Feb. 25, 2005
ORLADNO - Five former UCF standouts are currently on spring training rosters for Major League Baseball, led by Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Mike Maroth and Toronto Blue Jay right-hander Jason Arnold. Both Maroth and Arnold are on the current 40-man rosters for the Tigers and Blue Jays, respectively. In addition, Clay Timpner (San Francisco Giants), Esix Snead (Atlanta Braves) and Von Stertzbach (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) have all been selected as non-roster invitees to their respective clubs.
Maroth is coming off his second full season with the Tigers. In 2004, Maroth was 11-13 in 33 starts for the Tigers with a 4.31 ERA. Maroth tossed two complete games and one shutout for Detroit last season.
Arnold missed most of 2004 with an arm injury in the Blue Jay organization. Arnold was 1-3 with a 3.65 ERA in seven starts for Triple-A Syracuse in the Toronto farm system before missing the rest of the season with an arm injury.
Stertzbach had a breakout season with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the California League for the Angels. He finished 2004 with a 1-3 record and 3.38 ERA with 21 saves. The closer for the Quakes, Stertzbach fanned 54 batters in only 48 innings of work.
Timpner was a fourth-round draft pick of the Giants in last summer's MLB draft and showcased his talents right away. In first season of professional baseball, Timpner hit .293 with five home runs and 28 RBI in 68 games for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. Timpner stole 16 bases and walked 20 times for the Volcanoes.
Snead played for the Tidewater Tides in 2004, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets. He hit .316 with 40 stolen bases for the Tides.