The Spikes Guy

An Earlier Start

This is a tough time for minor-league baseball operators.

College and high school football starts this week and some New York-Penn League teams are beginning to see significant drops in attendance and media coverage. Of course, the drops coincide with some of the season's best — and most important — games.

A possible solution to the problem would be starting the season three weeks earlier. This idea was discussed seriously last year at this time, but it lost momentum during the winter meetings.

The NCAA also will play a major role in any future decisions regarding the starting date of short-season leagues. If the NCAA decides on a uniform start date for Division I, it could have a major impact on short-season leagues. Drafted players might not be available to play until mid-July, which could hurt the fabric of the NY-PL.

These are difficult issues for those involved with the NY-PL and NCAA. They are also ones that need to be addressed as soon as possible.

Hellos and Good-Byes

Two sides of minor-league baseball were displayed Friday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

The first came at 4 p.m. when infielder Jose Salazar returned from Quad Cities. Salazar trotted onto the field and greeted teammates and coaches. His presence created smiles and laughter.

Six hours later, infielder Allen Craig packed his equipment and said goodbye to his first set of professional teammates. It was a solemn occasion because a partially torn patella ended Craig's season. He left for his California home Saturday morning.

The scenes illustrated two realities about the game -- some things, such as Salazar's relationship with his teammates, never change, while other things, such as a player's spot in the lineup, are never permanent.

Getting Serious

Think about this:

The State College Spikes' season could be over two weeks from today. 

Things happen fast in the New York-Penn League, a 76-game sprint that turns amateurs into professionals. The Spikes also could prolong their season, so that's why Friday and Saturday's games against Auburn at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park are the most important in the franchise's short history.

The Spikes enter Friday trailing Mahoning Valley by a half-game and leading Auburn by a half-game in  the Pinckney Division. The Spikes also trail Oneonta by 1 1/2 games in the race for the league's lone wild card spot.

The Spikes need to make a move fast. They are 2-6 against Auburn. This is the final meeting between the two teams. The Spikes and Doubledays both have four games remaining with the Scrappers.

The Doubledays are fundamentally sound and have a veteran manager in Dennis Holmberg, who has guided four straight teams to the NY-PL Playoffs. Anything less than a split against Auburn could damage the Spikes' playoff hopes.

A Crowded Race

The route to the postseason for the State College Spikes appears to be getting wider.

The Spikes (31-28) entered Wednesday's game at Williamsport trailing Mahoning Valley by a half-game in the Pinckney Division standings.

Brooklyn's recent seven-game losing streak has created an interesting scenario for the three teams competing for the Pinckney Division title. The Spikes entered Wednesday trailing Oneonta (33-27) by 1 1/2 games and Brooklyn (32-27) by a game in the race for the New York-Penn League's lone wild card spot.

Aberdeen (31-29) and Auburn (30-28), which trails the Spikes by a half-game in the Pinckney Division, are also in the wild-card picture.

The Spikes have four games remaining against Mahoning Valley and they play host to Auburn this weekend at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

A Big Business

ABERDEEN, Md. -- It might be hard to find a place where baseball has spurred more recent development than here.

Ripken Stadium, the site of the New York-Penn League All-Star Game, is the centerpiece of The Aberdeen Project. The project also includes the Ripken Youth Baseball Academy, which consists of eight youth league fields, including replicas of Camden Yards and Fenway Park. Behind Cal Sr.'s Field, which resembles Camden Yards, a massive brick hotel is being constructed.

As NY-PL players prepared for the all-star game, 15 teams of 12-year-olds were participating in the Cal Ripken World Series. The nine-day event concludes with a nationally televised final Sunday.

Ripken Baseball also plans on increasing its presence in minor-league baseball. Besides the IronBirds, the group owns the Auguusta GreenJackets.

For more on the all-star game and Ripken Baseball, see Thursday's Centre Daily Times.

Alumni Updates

Here's a look at how some former State College Spikes are performing at full-season Quad Cities:

Adam Ottavino -- The St. Louis Cardinals' first-round draft pick is 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA in four starts. He has a 14-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Jose Salazar -- Salazar is hitting .267 after five games. He has made all five starts at second base.

Donnie Smith -- Smith, who was on a rehabilitation assignment with the Spikes, is 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA after four starts. He pitched five scoreless innings last week against Clinton.

Mark Hamilton -- Hamilton, who is still tied for the New York-Penn League lead with eight homers, is hitting .321 with one homer and 15 RBI.

Tyler Norrick -- Norrick, who was promoted after one outing with the Spikes, is 1-2 with a 3.68 ERA. He has recorded 47 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings.

Jason Motte -- Motte pitched a scoreless seventh inning Satuday against West Michigan.

Speaking of Motte, Cardinals minor league pitching coordinator Mark Riggins, who has been with the Spikes since last week, said the organization has been pleased with Motte's conversion from catcher to pitcher.

"I didn't expect him to be this good this quick," Riggins said. "His attitude is one of the best. His work ethic is tremendous. When we talked to him about doing this, he wasn't reluctant about it. He saw it as another career."

The Perfect Night

It's amazing what some wins and nice weather can do in the baseball businsess.

The State College Spikes earned their sixth straight win by defeating Vermont 1-0 Saturday.

Quite simply, it was the most pleasant night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park this summer. The game lasted just 1 hour, 59 minutes and included no errors. The five pitchers used between the two teams worked quick, and despite the lack of scoring, the quality of play kept everybody focused on the field.

And there were a lot of people in the park. The crowd of 5,102 fans was the second largest in Medlar Field history.

The Spikes also kept the promotions to the minimum. The first 2,000 fans received seat cushions, and instead of rushing as many people on the field as possible, the front office allowed baseball to dominate this night.

They picked a good night to let the game sell itself.

Adding and Subtracting

The St. Louis Cardinals have added and subtracted enough players from the State College Spikes' roster to create two New York-Penn League teams.

The Cardinals subtracted their 10th player from the Spikes' roster Tuesday when they promoted reliever Jason Motte to Quad Cities. The Spikes added their eighth player this season when reliever Ashley Hooks joined the roster.

A total of 40 players have worn Spikes' uniforms since June 20.

For more on the reasoning behind the moves and their impact on the team, see Sunday's Centre Daily Times.

More Blue

Medlar Field at Lubrano Park might be the only place in Centre County where blue carries negative meanings.

And we're beginning to see more of it inside the $31.4 million stadium.

The State College Spikes' average attendance has dropped below 4,000. Entering Tuesday's game against Mahoning Valley, the Spikes were averaging 3,885 fans per game, a total that ranked fifth in the 14-team New York-Penn League.

If bodies don't start filling the blue seats fast, the Spikes could drop to as low as seventh in average attendance. Mahoning Valley and Staten Island -- teams that are in serious playoff contention -- are averaging 3,742 and 3,577 fans per game, respectively.

The Spikes had their smallest crowd Monday when 2,541 fans occupied blue seats. The team has recorded one crowd over 4,000 since the weekend of the Central Pennsylvania and People's Choice arts festivals.

No More Chanting

The State College Spikes lost another player Sunday when infielder Jose Salazar boarded a flight to the Midwest.

Salazar, a non-drafted free agent from Texas A&M, was promoted from State College to full-season Quad Cities. He will join pitchers Adam Ottavino, Tyler Norrick and Donnie Smith, and first baseman Mark Hamilton as former Spikes on the Swing roster.

Salazar's loss hurts for symbolic reasons. His gritty play, ability to get on base and catchy first-name led to fan chants before every at-bat.

"I had fun here," Salazar said as he packed his equipment after Saturday's victory. "I had a blast with the guys that I got to play with, it's a nice park and the chant wasn't bad either."

Salazar, who hit .296 with 16 RBI in 32 games, was promoted after Quad Cities second baseman Jose Martinez went on the disabled list with a bone bruise to his left foot. Outfielder Luke Gorsett, the St. Louis Cardinals' seventh-round draft pick from Nebraska, will take Salazar's roster spot.