Little Rock
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: April 5, 2012
The Arkansas Travelers kick off the 2012 season Thursday evening at Dickey-Stephens Park taking on the Midland RockHounds.
The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. The Travelers begin a 6-day homestand where they'll battle both Midland and the Frisco RoughRiders.
The Travs are coming of a successful 2011 season just falling short in the Texas League Championship to the San Antonio Missions.
According to the team website, new Travs skipper Mike Micucci brings 25 players from spring training in Arizona with him for the start of the season including shortstop Jean Segura, who is ranked as the Angels' second-best prospect according to MLB.com.
Segura is joined in the infield by 2011 Texas League All-Star Darwin Perez, who will move to second base this season. Ryan Mount returns to the Travs infield along with Casey Haerther and a pair of free agents; Renny Osuna and Adam Heether. Osuna, the all-time hit leader for the Frisco RoughRiders and a two-time Texas League All-Star, was signed late last week.
The outfield features four familiar faces including Matt Long, Roberto Lopez, Rian Kiniry and Angel Castillo.
Catching duties will be handled by Alberto Rosario and Carlos Ramirez.
Pitching Coach Trevor Wilson brings a starting rotation highlighted by Ariel Pena and Johnny Hellweg, a pair of hard throwing right-handers who were recently added to the Angels' 40-man roster. 2011 Texas League All-Star Orangel Arenas, Eddie McKiernan, and A.J. Schugel round out the starting rotation.
The Travs' bullpen includes Steven Geltz, Caleb Graham, Kevin Johnson, Matt Oye, Mike Piazza, Greg Smith, Andrew Taylor and Daniel Tillman.
