Revamped Miners ready for season

The Mat-Su Miners could be poised for a true turn-around this summer.

The Alaska Baseball League squad will look to improve on its 19-30 record from a year ago.

The 2003 edition of the Miners will hit the diamond for the first time Monday in Kenai at a tourney hosted by the Peninsula Oilers.

The Miners have a new general manager, new manager, new coaching staff, new players and a new attitude.

The revamped version of the Valley's summer ballclub will be playing on the refurbished Hermon Brothers Field.

In September of last year, the Miners brought former Major League associate scout Pete Christopher on to take the helm of Mat-Su baseball. In less than a year the new Mat-Su general manager has overseen and organized the repair and refurbishment of the field, dugouts and clubhouse at Hermon Brothers.

Christopher also named Chemeketa Community College assistant coach Kevin Edwards as his manager.

In less than two months Edwards did a little refurbishing of his own. The new Mat-Su skipper took a sub-par lineup and gave it an infusion of talent. Edwards recruited talent from some of the top baseball schools in the nation, such as Stanford, Miami and Mississippi State.

"We could finish in last place, but it

wouldn't be for lack of trying," Christopher said. "We won't be laughed at."

The Miners invite the public to an open house at Hermon Brothers Field.

The renovated field will be on display, as will the 2003 Mat-Su Miners.

The event is scheduled from 2 p.m. to

4 p.m on Saturday.