Nice Article About Rend Lake & The Miners

Chicago-area outdoor writer Don Dziedzina had a nice write-up last week about his trip to Rend Lake that included a nice plug for Williamson County and the Southern Illinois Miners as well.

Franklin County has a lot to keep you busy when you're down south for a summer vacation. With everything being so close, that really helps too. Just about 15 minutes south of the resort, down Interstate 57, is the town of Marion in Williamson County, and this year they have their very own minor league baseball team, the Southern Illinois Minors. Any trip that you may make down south during the summer should include a baseball game at the Minors' new $15 million field. It's great!

Oh, and the fishing was great too.

Don writes for the Sun-Times suburban papers as well as produces outdoor shows for both radio and cable television. He has more on his website, IllinoisOutdoors.com.

Miners Add Mascots

The Southern Illinois Miners announced today the creation of two additional mascots for the Miners – a canary and a mole – both connected with underground life.

Before school is out this spring, students from around the area will get a chance to suggest a name of the three mascots in the “Miners Mascot Challenge” sponsored by the team and WSIL-TV. Part of the challenge will be to design and name a fourth mascot as well.

For more check out today's Marion Daily.

AP Covers Year's Progress on Ballpark

Jim Suhr of the Associated Press wraps up the progress so far in the construction of the new ball stadium in Marion and unveiling of the Southern Illinois Miners

The Southern Illinoisan has the full story online and the Marion Daily has a nice aerial shot as well.

MDR Converses With Miners Manager Pinto

Justin Walker takes the reins today in the Marion Daily's weekly conversation with somebody interesting. This week focuses on the Miner's new coach, Mike Pinto.

Justin: How will our location be a factor in drawing players?

Mike: It's a positive one. There are a lot of really good Midwest players and we're within driving distance of how many really good college programs? One of the questions I get asked a lot is "What kind of player are you looking for?" I'll tell you, I'm looking for the best player at a school. Not the No. 8 hitter or a guy who didn't get in the game very much, I'm looking for the guy who is a prospect. Guys who set records at their school. I'm not looking for the average, run-of-the-mill player. I'm looking for a guy who was exceptional at what he did and now let's see if he can move up a level and maintain that.

Justin: What about the local guy with a dream. You've said there will be a local tryout.

Mike: We'll have a tryout in the latter part of April. We'll try to get a location as to not disturb the stadium prior to us getting started, but we'll run a full major league tryout. I'll get some scouts to help me evaluate and we'll have a lot of guys come out. There will be some roster spots available and if a guy is qualified and possesses that kind of talent — maybe he got missed in the draft and every year there are high quality players that were either with the wrong school at the wrong time and got missed. Much of the Frontier League is based on giving guys their first chance.

Check out the rest of the interview in the Marion Daily.

Miners Manager Named, Season Opens May 29

The Southern Illinois Miners named Mike Pinto as their new field manager Tuesday and announced that the first home game at the new Minors Stadium would take place on May 29, six days after the team's season opener in Sauget.

Pinto comes to the team after two seasons at the helm of the Sioux Falls Canaries of the American Association and three seasons of coaching with the Joliet Jackhammers of the Independent Northern League. Mike also coached two seasons at Oakton Community College.

During his first official day on the job, Pinto signed the first two players for the Miners:

• Chris Hall, a 6' 3", 220 lb 3rd Baseman, played at Indiana State University and hit .350 his senior year with a .470 slugging percentage. He started his professional career in Shreveport, Louisiana in the Central League in 2004 where he hit .260. He then went with manager Terry Bevington to Edmonton in 2005 and hit .277 while setting a Northern League record for assists with 203 as the leagues best 3rd baseman. Although he hit .239 in 2006 for Sioux Falls, Chris hit .323 in the final month of the season while continuing his sparkling play at 3rd base. He also hit 19 doubles, had 4 home runs and 7 stolen bases.
  
  
• Jose Torres, a 6', 195 lb left fielder, drafted in the 39th round by the Texas Rangers, split the 2006 season with the Lincoln Saltdogs and St. Paul Saints of the American Association, hitting a combined .247 with 6 home runs and 37 RBI along with having 6 outfield assists.

The team also released the 2007 season schedule. Pinto and the Miners will take the field for the first time on May 23 against the Gateway Grizzlies in Sauget, Illinois, and for the first time at home on May 29th against the Evansville Otters.

The schedule includes 51 home games during 11 home stands. The team plans to have fireworks displays after the first home game and all Friday home games.

Inaugural season tickets and Miners team merchandise can be purchased by calling the team office at 618-998-8499, stopping by the office in the Illinois Centre Mall in Marion, or on the team website: www.southernillinoisminers.com.

And The Name Is...

... the Southern Illinois Miners.

We wanted a name that the people of the region could identify with in a personal way. We think the miner was an excellent choice because he represents the many great qualities of people in Southern Illinois - hard working, honest, and dedicated," said Erik Haag, spokesman for the Southern Illinois Baseball Group.

"Throughout the history of this region many miners labored under less than ideal conditions in an effort to put food on the table and improve the lives of their families," Haag added. "We think the name also reflects the recent renaissance in mining in the area which will serve as an economic catalyst for the future."

The team's new website is www.SouthernIllinoisMiners.com. Team merchandise is already available for sale at the team's kiosk in the mall. Merchandise and tickets can also be purchased online.

Next on the agenda will be the announcement of the coach and the first couple of players hired as well as the 2007 schedule.

Games begin in late May and run to early September.

Few Hints Offered on Baseball Team Name

Today's Marion Daily Republican has two stories on the new Frontier League baseball team coming to Marion.

The first story covers the problems of all the rain is having on construction.

“We’re only getting two to three days a week of work because of the rain,” said Project Superintendent Pete Woolley, of Holland Construction Services. “We’ve been working Saturdays when it’s dry.”

The second story focuses on the team name.

Southern Illinois Baseball Group Spokesperson Erik Haag will be the first to admit that he has almost “spilled the beans” of the new minor league team’s name.

“We’ve been talking about it around the office so much, I’ve nearly let it slip at least once,” he said.

Officials from the Southern Illinois Baseball Group will reveal the new team name, logo and colors tomorrow at the center court of the Illinois Centre Mall at 6 p.m

Public Invited for Team Name Unveiling

Southern Illinois baseball fans will find out Thursday what the name will be for the new Frontier League team set to start play in Marion next spring.

Officials from the Southern Illinois Baseball Group will unveil the team name and logo at 6 p.m. this Thursday at the center court of the Illinois Centre Mall in Marion.

Last week construction finally grew above the street level on Blue Heron Drive. Work is planned to continued over the winter.

For more pictures of the baseball stadium's construction check out the group's photo gallery.