Monthly Archives: July 2010

If you’ve been at an Ironpig’s game when it starts to rain, which seems like every other game these days, you know that the crowd surges to get under the grandstand. It has never failed to amuse me when civilized, educated people revert back to animal instincts and will do anything to get out of the rain. A little rain. Yes, the other night was more than just a little rain, but the way people push and shove and become totally unconcerned for anyone but themselves when a few drops start falling is sad.

A little harsh? Yeah, a little. Ever try to walk from one end of the grandstand to the other when it’s raining?

Normally the Club gate tunnel is less congested but still. Most people will flock towards the ends. You couldn’t push your way through with Bill Butlers grounds crew tractor.

Say, “Excuse me” and heads turn away.

Try to push your way through and you get pushed back.

Attempt to become part of the mass of people and it will either suck you in or spit you out.

Now, I understand there is that group of people who can not get wet. Small children, elderly folks and those who are ill. Yes, they should be out of the rain.

Really, I won’t go anywhere near the grandstand when it rains. What if I had to? What if I had to use the rest room? What if I had an emergency and had to seek help from medical personel located behind home plate? What if I needed to report a dangerous situation? I wouldn’t be able to get through. No one could.

Could there be an established emergency lane? If there is a good chance of rain, put up some of those ropes that would keep a designated area open for emergencies and have it monitored by a park employee. If security or EMT’s need to get somewhere in a hurry they wouldn’t have to push through a crowd to get there. Can we be proactive rather than reactive in this instance?

Just a thought… I’ll stick to sitting under my umbrella in the outfield when it rains. Hopefully others will too.

OinK!

For those who have never attended an Ironpig’s game at Coca Cola Park.. .this video (compliments of George Kordalski) sums it up.

For those wondering, average per game attendance in 2010 – 9,075

Enjoy!

Last night was an odd game…

It was 95 degrees when I got to The Coke and it was muggy and miserable. It didn’t stop the capacity crowd of 10,000 from showing up though.

Boy scouts of all ages packed the stand and outfield lawn for their annual campout in the outfield. No word on what the movie selection was, but I would imagine it was baseball related… 🙂

The Tide got off to an early lead of 3 to 0. Then came the rain. We saw it coming and it came hard. The grounds crew was on top of it and the tarp came out faster than I think I ever have seen it before. We were doing good hiding behind the K sign right up until my umbrella decided to turn itself inside out. For a few seconds the Noise Nation took the brunt of the storm before ducking down and covering ourselves with a blanket and what remained of the umbrella. Soon the rain stopped and play resumed. Just before the second, and shorter, rain delay… the Tide added another 3 runs making it 6 to 0.

The Ironpigs did manage to score a few runs in the 9th.. Domonic Brown and Andy Tracy came through again but too little too late. The Pigs loaded the bases several times but failed to push a runner across before the 9th. A lot of ifs and buts for last night.

Quite possibly the oddest thing to happen to us last night was due mostly to the weather conditions that followed the second rain delay. In the top of the 9th inning Brian Gordon struck out a Tide and we went to our duties of hanging a K and making that coffee cup steam and the button stuck. That cup kept belching smoke for a cool 30 seconds before we could get it to stop. Then the cloud decided to make Chris Duffy its target. It moved slowly down towards the field before completely encompassing Duffy.

Duffy looked back at us with questioning eyes…

Then it completely overtook him.

We offered our apologies and got a laugh out of Duffy. Tide centerfielder Matt Angle came out in the bottom of the ninth and jokingly said he could still catch a fly ball regardless of our “efforts”

Photo by George Kordalski

Need to be more careful with that button. Perhaps if we had a remote control for it…

Tonight is white out night. I plan to bring my bottle of typewriter correction fluid along… (yeah I’m full of em today!)

Pregame show at Pitcher’s Sports Bar and Grille. Come out and support the Broadcast team and meet Matt Provence, Jon Schaeffer and Alex Cohen before the game and enjoy the show. Starts at 5:00 today and is just across Union Blvd. from The Coke.

OinK!

The Phillies announced tonight that hitting coach Milt Thompson has been relieved of his duties and Greg Gross, who has been the Ironpig’s hitting coach since 2008, will replace him.

Not only do the Pigs lose players.. they are losing coaches!

Good luck GG!!

OinK!

I’m starting this around the 7th inning of tonight’s game so will write about the game towards the end.

Pitching

Pitching for the Ironpigs is going to get crazy in the next few days. Kendrick and Happ are both scheduled to pitch this weekend for the Phillies so that leaves starters Nate Bump and Drew Carpenter lined up for the Pigs on Friday and Saturday. We still have Mazone and would probably see him Sunday or a spot start from someone in the bullpen.. thinking Concepcion or Savery.

The bullpen could also be a factor. If any of these trades go through, expect our bullpen to take a hit. With names like Mathieson, Zagurski and Schwimer in there.. they could leave quickly. Last notes I saw about a possible trade for Roy Oswalt has him more interested in going to St. Louis but word is they want the Astros to pick up most of his salary obligation. Others point out that Oswalt is less interested in a media frenzy ala New York and that would put Philadelphia in the con list. I really wonder what it’s like to feel that wanted as a player. To have just about every MLB team in contention wanting to trade for you. Must be a tough time…. thinking that Oswalt has a family and has established some solid roots in Houston. We’ll see.

Tonight’s game is showcasing Brandon Duckworth on the mound and the Duck Pond would be proud of his performance! Duckworth went 5.2 innings allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. He struck out 11 and allowed 4 walks!

The Pigs scored 3 runs on 8 hits and one Indian’s error. Not too exciting on the hitting but it got the job done!

The Ironpig’s have their first four game sweep of any opponent in the 2010 season! It is also the longest winning streak of this year! Let’s keep the winning going into this 8 game home stand! A lot going on during this homestand.. will post more tomorrow about all the fun stuff coming up.

Fun stuff AND winning baseball… how about that? 🙂

See you tomorrow at The Coke!

OinK!

Domonic Brown has recently been listed by Baseball America as thee top, #1 minor league prospect in all of baseball. Normally a right fielder.. I noticed that Brown has spent the past two games patrolling left field for the Ironpigs.

Could this be a clue of what the Phillies are planning or is it just a contingency if the team can’t unload Jayson Werth before the trade deadline? I say unload as he seems to be that apple. That dreaded bitter apple. Not that he always is or has been. I’m sure if my name was being floated by coworkers and just about everyone in the United States that I was going to lose my job or be sent packing to another company.. I wouldn’t be the most pleasant person in the world. Nothing against Werth, he has done a lot for the Phillies, but it seems he wants to go and the team wants him gone. All that opens the door for Domonic Brown. If anything good comes out of this season it is getting him some late-August and September at bats with the big team.

Really, I haven’t given up on the Phillies season, but the Ironpig’s season concerns me more. We just lost Figueroa to Houston who claimed him off waivers. At least he will get a solid chance to start there. Our pitching staff has been up and down that turnpike more than anyone has expected. Injured Valendias have been plentifull. Time to sit back and enjoy baseball for baseball now. Another season gone by without hopes of seeing .500.

Well at least we’re not Rochester.

OinK!

The Pigs plated 4 runs in the 8th and 9th innings in a win today against the Indians! Final score 12 to 8!

Andy Tracy made a pinch hit appearance with an RBI single!

Paul Hoover collected his 1,000th professional hit!

Brian Bocock entended his hitting streak to 9 games and came through in the clutch for 2 early RBI! Then he topped off the 9th inning with a Grand Slam!!! Maybe more of the Pigs should spend a week with the Phillies…

A good note to today was the callup and start of Michael Cisco. Cisco went 6.1 innings allowing 5 runs on 8 hits. He only walked 1 and struck out 5. Not sure how long he will be in AAA though. I have a gut feeling this may have been a spot start for him, with players shuffling between the Phillies, Pigs and Reading. Expect more shuffling at least until the trade deadline.

The team has one more game in Indianapolis before returning home to us on Friday to take on the Norfolk Tide.

OinK!

The latest and greatest comes via Todd Zolecki on Twitter.

Reading RHP Vance Worley to the Phillies.

Drew Carpenter to Reading.

I see a LOT more moves coming in the next few days.

OinK!

RHP Michael Cisco promoted to Lehigh Valley from Reading (AA).

RHP Nate Bump assigned to Reading (AA) from Lehigh Valley.

I guess the 8 runs Bump gave up a couple nights ago Kyle Kendrick’ed him to Reading….

It’s only 33 minutes away as I start writing this post but what a day tomorrow could be for Ironpig and Phillies fans.

The Pigs pulled out a win tonight in Indianapolis. Duffy and Chavez both homered (off McCutchen) and Andy Tracy was not back in the lineup yet.

What didn’t happen is of more interest though. Twitter was awash with comments about JA Happ pitching only 3 innings.

A few scenarios could be involved. The first is that Jamie Moyer left the Phillies game tonight real early with a reported elbow strain. Happ is expected to be pulled back to the Phils to replace Kendrick in the rotation. Carpenter also got into the game tonight replacing Moyer in his early departure.

Another thought is that JA Happ is involved with a trade.. I don’t feel that this is as likely.

The BIG rumor is a 3 way trade where the Phillies give up Jayson Werth, receiving Roy Oswalt and a third team getting prospects to the Astros in exchange for Jayson Werth. Weeks ago I posted a thought about the Phillies chasing Roy Oswalt…. wait for it.. wait for it… Honk honk!

http://noisenation.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/could-roy-oswalt-be-heading-to-phillies/

Oswalt would be a great addition but the offense needs a kick. Add in a young strong and fast Domonic Brown and look out NL East.

I have a gut feeling that John Mayberry, as hot as he has been hitting… could be part of this deal.

We’ll see.. just have to wait.

OinK!