Ex-Lynx: Wathan climbs the ladder (and the Rapids have a GM!)

It's nice to drop in on the Ottawa baseball diaspora: Dusty Wathan, who was popular with fans with the 2007 Lynx, is moving up in the minor-league managerial ranks. He'll be managing the Lakewood BlueClaws, the Philadelphia Phillies' Single-A team, next season.

Another '07 Lynx, second baseman Joe Thurston, got picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

Speaking of the new team, Barry Robinson has been announced as the Rapids new general manager. There will be more news to come about that in the days ahead.

For the time being, let's just say it's good to have someone coming in as GM who's worked for the city of Ottawa for 30 years. The job seems to be more about the day-to-day business stuff at the Can-Am level.

Anyhow, Wathan was a rookie skipper last season with Williamsport in the short-season New York-Penn League, so this is a step up for the honorary Canadian (he married one). His colleagues in the Phillies' chain, of course, now include another catcher who was pretty popular when he played for an Ontario team, a gentleman by the name of Ernie Whitt.

"Ernie, Ernie" is going to be managing the Clearwater Threshers in the Florida State League, High-A Ball. Not to say anything extemporaneous, but one wishes them all the best.

Hopefully, it won't be too long before news starts filtering out about the lineup for Ottawa's second season in the Can-Am League.