The 2009 American Association season came to an end with a dramatic Game 5 earlier this week in Pensacola. The Lincoln Saltdogs, who finished the first half of the season four games below .500, but clinched the second half title on the final day of the season, defeated the Pelicans by a narrow 2-1 final.

It was a remarkable come-from-behind season for the Saltdogs who battled back many times. They were on the verge of elimination in the North Division Series before rallying to defeat the favorite Wichita Wingnuts in the final game.

They took a two games to one lead in the championship series before losing Game 4 and then winning a squeaker in the finale. The Saltdogs’ pitching staff was unquestionably the strength of the team down the stretch and into the playoffs with Jim Paduch and Jarrett Gardner leading the way.

As the Cats witnessed, the Pelicans were a difficult bunch to face, using clutch hitting, team speed and timely execution to play their way to the championship series. But in the end, it was the Saltdogs that prevailed.

Congratulations to manager Marty Scott and the Lincoln Saltdogs on their first American Association championship.

Former Cats’ pitchers Steve Hahn (pictured left) and Mike Smith (right) were back at LaGrave Field this weekend as coaches in a youth baseball tournament being played at the ballpark.

Hahn pitched for the Cats in 2002 and 2003, posting a 9-4 record with a 3.73 ERA in 16 starts in 2003.

Smith, a veteran in his 40s when he pitched for the Cats, joined the team in 2004 and was 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in four starts. The next year, he led the team with 11 victories and was part of the team that won the 2005 Central League championship in five games against the San Angelo Colts, the first of three Cats’ championships.

We’ve lost two outstanding broadcasters in the span of a week.

First it was Harry Kalas, the Hall of Fame voice of the Philadelphia Phillies, who passed away just hours before calling a game in Washington, D.C. Then yesterday, someone closer to home: the great Merle Harmon.

Harmon was best known around the DFW area as the TV voice of the Rangers from 1982-1989. He was behind the mic fr Mike Witt’s perfect game in 1984 and the night Nolan Ryan whiffed Ricky Henderson for his 5,000th career strikeout in 1989.

He gave a touching speech at the memorial service for Mark Holtz in 1997 at The Diamond Club at the Ballpark, detailing a personal conversation he had had with Mark about faith and believing that all thing, no matter how bad they were, happened for a reason.

Perhaps Harmon’s biggest claim to fame was the years he spent as the voice of football’s New York Jets and his time on network TV calling The Game of the Week.

But when I think of Merle Harmon, I think of a sunny Saturday afternoon a little over a year ago, when I had the privilege of driving Merle and our good friend Carroll Beringer over to Dallas for a special lunch with a number of their baseball friends from over the years.In the 45 minutes each way to and from lunch, I was entertained with some of the most riveting baseball stories I’d ever heard. It was absolutely enthralling, from the Ballpark Way exit in Arlington where we met Merle, over to Dallas and then back.

It was just two guys talking baseball. Who needs a radio when you have entertainment like that?

Even though I only had the chance to visit with Merle three or four times in my life, everything I had ever heard about Merle Harmon was confirmed in those brief encounters: he was an absolute class act.

I am eternally grateful to Carroll Beringer for introducing me to Merle and allowing me to bask in the presence of broadcasting greatness.

Thanks Carroll, and thank you Merle.

With the start of the new year came the new cable channel the MLB Network. Since all of my friends are tired of hearing about it, I decided to tell someone else: you, the blog reader.

The MLB Network has provided a much-needed baseball fix during these downright mild winter months. The studio shows and “hot stove” talk has been interesting at times, especially when the panel of experts includes erstwhile Rangers’ GM John Hart. If people in Detroit had a problem with Matt Millen being part of the Super Bowl broadcast crew, people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area should be equally up in arms about the idea of Hart’s talent evaluation ability being showcased. 

My question is, what golf course is he playing near the MLB Network studios in New York?

But back to the original point, the MLB Network’s best feature is its look back at baseball’s rich tradition.

They have dusted off Ken Burns’ Baseball for another well-deserved viewing. They are replaying old World Series highlight films, which have given us the chance to see some of the great names from baseball’s past, including many of those who have visited LaGrave Field in the last few years.

Watching Bobby Bragan’s double in the 1947 World Series was outstanding as well as seeing some of the stars like Maury Wills, Duke Snider and Harmon Killebrew in their prime has been very enjoyable. Last Sunday, they replayed Nolan Ryan’s 7th No-Hitter in it’s entirety as well as the White Sox-Red Sox game from 1981, Carlton Fisk’s first against his old team.

At a time when major league baseball’s image is in crisis, it’s great to be reminded of why we care about the game in the first place.

If you get the MLB Network through your cable or dish provider, check it out and enjoy.