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Show SPORTS B3 (Pioneer League) Northern Billings Mustangs Great Falls Voyagers Helena Brewers _ Missoula Osprey Southern Casper Ghosts Idaho Falls Chukars Ogden Raptors Orem Owlz Casper at Orem For Owlz media day news and quotes, go to www.uvureview.com/category/sports. Where: Brent Brown Ballpark, Utah Valley UniversityWhen: June 20-23 at 7:05 p.m., MST Preview: Rosters were still being put together as this issue went to print, and a more detailed preview can be found at uvureview.com Here's what we do know: Orem returns the best bat from last season in Thomas Nichols (nine home runs, 16 doubles), Casper boasts the best returning arm (Albert Mejias, 50 strikeouts in 2010). No. land 2 won't be huge factors, as both teams will feature fresh stables of rookies. History: Orem and Casper were separated by just 2.5 games in the 2010 overall standings, and their headto-head matchups reflected the close gap. Of the 16 games played between them last season, Orem won eight overall. Angels minor league affiliates Rad& DSL ANGELS _ A CEDAR RAPIDS KERNALS AZL ANGELS INLAND EMPIRE 66ER5 SALT LAKE BEES ARKANSAS TRAVELERS OREM OWLS Can the Owlz help Angels be the Yankees of this decade? BY MATT PETERSEN Sports Editor Division titles in 200105, 2008 and 2009. League championships in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2009. If you were to ask me what professional baseball team had those numbers, only the New York Yankees come to mind When the Yankees won their first World Series in the 90's, I was transfixed and totally hooked on baseball. As an avid fan, I recognized their success was based on their minor league system and their homegrown talent. With that farm system talent they won it all four times over a five-year span. on the back burner as they Since their payroll explod- looked to buying talent rather ed beyond imagination, they than growing it. The Angels are struggling have won just one title. Enter the Orem Owlz. If this year. By no means are you hadn't guessed by now, they out of the playoff race, those numbers listed to start but it appears they are turnout were not New York's, but ing back to young talent dethe Orem's. The Angels are veloped in the minor leagues. the major league team that Some people look to the miOrem is affiliated with, and nors for a glimpse into what they almost seemed to have a player can do individually, the start of a new Yankee- but increasingly it is being esque dynasty. discovered that team chemThen they skipped a couple istry has a lot more to play steps. They won the World into winning than many have Series in 2002 with some thought. good young talent that, for the In other words, you can't most part, was homegrown. just stick the most talented Then the Wall Street model guys out there and expect to took over, putting Main Street win. The Owlz seem to be producing winners and the Angles would do well to follow their model. In this day and age, with players thinking they are bigger than the game itself, it's becoming difficult to find players that work well together and are willing to sacrifice to better the team. But Orem has been finding a way to get their players to gel. Last season Orem was the first-half division leader but fell off and ended up five games back of the Ogden Raptors. Guess who comes to town the second week of the year? It won't take long for the Owlz to get a shot to avenge last season. One major plus the Owlz have going for them is manager Tom Kotchman. He began coaching in 1979 at the age of 24. This year will be his 33rd consecutive season. He has proven to be the leader that not only produces winners but can also help to mold young players into major leaguers. I'm not sure where new draft pick and former Utah Ute C.J. Cron will be playing to start the year, but for his benefit, I hope he gets as much of Kotchman's expertise as he can. The last time the Angels drafted a position player out of college was Troy Glaus. All he did was win the World Series MVP and go to multiple All-Star games. No pressure C.J. The beauty of the Owlz is that they are more than one player. They are a team in all aspects of the word, and we are in for another great season. All in all, I think we all are looking forward to a return to championship baseball and taking pride in the players that we get the luxury to cheer on. Who knows, maybe some of this year's players will end up being the Jeters, Posadas, Pettits, and Riveras of the next Angels dynasty. |