Spencer Bergeron, left, will be rejoining fellow Nashua Silver Knights coach Brian Martin, filling his former role as pitching coach after a year's absence, this summer. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Is Spencer Bergeron the Michael Jordan of the Nashua Silver Knights?

Well, he’s acting like it, which may mean that someday he’ll be a Futures Collegiate League owner.

The former Knights pitcher and pitching coach is returning to that latter position, and the Knights certainly had some fun with it on social media, recalling Michael Jordan’s return from retirement in the mid-1990s with this post:

“The following statement was released today by Spencer Bergeron, through his personal attorney and business manager Knoble T. Horse, Chairman of the Nashua Silver Knights located in Nashua, NH, in response to questions about his future career plans: ‘I’m back.'”

Gotta love it. But the fact is, the former Nashua North, Umass-Amherst and Silver Knight standout pitcher was well-liked as a pitching coach, and missed being around Holman last summer.

“He realized he missed it,” Knights general manager Cam Cook said. “He’ a Silver Knight lifer. He pitched here two years, was on the 2022 championship coaching staff, his whole family is in Nashua.”

The Knights reached out to him because they wanted to add another coach to work with manager Kyle Jackson as first base/hitting coach Brendan Martin’s teaching duties and also opportunities to coach the Area Code Games at some point in the summer make him unavailable at times. Last year’s pitching coach, Noah Wachter, himself a former Knights pitcher, will also be on staff to work on analytics, etc.

“He was willing to come back which I was super excited about,” Knights general manager Cam Cook said. “I thought he was really good, he communicates with K-Jax really well, they have good conversations, and butt heads constructively at times. That’s a good guy to have in the locker room, and coach first base or be in the bullpen.

“Noah will be focused on scouting reports, he’s tracking all of our guys now in-season (at their colleges and also while with the Knights this summer) so we’ll have a good idea of what we have when guys show up. K-Jax trying to keep track of 40 guys all season will make your head spin. And during a game you’re not thinking about who’s starting three games from now. You’re thinking about who’s on deck, who’s getting hot in the bullpen, who can pinch-hit if we need to, etc.”

Wachter will definitely be on the field and in the dugout. Martin missed some time last year, away with the Area Code games, and he’s also an assistant at Nashua High School South, where he teaches.

“That’s kind of why we have the four guys this year,” Cook said, “because one, we hope South does well (in the tournament), and also if he gets the opportunity to go be with the Area Code teams – just like our interns and players, we want you here as long as possible, but it if a good opportunity comes up, we don’t want to steer you away from that, either.”

HOLMAN IMPROVEMENTS

Friday the city was at work at Holman replacing some light posts, and they also replaced the brick wall in left field with newer brick. They are also working on the facade below the party deck, and have grow tarps in the infield and right field area. “The wind blew it off,” Cook said, “and the grass underneath it looks immaculate. Bryan (Parks-Recreation Superintendent Conant) is a turf phenom. He knows just about everything there is to know about the grass and the playing surface. Last year he put a couple of these tarps on the field and the grass was significantly greener than anyplace else in the ballpark. So this year he got some bigger tarps and covered the whole infield all winter.”

HOST FAMILIES NEEDED

The team has a large roster thus far, and Cook said there are still openings for those who want to be host families.

“We still have a couple of guys we’re trying to nail down beds for,” Cook said. “If anyone’s open, it’s a rewarding opportunity. … If you get lined up with a good (situation) you reap the benefits for awhile.”

TRAVEL TEAM

League general managers are having weekly meetings with FCBL Commissioner Joe Paolucci and the league’s “Road Warriors” team that will fulfill the road games that were on the Pittsfield Suns schedule. In case you missed it, Pittsfield is on hiatus due to improvements needed at historic Wahconah Park – the stands were condemned two years ago.

“We all just make sure things are going in the right direction,” Cook said, noting that the team will operate from down near where Paolucci is based in Weymouth-Rockland, Mass. and

“They’ve got players signed and we’re getting busses for them,” Cook said. “They won’t need a bus to Brockton, or when they go to Worcester, but obviously we’re going to bus them when they got to Vermont, Norwich, New Britain and Westfield. We got that done, their jerseys and hats have been ordered. They’ll be good to go.”

The team will be coached by Brendan Morrissey, who coaches Milton (Mass.) Academy in the spring after a stint the last two springs at Milton High School, where he guided that team to a pair of state titles.

“Joe selected him and believes in him a lot,” Cook said. “And if the team goes .400 or .350 winning percentage, and is there every single game and all looks good, that’s a huge testament how good that coach has done. And who knows, there is a little bit of fear among the coaches in this league that that team might be good.”

And remember, despite playing only half the games, the travel team would be eligible for the playoffs if its winning percentage is in the top four.

Newsletter