PVBL: Vero Beach Bums
Bums Announce 2000 Roster, Lineups
March 28, 2000

Vero Beach, FL (AP) - After a productive spring training in the Bumstown complex here in Vero Beach, the Bums are ready to move across town to Ellsworth Park and begin the 2000 season.

Expectations are high in Vero Beach, with more new faces entering the Bums organization than in any previous year. "We really think we can challenge in the Picard this year, even with all the changes," said staff ace Willie Adams, the new #1 starter in the absence of Albie Lopez.

Since this time last season, the Bums have said goodbye to the likes of Jeff King, Omar Vizquel, Marquis Grissom, Kent Bottenfield, and most recently Albie Lopez and Ron Gant, as well as Greg Gagne, Tony Fernandez, and Mark Guthrie. They hardly got a chance to know Albert Belle, John Valentin, John Tankersley, and Sandy Martinez -- new arrivals last year that stepped onto the front porch and got sent right out the back door again. They never even got to say hello to Mike Bottenfield or Geoff Jenkins, top prospects that never donned a Bums uniform.

New arrivals in the last year include Mike Kinkade, Jeromy Burnitz, Dante Bichette, touted rookies Harry Hoch and Neifi Perez, and most recently Moises Alou and pitchers Kelvim Escobar, Chad Ogea, and Brian Barber.

Notable players that did not make the opening day roster include Chuck Carr, Kurt Hardie, Barney Berres, and rookie 2B Enrique Wilson, the Bums' first-round FA draft pick.

The Bums' opening day roster looks like this:

Lineup vs. LHP: (* denotes rookie, + denotes new position for 2000)
CF Brian Jordan +
RF Mike Kinkade +
DH Dante Bichette
2B Phil Nevin +
3B Dave Hollins
1B Harry Hoch *
C Jim Collins
SS Neifi Perez *
LF Gregg Jefferies

Bench: 2B Rex Hudler, RF Jeromy Burnitz, RF Moises Alou, C Tom Pagnozzi

Lineup vs. RHP:
LF Gregg Jefferies
1B Harry Hoch *
DH Dante Bichette
2B Phil Nevin +
CF Brian Jordan +
3B Dave Hollins
RF Mike Kinkade +
C Jim Collins
SS Neifi Perez *

Bench: 2B Rex Hudler, RF Jeromy Burnitz, RF Moises Alou, C Tom Pagnozzi
   Starters                  Long Relievers        Setup men
   R  Adams, Willie          L  Miranda, Angel     R  Weathers, Dave
   R  Valdes, Ismael         R  Ritz, Kevin
   R  Escobar, Kelvim *
   R  Ogea, Chad            Middle Relievers       Closers
   R  Hernandez, Orlando     R  Barber, Brian      R  Hoffman, Trevor
                             L  Huenke, Art

--written by Jason Gohlke