by John Miller
The Team
The Kangaroos went 14-21 in 2007. The 7th place finish was disappointing, but it was their highest win total was the highest ever in first division, and allowed them to stay in the top league for the third time in four years. The club also won the Wallonia Cup.
This year, a corps of young talent is expected to carry the ‘Roos even higher. A new coaching staff of John Miller and Marc McLean is shaking things up. “We can’t hit .223 when the league average is .283, or have an ERA of 4.89 when the league’s is 2.74,” says Miller. “It’s time to raise the bar.”
The first 14 stretch of the season will be crucial. Following that 14-game stretch, the top six teams will form their own league for the rest of the summer. The bottom two will form a league with the top four teams of the second division. Only the top two finishers in that league will play in the first division in 2009.
The Kangaroos’s big rivalries to watch will be against fellow Francophones the Namur Angels (April 26-27) and the Merchtem Cats (May 3-4) from a Flemish suburb of Brussels.
Here’s a breakdown of where the ‘Roos stand, position by position:
Catcher
Sam Faeder (.308, 12 R, 16 RBI) will do most of the catching. He’s a gap hitter with speed and some pop. He’ll bat leadoff and should take advantage of the green monster at Kangaroo field.
Nathan Terseleer (.218, 5 doubles, 2 homers) will catch when Clay Osborne pitches. Terseleer could see more time behind the plate later in the year, when Faeder will take over from Vincent King at shortstop. Veteran Miller (.165) could fill in for defense late in the game or spot start.
First Base
Harold Gerard (.265, 2 doubles) will play first when he’s not pitching. Gerard will try to prove he can hit .300 in his first full season in first division. He’s also a candidate to knock some dingers over the short fence at Kangaroo field.
Cedric Desmedt (.184) and Faeder will also see time at first base. A dark horse candidate is American Clay Osborne, projected as a starting pitcher. He still needs to regain his stroke.
Second Base
Raphael Steege (.244, 7 RBI, 1 homerun) has the edge because of his bat, but needs to improve his defense (.871 FA). He’ll face competition from youngsters Theo de Bellefroid and Jeremy De Smedt, who this year will both see first division action for the first time. Victor Gerard (.100) has been swinging a hot bat in the spring, and could also see some time at second. They could compete for the spot when Steege leaves for university in August.
Shortstop
Vincent King (.292, 4 doubles, 10 steals) was the ‘Roos second-best hitter last year. If he stays healthy, a problem last year, and improves his defense (.895 FA last year), he’ll bat second every game and anchor the infield in 2008. Steege is a possible replacement. King is leaving in August to attend university. Faeder will then take over the shortstop duties.
Third Base
Many Martinez (.280, 19 RBI, 1 homerun) returns as the ‘Roos third baseman in 2008. He’ll need to improve his fielding (.838 FA), however, to play every day. Otherwise, veteran Jean-Michel De Rede (.213, .907 FA) is ready to step in. He competes every day and never gives up. Rosario and Faeder are also available.
Left Field
Former Belgian batting champion Williams Rosario (He hit .450 in 2002, the league’s first year with wood bats) will take over left field in 2008. He is expected to anchor the offense in the middle of the lineup. De Rede, Terseleer and rookie Sacha Trouveroy could also see time there.
Center Field
The Kangaroos need Manu Roggen (.234, 11 steals) to improve on a sluggish performance in 2007. He’ll play every day as long as he hits. Veteran Jean-Michel De Passe (.188) can give Roggen an occasional day off.
Right Field
It will likely be a contest between whoever has the hot bat. De Passe can track down balls but needs to improve his hitting. Greg Courtois has shown dedication and a powerful bat in his first Kangaroo pre-season but needs to improve his fielding. Other options include rookie Yannick Warnau, Victor Gerard, De Smedt, Terseleer, Trouveroy and Osborne.
Bench/DH
The Kangaroos will have the luxury of some solid tools on the bench this year. When he’s not starting, Warnau has blazing speed and could pinch run late in the game. Victor Gerard, Greg Courtois and Clay Osborne offer three left-handed bats that manager Miller can turn to. If they work hard and improve their game, David Nielsen, Moe Miller, Eugen Proskouriakov, Luis De Waegenaere, Khader Safi, Stanil Tchapanov, Valentin Yonchev and Jesper Nilsson will also get a chance to prove they can play at the first division level.
Starting Pitching
Three pitchers will compete for starting assignments in 2008. Lefty Harold Gerard (2-2, 5.30 ERA) has been working hard and is eager to prove he can put it together for full season in first division. Cedric De Smedt (0-6, 8.64), a hard throwing righty, will be effective if he can throw strikes. A nice surprise for the Kangaroos was the signing of Clay Osborne, a 28-year-old soldier stationed at SHAPE military base in southern Belgium. Osborne’s a strong lefty with good control and solid breaking stuff.
Bullpen
For the first time, the Kangaroos will be able to call on a real corps of relief pitchers. Pierrot Gerard (1-9, 8.95) will handle most middle relief work. Courtois, a reliable strike thrower without much first division experience, will back him up. Victor Gerard (0-0, 13.50) and Jesper Nilsson are also options. Frenchman Viv Francois could be a nice surprise. In the late innings, expect to see young flame-throwers King (0-0, 3.00) and Steege getting the call for a few batters at a time.
Photos: © Brussels Kangaroos