The folks at www.minorleaguebaseball.com take an early run at an Eastern League season preview.

The SeaWolves glance:

Erie Sea Wolves (Detroit Tigers)

Prospect to Watch in 2009

The SeaWolves are poised to bring the best righthanded pitching prospect in the minor leagues to Erie this summer in 6′5″ 20-year-old Rick Porcello from West Orange, N.J. In his first year of pro ball, Porcello led the Florida State League with a 2.66 ERA and managed to log 126 innings in 24 starts while operating under a 75-pitch limit, a testament to his ability to conserve pitches with overpowering stuff, rare for a teenager. Porcello’s toolkit includes a four-seamer that touches high 90’s, a nasty low 90’s two-seamer that helped him record a GB rate of 65 percent, a big curveball that has replaced a slider, and a change. SeaWolves fans should come see him early, because he’s on the fast track to Detroit.

Other players to watch

Cale Iorg (SS), Scott Sizemore (2B)

The SeaWolves' southern rivals, the Trenton Thunder, rolled out a nice incentive for the 2009 season: Kids 12 and under will get voucher for a free hot dog, bag of chips and soda at every home game.

Erie SeaWolves opening day -- April 8 -- will arrive a lot sooner than any of us think.

Any of us but the SeaWolves, anyway.

They're prepping for the season with a job fair Saturday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Tullio Arena. If you're interested in becoming part of the promotional team or an usher, concession stand worker, mascot or in filling other game-day jobs, make sure to stop by.

Erie's season opens at home against the Altoona Curve.

Matt Wallace, owner of the Take 75 North blog on MVN, takes a shot at projecting which Tigers' prospects will end up on which roster when spring training opens. He has some good thoughts not only on the Erie SeaWolves, but the entire Tigers minor-league operation.

Hope springs eternal this time of year not only for baseball players and fans, but also for job-hunters who want to work in the baseball field.

Eastern League teams have a number of openings, from internships to director of ticket sales for the Erie SeaWolves. Get your resume ready and take your cuts in the sports job market.

The Altoona Curve is combatting the economy by lowering ticket prices across the board for the 2009 season.

In January, the team pushed back prices on season tickets and all but general admission single-game tickets.

This week the Curve added group outings, picnics, half-season packages and flex book discounts.

Minor league baseball already is about as affordable a ticket as can be had for a quality event, but the price changes in this economic climate are bound to help fans remain fans.