Skeeters Take Flight Again This Week

The Sugar Land Skeeters begin their fourth season of play this Thursday, April 23, facing the Lancaster Barnstormers at Constellation Field.  The Skeeters fell to Lancaster in last season's Atlantic League Championship Series.

For the second season, all of Sugar Land's home games will be streamed live on Watch ESPN.  Audio of road games will be available on KBRZ.com.

Skeeters' Year-by-Year Records 

2012- 64-76
2013- 95-45 (Lost in First Round of Play-offs)
2014- 80-60 (Lost in League Championship Series)

Atlantic League Save Leaders

The Atlantic League 50 Save Club

Pitchers in bold are active in the Atlantic League

1. Jim Ed Warden- 134 (2009-2014; Southern Maryland)

2. Mike Guilfoyle- 122 (1998-2003; Bridgeport)

3. Jon Hunton- 96 (2007-2008, 2011-2014; Lancaster, Long Island, and Somerset)

T4. Gary Majewski- 72 (2012-14; Sugar Land)

T4. Eddy Ramos- 72 (2003-2009, 2011, 2013; Road Warriors, Newark, Bridgeport and Long Island)

These statistics were researched using Baseball Reference.

This post is brought to you by The Gamble- A Duke Tale.  Coming online in October.

"Bat Man" is Coming to Constellation Field

Atlantic League All-Stars, be warned!  Bat Man is coming to the Wiffle Ball match at Constellation Field on Tuesday night.

The "Bat Man" shirt pictured above was my uniform of choice for many summers of slow pitch softball on the fields of St.Mark Lutheran in the Spring Branch area.  The shirt had been retired for a few seasons. However, when I learned I had been selected to play in the Skeeters' Pros vs. Joes Wiffle Ball game on Tuesday night, I thought it would be appropriate to pull it out of the closet for a one-time appearance.

Unfortunately, the original shirt is in worse shape than I remembered. To put it nicely, its structural integrity has been compromised, and it can no longer be worn in public.

Fortunately, work is currently being done on a replacement "Bat Man" shirt, which should be ready by game time!  So, note to the Skeeters, if walk-up music is part of the agenda for the wiffle ball game, here is my request.

The Wiffle Ball game is part of the Skeeters' Free Fan Fest on Tuesday night.  The event includes family friendly events and a concert by Kevin Fowler.

This Sweet Swing is "Going Pro"

Finally, the sweet swing pictured above will be seen on a professional baseball field!  I just received word from the Sugar Land Skeeters that I was randomly selected to participate in the team's "Pros vs. Joes Wiffle Ball Game" on Tuesday, July 15 at Constellation Field.

The game is part of the Skeeters' All-Star Fan Fest, which is free to all attendees.  Sugar Land is hosting the Atlantic League All-Star Game on July 16.  My understanding is that Skeeters fans will be facing off against the Atlantic League all-stars, so Adam Bailey and all-time Atlantic League save leader, Jim Ed Warden had best bring their "A" game.

I am confident that participating in this game will be a blast.  I began my quest to play on a professional field when I was still blogging about the Astros of the Future.

The Skeeters Prepare to Take on the East Coast

The Sugar Land Skeeters will take on 22 representatives of the other seven teams in the Atlantic League during the league's All-Star Game scheduled for Wednesday, July 16 at Constellation Field. Skeeters' manager Gary Gaetti will utilize his regular season roster in the match up against the East Coast's best.  The contest will be streamed live on ESPN 3.

The "East Coast" roster:

Adam Bailey, OF, Long Island
Adam Donchie, C, Somerset
Lew Ford, OF, Long Island
Shaun Garceau, P, Long Island
Cole Garner, OF, Lancaster
Matt Gorgen, P, Camden
Tim Gustafson, P, Bridgeport
Jake Hale, P, Camden
Erik Hamren, P, Southern Maryland
Alex Hudak, DH, Camden
Rommie Lewis, P, York
Jake Limonta, 1B, York
Eric Patterson, 2B, York
Chris Schwinden, P, Lancaster
Corey Smith, 3B, Somerset
James Simmons, OF, Bridgeport
J.R. Towles, C, Bridgeport
Wilson Valdez, SS, York
Jim Ed Warden, P, Southern Maryland(All-Time Atlantic League Saves Leader)
Lance Zawadzki, UT, Lancaster
Amadeo Zazueta, UT, Southern Maryland
Matt Zielinski, P, Somerset

Steve Moss is Back in the Atlantic League

Outfielder Steve Moss, who spent parts of the last three seasons with the Sugar Land Skeeters, has returned to the Atlantic League after a stint in the Mexican League.  Moss, 30, played 18 games for Toros de Tijuana after beginning the season with the Skeeters.  Moss has recorded 152 in a Skeeters' uniform.

Moss joins the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  The Blue Crabs host the Skeeters from July 4-6 in Waldorf, Maryland.

Going to a Skeeters' Game Could Save You 23 Minutes

I recently heard Charlie Pallilo on SportsTalk 790 in Houston criticizing the length of Major League baseball games. His launching point was an Astros' game in Anaheim that didn't finish until close to 1 a.m. Houston time.

Upon hearing Pallilo's comments, I remembered that the Atlantic League, which includes the Sugar Land Skeeters, made efforts last season to speed up their games.  The goal of the initiative was to make games more fan friendly.

My understanding is that the Atlantic League's procedures to quicken the game are still being used this season. In light of this fact, I decided to research the length of games thus far in 2014 to see how long those contests are lasting at Minute Maid Park and Constellation Field.

Based on the box scores, here is what I found:

The Astros have played 25 home games so far in 2014.  These games have taken a total of 4869 minutes. Taking into account extra innings, the average nine innings at Minute Maid Park have lasted 3:13.

Through Wednesday's contest, the Skeeters have played 13 home games so far in 2014.  These games have taken a total of 2235 minutes.  Taking into account extra innings, the average nine innings at Constellation Field have lasted 2:50.

Meet the Skeeters- Opening Day Roster

The Sugar Land Skeeters opened their regular season Thursday night.  Here is their opening day roster:

Pitchers(14)
Brian Broderick
Roy Corcoran(2nd year with Skeeters)
Ramon Delgado
Clint Everts(2nd year with Skeeters)
Steve Hammond-Inactive
Clay Hensley(2nd year with Skeeters)
Ben Kozlowski(2nd year with Skeeters)
Gary Majewski(3rd year with Skeeters)
Tracy McGrady
Dan Meadows
Michael Nix(3rd year with Skeeters)
David Pauley(2nd year with Skeeters)
Chris Smith
Jared Wells(2nd year with Skeeters)
Matt Wright(3rd year with Skeeters)

Catchers(2)
Koby Clemens(3rd year with Skeeters)
Travis Scott(2nd year with Skeeters)

Infielders(6)
Chase Lambin(2nd year with Skeeters)
Alex Nunez
Dominic Ramos(3rd year with Skeeters)
Rusty Ryal
Nick Stavinoha
Brandon Wood

Outfielders(5)
Ryan Langerhans(Disabled List)(2nd year with Skeeters)
Dustin Martin(2nd year with Skeeters)
Neil Medchill
Steve Moss(3rd year with Skeeters)
Michael Rockett(2nd year with Skeeters)
Delwyn Young