Mammoths agree to terms with 5 players for 2010
Barlage - 9/4/2009
The Midwest Mammoths have agreed to terms on one-year contracts with the following 5 players: INF - Ken Elliot OF/P - Tony Anicich C/P - Brian Vanderjack INF/OF - Brandon Barlage C/INF/OF - Bill Zee Elliott, 20, is widely considered the Mammoths rookie of the year after hitting .382 with 19 stolen bases in 22 attempts. He was a valuable spark at the top of the order throughout the season. He has been assigned to the Mammoths' Fall League team in order to build on his success for next season. Anicich, who will be 21 in early September, had a bit of a disappointing rookie season due in large part to a laceration suffered on his right index finger. Anicich finished with a .135 AVG and went 0-1 with a 6.63 ERA. However, his finger seems to have healed as he tossed a scoreless inning against the Nuts during the last game of the season. The Mammoths look forward to having him healthy for the 2010 campaign. Vanderjack, 18, hit .195 and finished second on the team in RBI's with 7 behind third baseman Dave Farkasch's 11. Vanderjack was the primary catcher for the Mammoths this season after the departures of Joe Groff and Louis Upchurch following the 2008 season. He has been assigned to the Fall League to get extra at bats in order to get back to his 2008 form were he hit .368. Barlage, 20, finished with an .067 batting average for the second year in a row. He split time between 2B and RF during the 2009 season and made one relief appearance where he allowed 7 runs (5 earned) in 1/3 of an inning. Barlage will follow Elliott and Vanderjack into the Fall League to work on his swing, while also getting more comfortable at various positions to increase his versatility. Zee, 28, combined with teammate Dale Wagner to fill the catching void the Mammoths had behind Vanderjack this season. He has been a valuable piece to the team since it's formation in 2008 due to his ability to play multiple positions. Zee will once again show his versatility in 2010, but this time as a player/coach filling the shoes of veteran Todd Boreham who has decided to retire.