Naturals Looking Ahead To 2010

By Paul Nielsen

Posted: November 15, 2009 at 6:19 a.m.

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SPRINGDALE — The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are playing a waiting game.

Spring training will be in full swing four months from now, but it is not known if Brian Poldberg will be back for a third season as the Naturals manager.

Poldberg has taken the Naturals to the postseason in each of the franchise’s two seasons in Springdale. In September, Midland defeated Northwest Arkansas 3-1 in the best-of-five Texas League Championship Series.

All indications point toward Poldberg returning to Springdale, but Poldberg said Friday he hasn’t heard anything from the front office in Kansas City. Poldberg is at his home in Carter Lake, Iowa, and is recovering from recent elbow surgery.

“I was hoping things would be settled by now,” Poldberg said. “I’m sure they are waiting to get everything (among the minor league affiliates) in line.”

Naturals general manager Eric Edelstein said he would be surprised if Poldberg, pitching coach Larry Carter and hitting coach Terry Bradshaw were not back in Northwest Arkansas uniforms next season.

“Usually by now, the Royals have given us an indication of the coaching staff,” Edelstein said. “We are just as anxious as anybody. But at this point, barring anything unforeseen, we don’t see any major changes happening with the staff.”

Poldberg spends almost the entire offseason at home with the family, but is often asked to provide advice on the Royals’ minor league players.

One such recent conversation concerned Cody Clark. The Fayetteville native signed a minor league contract last month that will keep him in the Royals organization for a third straight year.

Clark had one of his best seasons as a professional in 2009 as the Naturals catcher. He batted .304 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs while appearing in 68 games.

“I told them he (Clark) is a valuable guy to the organization,” Poldberg said. “Cody was a big reason why we got as far as we did. I hope he has a chance to go to Triple-A (Omaha), but I won’t complain if he is back (with the Naturals).”

Clark hasn’t been told by the Royals where he will start the season, and his April destination probably won’t be finalized until the last week of spring training.

“Nothing is for sure, but I would love to go to Omaha,” Clark said. “It will probably be Omaha, but if I’m back there (Springdale), I’ll be happy.”

Clark is spending a “busy” offseason in central Arkansas. Clark is working out in preparation for the 2010 season and is working Monday through Friday loading trucks at a Little Rock beer distributorship.

“It’s not exciting, but it’s a job,” Clark said.

While the roster won’t be set until the end of March, it is likely that the top four prospects in the Kansas City organization will either start the season in Springdale or get promoted to the Naturals during the season.

Third baseman Mike Moustakas was rated by Baseball America as the top prospect last year, and the 21-year old hit .250 at Class A-Advanced Wilmington last season. He is currently batting .243 in the Arizona Fall League.

Each October, each of the Major League teams send six of their top prospects to the AFL. Moustakas was the second player taken in the 2007 Major League Draft.

“I think he (Moustakas) is a lock (to start the season with Northwest Arkansas),” Edelstein said.

Pitcher Aaron Crow was taken by the Royals as the No. 12 overall pick in the 2009 draft and is also playing in the AFL (0-2, 7.94 ERA).

Crow was drafted No. 9 overall by Washington in the 2008 draft but he could never come to terms with the Nationals, turning down a $3.5 million bonus, and instead played two seasons with the Independent League Fort Worth Cats.

Crow was considered one of the top two right-handed pitchers in the 2008 draft after posting a 13-0 record (2.35 ERA) for Missouri in his final season with the Tigers. He had 127 strikeouts in 15 starts.

Crow, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in 2008, has a fastball that has been clocked at 98 mph and his slider touches 87.

“If he stays healthy, we will see him at some point,” Edelstein said. “(Crow) will have an advantage because I assume he will be an invite to the (Royals) Major League (spring training) camp.”

First baseman Eric Hosmer (first round, 2008) and left-handed pitcher Mike Montgomery (first round, 2008) are also strong bets to make their way to Springdale this season. Both ended the 2009 season in Wilmington.

“(Kansas City) said no on (Montgomery) starting the season here,” Edelstein said. “Hosmer could be here if he hits his way out of Single-A.”

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