Kevin Zeni

Here I sit at a desk in the Hickory Crawdads Front Office about 2,500 miles from my home in Los Angeles. Outside it is cold and icy from the storm that came through just as I arrived (just my luck). Some might believe that its crazy for a 22-year-old “kid” to pick up and leave home to fly across the country to a place where he doesn’t know anyone to work for a minor league baseball team for little pay.

Adding to that craziness would be the fact that I came out without my car, which had been rear-ended and totaled just a couple of weeks before coming out to Hickory. Not to mention that my loving and generous fiancé, Amanda, is still back in California anxiously waiting for the 2010 season to go by so I can come home to her.

However, I see it as an opportunity of a lifetime. In just over a week of working for the Crawdads I have already learned soo much! I can tell you this much, working here is quite a bit different than what I was used to interning with the Inland Empire 66ers last season. The car situation is working out quite well since all three of the other employees living at our apartment complex have cars and at least one of us is going somewhere I would need to go.

While I do miss my family a lot, especially Amanda, I have no regrets making my decision to move out to North Carolina. I know that in the long run that this is what’s best for me. I’m excited for this season to start, but just not too soon, I do have a program to put together before then!

Kevin enters his first season as media relations assistant with the
Crawdads and second year in minor league baseball, after spending the
2009 campaign with the Inland Empire 66ers of the California League
(High-A).  The Los Angeles, California, native is a 2009 graduate of the University of La Verne.

Kim Scercy, Co-Director of Group Sales

The start of the baseball season
seems to always be right around the corner. Before you know it, you will be
coming to the ballpark for Opening Night!

With baseball season right around
the corner it’s time for us to finalize everything for the 2010 season. It’s
hard to believe that we have less than 80 days till Opening Night.  It’s
exciting and stressful all at the same time.

It’s stressful because we only
have 225 days to plan for the next season and approximately 5,400 hours (if we
didn’t sleep). Luckily we get most of our weekends off, Thanksgiving, Christmas
and a New Years break. So in reality we only have about 166 days to get ready
for the 2010 season.

The worst part is you know that
you will have to work 14 hour days for 8 days straight and approximately 980
hours of game day work. But after all is said and done we all look forward to
Opening Night, the start of a new baseball season.

Kim is entering her
third season with the Crawdads and first as Co-Director of Group
Sales.  She spent the previous two as a Sales Assistant while
completing her education at Gardner-Webb University.

~Kathryn Bobel, Co-Director of Group Sales

When we were told to start blogging, our Director of Media Relations, Andy B., told us that we could write about anything we wanted. He, fortunately, keeps us on track by throwing in a few Crawdads Clippings directly related to baseball every now and then, giving the rest of us the opportunity to ramble on about whatever flows from our brains to our fingertips.  So far, you’ve read about Stu-burgers, Boston natives, and West Coast vacations. This blog, however, is so far out of left field that even Shoeless Joe Jackson couldn’t track it down. 

I am going to present to you the five best reasons why you should be watching the best show on television right now, Glee. That’s right. I said it. The girl who for years eschewed any band, drama, theatre, orchestra, or choir dweeb member is now hooked on a show chronicling the lives of eight or so of them joined by the most infamous high school club of them all:  glee club.  By the end of this blog you will want to type www.amazon.com as fast as you can into your URL box, search “Glee,” click “1-step-checkout,” wait anxiously by your front door, and then stay up all night watching each and every episode back-to-back-to-back. (Not that I did that or anything.) In the interest of full disclosure, I was only turned on to the show by my show-choir crazy sister and parents. Before my epiphany known as Glee, never in a million years would I have voluntarily turned on a show about two-stepping singing freako’s high-schoolers on my own.  So, without further adulation, I give you the five best reasons you should be watching the best show on television–GLEE!

1. Dynamite songs.  By far the most amazing element of the year-old, hour-long teenage soap is the incredibly catchy, toe-tapping array of songs ranging from the classic “Don’t Stop Believin'” to the new-age smash hit “Single Ladies,” all of which have been arranged in new, fun, hip ways.  Granted, the actors and actresses aren’t your average, pimply faced 16-year-olds but 24-year-old Broadway talents, and they aren’t actually singing while the cameras are recording (their singing voices are laid over the video), but it’s still them.  And holy schnikes are they good! On a four hour car ride about a month ago, I listened to the 20-song soundtrack approximately 14 times. (I’ll deny it if anyone asks.)

2. Cute boys.  Honestly, half the reason I watch most of what I do on television (NCIS, Bones, any professional hockey game) is because the boys are just so gosh darn HOT.  Glee is no exception.  I think it is perhaps every girl’s wish to have a dreamy dude that can serenade her, and with this cast, you certainly have your pick.  An added bonus–most of these crooners can throw a perfect spiral too.  A guy that can sing and read a defense? Sign me up!

   
3. Slurpee facials.  We all know about the normal high school torture methods–swirlies, wedgies, swirling wedgies.  But, imagine frantically walking down the halls of your high school, books in hand, scared the bell will ring and doors will slam shut before you reach your destination and all of a sudden BAM!  You’re drenched from the top down in frozen grape soda.  You’ve just been given a slurpee facial.  Reserved for only the lowliest of the low, getting a slurpee facial in the show solidifies your standing in the subbasement on the high school hierarchy.  Although cruel, definitely unusual, and perhaps ill-conceived, it’s hard to deny the hilarity of sticky grape pop being hurled through a crowded high school hallway–as long as, you know, you’re not the one it’s being hurled at.

 
4. Drama.  Baby-daddies.  Extra-marital affairs.  Conniving, corrupt teachers. This show is so juicy it makes Jose Conseco look like a Sun-Maid raisin. The audacity of television in today’s world is the result of how eagerly and hungrily many of us gobble up the mind-numbing, though thoroughly entertaining, material billionaire TV producers create and networks air every year.  I know it may sound like I’m bashing pretty much every prime-time show on the air right now, but believe me when I say I’m the first in line with my knife and fork ready to chow down. (This blog also proves that I’m attempting to convince you that you should be sitting next to me at the table.)

5. It’s real.  Underneath some of the outrageous plot lines (and by some I mean all), the coordinating costumes, and the fancy-schmancy dance numbers, the nitty-gritty of the show concerns the trials and tribulations that anyone ages 13 to 17, and beyond for that matter, can go through.  Glee illustrates that while it may take a little while to find them, there are people out there who care deeply for us despite whatever flaws we see in ourselves. And that, my fellow TV-loving friends, is something to be truly gleeful for.

Kathryn Bobel is entering her second season with the Crawdads and first as Co-Director of Group Sales.  She served as Sales Assistant with the ‘Dads throughout the 2009 campaign, after stints with the Indianapolis Indians (AAA) and US Track and Field.

The final question in my final interview with the Hickory Crawdads was, “What are you going to be this Halloween?” For better or worse, honesty is policy. Still, I hesitated before nervously delivering a stuttered response. “As of now, I – uh … I plan on – uh… dressing as a – uh….. Hooters waitress.” Great, guess I can cross the Crawdads off my list. I should have said Big Bird instead.

One week later, Crawdads Director of Promotions Brett Koch gave me call.

“We’d like to offer you the position as group sales assistant,” he said. “I know you’ll probably want a couple of days to think abo….”

“Yes!” I cut him off. “I’ll take it! I’m there! Thank you!” Two days into the new decade, I left my home in Waltham, Mass. (Andrew Buchbinder, Crawdads Director of Media Relations, chastises me whenever I say from I’m from Boston. Waltham is all of 12 miles west of Beantown).

I pulled into Hickory on January 4, a day later than I was scheduled to arrive due to car trouble (that story in itself may be another blog). I am now in my third week with the Crawdads, yet this friendly, welcoming, dedicated (and sometimes delirious) staff has made it feel like home.

With that, in the words of Austin Powers, “allow myself to introduce… myself.” I was born and raised in Waltham, Massachusetts, a diverse city with a population that exceeds 60,000. I played high school soccer (goalie) and basketball (bench). Oddly enough, I’ve never played baseball. But there’s something undeniable about baseball’s culture, history, and statistics that drove my ambition toward working for a Major League team.

I graduated from Springfield College in May 2009 where I double-majored in sports journalism and English. During my four-year tenure at the small, private institution, I completed internships with a newspaper, magazine and TV station. I served as the student newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief, and my intramural basketball team reached the final-four in consecutive years. I’d delve into other extracurricular activities during the college years, but that probably wouldn’t lead to a good first impression.

Anxious for a way into the baseball industry, I accepted an unpaid media relations internship with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats after graduating SC. I didn’t have a dime to spare, I would be lucky to get six hours of sleep in one night, I was living with my aunt/ friends/ any roof that had a couch under it, and I loved every minute of that summer. All the while I knew that eventually the experience would lead to something positive – and it did.

Thus I find myself in Hickory, North Carolina, where office breakfasts consist of fried chicken wrapped in biscuits. Hickory, North Carolina, where 10th St Dr NW is indeed a road. Hickory, North Carolina, where red traffic lights turn a four-mile drive into a 15-minute excursion. Hickory, North Carolina, home of the Crawdads, and home to yours truly.

Gregor enters his first season as group sales assistant with the Crawdads and second year in minor league baseball, after spending the 2009 campaign with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League (AA).  The Waltham, Massachussetts, native is a 2009 graduate of Springfield (Mass.) College.

~Andrew Buchbinder, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations

Let the countdown to the Home Opener (April 16 vs KAN with Fireworks Show, hint hint) officially begin, as we held our 2010 Hot Stove Banquet last night.  First and foremost, THANK YOU to everyone who came and helped make it such a fun evening, as well as, of course, Rock Barn Golf and Spa, who hosted the event again and cooked up all the delicious grub!

In addition to a social hour, silent auction and raffle, the evening included a complete cast of speakers, ranging from local area high school and college baseball coaches to Texas Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels.  All of the coaches provided program updates and 2010 previews, while Mr. Daniels spoke about his rise to the Rangers reins, steps the organization has taken to upgrade the farm system (which was ranked #1 in the big leagues in 2009) and the blossoming relationship between the ‘Dads and the Rangers.

Afterwards, Mr. Daniels opened it up to a question-and-answer session, fielding queries ranging from Rangers payroll and free agency explanations to a geography lesson on the island of Hispaniola, which includes the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

All in all, the evening was a blast and we certainly enjoyed seeing so many of the friendly faces that we’re accustomed to seeing at the ballpark during the season.

On that note, the Home Opener is coming up verrrry quickly on Friday, April 16.  As mentioned above, we’ll be hosting Kannapolis (always a fun match-up) and it will be our first Friday Night Fireworks Show of the season. 

Actually, the season itself starts eight days before our Opener, since we kick things off on the road in Hagerstown on April 8.  Not to worry though — all of our games will again be broadcast live on The Big Dawg 92.1 FM and Hickorycrawdads.com, so you can follow the team before you get to see them at L.P. Frans on April 16!

Again, a big thank you to everyone involved with the Hot Stove last night!  ‘Til next time, Go ‘Dads!

Andrew Buchbinder is entering his second season as director of broadcasting/media relations with the Crawdads.  He previously served in similar capacities with the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) and the Bakersfield Blaze, the ‘Dads High-A affiliate in the California League.

~Kathryn Bobel, Co-Director of Group Sales

My past few blog inspirations had come to me rather quickly and easily, and my every-other-Thursday deadline was never an issue.  This week, however, I had more trouble coming up with a blog idea than Chuck Knoblauch had coming up with an error-free night in the field.  But, last night while I was at the gym, the latest SI came to the rescue.  As many media outlets do, SI had compiled a decade list of the best and worst of everything in sports, specifically re-printing chuckle-inducing “Signs of the Apocalypse” and “They Said Its” from the past ten years.  (A personal favorite: Ducks winger Teemu Selanne on the hockey culture–or lack thereof–in Anaheim–“It’s not like back home in Finland or even Canada, where girls wanted my leftover chicken bones from a meal I ate.”)  So, as I loped along on the treadmill reading about all the mind-boggling and sometimes bone-headed statements that have come out of athletes’ mouths, I started to reflect upon what I have gone through in the past ten years and what the next ten years will be made of.

A decade ago, I was 13 and an 8th grader at Guion Creek Middle School in Indianapolis where I played volleyball, basketball, and softball. (In the interest of full disclosure, I didn’t really play basketball. I attempted it.  I wasn’t allowed to dribble or pass–just shoot, which as long as no one was guarding me, I was pretty decent at.)  I went to my classes, went to my athletic competitions, went home to do homework, went to sleep, got up the next morning and did it all again.  My biggest worries then were making sure my pony tail looked perfect every day and avoiding my kooky science teacher who called me Bobeli (a play on Boboli, the pizza crust). Rent and car insurance and cell phone bills weren’t even a dot on the horizon yet.

My high school years seem like they happened two decades ago, with just fond memories of bus rides to away softball games, prom, and my first car, a 1989 Mercury Cougar, floating around in my head.  Most of my free time was spent on the softball field, and if I wasn’t there, I was pondering how to possibly get my batting average above .300.  Worries then were, again, typical–which of my 19 hoodies do I wear today, where did I put my English paper, and how can I get out of my calculus quiz this time?  When graduation came, leaving Pike High School wasn’t so difficult, simply because I knew I was going on to bigger and better things.  The next few years were everything I had hoped for. 

College came and went with fury, and it’s still hard to fathom that I graduated over a year ago.  While at un-falcon-believable Bowling Green, my biggest concern was making sure I could pack as much sport and entertainment experience as I could onto my resume in three and a half years.  I volunteered for every minute sporting event occurring on campus, hoping that it would eventually help land me my dream job in baseball.  I also, of course, found time to lounge around and do normal college kid things like see how many people you can fit into a dorm room closet.

That pretty much brings you up to present-day, 2010 Kathryn who currently resides in North Carolina doing her dream job and blogging every other week.  Ten years ago I didn’t know what the decade would throw at me, but was fairly confident I could handle it (as long as it didn’t throw any junk.  I am turrble–as Charles Barkley would say–at hitting anything that curves, slurves, dives, or drops).  In 2020 (!!), I will be 33 (!!) and hopefully still working in baseball; I really can’t imagine being employed in any other field.  Only time will tell, but hopefully by then I’ll have learned to keep my hands back and hit the off-speed stuff.  Anyone seen Brian Dayett?

Kathryn Bobel is entering her second season with the Crawdads and first as Co-Director of Group Sales.  She served as Sales Assistant with the ‘Dads throughout the 2009 campaign, after stints with the Indianapolis Indians (AAA) and US Track and Field.

~Andrew Buchbinder, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations

So, is it absolutely mind-boggling to anyone else out there that we are officially in 2010?  It hit me the other day when I was signing some piece of paperwork (I tend not to read before I sign) and it asked for the date. 

I resisted the ingrained urge to scribble ’09, and instead consciously and correctly scripted a ’10’ at the end of the date.  To say it was strange would be an understatement.  10?  Weird.  For some reason it makes me feel like this is year 10.  Not 2010.  I was fine with ’09.  It never felt as if we’d travelled back 2000 years.  But, for some reason, ’10 just feels awkward.

Not to even mention how quickly the last decade went.  It was the first decade that I can remember fully.  Being born in 1985 (which just keeps getting further and further away!), there were some formative years of the early ’90’s that I can’t clearly and wholly recall.

Not the case with the past decade.  I remember where I was when we flipped to the new millennium on New Year’s 2000.  I remember the angst of high school.  The stress of figuring out how in the world I was going to get through the SATs.  The competition in applying to colleges.  The blur of a great four-year block that was college.  My first summer internship in baseball in Connecticut.  My just under two incredible and crucially developmental years working in sports in California.  And my first season in Hickory in ’09.  There, a decade of my life in one paragraph.

Of course, there are plenty of supplemental undercurrents in addition to the above major plot lines, and, as I sit here in my (very chilly) office, I experience a rare sense of satisfaction when waxing nostalgic about the past decade.  It’s almost hard to believe that so much occurred so quickly.  It’s scary in a lot of ways!

On that note, especially with Opening Day 2010 bearing down on us, there is absolutely no time to waste, and no better way to commence the writing of the first chapter of this new-born decade than with a concise yet pleasant greeting.  Hello 2010.

Have a great start to the New Year everyone!  See you at the 2010 Hot Stove Banquet on Wednesday, Jan. 20 at Rock Barn Golf and Spa.  Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels is our keynote speaker!  Give us a call at (828) 322-3000 or check out our Online Team Store to order your tickets!

Andrew Buchbinder is entering his second season as director of broadcasting/media relations with the Crawdads.  He previously served in similar capacities with the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) and the Bakersfield Blaze, the ‘Dads High-A affiliate in the California League.

Andrew Buchbinder, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations

First of all, I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came on down to L.P. Frans Stadium last Saturday for the Crawdads Christmas Party, expecially to those that donated canned food items.  In total, almost 200 pounds of canned food was collected, which will be distributed by Unity Lutheran Church.  200 pounds!  That’s awesome – and we’d like to say thanks for helping us make sure a couple less people go hungry this holiday season.

Alright, now what to talk about?  We could talk about Tiger.  Nah, what else is there to say?  In my book, just another athlete that turned out not to be the shiny picture of perfection we hoped he would be. 

How about how the Red Sox decided to not go after Jason Bay or Matt Holliday and instead sign a 36 year-old Mike Cameron?  While I would greatly enjoy diving deeper into the undeniable nonsensicle nature of that decision, there are ‘Sawks’ fans in this office and I try to be nice.

So, what else? How about space?  Space has always fascinated me.  Not necessarily enough to motivate me to educate myself greatly on the vast subject, but enough for a headline like “Alien ‘water world’ found” on MSN.com to catch my eye.  I read the article.  Some things were eyebrow-raising, most went entirely over my head.

More than having even a partial resemblance of an understanding of the topic, I enjoy reading these articles and/or watching shows on space because it puts things in perspective for me.  It makes me think about all the ‘just a speck of dust’ cliches.  It is really quite humbling if you really, deeply, at least try to think about it. 

There are planets soaring through areas (I’m sure there’s a more scientific term… er… continuums?) that are six-and-a-half times the size of Earth?!  Close enough to us for the people who get all this stuff to study those planets from Earth?!  And they have water?!

Due, most likely, to an over-abundance of caffeine intake, this is typically where I get sidetracked and start thinking about Marvin the Martian.  I then, naturally, transition to Bugs Bunny.  Before you know it, I’m belting out the “Fricka fracka firecracka shish boom bah, Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny RARARA!!” cheer.  And then, as I’m doing now, I try to figure out exactly where my mind has gone.

Anyway, we could talk about space, but clearly that starts me down a completely random path.  Let’s just stick to the holidays.  I hope everyone out there, in Hickory and beyond, has a safe and happy holiday.  Enjoy your family, enjoy some great food, give meaningful gifts, and, of course, think about space… Marvin the Martian… and Bugs Bunny… don’t forget his cheer.  Merry Christmas!

Andrew Buchbinder is entering his second season as director of broadcasting/media relations with the Crawdads.  He previously served in similar capacities with the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) and the Bakersfield Blaze, the ‘Dads High-A affiliate in the California League.

 

~Mark Seaman, General Manager

Our Assistant GM, Charlie Downs, and I recently returned from the baseball winter meetings in Indianapolis.  (For what it’s worth I think Indianapolis is a nice city to visit, however I would recommend doing it in the summer).  The winter meetings is an annual event where all of the major league and minor league teams meet for 3 to 4 days to contact all kinds of business. It was a busy 3 days.  People often ask us what we do at the meetings and what goes on while we are there.  I can assure you our experience there is nothing like what you see Peter Gammons reporting about on ESPN.  While you may find the truth boring, I thought I would recap our visit to Indianapolis.

Sunday 12/6
5:25 pm – Flew out of Charlotte
7:10 pm – Landed in Indianapolis and went to our hotel.
8:00 pm – Met up with friends from other teams for dinner.  (To me the best part of the winter meetings is seeing people we have either worked with or met during our time in baseball and spend some time catching up.)

Monday 12/7
7:00 am – Woke up to snow on the ground and 40 mph winds.  This is definitely not Las Vegas (The winter meetings were held in Vegas last year)
8:00 am – We left the hotel for the convention center.  We spent the day attending the Bob Freitas seminar and interviewing potential future Crawdads employees. 
The Freitas seminar is put on by Minor League Baseball (MiLB).  The purpose is to give teams ideas they can use at their respective ballparks to increase the fan experience.  Topics covered include sales & marketing, retail operations, community relations and everything in between.  The speakers typically consist of current minor league team employees.  We always pick up some useful ideas that we are able to implement here in Hickory.  But we are not going to tell you now what gems we found this year, you will have to come to the ballpark in 2010 to find out for yourself!  Between the seminars and the interviews, we spoke with over 20 potential candidates today alone, made for a long day. 

Side note – A division of MiLB, Professional Baseball Employment Opportunities (PBEO) runs the job fair which attracts an excess of 500 job seekers annually.  Mostly young adults right out of college looking to get their start in baseball.  The process works as follows:  Teams post the jobs they have available, job seekers turn in resumes for jobs they are interested in to the PBEO, then the PBEO distributes the resumes to the appropriate team and then the teams decide who they would like to interview.  It is an extremely hectic and nerve-racking 3 days for all parties involved.

8:00 pm – The teams that are owned by Mr. Beaver, Charlotte Knights, New Orleans Zephyrs and the ‘Dads had dinner together and spent time sharing ideas between the teams.

Tuesday 12/8
8:00 am –   We left the hotel for the convention center.  We once again spent the day interviewing potential future Crawdads employees, we conducted in the neighborhood of another 25 or so interviews today.
10:00 am – South Atlantic League GMs meeting.  This is an opportunity for the GMs in the league to get together and discuss numerous league items.  Here are a few items that were on our agenda; pregame timeline for BP and Infield, 2010 All-Star game update (which will be in Greenville), update on the SAL virtual office, presentations for multiple vendors, discussion on the SAL hall of fame.

When we were not interviewing or attending the league meeting we spend time in the trade show.  The trade show is an area where vendors that are trying to sell products to the teams set up.  The vendors represent a wide range of companies.  Anything from stadium equipment, uniforms, entertainment acts, giveaway items, retail items, mascot suits, concessions items fireworks shows and more can be purchased at the trade show.

6:00 pm – We attended the Texas Rangers affiliate reception which they host for all the minor league teams in their farm system.  We had the opportunity to speak with Rangers President Nolan Ryan, GM Jon Daniels, Director of Player Development Scott Servais and a number of other individuals throughout the Rangers front office as well as staff members from the other affiliates.    The Rangers have great people throughout their organization; we enjoyed working with them last year and look forward to the interaction again in 2010.  
     

Wednesday 12/9
8:00 am – We left the hotel for the convention center.  We spent the day interviewing potential future Crawdads employees and attending the trade show.  (The days start to resemble the movie Ground Hog day, one day just like the next.)
10:00 am – South Atlantic League Owners and Directors meeting.  This is an opportunity for the Owners and Directors in the league to get together and discuss numerous league items.  For example, here are a few items that were on the agenda; BAM/BIRCO update, League president’s report, Trustees report, Committee reports, which there are 7 different committees, discussion of changes to the constitution and bylaws, and about 6-7 other things.
7:00 pm – Gala hosted by MiLB at Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Colts).  This was a fun event.  They fed us plenty of great food, had a band playing and gave us tours throughout the stadium.  It was a great way to wind down after a long 3 days.
 

Thursday 12/10
7:45 am – Left the hotel for the airport
10:10 am – Landed in Charlotte
12:00 pm – Back at the ballpark writing this Blog (This is now now, a little space balls reference)

And that concludes our tour from the Hickory Crawdads perspective of the 2009 baseball winter meetings.

We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the Crawdads Christmas Party from 11am – 1pm.  This is a great opportunity to pick up some Crawdads gear to put under the tree or a ticket book as a stocking stuffer, it’s the gift that will give all summer long!

~Kathryn Bobel, Co-Director of Group Sales

Let’s get a few things straight.  Yes, it is December. And yes, we are about as far away from a pitch being thrown at L.P. Frans Stadium as it gets.  It’s no longer 97 degrees and I’m no longer using a giant slingshot to fire hotdogs into the stands and fans’ outstretched hands (it’s absurd, but you know you love it).  We said sayonara to summer, farewell to fall, and have welcomed winter (though not necessarily with open arms), which ultimately means that the staffs of minor league baseball teams have headed back indoors to those things you nine-to-fivers call desks.  So, even though the sights, sounds, and smells of the Frans are currently dormant, the Crawdads front office is alive and kickin’!  What do we do, you ask? Great question! It seems as though quite a few individuals ponder this conundrum (including my own mom, who for a while during my college years would periodically ask, “Now, what do you want to do with your degree again?”), so I will attempt to briefly explain why we remain gainfully employed from October to March.

 

The Crawdads, just as any minor league organization, rely heavily on the support of the community to survive.  I would even go as far as to say the time, energy, and capital–let’s call them The Big Three–that local businesses provide the team with combine to form the lifeblood by which the Crawdads are able to exist.  So, in order to improve our operation each and every year, it is during the winter months that we head out into the community to illustrate that any additional time, energy, and capital that citizens are willing to give will greatly add to the experience that we have all come to know and love–spending our warm summer nights under the lights at L.P. Frans Stadium. 

 

So, the next time your friendly neighborhood Crawdads representative calls your business up and asks if we can have just ten minutes of your day to discuss any time, energy, or capital that you may be willing to part with for a great cause, we would be greatly appreciative if you would acquiesce.  At the least, humor us.  Give us just those few minutes we asked for, and then we’ll be on our way.  I believe it goes without saying that we are hoping to step out of your door having added you as a Crawdads partner, but even if you say that the timing isn’t right at this moment to donate any of your Big Three, know that we’ve saved a seat at the ballpark for you.  The ‘dogs are piping hot, the adult beverages are ice cold, and the entertainment can’t be beat.  Sure, you can get dinner and show anywhere, but where else is your food delivered to you by being shot over a giant net with a giant rubber band?

 

Kathryn Bobel is entering her second season with the Crawdads and first as Co-Director of Group Sales.  She served as Sales Assistant with the ‘Dads throughout the 2009 campaign, after stints with the Indianapolis Indians (AAA) and US Track and Field