I’m taking a break from the political this evening and celebrating the fact we’re only 13 weeks out from the Delmarva Shorebirds home opener against the soon-to-be-departing Lake County Captains. (In 2010 their franchise moves from the South Atlantic League to the Midwest League.)
To begin, next Saturday night marks the Shorebirds’ 8th Annual Hot Stove Banquet. For the first time the event moves off-site from Perdue Stadium into the new friendly confines of the Black Diamond Lodge in Fruitland. (Black Diamond is quite appropriate, no?) While the dinner buffet should be tasty, and the silent auction and raffle once again benefit the United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore, the main attraction should be keynote speaker Dave Johnson.
Johnson, who hails from the Baltimore area, pitched three seasons for the Orioles after they acquired him from the Houston Astros as a minor leaguer. Not an overpowering flamethrower, Johnson still found some success with the O’s and put together his best year, a solid 13-9, 4.10 season, for Baltimore in 1990.
Dave is perhaps more famous as a color analyst on MASN, but also heads his own baseball academy and is Summer Camps Director for Baltimore’s RBI program, which is sponsored in part by Major League Baseball.
Also speaking at the banquet will be Orioles Assistant Director of Minor League Operations Tripp Norton and Shorebirds assistant coach Ryan Minor, a fan favorite.
Speaking of Ryan Minor, he will be the only holdover among the coaching staff when the Shorebirds gear up for 2009. The Orioles reassigned pitching coach Kennie Steenstra to Frederick after four seasons in a Shorebirds uniform, and returned Ramon Sambo to the Gulf Coast League managerial job he held prior to his arrival in Delmarva last season.
In their place the Orioles have named Orlando Gomez as manager and Blaine Beatty as the pitching coach. Beatty flip-flops with Steenstra as he comes to Delmarva from Frederick, while the veteran manager Gomez moves up from the Bluefield Orioles of the Appalachian League.
While it’s not yet known just who the on-field personnel will be for the Shorebirds this summer, next Saturday will provide a good opportunity to hear those in the know size up the prospect of another summer run at the playoffs at Perdue Stadium.
I’m certain Chris Bitters and his staff are putting together some fun events for the fans who come out once the weather turns much warmer and the hot stove sits unused. Until then, the dinner next Saturday will have to suffice.
