With the loss in Scranton Wilkes Barre this evening the IronPigs are eliminated from the Division playoff race this season. (3.5 games behind in the Wild Card behind 3 teams with 4 games to go isn’t technically eliminated but might just as well be)
They fought long, they fought hard, they had injuries and they invested in an Easy Pass box for the Transaction Travel to and from Philadelphia but in the end it was just short.
Did we expect a championship? Sure, why not. I always expect it at the beginning of the season. Can we be upset they didn’t make it? Not really.
I have to say, win or lose, this team is the epitome of Lehigh Valley Professional Baseball. This team had solid representation at charity events (I don’t remember any players at the Annual Hackers & Homers golf tournament prior to this season when a good number of them attended), they were interactive with the fans and overall a good group of people who I never got the sense of being “Big Leagued” from.
For the other races, the Pigs are currently tied in the season series vs. the SWB Railriders at 7 games each. With 2 games remaining at Coca Cola Park in Allentown we will get to see these games and their results. The only tiebreaker, if both teams win 8 games, is whoever wins the last game is the season victor. Lose tomorrow and win Saturday and the trophy sits next to Kurt Landes’ desk for a year.
I AM kind of torn though. I want the Pigs to win yet I would love to see our beloved General Manager sing for us. Such the dilemma. Win or lose, I like that the “rivalry” has been re-established since it’s short run in the inaugural season in 2008 when Mr. Landes had to serve as a bat boy for the then SWB Yankees. (Anyone out there have a photo of that?)
The other race is the Average Per Game attendance! As of right now the IronPigs are in 2nd place behind Columbus. While we lost a few openings due to rain and subsequent doubleheaders, we still have a shot of being over 9,000 fans per game for the season. Sellout capacity crowds of 10,100 for the remaining 4 games would leave the average at 9,036 fans per game.
There are rumors of profit reducing efforts in Columbus to bolster attendance, (Dollar Dog days & such) I feel we can still get this win in there as well. It’s respectable to still maintain the high attendance since the beginning but darn it I wanna win at least one of these last two races!
Come on out and see this great team one or two or three or four last time(s)!
Honorable mention to SWB for their attendance this season. Well over 6,000 fans per game this season it far eclipses it’s draw in 2011 (4,586) and 2010 (4,981). Hats off to you RailRider fans and team ownership for making the investment for those fans.
With that said, BRING HOME THE IRONRAIL TROPHY!
OinK!
noisenation.mlblogs.com 
Kurt might have to sing in SWB if we lose… Still, we could make the trip.
Tank tonight’s game on purpose in order to focus on the tiebreaker Saturday night?
I have found that the lower I keep expectations, the greater chance that I can walk away feeling as if the IronPigs have scaled anything of noteworthy height.
Give me .500 or give me a new Major League affiliate!
🙂
I must admit, after the IronPigs went down 4-0 in the fourth on Friday, I was happily prepared to keep the powder dry for Saturday night — and I must admit I worry that the IronPigs have now expended all meaningful ordnance.
Nevertheless, regardless of tonight’s result, it will be fair to say that the IronPigs had a “good year”. Lehigh Valley were in the I.L. playoff hunt until the very last days of the season. And the IronPigs have assured themselves of a .500 won-loss record.
So long as the IronPigs don’t get outright stomped by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday night, then they can be classified as ‘winners’ even if they don’t actually walk away with THE most valuable prize professional baseball in Pennsylvania has to offer.
😉