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Daubach Will Leave the Colonials

BRIAN DAUBACH WILL LEAVE TEH COLONIALS FOR THE NATIONALS' CLASS A AFFILIATE IN HAGERSTOWN, MD

By Howard Herman, Berkshire Eagle Staff

11/9/2010

In the days before the Pittsfield Colonials opened the 2010 season, manager Brian Daubach said that the ultimate goal of everyone in a Colonials uniform was to get back to, or into affiliated baseball.

Daubach beat his players back, as the former Boston Red Sox first baseman who managed the Colonials to the Can-Am League championship series has reportedly been hired to manage the Washington Nationals' Class A team in Hagerstown, Md. The Hagerstown Suns are a member of the South Atlantic League, considered a Low-A league in the minor league baseball pecking order.

"It's a no-brainer. Everyone has the same goal," Pittsfield shortstop Matt Nandin said Monday night when he heard of Daubach's move.

"He has a great opportunity. He has to roll with it."

Daubach first made the announcement on Boston sports radio station WEEI, where he had been part of the rotating group of co-hosts on the afternoon drive "The Big Show" with Glenn Ordway. The story was then reported on the website of the Washington Post. According to the story, a team source confirmed the hiring and an announcement is expected shortly.

"I've wanted to get back to affiliated baseball for a long time, from the day I quit playing," Daubach told The Eagle in a phone interview Monday night. "Wherever you are, the goal is to eventually get to the major leagues."

Daubach led the 2010 Colonials to a second-half championship, rallying from an 8-18 record in June to play 20-9 baseball in July, to finish third in the six-team league. The Colonials ended up the regular season with a 48-45 record, and Daubach was named the league's manager of the year.

The Colonials eliminated Brockton in the first round of the playoffs before losing 3-1 in a best-of-five series against the Quebec Les Capitales.

It was Daubach's second year as a baseball manager. He was hired in 2009 to manage the American Defenders of New England and stayed with the team when it relocated from Nashua, N.H., to Pittsfield last winter.

To a man, the 2010 Colonials said they just followed the lead of their manager.

"It's like the cliche, just keep playing hard and something good will happen," Pittsfield outfielder Quentin Davis said before he left the city for the winter. "That's what we did. We never got down on ourselves and did the same thing every day. Everything just turned around."

Daubach said this opening came up within the last month, and he spoke to Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and the minor league staff, and then found himself with his first affiliated baseball opening.

"It's a good organization," Daubach said. "They have a lot of good talent. I was impressed with their whole minor league system. It's a great opportunity for me."

It's possible that last summer's No. 1 pick in the draft, catcher Bryce Harper, could make his professional debut under Daubach's tutelage.

"That would be exciting," Daubach said. "There are a lot of great young players in the organization. They could be the Tampa Bay Rays in a couple of years."

Colonials owner Buddy Lewis said Daubach told him Monday night, and Lewis said the announcement did not take him by surprise.

"He was manager of the year," Lewis said. "What does that mean if you can't move along?"

Lewis said that he plans to begin the search soon and would like to have a new manager by the new year.

Colonials Announce Plans for New "1791 Club" at Wahconah Park

11/8/2010

Watching a Pittsfield Colonials ballgame just got enticingly better as the team announces its newest 2011 ballpark experience addition for fans—the 1791 Club.

1791 CLUB

Just beyond the first base Beer Garden will be the new home of the 1791 Sports Bar and Club. The bar will take place of the current Hospitality tent, as that will be moved into Home Run territory beyond the right field wall. The 1791 Sports Bar will be open to the public and offer a fully stocked bar, and multiple flat-screen TVs to watch both the Red Sox and Yankees games on.

Up a few steps from the public 1791 Sports Bar you enter the exclusive 1791 Club. The elevated Club will offer excellent sightlines into the field of play while overlooking the right field wall and will be netted off for club members' safety.

"Our intent is to further develop Wahconah Park into becoming a very special ballgame experience for fans while enhancing it as a Berkshires tourist destination," said team president Buddy Lewis. "The adjacent Beer Gardens & Hospitality Tent area proved to be a fan favorite last season and the 1791 Club will become an extension of this attraction."

The club is named after the 1791 Broken Window Bylaw in Pittsfield known as the earliest reference to the game of baseball in North America.

Colonials Busy With 2011 Wahconah Park Improvements

BALLPARK'S FAN EXPERIENCE ENHANCEMENTS IN MOTION

11/8/2010

While the leaves of autumn fall throughout the Berkshires and Wahconah Park plays host to local high school football games, the Pittsfield Colonials front office has been busy developing several ballpark fan enhancements for the 2011 season.

At the top of the list are assorted improvements within the popular right field Beer Gardens & Hospitality Tent Area. When completed, the new additions will increase the family-friendly Gardens capacity upwards of 300-400 fans total per game, compared to last year’s 150 capacity.

“The Beer Gardens proved to be a real fan favorite last season,” said team president Buddy Lewis. “Our intent is to further develop this area into becoming a very special fan experience while enhancing Wahconah as a ballpark tourist destination for the Berkshires.”

Throughout the Colonials' inaugural season, the Beer Gardens intimate sightlines offered fans spectacular views of the game and accommodations of 30 picnic tables, decked Hospitality Tent, other seating and plenty of standing and roaming room throughout. Complementing the experience was its diverse Backyard BBQ grilling menu provided by Pittsfield’s own Michael Roller of Samel’s Deli fame who returns in 2011 to oversee all ballpark concessions.

Wahconah Park Improvements Planned For 2011

HOSPITALITY TENTS

The Hospitality tent will be moved to beyond the right field wall and two additional raised-deck Hospitality Tents will be added increasing tent total to three and enabling private party accommodations of 25-200. Hospitality Tent rental will offer three catered package options of $20, $30, $40 per person which includes ballpark admission ticket, full catered food and beverage menu options, and staffing.

OTHER IMPROVMENTS: Beer Booth Deck; Fence Shelves & Chairs

Also planned is the addition of shelving along the right field foul line fence with high-top chairs allowing fans to comfortably eat, drink and watch a game.

BOUTIQUE VENDOR BOOTHS

Proposed within the grass concourse area outside of the ballpark. Unique boutique Berkshire County vendors would occupy tents featuring eclectic handmade products, as well as many other types vendors. Booths would be rented on a per game basis. Interested vendors can contact the Colonials at heather@pittsfieldcolonials.com for more information.

ICE CREAM STAND

New to the concourse will be an ice cream stand featuring expanded menu items of soft serve, sundaes and ice cream soda floats.

BANDSTAND

Nestled into the corner of the Right Field foul territoy will be a stage to be used for local bands to play live music before games, between innings and aftergames. On occassion we will also have a dance floor for post game fun! The bandstand concept would be similar to many late 19th and early 20th century ballparks that featured such for in-game entertainment.

Colonials Retail Store Now Open

11/8/2010

Just in time for the Holidays! The Pittsfield Colonials retail store is now open at the team’s downtown headquarters located at 2 South Street. Daily hours are M-F, 9 AM–5 PM. The store will be stocked with a wide variety of new team logo apparel including sweatshirts, hoodies, polo pullovers, fleece vests, caps, tshirts, and club home/away jerseys. Apparel is available in Men's, Women's and Youth sizes and styles with most items priced $15–$35. All products include either the Colonials team logo or baseball character logo.

Baseball America Announces 2010 All-Indy Team

PITTSFIELD'S DAN CARTE NAMED AS SECOND TEAM SELECTION

10/29/2010

DURHAM, NC – Baseball America recently announced its 2010 All-Independent First and Second Teams with a total of four Can-Am League players included. The list was limited to players 25 years old and younger. Pittsfield Colonials OF Dan Carte was a second team selection. The former 2nd-round draft pick of the Colorado Rockies led the Can-Am League in hitting with a .347 average while tying for fourth in RBI with 67. He also slugged 12 homeruns, 18 doubles and played errorless ball. Carte also set a new league hitting streak record (30 games) last season and flirted with a .400+ BA for several weeks late into the season.

Other Can-Am League players selected included Brockton’s pitcher Mike Smith (First Team), and teammates catcher Chris Grossman and first baseman Melvin Falu as Second Team selections respectively.

The selection involved players from the six independent leagues nationwide involving more than 50 clubs and 1,000 players including the Can-Am League, Atlantic League, American Association, Frontier League, Northern League and Golden League.

Baseball America’s 2010 All-Independent First Team

C – Lou Palmisano, Pensacola (American Association)
1B – Brandon Sing, Sioux Falls (American Association)
2B – Jacob Blackwood, Kansas City (Northern League, now American Association)
SS – David Espinosa, Grand Prairie (American Association)
3B – Eric Campbell, Fargo-Moorhead (Northern League, now American Association)
OF – Brian Barton, Newark (Atlantic League, now Can-Am League)
OF – Scott Grimes, York (Atlantic League)
OF – Beau Torbert, Sioux Falls (American Association)
DH – Larry Bigbie, Edmonton (Golden League)
SP – Joe Augustine, Southern Illinois (Frontier League)
SP – Wes Ethridge, Maui (Golden League)
SP – Willie Glen, Gary SouthShore (Northern League, now American Association)
SP – Mike Smith, Brockton (Can-Am League)
RP – Casey Hoorelbeke, Fargo-Moorhead (Northern League, now American Association)

Baseball America’s 2010 All-Independent Second Team

C – Chris Grossman, Brockton (Can-Am League)
1B – Melvin Falu, Brockton (Can-Am League)
2B – Landon Camp, San Angelo (United League)
SS – Travis Brown, Schaumburg (Northern League)
3B – Aaron Herr, Lancaster (Atlantic League)
OF – Daniel Carte, Pittsfield (Can-Am League)
OF – Greg Porter, Grand Prairie AirHogs (American Association)
OF – Ray Sadler, Kansas City (Northern League, now American Association)
DH – Chris Garcia, Shreveport-Bossier (American Association)
SP – Donald Brandt, Maui (Golden League)
SP – Ben Moore, Sioux Falls (American Association)
SP – Dan Reichert, Southern Maryland (Atlantic League)
SP – Ryan Shelton, Normal (Frontier League)
RP – Jorge Julio, Bridgeport (Atlantic League)