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Bulls Open On Road Against Tides
Bulls Announce First Roster for 2006
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The Bulls will play their home opener at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (above) on April 14th, but open their season away in Norfolk tonight, April 6th. |
The Durham Bulls will open their 2006 season in Virginia against the Norfolk Tides. The game will kick-off tonight, Thursday, April 6th, at 7:15pm at the Tides’ Harbor Park. The game marks the first under the Bulls new skipper, Manager John Tamargo.
With only four days until the Bulls open the 2006 season, the team announced the unofficial roster for Opening Day. Fans can expect to see several new faces on the field at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park this season as the team announced a roster including only nine players from last season’s team.
Highlighting the returnees are top prospects Delmon Young and B.J. Upton. Young, the 2005 Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year, anchors an outfield that includes fellow 2005 Bull, Darnell McDonald and newcomer Elijah Dukes. Upton, Durham’s player of the year last season, joins Fernando Cortez as the only returning infielders from last season. Also in the infield are veterans Russell Branyan, Kevin Witt, Brent Butler and rookie Johnny Rayburn.
Kevin Cash returns for his second season behind the plate with the Bulls. He’ll be joined by the Devil Rays top catching prospect Shawn Riggans and veteran backstop Mike Rose.
The pitching staff includes several of Tampa Bay’s prize young arms, including recently acquired right-hander Edwin Jackson and fellow righty Jason Hammel. Left-handers Chris Seddon and Jon Switzer are also good bets for the Bulls’ rotation. The rest of the pitching staff includes Selma, NC native Carlos Hines, Jason Cromer, Chad Harville, Bart Miadich, Justin Miller, Jamie Shields, Brian Stokes, and North Carolina State University’s Chad Orvella.
The Bulls return home to face the Toledo Mudhens for the home opener on Friday, April 14th. Tickets are available at www.durhambulls.com or by phone at (919) 956-BULL.
Thanks to DBBC’s Matt DeMargel for this capcom story & photo.
