Southern Maryland Growth, Including Possible Local Investor, Next Targets as Opening Day Partners Shifts Priorities

With their recent sales of both the Lancaster (PA) Barnstormersand the Sugar Land (TX) Skeetersnow history and with Brinkstrucks of money safely tucked away in that both deals are believed to have been for the equivalent of tens of millions of dollars, it would be very easy to see Opening Day Partnerssaying sayonara to the Atlantic Leagueand casting a fishing road away in retirement.

That seems to be anything but the plan, though, for Chairman Peter Kirk,President Jon Danos,the old human vacuum cleaner and Marylandhero Brooks Robinsonand their associates, as ODP has been at or near the forefront in ownership since the Atlantic League launched in 1998.

“We’re still involved with three teams (Southern Maryland, Camden, NJand somewhat in York, PA), Danos said from his southern Maine home this week.  Their next target for growth unquestionably seems to be the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, located in Waldorf, not too distant from Kirk’s home in Annapolis.

“We’d like to find a local partner”, Danos said, following the pattern with their other franchises, and carrying out what he said has been the plan all along.  “We’re going to be putting more attention into Southern Maryland.

“You’d be blown away (with the growth in the Waldorf area),” with a major high school right across the street from 6,000-seat Regency Furniture Stadiumand what he described as “thousands of new homes” in the area.

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202 PLAYERS HAVE GRADUATED FROM INDY BASEBALL TO MAJORS

Obtain the Complete List at www.WirzandAssociates.com

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Ottawa Lands All-Star Game, Lanier, Batting Champion

The new Ottawa Champions (Can-Am League)also are looking for local owners, although they seem in no rush.  League Commissioner Miles Wolffand Team President David Gourlayjointly own the team at present.  Wolff told The Ottawa Sun this week that local ownership is not an immediate priority, “but is it something ultimately that will happen, yes.”

Ottawa was part of nice headlines in recent days when it was announced the Champions will host the 2017 All-Star Gamebetween the Can-Am League and the American Associationwhile Canada is celebrating its 150th birthday.  The team also announced it has induced longtime major league and Independent Manager Hal Lanierout of a three-year retirement to lead the team, and revealed the Champions’ first player acquisition in outfielder Sebastien Boucher, who won the Can-Am batting championship last season at Quebec(.366).

More Top Indy Stars Get Big Paychecks to Play Abroad

It seems like a new trend for onetime Independent stars to head off to Japanor Koreafor major paydays.

Andrew Albers (Quebec, Can-Am League)did just that (Korea) last season rather than face the long odds of being in Minnesota’srotation, and another Twinssouthpaw, Kris Johnson,recently signed with the Hiroshima Carpin Japan, corner infielder Andy Marte (York, PA, Atlantic League)has inked what has been reported as a $1 million deal with the new KT Wizin Korea, and it would not be a shock to see seven-year Can-Am vet Chris Colabello (Worcester, MA)be next.

All four players have similar stories of falling just shy of regular major league jobs.  Johnson, 30, was solid in Triple-A, but got only four starts (and three relief appearances) the last two years between Pittsburghand Minnesota.  Marte, who turns 31 Friday, saw considerable major league time earlier in his career, but has been in only six games at that level (Arizona,2014) the last four years.

“I would love to stay with the Twins”, Colabello told The Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle recently.  “I owe everything to this organization because of the opportunity they gave me when nobody else would” after his seventh season in the Can-Am League.  Also 31, the first baseman-outfielder remains on Minnesota’s 40-man roster, but admits he does not know Minnesota’s plans so he would not rule out a trip overseas, where he could have had a $1 million pact last year.

           (This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes on Independent Baseball.  Thirty-six columns are scheduled during 2014.  Fans may subscribe for as little as $6.99 at www.WirzandAssociates.com , enjoy added stories on the blog www.IndyBaseballChatter.com , or comment to RWirz@aol.com .  The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)