Stadium Construction Updates….

Opening day is only 3 weeks away, so I decided to provide you with some updates. This post includes the status of the stadium construction. Randy Whitker also provides updates on the stadium, and takes a guess at which players might be assigned to Harrisburg. I also have information on open practice/media day and offer reminders about 2009 FanFest and the Welcome Back Dinner.

Earlier this week a press release was issued by the Senators updating the progress of the construction project on Commerce Bank Park. Here is the latest: “The steel for the boardwalk, entryway, and outfield seating began arriving last week. As soon as the steel arrived, building the entryway, administrative building and left field boardwalk area started. Work is starting on the framework for the left field seating area this week. The framework for the batters eye should be completed this week. Work continues preparing the right field area to build the boardwalk.”

In addition, the videoboard arrived the other day and “installation should take place over the next week.” Also, “the installation of the left field fence has started.”

The press release noted that the Senators will be updating photos daily on their website.

I plan on visiting City Island every weekend and posting photos on Senators Fans Unite and on my flickr page, Senators Renovations, every Monday morning.

I asked Senators GM Randy Whitaker for a status update on the project and he replied “This is an exciting time for us long time Senators fans. We’ve waited a long time for upgrades to the stadium and it is finally happening in a big way. Things are changing HOURLY right now. It’s fun to walk by in the morning and then go back in the afternoon and see significant change. They are now working Saturdays to make sure the project is ready for the season. They know more about construction than I do, so I’ll trust them.”

I also asked Randy to take a guess at who he thinks will suite up for the Senators on Opening Day. “Hard to tell who we’ll have this year. I remember getting a “preliminary roster” on the Friday before they came north last year, and then about half the roster was different by the time they showed up two days later. So nothing is sure until they step onto the field. I can take guesses just like anyone else though.”

Randy’s list of players include, “Who I’ll guess we have back to start: Bill Rhinehart, Andrew Lefave, Matt Rogelstad, Adrian Alaniz, Justin Jones, Luis Atilano. New guys we might see: Ross Detwiler, Brian Peacock, Clint Everts”

He continued by saying, “I think we will also see Chris Marrero early this year, and hopefully Michael Burgess.”

Randy wants to remind us that “All that is just a fan’s guess. I assure you I have no inside info.”

Thanks to Randy for taking time out to update us on the construction project and giving us his ‘fan’s guess’ on who might be suiting up for the Senators this year.

2009 FanFest is scheduled for April 4, from 12 PM until 3 PM, on City Island. For more information please visit: 2009 Harrisburg Senators Fanfest

An “open practice/media day” is scheduled for April 7 at Commerce Bank Park. I will be sure to provide more details when they become available.

On April 8th, the day before the Senators travel to Reading for opening day, is when the 2009 Welcome Back dinner is scheduled. It will be held at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel in Camp Hill. Cost is $30.00 per person. For tickets contact Jean Jacobs at 774-2730 or Bill Houck at 652-6540. For more information please visit: 2009 Welcome Back Dinner