Orleans Firebirds

Firebirds 2010 Roster Brings Talent and Experience

April 9 , 2010

By Tyler Maland

Orleans, Mass. - Headlining the 2010 Orleans Firebirds roster are three returning players from last year's team. Matt Koch (Loyola Marymount), Steve Selsky (Arizona) and Riccio Torrez (Arizona State) will all suit up for a second summer with the Firebirds. Josh Poytress (Fresno State), whose 2009 summer with the Firebirds was ended by a life-threatening blood clot before it had even begun, has returned remarkably to health and will also be back with the team.

The Firebirds sent five players to the 2009 All-Star game, and experience clearly contributed to that success – four of the five selections were two-year Firebirds veterans. This year's returnees undoubtedly hope that familiarity with the league will help boost their performance, too.

Koch, a junior catcher from Manhattan Beach, California, batted .191 in 34 games last summer but proved himself a consistent crunch-time performer. He smacked a grand slam in a win at Brewster on June 20th, and delivered hits when down to his last strike in the bottom of the ninth inning in consecutive games on July 29th and 31st. On the 29th, Koch singled home the tying run with two outs, giving the Firebirds new life in a game they would eventually win in the 12th. On the 31st, Koch hit a two-run walk-off single, helping Orleans solidify its 2009 identity as a comeback team (seven of its last eight wins were come-from-behind).

Selsky, a sophomore outfielder also from Manhattan Beach, California, joined Orleans a few weeks into the 2009 season and hit .243 in 23 games. He hit two home runs, scored ten runs, and slugged .357. His versatile skills were highlighted by an August 1st game in which he went 2-for-2 with two walks, a homer, and three runs in a narrow 6-5 victory over Wareham.

Torrez (pictured right), a sophomore from Phoenix, Arizona, arrived to Orleans late in 2009 because his Arizona State Sun Devils were competing in the College World Series. He also missed several games due to injury throughout the summer. When he was able to compete, however, Torrez was one of the toughest outs in the Cape League. He hit a smoldering .346 in 17 games, with a .577 slugging percentage and a .470 on base percentage. Had he made enough trips to the plate to qualify for league-leader lists, Torrez would have been second, second, and first in the league in those respective categories. The lone Sun Devil to play for the Firebirds in 2009, Torrez will be joined in 2010 by sophomore teammates (LHP) Mitchell Lambson and (SS) Drew Maggi.

Poytress's 2009 summer was not quantifiable by averages and game stories. The then-freshman spent most of his summer at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and underwent eight surgeries, totaling more than 40 hours, to treat a blood clot that formed early in the summer. The resilient sophomore will be welcomed back to Orleans in 2010, with the hope of spending a bit more time at Eldredge Park. Read more on Josh's story at the Beth Israel Deaconess website.

A local product will also compete for the Firebirds in 2010. Beverly, Massachusetts native Jack Leathersich is a sophomore left-handed pitcher for UMass-Lowell. He went 7-4 in 13 appearances (10 starts) his freshman year, earning NE-10 Freshman Pitcher of the Year, All-Star First Team, and All Rookie Team honors. He posted a 2.18 ERA and held opponents to a .226 average.

Other newcomers will include sophomore first baseman Preston Tucker (Florida), who tied an SEC single-game record with 11 RBI's in one game as a freshman in 2009; sophomore pitcher/first baseman/DH Nick Ramirez (CS Fullerton), a 2010 Louisville Slugger third team preseason All-American; and Lambson, a first team Freshman All-American selection by Collegiate Baseball in 2009.

The 2010 Firebirds come from every coast and corner of the country, representing 14 different home-states and 20 different schools.

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Home Firebirds News Game Day Central Roster Statistics Coaching Staff Sounds of the Game Clinics Volunteer Alumni Contact	Firebirds 2010 Roster Brings Talent and Experience April 9 , 2010 By Tyler Maland Orleans, Mass. - Headlining the 2010 Orleans Firebirds roster are three returning players from last year's team. Matt Koch (Loyola Marymount), Steve Selsky (Arizona) and Riccio Torrez (Arizona State) will all suit up for a second summer with the Firebirds. Josh Poytress (Fresno State), whose 2009 summer with the Firebirds was ended by a life-threatening blood clot before it had even begun, has returned remarkably to health and will also be back with the team. The Firebirds sent five players to the 2009 All-Star game, and experience clearly contributed to that success – four of the five selections were two-year Firebirds veterans. This year's returnees undoubtedly hope that familiarity with the league will help boost their performance, too. Koch, a junior catcher from Manhattan Beach, California, batted .191 in 34 games last summer but proved himself a consistent crunch-time performer. He smacked a grand slam in a win at Brewster on June 20th, and delivered hits when down to his last strike in the bottom of the ninth inning in consecutive games on July 29th and 31st. On the 29th, Koch singled home the tying run with two outs, giving the Firebirds new life in a game they would eventually win in the 12th. On the 31st, Koch hit a two-run walk-off single, helping Orleans solidify its 2009 identity as a comeback team (seven of its last eight wins were come-from-behind). Selsky, a sophomore outfielder also from Manhattan Beach, California, joined Orleans a few weeks into the 2009 season and hit .243 in 23 games. He hit two home runs, scored ten runs, and slugged .357. His versatile skills were highlighted by an August 1st game in which he went 2-for-2 with two walks, a homer, and three runs in a narrow 6-5 victory over Wareham. Torrez (pictured right), a sophomore from Phoenix, Arizona, arrived to Orleans late in 2009 because his Arizona State Sun Devils were competing in the College World Series. He also missed several games due to injury throughout the summer. When he was able to compete, however, Torrez was one of the toughest outs in the Cape League. He hit a smoldering .346 in 17 games, with a .577 slugging percentage and a .470 on base percentage. Had he made enough trips to the plate to qualify for league-leader lists, Torrez would have been second, second, and first in the league in those respective categories. The lone Sun Devil to play for the Firebirds in 2009, Torrez will be joined in 2010 by sophomore teammates (LHP) Mitchell Lambson and (SS) Drew Maggi. Poytress's 2009 summer was not quantifiable by averages and game stories. The then-freshman spent most of his summer at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and underwent eight surgeries, totaling more than 40 hours, to treat a blood clot that formed early in the summer. The resilient sophomore will be welcomed back to Orleans in 2010, with the hope of spending a bit more time at Eldredge Park. Read more on Josh's story at the Beth Israel Deaconess website. A local product will also compete for the Firebirds in 2010. Beverly, Massachusetts native Jack Leathersich is a sophomore left-handed pitcher for UMass-Lowell. He went 7-4 in 13 appearances (10 starts) his freshman year, earning NE-10 Freshman Pitcher of the Year, All-Star First Team, and All Rookie Team honors. He posted a 2.18 ERA and held opponents to a .226 average. Other newcomers will include sophomore first baseman Preston Tucker (Florida), who tied an SEC single-game record with 11 RBI's in one game as a freshman in 2009; sophomore pitcher/first baseman/DH Nick Ramirez (CS Fullerton), a 2010 Louisville Slugger third team preseason All-American; and Lambson, a first team Freshman All-American selection by Collegiate Baseball in 2009. The 2010 Firebirds come from every coast and corner of the country, representing 14 different home-states and 20 different schools.