BASEBALL: The boys are back in town

BY TIM HAYES
Bristol Herald Courier

BRISTOL, Va. – First-year Bristol White Sox manager Ryan Newman has been here before, both as a player and more recently as a manager.

In terms of that experience, he’s a veteran compared to his players, many of whom will make their professional debuts tonight at 7 p.m., when the Sox play host to the Greenville Astros in the season-opener at DeVault Stadium.

Still, Newman expects to be no different than his players when the national anthem is sung and the first pitch is thrown. Like them, he’ll have butterflies in his stomach.

“Every opening day, no matter which level, is exciting,” Newman said.

One of the storylines to follow this summer will be how the energetic Newman directs his team during the 68-game season. At 30-years-old, he is the Appalachian League’s youngest manager.

However, his experiences in professional baseball have been plentiful.

He played for three seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor league system as an infielder, rising to the High-Class A level. When his career was derailed by injuries, he decided to give player development a try.

His first managing experience came last summer when he directed the Detroit Tigers’ affiliate in the short-season New York-Penn League. Newman’s team went 33-41 and finished second in its respective division.

Results aside, Newman said he grew up a lot during the season.

“Last year was my first year managing, so there were some lessons I learned,” Newman said. “Things now start to come to me as instincts, while last year I had to develop them. Now, having a year under my belt, things come a little more naturally for me.”

Newman also has a important mentor: his father, Jeff, who played, managed and coached in the major leagues. Jeff Newman served as the Oakland Athletics’ interim manager for 10 games during the 1986 season.

“I talk to him probably every day on the phone,” Newman said. “He’ll be out here a couple of times during the season. I’ve learned a lot from him. It’s a great source and it’s advantage for me to have him to go to.”

As for the team Newman will put on the field this season, the BriSox appear to have promise and a deep pitching staff.

Infielders Dan Black and Daniel Wagner are the two highest draft picks among position players and both possess power.

Black was selected in the 14th round by the Chicago White Sox after belting 36 career home runs in three seasons at Purdue University, while Wagner was picked in the 16th round after blasting 10 homers and driving in 57 runs this past season for Atlantic Sun Conference member Belmont.

Catcher Shaydron Buckridge and outfielder Misael Tavarez are holdovers from last year’s Bristol team. Tavarez hit .193 with three homers and eight RBIs, while Buckridge hit .220 in 14 games for the BriSox.

Regardless of status, every player on the BriSox has been looking forward to tonight.

“Especially coming from extended spring [training],” Newman said. “We’ve been going through that spring training schedule, where we’ve been playing at noon every day. It’s exciting. We’re going to hear an anthem and see the lights for the first time in a long time.”