IdahoPilgrim

One of the things that I enjoy about baseball is that, even on the suckiest team in the league, there is still a 1-in-3 chance that you can go home happy with a win. Blackburn gets blown out? Maybe tomorrow will be better. You don't have to sit and mope about it for a whole week like in football. Do I wish the Twins were a better team? Yes. Do I yearn for the days when we are back in the playoffs? Yes (and I might even like to see them win a post-season series again at some point). Do I think changes need to be made to make that happen? Yes. But I choose not to let that stop me from enjoying the good moments when they come. When they pound a team like they did last night in Cleveland, it's fun to watch (or follow on the internet:)) no matter what their record is. And even on the worst team there are positive things that you can look at and take the sting away a little bit. It doesn't mean you have your head in the sand and are not seeing reality. It means that, at the end of the day, you remember that this is just a game. It's meant to be enjoyed, by players and fans alike, and when that gets lost - then what's the point?

I get into Fort Myers about quarter to two – too early to check into the motel, so I decide to buzz out quick to the Lee County Sports Complex to see if I can catch the tail end of the GCL game. Sure enough, I manage to take in the last couple of innings. I drive in the main entrance to Hammond Stadium, go past the empty parking lots, and at the west end of the complex pull off the road onto the grass where a number of cars have created a makeshift parking lot. Walking past the Twins offices here I get to field 1, where the game is underway. The field is basically a high school field, if that. There are no dugouts per se – the players benchs are segregated by a chainlink fence that surrounds the field. There is no crowd noise getting in the way, so you can hear the banter back and forth from the players on the field and the bench as the game progresses. Some in english, some in spanish. There are three small bleacher sections, each about fifteen yards long and four rows high. Both the players areas and the bleachers are covered, so at least you are out of the sun. Looking toward the outfield, I immediately notice the complete lack of advertising on the outfield fence (also chain link) – something that was quite prominent in both my previous stops. There is no admission charge, no refreshment stands or noticeable vending machines. There is however a restroom next to the field (for which I am grateful after my drive). Unlike most professional games, following the action requires careful attention unless you wish to be hopelessly lost. There is no scoreboard, no announcer, no roster sheets, no scorecards, no players names on the backs of their jerseys. If I go tomorrow I will need to take pen and paper just to keep track of the score, the inning, how many outs, etc...I will not try to keep score in any case. The stands are about a quarter to a third full, with many of them being players not in the lineup (opposing team players interspersed and sitting side-by-side, conversing in their native languages). I happen to be sitting near a woman with whom I strike up a conversation. As I suspected, she is there because she has become friends with one of the players – Jonathan Murphy. Turns out he and another of his teammates (Bryan Santy) met the woman at her church during Sunday worship (GCL takes Sunday off). It is a reminder that the nomadic nature of professional baseball often requires players to adjust and reacclimate to new surroundings on short notice. After getting to know them, she and her husband have become unofficial quasi-sponsors for John, helping him get adjusted to his new lifestyle and feeding him dinner a couple of nights a week (which is particularly appreciated as the pay at this level is meager). I ask her how John likes playing professional ball, to which she says, “He loves it.” That drives home to me what baseball should be about – players playing in 95 degree heat with few people watching for a mere pittance, in part because of the dream of making it to the Show someday but, also, simply because they love the game. The game ends, I make a beeline for my car to get to my air-conditioned hotel, and get ready for tonight’s Miracle game and the return of Carl Pavano.

I get into Fort Myers about quarter to two – too early to check into the motel, so I decide to buzz out quick to the Lee County Sports Complex to see if I can catch the tail end of the GCL game. Sure enough, I manage to take in the last couple of innings. I drive in the main entrance to Hammond Stadium, go past the empty parking lots, and at the west end of the complex pull off the road onto the grass where a number of cars have created a makeshift parking lot. Walking past the Twins offices here I get to field 1, where the game is underway. The field is basically a high school field, if that. There are no dugouts per se – the players benchs are segregated by a chainlink fence that surrounds the field. There is no crowd noise getting in the way, so you can hear the banter back and forth from the players on the field and the bench as the game progresses. Some in english, some in spanish. There are three small bleacher sections, each about fifteen yards long and four rows high. Both the players areas and the bleachers are covered, so at least you are out of the sun. Looking toward the outfield, I immediately notice the complete lack of advertising on the outfield fence (also chain link) – something that was quite prominent in both my previous stops. There is no admission charge, no refreshment stands or noticeable vending machines. There is however a restroom next to the field (for which I am grateful after my drive). Unlike most professional games, following the action requires careful attention unless you wish to be hopelessly lost. There is no scoreboard, no announcer, no roster sheets, no scorecards, no players names on the backs of their jerseys. If I go tomorrow I will need to take pen and paper just to keep track of the score, the inning, how many outs, etc...I will not try to keep score in any case. The stands are about a quarter to a third full, with many of them being players not in the lineup (opposing team players interspersed and sitting side-by-side, conversing in their native languages). I happen to be sitting near a woman with whom I strike up a conversation. As I suspected, she is there because she has become friends with one of the players – Jonathan Murphy. Turns out he and another of his teammates (Bryan Santy) met the woman at her church during Sunday worship (GCL takes Sunday off). It is a reminder that the nomadic nature of professional baseball often requires players to adjust and reacclimate to new surroundings on short notice. After getting to know them, she and her husband have become unofficial quasi-sponsors for John, helping him get adjusted to his new lifestyle and feeding him dinner a couple of nights a week (which is particularly appreciated as the pay at this level is meager). I ask her how John likes playing professional ball, to which she says, “He loves it.” That drives home to me what baseball should be about – players playing in 95 degree heat with few people watching for a mere pittance, in part because of the dream of making it to the Show someday but, also, simply because they love the game. The game ends, I make a beeline for my car to get to my air-conditioned hotel, and get ready for tonight’s Miracle game and the return of Carl Pavano.

The more I think on this, the more I'm not surprised. Didn't Ryan or somebody in the front office say in an interview shortly after he was drafted that they were going to do this - let him start in GCL and then move him up to Appy mid-season? And as far as his numbers, Ryan has said he doesn't put much stock in numbers at this level. He's looking at how the players are adjusting to playing professional ball and trying to gauge their emotional makeup and maturity.

Well, shoot, good for them but it means I won't get to see them. They were the only reason I was thinking of going to the GCL game tomorrow.

Is this his attempt to help Cleveland not lose too much face?

Thanks!

Can anyone give me commentary on the homers? I'm following the game by internet on mlb.com.

I take it back. Consider me humble and contrite.

On the upside, he really can't be much worse, can he?

No game tonight, as the “bible belt” proved to be all-too-true to it’s nickname and gave the residents here a reenactment of Noah’s flood. I pulled out of the parking lot in Johnson City at 6pm in the rain and promptly splashed water over the front of the hood. You could see the sheets of water running down the streets seeking lowest ground. Deciding that baseball is not worth sacrificing either myself or my vehicle (such as in trying to drive to Elizabethton) I decide to head back inside and await developments. Sure enough, a few minutes later the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Johnson City and Elizabethton with travel not being advised, and by 7pm the game has been officially postponed and rescheduled as a double-header tomorrow (Monday). This is somewhat ironic as it is Faith Night for the Twins, when many local church groups would presumably be attending, but then I remember that there are many other more pressing matters requiring our prayers and perhaps good weather for the night wasn’t on the list. Being a math major and having studied probability and statistics, I knew when I started this trip that weather would be a factor at some point. I chose to do this trip at this time because the respective schedules of the clubs not only lined up well but also allowed me to build in “weather days.” That being said, I don’t want to redo my schedule completely and risk missing out on one of the later stops, so I had to decide whether to stick around for the double-header or cut my losses and head out for Florida tomorrow morning. My goal was to watch each team twice, but it is more important that I get to see each team at least once (plus the weather service is predicting a 60% chance of rain tomorrow as well, so that double-header is by no means guaranteed), so I am going to end my Elizabethton stay at only one game. At least it’s not a complete loss, as I sit here in the hotel room watching Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN (St. Louis & Milwaukee). It is a disappointing end to the day, but at least the rest of the day was a pleasant addition to my trip. After going to worship at a local church and doing some laundry, I head out to spend some time in the area this afternoon. Stopping back in Elizabethton I tour the old fort there at Sycamore Shoals State Park and take a short hike along the banks of the Watauga River. Then, to get more flavor of the local area, I intentionally “lose” myself driving at random on some of the roads south of Elizabethton, getting as far as Roan Mountain about twenty miles south, then using my GPS to get me back to Johnson City. The roads in the back country are narrow and in some cases it would be a stretch for two cars to pass side-by-side. There are steep curves and hairpin turns as the roads wind among the mountains. The area is sporadically populated and most of the houses are normal, but there are a couple places where the rundown and ramshackle nature of the domecile start the opening notes of “Dueling Banjos” inside my head. (To be serious, I have yet to meet anyone who does fit the “Deliverance” stereotype; everyone down here has been gracious and friendly). Eventually I get back to Johnson City, sit back in the room and watch a couple hours of golf on TV, and then get ready for the game just as the skies open. So it’s on to Fort Myers, where I plan to be for the opening of their next homestand on Tuesday. *** P.S. My decision turns out to be prescient, as upon arrival in Jacksonville, FL for the night I go online and learn that today's doubleheader was cancelled due to weather.

No game tonight, as the “bible belt” proved to be all-too-true to it’s nickname and gave the residents here a reenactment of Noah’s flood. I pulled out of the parking lot in Johnson City at 6pm in the rain and promptly splashed water over the front of the hood. You could see the sheets of water running down the streets seeking lowest ground. Deciding that baseball is not worth sacrificing either myself or my vehicle (such as in trying to drive to Elizabethton) I decide to head back inside and await developments. Sure enough, a few minutes later the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Johnson City and Elizabethton with travel not being advised, and by 7pm the game has been officially postponed and rescheduled as a double-header tomorrow (Monday). This is somewhat ironic as it is Faith Night for the Twins, when many local church groups would presumably be attending, but then I remember that there are many other more pressing matters requiring our prayers and perhaps good weather for the night wasn’t on the list. Being a math major and having studied probability and statistics, I knew when I started this trip that weather would be a factor at some point. I chose to do this trip at this time because the respective schedules of the clubs not only lined up well but also allowed me to build in “weather days.” That being said, I don’t want to redo my schedule completely and risk missing out on one of the later stops, so I had to decide whether to stick around for the double-header or cut my losses and head out for Florida tomorrow morning. My goal was to watch each team twice, but it is more important that I get to see each team at least once (plus the weather service is predicting a 60% chance of rain tomorrow as well, so that double-header is by no means guaranteed), so I am going to end my Elizabethton stay at only one game. At least it’s not a complete loss, as I sit here in the hotel room watching Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN (St. Louis & Milwaukee). It is a disappointing end to the day, but at least the rest of the day was a pleasant addition to my trip. After going to worship at a local church and doing some laundry, I head out to spend some time in the area this afternoon. Stopping back in Elizabethton I tour the old fort there at Sycamore Shoals State Park and take a short hike along the banks of the Watauga River. Then, to get more flavor of the local area, I intentionally “lose” myself driving at random on some of the roads south of Elizabethton, getting as far as Roan Mountain about twenty miles south, then using my GPS to get me back to Johnson City. The roads in the back country are narrow and in some cases it would be a stretch for two cars to pass side-by-side. There are steep curves and hairpin turns as the roads wind among the mountains. The area is sporadically populated and most of the houses are normal, but there are a couple places where the rundown and ramshackle nature of the domecile start the opening notes of “Dueling Banjos” inside my head. (To be serious, I have yet to meet anyone who does fit the “Deliverance” stereotype; everyone down here has been gracious and friendly). Eventually I get back to Johnson City, sit back in the room and watch a couple hours of golf on TV, and then get ready for the game just as the skies open. So it’s on to Fort Myers, where I plan to be for the opening of their next homestand on Tuesday. *** P.S. My decision turns out to be prescient, as upon arrival in Jacksonville, FL for the night I go online and learn that today's doubleheader was cancelled due to weather.

I show up at the ballpark not really knowing what to expect. It is, by far, the smallest of the parks I will be attending (cap. 1500), which is to be expected for a rookie league team. It turns out to be basically a junior college or division III field. That being said, it does have character. It turns out I am visiting on a busy night. As I park the car and walk to the gate, I hear live music coming from inside the concourse. There is a fundraiser going on for the local United Way, with prize giveaways and an opportunity to make a $5 donation, which gets you into the game (I assume the United Way and the city have negotiated in advance how that will be divided between them). In addition, they are celebrating “Christmas in August.” Sitting in the reserved seats behind the plate one can look left and see a green plastic inflatable Christmas tree; Santa Claus prowls the field before the game and walks the concourse during it, greeting young and old fans alike; in between innings Christmas carols come over the loudspeaker, instead of the normal between-inning music. The ballpark itself is fairly standard – a small section of $6 reserved seats behind home plate (with a banner commemorating Kirby Puckett’s 1982 season in Elizabethton) and two general admission stands (a larger one down the first base line and a smaller one down the third base line) for $4. I checked the website before the game, and a season ticket for reserved seating (34 games) will set you back a whopping $100. I suspect the setting will be the most inspiring of the cities I visit. Looking out over the center field fence you see the Blue Ridge Mountains rising up before you. Turn your head over to the left and slightly behind and you can watch the Watauga River flow silently but swiftly along the green area surrounding its banks. There is a one concession stand (which I have not sampled yet but will Sunday) and a souvenir stand, selling all your traditional gear. I enter the game itself hoping for great things from the Twins, based on their record, but it turns out not to be their night. The umpires come out and meet with the managers, the anouncer gives the starting lineups, and it is only then that I realize who I’m looking at – Dale Ford, a former MLB umpire whose 25-year career ended during the ill-advised mass resignation in 1999. Currently serving as a member of the Tennessee legislature, he must still find time to be involved in the game, as there he is calling balls and strikes behind the plate. I find out later that he lives in the Johnson City area. Unfortunately, the rest of the highlights of the night belong to Danville, whose starting pitcher, Lucas Sims (Atlanta’s top pick in the recent draft, from a high school in Georgia), is basically untouchable for five innings. Regularly getting ahead in the count and seemingly inducing ground-ball outs at will, Sims shuts down the Twins lineup, surrendering only one hit (a shallow blooper from Rhodes in the second) and only letting three other balls leave the infield (all fly outs). He leaves the game after five innings, striking out five and walking one. Meanwhile, on the other side, Angel Mata keeps it close for four innings, pitching well if not quite as commanding as Sims. He also has five strikeouts and, with a solo homer in the first being the exception, looks like he is dueling Sims fairly close. He does also give up a run in the second, but while he did put the runner on base it is a poor throw on a stolen base attempt and an error on the shortstop that allows him to score. Then, in the fifth inning, in a deja vu of my second game in Beloit, the wheels come off for the Elizabethton starter. His control vanishes, he ends up walking three batters and giving up another single, and before you know it the Twins are down 5-0. Josh Burris, Tyler Herr and Luke Bard do a good job preventing any further damage, but it will end up costing the Twins the game. Elizabethton does finally get a couple across in the eighth inning, with Jorge Polanco hitting a nice blast over the right field fence for a two-run homer, and when the ninth inning comes around you do get the sense that anything is still possible (as the Twins have pulled off comebacks like this more than once this year). When they get a couple men on with one out, you can feel the palpable anticipation and hope from the crowd (most of whom have stayed this long). Only to end with a whimper and a 5-2 Danville victory. Like most clubs, Elizabethton has it’s share of between-inning contests for kids. I was surprised at first that the announcer doesn’t bother to explain how the contests work; they just say “Now it’s time for the rubber chicken toss” or “On the field we have our twirling bat contest.” I suppose they just assume that everyone there has seen them so many times they already know how the thing works (which in most cases is probably correct). The one I appreciated most was the “Hillbilly Horseshoe” contest, where a T-ball stand is placed on the sideline and two small children take turns throwing painted toilet seats trying to get them around the post. Gotta love that self-deprecating humor! *** While my focus in this blog is on my baseball experiences, I may also take some time to talk about other parts of my journey. The previous two days were spent driving down from Janesville to Johnson City, Tennessee, stopping to visit some friends overnight in Illinois and then stopping again in Kentucky at a Super 8. I’m using my Tom-Tom GPS to guide me, and I have it set to “shortest route” rather than “shortest time.” As a result, while I still spend a fair amount of time on the interstate highway system, I am also getting some miles on other highways, giving me a chance to really see good chunks of this country (which is one of the secondary reasons I am on this trip). The strategy really pays off once I get into Kentucky and head toward Tennessee. Winding my way through the Appalachians on curving two-lane roads gives a thrill that you just can’t get when you’re going 70 in a straight line on a bland piece of concrete. Both the scenery and the driving experience may turn out to be some of the non-baseball highlights of the trip.

I show up at the ballpark not really knowing what to expect. It is, by far, the smallest of the parks I will be attending (cap. 1500), which is to be expected for a rookie league team. It turns out to be basically a junior college or division III field. That being said, it does have character. It turns out I am visiting on a busy night. As I park the car and walk to the gate, I hear live music coming from inside the concourse. There is a fundraiser going on for the local United Way, with prize giveaways and an opportunity to make a $5 donation, which gets you into the game (I assume the United Way and the city have negotiated in advance how that will be divided between them). In addition, they are celebrating “Christmas in August.” Sitting in the reserved seats behind the plate one can look left and see a green plastic inflatable Christmas tree; Santa Claus prowls the field before the game and walks the concourse during it, greeting young and old fans alike; in between innings Christmas carols come over the loudspeaker, instead of the normal between-inning music. The ballpark itself is fairly standard – a small section of $6 reserved seats behind home plate (with a banner commemorating Kirby Puckett’s 1982 season in Elizabethton) and two general admission stands (a larger one down the first base line and a smaller one down the third base line) for $4. I checked the website before the game, and a season ticket for reserved seating (34 games) will set you back a whopping $100. I suspect the setting will be the most inspiring of the cities I visit. Looking out over the center field fence you see the Blue Ridge Mountains rising up before you. Turn your head over to the left and slightly behind and you can watch the Watauga River flow silently but swiftly along the green area surrounding its banks. There is a one concession stand (which I have not sampled yet but will Sunday) and a souvenir stand, selling all your traditional gear. I enter the game itself hoping for great things from the Twins, based on their record, but it turns out not to be their night. The umpires come out and meet with the managers, the anouncer gives the starting lineups, and it is only then that I realize who I’m looking at – Dale Ford, a former MLB umpire whose 25-year career ended during the ill-advised mass resignation in 1999. Currently serving as a member of the Tennessee legislature, he must still find time to be involved in the game, as there he is calling balls and strikes behind the plate. I find out later that he lives in the Johnson City area. Unfortunately, the rest of the highlights of the night belong to Danville, whose starting pitcher, Lucas Sims (Atlanta’s top pick in the recent draft, from a high school in Georgia), is basically untouchable for five innings. Regularly getting ahead in the count and seemingly inducing ground-ball outs at will, Sims shuts down the Twins lineup, surrendering only one hit (a shallow blooper from Rhodes in the second) and only letting three other balls leave the infield (all fly outs). He leaves the game after five innings, striking out five and walking one. Meanwhile, on the other side, Angel Mata keeps it close for four innings, pitching well if not quite as commanding as Sims. He also has five strikeouts and, with a solo homer in the first being the exception, looks like he is dueling Sims fairly close. He does also give up a run in the second, but while he did put the runner on base it is a poor throw on a stolen base attempt and an error on the shortstop that allows him to score. Then, in the fifth inning, in a deja vu of my second game in Beloit, the wheels come off for the Elizabethton starter. His control vanishes, he ends up walking three batters and giving up another single, and before you know it the Twins are down 5-0. Josh Burris, Tyler Herr and Luke Bard do a good job preventing any further damage, but it will end up costing the Twins the game. Elizabethton does finally get a couple across in the eighth inning, with Jorge Polanco hitting a nice blast over the right field fence for a two-run homer, and when the ninth inning comes around you do get the sense that anything is still possible (as the Twins have pulled off comebacks like this more than once this year). When they get a couple men on with one out, you can feel the palpable anticipation and hope from the crowd (most of whom have stayed this long). Only to end with a whimper and a 5-2 Danville victory. Like most clubs, Elizabethton has it’s share of between-inning contests for kids. I was surprised at first that the announcer doesn’t bother to explain how the contests work; they just say “Now it’s time for the rubber chicken toss” or “On the field we have our twirling bat contest.” I suppose they just assume that everyone there has seen them so many times they already know how the thing works (which in most cases is probably correct). The one I appreciated most was the “Hillbilly Horseshoe” contest, where a T-ball stand is placed on the sideline and two small children take turns throwing painted toilet seats trying to get them around the post. Gotta love that self-deprecating humor! *** While my focus in this blog is on my baseball experiences, I may also take some time to talk about other parts of my journey. The previous two days were spent driving down from Janesville to Johnson City, Tennessee, stopping to visit some friends overnight in Illinois and then stopping again in Kentucky at a Super 8. I’m using my Tom-Tom GPS to guide me, and I have it set to “shortest route” rather than “shortest time.” As a result, while I still spend a fair amount of time on the interstate highway system, I am also getting some miles on other highways, giving me a chance to really see good chunks of this country (which is one of the secondary reasons I am on this trip). The strategy really pays off once I get into Kentucky and head toward Tennessee. Winding my way through the Appalachians on curving two-lane roads gives a thrill that you just can’t get when you’re going 70 in a straight line on a bland piece of concrete. Both the scenery and the driving experience may turn out to be some of the non-baseball highlights of the trip.

The one game I saw him play defense, he had two major errors - basic routine plays (an easy ground ball hit right at him that he just failed to pick up, and missing a short toss from the shortstop at the start of a double play).

Technically, it's not a Prince Fielder "bobblehead" day but a bobble-arm day - the head is stationary, but the arms are on springs.

OK, what's up with this? 3 errors? This is starting to sound like A-ball.

OK, Danny, you wanted a chance to earn your way back? This is it. All we need is a long fly ball and we're tied.

Given the number of times they've done it this year, how can it be unbelievable? I find it very believable.

After spending a relaxing day in the Janesville/Beloit area (went to see Cave of the Mounds and did some hiking at some local parks), I headed out to the ballpark again a touch earlier this evening. Had to stop at the Culver’s in Beloit to get my free dish of custard for last night’s win. Getting to the ballpark I have time today to walk around a little bit and see what’s there. One main concession stand right near the main entrance (operating at half capacity, and which I did utilize late in the game, during the eighth inning when they announced $1 hot dogs while supplies lasted) and two other stands near the ends of either bleacher (one is actually a small bbq place which I would have tried if I hadn’t eaten at Culver’s earlier). There are a few games for the kids, including the ubiquitous trampoline tent, but not a whole lot. I walk past the poster advertising the Prince Fielder Bobble-arm night coming up in about a week (he is decked out in a Snapper uniform, of course), and stop to see how fast I could throw a baseball at a stand near the main entrance. My (long dormant) dreams of a miracle mid-age career (ala The Rookie) finally gasp their last breath and die as I realize that my 60mph fastball probably won’t be good enough to make it, even if I do have lousy location. There aren’t quite as many fans in the stands this night (500-something compared to 800+ the night before), and it is a good mix of families with small kids, a few average folk like me, a good share of senior citizens (including one woman who looks to be in her late eighties but who can still get around good and is ringing a teacher’s school bell she has brought whenever the Snappers do something right). Unlike Target Field, only a handful are wearing apparel that sport team colors or insignia. Those that do are about evenly divided between the Twins and the Snappers (with the Green Bay Packers easily taking third place!) No live singer tonight; the anthem is organ music (live or canned I couldn’t tell). I’ve sometimes had people tell me you can tell a lot about how the game is going to go by the first pitch. For the first few innings that would-be aphorism seems to hold. Taylor Rogers gets the game off with a strike (the first of many he threw as he struck out five in his five innings of work and not often falling behind in the count) and basically shuts down Kane County for the first four innings. Meanwhile, for the Cougars, the first pitch hit the lead-off batter (Nate Roberts) and starts a three-run first inning, the highlight of which was a long shot from Miguel Sano over the left-center fence. The fielder never even moved. It is the first of two key hits Sano would have, driving in the first five Snapper runs. The Snappers added three more the next few innings and by the end of the fourth this is starting to feel like a rout. As so often happens in baseball, however, the momentum shifts. Rogers begins to struggle in the fifth giving up three hits which, combined with two infield errors (Sano & Rosario) allow the Cougars to climb back to within one (6-5). Atherton comes in to pitch 1+ innings but is pulled in the seventh for Melotakis after a base hit and error on a pick-off attempt leaves a runner on third with two out. Melotakis gives up two consecutive singles and the game is tied. Fortunately, he does no futher real damage and Zach Jones enters in the eighth and gets the last five outs (including 3 K). The Snappers had managed to scrape up solo runs in the seventh and eighth (on a sacrifice by Williams and a nice triple by Grimes, who was brought in by Roberts). Final result – another Snapper win which, if it was not nearly as pretty as last night’s game (four errors on Beloit), still resulted in another coupon for free custard at Culver’s. You do have to credit the Snappers organization for trying to make the experience as fan-friendly as possible. A couple of new promotions during the game, of which the highlight was watching a young girl standing on the field holding a french fry basket trying to catch rubber chickens tossed by a Beloit staffer in order to win a gift certificate. After all three chickens are tossed (and missed), they give her one more chance and this time, although it also goes awry, it mysteriously ends up in the basket anyway (perhaps the presence of another staffer standing next to the girl explains it) and the young child goes home happy. I was glad to see the manager mix up the lineup tonight. It allowed me to see all the Snappers position players during this two-game stretch, and that’s a part of why I am doing this trip – to see as many of the up-and-coming potential Twins as I can. Next stop: Elizabethton, Sat. & Sun. *Note: I will not be blogging my travel days

After spending a relaxing day in the Janesville/Beloit area (went to see Cave of the Mounds and did some hiking at some local parks), I headed out to the ballpark again a touch earlier this evening. Had to stop at the Culver’s in Beloit to get my free dish of custard for last night’s win. Getting to the ballpark I have time today to walk around a little bit and see what’s there. One main concession stand right near the main entrance (operating at half capacity, and which I did utilize late in the game, during the eighth inning when they announced $1 hot dogs while supplies lasted) and two other stands near the ends of either bleacher (one is actually a small bbq place which I would have tried if I hadn’t eaten at Culver’s earlier). There are a few games for the kids, including the ubiquitous trampoline tent, but not a whole lot. I walk past the poster advertising the Prince Fielder Bobble-arm night coming up in about a week (he is decked out in a Snapper uniform, of course), and stop to see how fast I could throw a baseball at a stand near the main entrance. My (long dormant) dreams of a miracle mid-age career (ala The Rookie) finally gasp their last breath and die as I realize that my 60mph fastball probably won’t be good enough to make it, even if I do have lousy location. There aren’t quite as many fans in the stands this night (500-something compared to 800+ the night before), and it is a good mix of families with small kids, a few average folk like me, a good share of senior citizens (including one woman who looks to be in her late eighties but who can still get around good and is ringing a teacher’s school bell she has brought whenever the Snappers do something right). Unlike Target Field, only a handful are wearing apparel that sport team colors or insignia. Those that do are about evenly divided between the Twins and the Snappers (with the Green Bay Packers easily taking third place!) No live singer tonight; the anthem is organ music (live or canned I couldn’t tell). I’ve sometimes had people tell me you can tell a lot about how the game is going to go by the first pitch. For the first few innings that would-be aphorism seems to hold. Taylor Rogers gets the game off with a strike (the first of many he threw as he struck out five in his five innings of work and not often falling behind in the count) and basically shuts down Kane County for the first four innings. Meanwhile, for the Cougars, the first pitch hit the lead-off batter (Nate Roberts) and starts a three-run first inning, the highlight of which was a long shot from Miguel Sano over the left-center fence. The fielder never even moved. It is the first of two key hits Sano would have, driving in the first five Snapper runs. The Snappers added three more the next few innings and by the end of the fourth this is starting to feel like a rout. As so often happens in baseball, however, the momentum shifts. Rogers begins to struggle in the fifth giving up three hits which, combined with two infield errors (Sano & Rosario) allow the Cougars to climb back to within one (6-5). Atherton comes in to pitch 1+ innings but is pulled in the seventh for Melotakis after a base hit and error on a pick-off attempt leaves a runner on third with two out. Melotakis gives up two consecutive singles and the game is tied. Fortunately, he does no futher real damage and Zach Jones enters in the eighth and gets the last five outs (including 3 K). The Snappers had managed to scrape up solo runs in the seventh and eighth (on a sacrifice by Williams and a nice triple by Grimes, who was brought in by Roberts). Final result – another Snapper win which, if it was not nearly as pretty as last night’s game (four errors on Beloit), still resulted in another coupon for free custard at Culver’s. You do have to credit the Snappers organization for trying to make the experience as fan-friendly as possible. A couple of new promotions during the game, of which the highlight was watching a young girl standing on the field holding a french fry basket trying to catch rubber chickens tossed by a Beloit staffer in order to win a gift certificate. After all three chickens are tossed (and missed), they give her one more chance and this time, although it also goes awry, it mysteriously ends up in the basket anyway (perhaps the presence of another staffer standing next to the girl explains it) and the young child goes home happy. I was glad to see the manager mix up the lineup tonight. It allowed me to see all the Snappers position players during this two-game stretch, and that’s a part of why I am doing this trip – to see as many of the up-and-coming potential Twins as I can. Next stop: Elizabethton, Sat. & Sun. *Note: I will not be blogging my travel days

I don't know all the details, but he was serving a 50-game suspension for failing a drug test, hence the late start to his season. He has come out of the gate strong. I was at the Beloit game last night and saw his 6th HR, and it was to straight-away center; there was no doubt in anybody's mind when he hit it that it was gone.

I have noticed it, and it is one of the reasons (along with Escobar's arrival) that I think Casilla's days in Minnesota are numbered. Why offer Casilla arbitration when you already have a player under contract (who you have to pay next year regardless) who is stepping up his game?

I got to the stadium around 6:30pm, waited in line to get my ticket (box seat - $9.00), and entered the gates. Almost immediately I had to adjust my stride as I almost walked into one of the Kane County players. The dressing rooms are away from the field, so the players have to walk through the main concourse to get to the dugouts. It immediately drove home to me just how different minor league baseball is at this level from the majors (imagine walking into Target Field on game day and bumping into Joe Mauer or Justin Morneau!) The stadium itself is small, one main covered stand, a couple of bleachers on either end for general admission ($7.00). Another example of how baseball is different at this level from The Show. My seat is in the front row, almost dead center behind homeplate; you feel like you can reach out and touch the players. I was surprised to learn it was dollar day (one of their promotions) so my hot dog and small soda only cost $1.00 each. That being said, it wasn’t much of a hot dog – the dollar dogs at Target Field look like banquets in comparison. Setting up my scorecard requires listening to the pregame anouncement and writing quickly, as there is no place on the scoreboard for the lineups. The anthem is sung by a young gentleman who has a nice voice but just barely avoids a Robert Goulet moment, at one point stopping completely until the words come back to him. Nobody seems to mind, though. The Snappers take the field, the opposing batter steps up, and the game is on. The game starts well for Beloit. David Hurlbut is sharp and basically holds the Cougars in check for seven full innings, with only a small scare in the sixth. The Snappers take advantage. After leaving the bases loaded in the first inning (on three walks from the Royals top draft pick), the bottom of the second blows it open. Wickens opens with a single (which is originally ruled as an error on the third baseman but subsequently changed), Rodriguez follows with another, Pettersen moves the runners up with a nice sacrifice, and then three straight hits from Roberts, Lin & Rosario begin to put the game out of reach early. It is especially nice to see Rosario (the DH in his return to the Beloit lineup) hit a solid single to center, which the fielder misplays, allowing it to go to the wall and resulting in two runs across and Rosario on third. Sano (who was 0-for-1 on the day but was walked three times and who looked mostly solid on defense) brings him in with a sacrifice to right, and Kennys Vargas hits a shot straight over the center field wall, the deepest part of the field (380ft), that the fielder can only turn to watch. After that inning the game cruised by quickly. The reliever the Cougars brought in after the debacle of the second was effective for three innings. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, AJ Pettersen starts a string of four consecutive hits that ends up in two more coming across and an 8-0 lead. Hurlbut starts to noticeably tire in the eighth inning, giving up two solid doubles for the Cougars first run, but with an eight-run cushion I am not surprised to see him come out for the ninth, and I applaud the Beloit manager (Nelson Prada) for giving him the chance. I couldn’t help but think of a Blylevenism, of finishing his own game and not needing a bullpen. Still, it is clear he has lost his stuff. He continues to get hit hard in the ninth, until finally with another run in and two more in scoring position, Prada makes the move. Baxendale comes in and promptly gives up two hits before getting the final out. It was an anti-climactic way to finish the game, but rest assured the Snappers fans still went home happy. With a home victory and seven or more runs scored, everyone is given a coupon for a free dish of custard from the local Culver’s, good for one week. Like most minor league games, this one had it’s share of gimmicks, promotions, and contests. The two most unusual were the hog-calling contest (Soooooo-eeeeeyy!), and the barrel-rolling contest, where two kids have to roll a (presumably) empty beer keg from start to finish, to see who finishes first. I was a bit surprised to see kids rolling kegs, but then I remembered that this is, after all, Wisconsin, the state that leads the nation in beer consumption per capita. And so day one ends. A nice easy drive down from the Twin Cities to a motel in Janesville, a fun game in a congenial atmosphere on a pleasant summer evening. I don’t know how the rest of this trip is going to turn out, as I visit all of the Twins affiliates in their home parks, but at least it has started well. Can’t wait for tonight’s game.