Thursday, March 25, 2010

Marlins Odds and Ends

- This week the Marlins are actively participating in, "Operation Thank You" coordinated by the Carteret Chamber of Commerce. In only two days we were able to hand out many chamber directories all over the county. If you happen to see us, please say, "Hi".

- The Marlins also announced the signing of two Dartmouth University players: right-handed pitcher Ryan Smith and infielder Joe Sclafini.

- St. Peter's sophomore infielder Justyn Carter has been named MAAC Player of the Week.

-The Marlins are also having an informational host family meeting on April 15 @ 6pm at the Hampton Inn in Morehead City. If you are interested, it is highly recommended to be in attendance.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Winning Team

After two nervous hours, my baseball fantasy team is set for the 2010 season. I usually draft about 3-4 teams for fun a year, but to be honest I just don't have the time anymore. There was a total of 10 teams in the draft and I picked 8th. I generally like to pick early or late as I like to have picks back to back. With only 10 teams this year, most teams are going to be competitive this year. Here is the team I ended up with:

1B Mark Teixeira
2B Howie Kendrick
3B Chipper Jones
SS Troy Tulowitzki, Stephen Drew
OF Curtis Granderson, Josh Hamilton, Jay Bruce, Jayson Werth, Adam Jones, Colby Rasmus
C Victor Martinez, Geovany Soto
SP Justin Verlander, Tommy Hanson, Jake Peavy, Chad Billingsly, AJ Burnett, Rich Harden, Scott Kazmir
RP Brad Lidge, Jason Frasor, Brandon Lyon

Analysis:
Overall, I am very happy with the way the draft turned out. I tended to choose quality rather than need. As for the offense, I like players that can hit for power and steal bases. The worst pick of the draft might have been Chipper Jones, but he was clearly the best 3B at the time I picked him. I am thinking about possibly trading for a 3B at some point. Josh Hamilton was also a risky pick, but I believe in him.

As for my pitchers, I draft them by K's mostly. K's mean low contact rate, means more outs, which lead to more wins. Simple as that. As you can see my closers are pretty weak, but I don't get caught up in drafting closers early. There is always someone available on the waiver wire. The closer position is like a game of musical chairs. Anyone can claim a seat (closer's role).

Anyways, I will have some actual Marlins news later in the week. Keep a look out.

Monday, March 22, 2010

March Makes Madness

The first two rounds of the NCAA tournament have been played and I have come to the conclusion that I should stick to what I know best...baseball. Kansas, my pick to win the tournament, made an early round exit by the hands of Northern Iowa. My bracket officially went bust and I will just have to wait for next year. Oh, well. It's all fun and games until your bracket gets thrown in the garbage. I must say that the tournament has been very interesting so far. I like rooting for the underdogs as most people do. But seriously, Cornell, Northern Iowa, and St. Mary's...are you kidding me. I am pulling for St. Mary's as they seem to work the hardest and play with the most energy. Go Gaels.

When I wasn't ripping my bracket into a billion pieces, I spent this past weekend teaching baseball fundamentals to kids and promoting the Marlins at the West Carteret Baseball Camp/Clinic. With over 200 kids in attendance, this was a great opportunity to talk to people about our organization and help out in the community. That is what we like to do best. And the weather was great too! This event got the gears grinding for the upcoming season and beyond. We will have camps at the ballpark for kids ages 6-16 during our season. Marlins players and coaches will be coordinating five camps throughout the season.

Today is another special day for me. Tonight I will take part in a fantasy baseball draft. I have been playing fantasy baseball for fun for about nine years or so. I guess I consider myself an expert now. For those of you who want to know the results, my team will be announced tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Friday, March 19, 2010

The Main Attraction

As the season draws near, there is much to be done before opening day (May 28th). Of all the tasks that need to be done, corporate partnerships is at the top of that list. Buddy Bengel and I are currently in the process of gathering local support around Carteret County. We offer unique marketing opportunities for local businesses in the area. There seems to be a lot of interest in what we are trying to do as we are one of the few entertainment attractions on the Crystal Coast. In a nutshell, we plan on providing an affordable family-fun atmosphere for locals, families on vacation, second home owners, and the military. During this summer season and many summer seasons to follow, baseball will be that entertainment outlet.

While gathering local support around the communities, we have been trying to educate the public about our organization. As a baseball organization, the Morehead City Marlins are the newest member of the Coastal Plain League. The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s hottest collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 14th season, the Coastal Plain League features 15 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The CPL gives players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. All players are housed with local host families for the summer.

With 70 days until the season officially kicks off (I shouldn't have started a countdown), we have our work cut out for us. Many things have to be accomplished within a very limited amount of time. Like previously stated, our main focus is finding local support around the area. After that, we also have to hire interns, a broadcaster, and game-day staff. Additionally, we have to put together our promotional schedule, find host families for our players, acquire food vendors for the season, provide post game meals for our players and umpires to name just a few items on our never-ending list. During this process, I plan on updating everyone as often as I can. So, please stay tuned.

Right now, the ball park (O'Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium) is progressing nicely. The concrete has been poured for the dugouts and the concourse is taking shape. Some of the next steps include seating arrangement and equipment installation. For those of you who have not had the opportunity to view the new park, the actual baseball field has been installed and maintained appropriately.

We really appreciate the positive responses we have received so far. Keep thinking baseball and spread the word that the Marlins are coming.