Zeller's winter vacation

While most of us in Western Pennsylvania have been dealing with below-zero temperatures, shoveling snow and driving in ice storms over the last month, Wild Things manager Bart Zeller has been busy working.

In Palm Spring, Calif.

Zeller has been managing a team in the California Winter League, a pay-to-play league for players who hope to get signed by an independent team or affiliated organization. The league is based in Palm Springs.

As Bart would likely tell you, it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

The California Winter League is one of two winter/tryout leagues that have ties to the Frontier League. The other is the Texas Winter League, which started Tuesday. The California league produced a few Frontier League players last year, including Washington catcher Maxx Garrett and a couple players who were with the league champion Schaumburg Boomers.

This year, in addition to Zeller from Washington, Frontier League teams in Rockford, Schaumburg and Windy City, along with the Greys, are represented on the coaching staffs of California Winter League teams.

Looking at the rosters, there a few familiar names, including current Washington  outfielder Scott Kalamar and former Wild Things Tim Leary and Scott Fleishman. There also is a player from Westminster College, one from New Castle and another who is a graduate of West Allegheny High School.

The California Winter League season started Jan. 23 and runs through Feb. 16.