tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336485792011-11-26T09:19:55.637-05:00Wooden U. Lykteneau's musings on minor-league and indy baseballWooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.comBlogger921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-43631314590338063102010-10-05T16:47:00.000-04:002010-10-05T16:47:10.785-04:00

In my less-than-frequent meanderings here, a common topic was the proposed team in Loudoun County for the Atlantic League. Without further ado, it's the Loudoun County Hounds. As I semi-suspected, this development has breathed new life into the Potomac Nationals quest for a new stadium though I doubt it will result in a race to see who builds first. Suffice it to say, the folks in Loudoun have a

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-75173712231602618872010-09-26T14:35:00.000-04:002010-09-26T14:35:49.039-04:00

The 2010 season is now over, having ended nine days ago with the second Potomac championship in three years.  But the headline refers to the 2010 season overall that saw my previous record of games attended (75) obliterated with 88 games in seven states and the District of Columbia. When I moved here in 2006, I thought I would be seeing less baseball, but it turns out that the opposite has

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-63055144851398455682010-06-06T15:08:00.002-04:002010-06-06T15:51:34.718-04:00

As I expected some months ago, when I began to write for NationalsProspects.com, this blog has gone fallow. Not quite dark, but fallow. I don't expect this to change until after the baseball season is over, though I'll probably document my trip to Tennessee hereSoon, I will own the NationalsProspects.com domain as its owner is looking to devote all his time and energy (and money) into his primary

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-79594316122282915692010-04-04T12:52:00.002-04:002010-04-04T13:33:49.732-04:00

Well, no, not in terms of the calendar, climate or meteorology. But for a baseball fan, summer is not Memorial Day to Labor Day — It's Opening Day (or Night) until the rosters expand to 40 men on September 1st. Fall follows and lasts until the final out of the World Series. Then it's Winter until pitchers and catchers report.Yes, that makes for a very lopsided year... 20 weeks of Summer, eight

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-55885298979444663842010-03-27T11:10:00.000-04:002010-03-27T11:11:18.187-04:00

Though I no longer have a dog in the Can-Am League "fight," I still am a big fan of the independent game and keep tabs on the league that I followed very closely for five years.Last month, it was officially announced that the team formerly known as the Nashua Pride would relocate to Pittsfield. Earlier this month, the team name was announced.Without further ado, it's the Pittsfield

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-53517395616731545962010-03-14T07:59:00.002-04:002010-03-14T09:18:03.890-04:00

A friend of mine commented about a radical realignment plan that was floated this week and I began to write a long-winded comment that's more suited to a post.So here goes...I've always felt that the solution to this problem is simple: weight the schedule NFL-style. The wild card has already cut into the meaning of a division title and has already given us a World Series winner that had a losing

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-8584254497034946572010-02-27T09:59:00.004-05:002010-03-07T07:27:58.059-05:00

Looking back at my post from this time a year ago, I can see some thoughts on spring training, so here are my takes on the Nationals and Red Sox......It's a whole new ballgame in Viera. Last year, the Smiley-gate fiasco hung in the air, with the eventual dismissal of Jim Bowden, who's now become the Michael Scott of GMs, past or present.Now, it seems like a new attitude is pervading....Some of

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-29346449472067773342010-02-20T13:33:00.006-05:002010-02-20T14:31:22.540-05:00

Earlier this week, the folks attempting to bring an Atlantic League team to Loudoun County revealed their finalists for the "Name That Team" contest:Dulles Blue HeronLoudoun HoundsVirginia Silver StarsMy first take?Meh.OK, now for some second takes...Blue Heron isn't so bad, but the folks who whittled this down seem to forget that there is already a team in the Atlantic League with "Blue" in its

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-43060222230081320062010-02-04T08:21:00.007-05:002010-02-04T13:49:07.529-05:00

Last fall, things looked rather bleak for the Can-Am League. Brockton was locked out. Nashua was forced out. Six teams is minimum for a league to survive, and the prospect of dropping to four teams so far apart seemed like a death knell.Then in December, Brockton paid off its bills and reorganized. This was what I was hoping for, and even though they didn't restructure their contract to get out

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-33967186848051633412010-01-23T10:03:00.002-05:002010-01-23T10:48:59.326-05:00

January and February are the two worst months of the year. There's no skipping around it.It would help, perhaps, if I were a fan of hockey or basketball, but I'm not. Oh, I appreciate the pure skill of the former, and the amazing athleticism of the latter, and I'd never turn down an offer to see either in person, but I don't seek it out and I don't follow it very closely.Football gets me through

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-44883115466531681912010-01-01T08:57:00.002-05:002010-01-01T09:00:03.523-05:00

[Ed. note: This is what I wrote for another site, but am republishing under author's permission ;-]With a New Year, and a New Decade upon us, hope springs eternal for a New Era (no, not that New Era). This is irrespective of baseball, but with this being a baseball [blog], but I'm proposing a very simple change for Nationals fans.Let's kill the culture of negativity.The more astute reader will

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-47976898479646482662009-12-20T11:15:00.002-05:002009-12-20T11:58:28.092-05:00

What seemed like a chimera months ago, continues to gather steam as the talk of a new ballpark in Loudoun County has progressed to the "Name The Team" phase (Dulles Destroyers, if you're wondering). I've seen this before in Danbury, CT and Plymouth, MA, but what makes me wonder now is that there appears to be something of a race this time.It doesn't take a genius to realize that there is no way

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-80793553339959937532009-12-12T11:58:00.002-05:002009-12-12T11:59:20.223-05:00

Probably the most amusing thing I've noticed throughout my travels through the blogosphere is the presumed correlation between a team's spending or the moves made thus far and its commitment to winning. Put more simply, if you're not signing expensive free agents or making trades for big-name players, you (the team) aren't trying.What's a little surprising is that, as a fan of both a big-time

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-11919216557490384052009-11-21T13:15:00.005-05:002009-11-22T07:51:07.745-05:00

With the close of the Arizona Fall League yesterday, affiliated baseball is done for year. Actually, with the fold of the Florida Winter League, so is independent baseball (seriously, they thought they could compete with football in the fall? That's like challenging basketball in Indiana).The WBC has pushed everything back a week this year, so we're not quite done yet with the antiquated

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-66725658961543793732009-09-19T07:26:00.003-04:002009-09-19T08:24:42.875-04:00

Ever since my beloved North Shore Spirit went belly-up, the news from the old Northeast League has been almost always bad...The American Defenders, nee Nashua Pride, are locked out Holman Stadium for lack of payments; the team blames the rain, instead of the apathy of the "fans" in Southern N.H.Ottawa, despite having a NA-quality stadium, can't make a go of it as the city tries to raise the rent

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-66338551132555266712009-08-24T20:52:00.003-04:002009-08-25T20:56:07.167-04:00

With two weeks to go, the Potomac Nationals are within striking distance of the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Again.This is the 3rd straight season these two teams have been in the running in the 2nd half for the final berth. In 2007, it was an 11-game win steak that brought the PNats within inches of a playoff berth. Last year, the two teams met in the final series of the year but with Potomac having

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-65160949475364118942009-07-25T13:25:00.002-04:002009-07-25T13:40:56.498-04:00

I have to say I was more than a little shocked when I read the news that Loudoun County had approved the zoning changes for a new stadium development complex. Reading through the comments, a little less than shocked at the ignorance of folks on the quality of play of the Atlantic League.I've been following this story with a very simple interest of having a choice of pro baseball teams to attend.

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-18964285074586840762009-07-12T07:44:00.009-04:002009-07-12T11:39:07.354-04:00

One of the oddities about the long Carolina League season is that it's very easy to ignore the team when they're on the road. It's not like my previous "love," where you stay laser-focused because the halves of 46 games are so short; two bad weeks is all it takes to lose a half - that's it.So it is with the Potomac Nationals who continue to play uninspired at home – 17-19, and that's including a

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-9138853912482769942009-06-09T16:44:00.002-04:002009-06-09T17:11:21.857-04:00

Much to my surprise, I saw an item today that the Atlantic League has committed to the investors that are trying to build a ballpark in Loudon County. While far from a done deal, it's an interesting commitment to make when there's a much larger fish to be landed in Richmond, where that Atlantic League is also offering to spend $28M in a massive renovation of The Diamond.As always, I'll be rooting

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-35437834001407071232009-05-26T11:37:00.007-04:002009-05-26T13:15:15.752-04:00

This was the big one. I had planned it since last fall, when the PNats schedule came out and I saw that they were travelling to Kinston and Myrtle Beach in mid-May: late enough to be past the threat of April rain, early enough to be before the stifling heat.On the rain, that proved to be a very close call but I made it, suffering only rain on the travel days of Friday and Sunday.Originally, the

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-73619574927502294772009-05-13T10:29:00.003-04:002009-05-13T11:11:22.841-04:00

For the second time in the past few months, a story has popped up that a new "green" ballpark has been proposed for an area to be dubbed "Kincora," which will feature among the usual distractions when developers make their pitch, a $30M ballpark that will house an Atlantic League expansion team.Sorry, I just don't see it happening.And it's not necessarily because of the poor economy. Or because

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-62743206752676007992009-04-26T11:03:00.003-04:002009-04-26T11:23:24.980-04:00

Because it's such a relatively short jaunt, it's hard for me to consider this a road trip, but I guess when you're gone nearly seven hours, it still counts.What kills me about the trip to Frederick is that I usually end up dropping $4 or more in tolls because I prefer to go through Leesburg on the way to, and take 270 to the Dulles Toll Road on the way back, in my vain effort to avoid I-66 during

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-47486982277518360782009-04-19T18:13:00.002-04:002009-04-19T19:16:40.209-04:00

Wish I could find a picture of the big, honkin' pennant that's now flying above the CF wall, but for now this generic shot will have to suffice.More than seven months after the P-Nats took the 2008 Carolina League pennant, they came back to the Pfitz, against the very same Myrtle Beach Pelicans.Well, same in name, anyway. There are a baker's dozen or so players that saw time in 2008 for the

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-88679536835292975322009-04-11T10:30:00.004-04:002009-04-11T10:46:44.712-04:00

Thanks to a forecast of poor weather, moved up my plans to visit Lynchburg a day and managed to get a good seat for Opening Day. Frankly, I was a little surprised. I know times are tough, but in a rinky-dink town with not much else to do (this is home to Liberty University, after all) I figured that the most popular date on the schedule would have been a draw, not to mention... some guy named

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-17594974527589956182009-03-28T11:37:00.002-04:002009-03-28T12:19:00.077-04:00

Three years ago, when I first moved to Northern Virginia, I became a season-ticket holder to the Potomac Nationals in the hope of seeing what I will now see this season... guys that I saw play in Woodbridge eventually playing in Washington.That's because the Nationals announced this morning that Shairon Martis (2007) will be the team's #4 starter and Jordan Zimmermann (2008) will be the #5 guy.

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-830028505129359832009-03-20T10:04:00.004-04:002009-03-20T10:14:25.349-04:00

Earlier this week, the Nationals cut ties to the promising-but-maddening Shawn Hill. Naturally, this caused a lot of unnecessary handwringing and the usual, no-brain, knee-jerk Lerners-are-cheap remarks.To which I say: Get used to it.Let's face it, as nice a guy as Shawn Hill is reported to be, this is a business. I can't think of many other places where you'd be allowed to keep your job when you

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-76533434531957989922009-03-01T08:06:00.002-05:002009-03-01T09:09:16.821-05:00

Finally.Unfortunately, with this weird—almost menopausal—winter there's snow on the ground and a storm predicted for tonight. But there's baseball on TV today, and that should help.But baseball's not on my mind as I sit down to write.A funny thing I've been noticing lately is the decrying of the demise of the newspaper. Yesterday, in fact, there was a long post in the Washington Post about how

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-48166829657199995532009-02-03T16:39:00.009-05:002009-02-06T11:30:55.363-05:00

Unlike our furry friend in Pennsylvania, a sign of spring has been spotted in BostonEven though pitchers and catchers report early this year, February remains a dead zone. Of course, being confined to my house and the recent spate of school days off (two for the inauguation and MLK holiday, two for the Fairfax County teachers in-service days, and another for an ice storm) certainly isn't helping.

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-84204865169339468392009-01-10T12:45:00.003-05:002009-01-10T13:51:39.193-05:00

So it's been a little more than a week since the MLB Network has made its debut, and while there's a lot to love, there's a whole lot more left to be desired.Being old enough to remember when "Baseball Tonight" was a tight, 30-minute highlight show, my initial hope was that that format would return with the signature original show "Hot Stove."Instead, it's more like an hour-long version of the

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-39180176983614036382008-12-07T13:39:00.005-05:002008-12-07T17:55:23.227-05:00

OK, so I've been really absent from my blog. Part of it, as mentioned previously, is to adhere to my obligation to not duplicate content I'm creating for an online magazine. But a good deal of it is simply because I'm just not that inspired lately. Without further ado, here's a look at what I've been noticing...(hence the title)Last month, the Salem Avalanche, which had been purchased by the Red

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-35070652726104700472008-11-15T08:42:00.002-05:002008-11-15T09:33:05.549-05:00

With the release of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs schedule yesterday, the 2009 Plans have taken their next step. They'll be complete once the game times are lined up. This is critical because in my new role, I have more time to make midweek, midday games. In fact, looking over the schedule, some of those dates may be my only chance, since the baseball gods have conspired to have my favorite

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-63031428535708933502008-11-01T15:30:00.002-04:002008-11-01T16:33:38.385-04:00

Earlier this week, the Potomac Nationals finally released the 2009 schedule. For a fan like me, this is my calendar for almost half the year. It also enables me to tell the Mrs. when we can plan our vacation next summer, as I now know when the PNats will be out of town.I had forgotten the effect of the WBC has onb baseball, as the season does not start until April 9 next year, and like 2007, the

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-49159916515839061482008-10-19T15:28:00.002-04:002008-10-19T15:58:57.463-04:00

There are two reasons my blog has gone fallow, despite my new situation.1) I've agreed to write what amounts to an article a week for Suite101.com, and one of contractual items is that I don't republish previously written material, to ensure that that page appears ahead of this blog (which is 99.99% more likely anyway, but I digress)2) The Carolina League has still not released the 2009

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-89462465746766043142008-09-28T08:38:00.004-04:002008-09-28T09:13:10.015-04:00

Until the 2009 schedule comes out, there's not a whole lot to talk about. This week I'll be going to pick up my Potomac Carolina League 2008 Mills Cup Champs T-shirt. I certainly hope they'll paste over everything next season with 2008 Carolina League Champs, since it appears that No. Va. fans are extremely fair-weather.In the meantime, I had a great time as a finalist for the MASN Fantasy Camp.

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-66940740476118479342008-09-13T09:19:00.003-04:002008-09-13T11:00:12.845-04:00

A year ago this weekend, I was despondent over seeing my beloved North Shore Spirit go down with a whimper, losing their ninth straight championship finals game at Fraser Field. As you might have guessed from my last post, that pain still lingered just a tiny bit, so my enthusiasm was definitely tempered, remembering the 2004 North Shore Spirit that had lost seven straight on the road and

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-25508112581566679242008-09-02T16:41:00.003-04:002008-09-02T17:05:48.290-04:00

Somehow, the Potomac Nationals managed to win both halves of the Carolina League in 2008. This is no small feat, considering that more than 60 players came through Woodbridge this season. But, as the headline suggests, I'm not terribly confident these guys are going to play up to their potential.Basically, there are just five guys left from the first week of the season, and only three starters:

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-68153280831387209372008-08-23T09:02:00.002-04:002008-08-23T10:23:32.749-04:00

A lot has already been written about the non-signing of Aaron Crow, most of it the in the vein of blame-storming either the player, his agents, or Jim Bowden. Very little has been made regarding the "contract" he has signed with the Ft. Worth Cats. Until now.My personal opinion regarding the "First Year Draft" is that it is severely flawed and tremendously skewed towards the status quo. Note that

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-84675397031026912372008-07-27T19:40:00.004-04:002008-08-03T10:53:15.286-04:00

It's been nearly a year since I last wrote about anything related to the North Shore Spirit, but it's nice to see that some of the old-time Spirit (guys I saw day-to-day from 2003 to 2005) are continuing to play ball. Today, I'd like to write about one of the all-time greats, Vic Davilla. If there ever is an Independent Baseball Hall of Fame, Vic would have to be in the first class, along with

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-7686226576129147032008-07-20T07:49:00.002-04:002008-07-20T08:14:34.457-04:00

The continuing saga of Ross Detwiler...Since my last post, Ross has actually pitched even better than that night two-plus weeks ago, throwing 6 innings of shutout ball against Wilmington on the 9th with just a walk and 5 strikeouts. The next start was a little more prototypical, except that he faced 29 batters -- three more than his previous career high -- but did allow five runs on nine hits

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-41110424903851135852008-07-04T09:15:00.005-04:002008-07-20T07:48:58.371-04:00

My disappointment—some might say disdain—with Ross Detwiler may have taken a turn last night.Now the line last night was pretty mediocre:6+IP, 8H, 4R, 4ER, 1HR, 1BB, 4K, 27BF, 6GO, 8FOBut, take away the first two innings...4IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 0HR, 1BB, 1K, 14BF, 4GO, 7FOThere's a common misconception that lots of strikeouts means that a pitcher was "dominant." But this is why seeing things first

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-69771989469649686012008-06-29T15:15:00.002-04:002008-06-29T15:59:14.363-04:00

Every year, as part of my obsessive-compulsive need to while away the weekends when there is no baseball, I take the weekends that the PNats are on the road and catalog the possibilities. Sadly, the options are few without having to go for long drive... Bowie, Frederick, and Hagerstown have been the mainstays in 2006 and 2007.But this past offseason, a new team was added to the mix: The Southern

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-64995727708461031282008-06-22T13:31:00.011-04:002008-06-22T14:39:34.536-04:00

My company got a bloc of tickets to the Washington Nationals game this past Friday, so now I can finally answer the question "Have you been to the new ballpark?" after 378 times (or so).Now, bear in mind, I'm one of the very, very, very few Red Sox fans who will tell it to you straight: Fenway Park is a triumph of emotion over reason, save for the economic reality that the team owns the property

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-90780500997073003632008-06-14T09:45:00.002-04:002008-06-14T10:25:01.166-04:00

As the headline suggests, there's mixed emotions about Potomac finally making the playoffs. The second-half run in 2007 certainly suggested this would happen, but unlike then, the team that takes the field in early September will be undoubtedly different.And that's what's so frustrating. Sure, you can point to the Frederick Keys, winners of the past two league championships by winning the first

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-10887321160462097782008-05-31T08:31:00.000-04:002008-05-31T10:14:36.889-04:00

As a baseball junkie, most folks might be surprised to learn that I hate the first-year draft. It's true. In fact, I hate all drafts because it's probably the one thing that proves the accusation that sports are simply soap operas for men.Maybe it's because when you look at the first round of picks from, say, five years ago, you can just as many hits as you do misses. And by that, I mean guys

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-82263589430510609782008-05-24T14:36:00.002-04:002008-05-24T15:11:19.581-04:00

It's an odd headline to write, even though they gave us an incredible run last August because the past two seasons have largely been about mediocrity. Thirty-five wins were enough to take the first half in 2006, thirty-two in 2007. This year, it may take 40.With Kinston struggling for the first time in three years I've been watching, the balance of power has shifted to the northern division.

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-12779519387163528822008-05-17T09:07:00.008-04:002008-05-18T19:32:38.997-04:00

Last week, thanks to the threat of rain in southern Virginia and North Carolina, I went with Plan B and drove up to Cooperstown for the third time in six years. As it turns out, it was sunny and 70 degrees in central New York and from the perspective of avoiding bad weather, it was a success.However, from the primay factor of avoiding disappointment (like driving several hours to see a game that

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-65876780649628144462008-05-04T08:39:00.002-04:002008-05-04T10:50:53.182-04:00

Reading my friend's blog "Musings about Sports and other important items" I decided to, as the headline says, take a break from the usual and write about something I'm more than qualified to discuss:Bloggers vs. "sportswriters"I put the latter in quotations because I personally think that the true sportswriter is a dying breed. I used to be one, once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away. But I

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-32060861958291746882008-04-27T12:39:00.002-04:002008-04-27T13:58:05.067-04:00

Regardless of the outcome of this afternoon's game, the Potomac Nationals will come back to Woodbridge in first place. Considering that they've "cooled" to just playing .600 ball, that's pretty good. But better is that they've played toe-to-toe with their primary divisional foe, the Frederick Keys, and have held even.Four weeks into the season, my opinion/assessment of this team as a contender

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-45969192435784229722008-04-13T09:31:00.002-04:002008-04-13T10:31:39.734-04:00

Wow.Three walkoffs in one week.I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if they haven't surpassed last season's total, the Potomac Nationals are mighty close. Granted, while I'm excited about the wins, the sportswriter in me is inclined to point out that walkoffs are often a function of the loser than the winner.Case in point:On Tuesday, the Myrtle Beach starter, Tyler Hanson, held them to one

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-8143419019514508082008-04-02T18:33:00.004-04:002008-04-07T18:37:03.781-04:00

It's taken some time to adjust to the standards of affiliated ball, but for the first time in three years, it appears I'm going to get to see some real prospects. If nothing else, I don't think I'll be leaving early so much this April and May as it looks like the early edition of the 2008 Potomac Nationals will be able to pitch.Without further ado...Starting PitchersAdrian Alaniz, Ross Detwiler,

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-38564329162296999922008-03-22T08:47:00.002-04:002008-03-22T09:58:38.705-04:00

Yesterday, my season tickets arrived. This is the fifth spring for which I have been a season-ticket holder, and the day the tickets come is second only to opening day itself.Why?The schedule serves as a wishlist; the book of tickets is a to-do list.And for the first time since 2004, I'm seeing a front office that "gets it" when it comes to marketing and promotion. My last post was impressed by

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-59616243574446975982008-03-14T18:57:00.013-04:002008-03-15T10:34:40.329-04:00

It's been said that what makes minor-league baseball so much fun is the giveaways. Certainly, as a fan, I'm of two minds about them. When I'm making a road trip, I try to avoid them so I can avoid the crowds, but I love them for the hometown team – except maybe the bobbleheads.What disgusts me are the folks that show strictly for the giveaway, then leave. Not to pound on the bobblehead

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-90036887852040998062008-03-01T09:10:00.002-05:002008-03-01T09:32:14.965-05:00

Well, the schedule for Nationals Spring Traning games has been released. Needless to say, I am underwhelmed.Buried beneath the hype of how evenly balanced the coverage of the Nationals and Orioles -- 96 games on MASN, 65 on MASN2, 40 games in HD -- is that they will televise just four spring training games with the Nationals or the Orioles, two of which will be against each other and one will be

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-55340408036461135952008-02-24T15:37:00.011-05:002008-03-01T09:10:19.058-05:00

While whiling the days before baseball comes back, and staring at my desktop wallpaper of Civic Stadium in Eugene, Oregon -- quite possibly my favorite of all minor-league ballparks -- it occurred to think of all the places I've seen professional baseball.One of the first surprises was to see that I've never seen a game in Vermont or Maine. I always wanted to go up to Bangor or Portland, but

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-43676355498338148632008-02-17T07:59:00.004-05:002008-02-17T09:25:58.301-05:00

Still no word from MASN as to when they might actually decide to televise their raison d'être this spring, despite two e-mails and a blog comment on the the MASN website, which, like the network itself, looks decidedly second-rate.In stark contrast, however, is my native New England team's network, NESN, which televised the first workout. As hungry as I am for spring baseball, I think Dan

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-45512737052306208652008-02-10T08:57:00.000-05:002008-02-10T09:32:27.292-05:00

As a native New Englander, one of the surest signs of spring is when the Red Sox equipment truck leaves Fenway for Spring Training. It's not quite Groundhog Day, but it's close. Witness the 2006 edition, which featured an advertisement by CVS for the ~1,500 mile trip from Boston, MA to Fort Myers, FL. Even in this decade where the Patriots have been the class of the NFL (at least on the field),

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-9363026904337117462008-01-19T14:29:00.000-05:002008-01-19T15:18:30.900-05:00

Almost a year since I last wrote about this new proposed stadium, word is now out that the Potomac Nationals have hired a sports marketing firm to solicit naming-rights bids. Above is the proposed design, which calls for a 6,500-seat facility at a price tag of roughly $23 million.As he promised last year at the annual Hot Stove Dinner, P-Nats principal owner Art Silber is insisting that he can

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-75727426489498932532007-12-02T08:21:00.000-05:002007-12-02T09:48:08.661-05:00

As I transition my baseball focus away from the independent brand – or maybe just turn it down a little; I'm finding myself watching the Southern Maryland website these days just as much as any other – I've determined that the difference between independent and affiliated ball boils down to this: The indys focus on the life and death of the team and/or the league, the affiliates focus on the

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-31672025572961808752007-11-18T07:50:00.000-05:002007-11-18T08:46:40.508-05:00

OK, I'll admit I stole that headline from somewhere, but with the baseball world slowing to a crawl, I don't really have a unified theme to write about. So instead of a meal, I'm serving up appetizers (or leftovers):Crustacean Nation — That's the tagline for the newest professional baseball team in the Greater DC area, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. I'm not sure if I like it because it's

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-23809279326034577672007-11-03T15:59:00.000-04:002007-11-03T17:00:50.567-04:00

Within three days of my last post, the North Shore Spirit website went dead. A week later, the Nashua Pride announced yet again that they'd be back in 2008. The following week: The New Haven County Cutters closed its doors quickly and quietly, just like every other Jonathan Fleisig-associated venture.In years past, I'd written about the pattern of one team in, one team out for the NeL/CanAm

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-32958101474595052472007-10-13T17:58:00.000-04:002007-10-13T18:56:41.989-04:00

I'm still peeking at my old haunts, waiting for the day that the North Shore Spirit page goes dead... seeing what the kids are up to at The Fraser Faithful... watching to see if Nashua can actually come through with its promise to come back in 2008.But I've also been reinvesting myself emotionally with the Potomac Nationals. I renewed my season ticket package, happy that the game times had been

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-4721324185456911732007-09-22T21:25:00.000-04:002007-09-22T22:14:38.766-04:00

It's funny how just seeing a simple schedule can help erase some psychic pain...But that's what I felt when I saw the 2008 Potomac Nationals schedule. Opening Day is the first Friday in April. The home opener is April 9th. My first trip to Frederick, the PNats' nearest opponent, will be in late April.The goal when I first moved to Virginia was to make a trip to each of the other seven cities in

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-16956462931591845452007-09-14T23:08:00.000-04:002007-09-15T07:59:19.872-04:00

It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. You count on it, you rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then, just when the

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-5209101327161355952007-09-03T14:57:00.000-04:002007-09-03T15:56:57.116-04:00

The past few days have been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.On Thursday, the North Shore Spirit clinched the best possible overall season record in the Can-Am league, for the 2nd straight year. So I got tickets to Boston and made motel and rental car reservations.On Friday, the clinched the 2nd half title. On Saturday, I was told that they wouldn't be hosting the deciding games, which

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-81415399529548834992007-08-19T15:15:00.000-04:002007-08-19T17:07:46.585-04:00

The last two weeks of August are always the best in the Can-Am League. For better or worse, it can be the most intense time of the year, especially now that the overall records actually mean something. One team is in (New Jersey) another (North Shore) is two games up in the 2nd half standings and five games up in the wild card race. With 14 games to play after today, that's pretty close to

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-81888375621390653692007-08-05T18:51:00.000-04:002007-08-05T20:31:29.682-04:00

A little more than a month ago, I sat down to write at my frustration with bad baseball, but either the baseball has gotten better or I've gotten recharged by seeing my beloved North Shore Spirit.The P-Nats are starting to play a little better. Overall, they're much like the parent club — about 8 games under .500 — but in the 2nd half, they're 22-20 and just 4 games out of first place. Granted,

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-67447264845030887732007-07-04T17:20:00.000-04:002007-07-04T18:17:48.642-04:00

There's a thunderstorm outside as I write this, but with a laptop and a wireless network I'm safe. Ordinarily, I'd be anguishing the loss of another P-Nats game, but I'm glad to escape the crowds and traffic that come with the 4th of July and the Fireworks.A confession: I love fireworks, but I hate crowds. The 9th inning at a Saturday game in Potomac is often a matter of dashing from the stadium

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-43021945395983362072007-06-17T18:05:00.000-04:002007-06-17T19:14:20.522-04:00

Kind of funny to be sitting here on Father's Day (two boys, 4 and 7) and thinking that the season is half over. My last post was musing over how long I had had to wait for "going to the baseball game" to begin, after all.It's been quite a ride so far. Literally. I've driven to Lynchburg, Winston-Salem, Frederick, Hagerstown, Atlantic City and, last night, Bowie. I've seen two wins and two losses

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-31052854984858354802007-05-24T21:02:00.000-04:002007-05-24T22:21:44.441-04:00

Tonight is the opening night for my beloved North Shore Spirit. With more than 20 ticket stubs on my cabinet at work, I can't believe I used to wait this long to go to ballgames. Of course, in those 20-some-odd games, I've had to bring a jacket or wear multiple layers in all but three of them, leading me to wonder if the New England weather had followed me down to Virginia.But it's not my

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-80162822234599712602007-05-13T18:00:00.000-04:002007-05-13T18:24:09.411-04:00

OK, I'll admit that I've done it — probably more often with the 7:35pm starts when you can smell a game going past the 3-hour mark, which it shouldn't with neither TV nor radio commercials to "get in." But I usually do it only when there's a substantial lead on one side or the other.Then again, I like to tell the story of the Eugene Ems game I saw in 1994 when the Ems scored eight times in the

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-79178889404075504742007-05-06T17:33:00.000-04:002007-05-06T18:36:13.443-04:00

As we edge towards the quarter-pole, we're starting to see whether the Potomac Nationals that began the season 7-3 will be back, or if the ones that got swept by last-place Wilmington this weekend are the "real" Potomac Nationals. One thing's for sure, this team has to start fielding consistently. The Carolina League doesn't keep team fielding statistics, but to my eye I'm seeing a team that's

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-72113451802036017762007-04-29T18:53:00.000-04:002007-04-29T19:47:23.881-04:00

With about a month of baseball played, the two MLB teams that I follow, The Boston Red Sox (by birth) and the Washington Nationals (by geography) are at divergent ends of the baseball spectrum.The Boston Red Sox are 16-8, which is no surprise because strong starts are historically required for the heartbreak that usually comes later on in the season. (This is why smart Red Sox fans will not gloat

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-44298261888313955032007-04-14T15:41:00.000-04:002007-04-15T18:10:06.286-04:00

As American as baseball and apple pie. There is a certain irony to that expression because neither is truly American in origin, as both are modifications from recipes and traditions from Great Britain and points elsewhere. But, like patriotism, it is too often accepted without being questioned. And that's both unpatriotic and ignorant.I write this after being publicly chastised for not stopping

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-77225081015366265162007-04-08T19:50:00.000-04:002007-04-08T20:44:54.301-04:00

One of the enduring memories of any summer of baseball are the road trips taken. This is particularly true when you go it alone and stay overnight, but I count it as a road trip if you spend more than twice as much time driving to and from the game than the game took to play. In other words, if you drive more than 2½ hours to get there (5 hours of driving for a 2½-to-3-hour ballgame) .This past

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-54554236685114828072007-03-25T18:33:00.000-04:002007-03-25T18:46:49.757-04:00

I was all set to make the switch. I asked around. I compared prices. And when I made an inquiry to Direct TV to make an installation... I was told that my two-year-old dish was outdated.Then, later on, I heard that their high-speed partners weren't so good. Sure, I could go back to DSL, but truth be told: I like my cable internet. A year ago, I wouldn't have said as much, but in retrospect, I've

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-76236962642582361742007-03-04T18:23:00.000-05:002007-03-04T19:34:00.756-05:00

It's a fringe topic for most folks, since most of you are probably lucky enough to still live near your hometown team. But for those of us who have had to move away — a better job, a more robust economy, or better educational oportunities for my children — the proposed sellout by MLB to Direct TV for its out-of-market Extra Innings service is killing me.Maybe not literally, but figuratively? Oh,

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-30721622204923445912007-02-11T14:26:00.000-05:002007-02-11T15:04:18.448-05:00

Perhaps it's just a small item to those who aren't familiar with independent baseball, but the Appalachian League will be operating with just nine teams in 2007. Appy League president Lee Landers was quoted as saying:Without a doubt, this has been a very unfortunate sequence of events that has left Pulaski without a team for the upcoming season. Since they returned to the league in 1997, they

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-18729934542725335052007-01-28T19:08:00.000-05:002007-01-28T19:45:31.274-05:00

It's been a week now since I saw the plans for the new ballpark at the Potomac Nationals Hot Stove Dinner. What was more interesting though was the show that owner Art Silber put on for the press, responding indignantly to a Washington Post story that depicted him as a "flamboyant, millionaire owner." Silber gave a laundry list of what the folks in Prince William County have never seen from the

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-40311671716234124572007-01-15T15:34:00.000-05:002007-01-15T16:12:02.626-05:00

I know it's a slick PR move, timed just two days before the PWC Commissioners Hearing on January 23, but dammit, I'm excited to see Art Silber unveil the plans for the new P-Nats ballpark. It also doesn't hurt that the P-Nats are stoking (stroking?) their strongest supporters — season-ticket holders — who, in turn, will evangelize on their behalf to the media and the board (guilty on both counts)

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-78083394997428372492007-01-06T18:48:00.000-05:002007-01-06T19:41:00.903-05:00

When it's 70 degrees on January 6th, there's a problem thinking and talking about the proverbial "Hot Stove." In fact, as I write this in my townhouse basement, the A/C just kicked on! Now, granted I'm now in VA, but c'mon — 70 degrees?!The Potomac Nationals are having its Hot Stove event on Sunday, January 21st. I'm still on the e-mail lists for a lot of the Can-Am League teams (including my

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-50123314999444581392006-12-17T18:45:00.000-05:002006-12-17T19:22:29.459-05:00

People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.— Rogers HornsbySome folks get their new calendars and check to see what day their birthday is. Others, write in birthdays, anniversaries, maybe even pencil in their vacation time. Me? I get out all the schedules of all my favorite teams and open up a new spreadsheet in

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1165681509940100232006-12-09T10:15:00.000-05:002006-12-09T11:25:18.676-05:00

After four years as one of the most successful managers in the Northeast/Can-Am League (.607 win pct., two trips to the Finals in three playoff appearances, and never finished lower than 2nd place), John Kennedy was fired by the North Shore Spirit this week. Like Joe Girardi in the N.L., this comes after being named Manager of the Year. His replacement: Vic Davilla, the 2006 Player of the

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1164552739505036802006-11-26T08:39:00.000-05:002006-11-26T09:52:19.526-05:00

Times are good for independent baseball — so good that it appears that the indys will not be holding winter meetings for the 2nd year in a row. So good that not one but two new independent leagues are slated to start play in 2007 (The South Coast League and the Continental Baseball League), a year after two new leagues were born (the American Association and the United League). So good that the

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1163464536276476692006-11-13T18:39:00.000-05:002006-11-13T19:35:36.500-05:00

It's that time of year when you look over the next season's schedule and start to plot out your next summer of baseball. For the affiliated teams, this isn't that exciting; generally speaking, the teams are the same from year to year. My new "hometown team," for example had the 2007 schedule released less than two weeks after the 2006 season ended.For the indys, it's much more interesting

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1162861614018648712006-11-06T19:08:00.000-05:002006-11-10T09:15:10.606-05:00

Today, my wife sent off $704 to the Potomac Nationals for a full-season ticket package for 2007, less than eight months after I purchased a half-season (weekend) package for my birthday. Why did I decide to upgrade? Let's count the ways:3.) I attended 50 games in Woodbridge this year. In the ticket-selling business, the biggest obstacle that you have to overcome is people feeling like they have

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1162347545676916882006-10-31T18:25:00.000-05:002006-10-31T21:19:05.726-05:00

First of all, I have to thank Tom Gardner, co-founder of The Motley Fool, for the snarky (sneaky?) headline. I've long referred to the 1987 Twins as the worst World Series Champions for three reasons:1.) 85 regular-season wins2.) Just two road playoff wins -- both against Detroit in the ALCS (read: no road wins in the World Series)3.) An abysmal 29-52 road record (contrasted to 56-25 at home)

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1161128840016194362006-10-17T19:06:00.000-04:002006-10-17T19:47:20.026-04:00

Thanks to Joe at Spirit Fans HQ, we've learned that the Can-Am League may be tinkering with its playoff format yet again — another tangential admission that the North Shore were given short shrift for the second straight season. In the same Nashua Telegraph article, there is reference to expansion and the elimination of the All-Star series with the American Association (nee Central League).

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1161042339345064172006-10-16T19:08:00.000-04:002006-10-16T19:47:19.933-04:00

It's hard enough that baseball, as I follow it, has been over now for six weeks. (I'm counting the Red Sox in that summation). But it's even harder as a displaced New England sports fan here in suburban D.C., where football matters more — and it's bad football right now. (The 2006 Deadskins are very much of the 1991 Patriots, if that helps paint the picture).Tonight's NLCS getting rained out

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1157927276631769092006-09-10T17:33:00.000-04:002006-09-10T19:45:26.833-04:00

North Shore__0_0_0__0_0_2__0_0_0__2_7_2Quebec______0_0_0__0_0_4__0_0_x__4_3_0North Shore 1st inningWeed 3ACordova singled to CFDavilla P-6Trezza singled to RF; Cordova advanced to 2BRowan K0/2/0/2Quebec 1st InningShimizu 4-3Scalabrini P-4Tomlinson F-70/0/0/0North Shore 2nd InningWishy 6-3Fischer K (looking)Gray BBSabino P-40/0/0/1Quebec 2nd InningLantigua 3-1Montague BBLehr K; Montague steals

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1157679653489698982006-09-07T19:08:00.000-04:002006-09-07T21:43:00.410-04:00

Quebec______0_1_0_0_3_0_2_3_0__9_13_2North Shore__0_0_0_2_0_0_0_0_3__5__8_2Quebec 1st inning Shimizu FF-7Scalabrini F-9Tomlinson F-8 o/o/o/o North Shore 1st InningWeed F-7Cordova KDavilla BB 0/0/0/1Quebec 2nd inningLantigua singledMontague F-7Lehr KLepine singled;

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1157587601368709802006-09-06T19:16:00.000-04:002006-09-06T20:49:35.223-04:00

1st Inning QuebecPitching for North Shore: Bryan Morse: 11-5, 2.16 ERAShimizu lines out to CF B.J. WeedScalabrini flies out to RF Andrew WishyTomlinson flies out to LF Rob FischerNo runs, no hits, no errors, no one left on base1st Inning North ShorePitching for Quebec: Jorge Perez: 0-1, 1.93Weed triples to RCFCordova strikes out, C Lepine to 1B LantiguaDavilla RBI groundout, 3B James to 1b

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33648579.post-1157040747810313472006-08-31T10:53:00.000-04:002006-09-01T01:09:41.390-04:00

Not that I think anyone will read this, but here goes nothing...This is positively the strangest time of year for a baseball fan. If one of your teams is in it (North Shore Spirit), you're looking forward to the prospect of an elusive league championship. If another has recently nosedived (Boston Red Sox), you can't stand to think how much worse it will get.The problem?I'm now in Northern

Wooden U. Lykteneaunoreply@blogger.com1