This year’s Bound Edition of the Newberg Report will be the 10th edition of the book, and to commemorate the anniversary, the two forewords for this year’s book come from the greatest Texas Ranger, Nolan Ryan, and the player who, in a way, was the impetus for the late ’90s birth of the Newberg Minor League Report, Jeff Zimmerman.

I couldn’t be more honored.

Pre-sales for the book will kick off late this month.

The Book Release Party will be on Thursday evening, December 11 (the final day of the Winter Meetings, as well as Eleanor Czajka’s birthday), at a site to be determined. We’re working on location now. We hope to have food and drinks like in past years, and we’ll also collect Toys for Tots for the holidays as we’ve always done.

[Cont'd....]

We’re planning on having the party at a larger venue than we’ve had before, because among the guests who will appear to sign books and visit with us will be Zimmerman, who is coming in from Canada to do this . . . and Derek Holland, whose meteoric rise to elite prospecthood doesn’t register on the unlikeliness scale quite as high as Zimmerman’s, but it’s up there.

I’m betting we’ll have more than Zimmerman and Holland in attendance (last year we had Chris Davis, Taylor Teagarden, Doug Mathis, German Duran, and Johnny Whittleman), but for now those two are the confirmed guests.

Admission will be free. The “cost” for getting player autographs will be a 2009 Bound Edition, which you will be able to buy in advance or at the event.

More details as they develop.

Your the best Jamey, thank you so much for your newsletter and daily emails!

Looking forward to the High A team coming east in 2010. Can't wait to be able to watch some of the kids on the farm.
ALso I am a little scared of what Nolan (JD) might try to give up to get a "fix it now" pitcher.
Raleigh, NC

There was a letter to the editor in Today's Winnipeg Free Press praising Ace Walker.

http://winnipegfreepress.com/editorial/story/4220068p-4813496c.html

Here is how it starts:

An Ace in Goldeyes' deck

I was at the Goldeyes game last Sunday afternoon. Ace Walker was the starting pitcher. The little league team came on the field to meet the Goldeyes player who plays the same position as the wannabes do on their own team. From my seat, it seemed that the little guys rushed onto the field just to be ignored. This was not an isolated event -- in fact it is more the norm. On Sunday the autographs were given but there didn't seem to be any effort made by many of the Goldeyes players to interact with the young team.

As I looked around it looked like this game wasn't going to be any different. I'm sure these young players idolize the Goldeyes team and their excitement at having the honour of being on the field with them was evident. But then I glanced over to the pitcher's mound. Ace Walke

A few photos from last night in Frisco:

http://newberg.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/08/first_pitch.html

Wish I could be at the game Friday! Good luck to you and Max with the 1st pitch!