Super Vet?

When talking to Ross Vecchio earlier this week about his resignation from the Wild Things, he passed on this interesting nugget of information about a Frontier League rules change this season that involves rosters.

The FL has carved its niche in the independent baseball landscape by having a strick age limit. It's the only independent league that has an age limit. No FL player can be 27 years old prior to Jan. 1 of any season.

Teams lose players to the age limit rule every season. The Wild Things are no exception. Players like Shaun Argento, Josh Loggins, Aaron Ledbetter and Grant Psomas have aged out of the league while with Washington.

This season, however, teams can add what will be termed a Vet-2 to their roster. This is any player ages 28-30 who has played at least 100 games with a franchise in previous seasons. Teams can have only one Vet-2 on the roster and he will count against the limit of three Veterans.

Looking at the Wild Things' roster last season, Brett Grandstrand falls under the Vet-2 category. Psomas, though he played the entire 2009 season with Washington, could not be a Vet-2 because he did not play 100 games with the Wild Things.

Had this rule in place since 2002 -- when the Wild Things joined the Frontier League -- Washington would have had the option of keeping players like Argento, Loggins, Chris Carter, Travis Copley etc.

Wild Things swing trade

Outfielder Phil Laurent, who helped the Wild Things climb back into the playoff race last July before suffering a season-ending knee injury, has been traded by Washington to the Normal CornBelters, the Frontier League's newest team.

In exchange for Laurent, who batted .335 with eight home runs in 49 games for the Wild Things, Washington receives the rights to first baseman Paul Chmiel and infielder Pat Kenny. Neither team announced the trade Monday but it was listed on the Frontier League's homepage.

Laurent suffered the season-ending injury in a play at home plate during a game at Florence in late July.

Chmiel (6-5, 200) was drafted in the 22nd round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2005 out of Mount Pocono High School. He spent four seasons in the O's system with his best year being 2006 when, as a 19-year-old, he batted .286 with 13 doubles in 44 games for the rookie-level Appalachian League. An Internet search revealed no statistics for Chmiel in 2009.

Kenny (6-4, 215) appears to be a former player at Madonna University, an NAIA school, and Saginaw Valley State, an NCAA Division II program. Both schools are located in Michigan. He played third base for Madonna.

With the addition of Chmiel, the Wild Things have acquired three first basemen in the last month. The others are Robbie Wine and Adam Amar.

What's next for Wild Things?

Now that they've hired Todd Marlin to run the franchise's daily operations, cleaned house in the ticketing department, changed job responsibilities for several front-office employees and hired Darin Everson, pictured, as manager, the focus for the Wild Things becomes putting together a team.

Washington has announced the signing of only five players -- outfielders Matt Cotellese and Mark McGonigle, first basemen Adam Amar and Cory Wine, and infielder Rich Michalek. Pitchers Craig Snipp and Nick Petersen have retired and pitcher Brian McCullough has been released. The Wild Things picked up the option on 13 others players including seven pitchers.

What areas will gain the most attention of Everson and general manager Ross Vecchio during the weeks leading up to spring training? Here's thinking the left side of the infield and pitching will be the priorities (isn't pitching always a priority?). The catching situation must be cleared up and a decision must be made on what to do with the remaining Veteran roster spot.

Chris Raniere is the only shortstop or third baseman on the roster with pro experience, so I'd expect at least two players will be signed after minor-league spring training to fill those positions. If Michael Parker returns, that will solidify second base. Amar would have the inside track for the first base job with Wine, son of Penn State coach Robbie Wine, having a shot to play first or the outfield.

Alan Robbins and Kyle Obal are the only catchers on the roster. Obal had just 11 at-bats last year and Robbins is an L2, which is usually a roster spot reserved for an impact hitter. That's something Robbins has never been in his career. His reputation is that of a solid defensive catcher, which means Washington is likely to be in the market for two catchers.

The holdover pitchers are lefty Jason Neitz and right-handers Andy Schindling, Keith Meyer, Zach Groh, Rob Hedrick, Michael Lucas and Justin Edwards.

The Frontier League voted last year to increase the number of L2 (players with the equivalent of two full seasons in professional ball) roster spots to three beginning in the 2010 season. That leaves with the Wild Things with one open Vet spot and one L2 (two if Robbins is not back). If you build your team the right way, then the Vets and L2s are the guys who should carry your team.

The Wild Things have plenty of roster flexibility, but finding a shortstop and third baseman and putting together a pitching staff should be at the top of Everson's to-do list.

Billy Petrick: From the majors to the Frontier

Here's a link to a New York Times story about former Chicago Cubs pitcher Billy Petrick, who made it to the big leagues in 2007 before his right shoulder gave out on him. He ended up in the Frontier League last season, pitching in 11 games for Windy City before blowing out his right elbow. If it weren't for bad luck, Petrick would have no luck at all.

Read the story here.

Have some Wine with that?

The Wild Things don't have a manager but they do have their third player signed for 2010. The team announced Monday the signing of first baseman/outfielder Cory Wine.

If pedigree means anything, the Wild Things made a good signing. Wine is a third-generation professional player. He's the son of Robbie Wine, who was an All-American at Oklahoma State, the No. 8 pick in the 1983 Major League draft and is the current head coach at Penn State. He's also the grandson of former major league shortstop Bobby Wine.

“Cory comes from a baseball background and has been around the game his entire life,” said Wild Things general manager Ross Vecchio. “Scouts have raved about his power potential and we feel he’ll be able to realize that potential with the Wild Things.”

As a senior at Penn State in 2009, Wine batted .307 with five home runs and 41 RBI.

The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Wine in the 38th round last June. He appeared in 34 games for the Phillies' affiliate in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League but batted only .189.

Washington made one other move, trading right-handed relief pitcher Aaron Guinn (0-0, 4.91) to the Las Cruces Vaqueros of the Continental League in exchange for future considerations.

By the way, there are only 79 shopping days left before the start of Frontier League spring training. Time to pick a manager, wouldn't you say?

Cleaning out the notebook

Received an email notice today that the Wild Things are holding a snowman contest. Build a snowman wearing Wild Things gear, take a picture, send it to the team. Winner gets something.

Maybe the winning snowman will be named manager.

* An interesting trade from earlier this month had the Kalamazoo Kings sending shortstop Kyle Higgins, outfielders Jeff Grose, OF Brandon Anderson and OF Josh Short, third baseman Amos Ramon, second baseman Joe Ramos and right-handed pitcher John Brownell to the Lake County Fielders in exchange for three pitchers, an infielder and future considerations.

Basically, Kalamazoo sent six starting position players from last year and their best pitcher to Lake County to be reunited with former Kings manager Fran Riordan. Kalamazoo is starting from scratch under new manager Jamie Keefe.

* The Rockford Riverhawks, formerly of the Frontier League and now of the no-age-limit Northern League, have signed Randall Simon.

That's the same Randall Simon who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and is best known for using a bat to plunk Guido the Italian Sausage during a between-innings sausage race at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

* There are 81 days remaining before Frontier League spring training and the Wild Things still don't have a manager.

* Former Wild Things outfielder Matt Sutton has signed a contract with the Lake Erie Crushers.

* Yancy Yeater, who worked for the Wild Things for four years and coordinated the audio and video at Consol Energy Park before being let go during the offseason purge, has started a Frontier Legaue blog. You can view it at http://frontierleague.blogspot.com/

* Former Wild Things manager Jeff Isom (2002-03) is returning as manager of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Milwaukee Brewers' affiliate in the Class A Midwest League.

* Former Wild Things second baseman Ryan Ellis will be the hitting coach of the Savannah Sand Gnats, the New York Mets' affiliate in the Class A South Atlantic League.

84 days and counting

In case you're not counting, there are 84 days remaining until the start of Frontier League spring training ... and still no manager for the Wild Things.

It will likely take 84 days to remove the snow from Consol Energy Park.