ApL Princeton WhistlePigs

Princeton Rays News

November 11, 2005 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Princeton WhistlePigs News Release


It is indeed something how the days pass by while the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are fast approaching us. The 2005 World Series is now in the history books and already three weeks old in our rear view mirrors. The last games of baseball in a season are now replaced with the speculation of how the Princeton Devil Rays will do next year and the anticipation of waiting for the 2006 Appalachian League schedule to be released so we can make our plans for which evenings next summer we will be spending at Hunnicutt Field. Let us help you get those fires burning with this issue of "Raywatch," the official monthly e-mail newsletter of your Princeton Devil Rays.

CLOSING THE CURTAIN ON THE FALL CLASSIC: The Houston Astros were the victims of a World Series sweep at the hands of the Chicago White Sox but Houston pitcher Brandon Backe (1998 P-Ray) certainly cannot be blamed. Backe was the starting pitcher for Houston on October 26 in game four and pitched valiantly by dealing out seven scoreless innings before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh frame of a scoreless ballgame. He threw exactly 100 pitches on the night (69 for strikes), scattering five hits while striking out seven Chisox and walking none. It seemed like only yesterday he was a backup outfielder in Princeton before traveling a winding road to the mound on baseball's biggest stage.

GOMES' MAGIC CONTINUES: Former Princeton outfielder Jonny Gomes has reached another plateau by finishing a strong third in the balloting for the 2005 American League "Rookie of the Year" award which was announced on November 7. Gomes, who was the Appalachian League's Most Valuable Player in 2001 as a member of the Princeton Devil Rays, also received two first place votes only to still see the eventual award winner, pitcher Huston Street of the Oakland Athletics and infielder Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees finish in front of him. This is not new territory for Princeton alumni as outfielder Rocco Baldelli (2000 P-Ray) also finished third in the balloting for 2003 American League Rookie of the Year. Gomes' candidacy for the award was validated by tying for the lead in homers by a major league rookie in 2005 with 21 round-trippers while leading all American League rookies in slugging percentage at .535 and all major league rookies in on-base percentage at .373.

PRINCETON AT THE TOP IN "AT THE YARD:" The December, 2005 issue of "At the Yard" magazine is now out and has a distinct Princeton flavor on the magazine's proclaimed "Team of the Year," the Indianapolis Indians. The Indians are the AAA farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates and their roster is dotted with several faces that have previously worn the Princeton colors. It starts right at the top with their manager Trent Jewett, who played here as a member of the old Princeton Pirates. The Princeton Reds were represented by pitcher Mark Corey, who toed the mound here in 1995. He had a stellar year in Indy this past year with 28 saves while appearing in a team-high 61 games. The position player that appeared in the most games for the Indians (122) was infielder Yurendell DeCaster (1999 P-Ray), who also led the 2005 Indianapolis squad with 31 doubles. Even catcher Humberto Cota (1998 P-Rays), who did the bulk of the catching for Pittsburgh this past summer, played in several games for Indianapolis in 2005. It is especially important to be on the lookout for the January, 2006 issue of "At the Yard" magazine as one of the feature stories will be "Minor League Memories" from current Tampa Bay superstar (and 1999 P-Ray) outfielder Carl Crawford. You can visit www.attheyard.com to learn how you can subscribe to this fine monthly magazine about minor league baseball.

P-RAYS GM WINS AWARD: Jim Holland, who has been the General Manager of the Princeton franchise since November 1, 1991, was named the winner of the 2005 Appalachian League Promotional Award at the league's fall meeting in Wytheville, VA on November 8. This honor is given annually to the individual who is determined in a vote by Appalachian League executives to best promote and publicize his team while also having an attractive promotional schedule for his team's home games. This marked the second time in four years that Holland has won the award, as he was also the recipient of this honor in 2002.

"I am certainly appreciative of this honor since the voters are all such great promoters themselves. The award also once again validates what a top-notch bunch of fans and business community we have as partners with us here in Princeton because they have to accept your ideas to make your promotion successful," commented Holland.

DRAFT POSITION: The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will certainly have a great opportunity to add another talented young ballplayer to their ever-strengthening team as they will be selecting third in the 2006 amateur draft to be held next June. The only teams to pick ahead of Tampa Bay are the Kansas City Royals and the Colorado Rockies. The draft has always supplied a hefty portion of Princeton's annual roster and is always fun for hard-core baseball fans to follow and predict who will be a member of the next batch of P-Rays who compose the roster here.

ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS? : Two quick reminders for our readers to help get them in the holiday spirit have a Princeton Devil Rays' connection. We encourage all of our readers to attend the Princeton Christmas Parade on Monday, November 28 at 6:00 p.m. in downtown Princeton. Once again, the parade will be taped by Charter Communications to broadcast at a later date close to Christmas. The P-Rays will have a float in the parade that is being constructed by the Princeton Senior High School Key Club. The parade's theme this year is "A Mercer County Christmas, Past or Present." There is no fee to enter a float in the parade and we encourage you to get off the sidelines and participate by calling the event sponsor, the Princeton Mercer County Chamber of Commerce, at (304) 487-1502 for more details. There are also many P-Rays' souvenirs to choose from for stocking stuffers (including Devil Ray Christmas stockings themselves) and don't forget that you can purchase attractive P-Ray gift certificates that can be redeemed for season ticket books and box seats for the 2006 season. To set up an appointment to visit our souvenir stand/gift shop, please contact the P-Rays' front office either by e-mail at raysball@sunlitsurf.com or by telephone at (304) 487-2000.

SETTING ‘EM FREE: Many former Princeton players were among the nearly 600 minor league players as of October 15 that were granted free agency based on baseball's six-year renewal. They are now free to explore possibilities with other major league organizations or as happens in some cases, re-sign with their most recent parent team. Former Princeton players who fit under this category and were in the Tampa Bay organization in 2005 were (with years in Princeton in parentheses): Jason Cromer (1999-2001), Nathan Cromer (1999), John-Paul Davis (2001), Neal Frendling (1999), Paul Hoover (1997), Scott Neuberger (1997), Luis Ordaz (1993-94), Nestor Perez (1998), and Scott Vandermeer (1999). Also, many former Princeton players' names were found on the list after being granted free agency by their most recent baseball employer: Boston: Jared Sandberg (1997); Chicago Cubs: Talley Haines (1998); Cincinnati: Juan Frias (1999), and Travis Phelps (1997); Houston: Roberto Giron (1995-96); Los Angeles Angels: Delvin James (1997); and Pittsburgh: Mark Corey (1995).

TICKET PRICES FOR 2006: The P-Rays' front office has announced that single game admission prices and general admission "season ticket books" will remain at the same prices for 2006. The latter will remain at $50.00 as the booklets will once again contain 30 undated tickets, which may be used in any quantity at any P-Rays' regular season home game. By purchasing these booklets, you are acquiring tickets for the average price of $1.67 per ticket!!

Single game admission prices for 2006 will remain the same and be as follows:

Box Seat: $5.00

General Admission Adult (18-61): $4.00

General Admission Senior Citizen (62 & over): $3.00

General Admission Youth (6-17): $3.00

Kids 5 & Under: FREE

All single-game prices went up for the first time in several years by .25 prior to the 2005 season while season ticket books increased for the first time in several years by $5.00 prior to the 2005 season. The only single game admission change for 2006 will be that free admission will be changed from kids 6 & under to kids 5 & under.

Box seat season prices in 2006 will increase in price for the first time since prior to the 1999 season as full-season box seat holder prices will increase from $90.00 to $100.00 per seat effective with the 2006 season. This will continue to make what many people consider to be the best seats in the house (box seats under the grandstand roof and behind the protective screen) still very affordable all season long at only $2.94 per seat per game!! The front office of the P-Rays remains committed to keeping a night of Appalachian League baseball at Hunnicutt Field as among the very best ways you can spend an affordable summer evening of family entertainment along with the action of many of the future stars of major league baseball.

BALDELLI SIGNS LONG-TERM TB CONTRACT: November 10 will be remembered as another significant date in the climb of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' "Under Construction" project with the signing of centerfielder Rocco Baldelli (2000 P-Ray) to a contract that could potentially keep him with the team through 2011. The contract can be worth as much as $32 million total with only $9 million of the deal guaranteed over the first three years. He will receive salaries of $2 million in 2006, $750,000 in 2007 with $1.75 million in plate appearance incentives, and $2.25 million in 2008 with $2.25 million in incentives. He can guarantee incentives in both years by making 600 plate appearances in 2006, or guarantee the 2008 incentives by making 600 plate appearances in 2007. Tampa Bay will have a $6 million option for 2009 with a $4 million buyout, and an option for 2010 and 2011 with salaries of $8 million and $9 million, or a $2 million buyout.

Remember, last spring, outfielder Carl Crawford (1999 P-Ray) signed a long-term deal that could keep him with the Rays through 2010. So now, Crawford and Baldelli represent two former Princeton outfielders that Tampa Bay is convinced can lead the major league team to a new level over the coming years.

CONCLUSION: Just like Rocco Baldelli, there have been 34 other players to date who have worn the Princeton colors and then went on to see action in major league baseball. Those of you who filled the stands at Hunnicutt Field during their early years played a part in their development by being some of the first people they played in front of as a professional baseball player. We hope as the cold chill of winter is arriving, that you will be keeping warm with the thoughts of being around your friends in the summer of 2006 as you speculate who off that team you will be watching years from now as they pave their own way in the big leagues. We hope you will be with the ones closest to you during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Make this upcoming summer the one that you introduce them to the affordable family-oriented entertainment, the giveaways and prizes, and the thrilling action that makes up Princeton Devil Rays baseball.

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Appalachian League Stories from November 11, 2005


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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