Last season was the most successful season the Grays had on record, winning the West Division for the second straight year and losing in the AAA Championship game to the defending champ East Metro Mammoth. Overall Minnoka went 24-4 (we won't include Arizona) and we did our best to send longtime wolf Jon Widerski off onto the golf course a winner. But it's a new season and a new league. Minnoka moves into the newly formed North Division which houses all the teams north of 694. We still have old faithfuls like Rockford, Red West, St Michael and the Bombers of Minneapolis - who really are Brooklyn Park. The newcomers are Capital City who play in Mounds View, St Anthony and the Diablos out of Minneapolis. New players, new improved teams, new rivalries. This will be a tough summer. Let's take a peek at the den who will play it's fourteenth season.
NEW ROSTER
After some off-season clean up, the Grays trimmed it's roster and added three new players in Bub Lovas, Joe Tupy and Nick Larson. Lovas adds a lefty to the pitching staff and can eat some innings when other pitchers need a break. Joe Tupy adds more depth to the defense with his ability to play almost every position in the field including tossing some innings, it's like they added another Skog to the roster. Tupy can also hit for average and wheel around the base paths. Nick Larson is a town ball legend, he takes over First Base from Widerski. Larson is known for big lefty power, quick bat and an intimidating presence at the plate. Jon Klapperich will add some part-time versatility adding more depth to the defense which the Grays needed last season.
PITCHING
The Grays had one of the deepest pitching staffs in the league and this year that same staff returns with an upgrade in Bub Lovas and Joe Tupy. Fritz Coyro, Billy Diaz and Jack Nelson all had over 20 innings pitched each with Alex Gonzalez led the way with 38 innings, he also led the way in strikeouts with 47 and wins with seven. (Regular Season stats only) Billy Diaz had a sparkling 1.71 ERA to lead the team. Mark Von Ruden wasn't far behind at 1.74. Look for Jack Nelson maybe pitching in his last season, to play inspired and build off his solid 2022 season. (4-0, 2.66 and 31Ks in 23 innings) Whatever the case, the Grays have the depth at pitching to make deep runs in any playoff - hopefully it's the AAA bracket.
THE LINEUP
The lineup was the top offense in the Federal League last season scoring 228 runs and hitting .429 as a team. Dan Skog scored 37 runs and stole 28 bags to spark the top of the lineup - he also hit .540. One of three players to hit over .500 last year. Michael Crane hit .511 and Joey Olson won the batting title hitting .562. Also impressive was the team's 111 walks to 38 strikeouts. Basically put - this lineup is good and probably got even better with the addition of power slugging Nick Larson and Joe Tupy. Jack Nelson led the squad in RBIs with 30, Crane was just behind him with 26 but for some stretches last season the Grays stranded lots of runners and had trouble knocking them in. The new additions, plus a promising sophomore year from Matt Johnson could help. Also promising was Mark Von Ruden, Matt Carter, Mike Weyrauch and Dustin Rode won the off-season Hit Trax AA Class which should be a confidence boost for the bottom of the order. No matter who you pitch around in the Grays lineup you have another guy up and ready to hack.
OVERALL
So everything is great right? Top pitching, top hitting, what's the hold up? We will see. This offseason was the most relaxed and rested team in the history of the club with only two major team practices this winter. Maybe expect a cold start? Numerous players will miss big chunks of games, who will step up? On the cup half full side maybe all the rest will do the Wolves some good going tino a very busy summer season. It's the Grays to lose. AAA Championship or bust. Whatever happens it should be another fun summer in Anoka.
