A month? Already?

So it's been a while since I posted, and I can't blame it on being at too many games....

I logged on today to post, to try to catch up, but first I took a quick peek at the Syracuse Chiefs blog and was happy to see that Dave has had the great fortune of experiencing the fan-friendly ballpark in Binghamton. I left a long comment that I hope he okays for posting. Here's what I wrote:

A long time ago, I used to use the experiences I had at MacArthur Stadium serve as my benchmarks for evaluating other ballparks. After that stadium fell and the new one was built in Syracuse, I gave up. Years later someone introduced me to the B-Mets.
From day one I have been blown away by what a great fan experience this team provides, and over the past decade they have just continued to get better and better at it.
There is an infectious sense of fun at the Binghamton ballpark, something I have praised repeatedly in my own blog, while giving a repeatedly thumbs down on the experience in Syracuse.
If Syracuse should land the Mets' PD contract, they will need to step up the enjoyment and fan-friendliness if they want to win over the fans that will begin making the trek from Binghamton to Syracuse to follow the boys of summer up the minor league rungs.

My Guys

When I say "My Guys" I'm usually referring to the B-Mets, or to individual B-Mets who have moved on, and generally upward, but on a recent sunny Saturday, My Guys meant, well, My Guys.

I attended a game on campus and had a good time cheering on the team, which included three young men who had been in my baseball class in the fall. All three of them made a point of greeting me, and one went out of his way to thank me for coming to support the team. That this particular young man has Derek Jeter as his favorite ballplayer is not surprising.

I struck me as I was walking to my car after the games that these young men really are My Guys. And I look forward to having more young men, maybe some day a young woman or two, participate in my class and play for the college' team.

Petrosky

Recently the Hall of Fame announced that Dale Petrosky was leaving as president, an announcement that I greeted happily. Under Petrosky, the Hall because a much more serious museum and a serious and scholarly research facility, good things. But it also became a little to serious about itself, and there were conservative, right-wing elements introduced to the Hall that made it less the National Baseball Hall of Fame and more the Republican Baseball Hall of Fame. Employees were pushed toward professionalism, but to an overbearing point. Military service by Hall of Famers was honored in excess. Petrosky cancelled an event meant to commerate one of the best baseball films ever made, Bull Durham, because he, or perhaps Board Chair Jane Clark Forbes, was concerned that the film's stars, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, would make it a political event by voicing dissent toward the then-recently begun Iraq war. Petrosky instead denied them and baseball fans the opportunity to celebrate a love of The Game, he turned it into a political protest. While Petrosky brought much good to the Hall, it is good now that he is no longer at the helm.

Goodbye, Earl

I've looked and I've looked, but I have yet to find Earl Snyder listed on any organized baseball team's roster, as a player or a coach.

I miss Earl.

Home

Went to Binghamton on April 6 for my first game of the season there.

And as I was approaching the entry game, a sense of welcome and calm came over me.

I chatted with the ticket taker a bit before heading down the concourse, and when the next familiar face asked how I was, I said, "It's good to be home."

Not just at a ballpark. This ballpark. As Ben Wrightman says in Fever Pitch, this is my summer family.



This is my happy place.

Fantasy Update

The Talkin' Baseball League has 14 onwers/managers. On April 3, the Huskytown Dukes were in 10th place.

On April 4, they were in 1st.

Apparently all of the starting pitchers on my roster pitch on the same day. It's gonna be a wild ride in that case.

Today, they're in 3rd. I gotta blame it on David Ortiz. Papi's not hitting, I've got to bench him.

Green is Good

There be grass here!

Yes, Syracuse now has a green grass diamond, and the "new" stadium finally looks like a ballpark. They celebrated Opening Day with green balloons.

Not only have they ripped up that ugly ugly blue-green cement hard carpet, they've added a warning track and padded the outfield walls. They also moved the bullpens from behind the outfield wall to along the stands in foul territory on either side; however, they've also built a small fence (maybe it's going to be an actual wall and what was visible last week is only the framework) to separate the bullpen crew from the fans.

So as long as you get quickly to your seat and stay away from the concourse, the stadium in Syracuse is not too bad a place to watch a ball game.

Because of a slew of personal problems, I haven't been able to plan ahead, so I hadn't planned to go to Opening Day anywhere, but since the weather was so nice and Syracuse had a day game scheduled, I headed that way. I was relatively late, got there about 15 minutes before game time. Yes, I know, nice day, opening day, stadium improvements, all things to draw out people who don't normally show up--like Easter Christians--so I expected to have to wait a bit. Fifteen minutes to get to the parking lot (and I ended up in the overflow lot!) wasn't outrageous, but 40 minutes to purchase a ticket was. There are eight ticket windows, but typical Syracuse management operations: 2 windows dedicated to Will Call (I saw 3 people go to Will Call the entire time), 2 windows dedicated to General Admissions (not at all busy - the upper deck was nearly deserted), 3 windows open for ticket sales, 1 window not open until after the game had actually started.

Syracuse had another day game a week later -- no crowd at all. But at least the grass looked greener.

First Lady of Baseball

Today is Effa Manley's birthday, the only woman enshrined in Cooperstown.


her plaque in the Hall

Effa no only was someone who ran their baseball team as a business, but did it well. She made changes for the better for her players, and she made white baseball literally pay respect to the Negro League and its players. She as was a a social and civil rights champion, organizing an effective boycott of Harlem merchants who refused to hire the local residents, running anti-lynching and pro war bonds campaigns at her ballpark. She loved baseball, to the point that she ran the team even on the field at times.

Baseball could not have selected a better woman to be the first in the Hall.

Show your team pride!

Sometimes You Just Don't Need Words

Pride

Have I mentioned how proud I am of the Red Sox and
their stand on the trip to Japan?

Way to go, guys!

Draft Day!

Believe it or not, Draft Day is a day I look forward to all year long. And I missed out on the start of the draft because the fire alarms went off and we had to evaculate the building until the fire department gave the all clear. One of the league members had bantered with me about "burning down the house". I blame him.

Of course, we had someone who had a personal situation that kept him from preparing for the draft which meant he ended up with 24 keepers belonging to other teams. As commissioner of the league, I removed all of them and redistributed as appropriate (though 4 teams still are overstocked), leaving a roster of one. One player.

People at work have been asking me if I got the players I wanted. I have no idea. Gotta go see who I drafted....

Melky Cabrera
Jacoby Ellsbury
Kosuke Fukudome
Mike Jacobs
David Ortiz
Dustin Pedroia
A.J. Pierzynski
Justin Upton
David Wright
Kevin Youkilis
Michael Young

Bronson Arroyo
Jeremy Bonderman
Boof Bonser
Lance Broadway
Billy Buckner
Chris Carpenter
Tom Glavine
Chuck James
Jon Lester
Tim Lincecum
Noah Lowry
John Maine
Anibal Sanchez
Chase Wright

Not bad, not bad. Only a couple silly selections. Chase Wright (picked just for the name) and Lance Broadway have already been given their walking papers. Billy Buckner, how could I not? Cole Hamels was the keeper of mine who get taken in the Great Keeper Draft. He'll be back by Opening Day.

I'm ready, and the people I work with are ready for the season to start too. I do, after all, become a whole different person during the Season. It's what lights me up!

Invite

Recently as I was leaving work, walking through the athletic facility, I passed the baseball team waiting for the coach to unlock the door to the indoor training area and the guys who had been in my class in the fall called, "hi, how're you doing?" to me. I greeted them and kept heading toward my car.

Then one of the guys stepped apart from the group and asked if I was going to be coming to watch them play, I should come to some games.


It's nice to get asked.

Duke of Earl

Who's Kidding Who?

I spotted the Mets yearbook on the store magazine rack earlier this week and took a look to see what they had on the minors. In the article about the organization's prospects I was pleased to see Mike Carp, tied for 10th. The evaluation was spot on regarding his 2007 season in Binghamton: hampered by injuries, power and hitting hurt by said injuries, and a lack of defensive skill at first.

The article also listed Brett Harper as a prospect.

Brett Harper? The slowest man on earth? The model of doorstop as first baseman? Is the continuing consideration of Harper as a prospect a case of CYA? Does his dad have buddies in the organization protecting Brett?

I know some of the fans in Binghamton love to see Harper play, but I cringe whenever he takes the field. Or even bats as DH when they play AL-parented clubs.

He's more suspect than prospect. Cut him loose.

Time flies - at supersonic speed

My 2007 baseball season came to an sudden and unexpected end.

On Friday 8/17, Irish Night at NYSEG Stadium, it rained and blew, but Livianna, Grace, Mellow, and I toughed it out. There was an inflatable Irish pub off the third base side. I wasn't' curious enough to see what beers or ales they might be serving out there to make the trip, especially keeping in mind how high the prices probably would be. When the wind picked up, they had to deflate the pub and fast! When the rain got too heavy, we headed downstairs, with everyone else in the stands, but just to make a pit stop. We got separated and I headed up to the seats assuming Liviana and the girls would already be there, but no. So I did something I hate and mock; I used my cell phone to call them to find out where they were. Coming up the steps even as we speak. Once the wind died down, the pub went back up, and quickly.

Saturday, my writing bud Soupbone came down and we took in our first game together. It's my zen place, and he needs zen occasions. It happened to be Blues Night, the Blues Brothers performing, which was fitting since Soupbone loves the blues, took a long vacation biking through Blues country this summer.

Sunday was a day game, a really sloppy game, but who cares, it was a nice day and they were playing ball in the sun.

Then Monday, 1 AM, my father woke me up, asked me to take him to the hospital and my life was turned upside down.

He had a stroke, stayed at the local hospital for a week, but kept deteriorating so he was shipped to the stroke center at the medical school hospital. He was in the neurology ICU for another week, upgraded to stable and moved to the rehab unit at the hospital for a few weeks then to another rehab facility where they determined he was unable to benefit further from therapy, so now it's a waiting game to find him permanent placement in a long-term care facility, a nursing home. I'm trying to have him moved closer to home so I can visit him more often. Between working two jobs, doing the full prep for the baseball class instead of 1/3 of them, trying to write for my learning contracts to complete my creative writing degree, and the constantly rising price of gas and my fuel efficient car in the repair shop most of the fall so I've been driving dad's gas guzzler, it's been difficult getting up there to see him as much as either of us would like. People ask me how dad is and it's hard to tell them. If I say he's okay, I mean he's alive and in stable condition. He cannot move his left side, he can't talk--he talks a blue streak but it's gibberish, though occasionally he can say a word or two that's intelligible and he can say yes and no-- he understands most of what is said to him though he doesn't remember he had a stroke and says he's ready to leave this place, he also can't swallow (the stroke disabled the muscles in his throat) so he's fed liquids through a tube into his stomach.

My mother had Alzheimer's and my father insisted on keeping her at home as long as he could possibly care for her, with my help, through all the stages of the disease. When it is said Alzheimer's destroys a person's memory, it is not only the memory of who people are but how to do things, until the person with the disease regresses to a dependent infantile state, needing to be fed and dressed and diapered. He finally had given in and put her on the waiting list for a nursing home, just two weeks before she died. So I've been through this before, only this is worse because my father had each other to lean on and I am now alone to deal with it.

I spent Labor Day weekend at my father's bedside in the neurology ICU, and wished that I could be at the ballpark, the place that has long been my sanctuary. Throughout my mother's long illness, I escaped to the ball park Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons whenever I could because it was the only place I could find peace. And I needed peace, still do.

The remainder of the major league season? Didn't exist for me, and the World Series, second win in four years for the Red Sox, was a blur. Of course, as I told people back in 2004, once the Sox broke the Curse everything else would be gravy. It was a nice win, but not the marvelous joy of 2004.

This fall instead of team teaching the baseball class (I recently heard it referred to as "Baseball Culture," I like that), I did the class on my own. Which was good, but I didn't have lessons and lectures prepared for 2/3 of the topics that my partner in crime usually covered. We covered topics that previous classes hadn't touched on, and our focus was sometimes shifted. And throughout the semester, my students wanted to know when the Mitchell Report was coming out. I predicted as close to Christmas as possible so it would get reduced media attention. I was close, it came out the day after our final class meeting. It was a great bunch of students in the class this year. Only two women, but one of them was an outspoken member of the class. She was also the one who is considering a career in baseball, this side of the fence. A number of students are members of the college's baseball team, adding a different spin to things at time.

The co-instructor does the class online in the spring and summer, and he had mentioned he was thinking about changing the reading list, maybe adding a biography. Since I had turned more than once to Jim Bouton over the semester, I suggested Ball Four. He was concerned that it might be dated and/or risque. Please. It was the original tell-all baseball book and is pale in comparison to those that have followed. I like it for the class because it was the original, and it a true baseball player's voice, not an as told to (though editor Leonard Schecter had a strong influence on it). We've been relying on David Halberstam's October 1964 as a period piece, to explore race relations in the US, and I think Bouton's book would be a good companion to it. We talk about hero worship in the course, how ballplayers have been viewed by society over the game's history, and Ball Four punctures that nicely.


I'm ready for a little distraction. How many days till pitchers and catchers report?

Bonds*

Destruction Of National Pastime Given Two-Minute Standing Ovation

You did WHAT to my picture?

Found on the Web

While searching for an image, I came across one of my photos, modified, at another website.



It made me laugh.

Where to next, Jeff?

Syracuse has too many outfielders, so Toronto released Jeff Duncan.

This stinks, not just because I think Jeff's career has been mishandled by the various organizations he's been with, but because of the timing. There was a nice write-up about Jeff and Wayne Lydon, both former B-Mets, only two weeks ago. (The third party of that mix, Angel Pagan, is now playing with the Cubs.

Angel Pagan

Random Bits

Sunday, June 24 - Fernando Martinez sits out the game so Corey Coles plays centerfield. The third batter of the game, Dan Dement, hits deep to center and Coles, not used to centerfield, misjudges the ball which bounces off the big blue wall and, going after it, Coles bounces off the wall and falls on his face in the grass. The right fielder, Caleb Stewart, comes over to cover for Coles as Dement runs and runs and runs. An inside the park home run. Cool. Even if it is the opposing team.

Which Way - Syracuse, in keeping with the spirit of the city, continues to take small steps backwards. They got rid of the SkyChief name--fans continued to call the team the Chiefs no matter how much the new brand was pushed. The also got rid of the SkyChiefs' logo--a bat with fighter wings, reminiscent of WWII--and replaced it with a steam engine, purportedly to honor Syracuse's railroading history--the trains used to come right through the middle of the downtown streets. The letters on the uniforms were changed to reflect the train motif, but there are three different, clashing fonts, one for the team name on the front, another for the player's name on the back and a third for the player's number. They didn't retired the mascot Scooch--an orange blobby critter--but added a second, Pops the engineer.


Finally, though, they have taken a step backwards that is a good one. They (the county) are going to replace the hideous artificial turf with grass before the next season. Although it hasn't been officially voted on, it's considered a done deal. The day after it was announced in the paper, they had shirts proclaiming the return for sale at the park. On the front it says "got grass?" and on the back "we do, coming 2008".

Earl Redux

Charlotte was in Syracuse for their only visit during the last week of June.

Got my fix on Tuesday. Earl's looking good, even if his BA this season is hovering below the Mendoza Line, around .185. His weight has always been listed as 200, but it clearly has gone up and come back down over the years. He's slim again, and his hair is longer, sticking out behind his helmet.

He had an okay game, 0-3 with a walk and a run, made a couple routine (for him) plays at third.

The highlight of the game was a pair of guys echoing in a sing-song the park's loudest and most annoying fan. The whole place was laughing after the first few echoes and awaiting the next outburst.

Wednesday was a rainy day, so I didn't make the trip.

Thursday I decided not to go, figuring since I had already seen him play, Earl would probably sit this one out, and the negativity at the park is getting too tough to take.

Around 8:15 I remembered that the local sports channel sometimes broadcasts Chiefs' games, so I turned it on and there they were. Apparently, though, I turned it on right after Earl had batted. When he came up in the ninth, the Knights down 3-1, with a runner on, the sportscasters commented that Earl has been a leading home run hitter and while he has been hitting poorly so far this season, the Chiefs would hate to see him get his power stroke back at that point. No home run, he singled, but he ended up scoring what proved to be the winning run. He had a good night, 2-4, with a strike out.

While I love watching him play in person, watching him play on television has the added benefit of close ups.

Rochester Review - updated

Usually have nothing but good to say about attending a ball game in Rochester, but this most recent trip left me with two complaints.

First, Fireworks Night creates a parking nightmare and many of the drivers either have never gone to a game any other night and are clueless about how to park for a game or people panic. Friday night I headed to the park relatively early to arrive just after the gates open, expected the turnout to be larger than normal, but I was unprepared to join the line into the parking lot while still on the Interstate nearly a mile away. People must think there is only this way to get to the game; not only was the line I was in taking forever to move forward, but cars and trucks and buses were cramming into the line from the perpendicular streets. I sat at one stop light through six changes without moving an inch. The only time the line moved was on cross-street lights and then those people would crush into place leaving no space for through traffic. I jumped out of line and into the first parking lot I encountered. I had to hike four or five blocks, but I saved $5.

Maybe every Fireworks Night isn't that bad, the following night was much more reasonable. I didn't join the line for parking until I was only a block from the field. The Friday night crowd, filling the three sets of movable bleachers and the grass berm beside left field as well as spilling onto the berms behind the bullpens, was announced as the sixth largest in Frontier Field history. Together with Saturday night's attendance, Frontier Field had its largest two-day total. Glad I could help.

Liviana had remarked about the patchy condition of the field and I discovered at least part of the reason when I stayed for fireworks Saturday night. They detonate the fireworks right on the field! It took the crew 20-25 minutes to get the show set up and then they scorched the grass. All I could imagine was the apoplexy the current as well as the previous head groundskeeper in Binghamton would have if fireworks were playing havoc with their lovingly tended field.


The other complaint is about my seat. I usually buy tickets over the internet ahead of time--I have arrived at a ballpark assuming at least one ticket would be available to find the place sold out-- and Rochester doesn't give you a choice of seats. You pick which level you want and the website tells you which seat you get. I pick premium and it tells me box 110. Good location, just a wee bit off home plate toward first. The problem with the seat I end up with is that the seat immediately in front of it is occupied by an extremely tall season ticket holder. The guy is 6'8" or more and proportionate shoulders. I'm only 5'3" and when he sits down I see nothing. I've had less obstructed views sitting behind a post in Fenway Park. The ticket office should hold that seat for SRO games and/or sell it at a discount and clearly mark it "Obstructed View".

Ump Update

An interview with Ria Cortesio, on NPR.

Where's Earl?

At the beginning of this season I checked the Louisville Bats' schedule to see when they would be playing locally so I could see Earl Snyder play; they play in the northern division cities (the ones that I could get to) only once a season. They were in Syracuse April 27-30 (Fri-Mon), Rochester June 14-17 (Thur-Sun), Buffalo June 18-21 (Mon-Thur) and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre August 24-27 (Tues-Fri).

When I was looking at the schedule, Liviana said she would be in Rochester for a conference on the 14th, so we ordered tickets. I'd drive up, pick her up at the hotel, drop her off after the game, and drive home. A week before I decided, seeing the beautiful weather forecast for that weekend, that I would do a mini-road trip, order tickets for the whole series and book a hotel room.

Earl wasn't in the starting lineup Thursday evening. And I couldn't spot him on the bench. Friday morning I checked the Bats' website; Earl wasnt' on the roster. I checked the transactions page, nothing. I kept poking around until I located him: Charlotte. He played the night before for the Knights.

I went to Rochester for the weekend anyway, though it wasn't as much fun since the main reason I went no longer existed.

The good news is that Charlotte will be playing in Syracuse June 26-29, so I get another chance to see him play. I'm just glad I hadn't finalize arrangements to take a road trip to Louisville in August. Oh, I still would like to go to Louisville, there are plenty of things to see and do there and on the way, but the main reason for going this summer is gone. I'm tempted to make arrangements to go to Charlotte, but knowing the way things go, Earl would be sent to Tacoma while I was on the road.

SymposiumReunion

Another great gathering in Cooperstown for the annual symposium. Not only did we have great speakers and great papers, we had great weather! It didn't rain (our last few town ball games have been rained out) and it wasn't too hot (my motel room was 86F overnight the year between rain outs).

Curt Smith was the keynote speaker, talking about baseball broadcasters, a lively, dramatic, feel good session.

Remembering Branch Rickey was the main plenary session, and it was wonderful. The panel consisted of people (let's say it, MEN) from colleges he was associated with including Ohio Wesleyan, Michigan Law, and Allegheny, institutions where he studied, institutions where he worked, as well as Earl Warren, Jr, Thurgood Marshall, Jr, and Ira Glasser, former director of the ACLU, and Branch Rickey, president of the Pacific Coast League, the grandson. We all know Mr. Rickey's story, creating the farm system, re-integrating major league baseball, and these panelists added depth and texture to the story. Glasser's theory of Rickey and Robinson's influence on a generation that grew up determined to contest discrimination was most interesting and thought-provoking.

Sessions I particularly enjoyed were on Baseball in the Classroom, suffragettes using baseball to advance their cause, MLB marketing to women (we like the players better if they're smiling rather than glowering in their photos on the jumbotron, how much did they pay to learn that?), arbitrators in baseball (Roger Abrams), and baseball players as popular musicians. I knew Tony C had recorded in his early too-quickly-ended career, but this presenter gave me the chance to hear him sing. (I need to dig up my Rick Cerone 45 to add to his collection.)

Barry Lyons was on hand, brought by one of the senior presenters, to talk about his major league career, surviving Hurricane Katrina, and his efforts to bring minor league baseball to Biloxi. Barry was happy to answer questions, but I noted a different sense of communication, of connection, when Dan Ardell, a Symposium regular, member of the expansion Angels, asked Barry about pitchers.

The town ball game was moved to Cooper Park, adjacent to the Hall, and while it was a fine setting, except for the trees blocking the view, it was a little disappointing as the tradition keg of beer was banned. Dinner, instead of a picnic, was in the Hall. Not just in the museum, but in the Hall itself. The Hall of Famers congregate in that very place for their induction weekend reception. Kind of cool.

Mark your calendars: next year's Symposium is June 11, 12, and 13. Friday the 13th.

Full Weekend

Liviana, Grace, and Mellow attended their first game of the season Friday night, a good game, B-Mets 8, SeaWolves 7. Grace has to take a picture of someone doing something they love and she planned to take my picture watching the game, but I think she got too involved in the game to remember.

G&P were going to be away at a family event Saturday so G offered their tickets to us, so Liviana and the girls attended their second game this weekend as well. That was a wild one, not the game but the weather. A tremendous thunderstorm hit just as we got to the park. We had to walk from the parking lot to the Will Call window to pick up the tickets with our heads bent against the wind and all the dirt it was flinging in our faces. The rain started just as we got to the window and really let loose once we were under cover in the concourse.

One of the improvments made at NYSEG Stadium this season is the Giant Video Board, which I have mixed feelings about. So far it hasn't proved to be as annoying and as intrusive as I have experienced in other parks. The upside of it is that instead of a hard-to-view tv mounted high above, where the spider that has spun her web appears twice the size of the players, the video board contents are displayed high on the white walls of the concourse, above the concessions. During the hour rain delay, they showed the live broadcast of the Yankees-Red Sox game. There are a lot of Yankee fans in Binghamton, but quite a few Red Sox fans as well, made clear by the cheering and jeering in response to the broadcast. Once the rain let up and people were straggling in to the stands, the game was shown on the video board with full audio. We all got to see Doug Mientkiewicz take a knee to the head.

Saturday's game was a good one, SeaWolves lead 1-0 for a long time, B-Mets finally tied it up, but a two-run homer by Erie was all she wrote. Liviana was picked to be the person "caught red-handed" drinking a Coke, shown on the video board. She got a 12-pack to take home.

Sunday it was raining again; I drove through another gully-washer on my way to the park. I flipped on the radio and heard the announcement that the start of the game was delayed--stay tuned, so I went bead shopping for a while. It was hot and muggy when I left the store, warmer than before the rain. I got to the park at the top of the third and decided instead of my usual chicken spiedie to have an angus burger. They grill 'em to order and I spent an inning waiting for my burger.

The game was less than stellar, B-Mets losing 6-0, only the fourth time they've been shut out this season. The one exciting thing was when Jeff Larish 1B took exception to the way Wilson Batista turned the doubleplay on him. Not quite sure what happened out there, but both benches started to empty before everyone was hustled back to their respective dugouts, both managers were talked to by the home plate umpire and the B-Mets' pitcher was given a warning.

Stuff Happens

It's been a while.

I work in academia, in records, and May is the non-stop busy-busy month for me, so I barely have time even to glance at my fantasy roster once a week and get rid of players who have imploded or retired.

Speaking of fantasy baseball, I started in the bottom of the league, then blasted to the top, settled in between fifth and ninth, out of thirteen teams. My goal isn't to win the league, but to finish somewhere in the middle. Right now the strategy is to stay out of the double-digit range.

I got a start on my baseball tan Memorial Day. My left foot is two-toned because I was wearing sandals. As for the game, Monday was a cloudless day, unusual for Binghamton, and several players lost the fly ball in the "high" sky.

Saturday night before the game I was told the new left fielder Corey Coles was pretty good. He was the lead-off hitter for the B-Mets, hit a home run to start the bottom of the first. Yup, he's pretty good.

During Monday's game, he made a terrific throw from left field toward home. He didn't quite reach the plate, but the catcher had come forward to receive it and the Fisher Cat on third scored. Then something I've never seen happened: the catcher kept walking, not toward the mound but toward the runner who had rounded first and was well off the bag, almost strolling toward second. It finally dawned on the runner when the catcher, ball in hand, got within fifteen feet of him. It was a 2-4-3 put out, but I've never seen a catcher actively involved in a rundown between first and second.

Something I didn't see, but wish I had, happened earlier last week. The B-Mets turned a triple play in the top of the inning and hit a grand slam in the bottom of the same inning.

Another thing I haven't seen before I saw on last night's televised Syracuse Chiefs' game. The batter hit down the right field line and the first baseman Mike Cervenak (the same Mike Cervenak) went for it, his feet went out from under him but he managed to grab the ball and bounce it off the hard turf to the pitcher who was covering. My dad, watching with me, called it a billiards shot.

That turf has got to go. Syracuse Post Standard columnist last week wrote about ten things that the Chiefs should do to get more people to come to the ballpark. Reasons One and Ten were rip out that horrible, decrepit turf.

Never too proud

The B-Mets and the Sea Dogs were having quite the game Saturday evening, a pitcher's duel.

Portland's starter Tom Hottovy gave up only one hit over six innings. Binghamton's starter Kevin Mulvey was more generous, four hits over seven innings.

The game was scoreless going into the bottom of the eighth when it looked the B-Mets were finally going to get on the board when they loaded the bases with only one out. But the Slowest Man on Earth was on third. Jose Coronado flied out to left and Brett Harper started chugging toward home. He should be arriving any time now.

Bottom of the ninth the first two B-Met batters singled then both advanced on a passed ball. Sea Dogs intentionally walked Jose Reyes (the other Jose Reyes) to load the bases and get the Slowest Man on Earth up to bat. Not such a great idea, Brett has a swing that makes the flags in centerfield flutter.



All Brett had to do was wiggle his fingers in a "come here" motion to Mark Kiger standing on third when the Sea Dogs' pitcher let loose with a wild pitch.

B-Mets win 1-0.

Once this season

The Duke of Earl is playing for Louisville again this season and they come to Syracuse only ONCE.

Of course it was this weekend. I've got a horrible head cold; I spent Thursday in bed sleeping all day and all night.

Friday I was too tired and sick to go, but that was okay since the game was rained out.

Saturday I set out, excited that there was going to be a doubleheader, even though it was cool and damp, but before I got even halfway to Syracuse I had to give up and go home, back to bed.

Sunday I napped after reading the paper, and by the time it was time to leave for the ballpark, the sun was out. When I got there, I check the line up. No Earl. And he doesn't come out of the dugout to coach first as he often does when not playing. Crap.

Then in the top of the ninth, Mark Bellhorn (yes, of the World Champion Red Sox) hits a homerun to tie the score and Earl is sent in to pinch hit. He's posted a batting average of .154 so far this season, but they walk him on five pitches. In the bottom of the inning, he stays in at third, starts the doubleplay that ends the inning.

After the game he headed to the home end of the dugout where a couple little kids were waiting for autographs. He signed and took a moment to talk with them.

He needs a haircut.

To Laugh

4 in a row? You gotta be kidding me.

During last night's Sunday Night Baseball, Yanks at Red Sox, there was a moment when I was confused on just who and how many. With Miller and Morgan yakking about the homeruns and the video team playing and replaying Manny's, then Drew's, then Lowell's, I wasn't sure if the dinger I was seeing was a replay or a new one being hit.

And when Tek went to the plate, I knew he was going to hit one too. I told my cat Jesse James Orosco W----- that the captain was going to hit one, he hasn't hit one yet this season, now is the time. And when Tek hit the top of the wall, Jesse James Orosco was not happy with my cheering, disturbing his attempts to nap through the game.


Weather Report
Last weekend was a cold wet one, games doubled up or postponed, and on Monday we had the worst storm of the season, most snow we've had.

This weekend was glorious, sunny, warm, dry, not a cloud in the sky. It's around 80 today. And the B-Mets were on the road, of course.

They'll be back the end of this week. Forecast is for cooler and rain. Figures.

A Wet One

Opening Night for the B-Mets was mostly wet. A little on the cold side, but not bad. At least until the wind decided to kick up.

I headed to Binghamton after work knowing that the evening forecast was for rain turning to snow, temperatures dropping into the thirties. I knew I'd be shivering and probably leave early, so I decided to delay arriving at the park until just before game time, skipping all the pre-game festivities. Which meant I missed the first pitch being thrown out by the guy I usually sit with.

The visiting Sea Dogs jumped out in front, scored five runs in the top of the first. My Guys didn't get on the board until the bottom of the fourth, tied it up in the fifth. Too bad.

It was drizzling when the game started but by the second inning it was a steady rain that kept up for hours. The head groundskeeper spread drying agent a couple times on the field, around the bases and on the mound. He conferred with the umpires. The game went on. And on. And on. We thought it might be called once it reached the point of being official, four and a half innings, but the home team was trailing after the top of the fifth, and they tied it up in the bottom of the fifth.

photo from pressconnects.com

Getting wet, soaked wasn't that bad, except when the rain finally let up, the wind started. I kept thinking, a little longer, a little longer, until looking at the clock on the new video scoreboard, I decided my curfew was 9 pm. I'd stay through the end of whatever inning was in progress at 9. It was only the sixth. The game started at 6:30.

I listened to the game as long as I could get the signal on the drive home, but after giving up a run and scoring another, the B-Mets were still tied when I lost contact with the AM station.

According to this morning's newspaper, the game ended some time around 11:15. It went 11 innings, 4 hours and 40 minutes, the longest opening day game in B-Mets history.

It's going to be some season.

My Guys, in that Place

Just when I thought I wouldn't have to go to the stadium in Syracuse for more than the Louisville visit (to see the Duke of Earl play) since the Mets AAA team is in the Pacific Coast League (at least for this season), I saw the 2007 Chiefs roster.

Damn. Two of My Guys will be starting the season in Syracuse.


Russ Adams: I saw him play during his first professional season, in Auburn, when even at that stage he looked like a big league shortstop, and again when he reached AA with the New Haven Ravens. He spent some time with the Blue Jays, but has been sent back to AAA to get more playing time. Russ may not rank as the best, but he's a damn good shortstop and a good lead-off hitter.

Jeff Duncan: I saw him play in Binghamton, where he was a fan favorite. He played with enthusiasm and skill. (Silly memory: Jeff always pulled his back pockets inside out when he took his batting gloves out of them and whenever he reached first base, Howard Johnson, in the first base coach's box, would always tuck in Jeff's pocket linings.) He was a player with obvious potential, but the Mets derailed his career. He was literally pulled out of a game to go up to New York during his first season in AA, in mid-May, and the Mets expected too much too quickly. When he wasn't an instant success, not a phenom, they trashed him. The New York Mets broke him; he's spent a season in AA, Mobile, and a season in AAA, Las Vegas. Here's hoping this season is the one that sees him get another chance at the Show.

Need a Scorecard

I'm gonna need a scorecard for sure this season. I visited the B-Mets website to see if this year's roster was posted yet and see that Jose Reyes will be playing in Binghamton.

Jose Reyes, #7.

And I thought he was doing well in New York with the Big Club.

What's that? Jose A. Reyes?

He's a catcher?

Never mind.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Sunday Night Baseball back on? Check

AL and NL reports other than trades and signings on the crawl? Check

Baseball highlights on Sports Center? Check

Opening day game to watch while eating supper? Check (Red Sox, bonus check)

Wednesday Night Baseball back on, at least for a while? Check

New field at the college ready for use? Check (fingers crossed that the home opener isn't rained out as regional play was)

Report in the school district's newsletter that the school once again has a varsity baseball team, and a refurbished field including dugouts? Check

The Duke of Earl Snyder still playing? )On Louisville's roster, looking good in the media guide.) Check

Dates Louisville will be playing close enough to go see Earl play? Check, posted

New player on the horizon to look for? Check (though may be a season away)

It's BASEBALL SEASON!!!!!

Not down for long

So with the 2007 season one game old, I was in last place in the Talkin' Baseball Fantasy League. Nowhere to go but up.

Which I/they did, only 11th now. Out of 13.

Huskytown Dukes Opening Day Roster

My opening day roster

Jason Kendall

Ivan Rodriguez*

David Ortiz*

Tadahito Iguchi

David Wright*

Orlando Cabrera

Alex Rios*

Ken Griffey Jr

Shawn Green

Vernon Wells*

Scott Podsednik

Eric Hinske

Reed Johnson*

Cole Hamels*

Bronson Arroyo*

Trevor Hoffman

Anibal Sanchez*

Zach Duke

John Maine

Dennys Reyes

Jamie Moyer

Cla Meredith

Dontrelle Willis

Tim Wakefield*

Ump Update

Ria Cortesio has gotten another assignment that signals her progress to the Show is still happening, though at a glacial pace.

Last year she worked the Futures Game, the minor league hot prospects' showcase attached to the All-Star hoopla. This spring she's working a major league exhibition game, another step in moving up. Not all umpires who work MLB exhibition games end up umpiring in the majors, but it is a usual "tryout" step umpires go through. Although umpires, like players, have to work their way up through the levels, they're not subject to sudden call-ups from the lower levels of the game; there are no Nuke Lalooshes among umpires.

When Ria gets promoted to AAA, it will probably be with the Pacific Coast League. Not because there will likely be an opening there first, nor because that league is less conservative, (Pam Postema spent her years umpiring AAA in the PCL), but because I won't have a chance to see her work.

Here's hoping it happens this year. Ria deserves a hot tub of her own.

Fun is good.
Mike Veeck

2-fer Day

Today was Draft Day. Had a good draft, seemed most people were around, at least for part of the draft, though some had technical glitches. Somebody had Starbucks and didn't bring enough for everyone.

Have to let the dust settle before I prune my roster, took only one of my four keepers during the draft, David Wright as my final pick. And to make sure keepers didn't go astray for others; we think nobody's keepers got drafted elsewhere, but we know absolutely last year's catastrophe wasn't repeated.

The second part which came first was I ordered my tickets for the season this morning! The B-Mets spend a lot of the early part of the season at home on weekends, parkas at the park, and are on the road more weekends in June and July, but at least they finish at home. I love spending Labor Day at the ballpark.

And one other good baseball thing happened today. As I drove past the new baseball diamond on my way in to work this morning, I could see the snow has mostly melted and the grass is visible. Now it just needs to dry out.

A month too soon

My friend Craig posted a blog of his trip through blues country, which was darn close to heaven on earth for him, but each time he listed his next stop, I could only think of what team was nearest and how a month later he could have gone to a minor league game there.

He's resisted so far, mostly out of circumstance, but partly out of sheer cussedness, going to a ball game, but some day I will drag him, kicking and screaming, to a minor league game. Not in Syracuse, unless they oust the Simones, the dinosaur BofDs, and demolish P&B/Alliance Stadium. Once there, I know his Eastern leanings will make/allow him to become one with the game. If only one of the local teams would hold a B.B. King night.....

Keepers Set

I didn't go with another "D" guy for the Dukes, I took the "W" route, Vernon Wells. He's a decent outfielder, and I actually saw him play when he was in AAA. If the guys in the league paid attention, they'd know I'm pretty much a sucker for guys I've seen play in the minors, so they could trade me a broken down wreck for a premier player if the wreck once played in Binghamton or Syracuse, or even Rochester.

I pre-ranked my queue, which sounds a touch dirty, but it amounts to tossing a big bunch of na