MANAGER Rick Forney has dropped veteran starting pitcher Billy Keppinger and outfielder Luke Hetherington to get down to the Northern League maximum 22-man roster for Thursday's season-opener against the Kansas City T-Bones.
Keppinger, acquired from the Schaumburg Flyers in the off-season after finishing seventh in the NL in earned run average, was the most surprising of the cuts announced by Forney today.
But the manager said he was concerned about Keppinger's shape and work ethic and said he was more impressed with young lefty Zach Baldwin, who'll join Ronald Bay, Brandon Kitzler, Robert Ransom and Andrew Walker in the starting rotation.
"There were a lot of tough decisions," Forney said this morning as his players worked out at the batting cage, out of the rain. "I stewed on this for probably three or four days trying to make my final decision.
"It's somewhat unfair to be honest with you, having to make evaluations when the weather's cold like this and being short a game (Saturday's exhibition game in Fargo was cancelled due to weather), being relegated to cage work today. It's tough getting your guys ready.
"...I'm excited about what we have here. I really like the team in terms of the quality of player that we have, the versatility on the team, the youth and the strength we have in our pitching staff. I think we've got the makings of a pretty good ball team."
Hetherington was initially signed by Forney to replace Fehlandt Lentini in centre field, but when Lentini returned from the Mexican League, Hetherington found himself in a fight for a job with rookie Colin Roberson for the backup outfielder spot.
He lost that battle with Roberson, a 6-foot-5, 220-pounder from Virginia Beach, Va., who Forney said is among the fastest players on the team.
Also dropped from the roster today were catcher Casey Haugen and infielder Jesse Gibson, while IF Jeff Beachum was traded to the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League on Sunday.
The Goldeyes will open the season Thursday at Canwest Park with 11 pitchers and 11 position players led by Lentini, third baseman Brent Metheny, every-day catcher Brady Everett and shortstop Max Poulin.
Pitcher Aaron Jackson was also placed on the disabled list. Forney said he was almost 100 per cent sure Bay will start in Thursday's home-opener followed by Kintzler on Friday.
chris.cariou@freepress.mb.ca
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