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Opening Act

By Mark Knudson, The Mtn. Insider
April 1st, 2011

We interrupt all the hype about the Final Four, the NBA, spring football and lockouts, to bring you an important announcement: Winter is over. It’s time for baseball.
 
Yes, the colleges have been at for about six weeks already, but the pros are just getting started this weekend, making this the unofficial start of summer. Big League rosters include several former Mountain West players, including a few who are about to experience their very first Opening Day.
 
Technically, this will be the first Opening Day for former Aztec icon Stephen Strasburg. However, he’s on the disabled list – and will miss the entire season – so while he’ll be present, he won’t really be accounted for until next April. Not too worry. There are others to carry the torch of the conference.
 
It will be the first Opening Day for a couple of former TCU standouts: Pitchers Jake Arrieta of Baltimore, who made 18 starts a season ago after being called up to the big leagues, and Sam Demel, who figures prominently in the bullpen plans for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Demel was traded to the D-Backs in June of last season, and like his former college teammate Arrieta, spent the remainder of the year in the big leagues. Both will experience the pomp and circumstance of an opener for the first time as a Major Leaguer.
 
The opener is old hat for former SDSU hurler Justin Masterson, who will look to build off a strong finish to last year as the Indians #2 starter this season. And while he won’t be on the mound Opening Day either, another former Horned Frog, Andrew Cashner, will enter the season as the fifth starter for the Chicago Cubs. Cashner was a stand out reliever at TCU, and most observers thought he’d become a quality big league relief pitcher. Instead, he’ll be in the Cubs rotation to start the season.
 
Veteran Aaron Harang returns to San Diego where he starred for the Aztecs to don a Padres uniform for the first time. Entering his 10th season, Harang figures to stabilize the Padres rotation this season. The team will also be counting on continued productivity from outfielder Ryan Ludwick, a former UNLV standout, if they are going to challenge in the tough National League West.
 
And it will be strange seeing Tony Gwynn, Jr, the former Aztec, wearing Dodger blue this season after leaving the Padres as a free agent.
 
Who’s on deck? Former New Mexico Lobo Jordan Pacheco came within a tweaked hamstring of making the Colorado Rockies opening day roster, which would have been a huge leap from Double A. The second basemen turned catcher will start the year in Colorado Springs, at the Triple A level, but is likely to become a big leaguer before the season plays out. Pacheco was very impressive in spring training, making a push for not only the back-up catcher role but also a utility job. In the end, the team wanted him to play everyday at the Triple A level, meaning they think very highly of him and he figures prominently in their plans.
 
There are several more former MWC players starting the season in the minor leagues, each with his eye on a big league promotion before the year ends. That list would include Danny Herrera of Cincinnati, who pitched at New Mexico, former Aztec Bruce Billings who is looking for his first shot with the Rockies, and Boston’s Scott Atchison, who has been up and down with the Red Sox and is a good bet to be back in the big leagues the first time a bullpen arm is needed.
 
Play ball!