Paterson Goes Topless, Timmons Promoted to Durham Bulls

TIMMONS PROMOTED
Friendly first base coach and hitting instructor Ozzie Timmons was promoted to Durham last week. The move to triple-A should come as no surprise to Biscuits fans, Timmons easy going nature and keen eye for the game have made him popular with players and fans alike.

Following the Biscuits season, Timmons again this year suited up for the big club as a bench coach for his home town Tampa Bay Rays, a regular event in recent Septembers.

It has long been my opinion that Ozzie is a future MLB first base coach, a coaching prospect even. Timmons has expressed some desire to manage at times, but is probably closer to the major leagues as a hitting instructor and first base coach.

A replacement has yet to be named to fill Montgomery's first base coaches box. A likely suspect would be Joe Szekely, the StoneCrabs hitting coach.


ON THE HUNT
I am looking for video of past Montgomery games, in particular the vid of the 2007 Biscuits championship win over Huntsville. If anyone has any video of the playoffs from 06 or 07, please let me know. There was a vid of the last inning of the 2oo7 game, but it was lost/removed when google took over youtube.

PATERSON RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY

This week renovations began at the old Rebels playing field, a move probably much needed but its yet to be seen how the execution will look.

Pressbox in June

Hopefully they appreciate the classic look of the iconic "Municipal Stadium" and maintain the appearance while updating the fan experience.

When I spoke with city points of contact earlier this year, I was told the renovations start with a new pressbox.

The seating will get new aluminum seats and the whole place might get painted. Obviously, freshening up the clubhouses is an important item as well.

Paterson Field Home Clubhouse pre renovation

JUST A LITTLE OFF THE TOP....
I got to check out the work being done and took some photos. I wonder how much of this is being done to make money off the recycling of the metal roof, since that is what seemed to be where most of the work has been done.

Pressbox now

It had the look more of a salvage operation than a renovation project.  Or tornado damage.

A lone worker was cutting up the pressbox with a torch while I was there. He didn't seem to mind letting me take a look around.

Now it will be interesting to learn how it will look with a replacement roof over the grandstand.


Its an odd view of the old park to see it without the topper that has been in place since its construction by Hoke VandiGriff back in the 1950s.

A lot different now!
Whats not different are the dugouts, which have been pretty much the same since the park was built.

The only serious addition to the dugouts since construction is the roof, which was put up in the early to mid 1960s. So it seems double-A guys can demand a roof to get out of the sun, but lower levels guys hadn't yet earned shade.

The home dugout of Paterson Field, home of the Montgomery Rebels 1950-1980

And there is no timetable for completion, this being a piece meal type improvement. I am not sure there is a budget to apply, a mysterious municipal plan for renovation without specifics is often a bad situation. Lets hope it works out for the best at the old ballpark, its a gem of a mid-century construction.

No its not the best park in the world, but its ours, its paid for and its where our baseball history resides.







APOLOGIES

The Blog has been and might be slow until after the World Series has reached its conclusion. It will give everyone a chance to enjoy playoff baseball and for me to reintroduce myself to my family. I knew it had to happen when the family pets no longer recognized me.

During this time, there will will be writing, researching and preparing for a full offseason with new features and information, so the posts might be a little sparse. Thank you for your patience!