Joining Lavalliere on the guest list are Fisher Cats alums Brad Glenn and Brian Jeroloman, as well as New Hampshire prospects Joey Maher and Brad Zapenas.
These five athletes are part of a star-studded head table, which features Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, home run champion Cecil Fielder, and New Hampshire's own ace, Chris Carpenter. The guest list also includes former major leaguers Scott McGregor, Ron Blomberg, and Darrell Evans, and New York Yankees farmhand Jordan Cote of Sanbornton, N.H.
LaValliere played 12 Major League seasons, seven of which came with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Over his career, he hit .268 and threw out 37% of would-be base-stealers. Nicknamed 'Spanky', he played in four straight playoffs, 1990-92 with the Pirates, and 1993 with the Chicago White Sox. LaValliere is a graduate of UMass-Lowell, and was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1981. He won a Gold Glove in 1987 with the Pirates, posting a .992 fielding percentage and throwing out a league-leading 45% of base-runners. He now runs one of the most comprehensive baseball training facilities in the country in Florida.
Glenn, a power-hitting outfielder from Oklahoma, spent the entire 2012 season with the Fisher Cats, leading the team with 19 home runs and 63 RBI. He was named the Eastern League Player of the Week in early July when he hit .419 with 5 doubles, 6 home runs, and had 10 RBI in a single week. Glenn was the Blue Jays 23rd-round draft pick in 2009 out of the University of Arizona, and has led his team in home runs each year in the Jays organization. His 26 home runs in 2011 were the most in the Florida State League.
Jeroloman has been a fan favorite since making his Fisher Cats debut in 2008. He spent the majority of the 2012 season with New Hampshire, displaying his usual defensive prowess. While battling injuries, he made only one error last season, and holds a .992 fielding percentage and has thrown out 31% of potential base-stealers over his career. A three-time Eastern League All-Star, Jeroloman was drafted by the Blue Jays in the sixth round of the 2006 draft. He was also a member of the 2005 USA Baseball National Team.
Maher teamed with Jordan Cote on the Gulf Coast Yankees in his pro debut this past summer. The right-hander, drafted out of Bedford High School in the 38th round in 2011, made seven appearances over the summer, mixing in three starts. He pitched a total of 22.1 innings, striking out 17 while earning his first two pro saves. As a junior at Bedford in 2010, Maher led his team to a state runner-up finish in the championship game at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.
Zapenas, a graduate of Nashua North High School, will be making his second appearance at the dinner. This past season, he played for the Peoria Chiefs, the Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, and hit .273 before a shoulder injury ended his season in May. Zapenas played his collegiate ball at Boston College and was the Cubs' 42nd-round pick in 2011.
Tickets for the Granite State Baseball Dinner are on sale now for $80. Doors to the event will open at 5 PM with a silent auction and an autograph session with the honored guests from 5-7 PM. Dinner will begin at 7 PM leading into the start of the evening's program.
For more information about the Granite State Baseball Dinner, presented by Northeast Delta Dental, please contact Fisher Cats Director of Marketing & Public Affairs Jenna Raizes at (603) 606-4177 or visit www.nhfishercats.com. Corporate sponsorships are also available.
Fisher Cats Full and Half-Season Tickets are on sale now. Season Ticket Holders enjoy a host of benefits, including monthly all-you-can-eat barbecues, a free kid's birthday party, flexible exchange policy, invitation to exclusive events, and much more. Fans who purchase by October 15 will also receive triple Fisher Cash - up to $150 per full-season seat - to use at concessions stands or in the Souvenir Store. Opening Day at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium is April 4, 2013, against the Reading Phillies (Philadelphia Phillies). For tickets, visit www.nhfishercats.com or call (603) 641-2005.
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