Gatemen News Archives
08/28/09 - Gatemen Announce 2010 "Protected Players" - Initial Roster
By SCOTT EATON
CARY, NC: The Wareham Gatemen have submitted their list of "protected players" to CCBL Commissioner Paul Galop. Protected players are those players that were part of the 2009 roster and if coming back to Cape Cod in 2010, will play for the Gatemen.
The protected player list includes a number of players from the 2009 playoff team that featured many young players and Wareham hopes to build upon that experience for a longer playoff run in 2010. Included among those protected is George Springer (UCONN), who was recently named to the end of season, CCBL All-Star team. CCBL 2009 All-Star Game participants Jack Armstrong (Vanderbilt), Eric Pfisterer (Duke) and Brandon Workman (Texas) have also been protected by Wareham.
Draft eligibility and any subsequent professional contract signings will potentially have an impact on the status of some of these players on the roster. For example, Brandon Workman is draft eligible and once drafted, will be in the position in the late spring to decide upon either negotiating and then signing an MLB contract or returning to school at Texas. Some players choose to still come to the Cape while working out the details of their professional contract. Others; anticipating that they may sign sooner, will not come to the Cape.
The other protected players on the roster include many additional pitchers. Dean Kiekhefer (Lousiville), Matt Barnes (UCONN), Cole Green (Texas), David Fischer (UCONN), Blake Monar (Indiana), Keith Bilodeau (Maine) and two-way player Jordan Swagerty (Arizona State) have all been protected by the Gatemen.
In addition to Springer, fellow outfielder Alex Dickerson (Indiana) is the only other '09 outfielder on the list. They join two infielders who are also on the protected list - Zach Wilson (Arizona State) and Shea Vucinich (Washington State). Late season 2009 roster addition Robert Kral (College of Charleston) is on the protected list and joins Swagerty as the two catchers on this early roster.
See our 2010 roster for more details and keep checking back throughout the offseason as we post roster updates as well as other Wareham Gatemen news and information.
