Thursday, February 7, 2013

All-Star Game returning to Washington

One of the worst-kept secrets in baseball was made official Thursday. The Frontier League is bringing its marquee event back to Washington this summer.
Frontier League and Washington Wild Things officials announced that Consol Energy Park will be the site of the 2013 all-star baseball game July 17. The announcement was made during a news conference at Consol Energy’s headquarters.
 
Washington is hosting the all-star game for the second time. The Wild Things, who first played host in 2005, beat out two other cities for hosting rights to this year’s game.
 
"This is our feature event, the mainstay of the league," Frontier League commissioner Bill Lee said. "When I joined the league as commissioner back in 1994 and we discussed the all-star game, it was like, ‘OK, who drew the short straw and has to host it?’ Now, it’s a tough battle for a team to get the game."
 
Wild Things owner Stu Williams said this is a project his organization has been working for a long time.
 
"The process started more than a year ago. Basically, as soon as last year’s all-star game was over the league has to decide where the next one is going to be held. If you want to host, then you do your lobbying and put together a program. A bonus that we have is, everyone in the Frontier League knows that when Washington does something it’s done first class."
 
In 2005, the Wild Things followed the plan of Major League Baseball and made the all-star game part of a multi-day event that included a country music concert at the ballpark. The plans are again elaborate.
 
All-star week begins July 15 with a luncheon at the DoubleTree Hotel in the Meadow Lands. Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster and former pitcher Steve Blass will be the keynote speaker. On July 16, there will be a home run derby followed by the all-stars playing a softball game against the Akron Racers of the National Pro Fastpitch women’s professional league. The Racers also will be conducting a clinic for youth softball players.
 
"We want this to be the standard for all future Frontier League All-Star games to be measured," Williams said. "We want people to say, ‘Was it as good as Washington? No.’"
 
In 2005, the Wild Things’ Mike Arbinger won the pregame home run derby, then was named Most Valuable Player in the all-star game after helping to the East Division to a 5-4 victory. One thing I recall about that night is the wind was blowing in from right field, making it difficult for lefties to hit for power. It might be the only night in the ballpark's history when the wind blew in from right field (it usually blows out to left field).

One player from the 2005 all-star game made it to the major leagues. River City’s Joe Thatcher went on to make his debut in the majors less than two years after playing in Washington. Thatcher has appeared in 237 major-league games as a left-handed relief pitcher with the San Diego Padres.

"The talent level in the league now is better than in 2005," Lee said. "We’ll be trying to showcase everything we can. The difference in Washington from 2005 is like night and day with the ballpark having turf and the development around there."

84 Lumber will be the title sponsor for the All-Star Game.

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28 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

It would sure be nice if Stu and his asst. general flunky would put more of their efforts into bringing a competitive baseball team to CEP instead of the All Star game.
Stu seems to think that he can put together a better All Star game than anybody else. He wants to set a new standard that will be an example for years to come. Really? With the mess he has made of the Wild Things, he has already set a new standard for the Frontier League. Every time some one thinks of the Wild Things it brings tears of laughter to the other teams in the League. It also brings bitter tears of dis pare it the Wild Things fans. The Wild Things ARE the laughing stock of the Frontier League.
So, Stu and your flunky, stop with the self aggrandizement already. We already seen what your best feeble efforts have accomplished – nothing. Now even if you manage to set a new standard, which you won't, what will have been gained for the long suffering fans of the Wild Things? The answer is nothing!
Maybe you can get some help from Joe Hardy at Eighty Four Lumber. He could not do much worse than you.
Paul Watkins

February 9, 2013 at 7:41 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"The process started more than a year ago. Basically, as soon as last year’s all-star game was over the league has to decide where the next one is going to be held. If you want to host, then you do your lobbying and put together a program. A bonus that we have is, everyone in the Frontier League knows that when Washington does something it’s done first class."

First Class & Washington are two things that never go together

February 9, 2013 at 9:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does everyone think the team will be the same as last year or better or what? Roster seemed to change alot

February 9, 2013 at 11:01 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Comments at 7:41 and 9:26 are why I was hoping the Wild Things would move and say that Washington doesn't deserve a team. The Wild Things do something good and land the all star game and all the comments here are bitches and complaints.

Life of a Wild Things fan: Bitch, moan, bellyache, grouse, complain, grump, fuss, go to mailbox to see if the Social Security check arrived, repeat.

February 9, 2013 at 11:25 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

why are wild thing fans "long suffering"? you talk like your a browns or raiders fan.. the team hasn't been over .500 in like 3-4 years.. before that they won a ton.. no team is this league has won year in and year out..

pirates fans can suffer.. wild things fans just need to stop crying and playing the victim.. 3-4 years of less than stellar seasons isn't suffering

it is baseball, enjoy it

February 9, 2013 at 2:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon at 11:25 Am. You always say the same things and it is you that is boring. I don't get Social Security and probably never will. What is your beef about old people? I don't understand why you bother to read what is posted? Some senior citizen might save your life some day or, clean your clock.
Paul W

February 9, 2013 at 5:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is "Paul Watkins" Ron Wilson's newest pen name???

February 9, 2013 at 7:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chris can you come up with a projected lineup for the 2013 wildthings?

February 10, 2013 at 8:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Long-suffering isn't the right word for Wild Things fans. Sure, they've never won a championship, but they've come very close several times.

The problem now is that they have no braintrust to put a competitive team on the field.

Chad Curtis

February 11, 2013 at 11:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

February 9, 2013 at 5:31 PM

Anonymous said...
Is "Paul Watkins" Ron Wilson's newest pen name???

February 9, 2013 at 7:38 PM

Chris Dugan,
Why are you always allowing this guy to take shots at me without identifying him/herself? I'm sick of it. Probably because it's Steve Zavacky. He is certainly not above doing that! I think it's time EVERYBODY that post something be clearly identified or disregarded.
Ron Wilson

February 11, 2013 at 1:37 PM  
Blogger Chris Dugan said...

As for a projected lineup, keep in mind that there are plenty of signings still to be made. Teams usually pick up their best players after the cuts are made at minor league spring training, then add a player or two who are released from the Atlantic League and American Association just before the Frontier Legaue season begins.

Working with the current roster, Devereaux and Trettel might be a platoon at catcher. If you want to keep both in the lineup by playing one at DH, then you might have to sign a third player who can handle the catching duties in an emergency.

Nunziato will be the shortstop. Beatty should be a good hitter in this league but I don't know if he can play third base. He has a little experience at the hot corner but his error rate there is too high. He's probably more of a second baseman. Does that mean Stoner at third base? Don't know.

Rosa will play somewhere, either third base, first base or DH. Samuelsson will have to improve to have a spot in the lineup.

The outfield is interesting because there are already four guys for three spots. There's Sandford, Yepez, Benusa and Heck. The latter is the wild card. Do you play him in left field? Can he play third base? He'll be in the lineup somewhere, just don't know where.

February 11, 2013 at 5:09 PM  
Blogger Chris Dugan said...

Ron:

Is "Paul Watkins" Ron Wilson's newest pen name???

I don't know where you get a personal attack out of that sentence. It looks like a question to me and to just about anybody who understands the English language.

A personal attack would be calling somebody a "freakin' jerk" or "craphead" or telling somebody to "go do to yourself what most people would find physically impossible" or writing "I would call you what you should be called but I don't want to insult a female dog" or simply telling somebody to "F**k off."

Asking a question is not a personal attack.

February 11, 2013 at 5:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks Chris, you called that one right. I meant for it to be personal.
Ima Fraid

February 12, 2013 at 4:43 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Is "Paul Watkins" Ron Wilson's newest pen name???"

No, it is not, Sir
Ron Wilson

February 12, 2013 at 4:45 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When referring to this as "one of the worst kept secrets in baseball" does that include all of baseball or just Washington County baseball? I also heard a hot rumor about one of the stacked Pinto teams in Washington, but that may now be the worst kept secret in baseball since this one was revealed.

In any case, let's gooooooooooooooo Wild Things!

February 12, 2013 at 5:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

@ Chris Dugan: what new rookies for 2013 do you think might make an impact?

February 12, 2013 at 7:37 AM  
Blogger Chris Dugan said...

The one that jumped out at me as a decent signing was Stewart Ijames. Think the kid probably can hit in this league, and being an R1 is going to help his cause in terms of gaining a roster spot, but it's hard to crack the lineup as an R1 outfielder. I'm interested to see Dominick Ruscitti. I think he might have been an under-the-radar kind of guy with some potential.

February 12, 2013 at 8:13 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What did I do wrong?
Paul Watkins

February 13, 2013 at 8:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You didn’t do anything really wrong Paul. You made two errors that most people would not consider to be a mistake. First, you voiced your opinion. You should not do this on this blog unless you intend to say how good the Wild Cubs management is. Never mind that the Wild Cubs have an Assistant General Manager and, NO General Manager – how stupid is that? That means that the 'Assistant' title is essentially just a made up thing that means nothing at all. It's just used by Stu Williams to pat somebody on their pate as if this person were a child. Your second mistake came in two parts. You used your real name which made you a target AND, your opinion is too close to what mine is – that was your biggest mistake. So, I was accused of being you by some moron that thinks his name is Anonymous. Maybe his real title is "Assistant"
Just take your wagon and leave – there is nobody home on this blog. It is best not to get involved.
Ima Fraid

February 16, 2013 at 9:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

attn WT fans..you were spoiled with 6 straight seasons of playoffs, this is independent baseball where players live with strangers and make $700 per month. geographically you are screwed, players want to stay in the middle of the country where they can get scouted on a more regular basis. the facility is under par compared to the other facilities in the league. the negativity DOES NOT HELP. MLB teams that spend hundreds of millions on salaries per year don't accomplish what you expect..
Figure it out!!!!!!!!!

February 16, 2013 at 2:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bitch, moan, complain, go to mailbox to see if Social Secuirty check arrived, repeat.

Some things never change in Washington aka City of Complainers.

February 18, 2013 at 12:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bitch, moan, complain about what is on the Wild Things blog, go to mailbox to see if welfare check check arrived, repeat.

Always the same thing with these welfare types.

February 19, 2013 at 2:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Old people are what is wrong with this world. Probably should limit a persons lifespan to about 50 and then kill them so I can do more drugs in peace. I would not have to keep paying for their Social Security checks, read their rants on this blog, and they would not be in my way at the concession stands when I go for a beer.
Damn old people, get out of my way. There, I finally said it loud and clear. Old people have no business being at CEP.

February 20, 2013 at 10:14 AM  
Blogger Chris Dugan said...

To Anonymous 10:14 a.m. Feb. 20:

If you didn't put your name to it, did you really say it?

February 23, 2013 at 4:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I thought I heard a tree fall in the woods one day when I wasn't there. I could have been wrong, but I doubt it!
Ima Fraid

February 24, 2013 at 3:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anonymous 10:14 a.m. Feb. 20:

Chris: Do you think this comment is right for this blog. I am over 50 and don't appreciate wanting someone to kill me because of my age.

A 56 year old.

I can't post my name as this person might just hunt me down and kill me....

February 25, 2013 at 3:14 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't sweat it so much 56 y/o blogger. Your just a Spring chicken compared to me. Your safe. That person was intending those remarks to be directed to me, I think! I'm nearing 80 y/o and the guy would actually be doing me a favor if he bumped me off. LOL! He just doesn't realize that I would not be in his way in the beer line because, I can't stand that long due to bad knees and, to top it off – I don't drink. Come to think of it, maybe it might be a good idea if I started to imbibe some spirits, just not beer. It stinks too darn much. And, if I were to become s**t faced, I would not be able to see one of the Wild Cubs employees insufferable butt kissing of Stu Williams. That would be a good thing, indeed!
Ima Fraid

February 25, 2013 at 6:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Seems like there is one person on here who thinks every comment is about him.

February 28, 2013 at 11:31 AM  

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