Monthly Archives: December 2011

In the AAA phase the Phillies lost pitcher Andy Loomis (Reading) to the Orioles, short stop Travis Mattair (Reading) to the Reds and catcher Francisco Diaz (Reading) to the Pirates.

No real impact to the Phillies in the AA round.

The Cubs selected Lendy Castillo from the Phillies in the first round of this year’s Rule 5 Draft. (Baseball America report)

Castillo (22 yrs old) has been in the Phillies organization since 2007. He has stats as both an infielder and pitcher.

In 2011 he went 4-2 in 21 games with a 2.54 ERA for Lakewood.

Considering this was the Major League portion of the draft… the Cubs must see something in him.

I’d never heard of him before…

We’re doing a T-shirt run next week, if you want one let me know.

Shirts are $7 each (what a deal right?) and we are offering two versions.

The first is the classic Black & Gold Noise Nation shirt

2009 Front of shirt

The second is a Pink with Silver letters.

(Same shirt just in Pink and Silver)

The back of the shirts will have “BRING THE NOISE!”

Need orders no later than Sunday, December 11th. Email me at editor@LVnoisenation.com with number of shirts, style and sizes.

Thanks!

Just got notice of a casting call for a Hockey commercial in Philly…

We are casting a comcast commercial in downtown philly THIS THURSDAY 12/8 FROM 9am-1pm… looking for HOCKEY FANS! please let all of your friends/family know…people can email me at winterclassiccasting@gmail.com. thank you!!!

Good luck if you go!

A few days ago we found out that 2011 IronPig Brandon Moss signed with the Oakland A’s organization. Moss was the hero of the Pigs playoff run this past season. The only in IronPig’s history.

For the season Moss Hogg hit .275 with 23 HR and 80 RBI but in the playoffs he was .385 with 4 HR and 8 RBI. It seemed when the Pigs needed a big hit he was the one to be at bat and get it. While the Championship series went for bust… Moss was a big reason we got there and advanced.

(I know Dee-licious the stuffed pig might see this and I write this with the assumption she knows her impact as well)

Moss’ monster home run is by far the longest I’ve seen at Coca Cola Park. Watching Andy Tracy smash the Service Electric sign on top of the double layered profit makers posted in the outfield was a feat indeed. Moss Hogg’s HR cleared that SE sign by at least 10-15 feet.

The heroics aside, I personally will miss what Moss brought to the park outside of the game. Ever see the field of dream kids steal second base, the $960 Million lottery prize posted on the outfield wall after batting practice or those same kids trying to climb the center field wall? This outfielder had fun and made the game day experience more enjoyable for us fans. Not that he didn’t have help.. I saw some other faces out there as well.

It really brought back memories of Gary Majewski. The water war between the bullpen and tshirt launch team. The big screen embarassment of an unnamed IronPig employee who had the misfortune of losing their ID badge and having Majewski find it. The tshirt team’s revenge on Majewski by aquiring his own pickup truck to perform their duties.

A few nights ago I got a message from Scott Mathieson who will also be absent at The Coke next season. He asked that I pass on his appreciation for the fans and friends he made here in the Lehigh Valley. You could always get a smile out of Scott whether you had narrowly missed driving over him in the parking lot or seeing him and his dog seated on chairs next to each other in the bullpen on dog day.

So many memories at this park thanks to guys like Majewski, Mathieson and Moss.

Brandon and Scott, you will be missed. Come visit anytime and good luck! (Unless you’re playing against the Pigs/Phillies.. then we’ll cheer for a hard fought 1-0 victory for LV/Philly.)

The past few years hockey fans have been treated to an outdoor hockey game in places like Wrigley Field, Fenway Park and now in the Phillies own Citizen’s Bank Park…

Could we in the Lehigh Valley be in store for a treat like that right here in our back yard?

It’s no secret the Phantoms hockey team and the city of Allentown are working hard to build an arena so the Phantoms would have a new home arena. Even better, the arena could serve our good friends the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks as well! (The Steelhawks are announcing their new head coach next Wednesday at 2:00pm at the Holiday inn in Fogelsville)

That would leave the Lehigh Valley with 4 professional sports teams within its boundaries. I’m counting the Steelhawks, Rollergirls, IronPigs and the Phantoms. Look back 10 years and you would have been laughed at for mere mention of the notion. Really wish we could get a National Pro Fastpitch team back here too.

Back to my point. Hockey and Baseball. That big empty baseball field all winter long. Cold, windy days that leave us craving the first kickoff of arena football and spring training. Could the Lehigh Valley pro teams pull together for a Winter Classic?

Hockey at Coca Cola Park! The Coke! Ice it up and let them play!

Imagine being bundled up, enjoying all the wonders of Coca Cola Park in the winter. It’s really got me excited!

***

Enough of my optimistic excitement though. Would it work. Could it work. The IronPigs hold the lease on The Coke. Would they be willing to open their gates for hockey? Would groundskeeper Bill Butler say “Turn on the sprinklers boys! We’re making an ice rink!”

What do you think? Want to see an outdoor hockey game? Think everyone will be ok with creating a baseball/hockey tradition in the Lehigh Valley?

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below…