Alumni report

Here is a rundown on where some former Wild Things players will be spending the spring and summer:

Travis Risser - Has been assigned to the Columbus Catfish, the Tampa Bay Ray's affiliate in the Class A South Atlantic League. The Catfish are the league's defending champions. Is the only former Wild Things player in affiliated ball this spring.

Chris Rivera - Has been released from the Chicago Cubs' camp. The Wild Things hold his Frontier league rights.

Brett Grandstrand - Has retired after playing last season with Columbus in Tampa Bay's system.

Lance Koenig - Has signed with Schaumburg of the Northern League.

Jim Popp - Also signed with Schaumburg.

Brandon Ketron - Signed with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, an expansion team in the Atlantic League.

Chad Ehrnsberger - Also playing for Southern Maryland.

Randy McGarvey - Has re-signed with Camden of the Atlantic League after having a breakout season with the Riversharks last year (.355 with 5 home runs).

L.J. Biernbaum - Re-signed with Camden after leading the team with 22 home runs last year.

Justin Mattison - Has retired.

Tom Cochran - Listed on the roster of Worcester of the Can-Am League though it's not mentioned on the Web site that Cochran has signed for 2008.

Jarod Rine - Same as Tom Cochran above.

Patrick Stanley - Signed with Newark of the Atlantic League.

Pat Peavy and Jack Headley - Each played with Newark last year. No announcement yet on their status for 2008.

Bronx bummer

Here is an interesting story about former West Allegheny High School pitcher Scott Patterson, who played for the Gateway Grizzlies from 2002-05. Patterson was signed last year by the New York Yankees and added to the 40-man roster. He thought he made the team this spring but will start the year at Triple-A. Patterson has worked at the Bianco School of Baseball near Canonsburg.

Check out the story here.

Stanley to Atlantic League

Former Wild Things pitcher Patrick Stanley has signed with the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League.

Stanley a Lakewood, N.J. resident, had an 8-4 record and 2.72 ERA in 22 starts with Washington in 2006 and led the Frontier League with 111 strikeouts. Last year, he was 1-2 in four games before undergoing season-ending rib surgery. He had the top rib removed near his right armpit to correct a bloodflow problem.

Newark is the team that former Wild Things Jack Headley and Pat Peavey played for last season.

Though he has signed with Newark, Stanley could find his way back to Washington if he doesn't make the Bears' opening day roster. The Atlantic League season begins April 25. Two players from the 2007 Wild Things - pitcher Aaron Ledbetter and outfielder Jarod Rine - were in camp last spring with Newark but were dealt to Washington.

You would think that after pitching so little last year Stanley will be a longshot to make the Bears' roster - the Atlantic League is the top independent league, so there will be plenty of talent in camp - though the right-hander does have what the scouts call "a tremendous upside."

Here's your assignment...

With March being somewhat of dead period for news in the Frontier League before the usual flurry of April signings, I thought I'd put you in charge of Consol Energy Park. You have temporarily been named the Director of Stadium Operations (sorry, Steve Zavacky, but the job is yours again in 10 minutes). You've also been told that you can make only one change to the ballpark, within reason, or its operations for 2008. What would it be?

There are two things at the top of my list, one comes with hefty price tag. The other can be accomplished with the cost of only a few dollars.

The expensive change is one the Wild Things do not seem capable of or willing to make. I'd rip out the sod on the playing field, put in a drainage system that actually works and put down new sod. I hate artificial turf and its batting-average-and-ERA-inflating bounces, so shifting to the plastic grass and rubber chips would be a last resort. Of course, if there is ballpark in America that needs artificial turf, this is probably the one.

The other change I'd make is to post the starting lineups somewhere, anywhere, so the fans can check them prior to the game. One of the first things I do when I visit Blair County Ballpark in Altoona is look at the lineups that are posted on a blackboard along a wall in the concourse. I like to know who the pitchers are, if some of the better players are in the lineup and what positions they are playing. If you're keeping a lineup card – some people still do – this is helpful. You don't have to wait until a player comes to bat to fill out your card.

Along this line, I'd like to see the standings posted somewhere inside the park. I know they were shown on the video board last year prior to each game, but they were difficult to read crammed into one panel. The type font used didn't help, either.

I'm sure that some people will suggest changing the concession items. That's more of a food service department, but you can make suggestions in this area.

Early roster check

Here's a rundown of the Wild Things' roster, by position and roster status, for 2008. Names in parenthesis are 2007 players who have either not signed a contract for 2008 or not had his signing announced by the club:

Starting pitchers:
1-Aaron Ledbetter, Veteran
2-Ryan Mitchell, R2
3-Alex Gett, R2
4-J.J. Hollenbeck, L1
5-Alan Stidfole, L1
6-Ian Heisel, R2

Relief pitchers:
1-Cory Bachman, R2
2-Kevin Salmon, R2
3-Travis Miller, R1
4-Ryan Davis, R2
4-Alex Sharick, R2

Catchers:
1-(Pat O'Brien, L2)

First Base:
1-(Nathan Messner, L1)

Second Base:
1-(Rene Quintana, R2)
2-(Phil Butch, R2)

Shortstop:
1-Chris Carrara, R2

Third Base:
1-(Eric Earnhart, R2)

Outfield:
1-Jacob Dempsey, L1
2-Adam Heffron, L1
3-Nate Parks, R1
4-Chris Sidick, Veteran
5-(Matt Sutton, R2)

Designated hitter:
1-(Robbie Knapp, L1)

Own Frontier League rights to:
SS-Brent Grandstrand (Veteran)
SP-Chris Rivera (Cubs, R2)
RP-Travis Risser (Rays, R2)
SP-Pete Parise (Cardinals, R2)

If the Wild Things return the 7 unsigned players from last year, they would have one Vet, two L2 and one L1 spot open. These will likely be filled by pitchers who are released at the end of March by affiliated teams.