The Worcester Tornadoes Are All About the Fans

By Kim Dunbar

The seasons weren’t the only things that changed around Worcester in the past year.

Since winning the Canadian-American League Championship in their inaugural season, the Worcester Tornadoes have made many changes in preparation of their title defense. And with the summer season upon us, these changes are in full swing.
Perhaps the biggest change in the Tornadoes organization was the shuffling of front office positions. In November 2005, Todd Marlin took over as General Manager of the team; at the same time, many new positions were created to help spread out team tasks and responsibilities.

“Once you build a base for business, you can start being creative,” said Marlin, who, before coming to Worcester, served as GM for the last three of the eight years he was with the Nashua Pride.

With a business foundation laid down, Marlin and the rest of the Tornadoes’ front office have started to build up and reach out, working on the fan experience. The team has added a whole host of new features, including a Kids’ section ~ with a speed pitch setup, a Moonbounce, special concessions, and a Tykes’ Kids’ Club, for which over 500 young fans have already registered, permitting them free admission to Sunday games and other activities ~ and a picnic area that offers lots of food choices and a big screen TV for watching Red Sox games.

The Tornadoes also added a Budweiser Responsibility Matters section, where the consumption of alcohol is prohibited. “It is a comfort for families to know that they can sit in this section and not have to worry about having beer spilt on them,” said Marlin. He added that the five-row section, adjacent to the Kids’ area, has been a success so farand will eventually expand into a larger section as it becomes more popular.

The most unique addition to the organization is the Catch-a-Concert series. “The stadium sits empty half the season when the team is on the road, so this is something the board of directors wanted to explore,” said Marlin. To set the plan in motion, the Tornadoes hooked up with the College of the Holy Cross and members of the community to bring Hootie and the Blowfish to Worcester on July 8 for the first installment of the summer series.

“They are a family-friendly group that appeals to many different people,” said Marlin about the Blowfish. “We’re really excited about it.”

The Tornadoes are also hosting Lyle Lovett and Shawn Colvin on August 19th. Tickets for the shows can be purchased on www.catchaconcert.com or by calling the Tornadoes office 508-792-2288.
“There has been a ton of support for this event throughout the community, and we hope it will become another viable entertainment option for the city or Worcester,” said Marlin.

There have also been changes on the team. The Tornadoes lost several players in the off-season, not unusual for an independent league. “There is a lot of turnover every year in these leagues,” said Marlin. This expected loss, paired with the requirements of having five rookies on the roster, meant that the Tornadoes had some work to do. “There are plenty of guys out there, we just had to find them,” added Marlin.

Worcester currently sits in first place in the Can-Am league, and it looks as if the Tornadoes have stepped up to the challenge of dealing with change and defending their championship.

“It is fantastic the way this organization has come together,” said Marlin. “There is great unity between the team, Holy Cross, the city, and the community. Worcester is just a great baseball town. I’m looking forward to building this organization in the years to come,” he added.
Meet the New Guys

#28, Matt Weagle, P

First year with Tornadoes; selected by St. Louis in the sixth round of 2003 draft
Hometown: Worcester
DOB: 7/11/82
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 205 lbs.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Favorite vacation spot: Hampton Beach
Favorite summer activity: Going to the beach
Pool or beach: Beach
Favorite summer food: Lobster
Favorite thing about playing in Worcester: Being able to play in front of friends and family
If you weren’t a ballplayer you’d be: A Rocket scientist
Music that gets you psyched for a game: Rock
Pre-game ritual or superstition: Shower 40 minutes before the game and listen to three chosen songs…they’re a secret.
Style of bathing suit you wear: Board shorts
What’s it like playing in front of a home crowd: Electric… it’s like an adrenaline rush you feed off of…
Message for fans: Thanks for the support!

#6, Jeff Lahair, INF

First year with Tornadoes; former Holy Name and Worcester State College star
Hometown: Worcester
DOB: 9/21/84
Height: 5’10”
Weight 185 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Ideal vacation spot: Bahamas
Favorite summer activity: Baseball is pretty much my whole life, but I love to party with my friends.
Pool or beach: Pool
Favorite summer food: Fish and chips
Favorite thing about playing in Worcester: Being able to play in front of friends and family
If you weren’t a ballplayer you’d be: A baseball coach
Music that gets you psyched for a game: Rap and Hip Hop
Pre-game ritual or superstition: Before the game I visualize what may happen in the game.
Style of bathing suit you wear: Regular swimming trunks
What’s it like playing in front of home crowd: It’s a dream come true.
Message for fans: Thanks for the support…We hope we can win another championship for you!

#11, Patrick Perry, C

First year with Tornadoes; Spent last 2.5 years with Red Sox organization
Hometown: Longmont, CO
DOB: 10/03/82
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 190 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R
Ideal vacation spot: Jackson, Wyoming
Favorite summer activity: Fishing
Pool or beach: Beach
Favorite summer food: Steak
Favorite thing about playing in Worcester: The community
If you weren’t a ballplayer you’d be: A tow truck driver
Music that gets you psyched for a game: Al Pacino’s “Inch by Inch” speech from Any Given Sunday
Pre-game ritual or superstition: none
Style of bathing suit you wear: Board shorts
Message for fans: Keep coming out…we appreciate it and it doesn’t go unnoticed!