Gaetti looks for quick start as Skeeters open 4th season

Sugar Land Skeeters manager Gary Gaetti has a simple plan for the 2015 baseball season:

"I'd like to, at the end of the season, get into the playoffs and win three more games than we did last year in the playoffs and win it all."

The Skeeters advanced to the Atlantic League championship series but lost to Lancaster.

They open the season Thursday against the defending champs. Sugar Land went 38-32 in the first half last season, then improved to 42-28 in the second half.

"I'm expecting to do better at the start of the season than we did last year, and I expect the guys to play hard every day," Gaetti said. "I expect to win a lot of ballgames."

The Skeeters went 95-45 in 2013 but lost in the first round of the playoffs. They went 64-76 in their first season in 2012 and didn't make the playoffs.

This will be the first season under new owners Bob and Marcie Zlotnik, who previously were minority partners.

"It's tough, because it's a new team, and it's such a long break. But we expect to win the first half, and if you win the first half, then there isn't as much pressure for the second half," pitcher Matt Wright said. "That's what our goal is: to win the first half and win the championship."

Sharing that title goal is Delwyn Young, who as last year's team MVP led the Skeeters in hits, home runs, RBIs and doubles.

"Every year you put a uniform on, you want to win a championship, regardless of whether you're in rookie ball, the big leagues, minor leagues, independent ball, Little League - you always want to win a championship," said Young, who spent parts of five seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Other returning players include Sean Gallagher, Andrew Johnston, Brian Barton, Dustin Martin, Travis Scott, Todd Jennings, Dan Meadows and Denny Almonte.

New players include Derek Blacksher, John Lujan, Cory VanAllen, Robbie Weinhardt, Baylor graduate Beamer Weems, former major leaguer Brooks Conrad and Patrick Palmeiro, son of former big league star Rafael Palmeiro.

"I've got plenty of experience out there in the bullpen and on the mound, and that's what our strength is: the pitching," Gaetti said. "Our defense looks good, and we have a fair amount of speed. I just like the feel. I like the feel and the smell of the whole thing."