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Atlantic League offers plenty for fans

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

With the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs kicking off the 2009 season on April 23, fans are concentrating on the home team. However, two teams made important moves to help start the foundation of a winner.

Back on Nov. 7 of last year, New York Mets Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter was officially named the Long Island Ducks team manager, hoping the job will lead him to a Major League job in the future.

Carter mentioned in a New York press conference, according to news reports on the Internet, that managing the Ducks could be his entry to the big leagues.

"The Atlantic League is one of the better-known independent leagues," said Carter, "and if I do here what I'm expected to do, then maybe a Major League team or an affiliate might catch on the same way."

Carter retired in 1992 with the Mets and has managed two teams to championships, the Orange County Flyers of the Golden Baseball League in California last season and the St. Lucie Mets of the Florida State League in 1996.

Carter was the hero of the 1986 World Series with the Mets and was an All-Star catcher 11 times in his career. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

"My desires are simply I love to teach, I love to be in uniform, I love to throw batting practice, I love to be with the kids," Carter added in the press conference. "It's been a passion and a love of mine ever since I was a small kid, and I just knew that at one time or another I'd get back in uniform. Now I'm looking ahead to the Ducks organization."

In January, Tim Raines, 49, a seven-time National League All-Star during his 23-year playing career, who ranks fourth all-time on the stolen bases list and helped the New York Yankees win World Series titles in 1996 and 1998, signed a two-year contract to manage the Newark Bears.

"Last summer was the first year I was away from baseball," Raines said in a Newark press conference, according to news reports on the Internet. "I realized that baseball was a big part of my life for so long and I wondered what I was going to do away from the game. This was a great opportunity for me, not only to manage, but to get back into the game. I know I have a big job in front of me."

Raines will bring years of experience as a player and a coach to the dugout every night for Newark baseball.

"I'm thrilled at the opportunity to manage the Newark Bears in the greatest sports region in the country," Raines said. He said in a Newark press conference, according to Internet sources, that he was excited by the prospects in Newark.

"Newark is rich in baseball tradition, with legends like Yogi Berra, Monte Irvin and Rickey Henderson once calling the city home. I'm proud to be contributing to that history and excited at the energy and direction the new ownership team is bringing to the Bears."

Raines was a hitting coach for the Class AA Harrisburg Senators in 2007 and a first base coach for the Chicago White Sox in 2004 to 2006.

He began his coaching career in 2003 as manager of the Brevard County Manatees, a Class-A affiliate of the Montreal Expos.