A “New” Manager and New Players Look to Turn Spinners Around (2012 Season Preview)

by Joseph Kuykendall

Mike Augliera (above) looks to provide a new spark to Lowell in hopes of returning the franchise to the NYPL playoffs.

You wouldn’t think the phrase “Monkey see, Monkey do” would be paralled with a professional baseball organization but that seems the case with Lowell in comparison to their parent club, the Boston Red Sox. After some growing pains that saw the Spinners not make the playoffs in their first 13 years as a franchise, the baby Sox, managed by Gary DiSarcina, the former Sox himself, won two straight Stedler Division titles in 2008 and 2009 to make the New York-Penn League playoffs. But much like the Red Sox, the Spinners have yet to make a playoff appearance since 2009 following in the footsteps of their big league partner.

Based on how they played their last two seasons, the Spinners will have to lose nearly every game to do worse than their performances in the two seasons prior. Last years edition of the Lowell Spinners played to a 29-45 record and the year before, the Spinners posted a lackluster 24-50 record which included a stretch where the Spinners lost 28-of-33 games.

The man in charge of returning the Spinners to glory is a veteran to the Red Sox organization, Bruce Crabbe. This upcoming season will be the eighth for Crabbe as a part of the Red Sox organization. This isn’t his first go-around with the Spinners as he also managed them in 2006 and 2010. Crabbe will bring 9 years of professional playing experience and 8 years of professional managerial experience to the table. Despite a combined record of just 63-86 at the helm of the Spinners in his two seasons, Crabbe has proven he has the capability of success with prior first place finishes and manager of the year honors.

Although there will be a plethora of new faces taking the field in the always beautiful confines of LeLacheur Park this season, there are still some known names on this year’s roster. Last year’s MiLB Moniker Madness victor Seth Schwindenhammer returns to Lowell for his third consecutive season. “It’s gonna be fun [to be back in Lowell]. I had fun last year. We got a good team coming in here and it’s a great place to play,” said the free-swinging outfielder who led the Spinners in home runs (9) last season, “We got a good fan base, it’ll be fun to play the game with the guys.”

Headlining not only the list of newcomers to the Spinners but also headlining the list of Red Sox 2012 draft picks in Lowell is right-handed pitcher Mike Augliera. The 6’0” hurler from Binghamton University was drafted in the fifth round (181^st overall) and then signed with the Red Sox for just $25,000 which is well below the slotted $218,100 for the 181^stpick in the draft. After signing, Augliera was assigned to Lowell. Augliera is no stranger to Lowell though as he previously played against the Lowell All-Americans (now non-existent) of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. Therefore, the New Jersey native knows what it’s like to play in Lowell and has a general impression of what it is like to specifically play for the Spinners, “I know there’s great fan support and local support from the town. I look forward to playing on the beautiful field here in Lowell.”

The 2012 installment of the Lowell Spinners are locked and loaded and ready to fire out of the barrel and get out to a fast start and hopefully put past seasons in the rear view mirror.

To get things started this season, the Spinners hosted the Nashua Silver Knights of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League for a 6-inning scrimmage on Friday. The quick game saw the hometown competitors pull out a 4-2 victory. David Chester’s 2-run bomb in the bottom of the fourth proved to be the difference for the Spinners.

Also announced to the media at the scrimmage was the signing of Red Sox supplemental first round draft pick Pat Light and his subsequent assignment to Lowell. Adding Light to the roster makes him the highest picked Red Sox player in this year’s first-year player draft to be assigned to Lowell taking over this “role” from Augliera who before the Light signing held this title for a brief time.

Lowell has announced that its 1-2 punch in its rotation to start the season will be Francisco Taveras and Zach Good, respectively. Taveras will look to notch one in the left column for the Spinners on Opening Night at LeLacheur Park on Monday. The Spinners open up play against their division foe, Connecticut Tigers at 7 P.M. on Monday.

As always it wouldn’t be the Spinners without their always-popular Spinnertainment and their inconceivable promotions/bobbleheads. Highlighting this year’s list of promotions is “Bobby Valentine’s Day” and the “Will Middlebrooks bobble head giveaway”.

Cliché as it may be, Lowell has some great young talent and will welcome some great young talent too. It’s not a wasted time to head to LeLacheur and check out the “Stars of Tomorrow, Today” in a fun, family-friendly environment.

Kuykendall will be following the Lowell Spinners all season long, inside and out. He can be followed on Twitter @JoeKBSU18 and contacted at JKuykendall@BostonSportsU18.com.