2002 Eugene Emeralds Preview.

Byline: The Register-Guard

The Pitchers

MICHAEL BOMAR - LHP, 6-6, 210. Age: 22. As a senior at Washington in 2001, made the Pac-10 all-academic team. Went 1-0 with a 4.45 earned run average in 15 appearances that season, striking out 26 in 30 1/3 innings pitched. Native of Brush Prairie, Wash., had arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder as a junior with the Huskies.

AARON COONROD - RHP, 6-4, 215. Age: 22. Selected in the fourth round of the draft from John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill, where he helped the team place seventh at the junior college world series. Coonrod was 10-2 with a 1.93 earned run average last season, struck out 115 batters in 90 2/3 innings pitched. Threw a complete game in nine of 13 starts. Opponents batted .190 against him.

MARC DULKOWSKI - RHP, 6-0, 190. Age: 20. Drafted in the 34th round of the 2000 draft by the Padres and split last year between Idaho Falls and Eugene. Pitched 6 1/3 innings in seven games for the Emeralds after being promoted on Aug. 25. Went 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in seven games for the Emeralds. Was 0-1 with a 5.33 ERA in 22 relief appearances for Idaho Falls.

GEOFF JONES - LHP, 6-6, 230. Age: 22. Drafted in the 32nd round in 1998 out of high school. Played two seasons for Peoria in the Arizona League, and now begins his second season with the Emeralds. Went 3-7 with a 5.01 ERA last season as a starter with Eugene. Led the Emeralds with 82 2/3 innings pitched and was second on the team with 74 strikeouts.

TOM LIPARI - LHP, 6-5, 185. Age: 22. A non-drafted free agent signed out of the University of New Orleans. Lipari was 6-6 last season with a 3.21 ERA in 17 appearances, including 16 starts. He struck out 113 in 103 2/3 innings pitched, while walking 38. Pitched three complete games, including one shutout.

SCOTT MARTIN - LHP, 6-1, 210. Age: 24. Selected in the 17th round of the 1999 draft by Los Angeles, and went 4-4 with a 3.86 ERA that year for Great Falls of the Pioneer League. Went 6-5 with a 3.32 ERA for San Bernardino of the California League in 2000. Was released by the Dodgers, and played independent ball last year for Sioux Falls and Long Island.

JAVIER MARTINEZ - RHP, 6-3, 170. Age: 19. An undrafted free agent signed by the Padres in 2000, he played for Idaho Falls last season. Martinez was 1-4 with a 6.43 earned run average in 2001. Struck out 38 and walked 26 batters in 42 innings pitched. Hometown is Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Pitched three games for Peoria in 2000.

GREG MODICA - RHP, 6-0, 145. Age: 22. An undrafted free agent signed by the Padres last season. Modica was assigned to Eugene on July 24 and appeared in 17 games for the Emeralds, mostly in relief. Modica was 2-4 with a 6.20 ERA and allowed 37 hits in 24 2/3 innings pitched.

DAVID PAULEY - RHP, 6-2, 170. Age: 18. Selected in the eighth round of last year's draft from Longmont (Colo.) High School. Went 4-9 with a 6.03 ERA in 15 starts for Idaho Falls last season. Led the team with 15 starts, ranked second with four wins, and was third on the team with 68 2/3 innings pitched. Struck out 53 batters. Will turn 19 on Monday.

GABE RIBAS - RHP, 6-4, 210. Age: 23. Selected in the 14th round of this year's draft out of Northwestern. Ribas finished fourth in the Big 10 with 94 strikeouts, which ranks fourth on the school's single-season list. Walked 15 batters in 89 1/3 innings pitched. Ranks second in school history in starts (51), innings pitched (330 1/3), and strikeouts (288). Was named to the all-Big 10 Tournament team after allowing two earned runs and striking out 11 in 10 2/3 innings.

JOHN RICHARDS - LHP, 6-4, 205. Age: 23. Graduated from Marshfield High School in 1997 and was signed as a non-drafted free agent by San Diego in 2001. Pitched in 13 games last year for Idaho Falls, earning neither a win nor a loss. Had a 4.30 ERA as a relief pitcher, allowing seven earned runs in 14 2/3 innings pitched. Struck out 13 batters and walked 13 batters.

DARWIN SOTO - RHP, 6-2, 180. Age: 20. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1998 from the Dominican Republic. Led the Emeralds in appearances last year with 30. Went 4-5 with a 3.80 ERA in 42 2/3 innings pitched. Struck out 39 batters and walked 15. Pitched for Peoria in 1999 and 2000, compiling a 4-4 record and 4.26 ERA in 32 games.

WILMER VILLATORO - RHP, 6-0, 145. Age: 18. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2000 and played last year for Idaho Falls. Went 0-3 with a 5.26 ERA for Idaho Falls, striking out 25 in 37 2/3 innings pitched. He appeared in 30 games, which equaled the most in the league. The native of El Salvador pitched two games for Peoria in 2000.

BRIAN WHITAKER - RHP, 6-4, 200. Age: 22. Selected in the 27th round out of North Carolina-Wilmington. Was a second team, all-Colonial Athletic Association selection after going 7-8 with a 3.00 ERA as a senior. Was 10-3 with a 2.20 ERA as a junior.

ZACK WYKOFF - RHP, 6-1, 195 - Pitched in 25 games - fourth most in the Northwest League - for the Emeralds last season after being selected in the 34th round of the draft from Kennesaw State. Went 0-1 with a 9.68 ERA in 30 2/3 innings for Eugene last season. Struck out 24 and walked 19 while allowing 48 hits.

The Fielders

ROLANDO AGOSTO - Shortstop, 5-9, 165. Age: 21. Drafted in the 15th round out of Union (Tenn.) University. Batted .340 while playing in all 64 games for the Bulldogs. Ranked second on the team with 10 home runs and was third with 45 RBIs. Had 14 doubles, six triples and scored 59 runs. Stole 12 bases, while being caught only once.

STEVE BAKER - Outfielder, 6-3, 200. Age: 22. Selected in the 29th round out of Liberty University, where he batted .333 while playing in all 57 games as a senior. Baker had 12 home runs and 49 RBIs while scoring 54 runs. Had 16 doubles and three triples in 213 at-bats. Was hit by 10 pitches to lead the team, and ranked fourth on the team with 129 total bases.

JEFF BROOKS - First/third baseman, 6-4, 240. Age: 22. Selected in the third round of the 1997 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and played his first four seasons in that organization. Joined the Padres organization this season, and played for Lake Elsinore of the California League where he was 1-for-19 before being assigned to Eugene. Played at Yakima last year, batting .243 with five home runs and 35 RBIs. Best season was 1999 when he batted .339 with 12 home runs and 60 RBIs for Missoula.

BRIAN BURGAMY - Second baseman, 5-10, 190. Age: 20. Drafted in the ninth round out of Wichita State, where he was named the Missouri Valley Conference player of the year. Batted .400 with a team-high 96 hits and 68 RBIs for the Shockers. Ranked second on the team with 57 RBIs. Had 15 doubles, three triples and stole 24 bases while playing in all 63 games this season.

JOHN DIBETTA - Third baseman, 6-1, 190. Age: 21. Played second base for the Emeralds last season, but will move to third this year. Hit .229 with three home runs and 27 RBIs for Eugene last year in 67 games. Scored 27 runs and hit 10 doubles. Was picked in the 15th round of the 2001 draft out of Southern Nevada Junior College.

JOSH ERVIN - Catcher, 6-2, 200. Age: 24. Didn't play last season because he was signed in September as an undrafted free agent out of Emporia State in Kansas. The Northwest native was born in Omak, Wash., and lives in Ephrata, Wash.

DAVID GIORGIS - Outfielder, 6-1, 195. Age: 20. Was drafted in the eighth round in 2000 out of Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego. Giorgis batted .289 last year in Idaho Falls and ranked second on the team with seven home runs and 41 RBIs. He had an on-base percentage of .359 while playing in 65 games. Tied for fifth on the team with 28 runs scored, and tied for the team lead with 16 doubles. He hit .267 for Peoria in 2000.

LUIS LOPEZ - Catcher, 6-2, 180. Age: 18. The native of Santiago, Veraguas, Panama was a non-drafted free agent signed in August 2000.

THOMAS MARTINEZ - Catcher, 5-11, 180. Age: 19. Batted .274 in 36 games last season for Idaho Falls. Martinez hit two home runs and drove in 16 runs in 117 at-bats. He had seven doubles and scored 15 runs for Idaho Falls. Martinez was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and batted .221 in 63 games for the Dominican summer league that season.

CARLOS MILLAN - Outfielder, 5-11, 170. Age: 20. He played in 14 games last year for Idaho Falls, compiling a batting average of .190. Had one home run and six RBIs last year in the Pioneer League. Scored seven runs and walked five times last season. Played for the Atlanta organization in Dominican summer league in 1999 and hit .211 with five home runs in 57 games. Did not play in 2000, and was signed by the Padres last year.

RUSTY MOORE - Outfielder, 6-2, 210. Age: 21. Drafted in the 23rd round out of Bethune-Cookman College. Played in 60 games this season, batting .282 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs. Ranked second on the team with 59 runs scored and 12 doubles. Stole 41 bases in 49 attempts, and had an on-base percentage of .413.

RUBEN MORA - Outfielder, 6-0, 170. Age: 20. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2000 and played last year at Idaho Falls. Batted .201 with 17 RBIs in 54 games last season. Ranked second on the team with 33 runs scored and tied for second with four triples. Tied for team lead with 12 stolen bases, while being caught three times. Batted .181 in 33 games for Peoria in 2000.

KEVIN NULTON - Second baseman, 6-0, 175. Age: 19. Was selected in the eighth round in 2000 out of El Capitan High School in San Diego. Played last year in Idaho Falls, where he batted. 289 in 53 games. Tied for fourth on the team with 28 runs scored. Had 21 RBIs, seven doubles, and two triples. Batted .316 with 17 stolen bases for Peoria in 2000.

MICHAEL RICHARDSON - Outfielder, 5-10, 215. Age: 22. Selected in 28th round this year from Sonoma State, where he was selected the school's male athlete of the year. As a senior he received honorable mention in the California Collegiate Athletic Association after ranking eighth with a .365 batting average. Richardson ranked second in the CCAA with 10 home runs and was third with 50 RBIs. He played two years at Sonoma, and ranks second in school history with 132 RBIs and 23 home runs.