SANFORD — The first snow fall of the season is reason enough to talk a little baseball.

Baseball happens to be a driving passion of John Webb, the new general manager of the Sanford Mainers, who despite all outside appearances, are busy preparing for a season still seven months away.

“I’ve always been the hugest baseball fan,” Webb said. “And a huge Red Sox fan. My love for baseball has been with me since I was a little kid. I didn’t have the skills to play, but I love the game. This has been the opportunity I’ve always waited for.”

Webb, an attorney by trade, comes to his new role after having spent the past four seasons to former GM Neil Olson, who is stepping down to spend more time with his grandchildren.

“Neil Olson is impossible to replace,” said Webb, a Sanford native. “I don’t have half of his personality, and only a fraction of his baseball knowledge. Neil took it upon himself to teach me how to be a GM, and that’s how I got here.”

Webb takes the reins of the nine year old NECBL franchise, one which has enjoyed solid community support, but, like many sports businesses, faces a host of challenges.

“I’ve been working on the budgets,” he said, “things like balls, bats, and bus rides. But I’ve also been working with the league to get the schedule ready. So right out of the chute, I’ve been busy.”

Much of Webb’s time has been spent shoring up the club’s sponsorship base, as well as firming up plans for the upcoming season ticket drive.

In both of those critical areas, Webb said he finds cause for optimism.

“We’re tending to retain most of our commercial accounts,” he said, “and we’ve got some new ones on the horizon. I think that the commitment that the community in Sanford has made to this team is amazing in light of ”¦ the economy, we’re still one of the healthiest teams out there.”

That well being is seen on the field as well as off it.

The club has captured two NECBL championships, the most recent coming in 2008.

They followed that with a strong season under first year manager Aaron Izaryk.

Izaryk, an assistant baseball coach at UMaine, took over just before Opening Day and herded the Mainers two rounds deep into the playoffs before they ultimately fell to league champions, the Newport Gulls.

“He did a great job,” said Webb. “He took a team that he didn’t put together, sized up the team, made the changes he needed to make, and did a fabulous job. I can’t say enough about what a great guy he is.”

According to Webb, Izaryk, who played for the Mainers back in 2003, is putting the finishing touches on the 2010 roster, one which will feature several returning players.

Not returning are the Manchester (Conn.) Silkworms, who have relocated to Laconia, N.H. and are now known as the Muskrats.

Webb said that he’s pleased to have another club located an hour away, and is hoping to see a rivalry between the two clubs spring up.

“Laconia being in our division is going to help us,” said Webb. “From a travel standpoint. We’ve dreamed about having a rival that close.”

Mainers season tickets are now available through the Sanford Chamber of Commerce office during business hours, Tue-Thu, as well as by mail through the Mainers’ office at P.O. Box 26, Sanford, Maine 04073.

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.