WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts have signed three more players for the 2009 season, announcing the return of pitchers Brad Davis and Richard Salazar, and infielder Brenan Herrera.
Davis, a 26-year old lefthanded pitcher, led the Wingnuts last season in starts (18), innings pitched (111.0), wins (8), and strikeouts (70). Davis started and won the inaugural game in Wingnuts' history on May 8th of last year. On May 29th, Davis pitched the first nine-inning complete game in the team's history, allowing one run on three hits in a win over Sioux Falls. The Frankfort, KY native did not miss a start during the course of the season.
Salazar, a 28-year old lefthanded pitcher, began last season in the bullpen, posting a 3.06 ERA in 16 appearances. The Caracas, Venezuela native made a permanent transition to the starting rotation in late June. While in the rotation, Salazar went 5-5 in 12 starts with an ERA of 3.70 after not having started a game since August of 2006. Salazar was named the Wingnuts' inaugural "Pitcher of the Year" prior to the season's final game.
Herrera, a 26-year old right handed hitting infielder, was both a midseason and postseason All-Star last year. The Lawton, OK native finished tied for eighth in the batting race, hitting .317 with five homeruns. Herrera's 51 RBI tied him for the team lead, and his 27 doubles ranked second in the American Association behind teammate Michael Thompson. Herrera started at second base at the All-Star Game in St. Paul and collected two hits. Herrera had a 10-game hitting streak from July 9th-19th and finished third in fielding percentage among second baseman at .973.
Both Davis and Salazar are expected to rejoin Wichita's starting rotation, while Herrera is slated to take over at shortstop after Kevin Hooper assumed the team's managerial duties. The trio joins fellow returnees Michael Thompson and Dustan Mohr, and newcomers Jeff Reekers, Bill Duffy, Scott Daniels, Derek Jennings, and Zach Goldberg as Wingnuts who are currently under contract for 2009. American Association teams can carry up to 28 players through the end of Spring Training, which will commence the first week of May.
Several more signings, including a handful of returning players and a high-profile signing will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Wingnuts open their second season on May 14th at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium when they host the Lincoln Saltdogs. Season tickets and partial plans are on sale now. For more information, call the Wingnuts' office at (316) 264-4625.
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