THE SERIES ... The Flying Tigers open defense of their 2012 Florida State League Championship with a four-game set against the Tampa Yankees. Lakeland opens the season on Thursday, April 4 in Tampa at 7 pm and then holds the homer opener on Friday, April 5 at 7:11 pm at Joker Marchant Stadium. The series heads back to George Steinbrenner Field on Saturday, April 6 for a 6 pm game before closing out in Lakeland on Sunday, April 7 at 1 pm. Last season, Lakeland was 13-7 vs. Tampa, including wins in the first seven games. The Flying Tigers went 7-3 in Lakeland against the Yankees and 6-4 in Tampa.
SEASON LID LIFTERS ... This marks the 11th consecutive season Lakeland has faced Tampa to open the season. The Flying Tigers hold a 6-4 advantage in the previous ten openers and are 8-5 in season openers since 2000.
HOME OPENERS ... This is the fifth straight season the Tampa Yankees will be the opponent Lakeland faces in its first home game of the year. Lakeland has won the six consecutive home openers and is 8-1 since 2004. Last season, Lakeland drew 2,020 fans to the first home game of the year and has averaged 2,035 fans over the last four home openers. In 2009, the homer opener was witnessed by 2,224 fans - the largest first crowd in the last nine seasons.
THE FLYING TIGERS (73-58 in 2012) ... The Flying Tigers enter the 2013 season as the defending Florida State League champions. The title was Lakeland’s fourth FSL championship (which is second most in the league) and is its first since 1992.
THE YANKEES (65-70 in 2012) ... Tampa finished fourth in both the first and second halves of 2012. Yankee skipper, Luis Sojo, has the most wins of any Florida State League manager in league history.
2012 DRAFT CLASS ... The 2012 Flying Tiger roster features five member of Detroit’s 2012 draft class - Drew VerHagen (4th round); Joe Rogers (5th); Jeff McVaney (8th); Will Clinard (19th); Tyler Hanover (33rd)
VANDY MEN ... Three members of the 2013 Flying Tiger squad played collegiately at Vanderbilt University - Will Clinard, Drew VerHagen and Aaron Westlake. Clinard and VerHagen combined for a 13-6 record in 2012. Westlake, Clinard and former Flying Tiger Curt Casali (now with Charlotte) were teammates at Vandy on the 2011 team.
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR ... Tommy Collier was West Michigan’s Pitcher of the Year last season while Eugenio Saurez was the Midwest League’s Player of the Year. In 2011, Kevin Eichhorn was the Whitecaps’ Pitcher of the Year and Dean Green was Connecticut’s Player of the Year.
ALL-STARS ... Tommy Collier, Dean Green, Steven Moya, Eugenio Saurez and Michael Torrealba were all named to the 2012 Midwest League All-Star squad. Green was also named to the 2011 New York-Penn League (NYPL) All-Star team. Tyler Hanover was an All-Star in the NYPL in 2012 while John Murrian was a 2009 NYPL All-Star.
LOCAL BOYS ... Kyle Ryan played high school ball at Auburndale High while Joe Rogers played prep ball at Winter Haven High. Zach Maggard played collegiately at Florida Southern College.
FRIDAY’S PROMOS ... 7-11 Friday ... The first 1500 fans to Friday’s game will get a magnet schedule from Crestwood Suites of Lakeland. Friday is also McKeel Academy Spirit and Chick-Fil-A Night. In addition, Friday is TGI Friday’s Flying Tigers Mug Club Night #1.
LAKELAND TRIVIA ... The Flying Tigers won their fourth Florida State League championship in 2012. Who was the manager of the first Lakeland team to capture a FSL Title? (Answer at the end of this column.)
THE SKIPPER ... Manager Dave Huppert, who was inducted into the Florida State League Hall of Fame in 2012, is in his 25th season as a minor league manage and is the active winningest manager in the minors with a 1,745-1,583 record entering the 2013 season. Last season, he led Lakeland to the 2012 Florida State League Championship to record his fourth overall championship and his third in the FSL. He also led the 2001 Brevard County to a co-championship while his 2007 Clearwater squad won the crown outright. In addition, he coached the Lakeland Blue Claws (Phillies) to the 2006 South Atlantic League title.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ... Here’s a look at where some of the 2012 Lakeland Flying Tigers are in 2013 ...
DETROIT (MLB): Avisail Garcia (DL)
TOLEDO (AAA): Nick Castellanos and Bruce Rondon
ERIE (AA): Cesar Carrillo (inactive); Luis Castilo, Tyler Clark, Tyler Collins, Patrick Cooper, Matt Crouse, Daniel Fields, Wade Gaynor, Corey Jones, Victor Larez, Marcus Lemon, Dixon Machado (DL); James McCann, Hernan Perez, James Robbins, Warwick Saupold
LAKELAND (A+): Alex Burgos, Kevin Eichhorn, Dean Green, Zach Maggard, Melvin Mercedes, Jade Todd, Drew VerHagen
WEST MICHIGAN (A): Lance Durham, Julio Felix, Jeff Holm, Guido Knudson, Matt Perry, Adolfo Reina, Luis Alverto Sanz, Austin Schotts
RELEASED: Daniel Bennett, Jordan Guida, Cale Iorg, Matt Little, Michael Rockett, Brian Stroud, Shawn Teufel, Jared Wesson, Tyler White, Ryan Woolley
CHANGE OF SCENERY ... Catcher Curt Casali remains in the Florida State League, but now dons the blue and white of the Charlotte Stone Crabs as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Casali was shipped to Tampa Bay as compensation for the Tigers keeping Rule 5 selection Kyle Lobstein.
• Pitcher Brian Flynn now takes the mound in Jacksonville in the AA Southern League as a member of the Miami Marlins group. Another Marlins member is Jacob Turner who now hurls for the New Orleans Zephyrs in the AAA Pacific Coast League. Both players were traded by Detroit last July (along with former Flying Tiger catcher Rob Brantly) to Miami in exchange for pitcher Anibal Sanchez and infielder Omar Infante.
• Pitcher Luis Angel Sanz was signed by Pittsburgh as a free agent and starts the season at Altoona in the AA Eastern League.
SAME THAMES ... Tampa Yankee batting coach Marcus Thames played for the Detroit Tigers from 2004-2009 and played parts of ten seasons in the Major Leagues.
TOP YANKEE PROSPECTS ... Tampa catcher Gary Sanchez is rated as the top prospect in Yankee organization by MLB.com. Outfielder Mason Williams is the No. 2 prospect while second baseman Angelo Gumbs is the No. 7th ranked Yankees prospect by the same MLB.com. Gumbs was New York’s second pick out of high school in 2010.
TRIVIA ANSWER ... Current Detroit skipper Jim Leyland was the manager of the 1976 Lakeland Tigers when the team won the FSL title. He would also coach the 1977 Lakeland team to the FSL crown.
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