BIG TIME BASEBALL

One of the most underappreciated activities in this city is watching the Springfi eld Sliders play at Robin Roberts Field with a beer, a few good friends and the sun setting at your back. Whether or not the Sliders win is beside the point. It’s about the experience. For actual baseball fans, there’s another reason to catch the Sliders: you might be watching a future major leaguer. That was proven earlier this month when four former Sliders players got drafted to major league teams. Former Sliders shortstop David Kerian was chosen by the Washington Nationals in the ninth round of the June 8-10 draft, while outfi elder Zach Coppola went to the Philadelphia Phillies in the 13th round. Former Sliders pitcher Matt Meier was chosen by the Colorado Rockies as their 30th pick, and pitcher Chris Powell was drafted by the LA Dodgers in the 39th round. The current Sliders lineup plays a doubleheader on Thursday and Friday in Springfi eld against the Kokomo Jackrabbits. Check out www.springfi eldsliders.com for more info.