A Fan's Guide to the Midwest League

The Hot Stove: News & Rumors

Things I know, or think I know, and an occasional interpretation.

Winter news in the Midwest League is largely about affiliation changes (I've listed the PDC through dates that I know below), coaching staff appointments, stadium repairs, and rumors about teams moving to new towns. That's what you'll find below.

• Minor League Baseball's Kevin Czerwinski has posted a kind profile of me on MiLB's website. Thanks, Kev; it's much appreciated. Nice to be mentioned with Bill Weiss, but my hobby's a pale imitation of his career....

• Low-A Realignment Update: As the 2008 season ended, Minor League Baseball announced that the Lake County (Eastlake, Ohio) and Bowling Green, Kentucky (former Columbus, Georgia) teams will be moving from the South Atlantic League to the Midwest League for the 2010 season. This switch will certainly reduce the transportation costs for the SAL; it has schedule implications for the MWL which reportedly haven't been fully considered. It seems very likely that the league will cut down on inter-divisional play as a result of this change. Should be interesting.

• Coaching Staff: Nelson Prada returns as Beloit's manager; he'll be joined by pitching coach Gary Lucas (it will be Gary's tenth MWL summer) and hitting coach Rich Miller.
• Player Development Contract: The Snappers and Twins have extended their Player Development Contract through the 2010 season.
• Beloit's ballpark replacement effort, which pretty much collapsed in December of 2006, is clearly continuing, but keeping a low profile.
• More Snappers news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Jim Gabella will return home to manage Burlington in 2009; he'll be assisted by coaches Jerry Nyman (pitching) and Pookie Wilson (hitting). Brian Rupp, who was originally slated for the manager slot, has been reassigned to Wilmington.
• Player Development Contract: The Bees/Royals PDC, which was signed in 2006, runs through 2010.
• More Bees news? Drop me a line.

• They've renamed the ballpark again: It's now Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Dale and Thomas are apparently having economic difficulties....
• Coaching Staff: Manager Bill Mosiello, former Battle Creek manager, will be returning the the MWL at CR. Pitching coach Brandon Emanuel will be returning to Cedar Rapids. They'll be joined by hitting coach Brent Del Chiaro (who played for the Kernels in 2002). Dan Nichols will return as trainer. Keith Johnson, who was originally slated to manage this team, has been promoted to Rancho Cucamonga.
• Player Development Contract: The Angels and Kernels have extended their PDC through the 2010 season.
• More Kernels news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Former Wisconsin manager Scott Steinmann will return to the Midwest League in 2009 as the L'Kings' skipper; he'll be assisted by pitching coach Lance Painter and hitting coach Jesus Azuaje. Eddie Menchaca, originally announced as hitting coach, has been reassigned to Pulaski.
• The LumberKings will host the 2009 Midwest League All-Star Game.
• Player Development Contract Change: The LumberKings and Mariners signed a two-year (through 2010) PDC in September. The Rangers will be affilated with Hickory, in the SAL.
• Any more LumberKings news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: The Athletics have appointed Steve Scarsone to manage the Cougars next summer, and Jimmy Escalante to be the new pitching coach. Hitting coach Haas Pratt is the only holdover from last season, though trainer Nate Brooks will return to Kane County after a couple summers in Vancouver. Aaron Nieckula and Don Schulze have been promoted to Stockton.
• Player Development Contract: The Athletics have extended their PDC with the Cougars through 2010.
• The Cougars and the Forest Preserve have begun an $11.5 million rebuilding effort. Changes include luxury boxes and more seats. There's a webcam and other information on the Cougars' website.
• Lease Extended: The Cougars have extended their contract with their landlords, the Kane County Forest Preserve District, through 2028. In return for this extension, the Cougars will be permitted to sell naming rights for Elfstrom Stadium (though there's a provision to keep Philip Elfstrom's name on the facility in some form).
• More Cougars news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Marty Pevey will manage the Chiefs in 2009. Pitching coach Rich Bombard returns for another season, and hitting coach Barbaro Garbey returns to Peoria after a couple-year absence.
• Let's rename the ballpark: The Chiefs are looking for a new name sponsor for Peoria's ballyard. While they look they're keeping the O'Brien Field name.
• Player Development Contract: The Chiefs and the Cubs have extended their PDC through 2012.
• More Chiefs news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Manager Steve Dillard, hitting coach Joe Kruzel, pitching coach Ace Adams, and trainer Brian Puchalski will be returning to Modern Woodmen Park next summer.
• Player Development Contract: The Bandits and Cardinals have extended their PDC through 2010.
• More Bandits news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Jeff Isom will manage the Timber Rattlers next season, with help from pitching coach Chris Hook and hitting coach Matt Erickson. Wisconsin's trainer will be Aaron Hoback; the strength coach will be Jake Marx.
• Player Development Contract Change: As rumored, the Timber Rattlers and the Brewers are hooking up. The new PDC runs through 2012.
• More Timber Rattlers news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Dayton's new staff will include manager Todd Benzinger, hitting coach Tony Jaramillo, and pitching coach Tony Fossas. Jamie Dismuke, originally slated to be the Dragons' manager, has taken a position with the Braves. Rigo Beltran, originally slated for pitching coach, was reassigned to Carolina.
• Player Development Contract: The Dragons and Reds have extended their Player Development Contract through 2012. This is not exactly a surprise development.
• More Dragons news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Manager Doug Dascenzo, pitching coach Tom Bradley, and hitting coach Tom Tornincasa are all returning to Fort Wayne for 2009. The TinCaps trainer will be Ernesto Vega, Jr.
• The TinCaps will host the 2010 Midwest League All-Star Game.
• Name Change: Fort Wayne's team will henceforth be called the TinCaps, in honor of Johnny Appleseed. Press release explains.
• Parkview Field: The TinCaps have sold naming rights to a local health care provider, Parkview Health. Parkview Field will open on April 16, when the TinCaps host Dayton. The construction company's put up a webcam.
• Player Development Contract: The TinCaps and Padres have extended their Player Development Contract through 2010.
• More TinCaps news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Manager Juan Bustabad and pitching coach Danny Darwin will be returning to Midland in 2009; they'll be joined by hitting coach Michael Boughton.
• Player Development Contract: The Loons and the Dodgers have extended their PDC through 2010.
• More Loons news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Manager Clayton McCullough will return for 2009, as will hitting coach Justin Mashore and trainer Bob Tarpey. The new Lansing pitching coach will be Antonio Caceres.
• Player Development Contract: The Blue Jays and the Lugnuts have extended their Player Development Contract through 2010.
• More Lugnuts news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Mark Haley returns for his fifth season as South Bend's manager (and his eighth SB season overall). Pitching coach Erik Sabel and hitting coach Francisco Morales will also be returning, though their tenure's been shorter....
• Player Development Contract: The Hawks and the Diamondbacks extended their PDC through 2012 in August.
• Any more Silver Hawks news? Drop me a line.

• Coaching Staff: Manager Joe DePastino, hitting coach Benny Distefano, and pitching coach Mark Johnson are all returning to the Whitecaps for another summer.

• Ballpark Renovations: The Whitecaps are doing substantial work on the ballpark this off-season. Changes include a new playing field, an improved protective screen behind home plate, and new (wider) box seats in the grandstand.

• Player Development Contract: The Whitecaps and the Tigers have extended their player development contract from 2010 through 2014. (Didn't know they could do that; it smells like they found a loophole.)
• Any Whitecaps news? Drop me a line.