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. 

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.

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. 

My 2019 IBWAA Hall of Fame Ballot

 Here is my Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) Hall of Fame (HOF) ballot for 2019.

Clicking on each player’s name will take you to Baseball-Reference.com where you can look at their statistics.

Roy Halladay

Andruw Jones

Fred McGriff

Mariano Rivers

Omar Vizquel

Billy Wagner

Larry Walker

If you are wondering about the IBWAA, here is information from the organization's website:

“The IBWAA seeks neither to replace nor disparage the BBWAA, but does offer distinctions. While the BBWAA requires ten years and hundreds of dollars of paid membership for writers to earn a Hall of Fame vote, the IBWAA has no waiting period, with a $75 lifetime fee.

“In the vast majority of cases, the BBWAA requires the tying of a writer’s online work to a print publication for admission; the IBWAA does not. The IBWAA believes that the hoops an applying writer has to jump through to join the older organization are too many and too narrow, and welcomes all Internet baseball writers. Those with his or her own baseball website of any kind or scope are invited to join, as are those who contribute the written word anywhere within the baseball blogosphere.

"The IBWAA votes for Cooperstown in December, and during September of each championship season holds elections for the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year Awards. In 2010, the IBWAA began voting in its own relief pitcher category, establishing the Rollie Fingers American League Relief Pitcher of the Year and the Hoyt Wilhelm National League Relief Pitcher of the Year Awards.

“The IBWAA endeavors to be nimble and inclusive, and encourages members to participate as much or as little as they like. All suggestions are welcome always. Minimum age requirement is 18.

“For more info, please contact IBWAA Director, Howard Cole, info@ibwaa.com."

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

November Transactions in the New York-Penn League thru November 20

NYPL All Star Game - August 14, 2018

 Hudson Valley Renegades released Allen Smoot and Garrett Giovannelli on November 1.

Kevin Matir of the Williamsport Crosscutters elected free agency on November 2.

Victor Rey of the Staten Island Yankees elected free agency on November 2.

West Virginia Black Bears released Argenis Romano, Paul Brands, Miguel Hernandez, Melvin Jimenez, Michael De La Cruz, and Jhoan Herrera on November 6.

Michael Plassmeyer assigned to the Hudson Valley Renegades on November 8.

Vermont Lake Monsters placed Oscar Tovar on restricted list on November 8.

State College Spikes released Will Changarotty on November 19.

West Virginia Black Bears released Manny Bejarano on November 19.

State College Spikes released Kevin Hamann and Brett Seeburger on November 19.

Jefry Valdez assigned to Staten Island Yankees on November 20.

Source: MiLB.com

Photo Credit: NY-Penn League News and History

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

Taking a break

Time for another vacation. Will be back sometime in late November. Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo credit: MLB.com

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

Oakland A's Announce Vermont Lake Monsters' 2019 Field Staff

The Oakland A’s have announced the following field staff for the 2019 season. Aaron Nieckula will return for the fifth season as manager of the the Vermont Lake Monsters. Carlos Chavez returns for his second season as the Lake Monsters pitching coach. Kevin Kouzmanoff will serve as hitting coach. Rick Magnante has been assigned as a coach. Toshiaki Nagahara will enter his seventh season as the athletic trainer for Vermont. Kevin Guild returns for his second season as strength and conditioning coach. Read the entire release at this link.

Logo credit: Vermont Lake Monsters

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