Writing

Post-game recaps and Feature stories from the 2023 Fredericksburg Nationals season

https://www.milb.com/fredericksburg/news/nationals-outlast-birds-15-10

https://www.milb.com/fredericksburg/news/young-fans-eight-in-5-1-victory

Bennett Dazzling Early in Pro Career

Daylen Lile Wasting No Time

Lorenzo Bundy to Manage Dash in 2022

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (March 14, 2022) — There will be no shortage of experience in the skipper’s office for the Winston-Salem Dash this season. Lorenzo Bundy joins the 2022 Dash coaching staff for his first season at the helm, but Bundy carries decades of baseball knowledge with him to Winston-Salem. 

Bundy, full name Charles Lorenzo Bundy, played his collegiate ball at James Madison University. With the Dukes, Bundy etched his name all over the JMU record books. At the time of his graduation in 1982, Bundy held the program record for home runs (36), was third in walks (133), fourth in triples (10), and fifth in runs scored (186). While some of his marks have since been surpassed, Bundy was inducted into the James Madison Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003.

Following his graduation from James Madison, Bundy’s baseball journey commenced not too far from Winston-Salem. He signed with the Texas Rangers as an undrafted free agent, and spent the 1981 season with the Asheville Tourists. After the ‘81 season, Bundy joined the Pittsburgh Pirates system and played for the Alexandria Dukes (A), Nashua Pirates (AA), and the Hawaii Islanders (AAA). Additionally, he enjoyed two separate stints with the Mexico City Reds. Bundy’s final stop as a player came in 1989, when he spent a season with the Jacksonville Expos (AA) in the Montreal system.

After hanging up the cleats as a player, Lorenzo “Peanut” Bundy has spent over 30 years as a coach and instructor across virtually all levels of the game.

“I’ve been very fortunate,” Bundy said. “I’m truly blessed for the time we’ve had, be it at the major leagues or the minors.”

Bundy has coached or managed all the way from rookie ball in 1990 with the Gulf Coast League Expos, to four different stops in MLB. He was in the South Atlantic League in both ‘91 and ‘92, with the Sumter Flyers and the Albany Polecats respectively. Bundy’s first managerial gig came the following season, when he was the man at the helm for the Burlington Bees in the Midwest League.

At the highest level of the game, ‘Peanut’ broke in as the Colorado Rockies bullpen coach in 1999 under Jim Leyland. Then in 2004, he took over as the Arizona Diamondbacks interim bench coach after much of the staff was let go. Bundy would return to the desert in 2009, as the first base coach under Bob Melvin. Other stops in the Majors for Bundy include being the third base coach and outfield coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers, as well as the outfield and baserunning coach for the Miami Marlins. 

“I consider myself a little old school,” Bundy offered. “I’m a very honest manager with my players, I try not to leave any gray area as far as what my expectations are. I’ve been in their shoes.” 

Bundy hopes that his breadth of experience on the diamond will help Winston-Salem surpass their 2021 record, and that journey begins today. As the man they call Peanut said, “You only get one opening day.”