Roster Release Fuels Anticipation For Marauders' 2011 Campaign

As some of their faithful were searching the Internet or continuously refreshing the team’s Facebook site for the release of the Opening Day roster, corporate sponsors and dignitaries, including Mayor Wayne Poston, were among those to be personally introduced to the 2011 Bradenton Marauders on Tuesday at .

Upon entering a luncheon known as the “Kickoff of the Bradenton Marauders’ 2011 Season,” guests found copies of the Marauders’ 25-man roster and a press release on their tables. By the time that first-year manager and former major league infielder addressed the crowd and members of the team gave brief introductions, those online lurkers had been appeased.

The Marauders will begin their second season in the Class-A Advanced Florida State League with 13 pitchers, two catchers, six infielders and four outfielders. includes two players named Baker (pitcher Nate and infielder Aaron — no relation), two players named Gonzalez (Benjamin and Elevys — no relation) and left-handed pitcher Joe Beimel, who is trying to work through an injury and add to his collection of 532 major-league appearances.

“I’m really excited about this team,” Garcia told the assembled crowd on Tuesday. “This is a group of young men who want to make a career in this hard game, and we definitely have some good ones. I’m real excited because for the last four and a half weeks (in minor-league spring training) I’ve seen these young guys try to go about being big leaguers in the right way.”

Garcia’s remarks and the cancellation of Tuesday night’s public workout at due to inclement weather should only add to the anticipation surrounding the 2011 Marauders. However, it will be difficult topping the Pittsburgh Pirates farm team's successful inaugural season.

“We obviously had a great season and a championship season with winning the second half (South Division), but minor-league baseball is all about development and getting players to the next level,” Pirates Senior Director of Florida Operations Trevor Gooby said. “We moved many players up to Altoona, where they actually won the Double-A (Eastern League) championship. A lot of Marauders made that team. As well as one player who was a Marauder last year and is now a Kansas City Royal. That’s (pitcher) Nathan Adcock.

“I think that’s pretty neat, so sit around at your tables right now and look around at a few of these guys. Hopefully all these guys, but definitely a few of these guys, are going to be big leaguers someday. It’s pretty awesome to say that they started in Bradenton.”

The Marauders will play the first of 140 regular-season games at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Charlotte Sports Park against the Tampa Bay Rays’ Charlotte Stone Crabs, who defeated Bradenton in the 2010 South Division championship series. Garcia said that he will need some time to come up with a lineup and name an Opening Day starter, but it is possible that right-hander Kyle McPherson, who is on Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster, will get the start on Thursday night.

The Stone Crabs will travel to McKechnie Field for the Marauders' at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The two teams will meet at Charlotte Sports Park before wrapping their four-game series on Sunday, which will also mark the first of seven straight home games for the Marauders.