Well, it's that time of year again - Opening Day. What a great time to be a Frontier League fan. I've been traveling the League's cities for nearly all of its previous 14 seasons and I can tell you that there is no more exciting time to watch a baseball game. If you're already a fan, you know what I'm talking about. If you're new to the League, stay tuned for the FL's own brand of fun.
The League's front office, in a momentary lapse of wisdom, has asked me to write this season about my experiences on the road. This isn't the first time that I've done so. Some of you might remember a column I wrote on the web site a few years ago. Now, with the ease of coming at you in the blogosphere, I am ready to tackle the job of being a baseball pundit again.
You should know that two new teams enter Frontier League play this season: the Slippery Rock Sliders and the Southern Illinois Miners. The Sliders are playing at Slippery Rock University's Jack Critchfield Park, a neat little stadium tucked into the hills north of Pittsburgh. The Rock will be a great host for FL play. Its facilities, maintained beautifully by head coach Jeff Messer, and its sports management program, which has supplied enthusiastic students, have set a terrific foundation for the team this summer.
The Miners are entering the League with a brand new stadium in Marion, Illinois and an experienced, creative staff that will raise the bar for future expansion teams. The stadium features a synthetic turf similar to the playing surface at Chillicothe's V.A. Memorial Stadium. That will allow the Miners, like the Paints, to use their facility for all kinds of events, sports and otherwise. Ask Chillicothe GM Bryan Wickline how many days V.A. was idle this past year.
That's it for now. I look forward to bringing you the flavor of the Frontier League this season. Check back - when I'm not checking into a hotel or loading up the van, I'll try to get behind the scenes and fill you in on the goings-on. See you at a game!
