Rich Chrampanis is WPDE's sports director and host of the End Zone, Hoop Zone, David Bennett Show and Cliff Ellis Show.
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans open the 2012 season this Friday night against the Wilmington Blue Rocks. First pitch is set for 7:05. The Pelicans hosted Media Day on Tuesday as the club arrived from Arizona and is getting ready to begin the season this weekend.
The 2012 roster features six of the Rangers top 30 Baseball America prospects. Youth will serve notice in the 2012 Pelicans roster as eight position players under the age of 22. Second year manager Jason Wood says he'll have one of the younger squads in the Carolina League, but he's not concerned since this current group has played together in the past and have enjoyed success at the professional level.
19-year old Cody Buckel is the Opening Night starter. Buckel is rated sixth by Baseball America among the Rangers top prosepcts. Buckel and the other Pelicans realize Myrtle Beach can be a launching pad to a quick ascen to the big leagues. Robbie Ross made the Texas Rangers opening day roster one year removed from his stint in Myrtle Beach. Ross is the first Pelican to make it to the bigs since the club switched affiliations from the Atlanta Braves to Texas.
