Thursday, January 24, 2019

NYPL Hot Stove Update - Tri-City Valleys Field Staff Announced

"The Joe"- home of the ValleyCats in Troy, New York (credit: MiLB.com)
Today, the Houston Astros announced that Ozney Guillen will manage the defending New York-Penn League Champion Tri-City ValleyCats during the 2019 season. Guillen is the youngest son of former major league player and manager Ozzie Guillen.

He will be joined by pitching coach John Kovalik and hitting coach Sean Godfrey. Read the press release from the Tri-City ValleyCats at this link.

The ValleyCats open the 2019 season on June 14 at the Vermont Lake Monsters and open at "The Joe" on June 16 against the Staten Island Yankees. Ticket information is available here.

Photo Credits: MiLB.com
 
NY-Penn League News and History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball or the New York-Penn League or any of its teams. 

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

NYPL Hot Stove Updates: Draft Order and Managers Named

I have been suffering from writer's block for several weeks. Sometimes it is much easier to post something on Twitter (follow me at @NYPennNews). Here is a very brief hot stove update.

Monongalia County Ballpark (home of the West Virginia Black Bears) - December 2, 2018
2019 MLB Draft: The New York-Penn League season opens on June 14, 2019. Rosters won't be set until after the Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft, which takes place June 3 thru 5 and can be viewed on MLB Network. The first round draft order for parent clubs of  NYPL teams are as follows:

  1. Baltimore Orioles (Aberdeen IronBirds)
  4. Miami Marlins (Batavia Muckdogs)
  5. Detroit Tigers (Connecticut Tigers)
12. New York Mets (Brooklyn Cyclones)
14. Philadelphia Phillies (Willamsport Crosscutters)
17. Washington Nationals (Auburn Doubledays)
18. Pittsburgh Pirates (West Virginia Black Bears)
19. St. Louis Cardinals (State College Spikes)
22. Tampa Bay Rays (Hudson Valley Renegades)
24. Cleveland Indians (Mahoning Valley Scrappers)
29. Oakland Athletics (Vermont Lake Monsters)
30. New York Yankees (Staten Island Yankees)
32. Houston Astros (Tri-City ValleyCats)

The Boston Red Sox (Lowell Spinners) first pick is not until #43 in the second round (their top pick, initially #33 was dropped 10 places as a penalty for being more than $40 million over the tax threshold).

New York-Penn League managers for 2019: Several managers have been named for the 2019 season....

Auburn Doubledays: Rocket Wheeler
Connecticut Tigers: Brayan Pena 
Hudson Valley Renegades: Blake Butera 
Lowell Spinners: Luke Montz 
Mahoning Valley Scrappers: Dennis Malave
State College Spikes: Jose Leon
Vermont Lake Monsters: Aaron Nieckula
West Virginia Black Bears: Drew Saylor

Stay warm. More later......

Photo Credits: NY-Penn League and History
 
NY-Penn League News and History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball or the New York-Penn League or any of its teams.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Heading to Spring Training in February

Spring Training at Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, Florida, March 2017
I am in the process of planning another Spring Training road trip to Florida in February.

The tentative schedule is as follows:

February 23 (Saturday) Detroit Tigers vs Toronto Blue Jays (Dunedin) 1:07pm

February 24 (Sunday) Pittsburgh Pirates vs Miami Marlins (Bradenton) 1:05pm

February 25 (Monday) Pittsburgh Pirates vs Boston Red Sox (Bradenton) 1:05pm

February 26 (Tuesday) Boston Red Sox vs Toronto Blue Jays (Dunedin) 1:07pm

February 27 (Wednesday) Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees (Lakeland) 1:05 p.m.

We hope to also make our usual stop in Columbia, South Carolina to catch a college game at Founders Park.

As in the past, I'll post photos on Twitter (@NYPennNews) during the trip.

Photo Credits: NY-Penn League and History
 
NY-Penn League News and History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball or the New York-Penn League or any of its teams.