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June 15, 2007
By MATT TUNSETH/Frontiersman
WASILLA - The wait is over - it's finally time to officially meet the Mat-Su Miners.
The Alaska Baseball League club, which opens its season Saturday evening, will hold a public workout today to coincide with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for facility improvements made at the Hermon Brothers Field.
“We want to thank all the people that helped us out,” Miners general manager Pete Christopher said Wednesday.
Fans of the Miners will see lots of changes when they visit Hermon Brothers today. Christopher said the club recently paved the area around the stands in order to make the part more accommodating to fans. The paving project, he said, will cut down on dust as well as improve access to the park for elderly and handicapped fans.
In addition, he said the paving will have the added benefit of cutting down on his already heavy workload.
“I won't have to weed whack anymore,” he joked.
The special ceremony and workout will begin at 5 p.m. today. In addition to the special ceremony, Christopher said fans will be able to rub elbows with this year's team.
“It's open to the public and free,” he said. “They'll be able to meet with the players, get autographs and see the team.”
Christopher said he's as excited about this year's team as any he's had in the past, and said the coaching staff has already impressed him with its dedication.
“The coaching staff is just the best,” he said. “They're so receptive to helping out with whatever needs to be done.”
Christopher's wife, Denise, said the help shown at the field by the coaches and players has already taken some of the burden off her husband.
“Pete goes, ‘They're coming up to me and grabbing the rake from my hands,'” she said.
Denise Christopher said that the team should have a nearly-complete roster of players in town by today's workout. By Friday, 17 players will be in town, with just eight left to arrive in Alaska. Only one player, Oregon State catcher Ryan Ortiz, is still playing in the College World Series. Two players on this year's team, David Breck and Mike Carlson, are Palmer natives.
The Meet the Miners workout and ribbon cutting ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. at Hermon Brothers Field. Following the ceremony, the team will hold a public workout, along with an autograph signing session. There is no charge for admission, although the concession stand will be up and running.
The regular season begins Saturday, when the Miners will face Three Rivers (Ore.) at 7 p.m. The game is the kick-off of a six-game homestand that will include a second contest against Three Rivers Sunday at 2 p.m., followed by a three-game series against the Athletes in Action Fire beginning Monday at 7 p.m.
15 of the team's first 17 games are at home, including games against ABL rivals Anchorage Bucs, Anchorage Glacier Pilots, Fairbanks Goldpanners and Peninsula Oilers between Saturday and July 7.
Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or
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