Express notes: Bench getting thin

At the beginning the season, the Eau Claire Express had one of the Northwoods League’s best-stocked benches.

Suddenly, the Express are a little thin.

The most recent round of defections has the roster down to 26 players.
Right-hander Shane Dyer has left the team after signing with Tampa Bay Rays. Righties Anthony Bass and Brad McAtee will not be reporting after opting to sign with the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies, respectively. And San Diego State shortstop Brett Tanos no longer will be joining the team.

Also gone are Winona State (Minn.) infielder Ronnie Olson and left-hander Ross Hellenbrand, whose 10-day contracts expired.

Because of a new NWL rule this season, the Express cannot add to the roster until they have fewer than 26 players. Last season teams had a 26-man active roster with four inactive spots.

“I think it’s fair,” Express manager Dale Varsho said of the rule change. “It’s something you knew going into the season. I played my cards with the draft guys. I was hoping that would be more of a draft-and-follow than just sign right away. That’s just the way it bounces I guess.”

Varsho isn’t completely out of the woods either. The statuses of St. Xavier (Ill.) first baseman/reliever David Cales and Minnesota State-Mankato right-handed starter Chris Odegaard still are up in the air. Odegaard was a 23rd-round pick of the Minnesota Twins, and Cales was drafted in the 24th by the Chicago Cubs.

“We’re just in negations,” said Odegaard, who’s 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts this summer. “We’re just talking, trying to get close to what each side thinks is a reasonable price.”

Thursday’s home game against the La Crosse Loggers will be an important one for Cales and Odegaard. Varsho said the Twins and Cubs will have representatives on hand and both players will pitch.

“It’s not really too much pressure,” Cales said. “They’ve pretty much got me, so it’s up to them. It’s nice definitely to have someone come up and watch you.”

Cal Poly right-hander D.J. Mauldin also was drafted – in the 48th round by the Seattle Mariners – but Varsho anticipates Mauldin reporting to Eau Claire. Mauldin is only a sophomore, so he can return to school and hope to be picked higher next summer.

Reinforcements
The Express did get a boost from the arrival of four players since the last homestand. Baylor right-hander Wade Mackey, Elon (N.C.) left-hander J.D. Reichenbach, Illinois-Chicago right-hander Adam Worthington and San Diego State outfielder/infielder Pat Colwell are now with the team.

Cal Poly outfielder Ryan Lee also could join the team Friday.

Varsho said Worthington likely will start Friday or Saturday. As things stand now, that would give the team a six-man starting rotation of Mackey, Worthington, Odegaard, Nebraska-Omaha lefty Ryan Hines, Texas Tech lefty Robbie Kilcrease and Reichenbach.

If Mauldin joins the team, he would replace one of those six in the rotation.

“Our rotation’s OK,” Varsho said. “Once Mauldin comes, it’ll be pretty solid.”

Knutson out
Yavapai College (Ariz.) outfielder Erik Knutson will be out three to six weeks with a sprained ankle. Knuton, who is ninth in the Northwoods League with a .407 batting average, was injured Saturday night in Battle Creek.

Knutson went home to Rochester, Minn., to have his ankle checked out.

“Hopefully, it will get better but right now they say at least three to six,” Varsho said. “That’s not going to help our situation.”

Bonfe transferring
Infielder/pitcher Joe Bonfe is looking for a new school after seeing very little playing time at Creighton this season.

Bonfe said he probably will tranfer to Sierra College, a community college in Sacramento. There he will be able to see more action in the field.

- Joe Ziemer