Training Camp: Matthew's Mighty Men of Marietta

The Mighty Men are making a big push this year to go from the cellar to the top of the Hanover Division.

Positional battles: Kurt Suzuki has played most of the time in the pre-season, but Geovany Soto will most likely take more of a full-time role once the season begins. Other lineup positions are pretty well set, with only some minor competition for backup roles. Marietta is not often a team that relies heavily on platoons, but there are a few likely candidates in the lineup for one.

With eight starters on the roster, Marietta has a very deep staff. You can write off Brad Penny immediately and Aaron Harang, despite a solid spring, may be relegated to spot starting. One more starter will be benched - it could be lefty Francisco Liriano, returning after a year lost to injury. Liriano and Harang are the only starters who have pitched in the pre-season that have not been cut, so that might be a bad sign.

Pre-season surprises/disappointments: The Mighty Men have not started any of their projected starting staff in the preseason, so it's hard to criticize the statlines of the Micah Owings and Brian Bannisters. Nick Punto has done his best to earn a bigger role, hitting .349/.383/.512 and it's very well known that owner David Landsman has a softspot in his heart for the scrappy Punto. Of the starters with significant at bats, Derek Jeter (.225/.314/.337) and Jason Bay (.208/.314/.337) have been disappointing.

Roster outlook: Well, it looks like this post came one day too late as Marietta made a bundle of cuts yesterday. Shortstop Cristian Guzman and reliever Carlos Villanueva have already drawn interest, but the rest may have to wait a while before finding another roster spot in the DMBL. Marietta is still one man over the limit. With only two ineligibles, it will probably be a qualifying players. Penny is a possible candidate.