Miracle's talent pool could rank as best in team history

By David Dorsey
Fort Myers News Press

Perhaps the most promising nucleus of talent since the Fort Myers Miracle became a mainstay at the Lee County Sports Complex in 1992 will be on the field this season.

The Class A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins will field three first-round draft picks and one second-round pick.

That's the longest list of Grade A, minor league prospects since current big leaguers Michael Cuddyer and Matthew LeCroy and former minor league pitcher Ryan Mills all played for the Miracle in 1999.

Current Twins pitcher Kyle Lohse and Triple-A outfielder Michael Ryan also played for that Miracle team.

The Miracle open their 70-game home schedule at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at the sports complex against the Sarasota Reds.

"We have probably as many or more prospects on that team than we've had in the past five years," Twins Director of Baseball Operations Rob Antony said. "You have to keep in mind that many of them are young prospects playing at a high level for their age.

"That means their stats and performance may not match their level of being a prospect this year."

This year's first-round draft picks can do it all — hit for power, steal bases, and throw strikes. They are:

Third baseman Matt Moses, 21st overall pick in 2003 out of Mills Godwin (Va.) High.

Left-handed pitcher Glen Perkins, 22nd overall pick in 2004, out of the University of Minnesota

Centerfielder Denard Span, 20th overall pick in 2002, out of Tampa Catholic High

Factor in second-round pick Scott Tyler — the right-handed pitcher signed out of Downington (Penn.) High in 2001 — and the Miracle appear to be loaded.

And that's not all, said Antony, who also singled-out pitchers Adam Harben, a righty taken in the 15th round of 2002, and Errol Simonitsch, a lefty taken in sixth round of 2003.

"Harben and Simonitsch — you can throw them right there in that group," Antony said. "We like them just as much. They might not be first rounders. But they're good."

New Miracle manager Riccardo Ingram said there won't be any special treatment for the high-round draft picks.

"They're high-profile, but we don't treat them any differently than anybody else," Ingram said. "We treat all 25 guys the same.

"We're going to be a young team. There's going to be a reflection of them going through the league and then having to make some adjustments. It's a big jump.

"Factor in the heat and humidity and then not having three or four or 5,000 fans there every night — you have to be internally motivated."

In Ingram's eyes, J.R. Taylor, a 24th round pick and projected starting shortstop for the Miracle, will get as good a chance for promotion as Span, Tyler, Perkins or Moses.

Taylor said everyone will have to adjust to the Florida State League, a higher level of A-ball.

"You have to have better plate discipline," Taylor said. "You have to have a better idea of what you're going to do at the plate.

"They throw a lot more offspeed pitches."

The Miracle players will be balancing the development of their skills with trying to win.

"I'm trying to develop my leadoff hitting and bunting," Span said.

"Getting on base and stealing bases. Scoring runs. If I can develop that, it will give us a better chance to win."

Scott Whitrock, the projected starting right fielder and a 19th round draft pick in 2001 out of Madison Area (Wis.) Techincal College, likes what he sees in this year's team.

"Every position, we have a skilled guy there," Whitrock said. "Everyone has something different to work on.

"We have a lot of hard throwers. We should win a lot of games this year."