A look back

Every baseball season is memorable for multiple reasons. Wins or losses. Comebacks. Players. Plays. Games. The following are a few of the things that would make it on a Wild Things 2012 Highlights/Lowlights video:

* Starting with the most recent ... Andrew Heck becomes only second player in Wild Things history to play all nine positions in a game, doing so in the regular-season finale against Schaumburg. Heck does not commit an error and pitches two-thirds of an inning, allowing one run (unearned) with a strikeout.

* The Wild Things' bus broke down near Columbus, Ohio, during a trip from Lake Erie to Florence, Ky. It ended up being a 7-hour delay until a new bus arrived.

* Washington released outfielder James Simmons, who was signed in the offseason and had Class AAA experience, only five games into the season. Simmons later signed with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League, where he is hitting .284 with 11 home runs and had Bridgeport's only hit off Roger Clemens during the future Hall of Famer's comeback game.

* There was the night the lights went out in Washington. During a July 17 game against Evansville, the majority of the lights at Consol Energy Park are knocked out and the game is suspended because of insufficient illumination. It was completed the next morning.

* During a series at Windy City, and following a game against the ThunderBolts, the Wild Things' bus does not go directly back to the hotel, instead going to the airport to allow the team to pick up a new player. This is a first in franchise history, and it had to leave more than one player who was already on the bus wondering if he was about to be released to make room for the new guy. An uncomfortable situation to say the least.

* In Washington's first 10 seasons, only once did a player steal four bases in a game. After being acquired Aug. 1 in a trade with South Illinois, outfielder Darian Sandford stole four bases in a game twice for Washington. In 30 games with the Wild Things, Sandford stole 26 bases, but also was thrown out 16 times. Sandford led the Frontier League with 71 stolen bases.

* Prior to a game against Rockford in early July, pitching coach Tim Ferguson "resigns." It's the second time in 11 seasons that Washington's pitching coach resigned before the season reached the all-star break.

* The most bizarre event of the year happened after a July 24 home game against the London Rippers. Earlier in the evening, the Frontier League announced the Rippers would be suspending operations at 12:01 a.m. that night. The league did not prevent London from making trades. After the game, Washington manager Chris Bando and hitting coach Jim Tatum, along with two front office representatives, stood outside the Rippers' clubhouse and tried to broker trades for London players. They managed to get four players to agree to join the Wild Things in exchange for four players who would be assigned to the traveling Road Warriors.

* During an August series at West Division champion Gateway, the Wild Things went 14 consecutive innings without a hit.

* After having four players signed by affiliated teams last year, the Wild Things had only one this season, relief pitcher Nate Striz, who had his contract purchased by the Boston Red Sox. Striz ended the year as the closer for Boston's affiliate in the Class A South Atlantic League.

* In a series at Southern Illinois, Washington starts a game with pitcher Orlando Santos as the designated hitter. And he doesn't bat in the No. 9 spot.He bats cleanup.

* Washington signed two players, infielder Anthony Long and catcher Cody Coffman, had them on the active roster for three games, did not put them in a game and then released them. The Wild Things also drafted outfielder Michael Miller in the first round at the league tryout. Miller made the regular-season roster but was traded after five games and not getting an at-bat.

* The Wild Things had a fixation with the independent Pecos League. They either signed or drafted eight players from the Pecos. There were three pitchers, and only one made the team. He was released after appearing in only eight games. Of the five hitters signed, only two were on the team in the regular season, one did not register an at-bat and the other went 4-for-29 before being released.

* Washington tied the record for its longest game, playing a 17-inning contest at home Aug. 4 against Lake Erie. The Wild Things overcame 23 strikeouts by Lake Erie pitchers to win 2-1.

The Rippers reaction, from the other dugout

Greetings, Wild Things fans. Jason Mackey here, the new guy hired Monday to replace Mike Kovak on the O-R's sports staff. My second assignment -- got to thinking that maybe my boss, Chris Dugan, figured it'd be enough to get me to quit -- was to cover the Wild Things and the Florence Freedom less than 24 hours after the London Rippers disbanded, with five players (four for the Wild Things) from that organization here tonight. Here's a snapshot from my pregame talk with Florence manager Fran Riordan (pictured), one of the more trustworthy voices in the Frontier League.

Riordan has seen quite a bit during his 14-year career in the Frontier League, four of those as a player and nine as a manager when he won three league championships and was named the Manager of the Year while with the Kalamazoo Kings.

But what transpired this week when the Rippers announced they would cease operations as a franchise Tuesday night at Consol Energy Park, leaving players either to become free agents or play for a travel team called the "Road Warriors?" That's a new one on Riordan.

"This is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like it," said Riordan, who, with a career record of 506-429 after Wednesday's 9-8 Freedom win, is the league's all-time wins leader among managers.

While Washington traded for four former Rippers -- designated hitter Mark Samuelson, second baseman Brad Augustin, catcher Jim Vahalik and center fielder Chris Lloyd -- and inserted all four into the starting lineup, Riordan elected to sit the London player his team acquired, Stephen Cardullo, whose named was comically squeezed into the roster handed out to media members.

Riordan met with Cardullo -- who was still in street clothes, having just arrived from London -- for a few minutes shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday. The message? Take tonight, relax, start fresh tomorrow.

"He drove for 16 hours," Riordan said. "He didn’t get a chance to swing the bat. So I just figured I'd give him a day to get his legs underneath him and get him in there [Thursday]."

Gotta be tough, right?

"Logistically, for him, it was probably a nightmare," Riordan said. "But for us, it was just looking to see who we had interest in and getting that player in here."

Closed the interviewing by asking whether this was a black eye for the league. Sure is wacky enough.

"It doesn’t look good from the league perspective, but it’s completely out of the league’s control," Riordan said. "It’s a matter of one organization that wasn’t minding the ship. When that happens and things get away from you, it makes it important for the league to have the strength and authority to step in. Make sure that the league stays viable. They really didn’t have a choice in the matter. But it doesn’t look good."

Which teams hurt, helped by Rippers' demise

When the London Rippers became the first Frontier League team in 19 years to fold during the regular season, something had to be done to fill the hole in the schedule. The Rippers (25-35) had 36 games remaining to be played.

The only logical solution was to form a traveling team, which will be called the Road Warriors. The Frontier League purchased uniforms from the Atlantic League, which for several years had ran a travel team dubbed the Road Warriors.

Because of legal reasons, all players remaining on the Rippers' roster became free agents as of 12:01 a.m. today. Any of the Rippers wanting to play for the Road Warriors are guaranteed a spot on the team. A manager for the Road Warriors is expected to be named today.

When the Rippers' bus, with quite the impressive paint job, pulled out of Consol Energy Park last night, many of the players on it were still unsure if they would join the Road Warriors or simply call it quits.

This much, however, is certain: the Road Warriors will not be as good as the Rippers, especially after the Wild Things poached four of London's better players. Plus, it was rumored that London's best pitcher (Jamie Richmond) and best hitter (Joash Brodin, the Frontier League's leader in batting average) will sign with teams in the American Association.

So, which teams benefit from playing a weakened Rippers/Road Warriors club? And who plays the most games against a somewhat improved Washington club? Keep in mind that the Frontier League's playoff format this year is agin four teams, but it's the two division winners and the two remaining teams with the best winning percentages.

Looking at the schedule, the clear winner in this is Traverse City. The East Division-leading Beach Bums have six games remaining against the Road Warriors. Lake Erie is the only other team that will play the Road Warriors six times. The Beach Bums also do not have to play Washington. Lake Erie will play Washington six times.

The loser in the Rippers' shakeup is Southern Illinois. The Miners, who are two games behind Traverse City in the East, will not get to play the Road Warriors.

Florence, which is trying to hang in the playoff race with a 31-29 record, is the only other team that has to play Washington six more times, but who knows how many position players the Wild Things will be able to field for tonight's game against the Freedom. Not counting the former Rippers, Washington has only seven position players on its roster.

UPDATE: Joash Brodin has been signed by the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, and Brandon Sinnery, who beat the Wild Things 2-1 last week, has hooked up with the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association. He joins former Wild Things pitcher Justin Edwards in Lincoln.

London Rippers: R.I.P.

For most people attending the Wild Things' contest Tuesday night against the London Rippers, it seemed like just another game. The Rippers were a bit sloppy, and at times seemed disinterested, but that's not unusual for a team on the final night of a six-game road trip.

For the Rippers, the game had a funeral feel. Less than three hours after the game, the Rippers folded. "Ceased operations" is how Frontier League commissioner Bill Lee described the team's situation. At 12:01 a.m. last night, the Rippers were no more.

In other words, the London Rippers are dead. The headstone should read: London Rippers. Born: 2011-12 Offseason. Died: July 25, 2012. Cause: Lack of Money.

The Rippers' players learned less than hour before the game that the team's owners were pulling the plug on the franchise. Detroit-based obstetrician and gynecologist Othman Kadry owned 90 percent of the team. The remainder was owned by David Martin, who was the team's manager and general manager. Martin did not attend the series against the Wild Things. He missed the final five games in London's brief history.

Rumors had been circulating for several weeks that the Rippers were on shaky financial footing. London had a league-worst attendance, an average of 845 per home game at Labatt Park, where the team did not have a liquor license to sell beer. Last week, the Rippers were locked out of their team store for failure to pay rent.

According to the London Free Press, the Rippers were scheduled to pay the City of London rent payments of $6,250 June 6, June 23, July 20 and Aug. 14. The contract also specified that the Rippers were to donate $23,000 to the city in four equal instalments due in November 2011, April 2012, November 2012 and April 2013.

In place of the Rippers, the Frontier League will form a traveling team that will play London's remaining schedule. Any team that was scheduled to play at London will have home games instead against the traveling team, which will be known as the Road Warriors.

Matt Dumouchelle, the Rippers' director of media relations, declined to comment to the Observer-Reporter. He did tell the Free Press that the news hit the players hard.

"A lot of them are worried about what happens to them next, some were angry about how things went down and everyone was worried for the guys sitting next to them," he said. "It hasn't been an easy day."

The Rippers' situation also sparked a strange scene after the game. Washington manager Chris Bando and coach Jim Tatum, two team officials and an intern stood outside the Rippers' clubhouse door for about an hour, trying to finalize what turned out to be four trades for London players before the team folded at midnight.

Washington sent Doug Thennis, Will Arnold, Tanner Leighton and Tyler Oldham to London in exchanger for catcher Jim Vahalik, first baseman Mark Samuelson, second baseman Brad Agustin and outfielder Chris Lloyd.

Thennis, Arnold, Leighton and Oldham spent all of about 10 minutes as members of the Rippers. All of London's players became free agents at 12:01 a.m., though Lee said any Rippers player wanting to remain in the league would be guaranteed a spot on the Road Warriors, who will debut Thursday at Lake Erie.

At this time, nobody knows how many players will show up to play for the Road Warriors. Or how many of the new Wild Things will be in Washington tonight in time for the first game of a series against Florence.

Most of London's players went back to Ontario last night to get their cars, clothes and any other things they had left in London.

Without the four newly acquired players, Washington has only seven position players on the roster, which could make tonight's lineup interesting.

2012 London games

Problems for the London Rippers continue to mount. There's the lousy attendance. There's no license to sell beer at home games. Now, there is a rumor that the Rippers will become a road team for the remainder of the season.

http://www.lfpress.com/sports/baseball/2012/07/19/20004486.html

As I've written previously, the Frontier League doesn't need London and all the problems that come with having a team located there.

Let's go to our ring announcer ...

In an earlier post on this blog, I told you about how the Frontier League's London Rippers are not permitted to sell beer at their home games at, of all places, Labatt Park. The reason is a law that restricts liquor licenses to only one per address, and the one for Labatt Park is held by the London Majors, an amateur team that also plays at the park. This must be a London law because I can't imagine the Toronto Blue Jays are selling beer at the Rogers Center and the CFL's Toronto Argonauts are not.

In a move straight out of 1970s pro wrestling, Rippers manager David Martin has come up with a solution, albeit a ill-advised one, to settle the liquor-license debate. He has challenged the Majors to a best-of-three series with the winners gaining control of the liquor license and the loser having to leave town.

To use wrestling terms, the Rippers are playing the role of the heels and the Majors are the faces. The only thing missing is Mean Gene Okerlund as the ring announcer.

If Frontier League commissioner Bill Lee heard about this idea during morning, then it surely brought up his eggs. Thuis is one problem the league doesn't need.

"Obviously, this park isn’t big enough for the two of us," Martin told the London Free-Press. "They’ve been doing everything they can to block us and now this has become a manipulative thing. They’re trying to make bad business for us, so I’ve got nothing to do but fight for my ballclub."

Majors co-owner Scott Dart, not wanting to get involved in a "Battle for Labatt" made the right move and declined the offer.

“Bottom line? No," he said.

Here are links to two stories about this issue:

http://www.lfpress.com/sports/baseball/2012/06/26/19923246.html

http://www.ballparkdigest.com/201206265095/independent-baseball/news/no-beer-for-rippers-fans-owner-seeks-unique-solution

Minor-league baseball has a history of whacky and strange promotions, but this one is simply a bad idea. As I said previously, the Frontier League really doesn't need London or all the hassles that have come with putting a team in the city (not to mention all the bad press the Rippers are getting). And the Rippers have more important problems. Maybe they should be focusing more on trying to get work visas for three of their players who can only play in road games than beer.

This entire issue smells of an incident in the independent Pecos League last year:

http://www.pecosleague.com/pecosleague.asp?page=28&article_id=84

Tap runs dry

Here's a story from the London Community News about the London Rippers not being able to acquire a liquor license to sell beer at Labatt Park. Yes, there's no beer available during Rippers games at Labatt (the beer company) Park.

The Rippers can't get a beer license because only one can be issued per address and the London Majors, an amateur team (in other words, a beer league team) holds the license. The Majors have been playing at Labatt Park since the 1920s.

If you've followed the Rippers' story in London, the Majors weren't happy about the Frontier League moving in on their territory. An attorney for the Majors said the Rippers can use their liquor license, but it will cost the Frontier League team a mere $500 per game. That's $24,000 for the remainder of the season.

 “(Our liquor licence) is something we don’t want to lose just for the sake of playing nice with another team that’s here in the city with us," Majors owner Scott Dart said.

There comes a time, when the Rippers and the Frontier League have to ask themselves, "Is it really worth playing baseball in London, Ontario?"

The legaue has had one franchise (the Werewolves) fail in the city. The ballpark is old. Judging by the attendance and what we've been reading out of London, the majority of the people in the city don't care about the Rippers or want them out of town. Traveling across the border is a pain. Getting passports for players on short notice, is troublesome.

“They said London was open for business. I brought mine down and all I’ve found is doors closed,” said Rippers manager David Martin, who also runs the day-to-day operations of the organization.

Sometimes, you need to admit you've made a mistake and move on, in this case, to another city.

http://www.londoncommunitynews.com/2012/06/rippers-come-out-swinging-against-city-london-majors/

Blackkkkkkkkkkwell

Here are two clips from the Wild Things game Monday in London. Both are of Washington pitcher Eric Blackwell striking out hitters.

Labatt Memorial Park

Here are some photos taken by WJPA Radio's Randy Gore of the London Rippers' Labatt Memorial Park.

Labatt Park is the "oldest continually operating baseball grounds in the world," with a history dating back to 1877. It seats 5,200. Among those who have played at Labatt Park are Satchel Paige, Denny McClain, Ferguson Jenkins, Albert Belle, Jeff Bagwell, Bernie Williams and Travis Fryman.

You should be able to click on the photo and get a larger image.

Early trends

Each Frontier League team is five series into the season and some trends are beginning to appear. Some are quite surprising. Here are some things this guy has found most interesting about the first three weeks of the season:

* The most disappointing team to date has to be the Lake Erie Crushers. I had Lake Erie pegged for second place in the East, but the Crushers currently share the basement with London at 5-10. While the first 15 games of the season do not make or break a team, or are even cause for alarm, the stunning part of Lake Erie's start is where they're losing. The Crushers are only 1-8 at home.

* Word is that London has three players with passport problems and they're being put on the suspended list each time the Rippers return to Canada. When you're crossing the border each time you start a homestand or a roadtrip, why do you sign players who don't have passports? Not a smart move by the Rippers.

* River City is off to a 12-3 start, which isn't shocking considering the Rascals' recent success. But keep in mind that River City is doing this without two starting position players from last year, second baseman Doug Sanders and catcher Danny Sawyer, who are expected to join the team later in the season. Sanders is an assistant coach at Kent State, which has advanced to the Super Regional round of the NCAA tournament, and Sawyer earned a baseball part in the Jackie Robinson movie that is currently being filmed.

* Don't know which is more surprising: Washington is 6-8 with an anemic .187 team batting average or Gateway's pitching staff has given up the most home runs and walks in the league, yet is 8th in the league in team ERA at only 3.89.

* Traverse City's Jeff Flagg has a league-leading eight home runs. That's more than three teams, including Washington.

* While River City has the league's best record, the most impressive start might be that of Traverse City. The Beach Bums are 9-6 and have played only three home games.

Striz's wild week

In the last week, Nate Striz has driven his car halfway across the country, been told by two teams that they had no place for him on their roster, won two games (including one over a team that declined to sign him) and saved another game.

"Amazing week, huh?" said Striz, who went from unemployed to the Wild Things' closer in roughly four hours Sunday.

Striz, who played his college ball at North Carolina and spent two years in the Cleveland Indians system, was the final cut earlier this month for the Lincoln Saltdogs of the independent American Association (former Wild Things pitcher Justin Edwards plays for Lincoln).

Hoping to catch on with a Frontier League team, Striz called Nick Belmonte, a University of Florida broadcaster who is a consultant for many independent teams, and asked for advice. Belmonte told Striz to drive from Lincoln to Marion, Ill., because the London Rippers, who were playing in Marion against the Southern Illinois Miners, might be able to use another relief pitcher.

Last Saturday, Striz threw for the Rippers but they told him it was too early in the season to make a move with a pitcher who is classified as Experienced.

"They said they weren't going top jump ship on the guys they already have," Striz recalled.
Striz, however, is nothing if not determined. He put in a phone call to Brooks Carey, the pitching coach of the Evansville Otters. Striz knew Carey because the two worked at the same baseball academy in Lakeland, Fla., during the offseason.

Carey said he would watch Striz throw late Sunday afternoon at Bosse Field, if Striz could get to Evansville before the Otters' game against the Wild Things. Carey knew that Evansville didn't have a roster spot open, so he went to the Wild Things' clubhouse and invited Washington pitching coach Tim Ferguson to watch Striz's bullpen session.

Ferguson was actively looking for a power arm for the Wild Things' bullpen and liked what he saw from Striz. Carey said the Otters indeed couldn't sign Striz, so Ferguson and manager Chris Bando offered Striz a contract. There was just one catch: Carey had asked that the Wild Things not pitch Striz against the Otters that night.

"Tim had asked me if I could pitch tonight if I was needed," Striz said. "I said 'Sure' and they signed me to a contract and had it turned in to the league about 40 minutes before the game started. About the third inning, they told me that if there was a save situation, then they'd put me in."

Ferguson didn't plan to use Striz, but as the game approached extra innings, and with the Wild Things' bullpen becoming depleted, Striz was brought in to pitch with two outs in the ninth inning. He benefited from Trevor Pippin's solo home run in the top of the 10th inning, pitched a scoreless bottom of the 10th and earned his first win.

"That was the third time I had thrown in about 24 hours, but the one thing I learned from this is when you think your job is secure, it isn't," Striz said. "Every outing you have to take the approach that you have to prove something. You can't take anything for granted."

As the rest of his new teammates rode the bus back to Washington Sunday night/Monday morning, Striz drove his car back from Evansville.

"I drove three hours that night, stopped and then drove the other four Monday," Striz said.

Two nights after making his Wild Things debut, Striz pitched to one batter in the 10th inning and was credited with the win in a 1-0 victory over Gateway in Washington's home opener. Two days later, he earned his first save.

Striz comes to Washington with an impressive background. He was drafted in  the fifth round by the Minnesota Twins out of high school but did not sign.

"I just wasn't mature enough mentally to play pro baseball at that time," Striz said.

So he attended North Carolina and helped the Tar Heels advance to the College World Series in his freshman and sophomore seasons. A shoulder injury late in his sophomore year gave him a late start to the junior season, but he impressed enough that the Indians drafted him in the 22nd round in 2010.

"I've never been a closer, but it's a job I can like. You throw as hard as you can for one inning," said Striz, who has a fastball that has hit 92 mph. "I like it that a team can think enough of you to put the outcome of the game on your shoulders."

Oyster stewed

It's amazing what oysters can do to the body.

Nick Schreiber, the newest Wild Things pitcher, found out firsthand in late February when he was in St. Petersburg, Fla., to participate in the Independent Prospect Tournament. A former pitcher in the PSAC with California University, Schreiber was on the London Rippers' roster at the time and playing for the Frontier League team at the tournament. Schreiber decided to take advantage of being in Florida to sample some oysters, which happens to be one of his favorites.

Schreiber didn't give his meal a second thought until the day, just before the Frontier League team was to take the field for its first game in the tournament.

That's when Wild Things pitching coach Tim Ferguson, who was coaching the Frontier League team, heard a frantic yell. One of Ferguson's players was unconscious in the locker room, Ferguson was told.

Ferguson raced back to the locker room to find Schreiber on the floor.

"We called the paramedics and they gave Nick some fluids. It was hot down there. I thought maybe the heat got to him," Ferguson recalled. "The paramedics wanted him to go to the hospital, but he said that he was OK and wanted to go to the game. He thought he could pitch, if needed."

So Schreiber joined his teammates in the dugout. By midgame, he was down for the count again.

This time, Schreiber received more extensive medical attention, and it was discovered that the former Vulcans standout was suffering a bout of food poisoning, the result of eating some bad oysters.

It wasn't the kind of first impression Schreiber wanted to make with Ferguson or his Frontier League teammates.

Schreiber, a member of Cal's 2010 PSAC championship team, was feeling much better the next day and eventually pitched in the tournament. They were was his outings since being acquired by London in an offseason trade. A native of Greencastle in south central Pennsylvania, Schreiber played his first season of professional baseball in 2011 with the Lincoln Saltdogs of the independent American Association. Former Wild Things pitcher Justin Edwards currently plays for the Saltdogs.

Schreiber had an interesting season with Lincoln. As a reliever, Schreiber won his first six decisions and finished the year with a 6-1 record. But had 6.35 ERA in 37 games, which was a heavy workload for a rookie.

"At the beginning of the year, I was pitching every other day, like most relief pitchers, then it became three out of every four," Schreiber explained. "By late in the year, it got to me. My arm wasn't fresh.

"The ERA, obviously it reflected poorly. I guess it was the perfect storm. I got tired at the wrong time. One night, my manager had contacted a scout to come see me pitch and I had a bad game. Everything spiraled downhill from there."

The downhill path led to a trade to London and a short stay with the Rippers. Schreiber went to spring training with the club in Waterford, Mich., earlier this month but was there for only five days.

"I arrived on a Thursday, didn't get to a pitch until Monday, and for only two innings in an intrasquad game," Schreiber said. "I was released at 9 a.m. the next day. I was there for five days, threw for 10 minutes and then released."

So Schreiber returned to Western Pennsylvania -- he was living in Pittsburgh's South Side -- and began sending emails, in an attempt to get a tryout with any professional team. One of about "15 or 20" emails went to the Wild Things.

"They told me to keep working out, stay in shape and they'll call if they need me," Schreiber said.

Schreiber was brought in for a workout the day before the Wild Things left for a season-opening series at Evansville. When the Washington bullpen struggled against the Otters, Ferguson recalled liking what he saw of Schreiber in Florida, at least when the pitcher wasn't lying on the locker room floor.

Schreiber was brought back to Washington to throw for Ferguson on Monday, an off day in the Wild Things' schedule. He was signed and activated Tuesday before the home opener against the Gateway Grzzilies.

At Cal, Schreiber had a 6-4 record and 6.89 ERA in 17 games (10 starts) in 2010, his last season with the Vulcans. That also was the last year before the NCAA switched to the less-lively aluminum bats.

In 2009, Schreiber was 4-4 with a team-best 4.17 ERA.

Where's Wulf? In London

Wondering why Taylor Wulf, who was the Wild Things' closer last year, wasn't listed among the players who had their contract option picked up or declined by Washington last month? Here's why:

Wulf played for Oakland County in 2010 and was acquired by the Wild Things in a special draft of Cruisers players last year. The Cruisers franchise, though dark last year, was purchased in the summer of 2011 by the London Rippers, who will make their debut in 2012. By doing this, the Rippers re-acquired the rights to the players from the 2010 Cruisers who are still in the league. Those players are Wulf, first baseman Joash Brodin (River City in 2011), catcher Dan Killian (Evansville) and pitcher Wayde Kitchens (River City).

The Rippers also picked up Nick Schreiber, a right-handed pitcher who played last season with the Lincon Saltdogs of the American Association. Schreiber played in the PSAC at California University, where he was 10-8 with five saves over his junior and senior seasons. At Lincoln, Schreiber had a 6-1 record.

London team name gets ripped

The new London (Ont.) franchise has announced its nickname, and it has not been well-received by some folks.

The team will be known as the London Rippers.

Apparently, the nickname did not go over well at London's City Hall. City officials, though a written statement, have asked team owner David Martin to change the name. Officials took the time out of their finance and administration committee meeting to announce the following:

“On behalf of London City Council, we want to express serious concerns about the name of London’s newest baseball team. While the team owner’s intention may not have been to draw a connection to Jack the Ripper, we believe this name is unfortunate particularly in light of our focus on ending woman abuse.”

Let's start by simply rating the nickname. It's not good. Let's call it bad. You'd think people who are paid to make advertising decisions could come up with something better than Rippers. There are a lot of terms in baseball, and "rip" or "ripped" is far down the list of marketable ones.

When I think of Rippers and baseball, the first thing that runs through my mind is a line-drive double being ripped into the right-centerfield gap. The second thing is flatulence, which speaks volumes about my childish sense of humor and is a good reason not to use the nickname.

On down -- way down to be more accurate -- the list of things I associate with the London team's nickname is Jack the Ripper. But the more you think about the infamous serial killer who was noted for murdering prostitutes in London (England) during the late 1800s, maybe the criticism of the nickname has at least some merit.

Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if you asked people under the age of 35 who Jack the Ripper was and the majority would answer he was a professional wrestler.

Here is one comment from a newspaper article about the nickname:

"There are three reasons why this is a bad choice for a team name. 1) Regardless of whether or not this is offensive to women, the fact that the name references a serial killer is in poor taste. Even if the reference wasn't intentional, people are clearly interpreting the team name in this way. 2)The idea of Diamond Jack (this is the team's mascot) is confusing, and kind of creepy. So the mascot "lurks" around the grandstand? Phantom of the Opera? It just doesn't really make sense. 3)Lots of people call strip clubs the "rippers" these days. So, not only has the team made reference to a serial killer, it's tale of Diamond Jack is strange, and people will confuse the team with a bunch of strippers. Perhaps a meeting is in order?

On a website of another newspaper, this comment was left:

"I was really looking forward to taking in some games with my wife. Now we'll look forward to doing other things instead. This has got to be one of the stupider moments in sports history."

Really? I can think of thousands of moments dumber than the naming of a team's nickname.

Another person wrote:

"The Rippers? What is this - an episode of Family Guy? We have the London Majors so why do we have to expose ourselves to this character and his goofy ideas? He's determined to make a fool out of Londoners. It was a mistake from the get go to let this character come to London with his non-existent team and this is playing out as a failure already."

The London Majors are an amateur baseball team that plays about 20 home games at Labbat Park, where the Rippers also will play.

Lastly, we have one more comment:

"HAHA REALLY.......as if anyone is making a big deal of this??? its a sports teams name!!! I can hardly believe people are wasting their time making this an issue. Open your eyes people!!! This city has bigger issues to put your time and effort into! Not only that, no matter what the team name is none of you will go out and support them anyway."

Any comments from this blog's readers?

Frontier League goin' north of the border?

We know the Frontier League will be adding a team in Schaumburg, Ill., next season. That team's name will be announced next month.

That brings the league to 13 teams, but you can't have a baseball league with an odd number of franchises. So where will the 14th team be located?

If a Michigan man has his way, it will be in Canada.

David Martin, who bought the Oakland County Cruisers, is trying to put the franchise in London, Ontario. Martin already met opposition for his team in Clawson, Mich. He had hoped to renovate a town park in Clawson but his plan was shot down by locals.

Martin then shifted his target to London, which hosted a Frontier League team from 1999-2001 and won the league championship in '99. If you actually trace the Wild Things' roots, you'll find that the franchise goes back to London. That team moved to Canton, Ohio, and later to Washington.

Martin, whose ownership group has been approved by the league, wants to play in 5,200-seat Labbat Park. The stumbling block at this time is an amateur team plays at the park.

Here are a couple of links:

Read the story here.

Read the story here.