By Gary Fauber
Assistant Sports Editor
BECKLEY —
West Virginia Miners fans can look forward to a slightly earlier start to the fun next summer.
The Prospect League has officially released its 2012 schedule, and the Miners will start at home for the first time in their young existence. The season opener is set for Tuesday, May 29, against the Slippery Rock Sliders at Linda K. Epling Stadium.
West Virginia beat the Sliders 2-1 in a ninth-inning comeback for the East Division championship last season. Slippery Rock also helped christen Epling Stadium on June 5, 2010.
This season’s schedule format has gone through some changes.
n There are no interleague games. East teams will play only East teams and West only West.
n Teams will meet exclusively in two-game series.
n There are 60 regular-season games, an increase from the previous 56.
n There will be no Monday games, with the exception of July 9 and 16 and Aug. 17.
Miners manager Tim Epling applauded the efforts of Prospect League Commissioner Dave Chase in putting the schedule together.
“I think our commissioner has been very proactive in making a positive change for the league,” Epling said. “I like this scheduling format. We’re going to two divisions like the American League and National League used to be. From that standpoint, I think it’s healthy for the league.
“From an economic standpoint, it’s good for us. It will cut down some on our travel.”
Epling also feels the intraleague format will make for a more even playing field.
“We will see (the same) teams a little bit more, but what makes that more important is we can keep scouting reports on the players’ tendencies and coaches’ tendencies,” Epling said. “If you win your division (and get to host a playoff game), that will give you an advantage.”
All weekday games will start at 7:05 p.m.
The Miners will host eight Sunday games, the most in their three seasons. All Sunday games will start at 5:05 p.m.
They will also play at home July 3-4 versus the Butler BlueSox. There will be a fireworks show after the July 3 game.
The July 4 game will start at 4:05 p.m.
The league All-Star game will be played Wednesday, July 11, in Springfield, Ill.
The season will be divided into two halves, as last season, with the two first-half winners hosting the second-half champs in a one-game divisional championship. Those games will be played Tuesday, Aug. 7.
After a travel day, a best-of-three league championship series will start at the site of the All-Star game loser. Another travel day will be used before the series shifts to the site of the All-Star winner.
— E-mail: gfauber@
register-herald.com
