Just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a happy holiday season. Next to hot, summer days with baseball games to broadcast, Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love seeing family and friends, giving and receiving presents, going to mass on Christmas Eve, baking and eating cookies, and on and on.
I remember when I was a kid thinking that Christmas wouldn't be as much fun when I got older. As it turns out, it's more fun! It also has taken on extra meaning since I live 4.5 hours away from my nearest family member. I cherish my time at home a lot more than I ever did before.
Adding to the festivities this year is that I'm also trying to plan as many wedding details as I can while I have an extended break from work, so that will keep me busy as well.
Anyhow, that's my long-winded way of saying that I probably won't be blogging again until after the first of the year, unless something major happens between now and then.
Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
My Thoughts on the Silver Hawks Staff
As we wind down the 2010 year, I wanted to take a minute to look ahead to 2011 and the Silver Hawks coaching staff that was announced last week.
The return of Mark Haley for a seventh season doesn't get a lot of publicity in the South Bend area, because year-in and year-out it is assumed that he will be back again. He lives in nearby Granger, and is proud to manage his hometown team.
However, when you look around the rest of the Midwest League, you will see that more than half of the teams have new managers. Of those returning, none have been with their teams for as long as four years, let alone going on a seventh season.
"Hales" is a great baseball manager and should be celebrated a lot more for his dedication to the Silver Hawks. We retired his uniform number last year, meaning no one but him will ever wear #51 again. He's approaching 500 wins with South Bend alone, and is over 500 for his managing career.
That's not to say I always agree with every move he makes (anyone who listens to me regularly knows that I wish he would sacrifice bunt more). However, when you look around the Minor League Baseball landscape and see other managers come to town in April and leave in September without getting involved with the community, be grateful that the Silver Hawks have a manager who is unquestionably dedicated to both the Silver Hawks team and the Michiana community.
As for the other coaches, Wellington Cepeda is very similar to Mark Haley. "Beef", as he is affectionately nicknamed, has been a coach in South Bend four previous years, and this will be his fifth. I'm not qualified to evaluate how well he handles the pitchers, but as you look at the long list of his former players that are making the big leagues, I think that speaks volumes for his talents as a coach.
Hitting coach Bobby Smith will be new to coaching in 2011, so we don't have a lot to go by here. However, including parts of five seasons in the majors, he had a 14-year professional baseball career (the vast majority in the minors). Sometimes it is guys like that who are the best teachers, because they have been around long enough to fail, succeed, fail again, succeed again, etc. I'm excited to meet him and see how he works with the young hitters.
The return of Mark Haley for a seventh season doesn't get a lot of publicity in the South Bend area, because year-in and year-out it is assumed that he will be back again. He lives in nearby Granger, and is proud to manage his hometown team.
However, when you look around the rest of the Midwest League, you will see that more than half of the teams have new managers. Of those returning, none have been with their teams for as long as four years, let alone going on a seventh season.
"Hales" is a great baseball manager and should be celebrated a lot more for his dedication to the Silver Hawks. We retired his uniform number last year, meaning no one but him will ever wear #51 again. He's approaching 500 wins with South Bend alone, and is over 500 for his managing career.
That's not to say I always agree with every move he makes (anyone who listens to me regularly knows that I wish he would sacrifice bunt more). However, when you look around the Minor League Baseball landscape and see other managers come to town in April and leave in September without getting involved with the community, be grateful that the Silver Hawks have a manager who is unquestionably dedicated to both the Silver Hawks team and the Michiana community.
As for the other coaches, Wellington Cepeda is very similar to Mark Haley. "Beef", as he is affectionately nicknamed, has been a coach in South Bend four previous years, and this will be his fifth. I'm not qualified to evaluate how well he handles the pitchers, but as you look at the long list of his former players that are making the big leagues, I think that speaks volumes for his talents as a coach.
Hitting coach Bobby Smith will be new to coaching in 2011, so we don't have a lot to go by here. However, including parts of five seasons in the majors, he had a 14-year professional baseball career (the vast majority in the minors). Sometimes it is guys like that who are the best teachers, because they have been around long enough to fail, succeed, fail again, succeed again, etc. I'm excited to meet him and see how he works with the young hitters.
Friday, December 17, 2010
D'Backs Sign Two More Free Agents
I just recently received an email from the Diamondbacks, announcing the signing of Xavier Nady and Henry Blanco.
I post information like this for two reasons:
1) It obviously is big news for the parent club of the Silver Hawks
2) It directly impacts some former Silver Hawks who are trying to get to the majors
Today's signing could directly impact Gerardo Parra and Konrad Schmidt -- both of whom played in South Bend.
Parra's somewhat disappointing big league numbers are the reason why Arizona was looking for left field help. Nady will most likely be the starting left fielder, bumping Parra to the fourth outfielder spot (with Chris Young in center and Justin Upton in right).
Konrad Schmidt got a taste of the big leagues with a September call-up in 2010, and I guess you could say he had an outside shot of being the backup to Miguel Montero in 2011. However, with the addition of Blanco, Schmidt will likely go back to AAA Reno and not be a mainstay in the majors until 2012 at the earliest.
Oddly, only two (Montero and Upton) of the projected starting eight position players for Arizona would have spent time with the South Bend Silver Hawks.
I post information like this for two reasons:
1) It obviously is big news for the parent club of the Silver Hawks
2) It directly impacts some former Silver Hawks who are trying to get to the majors
Today's signing could directly impact Gerardo Parra and Konrad Schmidt -- both of whom played in South Bend.
Parra's somewhat disappointing big league numbers are the reason why Arizona was looking for left field help. Nady will most likely be the starting left fielder, bumping Parra to the fourth outfielder spot (with Chris Young in center and Justin Upton in right).
Konrad Schmidt got a taste of the big leagues with a September call-up in 2010, and I guess you could say he had an outside shot of being the backup to Miguel Montero in 2011. However, with the addition of Blanco, Schmidt will likely go back to AAA Reno and not be a mainstay in the majors until 2012 at the earliest.
Oddly, only two (Montero and Upton) of the projected starting eight position players for Arizona would have spent time with the South Bend Silver Hawks.
New Poll Question
It's been up for a day, but I'm kind of intrigued by the new poll question that I posted on the right side of the page. This time of year, all you hear about is how it's better to give than to receive. But let's be honest, many of us like to receive presents too!
I figured we should poll the audience. Besides, it's an anonymous poll, so no one is going to judge you if you're someone who would rather receive a cool gift than give one. There's no shame in that. Maybe you don't like shopping. Maybe you never know what to get your loved ones. Maybe the giving causes you way too much stress.
Or, are you someone who truly loves to give gifts? Someone who relishes the look on your loved ones faces when they open up that brand new (fill in the blank).
Speaking of giving, the Silver Hawks are giving out free tickets to families in need this year, but we need recommendations. The promotion ends today at 5 PM, so act quickly and send Santa Swoop an email today! All the information can be found as the lead story on http://www.silverhawks.com/.
I figured we should poll the audience. Besides, it's an anonymous poll, so no one is going to judge you if you're someone who would rather receive a cool gift than give one. There's no shame in that. Maybe you don't like shopping. Maybe you never know what to get your loved ones. Maybe the giving causes you way too much stress.
Or, are you someone who truly loves to give gifts? Someone who relishes the look on your loved ones faces when they open up that brand new (fill in the blank).
Speaking of giving, the Silver Hawks are giving out free tickets to families in need this year, but we need recommendations. The promotion ends today at 5 PM, so act quickly and send Santa Swoop an email today! All the information can be found as the lead story on http://www.silverhawks.com/.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Former Cubs Pitcher on Peoria's Staff
The Peoria Chiefs finally joined the party in announcing their 2011 field staff, and it includes a name that is going to be familiar to a lot of Cubs fans. The new pitching coach is Illinois native and former Cubs reliever Jeff Fassero.
Unfortunately, because of the new Midwest League schedule setup, Peoria will not be coming to Coveleski Stadium in 2011. The Silver Hawks host Cedar Rapids, Quad Cities, Clinton, and Kane County from the Western Division, while traveling to Peoria, Burlington, Wisconsin, and Beloit.
Peoria Chiefs
Manager - Casey Kopitzke
Pitching Coach - Jeff Fassero
Hitting Coach - Ricardo Medina
That leaves only the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers without a named field staff to this point. Please go bug Chris Mehring on his blog until he finally announces it.
Unfortunately, because of the new Midwest League schedule setup, Peoria will not be coming to Coveleski Stadium in 2011. The Silver Hawks host Cedar Rapids, Quad Cities, Clinton, and Kane County from the Western Division, while traveling to Peoria, Burlington, Wisconsin, and Beloit.
Peoria Chiefs
Manager - Casey Kopitzke
Pitching Coach - Jeff Fassero
Hitting Coach - Ricardo Medina
That leaves only the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers without a named field staff to this point. Please go bug Chris Mehring on his blog until he finally announces it.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Finally, Some Thoughts on the New Staff
(First of all, I had some blog issues today, thus the new design. More on that later.)
I've been promising you this for a couple of days now, but things have been busy around here and I'm just now getting around to putting it up.
First off, as a reminder, here is the Silver Hawks 2011 field staff:
Manager - Mark Haley
Pitching Coach - Wellington Cepeda
Hitting Coach - Bobby Smith
Rather than give you my thoughts on the guys, I figured I could do better. I just got off the phone with Mike Bell, who is Arizona's new Director of Player Development. I asked Mike about the staff and about what we can expect to see with the Silver Hawks in 2011. Here are some of his thoughts...
About Mark Haley...
-Everybody in Silver Hawks country knows Mark Haley.
-He is extremely dedicated, hardworking, and knowledgeable about the game of baseball.
-(on Mark staying with South Bend for seven years) You don't see it every day. Someone who is willing to go back, not only willing, but truly excited to be there. It gives our organization and staff some stability.
About new hitting coach Bobby Smith when they were teammates in Charlotte (AAA)...
-We were in similar situations in that we were both six year free agents and both trying to put ourselves back on the mat.
-Bobby and I had an unbelievable relationship on the field and made a commitment to each other that we would look after each other.
Even though we don't know exactly who is going to be here, here are Mike's thoughts on the group that is most likely to come to South Bend...
-There will obviously be some new faces. Yakima was in the playoffs, and even though Missoula didn't make it, they fought to the end, so you're going to get a group of winners.
-You'll see great pitching depth with the starters.
-South Bend will have a pretty talented infield, like you had last year.
-There is going to be some great competition in the outfield.
I want to thank Mike for his time, because you know how busy he is trying to evaluate players, and get acclimated to the new position. He was very gracious on the phone and I'm sure I'll have him for a pregame interview at some point (if not two or three times) in the upcoming season.
I've been promising you this for a couple of days now, but things have been busy around here and I'm just now getting around to putting it up.
First off, as a reminder, here is the Silver Hawks 2011 field staff:
Manager - Mark Haley
Pitching Coach - Wellington Cepeda
Hitting Coach - Bobby Smith
Rather than give you my thoughts on the guys, I figured I could do better. I just got off the phone with Mike Bell, who is Arizona's new Director of Player Development. I asked Mike about the staff and about what we can expect to see with the Silver Hawks in 2011. Here are some of his thoughts...
About Mark Haley...
-Everybody in Silver Hawks country knows Mark Haley.
-He is extremely dedicated, hardworking, and knowledgeable about the game of baseball.
-(on Mark staying with South Bend for seven years) You don't see it every day. Someone who is willing to go back, not only willing, but truly excited to be there. It gives our organization and staff some stability.
About new hitting coach Bobby Smith when they were teammates in Charlotte (AAA)...
-We were in similar situations in that we were both six year free agents and both trying to put ourselves back on the mat.
-Bobby and I had an unbelievable relationship on the field and made a commitment to each other that we would look after each other.
Even though we don't know exactly who is going to be here, here are Mike's thoughts on the group that is most likely to come to South Bend...
-There will obviously be some new faces. Yakima was in the playoffs, and even though Missoula didn't make it, they fought to the end, so you're going to get a group of winners.
-You'll see great pitching depth with the starters.
-South Bend will have a pretty talented infield, like you had last year.
-There is going to be some great competition in the outfield.
I want to thank Mike for his time, because you know how busy he is trying to evaluate players, and get acclimated to the new position. He was very gracious on the phone and I'm sure I'll have him for a pregame interview at some point (if not two or three times) in the upcoming season.
Updated Field Staffs
Great Lakes announced their staff over the weekend, the Silver Hawks made the announcement yesterday, and the Hot Rods followed suit today. I'll still have more thoughts on the Silver Hawks staff when I get the time (probably tomorrow -- busy today). We are waiting on the Chiefs and the Timber Rattlers to round out the league. Updatesd list is below.
Beloit Snappers (same as last year)
Manager - Nelson Prada
Pitching Coach - Gary Lucas
Hitting Coach - Tommy Watkins
Bowling Green Hot Rods (same as last year)
Manager - Brady Williams
Pitching Coach - RC Lichtenstein
Hitting Coach - Manny Castillo
Burlington Bees (Kane County's staff from 2010 due to affiliation change)
Manager - Aaron Nieckula
Pitching Coach - Jimmy Escalante
Hitting Coach - Haas Pratt
Cedar Rapids Kernels
Manager - Brent Del Chiaro (was hitting coach last two years)
Pitching Coach - Trevor Wilson
Hitting Coach - Mike Elyward
Clinton LumberKings
Manager - Eddie Menchaca
Pitching Coach - Rich Dorman
Hitting Coach - Terry Pollreisz
Dayton Dragons
Manager - Delino DeShields (former big league star)
Pitching Coach - Tony Fossas
Hitting Coach - Alex Pelaez
Fort Wayne TinCaps
Manager - Shawn Wooten
Pitching Coach - Willie Blair
Hitting Coach - Kory DeHaan
Great Lakes Loons
Manager: John Shoemaker
Pitching Coach: Kremlin Martinez
Hitting Coach: Lenny Harris
Kane County Cougars
Manager - Vance Wilson
Pitching Coach - Jim Brower
Hitting Coach - Damon Hollins
Lake County Captains
Manager - Ted Kubiak
Pitching Coach - Jeff Harris
Hitting Coach - Jim Rickon
Lansing Lugnuts
Manager - Mike Redmond
Pitching Coach - Vince Horsman
Hitting Coach - John Tamargo, Jr.
Peoria Chiefs - Not yet announced
Quad Cities River Bandits (same as last year)
Manager - Johnny Rodriguez
Pitching Coach - Tim Leveque
Hitting Coach - Joe Kruzel
South Bend Silver Hawks
Manager - Mark Haley
Pitching Coach - Wellington Cepeda
Hitting Coach - Bobby Smith
West Michigan Whitecaps
Manager - Ernie Young
Pitching Coach - Mark Johnson
Hitting Coach - Ben Oglivie
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - Not yet announced
Beloit Snappers (same as last year)
Manager - Nelson Prada
Pitching Coach - Gary Lucas
Hitting Coach - Tommy Watkins
Bowling Green Hot Rods (same as last year)
Manager - Brady Williams
Pitching Coach - RC Lichtenstein
Hitting Coach - Manny Castillo
Burlington Bees (Kane County's staff from 2010 due to affiliation change)
Manager - Aaron Nieckula
Pitching Coach - Jimmy Escalante
Hitting Coach - Haas Pratt
Cedar Rapids Kernels
Manager - Brent Del Chiaro (was hitting coach last two years)
Pitching Coach - Trevor Wilson
Hitting Coach - Mike Elyward
Clinton LumberKings
Manager - Eddie Menchaca
Pitching Coach - Rich Dorman
Hitting Coach - Terry Pollreisz
Dayton Dragons
Manager - Delino DeShields (former big league star)
Pitching Coach - Tony Fossas
Hitting Coach - Alex Pelaez
Fort Wayne TinCaps
Manager - Shawn Wooten
Pitching Coach - Willie Blair
Hitting Coach - Kory DeHaan
Great Lakes Loons
Manager: John Shoemaker
Pitching Coach: Kremlin Martinez
Hitting Coach: Lenny Harris
Kane County Cougars
Manager - Vance Wilson
Pitching Coach - Jim Brower
Hitting Coach - Damon Hollins
Lake County Captains
Manager - Ted Kubiak
Pitching Coach - Jeff Harris
Hitting Coach - Jim Rickon
Lansing Lugnuts
Manager - Mike Redmond
Pitching Coach - Vince Horsman
Hitting Coach - John Tamargo, Jr.
Peoria Chiefs - Not yet announced
Quad Cities River Bandits (same as last year)
Manager - Johnny Rodriguez
Pitching Coach - Tim Leveque
Hitting Coach - Joe Kruzel
South Bend Silver Hawks
Manager - Mark Haley
Pitching Coach - Wellington Cepeda
Hitting Coach - Bobby Smith
West Michigan Whitecaps
Manager - Ernie Young
Pitching Coach - Mark Johnson
Hitting Coach - Ben Oglivie
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - Not yet announced
Monday, December 13, 2010
2011 Field Staff Announced
It's finally here! Late this afternoon, the Silver Hawks 2011 Field Staff was announced. You can read the full press release on http://www.silverhawks.com/.
I'll have more tomorrow.
I'll have more tomorrow.
Now Pinch Hitting for the Great Lakes Loons...
Interesting title for this post, huh?
The Great Lakes Loons probably wish at some point this season that they could look down their bench and call upon their new hitting coach in a pinch hitting role. Why would they want to do that? Only because he's the MLB all-time leader in pinch hits.
That's right, Lenny Harris is the new hitting coach for the Great Lakes Loons, and I get the chance to meet another one of my favorite players as a kid (in addition to meeting Luis Quinones earlier this year. By the way, are you seeing a theme here? My favorite players are all scrappy infielders who are known much more for their pinch hitting than they are for anything else.)
The complete 2011 Loons field staff:
Manager: John Shoemaker
Pitching Coach: Kremlin Martinez
Hitting Coach: Lenny Harris
The Great Lakes Loons probably wish at some point this season that they could look down their bench and call upon their new hitting coach in a pinch hitting role. Why would they want to do that? Only because he's the MLB all-time leader in pinch hits.
That's right, Lenny Harris is the new hitting coach for the Great Lakes Loons, and I get the chance to meet another one of my favorite players as a kid (in addition to meeting Luis Quinones earlier this year. By the way, are you seeing a theme here? My favorite players are all scrappy infielders who are known much more for their pinch hitting than they are for anything else.)
The complete 2011 Loons field staff:
Manager: John Shoemaker
Pitching Coach: Kremlin Martinez
Hitting Coach: Lenny Harris
Friday, December 10, 2010
Poll Results
I asked you a while back which of the proposed stadium renovations were the most exciting, and here's how the responses came in:
Field Turf - 5 (15%)
New Team Store - 3 (9%)
Stage/Splash Pad/Fire Pit in Outfield - 2 (6%)
360-degree concourse - 11 (34%)
Updated picnic and group areas - 1 (3%)
State-of-the-art score/video board - 8 (25%)
Other - 2 (6%)
I thought the new scoreboard/videoboard would win, but I'm pleasantly surprised that the 360-degree concourse came out on top. I think this is a huge piece to making the Cove a better place by allowing fans the opportunity to walk entirely around the stadium, and check out all the new areas of the ballpark. It just opens up the stadium so much more and gives it a better feel.
A new poll is on the right.
Field Turf - 5 (15%)
New Team Store - 3 (9%)
Stage/Splash Pad/Fire Pit in Outfield - 2 (6%)
360-degree concourse - 11 (34%)
Updated picnic and group areas - 1 (3%)
State-of-the-art score/video board - 8 (25%)
Other - 2 (6%)
I thought the new scoreboard/videoboard would win, but I'm pleasantly surprised that the 360-degree concourse came out on top. I think this is a huge piece to making the Cove a better place by allowing fans the opportunity to walk entirely around the stadium, and check out all the new areas of the ballpark. It just opens up the stadium so much more and gives it a better feel.
A new poll is on the right.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Former Hawks Pitcher Traded to Pittsburgh
Cesar Valdez, a 2007 Silver Hawks pitcher, was traded today to the Pittsburgh Pirates as the player to be named later in the Zach Duke deal.
Valdez was 7-10 with South Bend in '07, but had an impressive 3.41 ERA and 106 strikeouts. He appeared in nine games with the Diamondbacks in 2010 -- his first appearances in the Majors.
Valdez was 7-10 with South Bend in '07, but had an impressive 3.41 ERA and 106 strikeouts. He appeared in nine games with the Diamondbacks in 2010 -- his first appearances in the Majors.
Busy, Busy, Busy
Sorry that it's been almost two days since I last posted. Things have been quite hectic the last few days.
To fill you in, here's a bunch of links for you:
-The Arizona Diamondbacks continued to be major players at the Winter Meetings, resigning Mike Hampton yesterday and then drafting a player in the Rule 5 Draft this morning.
-Reaction on the Diamondbacks moves can be found here and here.
-I gave a speech on behalf of the Silver Hawks to a career day at West Side Middle School in Elkhart yesterday morning. If you want to book a Silver Hawks speaker for your school, group, or business, go here.
-I also joined Swoop yesterday at the University Park Mall. We were guests of Sunny 101.5 FM as part of their Giving Trees promotion. Please stop by their tables and vote for your favorite tree -- all proceeds to to charity.
-Finally, we are still waiting on the Diamondbacks to announce the field staff for their Minor League affiliates. I think it's a safe bet that Mark Haley is returning, but we don't know the rest of the staff as of yet. Obviously, as soon as we know something, the information will be on http://www.silverhawks.com/.
To fill you in, here's a bunch of links for you:
-The Arizona Diamondbacks continued to be major players at the Winter Meetings, resigning Mike Hampton yesterday and then drafting a player in the Rule 5 Draft this morning.
-Reaction on the Diamondbacks moves can be found here and here.
-I gave a speech on behalf of the Silver Hawks to a career day at West Side Middle School in Elkhart yesterday morning. If you want to book a Silver Hawks speaker for your school, group, or business, go here.
-I also joined Swoop yesterday at the University Park Mall. We were guests of Sunny 101.5 FM as part of their Giving Trees promotion. Please stop by their tables and vote for your favorite tree -- all proceeds to to charity.
-Finally, we are still waiting on the Diamondbacks to announce the field staff for their Minor League affiliates. I think it's a safe bet that Mark Haley is returning, but we don't know the rest of the staff as of yet. Obviously, as soon as we know something, the information will be on http://www.silverhawks.com/.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
2011 Midwest League Field Staffs
Within the last day, a bunch of teams have announced their field staffs for 2011, so I figured now was a good time to catch up on the entire league in case I missed anyone else. We'll go alphabetically through the list of teams (links provided where available)...
Beloit Snappers (same as last year)
Manager - Nelson Prada
Pitching Coach - Gary Lucas
Hitting Coach - Tommy Watkins
Bowling Green Hot Rods - Not yet announced
Burlington Bees (Kane County's staff from 2010 due to affiliation change)
Manager - Aaron Nieckula
Pitching Coach - Jimmy Escalante
Hitting Coach - Haas Pratt
Cedar Rapids Kernels
Manager - Brent Del Chiaro (was hitting coach last two years)
Pitching Coach - Trevor Wilson
Hitting Coach - Mike Elyward
Clinton LumberKings
Manager - Eddie Menchaca
Pitching Coach - Rich Dorman
Hitting Coach - Terry Pollreisz
Dayton Dragons
Manager - Delino DeShields (former big league star)
Pitching Coach - Tony Fossas
Hitting Coach - Alex Pelaez
Fort Wayne TinCaps
Manager - Shawn Wooten
Pitching Coach - Willie Blair
Hitting Coach - Kory DeHaan
Great Lakes Loons - Not yet announced
Kane County Cougars
Manager - Vance Wilson
Pitching Coach - Jim Brower
Hitting Coach - Damon Hollins
Lake County Captains
Manager - Ted Kubiak
Pitching Coach - Jeff Harris
Hitting Coach - Jim Rickon
Lansing Lugnuts
Manager - Mike Redmond
Pitching Coach - Vince Horsman
Hitting Coach - John Tamargo, Jr.
Peoria Chiefs - Not yet announced
Quad Cities River Bandits (same as last year)
Manager - Johnny Rodriguez
Pitching Coach - Tim Leveque
Hitting Coach - Joe Kruzel
South Bend Silver Hawks - Not yet announced
West Michigan Whitecaps
Manager - Ernie Young
Pitching Coach - Mark Johnson
Hitting Coach - Ben Oglivie
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - Not yet announced
Beloit Snappers (same as last year)
Manager - Nelson Prada
Pitching Coach - Gary Lucas
Hitting Coach - Tommy Watkins
Bowling Green Hot Rods - Not yet announced
Burlington Bees (Kane County's staff from 2010 due to affiliation change)
Manager - Aaron Nieckula
Pitching Coach - Jimmy Escalante
Hitting Coach - Haas Pratt
Cedar Rapids Kernels
Manager - Brent Del Chiaro (was hitting coach last two years)
Pitching Coach - Trevor Wilson
Hitting Coach - Mike Elyward
Clinton LumberKings
Manager - Eddie Menchaca
Pitching Coach - Rich Dorman
Hitting Coach - Terry Pollreisz
Dayton Dragons
Manager - Delino DeShields (former big league star)
Pitching Coach - Tony Fossas
Hitting Coach - Alex Pelaez
Fort Wayne TinCaps
Manager - Shawn Wooten
Pitching Coach - Willie Blair
Hitting Coach - Kory DeHaan
Great Lakes Loons - Not yet announced
Kane County Cougars
Manager - Vance Wilson
Pitching Coach - Jim Brower
Hitting Coach - Damon Hollins
Lake County Captains
Manager - Ted Kubiak
Pitching Coach - Jeff Harris
Hitting Coach - Jim Rickon
Lansing Lugnuts
Manager - Mike Redmond
Pitching Coach - Vince Horsman
Hitting Coach - John Tamargo, Jr.
Peoria Chiefs - Not yet announced
Quad Cities River Bandits (same as last year)
Manager - Johnny Rodriguez
Pitching Coach - Tim Leveque
Hitting Coach - Joe Kruzel
South Bend Silver Hawks - Not yet announced
West Michigan Whitecaps
Manager - Ernie Young
Pitching Coach - Mark Johnson
Hitting Coach - Ben Oglivie
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - Not yet announced
Diamondbacks Sign Closer
In addition to trading Mark Reynolds and signing Melvin Mora that I wrote about yesterday, Arizona made another big splash at the Winter Meetings later yesterday evening.
News broke late that Arizona signed closer J.J. Putz to a two-year deal, adding more help to what was a horrible bullpen in 2010.
One thing that everyone is still wondering about though is whether the Diamondbacks will trade Justin Upton -- a rumor that has been picking up steam lately.
Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic has some thoughts on all the deals on his blog, but this quote about Upton from GM Kevin Towers jumped out at me:
On the likelihood of a Justin Upton trade: “With Upton, if everything comes together, it's probably less likely we would end up moving him. We knew going into that exercise it was going to take an awful lot to make a trade. To trade a young player who is 23 years old who is a tool shed, who does pretty much everything and I think is only going to get better in time. But if someone was willing to overpay and we were able to fill multiple holes. We’re not one player away; we’re several players away from being good in a competitive division. I would say we’ll have a pretty good idea when we leave here on Thursday and I would say that it's highly unlikely that Upton leaves the desert.”
News broke late that Arizona signed closer J.J. Putz to a two-year deal, adding more help to what was a horrible bullpen in 2010.
One thing that everyone is still wondering about though is whether the Diamondbacks will trade Justin Upton -- a rumor that has been picking up steam lately.
Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic has some thoughts on all the deals on his blog, but this quote about Upton from GM Kevin Towers jumped out at me:
On the likelihood of a Justin Upton trade: “With Upton, if everything comes together, it's probably less likely we would end up moving him. We knew going into that exercise it was going to take an awful lot to make a trade. To trade a young player who is 23 years old who is a tool shed, who does pretty much everything and I think is only going to get better in time. But if someone was willing to overpay and we were able to fill multiple holes. We’re not one player away; we’re several players away from being good in a competitive division. I would say we’ll have a pretty good idea when we leave here on Thursday and I would say that it's highly unlikely that Upton leaves the desert.”
Monday, December 6, 2010
Former Silver Hawks Star Traded
Well, we knew the Diamondbacks would be active at the Winter Meetings, and it took all of half a day for them to make a splash.
Today, former Silver Hawks infielder Mark Reynolds was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for a couple of prospects. Before you ask, the answer is no, neither of the prospects will appear in South Bend because they both already have MLB experience.
Arizona also signed Melvin Mora to a contract. Mora is 38 years old, but it's a low-risk signing for GM Kevin Towers to fill the vacated third base hole left by Mark Reynolds.
I'm not qualified to analyze deals that the Diamondbacks make, but Steve Gilbert of mlb.com and Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic certainly have more experience in that area. Click the links to view their blogs.
Today, former Silver Hawks infielder Mark Reynolds was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for a couple of prospects. Before you ask, the answer is no, neither of the prospects will appear in South Bend because they both already have MLB experience.
Arizona also signed Melvin Mora to a contract. Mora is 38 years old, but it's a low-risk signing for GM Kevin Towers to fill the vacated third base hole left by Mark Reynolds.
I'm not qualified to analyze deals that the Diamondbacks make, but Steve Gilbert of mlb.com and Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic certainly have more experience in that area. Click the links to view their blogs.
Baseball Winter Meetings
Unfortunately, I am not at the Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando this week. Instead, I'm sitting in my office at Coveleski Stadium watching the snow fall. I'm also insanely jealous of everyone who is in Orlando.
The Baseball Winter Meetings are a time for many front office personnel in both the majors and minors to get together and well, have meetings. Various teams have meetings for all of their employees, there are sessions for individual job functions (media relations sessions, gm sessions, etc.), and many awards are handed out to organizations.
However, my favorite part of the Winter Meetings when I've been there has been the common area in the lobby of whatever hotel is hosting the event. It's not unusual to see a notable reporter such as Jayson Stark or Peter Gammons chatting up a MLB GM or even a player as you walk from one end of the hotel to the other.
The Winter Meetings also will be where many trades and free agent signings happen (or if they don't happen there, you can bet the conversations started in Orlando). I've told you this before, but the best place to follow all the rumors is http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/. They'll be working overtime this week, and it's an interesting collection of stories and links.
I'm not going to post all the rumors I read or see, but if anything becomes official from the Diamondbacks, I will let you know on this blog.
The Baseball Winter Meetings are a time for many front office personnel in both the majors and minors to get together and well, have meetings. Various teams have meetings for all of their employees, there are sessions for individual job functions (media relations sessions, gm sessions, etc.), and many awards are handed out to organizations.
However, my favorite part of the Winter Meetings when I've been there has been the common area in the lobby of whatever hotel is hosting the event. It's not unusual to see a notable reporter such as Jayson Stark or Peter Gammons chatting up a MLB GM or even a player as you walk from one end of the hotel to the other.
The Winter Meetings also will be where many trades and free agent signings happen (or if they don't happen there, you can bet the conversations started in Orlando). I've told you this before, but the best place to follow all the rumors is http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/. They'll be working overtime this week, and it's an interesting collection of stories and links.
I'm not going to post all the rumors I read or see, but if anything becomes official from the Diamondbacks, I will let you know on this blog.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Sad News from Chicago
I was sad to hear about the passing of Ron Santo, legendary Cubs player and broadcaster.
As a player, Santo was a borderline Hall-of-Famer. I'm not going to start that debate, so let's just leave it at he was a tremendous ballplayer. Unfortunately, he never got to play in a postseason. In fact, Santo played in the fifth most amount of games in baseball history without making a postseason appearance.
As a broadcaster, Santo was the epitome of what you learn NOT to do in broadcasting school. Shouting over the play-by-play guy, moaning, cheering, and the general flood of emotions at the simplest of plays is something that you learn to keep in check over time.
Yet, Ron Santo got away with it. He was allowed to do all of those things because he wasn't just a former Cubs player or the Cubs announcer. He was bigger than all of that. He was the voice of the fans.
I am not much of a Cubs fan and have said many times that "Pat Hughes is a saint for putting up with Ron Santo for all those years." Even still, I can appreciate an iconic figure and Ron Santo certainly was that and more to Cubs fans.
The Cubs family has lost a legendary member, and the broadcasting fraternity has lost a one-of-a-kind personality. Ron Santo will be missed.
As a player, Santo was a borderline Hall-of-Famer. I'm not going to start that debate, so let's just leave it at he was a tremendous ballplayer. Unfortunately, he never got to play in a postseason. In fact, Santo played in the fifth most amount of games in baseball history without making a postseason appearance.
As a broadcaster, Santo was the epitome of what you learn NOT to do in broadcasting school. Shouting over the play-by-play guy, moaning, cheering, and the general flood of emotions at the simplest of plays is something that you learn to keep in check over time.
Yet, Ron Santo got away with it. He was allowed to do all of those things because he wasn't just a former Cubs player or the Cubs announcer. He was bigger than all of that. He was the voice of the fans.
I am not much of a Cubs fan and have said many times that "Pat Hughes is a saint for putting up with Ron Santo for all those years." Even still, I can appreciate an iconic figure and Ron Santo certainly was that and more to Cubs fans.
The Cubs family has lost a legendary member, and the broadcasting fraternity has lost a one-of-a-kind personality. Ron Santo will be missed.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Notes from the Parent Club
It's kind of a slow day around the blog the last few days, but I can always count on the parent club Diamondbacks to be in the news. Here's a rundown on some good reads about what Arizona has been doing the last few days:
-First of all, I know some people are planning on attending Spring Training at the new facility. Here's a schedule of when the Diamondbacks will play in the Cactus League.
-Yesterday, the Diamondbacks inked former Dayton Dragons star Wily Mo Pena to a Minor League deal. He's an option in left field, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
-Arizona also has to make some decisions on whether to tender contracts to eight players. See the list here.
-First of all, I know some people are planning on attending Spring Training at the new facility. Here's a schedule of when the Diamondbacks will play in the Cactus League.
-Yesterday, the Diamondbacks inked former Dayton Dragons star Wily Mo Pena to a Minor League deal. He's an option in left field, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
-Arizona also has to make some decisions on whether to tender contracts to eight players. See the list here.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Lugnuts Announce Field Staff
The Lansing Lugnuts announced their field staff for 2011 late yesterday, featuring a 12-year Major League veteran as their new manager. You can read the full release on their website, or just view the summary below.
Manager - Mike Redmond
Pitching Coach - Vince Horsman
Hitting Coach - John Tamargo, Jr.
Manager - Mike Redmond
Pitching Coach - Vince Horsman
Hitting Coach - John Tamargo, Jr.
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