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December 14, 2005Isom: Contracts in mailTRAVERSE CITY - With pitcher Kevin Joslyn, and possibly second baseman Nick Batkoski, on board, the Traverse City Beach Bums' roster is beginning to take shape.Beach Bums manager Jeff Isom said the team hopes to officially announce the signing of several players in the next week or two. "We're in the process of contacting guys and letting them know where they stand," Isom said. Isom said some contracts are already in the mail. In addition to Joslyn and Batkoski, whose rights were acquired in Monday's dispersal draft, the Bums will also get players from the former Richmond Roosters, the Frontier League team that folded and was purchased by Beach Bums owners John and Leslye Wuerfel earlier this year. Isom said he would like to bring in several former Roosters players in outfielders Mike Reese and Kevin White, shortstop Nathan Gravely and catcher Tony Sanguinetti in particular. "Those are some pretty good players right there," Isom said. "I'm excited about how the team is coming around. I'm very optimistic. We just have to get the pitching staff together." Gravely, who made the conversion from outfield to shortstop, led the Roosters with 21 errors, but Isom said Richmond's field also contributed to that. "Their field was like playing in our parking lot," Isom said. The Roosters committed 152 errors as a team last year, just four behind Rockford for the league lead. Gravely, 22, hit .314 with 29 RBI, 11 steals, 17 doubles and 48 runs scored in 81 games. Reese, 24, may end up hitting lead-off for the Bums, Isom said. The No. 3 hitter for the Roosters, Reese was fifth in the league in on-base percentage at .437 and hit .328 with 10 home runs, 41 RBI, 67 runs scored, 21 doubles and 11 steals. He walks more than he strikes out (52 to 38 last year). White - who will turn 24 by the start of next season - could add some pop to the outfield. He was tied for third in the league in extra-base hits last year with 49, hitting .291 with 20 home runs, 27 doubles, 72 RBI and 75 runs in 93 games. Sanguinetti, 24, was one of the league's top hitting catchers before landing on the disabled list to end the season. At 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, he hit .274 with 22 home runs, 72 RBI (tied with White for the team lead) and 15 doubles in 83 games. Another shortstop, Josh Hollingsworth, is still a possibility. Hollingsworth was picked up by the New York Yankees after the season, but could be with the Bums if he is released in spring training. He hit .282 with 16 homers and 42 RBI in 54 games. It looks like the Bums will retain pitchers Tony Casoli, Kris Regas and Hunter Davis from the Roosters. An innings eater, Casoli was 8-6 last year with a 3.89 earned run average and 109 strikeouts and just 24 walks in 134¤ innings. The 24-year-old right-hander averaged almost seven innings per start. Regas appeared in 40 games for the Roosters last year, all but one in relief. The 26-year-old left-hander stuck out 72 batters and walked just nine in 53 innings, compiling a 5-4 record, two saves and a 3.57 ERA. Davis was 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA in 31 appearances. He had five saves and struck out 24, giving up 14 walks and 30 hits in 39ª innings. The 24-year-old righty didn't allow a home run all season, but did hit nine batters. Veteran left-hander Matt Schweitzer, 27, holds league records for most career games (149), innings (434¤), wins (29) and strikeouts (427), but also led the league in losses (11) and home runs allowed (19) last year. The Beach Bums will hold open tryouts in May, and Isom said he hopes to sign several players who get released from Major League spring training rosters. Traverse City opens its inaugural season May 24 with a three-game homestand against defending league champion Kalamazoo. See Related Story:
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