July 23, 2007

Exodus continues as two more Honkers depart

By Donny Henn

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

Honk if you've heard this one before: That flapping sound heard over Rochester this weekend was two more Honkers taking flight from their Mayo Field nest.

The ever-changing Rochester Honkers roster morphed again with the departure of infielders Matt Gaski and Raynor Campbell.

Campbell, a Baylor University freshman who played in 27 games and was leading the Northwoods League with a .391 batting average, suffered a knee injury and is on his way home to Texas.

Gaski, a University of North Carolina-Greensboro junior who started 39 games at shortstop, has gone home to North Carolina for what the team called family reasons.

"It's not fun when you have guys leaving every day," outfielder Drew Hoisington said Sunday following the Honkers' come-from-behind 5-4 win over the Thunder Bay Border Cats at Mayo Field.

"It's a long season and it takes a toll on your body," Hoisington said. "It's tough on everybody when guys take off and your bench is thinner."

Campbell and Gaski are the sixth and seventh players to leave the Honkers, along with field manager Greg Labbe and his interim replacement, assistant coach Dave Martinez.

Martinez left the team last week to interview for full-time college coaching jobs at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and Loyola Marymount University in California. Labbe left on July 12 to be with his wife, Heather, who is 81/2 months pregnant.

The Honkers roster numbered just 22 on Sunday, with 12 pitchers and 10 position players, and only four infielders. Two players listed as outfielders, Aaron Senne and newcomer Eric Gruhlke, were in the lineup at first base and third base.

Brett Lindgren, who is just 24 and never held a coaching position before this season with the Honkers, is the only coach remaining who started the season with the team.

"I'm not too far removed from my playing days and I know what the (remaining) guys are going through," Lindgren said. "It is tough for them to see guys taking off. They're beaten up and yet they're being asked to play every day. The last thing we want is to send kids back to college with injuries.

"But on the other hand, at least they know they're going to play. I guess in this situation you have to take that opportunity with a grain of salt."

Lindgren played college ball at Fresno City College in California and also at East Carolina University. He spent the last two seasons as the facilities manager at Cal State Fullerton, where next year he hopes to be an on-field coach.

"I feel like I'm ready to lead this team," he said. "I think I have the respect of the players as a coach."

Lindgren won't have to go it alone. Former assistant coach Mike Saddler, who was with the team the last two seasons as pitching coach, re-joined the team Saturday.

Saddler and Lindgren will be co-head coaches for the rest of the season, according to Lindgren and Honkers co-owner Dan Litzinger.

"I think it's a difficult situation for both Brett and myself," Saddler admitted. "It's certainly awkward for me coming in late and not knowing any of the guys. It'll take a little while for me to get the feel for the players, and for them to know me.

"It's tough to find a way to do that on the fly, and with only 20 games left in the season. But that's what we're up against."