Coming off their most successful season in team history, the Traverse City Beach Bums are building a roster designed to dominate in 2011.

James Guerrero, a strong member of the 2009 Bums team who hit .256 in just 30 games, was forced to sit out last year’s exciting season with nagging injuries, but the team has just announced he has signed on for the 2011 season.

At 26, Guerrero has significant professional experience. He's played for the Jupiter Hammerheads, members of the Florida State League, and the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Single-A Affiliate of the Florida Marlins, which drafted him during the 6th round of the 2005 Amateur Entry Draft following his time playing college ball for San Diego State University.

"Guerrero gives us a huge boost of experience and professionalism. He is a quality character guy on and off the field and gives us a lot of stability at second base heading into the season,” says Jason Wuerfel, the Beach Bums' director of baseball operations. “Defensively, he makes all the plays, and will make a great double play combination with Kyle Eveland up the middle. Offensively, he can really handle the bat and set the table for the big guys behind him.”

Last season the Bums squad posted a 55-41 regular season record, taking the Frontier League East Division Championship. Unfortunately, the River City Rascals topped the Bums three games to one in the League Championship Series.

Because the independent Frontier League is designed to develop young players, league rules require that rosters be extensively revamped each year. But for 2011, the Bums have been able to retain many of their key players, including Chase Burch, C.J. Ziegler, Matt Brown, J.T. Hall, Jason Codiroli, Kyle Eveland and Chris Engell, who is on the 60-day disabled list.

Zack Pace and Brian Youchak are a pair of new outfielders. The lone catcher on the roster is Andrew Marshall who hit .200 for the Bums last year.

The Bums pitching staff will see a number of new faces, with only five hurlers returning from last season – Enrique Lechuga, Scott Dunn, Bryan Banes, Michael Moore and Ryan Platt, who is also on the 60-day disabled list.

Mazur, 23, is the latest pitcher to sign with the Bums and is expected to join the starting rotation. A native of Macomb, Michigan, he pitched at Wayne State University and finished as the school’s all-time leader in winning percentage (.818) and sixth in victories with 18.

"I knew about Mazur when he was a senior at Wayne State, and I had my eye on him in case he didn't get drafted,” recalls Wuerfel. “He's a big, strong, durable right-handed pitcher who attacks the zone and we expect him to slide right into our starting rotation."

The Beach Bums will kick off their sixth season of Frontier League play with three games against the Kalamazoo Kings beginning on May 20. They then visit the Washington Wild Things for three games before hosting the home opener at Wuerfel Park on May 27. For tickets, click here or call 231-943-0100.