Monthly Archives: April 2010

This is going to be my official declaration of who I feel will be starters on Opening Day for the Ironpigs. Let’s see how good my guesses turn out to be…

Catcher – Paul Hoover
1st Base – Andy Tracy
2nd Base – Brian Bocock
3rd Base – Cody Ransom
Shortstop – Wilson Valdez
Left Field – Rich Thompson
Center Field – Quintin Berry
Right Field – John Mayberry

Starting pitchers:
Drew Carpenter would have been #1 if he hadn’t been called to the Phillies.
Nate Bump
Ryan Vogelsong
Joe Savery
Brian Mazone

Bullpen:
Scott Mathieson
Mike Zagurski
Jason Anderson
Jake Woods

Mathieson should practice in the close role with Brad Lidge’s health and performance questionable at best.

A lot of veteran’s in this lineup that is light on young prospects.

5 days until the exhibition game. 7 days to the start of play..

Per the Weather Channel Website’s 10 day forecast, the weather for the Ironpig/R-Phil’s Route 222 showdown calls for 71 degree high, 54 degree low and Party Cloudy.

Now we all remember the uproar that the terms “Partly Cloudy” and “Partly Sunny” caused for the Ironpigs Radio Broadcast Team as Matt Provence and Jon Schaffer differed in opinion. They asked the Noise Nation, (who listens to every broadcast) and with a blast of the horns we signaled our agreement with Jon Schaffer.

Per the National Weather Service:

Partly Cloudy
Between 3/8 and 5/8 of the sky is covered by clouds.

Partly Sunny
Between 3/8 and 5/8 of the sky is covered by clouds. The term “Partly Sunny” is used only during daylight hours.

So now we know…

5 days

***THIS WAS AN APRIL FOOLS JOKE***

Last September, a few days after the Ironpig’s season came to an end, I ran into Andy Tracy and asked the question on everyones mind.. “Will you be back here next year?” Andy chuckled and said, “Free agency is a crazy thing.”

Well Andy did sign a contract with the Phillies for 2010 but after limited playing time and his role with the Ironpigs being relegated to Designated Hitter, Andy Tracy has decided to retire. I ran into Andy last night when he stopped to grab something to eat on his way home from the airport, flying back to the Lehigh Valley from his last spring training. We talked about his career and the 2008 season where he received a World Series ring. He doesn’t have any regrets and thanks the fans for making his dream of playing pro ball a reality.

So what’s next for Andy Tracy? Well growing up in Kentucky, he saw his fair share of work on farms and he plans to return to that life with just a slight change. In Kentucky, he mostly worked on tobacco farms and he decided that wasn’t the plan for him.

“Tobacco is just so dangerous. It hurts your body, it hurts your breath.. it becomes an inconveniance…”

He did mention he will miss the traveling and seeing new cities and fans. One of those cities in particular has drawn his family’s interest and that would be Scranton, Pennsylvania. An avid fan of the TV show, “The Office” Andy set out on the last road trip looking for the real Dunder Mifflin and instead found a new passion. Like Dwight Schrute in his favorite show, Andy found that Scranton soil is perfect for farming beets. He purchased a farm there and said he would consider coaching for the SWB Yankees after a few years away from the game.

When I asked him how he came to this decision he answered simply,

“Dwight Schrute has a bobble head of himself… when I realized I had a bobblehead day this season, I knew I had accomplished everything.”

We’ll miss you Andy and Best of luck to you!