The Next Play: ‘Take me out to the ballgame,’ and ... the hockey rink
The NCAA basketball tournament lasted far longer for many people in the Triangle than people thought it might from the beginning of the season.
Except maybe Duke fans, of course. The Blue Devils faithful always feel that this year is the year. And they made a good run this year, while nemesis and fierce rival UNC made an even better one.
But with all of the hype surrounding the main event, it’s been easy to forget a bit about the one sport that’s constant in these parts: baseball.
The Durham Bulls and Carolina Mudcats started their seasons on time last week, despite Major League Baseball’s labor mess delaying the start of the big league schedule.
This week marks the first full week of competition for both squads, and while the Mudcats started at home Friday last week, it’s the Bulls’ turn for a home-opener on Tuesday.
The Tampa Bay Rays’ top minor league club, the Bulls were the best team in AAA baseball last season playing a regionally weighted schedule due to COVID-19. The slate returns to normal this season, though the team’s opener will be against division foe Jacksonville.
Sixteen players from the Bulls’ 2021 team are back on the club’s roster to start the 2022 campaign, including some of baseball’s top prospects in the Rays’ organization.
Vidal Brujan, who is the Ray’s fourth-best rated prospect, is tops among them. Joining him in the infield are fellow returnees Tristan Gray, Jim Haley and Miles Mastrobuoni, with Jonathan Aranda, the 22nd-best Rays prospect according to MLB.com, set to make his Triple-A debut this season.
Ten pitchers also return from the 2021 staff, which finished the season ranked second among all 120 full-season minor league clubs in earned-run average. That list includes Tommy Romero, who combined to allow just one earned run over his final five starts, with Phoenix Sanders, Adrian De Horta, Calvin Faucher, Easton McGee, Dalton Moats, Cristofer Ogando, Joel Peguero, Colin Poche, and Ryan Thompson.
Duke Baseball alumnus Jack Labosky joins the Bulls pitching staff after spending the 2021 campaign with Double-A Montgomery, with Luke Bard, Seth Blair, Robert Dugger, Zack Erwin, Dusten Knight and Chris Muller coming to Durham for the first time in their careers.
In Mudcats action, after a three-game set this past weekend to open things up, the ‘Cats are on the road this week for a six-game set at Frederickburg. The Milwaukee Brewers affiliate will then return home the following week for a series with Lynchburg.
Jam packed week
The Bulls and Mudcats aren’t the only teams with busy weeks. The Carolina Hurricanes’ brutal stretch run continues this week with four games in seven days, alternating home and away.
First up is a Sunday evening tilt against Anaheim at home, followed by an enormous game at the New York Rangers on Tuesday. The Rangers are nipping at the Canes’ heels for the Metro Division lead.
After a return home to face Detroit (and possibly former Cane Alex Nedeljkovic), the Canes travel to face the top team in the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche, on Saturday. After this week, only six games will remain in the regular season.
