Play it again, Nashua and Worcester.

Yes, your favorite Futures Collegiate League Finals matchup is here, the Silver Knights vs. the Bravehearts.

Sure, bring back the memories of the Knights 2-0 title sweeps of 2016 and 2017.

But between the time the Silver Knights were celebrating loud and proud at Holman Stadium on a nice August Saturday night in 2017 and now, much has changed. In big ways.

Let’s start with the top, as the Creedon family of Worcester can’t lose. Frustrated after two title series losses, that problem was solved when John Creedon, Jr. bought the Silver Knights from Drew Weber in February of 2019.

So now who do you root for?

“We’re rooting for the fan,” John Creedon, Sr. said the other night.

Ah, great answer.

Then there’s Nashua general manager Cam Cook. He was on the field as the third baseman for both title celebrations, but now he has a walkie talkie that goes off constantly during the games he can barely watch because he now has the title of Silver Knights general manager.

“The heart stays the same, wanting to beat Worcester,” Cook said. “It doesn’t matter that it’s the same ownership, it’s still competitive, it’s still fun.

“But I’m not going to be able to sit (and watch). I can remember every single inning and every pitch from those (2016-17) baseball games. I know that’s not going to be the same here. I’ll be answering my walkie. It’ll be more amplified than it is now. I’ll make sure I watch the (Nashua) E-TV runback or the BlueFrame (the league’s streaming service) runback at the end.”

And of course, Silver Knights manager Kyle Jackson basically had just one responsibility back in 2016-17 – handle the pitchers. Jackson was the pitching coach for six years before his promotion to the manager’s chair this year. So he knows how Cook feels.

“He’s in a situation that I’m in,” Jackson said, “where I won as an assistant and he won as a player. Now he’s going for the top dog thing and I’m going for the top dog (in uniform).

“We’re in a whole different thing. I didn’t have to make out the lineups when we won the championship. I gave (former manager B.J. Neverett) the pitching rotation but he made the final decision. It’s a whole different pressure. But there’s no pressure.”

No, just fun, right?

There’s more.Back in 2016-17, there was no global pandemic. Because of the health crisis, the Bravehearts couldn’t play at Holy Cross in Worcester this summer, finding a temporary home at Doyle Field in Leominster, Mass. But while a few fans could wander in and out since it’s a public park, it wasn’t suitable for a finals site. So all three games are at Holman, and Worcester, the home team for two of the potential three games, will have its fan base present. Plus you’ll hear Worcester music when the players are up, and for the Bravehearts home games you probably won’t here “Finish him!” on the loudspeaker when a Braveheart has two strikes on him.

There will also be a 25 percent capacity for the Holman bowl (about) but Cook was hopeful another 100 or so could be added down the left field line (where the now-closed Kids Area normally is) and the left field picnic area above the brick wall. If you want to get in, you’ll likely be able to.

Yeah, a few big differences. But the same rivalry.

“It’s nostalgic,” Cook said. “It’s fun. It’s like Red Sox-Yankees, Celtics-Lakers. You wouldn’t want it any other way, right?”

“This,” Creedon, Sr. said, “is what we’ve been waiting for (since they bought Nashua). This is what we’ve wanted.”

Yes, Nashua-Worcester, play it again, 2020 style. The owners can’t lose, but neither can the fans.

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph _TomK.

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