The Ogden Raptors, the new entry in the 1994 Pioneer League, began preseason training Friday in Ogden and will train through Thursday prior to opening their season June 17 at home vs. Butte.
The Raptors had 25 players in camp Friday with another three, who are on loan from the St. Paul Saints of the Northern League, due later. St. Paul is run by former Salt Lake Trapper player personnel director Van Schley.Much of the old Trapper management is involved with the Raptors, including field manager Willie Ambos, a Trapper pitcher/pitching coach.
Of the 29 players expected, 18 have already been signed. Another 10 were plucked from Raptor tryout camps and come in by invitation with a chance at making the final five roster spots. Jorge Jaime of BYU, a 5-foot-3 left-handed pitcher, was recommended to Ambos by Cougar coach Gary Pullins and is a last-minute addition to the list of tryout invitees.
Ambos and assistant coach Rich Morales, a former Pioneer League field manager, will cut down to the final 23 on Sunday afternoon, giving invitees four training sessions to make their impressions.
The training camp is open to the public at Ogden's Serge B. Simmons Field, site of Raptor home games. Times for the camp include Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (final cuts made) and 2:30-5:30 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday, 10-12:30 and 2-5; and Thursday, 10-12:30, 2-5 and 6:30-9:30 p.m.
The 18 contract players:
Right-handed pitchers - Jason Evenhus, who played with the Pocatello Posse of the Pioneer League last season, a Washington State alum; Steve Gay, an Ogden native from Layton High School and Arizona Western JC; Chris McCoy, from New York Tech, which provided several of the old Trappers' best players including Ambos; Jeff Garrett of San Jose State; Paul O'Hearn, who had a 24-3 career record for NCAA Div. II Northern Alabama; and Tim Salado, projected as a possible closer, from San Jose State.
Left-handed pitchers - John Homan, University of Wyoming; Edson Hoffman, on loan from the St. Paul Saints.
Catchers - Troy Doezie, a Brighton High product who spent last season with the Minnesota Twins' Gulf Coast club; and Brett Smith, Western Oregon State.
Infielders - Jeremy Winget, first base, a 20-year-old Salt Laker from Murray High who has already spent three years in the Baltimore Orioles' farm system; Chris Amos, second base, from San Jose State; Tommy Johnston, shortstop, from the Pittsburgh Pirates' chain and University of Indiana; Shane Jones, third base/first base, from University of Utah, the NCAA home run and home-runs-per-at-bat champion who was surprisingly passed over in the draft ("We're glad to have him," says co-general manager John Stein); and Dan Zanola, third base, on loan from the St. Paul Saints.
Outfielders - Jason Pollock, from last season's Pocatello Posse; Brad Dandridge, on loan from St. Paul Saints; and Doug O'Neill, the Montreal Expos' seventh-round draft choice who was released due to injuries and signed with the Raptors off the San Francisco 49ers training camp list (the 5-foot-10, 195-pounder who runs 60 yards in 6.4 seconds - a base stealer/power hitter - played wide receiver in college but was with the Niners as a punting candidate).
*****
Additional Information
1994 Ogden Raptors schedule
June
June 17 - Butte
June 18 - Butte
June 19 - Butte
June 20 - Idaho Falls
June 21 - Idaho Falls
June 22 - at Helena
June 23 - at Helena
June 24 - at Helena
June 25 - at Idaho Falls
June 26 - at Idaho Falls
June 27 - Helena
June 28 - Helena
June 29 - Helena
June 30 - at Butte
July
July 1 - at Butte
July 2 - at Butte
July 3 - Butte
July 4 - Butte
July 5 - Idaho Falls
July 6 - Idaho Falls
July 7 - Idaho Falls
July 8 - at Idaho Falls
July 9 - at Idaho Falls
July 10 - Helena
July 11 - Helena
July 12 - travel
July 13 - at Great Falls
July 14 - at Great Falls
July 15 - at Great Falls
July 16 - at Great Falls
July 17 - at Billings
July 18 - at Billings
July 19 - at Billings
July 20 - travel
July 21 - Great Falls
July 22 - Great Falls
July 23 - Great Falls
July 24 - Billings
July 25 - Billings
July 26 - Billings
July 27 - Billings
July 28 - travel
July 29 - at Helena
July 30 - at Helena
July 31 - at Helena
August
Aug. 1 - at Butte
Aug. 2 - at Butte
Aug. 3 - Helena
Aug. 4 - Helena
Aug. 5 - Helena
Aug. 6 - at Idaho Falls
Aug. 7 - at Idaho Falls
Aug. 8 - at Helena
Aug. 9 - at Helena
Aug. 10 - Medicine Hat
Aug. 11 - Medicine Hat
Aug. 12 - Medicine Hat
Aug. 13 - Medicine Hat
Aug. 14 - Lethbridge
Aug. 15 - Lethbridge
Aug. 16 - Lethbridge
Aug. 17 - Lethbidge
Aug. 18 - travel
Aug. 19 - at Medicine Hat
Aug. 20 - at Medicine Hat
Aug. 21 - at Medicine Hat
Aug. 22 - at Lethbridge
Aug. 23 - at Lethbridge
Aug. 24 - at Lethbridge
Aug. 25 - at Lethbridge
Aug. 26 - travel
Aug. 27 - Butte
Aug. 28 - Butte
Aug. 29 - Butte
Aug. 30 - at Butte
Aug. 31 - at Butte
September
Sept. 1 - at Butte
Sept. 2 - Idaho Falls
All home single games are at 7 p.m. Doubleheaders are at 5:30 p.m. All games are at Serge B. Simmons Field, Ogden.