Monthly Archives: August 2010

Scott Mathieon’s first few pitches hit 99 and in a moment made from the movie Major League.. he hit 100mph with his last pitch for a strikeout to end the game.

100 mph and the Pigs win a one run game against the Scranton Yankees a day after they clinched the North division.

It was friendly at the park tonight. The opposing players were interactive and friendly. Just a real light feel about the place.

Good stuff.

OinK!

Yeah, you heard me correctly. You can’t do anything nice anymore.

Don’t try to or everyone will jump on your case.

Offer to buy someone a beer and they will ask why not a mixed drink.

Offer them a ride and they will complain about the cleanliness of your car.

Offer them a bite of your burger and they will complain that you opted for onions and they don’t like onions.

These may sound like some of my various blind dates over the years but if you have listened to anything being said of the Ironpig’s organization the past two weeks.. this is a familiar tune.

I’m going to say it. I’m pissed. Yes.. no $$ signs in place of the S’s… I AM PISSED. (Children, avert your eyes)

Now, by no means, have these people done everything right. They have made mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes.

The trash talking and crap I have seen, read and/or heard the past week is ridiculous.

Today was no exception. If you missed it, today was the rescheduled Pigapalooza event.

There was a huge crowd. HUGE. Everywhere I looked I saw schedules plastered with times and locations. The PA announcer was constantly reminding folks of these key bits of information.

45 minutes were allocated for each autograph session. 45 minutes. Do you really think 10,000 people could get an autograph in that time frame? No. Would these people be willing to sign for more than 45 minutes. Most likely not.

So the complaints begin. Yes, linecutting happens. Where were you when it happened? Did you stand there silently or did you remind the offending person that there was a line?

“Hey buddy,, the line starts back here”

Did you inform an usher of line cutting?

“Sir… those people just cut in line”

Did you? I don’t think you did.

Why,,, Why do these same folks complain.

“This was the worst day of my life”

“I can’t believe how horrible these people are”

“My children were so upset!”

Maybe their parents could set a better example. Possibly they could learn a lesson that they don’t always get what they want. Perhaps it is a lesson in futility that even though you aren’t happy.. you can find solace in the fact that others are.

Enough about those complainers. You can walk away and never spend another dime at Coca Cola Park. Good for you. I hope you enjoy driving to Philadelphia to attend a ballgame.

***

So what happens now? What happens when someone does something good for you and you piss and moan about every little aspect of it? You guessed it… they don’t make that offer again.

I would not blame this organization (I say organization because the team office has just about nothing to do with the team) if they did not seek out big events for the Lehigh Valley. I would not blame them at all.

Want another big concert like the Willie Nelson, Mellancamp and Dylan concert last summer? They will think twice about it.

You think the league just hands out big events like the All Star game? This was a competition and the community earned it!

Go ahead Lehigh Valley.. ruin this. Go ahead.. keep complaining. This is the first truly successful sports franchise in the area in over 40 years and now the complaining starts.

Oh.. wait.. You PAID good money to attend? Yeah, so did 10,000 other people. There is always someone who gets slighted.

Make the most of it.. have fun. Have fun. HAVE FUN!

To the Ironpigs… If you try to make everyone happy, you will succeed in making no one happy.

Keep up the good work!

***

On another note, before I left for Pigapalooza, I stopped by the ALS fund raising event at Patriots park for Donna’s Dugout. I was there early and there were auctions and raffles and contests. Not to mention two softball games where you could attend at no cost. There were refreshments and no shortage of caring and friendly people. A great event for a great cause.

My only complaint.. that 10,000 people didn’t show up to this event.

***

That’s all I have to say about that.

Comment if you’d like. Be prepared though.. ignorant responses will be met with a swift delete.

Tomorrow will mark the end of the All Star Valley activities here in Ironpigland. The Pigapalooza event originally scheduled over the rainy All Star weekend was postponed and will be held tomorrow, or as I notice the time on the clock.. later today.

What a season it has been. Losing has been a theme this year. Moreso than the 2008 season.

Our first losses came early in the season with injuries to the Phillies. Those losses continued throughout the entire season. Transactions were a daily staple and we learned not to trust any lineup until the first pitch was thrown at each game.

For all the losing, we sure did have some fun though.

Noone would remember beautiful weather for a home run derby.. what we got on that day would be unforgetable for most. Rain, wind and more rain pounded us as the players sent balls flying out of the park.

We got an actual All Star game.

We got to see another inside the park homerun and a near perfect game.

We got to see 65 home games… with one being rained out and moved to Syracuse and 6 more to go.

For anyone who thinks there is only losing baseball here in Allentown, you are wrong. There is winning baseball being played out there each and every game. It just happens to be the other team playing it. I have to say that 2010 differs from 2008 as the 2010 squad has kept it close in many games. The 08 team was getting blown out a lot which isn’t the case this year.

So tomorrow we start that final countdown to the end. The 3rd Ironpig season will soon be in the past and we will find ourselves staring at the wall saying…

“Is it April yet?”

OinK!

If there is one defining moment when you truly appreciate being a season ticket holder for the Ironpigs… well, tonight was it.

It was a beautiful night.

The Ironpig’s game in Scranton was played on the big screen. After a suggestion by yours truly, the audio was changed to the Ironpig’s radio network

Free food and short lines. They were even handing out those plastic helmets full of popcorn. I ate my fair share.

Just about every portion of the field was open. Scenarios were unfolding across the stadium

A 50+ year old man was walking the outfield foul line like on a balance beam.

Parents and kids were warming up in the bullpens.

I actually picked up the bullpen phone for a photo and was surprised to hear it ringing. A woman in the dugout answered and told me I needed to warm up because she needed me in the game soon.

Soon after visiting the bullpen I took a try at rolling out the rain tarp with our good friend Morris. Morris informed me that he will be heading to Memphis soon to work in his true passion of basketball.

Also gave some signs from the 3rd base coaches box but opted not to slide head first into home plate Pete Rose style.

There was a lot of running around the bases too. Boy there was a lot of running. Until the final out kids and adults alike were rounding bases, posing for staged photos and having an all around fun time.

I must have heard, “HOW COOL IS THIS?!” a thousand times.

Dugouts were open, club level and the dugout suites were open.

I had so much fun, I didn’t even realize that the Pigs were getting crushed in Scranton. I watched the last inning out by the K corner in the dark and just soaked in the atmosphere.

A rough attendance would be close to 4,000. Announced paid attendance from the game in Scranton.. 4,421. Note that paid attendance is not actual attendance. From what we saw on the TV the crowd looked sparse. Maybe Scranton could try giving away free food? I suppose the local politicians up there would want to get their hands on that too. That’s a whole different story though. Is it amazing that more fans out to watch the game on TV than did for the actual game? Yeah, yeah, I know.. free food.. games.. field access.. all that. But still, it is a good thought.. at least for the Ironpigs organization.

Altogether, it was a great time. Got a chance to catch up with some of the staff there too. Amazing people work there. If you get a chance to talk to one, take that opportunity. The family bond that has formed there at Coca Cola Park is strong and very welcoming.

To the Ironpigs staff.. THANK YOU! Keep it coming and we will be faithful to you!

Note: Reservations for 2011 season tickets are now being taken! Join in the fun!

Announced today by the Ironpigs:

RHP Michael Schwimer placed on the D.L. (lower back strain) retroactive to 8/24.

INF Matt Rizzotti placed on the D.L. (right thumb strain) retroactive to 8/24.

LHP Nate Robertson signed by Philadelphia and assigned to Lehigh Valley.

RHP Brandon Duckworth activated off the D.L. (left calf strain).

For your amusement… thanks to Tommy V!

We recently got word that Hall of Famer, and Lancaster, PA native, Bruce Sutter has been hired by the Phillies as a pitching instructor. More specific are reports that he was sent to help with Scott Mathieson.

Would you recognize him? I probably wouldn’t. I once stood in line at an Eckerd Drug Store behind Ernie Banks… didn’t realize until the clerk told me after he left the store.

Just in case you were wondering.. Wikipedia has a photo from his induction in 2006.

So now you know what he looks like. If you need something to chat about, try this:

Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut May 9, 1976 for the Chicago Cubs
Last MLB appearance September 9, 1988 for the Atlanta Braves
Career statistics
Games pitched 661
Win–Loss record 68–71
Earned run average 2.83
Strikeouts 861
Saves 300
Teams
Chicago Cubs (1976–1980)
St. Louis Cardinals (1981–1984)
Atlanta Braves (1985–1986, 1988)

Career highlights and awards
6× All-Star selection (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984)
World Series champion (1982)
1979 NL Cy Young
4× NL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year (1979, 1981, 1982, 1984)
1982 Babe Ruth Award
St. Louis Cardinals #42 retired

More info

Looking to update and improve the blogroll/links section.

What’s your favorite baseball link? Minor league fans sites, Phillies fan sites, etc.

Let me hear your voice Pig Fans!

A number of years ago an old man from Kentucky pulled me aside and gave me some great advice.

He said,

“Son.. in life there will be little things that bother you. There are a lot of little things each and every day that will make you angry, make you sad, make you want to fight. Let these little things go. They mean nothing and will go away on their own. You do this because there will a few times when you will need to stand up and put your foot down. When you put your foot down, people will know you are serious. If you get upset over every little thing, they won’t”

I think about that advice every so often.

***
The “fireworks” issue that has been providing local media with a spectacle this past week is one of those things where we have to look at it and make that decision where it is a little thing or something you put your foot down on.

Let’s look at where this is going.

The Morning Call has published two stories on this. The first tells us that the local police department has received 5 complaints. 5 complaints.. sounds small to me. The Ironpigs responded by saying they would be good neighbors and scale back the shows but not eliminate them.

This looks to be a little thing for the Ironpigs.

To the man who rents a hotel room on fireworks nights… well this is a Foot putting down thing. To you, sir, I say… Really? Make this a little thing. You’ll enjoy life a lot more if you don’t let things like this grate on you.

To the Ironpigs… well, you responded to a complaint. We appreciate that. We really do. By the way.. we still don’t like the new mascot outfits. I have seen far more than 5 complaints concerning that.

***

There was a song recorded a while back by Aaron Tippin in 1990 called, “You’ve Got to Stand for Something”.

You’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything
You’ve got to be your own man, not a puppet on a string
Never compromise what’s right
And uphold your family name
You’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything

My opinion on this is that the Ironpigs need to stand up for themselves on this one. They are the shining jewel of the Lehigh Valley. No other place can match it in popularity, cleanliness, safety and… AND attendance.

Does the Lehigh Valley have other attractions? Yes

Does the Lehigh Valley have other nice places? Yes

Does the Lehigh Valley support those other places? No

I know fully well that in the past 3 years that this organization will respond to complaints, even if just one person. We saw plastic horns banned well before this years World Cup soccer tournament. We saw the mascot’s name changed. Did you notice the staircase that appeared in the outfield grass this season?

Let’s give the Ironpigs this one. They deserve it.

Stand up Ironpigs.. put your foot down on this one. We’ll stand beside you!

The Pigs lost today. Not a terrible game, but the hitting just wasn’t there.

It turned out to be an absolutely beautiful evening for baseball. The weather and the calm feel of the park was enough to keep many of the fans late into the game.

One thing of note was Matt Rizzotti’s display of pain at each at bat. He flexed and stretched his hand between each pitch and even in the outfield you could see the grimace on his face. He was pulled later in the game and rumor has it that he was inside “Diggity” the racing hot dog during the pork races. Diggity was taller than normal and was sporting Ironpigs pants, cleats and blue sports shirt. He also made many gestures to the Ironpigs dugout whose roar of laughter could be heard out in right center field. Rookie hazing stunt? Possibly…

The Ironpig employee who fell off the dugout at yesterdays game is ok. I was told that he suffered a few minor injuries and nothing serious. That is great news as a fall like that could have had disastrous results. I was praying when I saw him go over the edge and hopefully he will be more careful in the future.

Not too much going on right now. We will have the season ticket party on thursday and sunday will be Pigapalooza. I need to look for my ticket.. I have it somewhere around here. The Pigs released a new lineup for that day. More former Phillies were added and most of the sportswriters were removed. Luzinski also won’t be there, as announced. Complete list of activities is on the Ironpigs website.

Until tomorrow… OinK!