MISSOULA — The Missoula Paddleheads continue to play good baseball in the Pioneer League, but the team is playing under different rules than the former Osprey.
They are now an independent, not affiliated with a Major League team, and that means they sign their own players. So far so good, with the Paddleheads sporting a 17-3 record after Sunday’s win.
“After the first week of camp, we knew what kind of talent we had and the experience level we had. We felt good about the upcoming season,” pitcher Jackson Sigman said. “Obviously 12-2 or 13-2 is a little bit hotter than we expected, but we knew we had a good team and we're going to be able to compete for a championship in these parts."
We asked Sigman if the goal for these players still to get to the "show," or is it, hey we just want to have some fun and play baseball?
“I think it's a mix of both, honestly. We're still playing professional baseball because we think we can still play at a high level, whether it's the big leagues or not. That's still a dream or a goal of ours, but we just want to have fun,” Sigman said.
“We've been in organizations where they have rules and it's just not playing baseball. Here, it's probably the purest form of baseball: win or you don't play. We like having fun and we like to win, so we try to have both,” he continued.
“Missoula has been great to us. We've been on the road for a week, so obviously we haven't been here that much,” Sigman told MTN News. “The town itself has been very welcoming. We've made friends in and around the city. A bunch of great spots to eat, and a chance to enjoy Montana in the summer.”
We interviewed Sigman, a native of Austin, Texas, last week. The Paddleheads host Billings Monday night in the final game of the homestand. Ticket information can be found here.
