Retired game-show host Bob Barker would probably appreciate Salt Lake's opening-day pitching staff. All 12 are right-handers.
It remains to be seen, though, if the price is right.
Sorry, Bob.
"I don't have to worry about match-ups with lefties," said Bees pitching coach Erik Bennett. "It can be good, it can be bad. So we'll just have to learn to get lefties out."
Although injured major leaguers like Scot Shields and Chris Bootcheck will make early rehab appearances with Salt Lake, and Rich Thompson has already be sent down by the Angels, the Bees entered the 2008 season with a good mix of veterans and up-and-coming prospects.
"I think our pitching should be solid," said Salt Lake manager Bobby Mitchell.
The initial starting rotation is expected to include young pitchers Nick Green and Nick Adenhart, as well as veterans Shane Loux, Kasey Olenberger and Giancarlo Alvarado. The bullpen features Jose Arredondo (who is on the Angels' 40-man roster), Henry Bonilla, Jeff Kennard, Aaron Pullin, Rafael Rodriguez, Alex Serrano and Matt Willhite.
"We've got a lot of guys who can pitch," said Bennett. "They throw strikes, and hopefully, they get a lot of ground balls in the light air here."
The starters, he explained, were all stretched out to 95 pitches in spring training — meaning they all should be able to go deep into games early on.
Duties are less defined in the bullpen. Bennett said relievers will get the opportunity to pitch themselves into roles. The spots will be filled by those who step up and take them."
Bennett, a former PCL pitcher with Vancouver, Salt Lake and Tucson, is well aware the pitchers will be thrown into a variety of scenarios in the geographically diverse league that stretches as far east as Tennessee.
Hitters no longer have a distinct advantage across the board.
"There's a few places that are and then there's a few places that are pitcher's parks," said Bennett. "So it's a mix. You've still got to execute your pitches to get the guys out."
The cast is somewhat diverse as well. Olenberger (116), Adenhart (115) and Green (107) each topped 100 strikeouts last season, while Arredondo (14) was the lone pitcher with more than four saves.
The combined minor-league record of this year's opening day staff was 65-61 last season.
E-mail: dirk@desnews.com