Pitching In

3 pitchers from the ’08 season return

By TOM WILLIAMS

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

In 2008, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers used 22 pitchers in their 75 New York-Penn League games.

Three of them — Guido Fonseca, Brian Grening and Kaimi Mead — will be on the Scrappers’ Opening Night roster when the 2009 season kicks off tonight at Eastwood Field.

“Definitely, I’m more comfortable this year than I was last year,” said Mead who made 15 starts in 2008.

“There’s definitely familiarity as far as the fans and the park,” said Mead who was 5-8 with an earned-run average of 5.52.

Grening (1-0, 4.09 in 2008) said, “It’s good to have some familiar faces around here. Obviously, coming to a new team, you’re in an awkward spot at first.

“They’re both buddies of mine so it’s good to have them here,” said Grening of Fonseca and Mead. “Hopefully we can all throw well and move up.”

Fonseca’s stay here in 2008 was the shortest as he was injured after making three starts and was sent to Florida for rehabbing.

“I’d say it’s like a do-over,” said Fonseca of his return. “I’m back here and hopefully will have a good season, stay healthy and enjoy it.”

Fonseca, Grening and Mead were all drafted in 2008 after playing college ball (Fonseca, 12th round, Northern Iowa; Mead, 18th round, Hawaii Pacific University; Grening, 38th round, Cal Poly).

Mead expects to start one of the Scrappers’ first five games.

“I think I’m starting this week, but I’m not sure what I’ll be doing after this week,” Mead said. “I was pitching out of the bullpen all of spring training and winter ball last year.”

Grening and Fonseca are relievers.

“I’ve done both roles so it’s not really that big of a difference for me,” said Fonseca who was a starter at Northern Iowa. “I just like to get out there and pitch.”

Grening (1-0, 4.09) has a live arm.

“I can throw every day so I was sort of the workhorse whenever they need me out of the ‘pen,” said Grening who overcame early frustration last summer.

“I had a rough start [but thing as improved] as the year went on, which definitely helped me with the organization,” said Grening who made 19 appearances in 2008. “I’m hoping that I will continue to throw well.”

Two of the veteran Scrappers grew up on the West Coast while Mead is a Hawaiian.

Fonseca, who grew up in West Covina, Calif., said the difference “is night and day. It’s totally different here.

“I grew up in a fast-paced city. Out here, everything is relaxed and calm and so green whereas where I live, there are lot of buildings and a lot of traffic,” said Fonseca (6-feet-0, 260 pounds). “It’s a quite a difference.”

Fonseca began adapting to the Midwest when he attended Northern Iowa.

“I’m sort of used to [the weather] but it’s nothing that you really can get comfortable with. But I like the greenery.”

Leaving California for Iowa’s cornfields wasn’t a hard decision.

“Coming out of junior college, they basically gave me a full ride,” the 22-year-old righthander said. “It was too good an offer to pass up.”

Leaving home wasn’t easy.

“When I first got there, I was on my own for a month and I had never been away from my family,” Fonseca said. “It was kind of rough, I was a little homesick for a while. Then I met some guys and I grew to love it there.”

Joining him on the Scrappers are former Northern Iowa teammate pitcher Nick Kirk (19th round in last week’s draft) and infielder Ben Carlson (sixth round) who played for Missouri State, a Missouri Valley Conference rival of Northern Iowa.

Mead said Hawaii’s weather “permits us to play 12 months and we definitely take advantage of that.”

One of his biggest adjustments last year was Ohio’s weather.

“The people are just as friendly and just as nice and welcoming,” the 5-11, 185-pound righthander said. “The fans are great and we get a lot of attention and that’s all you can ask for as a minor-league player.”

Mead said there is an advantage to returning to the Scrappers.

“You know how the park plays, I know what to expect in these situations,” Mead said.

Mead said his first year of minor-league ball “wasn’t a tough adjustment, it was just different and it took some getting used to. It was exciting but the inconsistency showed in my first year of pro ball.

“This year, hopefully I will be a little more consistent and I’ll put up some better numbers,” Mead said.

Growing up in Oregon and attending college in central California, Grening said he appreciates the things he experienced in the New York-Penn League.

“I had ever been to New York before,” Grening (5-11, 185) said. “We went to a lot of cool places last year. Cooperstown and Williamsport are kind of baseball cornerstones.”

Also a righthander, Grening said what stands out from 2008 was “how much I learned and how much I grew up a little bit.”

williams@vindy.com