A primer on the Louisville Bats for the Opening Ceremonies!

Submitted by NAD Conference [1] on Tue, 07/03/2012 - 14:01 Blog:

• NAD Conference [2]

For one night at least, everybody can be a fan of the Louisville Bats! Today's Opening Ceremonies [3] will include a high-stakes baseball game between the Louisville Bats and the Indianapolis Indians. Both the Bats and Indians play in the Minor Leagues, and this competition will be fantastic to watch!

The Indians are first in the International League standings, while the Bats presently reside in 5th place. The Louisville Bats are the highest minor-league affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, while the Indianapolis Indians are part of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, so Reds and Pirates fans, rejoice! Did you know that the Louisville Bats are ranked #7 among the most valuable minor league baseball organizations, according to Forbes [4]?

One exciting, young player who will be batting for the Louisville Bats is Cody Puckett, who was named the International League Batter of the Week [5] after helping his team continue their 8-game winning streak. Puckett’s efforts are supported by a stellar bullpen [6], along with experienced Major League veterans Joey Gathright and Willie Harris. After a rather rocky start to their season, a eight-game winning streak [7] (as of June 26) is getting the team back on track. Check out their roster [8] and the league scoreboard [9], as well as the website for the Indianapolis Indians [10].

Check out the official site for the Louisville Slugger Stadium, including a map [11]. Bring a printout or load it up on your electronic tablet, and you’ll be all set for the Opening Ceremonies! The Stadium is within easy walking distance from the Kentucky International Convention Center and downtown Louisville. Be sure to bring your walking shoes for the Opening Ceremonies, and you'll be walking the few blocks over in style!

To learn more about the Louisville Bats, so you can decide which team to root for, visit the Louisville Bats news page [7].

International League West Conference Standings (as of June 26, 2012)

We'll see you at the Opening Ceremonies- don't forget, Colin Allen of the WFD, "Wawa" Snipes, Sean Forbes and Jeremy Q will light the whole stadium on fire! Be there or be square.