Scrappers get ready for opener Tuesday

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES - The 2006 edition of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers came to town this week; well, at least the biggest part of the team is here.
In the New York-Penn League, a Class A short-season league, players tend to come and go relatively regularly and the Scrappers are also waiting while their parent club, the Cleveland Indians, continue to sign players drafted in the recent major league baseball draft.
But the first surge of players were on hand and worked out at Eastwood Field Tuesday for the first time in preparation for the New York-Penn League season opener at Jamestown Tuesday night.
Manager returns
Rouglas Odor returns for his second straight season as manager of the Scrappers. Mahoning Valley finished 33-43 a year ago, good enough for third place in the Pinckney Division.
It was just the second losing season for the Scrappers in their seven-year history. The only other losing campaign came in 2001 when they finished 26-49 and fourth in the Pinckney Division.
Odor is excited about the upcoming season.
"We've got some great looking young players," Odor said. "What we're trying to do right now is get them acclimated to the rigors of professional baseball and get them ready for the season."
Odor knows that his main job is to get his players to the next level, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't want to win also.
Playing to win
"We go out every day and play to win," he said.
"Winning is the main thing when they get to the big leagues, so the more they can win at this level is only going to help them at the next level.
"Our fans come to the ballpark every day to see this team win and we're going to be trying to do just that," he said.
Odor has four players returning from last season's roster: Andrew Lytle, outfielders Cirilo Cumberbatch, Evandy DeLeon and Brent Thomas.
Cumberbatch hit .260 with three homers and 21 RBIs in 45 games last year.
"Cirilo has improved himself greatly," said Odor. "He played in the extended season last year and also had a stint with Lake County and we are expecting big things from him this season."
Odor also feels that he's learned a lot over the years as a manager.
"You learn every day in this game," he said.
"I had the opportunity to go down to Venezuela last winter and was the bench coach with one of the teams there and I really learned a great deal from that experience."
Coached in Rookie League
Before coming to the Scrappers, Odor spent four seasons as manager of the Burlington Indians in the Rookie League. His overall five-year record as a manager is 161-185.
Besides the four returning players the Scrappers also have four players who are currently on rehab assignments for the start of the season.
They include left-handed pitcher Dan Cvette from Lake County, who was a member of the Scrappers' 2004 New York-Penn League championship team.
Another rehab player is right-handed pitcher J.D. Martin, who was a Sandwich Round Selection between the first and second rounds in the 2001 draft and is currently with Class AA Akron.
Draft picks on roster
The Scrappers also have 12 players on the roster selected during the 2006 draft and are expected to get several more as they are signed by the Indians.
"We expect to have three more today or tomorrow and a couple more by the end of the week," Odor said.
Currently the highest draft picks on the roster are catcher Matt McBride, who was selected in the second round out of Lehigh University and right-handed pitcher Michael Eisenberg, who was an eighth-round pick out of Marietta College. Eisenberg was expected to arrive in camp today.
The Indians' No. 1 draft pick, David Huff, a left-handed pitcher from the University of California, has not yet signed a contract.
The Scrappers open with a three-game road series against the Jamestown Jammers beginning Tuesday and will come home to open the season on June 23 against Williamsport in a 7:05 p.m. start.