Vol. 5, No. 6, June 2008
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You Gotta' Have Heart
Under new president Chris Carminucci, the Atlantic City Surf winds up for a winning season
Chris Carminucci, new president of the Surf baseball team, knows that every minor league team in Atlantic City history has lost money here. But he’s not complaining.
“If you tell me 500 people are in the ballpark, then those 500 people will have the best night of their life,” Carminucci says. “If you give us a chance to show you a ballgame, I guarantee you’ll want to come back. This is one of the best venues in all of minor league baseball.”
Carminucci is more concerned about the actual fans than the would-be fans. “You want to take care of the people who do come to your ballpark, not be concerned as much about the people who are not there. You go out, you hustle, you bust your butt and people will support the hell out of you.” Carminucci brings much-needed Type A energy to the team, which began its home slate in the summer Can-Am League last month at Bernie Robbins Stadium. The Surf cut staff and services to the bone last year and needs to have its product identified differently.
“Just like you make players accountable, you can make owners accountable,” he says. “If we have a crappy product, you blame me. If we haven’t done a great job, you blame me. The players on this team and in the organization have always been great, but we need to improve our product off the field.
“That’s why we sent out 5,000 e-mails and listened to our customers. They want the quality of food to be better and the stadium to be cleaner. We’ll have fewer things on the menu, but what we do, we will do well.”
Game activities, meanwhile, are a Surf asset. Promotions, kids running bases, styrofoam balls air-gunned into the crowd and access to players have been a staple.
“We told our entire staff that any request from a ticket holder, if it’s reasonable, should be honored,” Carminucci says. “You want a ball signed? We’ll sign it. You want to sit close to the players? We want you to sit close to the players. We’ll make you feel you have ownership of a place.”
This year the Surf brings a major figure to the dugout. Cecil Fielder, who hit some of the most prodigious home runs in history, is the new manager. Nicknamed Bid Daddy as a player, Fielder is one of only four batters to hit a home run over the roof in Tiger Stadium, and the only player ever to send a blast clear out of Milwaukee County Stadium. He was a three-time All Star and won a World Series ring with the Yankees in 1996. He and his son Prince are the only father-son combination in major league baseball history to clout 50 homers in a season.
Though Fielder’s gambling problems once led to a lawsuit by the Trump properties, those days are gone, and players will listen to a big man who makes them bunt.
“Cecil with his pinky finger is better than I ever was as a player,” Carminucci says. “He’s hit a home run in the World Series and he is a great person for these young guys to learn from. A player needs to play selflessly. If you won’t bunt or hit and run, you can’t play here. Some guys have been released by organizations for not knowing how to do those things. We’ll teach them.”
In that sense, the Can-Am circuit is a departure from the Independent League, Atlantic City’s home until last year. In a league stocked with former big league players, the take sign was an edict from baseball hell. Managers spoke about letting their players gain valuable stats and return to the majors.
Not here. The Can-Am league, which has less talent than the Independent circuit, has a different mindset.
“I would agree that the Independent League had more seasoned players,” Carminucci says, “but the difference is they are on their way back down. These players are on the way up.”
Did You Know?
Carminucci is a hustler who practices what he preaches. He managed the Surf into the postseason last year and was named the Can-Am League Manager of the Year. He also has a scouting relationship with the Phillies. Any player in the league who catches his attention will get the Phils to take a look at him.
Anthony Granato is a notable Surf returnee. The third baseman hit .329 last year, with seven homers and 50 RBIs. Joe Burke, who hit .333, is back too. So is pitcher Brian Rodaway, who was 15-3 last year.
Atlantic City has a strong June schedule with 12 home games on June 1, June 6-8, June 10-12 and June 20-26. Fireworks follow games on the 6th and 20th.
The league also includes teams in Brooklyn, Nashua, Ottawa, Quebec, Sussex, Worcester and the New Jersey Jackals. Carminucci listed Harrah’s, Trump and Tropicana as major sources of casino support. The league schedule consists of 94 games. It ends September 1, with the playoff schedule to follow.
Round II for Pavlik
Atlantic City boxing fans love Kelly Pavlik, the Youngstown, Ohio middleweight who made a sensation with his stirring come-from-behind knockout over Jermain Taylor last September at Boardwalk Hall. Las Vegas got the rematch in February, but Boardwalk Hall will showcase Pavlik’s middleweight title defense against No. 1 contender Gary Lockett on June 7. Pavlik, 33-0 with 29 knockouts, is one of boxing’s hottest commodities. He’ll bring a frantic Ohio following that will jam the gaming tables afterward.
Lockett, the No. 1 contender for Pavlik’s WBC and WB0 titles, is 30-1 with 21 knockouts. The native of Wales has been a pro since 1996.
