We have several new players this season, so I thought I'd post a little information about them.

Lisa Ferguson joins an already impressive pitching staff. With the expected absence of Monica Abbott, she will be a big help to Pauly and Serrano. (Draftee Taryne Mowatt is expected to be unavailable for the start of our season due to Arizona likely being in the WCWS again this year.) Ferguson is the career leader at Baylor in both Wins (82) and Saves (19), which if you think about it is very impressive. She is also second in shutouts, with 29.

Bianca Cruz, who played third base at Arizona State the last 2 seasons, also joins the team for 2008. She broke the ASU RBI record last year, and was 4th in HRs and 2nd in doubles on the season. Not much speed, apparently, with no triples and only 2 steals, while leading the team with grounding into double plays. But clutch at the plate, hitting .307 with runners on base, and .538 with the bases loaded, She was one of the 25 finalists for the 2007 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award.

As for our draftees (none of whom can be signed until after her season), everyone knows Arizona's Taryne Mowatt: Most Outstanding Player at the Womens College World Series last year while setting WCWS records for strikeouts, innings pitched, complete games, and victories, two ESPY awards (best female athlete and best female college athlete), second team All-American, etc. After the drama of 5 elimination-game victories in the WCWS last year, it should be fun to see what she does for an encore.

Our second pick, local girl Courtney Bures, is a senior at Miss State. She lead the team in 2006 in average (346) and RBIs (37), and was solid at shortstop, with a .976 fielding percentage. In 2007, she batted .354 and again lead the team in RBIs, with 56.

Our final pick, Cambria Miranda, is a utility player with Oregon State. She is a two time Eason Sports All-American (first team in 2006, 2nd team in 2007). In 2007, she lead her team in 9 different categories, including doubles (10), triples (11), HRs (11), and slugging % (.602), while batting .328. She started all 64 games last year, mainly in left field, but also played RF/1B/2B.

Although these new additions look very impressive, it's important to realize that success in college doesn't always translate to the NPF, as sadly evidenced by our own Brooke Marnitz last season. Not to mention, we still have to actually sign the draftees. But you gotta love the potential.