Coach Kyle Williams figures the only missing ingredient currently on the Coquitlam Reds is a sure-fire fourth starter in his pitching rotation.
He's not particularly worried, given the regular season has yet to so much as crack open.
"There's no position we're weak in," Williams told The Tri-City News, with the Reds set to start the 2011 B.C. Premier (16-18) Baseball League campaign April 10 with a doubleheader versus the Vancouver Cannons at Mundy Park, 11 a.m. start. "Last year, I was crying about having no outfielders but that's not the case this year. I think this team has depth... we have so many bats in our order."
Until a fourth starting chucker is solidified, the veteran-laden Reds should hardly skip a beat with crafty throwers Matt Trimble, Jeff Heidema and Cannons-transfer Jordan Ramirez shouldering the load.
Then there are all their heavy hitters, led by third baseman Jordan Varga, who has committed to attend the NCAA Div. 1's South Dakota State University Jackrabbits starting next fall. Williams expects Varga to be nicely complemented by Grade 10 phenom Max Hollingworth, an outfielder who can hit for average and power while possessing above average speed. Add the catcher tandem of Brent Foreman and Brian Nicholas, who are both expected to add punch in the middle of the Reds' batting order, and plate production should hardly be a problem for the highly regarded squad.
"There's probably be some games, especially early, that we win 8-5 or 8-6 but you'll eventually see us win some 3-2, as well," said Williams, who's entering his second season as Reds' skipper after having led the team to a 26-18 record last summer and expects his team to contend strongly for the league crown this campaign. "I think when we look at the standings at the end of the April we'll get a better idea of where we're at exactly."
Experience will be on the Reds' side, with eight players returning to help fill out the squad's 18-man roster. Six others are graduates of the consistently solid Jr. Redlegs feeder program, while the remaining four are transfer players.
BASELINES: Hitting coach guru Henry Somers is back for his 12th season with the Reds and will also work primarily with the infielders. Ex-Red David Kington is the team's new pitching coach, having spent the last two years in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization in short relief after being drafted by the MLB squad in the 34th round in 2009. Bill Green will continue to serve as the Reds' program general manager and will also act as head coach of the Jr. Redlegs.
