We're very excited here at Silver Cross Field as our new manager Mike Breyman is already making some big moves that will have a positive impact for the 2013 season.

Our coaching staff is young but very experienced when it comes to coaching in professional baseball.

The Slammers won the Frontier League title in 2011 and one of our catchers that season was Ben Hewett. Hewett was a rookie out of DII Rollins College that year and impressed the fans with his strong defense and good throwing arm. But the fact that he only stood 5'8'' really endeared him to our fans.

Some of our season ticket holders started a fan club called "The Hew Crew" in his honor. Ben started the 2012 with us but was traded to the River City Rascals mid-season for a player to be named later.

Well, now he's back!

Our new ownership group: Joliet Community Baseball & Entertainment, made it a priority to acquire Ben from the Rascals due to his defense and popularity among our fans. In a funny twist, Hewett is actually the player to be named later from the original trade. So essentially, Ben was traded for himself!

A huge acquisition that just occurred today was the signing of RHP Seth Lintz. Lintz brings a pedigree to the Slammers you don't often see in the Frontier League. He was a second round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008. Only outfielder David Christensen (second round draft pick by the Rockies) can make the same claim on the Slammers.

On the trade front, the Slammers dealt RHP Rey Cotilla to the Gateway Grizzlies for a package of three players led by 2012 Frontier League All-Star Jerod Yakubik. This is a big coup for Joliet as the Grizzlies needed to dump some salary and we were the beneficiaries.

You can stay up-to-date on all things Slammers baseball by liking us on Facebook. In fact, if we get to 5,500 "likes" by the end of January, one lucky fan will get to broadcast a game on the radio with me during the season! Right now we're at 5,164 likes so tell all your friends about our page to help us reach our goal. Share the link to our page on your Facebook and we should reach that magic number of 5,500 likes.

Stay with Joliet Patch as well as I'll continue to update you on all the recent developments with the Slammers. Opening Night is Friday, May 17 at 7:05 p.m. Season tickets, mini plans and group tickets are available now. Give us a call at 815-722-2287 or check us out at jolietslammers.com.