NILES Scrappers return; will success follow?

Mahoning Valley has 12 former players on its roster.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- The Mahoning Valley Scrappers will try to rebound from their worst season with a little help from the past.
When the Class A short-season minor league baseball team opens next Tuesday in Auburn, N.Y., against the Doubledays, it will have 12 former players on its roster.
Some in particular make the mind rewind to the 2000 season, when the Scrappers made their second straight trip to the New York-Penn League championship series.
One of the most dramatic games in Scrappers history ended when Henry Pichardo unloaded a game-winning, 11th-inning home run against the Staten Island Yankees to keep the title series alive.
Pichardo was carried off the field that night under the Cafaro Field lights. Four returning Scrappers enjoyed that moment.
Simon Young, Jeff Haase, Francis Finnerty and coach Willie Aviles were part of that magical night. Young started on the mound and Haase at first base, while Finnerty pinch hit.
Haase may have found the right words after the game to describe the experience.
"That is one of the most unbelievable things I have ever been a part of in my entire life. It's our never-say-die attitude. Guys are on their knees praying in the dugout. Willie's saying, 'Never quit believing.' "
The Scrappers went on to lose Game 3 for the second straight time in the best-of-3 league championship series. Last year, they sunk to the bottom of the Pinckney-Stedler Division with a 26-49 record.
Experience
A nucleus of former players returns to mesh with first-year talent in an attempt to bring the team back.
In Young's last stop at Mahoning Valley, the 6-foot-4 left-handed pitcher led the league in ERA (1.75) while compiling a 7-2 record with 56 strikeouts. He spent last season with Class-A Columbus and Kinston.
An Eastlake native who played at Cleveland State, Haase batted .250 with four home runs and 45 RBIs in 69 games. He also had 12 doubles and five triples.
Haase, who played at Columbus and Kinston last year, underwent elbow surgery in December and will work his way back as a catcher at Mahoning Valley.
Finnerty, who has moved from third base to the outfield, is beginning his third straight season with the Scrappers. He played little in 2000 before batting .163 in 45 games a year ago.
Right-hander Kyle Evans was with the Scrappers in 2000, going 5-2 with a 3.14 ERA in 11 starts. A sixth-round pick in 2000 and one of the Cleveland Indians' top prospects, Evans returns this season to work his way back from elbow surgery.
Left-hander Victor Kleine also will make his third straight appearance at Mahoning Valley. He made 14 starts last season, with a 1-8 record and 5.25 ERA.
Solid year expected
Other former Scrappers returning for another season include pitchers Todd Culp and Kevin Martin, catchers Brad Guglielmelli and Kenton Myers, infielders Jesus Colmenter and Bryce Uegawachi and outfielder Jonathan Van Every.
"Based on the people that we have, the experience we have on the team, the people who will be coming from the draft, I think we're going to have a solid team this year," said Scrappers general manager Andy Milovich.
The Scrappers' tune-up for Auburn comes Sunday in an exhibition game against the Youngstown Express. The first pitch is at 7 p.m. at Cafaro Field.
richesson@vindy.com