Results tagged ‘ independent baseball leagues ’
Is There More Than Enough Baseball Where You Live?
There’s enough seats in these ballparks for 71 of us in the Twin Cities…
Photos by Randy Stern
Let me ask y’all a question: How much baseball can you have in one market?
When I was going through the schedules of the Independent Leagues, I noticed that the Chicagoland area hosts two Major League Baseball franchises (the Cubs and White Sox), a farm club (Kane County Cougars), a member of the independent American Association (Gary-South Shore), a member of the North American Baseball League (Lake County in Zion) and two members of the Frontier League (Joliet and Windy City in Crestwood). Until last season, there was a team in Schaumburg and they would have played in the newly merged NABL if they didn’t get their act together.
It just seems that in every nook and cranny of the Chicago region, you have a baseball team vying for your entertainment dollar!
Until last season, this was the case in the Los Angeles Basin – stretching well into the Inland Empire. To break that down, you still had two Major League teams (Dodgers, Angels), four minor league clubs (Rancho Cucamonga, Inland Empire in San Bernardino, Lake Elsinore and Lancaster) and two Golden Baseball League clubs (Long Beach and Orange County in Fullerton). This season, only the two Major League and the four minor league clubs are in operation.
I use these two regions as examples as to my familiarity with them. I also understand the challenges of the independent leagues in competing against the established circuits in these markets. Even in smaller, more concentrated markets (Minneapolis-St. Paul, for example), the independent leagues would be a compliment to the established and dominant franchise in the region. There is an offset where there is a value proposition as an alternative to the dominant market holder where fans can enjoy the game at a lower ticket price even if the accommodations are less comfortable than the dominant venue. The offset in some cases would the entertainment value as minor and independent leagues offer more fun for the dollar with in-between innings diversions – as well diversions in the stands and in the concourses.
This is not to say that a Major League experience is a stuffy one versus a fun-laden minor league one. The argument is not what you get in the value proposition when comparing ticket and concession prices. The question I have is whether certain markets are indeed saturated with baseball options for the fan to choose from.
After some number crunching, I got some answers. If you take the Metropolitan Statistical Area of the Chicago region based on the 2010 Census – this is an area stretching from Gary all the way up to Kenosha and out past the Fox River into LaSalle County – you have well over 9.5 Million people. You also have 117,832 seats at seven ballparks to fill. That would mean that there’s 81 people for every a seat at a given ballpark in the greater Chicago area.
Compared to the Los Angeles Basin, where the population rises to 18.8 Million stretching from Ventura County into the Inland Empire, your seat average comes to 147 people per every seat available in the region. In contrast, the Twin Cities seat average comes to 71 people per each seat between the Twins and the Saints.
Where’s the saturation point? Or, is it OK to have choices in major metropolitan markets? In the case of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, the ratio to seats in terms of population and regional footprint is much denser than in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas. It also creates some interesting scenarios especially when the distance between Target Field and Midway Stadium is about five miles. The distance between Wrigley Field and U.S. Cellular Field is twice the distance.
Going back to the notion that choice is indeed good, as long as there is variety in the baseball offerings, there’s plenty to go around. Maybe the independent leagues were smart enough to look at suburban or secondary markets inside established metropolitan areas as a way to add some baseball entertainment value for consumers.
Funny thing, I’m going to a Saints game later this month…
Belt and Harper Own the Farm, The Saints are Marching and A Fan Cave
This weekend, MLBlogs will do their final conversion to the WordPress platform for the rest of us. They stated we will not be able to post anything until the beginning of next week. That’s fine…let me get this out of the way…
A MINOR(S) UPDATE: So far, the season on the farm is just as interesting as in the bigs. For example, the Omaha Storm Chasers are sitting on top of the Pacific Coast League’s American North division with their cadre of Kansas City Royals prospects. Considering how good this division can be – how long will they last on top? Even Round Rock and Reno are off to good starts in the PCL.
An update on two personalities once covered on this blog. Brandon Belt has been making his case for a return to the Giants while in Fresno. The Grizzlies are behind Sacramento in their division, but Belt is simply on fire. Belt is batting .471 with two homers and 11 RBIs since his demotion from San Francisco. Keep in mind, Belt’s played in 11 games with Fresno so far.
As for the runner up loser to the Chicago Cubs manager sweepstakes, Lehigh Valley manager Ryne Sandberg is doing OK. His Iron Pigs are tied for second in the International League’s North Division with the Pawtucket Red Sox and behind the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. No complaints so far…
However, the IL has been dominated by the reigning Triple-A National Champions, the Columbus Clippers, So far, the Clips are 21-5 – a winning percentage of .808. They also own a 13-game win streak. We knew they were good – but wow!
In the Midwest League, I find the Cedar Rapids Kernels in second place in the Western Division behind the Burlington Bees. The Beloit Snappers are in third behind the Kernels. Frankly, this is not a bad trip to have on top of that division.
About Bryce Harper…he’s still in Hagerstown. Good news is that he is batting .358 with six home runs and 21 RBIs. Not bad for a first rounder!
INDEPENDENT LEAGUES: The American Association begins their season in a week’s time. The Saint Paul Saints will open up their regular schedule at home next Thursday evening, May 12, against the Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants. The Saints welcome back some old rivals – formerly of the Northern League – such as Fargo-Moorhead, Kansas City (Kansas), Winnipeg and Gary-South Shore.
Why did these teams join up with the American Association? The Northern League decided to merge with the Golden Baseball League to form a new league. The new league, the North American Baseball League, retains the ball club in Zion, on the far North Shore from Chicago. Yet, the two former leagues also had issues with combining the roster of teams for its first season. As a result, and for other reasons based on the former league affiliation, the fate of the ballclub in Schaumburg remains in semi-permanent stasis, while clubs in Long Beach and Fullerton, California will rejoin the merged league next year. The new league starts on May 24.
Meanwhile, Rockford returned to the Frontier League, bringing Joliet along with them. This league starts on May 19.
Next month, the Northwoods League will start their summer collegiate baseball schedule in the Upper Midwest.
THE FAN CAVE: You probably heard about some contest where Major League Baseball will pay for someone to sit and watch every game during the course of a season. Little did we know that they had a major set-up where two dudes are perched at the corner of 4th and Broadway in Manhattan and have players, hall of famers, luminaries and other fans invade their space.
The concept is awesome and befitting of today’s baseball fan.
I find the two guys, Mikey O and Ryan, engaging and pretty funny. During the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, they wore Royals jerseys along with Joel Stein of TIME magazine in the cave. They also had high tea in Royals jerseys – which must have annoyed the host of the tea place they went to.
I will admit that the concept may have some shortcomings. I hope they do stick this out through the Postseason as I believe Mikey O and Ryan will make things fresh in their glass house in Lower Manhattan through the summer into the fall.
Keep watching – or follow them on your favorite social media channel!
…and, that’s it! Bring on WordPress (I actually use it on Victory & Reseda, BTW)! I’ll see y’all on the flip side!
Now That’s All Done…
Photo by Randy Stern
M’kay…grad school was completed on Saturday. It went better than I thought. The feedback was good. Now, I wait until I get notification from the Dean of my conferral of my Master’s degree.
Wow…look at all the free time ahead of me!
What to do next…other than look for a job, ramp up my business venture and keep writing? Get in a game? Um, sure, I’d love to – but gotta get paid, you know. In fact, the Twins-Dodgers series in June is sold out. There’s always the St. Paul Saints – starting in May. Northwoods League play starts in June and I have both Mankato and Rochester on my radar.
There’s always my MLB atBat ’11 app. It’s a handy thing when I need scores or that oft want to listen into a game. There’s nothing like the voice of Vin Scully to warm up the ears when Minnesota refuses to transition into spring.
One of my fellow Capstone travelers reminded me of this blog. She asked if I have been following the game. Well…of course! You’re my witnesses, right?
So, what’s happening? Lenny Dykstra’s being shady, I see. Bankruptcy embezzlement? Really?!? Wow. I guess retirement’s hard sometimes…
It’s probably best I stop there…the rest I will need after Saturday’s big finale will be huge! Maybe there will be tickets waiting…wishful thinking, of course!
Spring Training 2011: A (Temporary) Baseball Beacon in Tucson
Things haven’t been the same in Tucson so far this year. One of their members of Congress was shot a suburban shopping center two months ago. One of those bullets killed a baseball legacy in the granddaughter of Dallas Green. Another killed a highly respected Federal judge in town.
Yet, Christine-Taylor Green’s spirit still resonates in the game. But, the game’s impact on the city had been absent since last September. The Golden Baseball League’s entry that played at old Hi-Corbett Field is on hiatus until everyone figured out what to do about professional ball in a town who’s history with the game dates back to 1915.
Now that the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies bolted to the far reaches of Scottsdale for their new combined spring training home, the city seemed pretty empty. If you count the University of Arizona’s baseball program, anticipation of the temporarily relocated Portland Beavers (AAA/San Diego Padres) playing at Kino Veteran’s Memorial Stadium (formerly Tucson Electric Park) starting in April may provide some soft of lift in civic pride.
Perhaps it is a good thing that Kino will host two spring training games featuring the D-Backs, the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The games, on March 7th and 25th, are designed to engage the community with the memory and spirit of Christine-Taylor Green, Dallas Green’s granddaughter who lost her life in the shootings.
These games will benefit the Tucson Together Fund. Monday’s game will feature the D-Backs and the Southsiders, while the 25th will be the D-Backs and Dodgers. There is talk that the Padres may feature a game at Kino benefitting the same charity.
Yet, how will baseball continue in the city if its newest ballclub only committed for a single season at Kino? As I mentioned before, the Tucson Padres were slated to play in Arizona until a new ballpark is built in the San Diego suburb of Escondido. The original estimate of the ballpark project was a grand opening in 2013. The deal with Tucson only provided baseball through this season, but no reports of an option for 2012 and beyond.
Which brings up a question for the Padres: If the City of Escondido cannot retain funding for the ballpark so your Triple-A team to play in North County, are you willing to keep that team in Tucson past the one-year deal?
I do have a suggestion for Jeff Moorad: Lake Elsinore. The Diamond has been home to the Storm of the California League (Single-A Advanced, and a Padres affiliate) and remains one of the finest facilities in the minors, period. The facility already seats 6,066 seats with luxury facilities and a stadium club. The Diamond can accommodate 8,000 or more in a pinch. New stands can be erected to meet the 10,000-seat average needed for Triple-A baseball. Not to mention, it’s right off of Interstate 15 – and local transit could create additional access for its new fan base in a growing part of Southern California.
There are some issues that would need to be examined, though. It is another 44 miles further from PETCO Park from its proposed Escondido location, but it is a possibility for a fraction of the cost building a ballpark in North San Diego County. It would also mean relocating the Storm to another community. The Storm could easily take the place of one of the remaining Golden Baseball League (now North American Baseball League) sites – Chico, California, for example. Nettleton Stadium has 4,200 seats ready to go for Cal League ball.
Perhaps to ensure the history of minor league baseball, even in the heat of Southern Arizona – maybe it’s less expensive to keep the Triple-A Pads in Tucson for at least the short haul – 3-5 years, maybe? I mean – Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium isn’t a bad place to play at all!
Why stop tradition? Why have a repeat of the period between 1959 and 1968 when professional baseball was not played in Tucson? This city needs the game badly to heal its lingering wounds. It will take more than 2-3 spring training games and a committed season of Triple-A ball to do so.
The Minor League’s Parade of Champions
The flags and trophies have been giving out. Players celebrated and partied all night long. The rest of the community joined in. Everyone’s a champion – just for a few months.
The stage is set for tonight in Oklahoma City. The Columbus Clippers ended a 14-year wait to gain yet another Governor’s Cup in their storied history. They did so by beating the reigning International League champion Durham Bulls at their own game. The Clips knew they had the firepower on the mound, in the field and at bat to outplay the dominant Bulls. Joining the Clips will be Tacoma Rainiers, winners of the Pacific Coast League for the first time in nine years. Their defeat of the Memphis Redbirds was accomplished by playing “home” games at AutoZone Park – in Memphis. If there’s a year to watch the Triple-A National Championship – it’s this one. It’s going to be extremely entertaining.
Double-A’s trio of champions begin with the Eastern League‘s Altoona Curve gaining their first championship in their short existence. Without the rehabbing Andy Pettitte, the Trenton Thunder couldn’t match the Curve’s season-long excellence in the final series. Speaking of first-time champions, the Texas League saw the Northwest Arkansas Naturals beat the Midland Rockhounds for their inaugural title. The Springdale-based ballclub did not dominate the finals as expected, but they capped a brilliant season for the Kansas City Royals Double-A affiliate. Rounding out the Double-A titles was the Jacksonville Suns, winning the Southern League‘s crown for the second year in a row. After dropping the first game to the Tennessee Smokies, the Suns took charge by grabbing the next three for the trophy.
Starting out the parade of Single-A champions are the Potomac Nationals, winners in the Carolina League. Their victory over the Winston-Salem Dash gave the P-Nats their second Mills Cup in three years. After one of the nastiest brawls ever witnessed in the minor leagues in Greenville, SC, the South Atlantic League crowned the Lakewood Blue Claws as champions. Forget who won the fight – this title is the Blue Claws’ second in a row.
This may shock a lot of folks watching the minors, but Tri-City beat Brooklyn for their first-ever New York-Penn League championship. This was a shock not due to the Cyclones getting swept, but the fact that the Valley Cats never won the league before. You may now pick up your jaws. What was not shocking was the repeat championship of the Tampa Yankees in the Florida State League. The Charlotte Stone Crabs took the T-Yanks to the limit until the deciding game. Once again, the Yanks are fielding some of the best prospects on farm on this level.
It took all five games to do it, but the San Jose Giants were crowned California League champions. The repeat champions were taken to the limit by the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, but found a way to walk it home in a tight Game 5.
But, if you wanted to see a real storyline, the Midwest League had two! In the end, however, one storyline stood above the rest: The Lake County Captains winning the crown in their first season in the league (after spending seven years in the SAL). The Clinton Lumberkings and the Cappies took this series to the limit – perhaps one for the books in Single-A.
It was also a long time coming for the Helena ballclub in the Pioneer League. The H-Brewers won their first league title since 1996 over the Ogden Raptors.
Outside of the Farm’s sphere of influence, it is worth noting that the (new) American Association welcomed a new champion in the Shreveport-Bossier Captains. They beat the re-branded Sioux Falls Pheasants, champions two seasons ago, in what was a surprising series. The power in the New AA has shifted back to its South Division. The Northern League saw a repeat of last year’s domination by the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in a sweep over the Kansas City T-Bones.
So, what’s left? There’s tonight’s Triple-A National Championship, for starters, and then there’s the division clinchers in the Majors to witness and an entire Postseason. For now, congrats to the minor league teams who were crowed the best in the respective leagues!
Calling, Dr. Maynard!
Photo by Randy Stern
Sure, there are pennant races going on! I’m aware of the insanity that is whirling around the Majors and the Minors, but I was glad for one reprieve: A break in the summative activities towards completing my Masters degree.
Sometimes, there is an intersection where both meet. Every break I can get from building the final project (i.e. Capstone) and getting ready for my Residency is spent with the game. Baseball is one of many escapes from the tough business of proving my worth as an advanced degree holder worthy of a pivotal position somewhere. My friends know it. Most of them smile and nod – but they know my love for the game and the care and dedication I put into writing this blog.
It came as a surprise when my friend Jason from the Madison, Wisconsin area sent me this cute bobblehead in the mail with the following message:
I went to a Madison Mallards (Northwoods League) game last week, and they were giving out these things. I thought you’d like one, either for the baseball/kitsch value, or because the incessant nodding will be a great inspiration during your [C]apstone project. Either way, I hope you enjoy it.
Pictured above is the Mallards’ mascot – Maynard. He is dressed up in his Mallards’ uniform with some doctor’s gear for a sponsor as a giveaway at the game Jason attended. Jason was invited by a friend of his to sit in one of the outfield party decks with her company. They witnessed a loss by the Mallards to the Eau Claire Express (the same team I checked out earlier last month) at the Warner Park/Duck Pond ballpark. In turn, everyone in Jason’s friend’s group got these bobbleheads as a gift for patronizing their party deck.
Since I cover the Northwoods League in this blog, it is safe to say that the Mallards could miss the South Division playoffs against the division leading Express. After all, the Mallards is one of the most successful franchises in the short season collegiate level league, bringing in the largest overall and average per-game attendance among Northwoods League clubs. The league’s playoffs start next Tuesday.
I have to admit this little fella gave me such a smile. It was a needed lift from a stressful summer. Thank you, Jason, for letting me share this with the MLBlogosphere!
The Case for Baseball Wanderlust
From my last road trip. Photo by Randy Stern
Lately, the MLBlogs front page has been touting some of the latest fans bloggers who are chronicling their tours of ballparks across North America. These are indeed some of the finest examples of wanderlust known to our baseball world. They’re living out the dream of many baseball fans who wished for younger days of sleeping in cars/RVs/cheap rooms, going from ballpark to ballpark and taking in what this country has to offer. Good on them! They make our existence on this planet fuller by the minute.
I began to think “what if I would do such a trip – how would that manifest itself?” In the past, I’d just fly or drive somewhere for the weekend, knock around town, go to a game and go home. On most occasions, this is a good weekend trip. For the baseball fan, unless there was some other historical place of interest related to the game or the focus of the trip was not centered on baseball, it would be a hollow weekend. This is why I sat down and thought about trips that would include multiple ballgames in certain locales or a string of ballparks on a nice journey.
My criteria are simple: Go to a ballpark I’ve never been before, preferably in a place I’ve never visited. Certainly there are ballparks in places I’ve frequented in the past, but never got around to watching a game in – those are included, too! In one exception – I included a ballpark I haven’t seen a game in, oh, almost 30 years. You see that pop up somewhere below…
Granted, these are not grand tours or anything – just simple “hit the ground running and enjoy any sight possible” type of trips. Oh, and don’t follow me for actual travel advice. Believe me, we have our ways of making trips the way we want them.
A DEEPER TOUR OF THE MIDWEST: I’ll admit that I’m not one for long driving trips as much as I used to. However, to balance out the time/distance factor and high regional air fares, I may have to hit the road to stretch out my sea legs in this region. But, where would I go? My first thought was to string a trip through Kansas City with the Royals and Kaufmann Stadium as my mid-point. The most ideal way to do so is to hit two independent American Association towns, Sioux Falls and Sioux City, before hitting Omaha to see the Triple-A Royals. By the time I consider such a trip, Rosenblatt Stadium would be vacant and the team would have moved to their new suburban home. After swinging through Kansas City, I can only head to St. Louis and the Cardinals at Busch Stadium (Number 3). Then, I would jump into Illinois and back into Iowa for a trio of Midwest League stops, Peoria, the Quad Cities and Cedar Rapids, before heading home. Obviously, the only mode of transportation is a car with a string of inexpensive accommodations along the way – the best way to see the Midwest, in my humble opinion.
JUST GET INTO WRIGLEY FOR RYNO’S SAKE! Over the past ten years, I’ve visited Chicago too many times to recall. Last year, I finally got in a ballgame – at US Cellular Field. Why not Wrigley? I’ve passed by it almost as many times as I’ve visited the city and never stepped foot inside. Maybe it’s time to rectify that empty hole of baseballdom just an hour-and-a-half flight from MSP (or seven-plus hour train adventure from St. Paul). Just watch a game at Wrigley. I don’t have to root for the Cubs, right? If I boo them I have to crawl to Halsted instead of walk. But, there’s more than Wrigley to check out – there’s plenty of minor league and indie baseball in the Chicagoland area. There’s Midwest League play in Geneva, Ill. (Kane County Cougars) and South Bend, Ind. (Silver Hawks), Northern League teams in Schaumburg (Flyers), Joliet (Jackhammers), Gary (Southshore Rail Cats) and Zion (Lake County Fielders) along with some Frontier League ballclub in Crestview (Windy City Thunderbolts). Obviously, the best way to get around Chicago is using the CTA, but there are suburban games that are not accessible to METRA, PACE and the South Shore Line readily for certain games – so some creativity would have to be in place before considering renting a car. This would also mean staking out a good place in Chicago to stay that is convenient to everything – and I do mean everything!
FLORIDA – BEFORE THE ATLANTIC GOES CRAZY: Here’s the problem with Florida: Spring Training. If you plan well ahead of everything, you can get good rates on flights, rental cars and hotels for March. The best way to enjoy Florida without getting overheated is to get there in April. Luckily, the Tampa Bay Rays along with the Florida State League will have plenty of activity in and around the Suncoast area. One night, I could be inside Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, the next up in Clearwater, the next at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the next…you get the idea. What about Miami? What about the Marlins? Yeah, I’m going to South Beach – NOT! Wilton Manors, maybe – but forget seeing me on South Beach! Oh, and Walt Disney World – scratch that, too! Obviously, a rental car would be the way to go for my ventures around the Tampa area and a bit beyond – and a moderate plate to stay with access to the ballparks and nightlife afterwards.
ALL ABOARD THE PENNSYLVANIAN: Amtrak once had a tag line that goes: “There’s something a train that’s magic.” I agree wholeheartedly – but it’s been six years since my last train ride. But, would it be nice to integrate a train for a baseball journey? I found a nice run that would work that starts in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia or New York and travels through some of the nicest landscapes in this country. Even better, there will not be one car involved in the entire trip. The reasons are simple: either the ballpark and nearby accommodations are within walking distance of the train station or linked by some form of public transportation. The key three stops are Philadelphia with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, Harrisburg with the Senators at Metro Bank Park on City Island and Pittsburgh with the Pirates at PNC Park. A fourth stop could be made in New York City, if I wanted to stretch it out to include the Mets Citi Field or, if I get there around the New York-Penn League season, both the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees. Since I have never attended a ballgame in the State of Pennsylvania – I’ll concentrate on Philly, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh for this very green and sustainable run through the Alleghenies.
A SORT OF HOMECOMING: Growing up in Los Angeles, there were two baseball teams that mattered: the Dodgers and the Angels. Actually, the guys in blue mattered more than those American Leaguers in Anaheim – until 1979. Since leaving my home town for good in 1996, I’ve only been back twice – and missed out on opportunities to return to Dodger Stadium on both occasions. Hopefully, if my next trip falls during baseball season – I will make it back to the place where The Heirloom was born for the first time since 1982. However, there is more baseball to explore in and around my hometown. I’ve yet to visit the Epicenter in Rancho Cucamonga and the new San Bernardino ballpark for my California league fill (I’ve already been to The Diamond in Lake Elsinore 14 years ago – still one fine ballpark!) and an overnight run down to San Diego to check out the Padres at PETCO Park in the Gaslamp Quarter. In-between are old and new friends and family covering everywhere from Camarillo down to San Diego. This would require a rental car and accommodations in both the Los Angeles/Orange County area and a night down in San Diego – or, not.
Managers vs. Umpires – Part 601
Quiet week – wasn’t it?
If it weren’t for a few stories about managers and their behavior, all that’s left would be near-miss no-hitters, some historic benchmarks for a couple of New York Yankees and another renewal of hostilities between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox in the Bronx. I’m probably too late to delve into Ozzie Guillen’s tirade about the lingua franca, the use of translators for the growing number of players from Asia and his claim that his son Oney has been responsible in translating for 13 Latino Chicago White Sox players.
If only A-Rod’s 600th homer spoke louder to me.
Instead, I focus my attention on two minor league managers: Jody Davis and Brent Bowers.
Just north of Safeco Field, the Boise Hawks’ manager and former Major League catcher Jody Davis decided he would be the Northwest League’s President for a fortnight. A soggy Pacific Northwest day turned the home field of the host Everett Aqua Sox turned into an adventure. The game was initially delayed for 80 minutes before play began. One of the challenges of playing in this Short Season Class-A league is the climate, which the former Chicago Cubs’ fan favorite saw firsthand when outfielder Ryan Cuneo slipped on a play that turned into a double for the Aqua Sox. Davis pointed that the field was unsafe for play. After some consideration, he pulled his team off the field.
A thirty-minute delay was in effect to see about drying off the grounds. When the umpires determined it was ready for resumption of play, David kept the Hawks off the field – forcing a forfeit.
The Northwest League’s President took action, suspending Davis until August 15. The league acknowledged that Davis’ intentions were indeed “honorable,” defying the umpires’ authority was deemed unacceptable.
What’s a manager to do? We often look at Major League umpires to determine the conditions of play. Managers know to accept the authority of the umpires, but will question them when they are in the wrong. The Florida Marlins’ Edwin Rodriguez and Detroit Tigers’ Jim Leyland know this all too well. Though in one of Leyland’s cases, the umpire in question acknowledged the mistake caused by his call during Armando Galarraga’s near-perfect game, the other incident Leyland was involved with and the latest incident involving the Marlins received no accountability by the umpires involved.
Then, there was the incident involving Bowers of the Golden Baseball League’s Edmonton Capitals. On the road in Fullerton, California playing the Orange County Flyers, Bowers went to argue a call made by umpire Billy Van Raaphost, who just happens to be openly gay. Somewhere in the argument, Bowers simply went off on umpire Van Raaphorst – calling him a homophobic epithet twice. After being tossed out of the game, Bowers knew his goose was cooked.
The league suspended Bowers for his tirade. Subsequently, Bowers went to his front office superiors and tendered his resignation. The management of the Capitals (also the owners of the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL) was considering terminating Bowers, but they claimed their now ex-manager beat them to it.
When examining this issue, visions of Ozzie popped up in my head. It’s one thing for Guillen to call a reporter the same epithet a few years back – that’s just Ozzie being Mr. Inappropriate. Ozzie knows his responsibility, but he also knows that he is a loudmouthed and unfiltered ball of plutonium who had his battles with White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams on more than a few times when everyone wanted his head on a platter. Or, as Jerry Reinsdorf would insinuate: Both of their heads!
And, speaking of managers with their heads of the platter – Don Wakamatsu was canned today by the Seattle Mariners. I figured I throw that out there…
The actions of Davis and Bowers regarding their relationships with the umpire’s authority may be seen as sensationalized situations that blare on the radar for a minute. They serve as examples of the fragility of the manager’s job. Simply put: Darned if you do, darned if you don’t.
Game Review: Eau Claire 6 vs. Waterloo 1
All Photos by Randy Stern
So, I was ready to talk about Kirk Gibson’s ascension to the manager position with the Arizona Diamondbacks. I was going to kick the carcass of A.J. Hinch a few times in the process…but, I needed to fill my jones for some live baseball.
Therefore, A.J. and Kirk will have to wait.
Last year, I talked about the Northwoods League, a summer-long short season series featuring collegiate talent to further hone in their baseball basics. In St. Cloud, I saw that there was a true love of the game for their local players, though one would be disappointed in the quality of play overall. The approach to attending a low-level, short-season game is to set aside all Major League pretentiousness and just watch the game for what it is – pure baseball.
On July 4th weekend, I decided that, instead of futzing around on StubHub for Twins-Tampa Bay tickets, I’ll do another baseball road trip. This one will have to be within a couple of hours from home – so no overnight accommodations will be used. It came down to three choices: Rochester (the reigning Northwoods League Champions – an hour-and-a-half drive), Willmar (the newest member of the league – two hours from home) and Eau Claire (the site of this year’s All-Star Game for the league – and another hour-and-a-half drive away).
I arrived at the decision simply: Parking sucks in Rochester at the ballpark (it’s a downtown stadium, so you use nearby ramps…er, garages…for optimal parking – though you can park at the ballpark’s miniscule parking lot) and I couldn’t get anyone on the phone at Willmar regarding tickets. Eau Claire was the choice – thanks to a nice young woman named Emily who got me a good seat for $8.00.
Going into this game, the Express sat pretty on top of the Southern Division, just a half-game off of the Wisconsin Woodchucks, based in Wausau. Two other teams were within proximity of the Express in the division: Green Bay and this evening’s opponent, the Waterloo Bucks. The Bucks were a game-and-a-half off of Eau Claire’s pace in the division.
There is a twist to the Eau Claire story. Fifty-eight years ago, Eau Claire hosted the Class C farm club for the Milwaukee Braves. The Bears had a very special player come through on his way to one of the greatest careers the game has ever witnessed. He was just a kid from Mobile, Alabama who enjoyed his first success in the game he loved. His name was Henry Aaron.
Because of the legacy of The Hammer, there is a dedicated group of baseball fans committed to the preservation of this history surrounding Carson Park. The Eau Claire Baseball Hall of Fame Committee administers the plaza in front of Carson Park dedicated not only to Aaron, but to those who played for Eau Claire’s minor league teams (Aaron, his brother Tommie, Andy Pakfo. etc.), or have grown up in the Chippewa Valley who made an impact on the game of baseball (namely Tom Poquette). During the game, the committee raises funds to maintain the plaza and the Hall of Fame’s activities through a 50/50 raffle. They were nice enough to introduce me to the Express’ owner, Bill Rowlett. Good folks in Eau Claire, indeed!
Saturday night’s game itself was pretty good – perhaps one of the best Northwoods League games I ever seen. There seems to be a poise that the Express had that night. Maybe for the first inning there were flaws, but once everyone settled down, the Express went right to business. I was transfixed on how well the Express played on a level that could be seen in a full-season Single A league. They certainly capitalized on Waterloo’s mistakes.
Another interesting observation I must share after previous discussions about the state of umpiring in the Major Leagues. We often take for granted how this game is officiated. We also forget that umpires have to work their way up to get those few precious spots in the Major Leagues. As the players in the Northwoods League hone in their baseball skills, the umpires are also learning how to do their jobs on this level as well. A few mistakes were allowed, but not on the scale of Joe West’s continued feign ignorance. Then again, with training, these guys could eventually replace West in the Bigs.
Tell that to the man sitting right by the Express’ dugout who had the home plate ump’s number. And, kudos to the home plate umpire for being professional enough to ignore the heckler – even though said patron appeared to be a prominent figure in the Chippewa Valley area.
In the end, the locals won, 6-1. The score was important, but not as important as being in a spot where history and the future converge. Rarely do you get an opportunity to be in such a place. Set aside Fenway and Wrigley for a moment – and consider Carson Park. All it takes a moment in time to bridge 1952 with today’s budding collegiate ballplayers.
Now…Kirk Gibson…the D-Backs lost badly last night, didn’t they?
The World Cup vs. Jason Heyward
An interesting weekend, I must say. You have one eye on a ballgame, the other on the USA-England match in Rustenburg, South Africa. Even tonight, we’re paying some attention to the NBA Finals. What’s a baseball fan to do?
It appears that my fellow MLBloggers had something to say about the FIFA World Cup underway in South Africa. Well, I better join the crowd…but, I have to admit that I am not into it as I was four years ago when the country of a quarter of my heritage lost to Italy. No thanks to Zindane and his headbutt of Materazzi after the Italian talked about the Algerian-French superstar’s mother behind his back.
Sure, the USA side was fit to be tied with the English. The French also tied in their opener. The Aussies got their behinds handed to them by a younger German squad. Well, they were quite cocky to begin with. That probably had to do with Cahill’s red card and their former captain expressing bitter disappointment on the ABC, Seven, Nine, Ten, SBS, SkySport and FOXTEL.
The Aussies already have enough to worry about – including racist comments by an assistant coach of the NSW State of Origin rugby team against an Aboriginal player on the Queensland squad. This led to one of NSW’s own to quit the club – an Aboriginal, by the way!
Oh, we don’t have these problems in Major League Baseball! Do we?
No, not when the Minneapolis Star-Tribune did a write-up on the Atlanta Braves’ Jason Heyward. The piece in Sunday’s paper drew comparisons to Joe Mauer, as Heyward grew up near Atlanta. It also pointed out that the Braves’ rookie sensation could spell a renaissance for a new generation of African American players. I certainly hope so!
Incidentally, the Braves took two from the Minnesota Twins in their first trip to Target Field. Part of Bobby Cox’s farewell tour…
Then, there was Stephen Strasburg’s second start in Cleveland. He did get the win for the Washington Nationals, but not without some issues. Strasburg walked five batters while dealing with a poor landing area on the pitching rubber. Though he struck out eight Cleveland Indians, it appeared that Strasburg struggled to control his pitches during a daytime game at Progressive Field.
Luckily, Strasburg’s next start will be back at Nationals Park.
If you think Strasburg’s second start was, for lack of a better term, interesting – try these two storylines: The Florida Marlins take two from the Tampa Bay Rays inside The Trop and the Angels sweep the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. Has Mars reversed orbit all of the sudden?
And, to make matters more interesting – I’ve been itching to see a ballgame real soon! With Twins tickets becoming as rare as seeing a Pagani Zonda driven in this country, I need to take a road trip somewhere. It won’t be a long distance run since I don’t have the time. I’m sure you’ll read something in a week’s time from somewhere in Minnesota, South Dakota or Iowa watching some form of baseball. There’s also a rugby tournament being played in the area that I’m interested in checking out.
The World Cup? I’ll leave that to a few friends I know that have gone bonkers over it. In the meantime, I’m watching the Denmark-Netherlands match before work…God, I’m such a hypocrite!
Randy Stern
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