The Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox's focus thus far has been exterior -
the hiring of management positions and the unveiling of the logo
and name.
Now the attention turns to baseball a bit as the team
scrambles to find players and makes decisions that will directly
affect the team's on-field play.
The Gold Sox's first player came Friday when outfielder
Harvey Hargrove became the first official signing for the
city-owned Western Baseball League team.
Manager Tim Gloyd, who doubles as Yuba College's baseball
coach, said the team has signed a number of other players as
well, but the contracts must first be approved by the league
office.
Gloyd said he expects to have between 15-18 signings by April
1 and then pick up the remaining spots after Major League
Baseball organizations make their cuts in spring training.
"This team will have more speed and power than I've ever had
at (Sacramento State) or Yuba," Gloyd said. "We're going to be
able to run and go deep. With the field, we can sign left-handed
pull hitters or guys who can get it over the short right-field
fence."
Two players that might join the team are former Yuba players,
infielders Josh Cook and Daniel Boyle.
Cook was recently released by the San Francisco Giants
organization but has a San Diego Padres tryout upcoming. Cook is
also a Yuba City High graduate.
Boyle, who set the California Community College record for
stolen bases while at Yuba, is currently in his senior year at
Oral Roberts University. If Boyle isn't drafted, he said he
would join the Gold Sox, Gloyd said.
Gloyd has named his two top assistant coaches.
Darren Bush will assist Gloyd and also help with scouting
while the manager is taking care of duties at Yuba. Bush also is
expected to be an emergency catcher/outfielder if the Gold Sox
need him during the course of the season.
Team president Bob Bavasi is hoping that Bush's contribution
will help Gloyd deal with more experienced players as opposed to
green ones at Yuba.
"There's going to be an adjustment," Gloyd said. "There are
rules I have at Yuba that wouldn't be the same. If my guys are
late at Yuba, they don't play the next day. If they're late
(with the Gold Sox), they'll be fined but they'll be in the
lineup. They won't want to lose $25 every night though."
Erik Bennett, just a season removed from throwing for the
Chico Heat, will be the pitching coach. Like Hargrove, Bennett
is a Sac State alum. However, Bennett has had arm problems in
recent years and is not expected to see time on the mound.
Gloyd was hoping to have Yuba City High baseball coach Jim
Stassi on the coaching staff as well, but Stassi wanted to stay
closer to his family in the summer.
Bavasi, general manager Scott Blackwood, Gloyd, Bush and
scout Mao Fichman all met last weekend for two long
brainstorming discussions.
Bavasi said they covered a variety of topics from when and
who to order bats and balls from to player personnel decisions.
Bavasi admitted there was even some yelling and disagreements.
Bavasi said he has changed his stance a bit on older players
after getting Bush's stance.
"After listening to him, I think I'm wrong," Bavasi said. "He
convinced me there are older players who do play hard, so I
backed off. I told them, as long as they're good, solid people
and they play hard."
Gloyd's vision is to still sign younger players instead of
older ones and wanted those who want to get to a higher level.
He didn't rule out signing pitchers who were a bit older though.
"If I had the chance to sign somebody who was 30 or 26, I'm
probably going to sign the 26-year-old," he said.
The Gold Sox plan to come to spring training with 30 players
and widdle down to 22 by the season-opener May 24 against the
Long Beach Breakers. Complete schedules were originally expected
to be released this week but now may not be available until
February.
"We want the team to represent hope," Bavasi said. "That's
the whole story of this team. We want players who are hoping to
move on and want to play on a solid organization, both
baseball-wise and financially."
