McKay or No? History-Full March!

The fresh batch of Montgomery Biscuits will arrive in a few short weeks and the season will open with Montgomery's squad on the road, leading to an odd weekday night Opening Day.

A new manager has local fans wondering if he can get the job done and bring home a pennant for the Biscuits. Fans are abuzz about the upcoming season, the possible players and teams promotions.

MCKAY OR NO?
Some debate going about whether Montgomery gets a two-way player to start the year.

Its a tough call, but I went on the side of more seasoning in single-A. He is ready as a pitcher, perhaps a good spring at the plate puts him in a Biscuits uniform on Opening Day. However I felt there was a good chance the Rays would be conservative with their unique prized prospect.


ITS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT
Now we will see where the rubber meets the road concerning that statement.

With a two-way prospect, do the Rays want him to be a two-way player? Or would they rather he focus on pitching, telling him "sink or swim" by challenging him to hit double-A pitching?

If he were just the hitter McKay, batting .210 at single-A doesn't usually come with a promotion after playing three different levels last year. Learning to hit is tougher at double-A than single-A.

ON THE PITCHER MCKAY

Are you holding the guy back when he pitches well? Sure, pitcher McKay is probably ready to face Southern League hitters.

If he does pitch here, does he start? Last year he started 23 of his 25 appearances, logging 98.1 innings. Less than four innings per game, he can be stretched out some this year but could be subjected to limits on his total innings.

Much like we saw when the Biscuits Mike Franco moved into the rotation a couple seasons ago. Franco was a boss, pitching well as a starter but then he was sent to the bullpen midseason to prevent him from throwing a disproportionate number of innings from one season to the next.

However, if the pitcher McKay can't manage four innings a start, he can make 32 starts and only log 120 innings - much under the one-third increase in innings over two seasons. Are we watching the Rays create a new breed of ballplayer - the two-way opener?

So many questions abound on how to handle a two way player.
And since we have always been told minor league baseball "is not about winning, its about development" it will be interesting to watch this develop.

HISTORY-FULL MARCH

 
Historically, March is perhaps the busiest time for baseball in Montgomery.

FIRST CHAMPS VS MGM

Teams began playing exhibition games in and against Montgomery starting at least as early as 1903 with the Boston NL Beaneaters facing, and beating, Montgomery. In 1904 Montgomery hosted a game against the Champion Boston Red Sox, winners of the first World Series the previous season.

SPRING HOME
 By 1905 the NY Highlanders were the first team holding spring training in Montgomery. Later the A's, Reds, Phillies and other teams would hold their spring training in Montgomery.


Even as early as 1911, when the St. Louis Giants played here against the Montgomery Stars, Negro league teams were also playing Montgomery teams in March spring exhibition games.

Buzzy Wares, traded as rent

BUZZY FOR THE BALLPARK? DEAL!
In March of 1913 the MLB St. Louis Browns trade Buzzy Wares to Montgomery for use of a stadium for spring training.

Wares was eventually sold back to the big leagues, but was indeed traded as rent for the Montgomery ballpark!



THE HOUSE THAT MACK BUILT - IN MONTGOMERY
A few short years later, Connie Mack made Montgomery the spring home for his Philadelphia Athletics, who were the reigning World Champions. Cramton Bowl was essentially built to sway Mack's decision and became home to Montgomery baseball teams for nearly fifty years.

Cramton Bowl 1920's

 STARS IN ALABAMA

This is the time of year baseball stars visit Montgomery. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, Rube Waddell, Jimmie Foxx - all hall of famers who played March Exhibition games in Montgomery.
Controversial Hal Chase doesn't play here, instead choosing to jump contract from the Yankees team he is supposed to be here with!

The great Babe Ruth's Yankees make several stops here, starting in 1925, as the Bombers barnstorm north towards their own Opening Day.

Bill Dickey, Babe Ruth and Left Gomez on Yankee barnstorming trip thru Montgomery

CHECK THE BLOG ARCHIVES FOR MORE
White teams, black teams, integrated teams, local clubs, barnstorming teams, major league, minor league, you name it. Montgomery hosted World Series rematch games between barnstorming MLB Champions on several March afternoons.

The '08 Cubs, the '26 Yankees and a whole slew of other great clubs make appearances in the Montgomery area during the month of March. There are lots of stories, many of them just a click away in the blog archives!


MORE COMING SOON.....