“We’re here to win.”

That according to Mike Kusiewicz, the Raps first signing.  Follow the link to the article in today’s Centretown News Online - it’s a good piece, complete with opinion from Howard Darwin.

The arrival of a new baseball team is bittersweet for Howard Darwin, former co-owner of the Ottawa 67’s, and the man who brought professional baseball to Ottawa in 1993.
Darwin led the effort to bring the Lynx to Ottawa and convinced city council to approve the construction of Ottawa Stadium.  
“I was very, very disappointed when the Lynx left,” Darwin said. “We worked hard to bring the team here and build that stadium.”
Darwin said despite the Lynx’s attendance problems, there is still a market for baseball in Ottawa.He also points to the Rapids later start date as something that will help the team.
“I hope they succeed, and they might, because they’re starting around the end of May,” said Darwin. “At one point they had to shovel the stands before a game.  People won’t watch baseball in the snow.
Darwin also said he will head over to Ottawa Stadium to see a few home games.
While he says the quality of baseball won’t be the same as the Lynx, he’s just glad to see the stadium in use.
He hopes the Rapids do what it takes to ensure Ottawa residents can enjoy professional baseball.
“Whatever the hell they can do to keep baseball here,” said Darwin, “I wish them the best.”

In other news, the Raps signed infielder Jose De Los Santos a couple of days back.  Jose De Los Santos, 23, hails from the Dominican Republic and in his three professional seasons has played every infield position, save pitcher.  It was difficult to pin down his whereabouts in 2007,

Batting Statistics

Year	Team	Lg	Age	Org.	Level		Pos	Ln	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	HBP	IBB	SH	SF	DP	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	GB%
2004	Bristol	App	19	Chw	Rk		3b-2b		53	200	28	63	10	1	0	35	1	2	5	21	3	0	4	3	5	.315	.336	.375	711	–
2005	Kannapolis	SAL	20	Chw	A		3b		103	391	45	115	18	3	0	34	1	2	18	42	4	0	10	3	15	.294	.329	.355	684	–
2006	Winst-Salm	Caro	21	Chw	A+		2b-3b		99	339	34	100	17	0	1	32	9	4	19	43	4	0	6	2	7	.295	.338	.354	692	–
Minor League Totals - 3 Season(s)									255	930	107	278	45	4	1	101	11	8	42	106	11	0	20	8	27	.299	.334	.359	693	–

Spring Training Batting Statistics

Year	Team	Lg	Age	Org.	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	HBP	IBB	SH	SF	DP	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	GB%
2006	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	21		1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	000	–
Major League Totals - 1 Season(s)					1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	000	–

Fielding Statistics

Year	Team	Lg	Age	Org	Level	Pos	G	GS	Inn	PO	A	E	TC	DP	PB	SB	CS	FPCT	RF
2004	Bristol	App	19	Chw	Rk	2B	11			25	23	3	51	9	-	-	-	.941	–
2004	Bristol	App	19	Chw	Rk	3B	18			12	27	5	44	5	-	-	-	.886	–
2004	Bristol	App	19	Chw	Rk	SS	6			9	13	1	23	2	-	-	-	.957	–
2005	Kannapolis	SAL	20	Chw	A	1B	2			19	1	2	22	3	-	-	-	.909	–
2005	Kannapolis	SAL	20	Chw	A	2B	8			10	18	0	28	5	-	-	-	1.000	–
2005	Kannapolis	SAL	20	Chw	A	3B	83			39	127	20	186	7	-	-	-	.892	–
2005	Kannapolis	SAL	20	Chw	A	SS	1			3	5	1	9	1	-	-	-	.889	–
2006	Winst-Salm	Caro	21	Chw	A+	2B	67								-	-	-	—	–
2006	Winst-Salm	Caro	21	Chw	A+	3B	32								-

.

According to Baseball America’s 2007 stats, it looks like Jose played for the Hickory Crawdads of the South Atlantic League.  The Crawdads are the Single A affiliate for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Proper Name: Jose Luis De Los Santos (De Leon) Born: Feb. 17, 1985 in Santo Domingo, D.R.

Ht.: 5-11 Wt.: 160 Bats: R Throws: R

Individual Batting Stats
Club (League)	Class	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	SH	SF	IBB	HBP	GIDP	OBP	SLG	OPS
Hickory Crawdads (SAL)	Low A	.224	36	125	10	28	2	0	0	7	4	20	3	5	6	0	0	1	2	.254	.240	.494
MINOR LEAGUE TOTALS		.224	36	125	10	28	2	0	0	7	4	20	3	5	6	0	0	1	2	.254	.240	.494
Stats Legend

Update: I was able to confirm that he was indeed on the Crawdads 2007 roster here.