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SAL1 Greenville Drive

Drive to Host Hot Stove Event at ZEN on February 4th

January 26, 2015 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - 2015 will mark the Drive's 10th Season at Fluor Field in Downtown Greenville, and the Greenville Drive is excited to begin this season long celebration at its annual Hot Stove Event. The Hot Stove Event will take place on Wednesday, February 4th at ZEN from 6:00-8:30 PM.

The featured guests for the Hot Stove event are Red Sox third baseman and Drive alumnus Garin Cecchini, Red Sox Director of Player Development Ben Crockett, and Greenville Drive Manager Darren Fenster. The event will be complimentary for all fans to attend, with plenty of great food and beverages available throughout the evening.

"We are always thrilled for the Drive's annual Hot Stove event, as it signifies we are close to another fantastic season of family fun and baseball in Downtown Greenville," said Drive Owner and President Craig Brown. "It is hard to believe but the 2015 season will be the Drive's 10th season at Fluor Field and we will be unveiling some of the fun and surprises we have planned for this most special season of baseball throughout the evening at Zen. It is an event that you will not want to miss."

Brown continued, "This event is a great opportunity for our loyal and devoted fans to interact with important members of the Red Sox family. We are thrilled that Garin Cecchini, Ben Crockett and Darren Fenster have taken time out of their busy schedules in preparation for their own 2015 seasons to visit Greenville and help us celebrate the Drive's 10th season. We are also excited to have Knox White, an integral part of the Greenville community, joining us to help us ring in a decade of baseball in Downtown Greenville."

Cecchini made his major league debut for the Red Sox in 2014, hitting .258 with a homer in 11 games. He spent most of the season in AAA with the Pawtucket Red Sox, where he hit .263 with seven homers and 57 RBI's in 114 games.

A 4th round pick out of a Louisiana high school in 2010, the 23-year old Cecchini spent the 2012 season with the Drive and had an outstanding season both on and off the field. Garin hit .305 with 38 doubles, four homers, 63 RBI, 51 stolen bases and a .394 on-base percentage during his time with the Drive in 2012.

Cecchini's 2013 season was a breakout campaign that elevated him near the top of Red Sox prospect list. Splitting time between the Salem Red Sox and the Portland Sea Dogs, Cecchini hit .322 with a .443 on-base percentage thanks to drawing 94 walks. Garin also smacked seven homers and drove in 61 runs while stealing 23 bases.

"Garin has been one of the best players to play in Greenville during our nine years at Fluor Field, and we are very pleased to bring him back for our annual Hot Stove event and to help us kick-off our 10th Anniversary Season," said Eric Jarinko, the Drive's General Manager. "In addition to being a great baseball player, Garin is an outstanding person who connected deeply with our fans during his time in Greenville. We know everyone will enjoy hearing about his time in the major leagues this past season and his thoughts on what professional baseball and the Red Sox hold for him in the season ahead."

Crockett begins his fourth season as the Director of Player Development in 2015. He joined the Red Sox organization in 2007, and served as Advance Scouting Coordinator in 2008-09 and Assistant Director of Player Development in 2010-11.

A standout pitcher at Harvard University, Crockett was named the Ivy League's Rookie of the Year as a freshman, and was later selected in the 3rd round of the 2002 draft by the Colorado Rockies. Ben spent four seasons in Colorado's farm system, advancing all the way to the Triple-A level.

"One of the reasons why the Red Sox have been consistently successful over the past decade is due to their commitment to player development and Ben is a huge part of that," said Brown. "We're excited to host Ben in Greenville for the Hot Stove event to talk about the Red Sox organization and for his close in perspective of what the future holds for the Red Sox. Ben will also provide unique insights for our fans about past Drive players who may be making an impact on the field in Boston soon and which future Red Sox stars we may see in Greenville this coming season."

Fenster will serve as the Drive's manager for the second consecutive season in 2015. He began his Red Sox coaching career in 2012 as the Drive's hitting coach before managing the Gulf Coast League Red Sox to the league championship series in 2013.

Prior to joining the Boston organization, Fenster was an All-American shortstop at Rutgers University and spent five seasons playing in the Kansas City Royals farm system after being selected in the 12th round in 2000. He joined the coaching staff at Rutgers in 2006 and spent six seasons there, holding the roles of Assistant Coach, Recruiting Coordinator and Director of Baseball Operations at various points.

"Darren Fenster is a terrific individual who is very passionate about the role he fills in the Red Sox organization, and we couldn't be happier to have Darren return to Greenville; both for this event and for the 2015 season," said Brown. "Darren has a great understanding of the challenge of developing talented young players within a winning framework and know he will do an outstanding job as the Drive's manager. Daren is also a great resource for the Drive in our community, and we are thrilled to have his assistance with many community initiatives we have planned for the coming season."

The Hot Stove Event will take place at ZEN, located on Main Street just a few hundred steps from the gates at Fluor Field. After dinner, each guest, along with Brown and Jarinko, will speak to the audience, and a question-and-answer session with the guests will follow.

"Our Hot Stove event promises to be a fun night, as the best fans in baseball interact with key individuals who have shaped the Drive franchise on the field over the past nine seasons," noted Jarinko. "We are grateful to hold this event at ZEN once again, as it is a terrific venue, and we look forward to giving our fans a sneak peak at what's to come at Fluor Field for the 2015 season. We have many exciting events and surprises planned for our 10th season in Downtown Greenville, and we are excited to share our best season yet with the local community."

Ticket plans, group outings, and hospitality accommodations are currently on sale for the 2015 season. Call (864) 240-4500 to speak with a representative or log onto to www.GreenvilleDrive.com for more information.

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