Bill Mitchell's Minor League Ramblings

Minor League Ramblings For the week of :
July 19, 2004

Minor League Ramblings is produced by Bill Mitchell for Minor League Watch.

Small town baseball thrives in Virginia's Valley League
July 24, 2004

Early arrivals for the Staunton Braves game at Moxie Stadium in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley can quickly tell the difference between big league baseball and this summer college league. The crew preparing the field for the evening game against the visiting New Market Rebels didn't look like your typical groundskeepers.

Staunton Braves players feverishly work to get the field ready for the Monday evening game against New Market

The large group raking the mound and home plate area consisted of the entire Braves team, hurriedly trying to get the field in shape after a thunderstorm came through the area a few hours before that evening's game.

This Monday night game was already a makeup from the previous night's scheduled encounter with the Rebels when it was determined that the field would be too soggy from the heavy rains that fell in the Valley on Saturday. Staunton officials were second-guessing themselves on the wisdom of pushing the schedule back a day instead of trying to get in the regularly-scheduled Sunday night game.

But the skies cleared and the field was playable, paving the way for another night of Valley League baseball. One of about a dozen "wooden bat" leagues that provide an outlet for college players during the summer, the 10-team Valley League has been in existence for more than 40 years. The players are not paid, in accordance with their standing as amateur athletes, and generally stay with host families during the two-month season.

The Valley League is indeed a throwback to baseball in the 1950s, when communities across the United States had their own "town teams." Many of the players work part-time in the communities when not playing baseball. Players and fans freely mingle before and after the games.

Jon Jay slides safely into second with a
first inning stolen base

The league gets money from the NCAA and Major League Baseball, but teams are independently owned and operated. Each Valley League team is run as a community, "mom and pop" organization, and those affiliated with the teams are proud to be part of the league. The teams' web sites openly advertise the need for host families and promote the possibility that a "future major leaguer" could be living with the prospective family. Ticket prices, generally in the $5 range, are very affordable.

The Staunton team regularly draws upwards of 1,000 fans for their home games. Despite the fact that this particular game was a makeup and the area was hit earlier with rain, nearly 500 loyal Braves rooters show up to cheer on the home team.

The caliber of baseball is quite good. Many of the players have Division I collegiate experience. Team officials are proud of their "boys" that have since gone on the play in the major leagues. While showing visitors around the small office above the stadium, Staunton co-owner Kay Snyder beams when pointing out current major leaguers Aubrey Huff, Chad Tracy and Tim Olson on past team pictures. Mike Maroth, Jason Michaels and Mike Mordecai are other big league vets that played for Staunton during their college years.

Among the Staunton starters were centerfielder Jon Jay, who was one of the University of Miami's leading hitters as a freshman, Middle Tennessee shortstop Jeff Beachum and Saint Leo third baseman D.J. Prevatt. Top players on the New Market squad included William & Mary pitcher Jeff Dagenhart, Connecticut pitcher Tim Norton and North Florida corner infielder Marion Knowles.

--- Bill Mitchell