Category Archives: Uncategorized

It finally was announced and Duckworth has been designated to the DL with a turf toe injury made famous in the Lehigh Valley by fan favorite Jorge Valendia.

From the Morning Call Website
http://www.mcall.com/sports/all-pigsmoves-cn,0,2301830.story

Injured turf toes only good use is to clear space on a roster without letting someone go.

I just saw a note on MLB TV that Red Sox pitcher Dice K Matsuzaka could make a rehab start with Pawtucket as early as tomorrow.

The Ironpigs face the PawSox in Pawtucket on April 13th and 14th, then again in Allentown April 21st and 22nd. What are the chances he makes a rehab start at CCP? I’d say we have a better than average shot at it. If you went by a standard 5 day rotation, the Pigs would miss Dice K starts by 1 day too late each series… but this is a rehab assignment and you never know how they will work out.

Let’s hope if he does visit the Lehigh Valley again that the monsoon that hit last time won’t return with him.

Rodrigo Lopez was added to the Diamondbacks 40 man roster

Joey Gathright signed with the Orioles. We might see him at CCP again in a Norfolk uniform!

Aroldis Chapman was optioned to AAA. We might see him with Lousiville.

Carlos Carrasco optioned to AAA Columbus

Trevor “Thornton” Crowe was optioned to AAA. A Noise Nation favored target would also be with Columbus.

Jason Orville Pridie signed with the Mets. Maybe he will see us in Buffalo?

The Phillies had a busy week:
Signed:
RHP Josh Fogg
RHP Ty Taubenheim
C Jeff Lanning
C James Skelton

Released:
RHP Freddy Ballestas
RHP Ryan Bergh
RHP Joe Bisenius
RHP Darren Byrd
RHP Rick Guttormson
RHP Santos Hernandez
RHP Eryk McConnell
RHP Jordan Meaker
RHP Pat Overholt
RHP Todd Van Steensel
RHP Jessie Zuber
LHP Spencer Arroyo
LHP Sean Grieve
LHP Jason Mackintosh
LHP Jason Salers
LHP Jared Simon
C Jorge Guerra
C John Purdom
1B Jeremy Hamilton
3B Eric Campbell
3B Zak Farkes
3B Yonderman Rodriguez
OF Freddy Guzman
OF Gus Milner
OF Arlon Quiroz
OF Brad Wilkerson

Also reassigned JC Ramirez to Clearwater and Quintin Berry to Reading.

The Pirates added Jack Taschner to their 40 man roster

San Diego added Matt Stairs to their 40 man roster

Today started out well enough but got rougher as each inning passed. I wasn’t able to catch the end of the Ironpig’s late inning loss to Syracuse but got several text messages when it finally came to a close. Wasserman might has well have called himself Mr. Throwgasonthefire man today. I am curious why Mathieson wasn’t put in for the ninth and don’t think I am the only one wondering that. Impressed with Paul Hoover’s heroic bases clearing triple and Rich Thompson coming through in the clutch.

A BIG BOO to the bullpen. You need to earn our respect after the number of games lost in the 8th and 9th innings last year.

So if you are pondering how I could have missed the end of the Pig’s game, the reason is that I was driving to Reading to see the R-Phils opener against the Portland Seadogs. The Seadogs struck early when LF Ryan Kalish bounced a ball on top of the second level of ads in right center field with a thud. It went downhill from there. The R-Phils were able to scrape a couple runs together but it didn’t lead to a victory tonight.

Some plusses for the day.. got to run into R-Phils PR rep Tommy Viola, formerly of the Ironpig’s Radioooooo Network. Also saw 2009 Pig Intern Elyse, who found herself employment with Reading this season. .
Noticed a large Wawa coffee cup in right field emitting some steam/smoke. Thinking this might be similiar to what will be constructed as a K corner at CCP. Have to say, this was huge
Some more boo’s for the day… the R-Phils Dance team. The grounds crew drawing lines one the pregame field was more entertaining than the dance team. They look like cheerleaders and were slow in handing out the “snuggie-like” blanket to fans. A half hearted boo goes out to the weather that kept teasing us with a mist here and there yet held out from a full downpour until after the game. A big boo to the soda cup holders in Yellow Section 4. Put my bottle of Pepsi, yes they have Pepsi there, into the holder and watched it plummet through the hole and straight to the concrete with a few bounces, ensuring that I would have to wait another 15 minutes to open it.

A plus was being selected to be the Radio contestant for Arby’s RBI guy of the game; Andy Tracy didn’t come through for an RBI but fear not… Tagg Bozied got me a free Beef and Cheddar with his RBI in Reading!

Altogether though, baseball is here and I’m happy. 6 days until the Pig’s home opener.. hopefully they will have won a game by then.

Lehigh Valley
Duffy – LF
Valdez – 2B
Mayberry – RF
Tracy – 1B
Ransom – 3B
Wise – CF
Hoover – C
Bocock – SS
Mazone – SP

Syracuse
Maxwell – CF
Bernadina – LF
Mench – RF
Whitesell – 1B
Bruntlett – 3B
Orr – SS
Bynum – 2B
Maldonado – C
Martin – SP

A few weeks back, the Morning Call ran a letter to the editor from a person who felt very insulted by the Ironpig’s organization marketing the Pig more than the Iron.

The entire letter can be read on the Morning Call’s website by clicking here.

What makes me wonder, really wonder… is that this person took time out of their schedule to publically proclaim (yes, I agree 100% she has a right to free speech) that she was personally insulted by the baseball team being called the Pigs for short, when their full name is CLEARLY Ironpigs. Insulted by a baseball team’s name.

Where have we heard this before. Uber-politically correctness. I was under the impression that the NCAA had the market on that area?

Well the writer goes on to say how much distaste she has for the word “Oink” and called the team “swine” and even suggested that the Lehigh Valley might be crowned the “Pork Capital of Pennsylvania.” Oh the horror, think of the children!

So after my initial disbelief of this letter, I started laughing. Man, what will the Lehigh Valley come up with next to complain about. A bigger concern to me is will the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs move away from all the pig related promotions and fun? Single complaints have brought a lot of changes to Coca Cola Park…

My question is to the author of that letter.. how many games have you attended? You can always choose to look away and ignore what you don’t like.

In roughly 2 hours from now, Matt Provence will kick off the first pre-game radio show and the Ironpig’s season will officially begin.

We’ve waited all winter for this. I will be tuning in and although I didn’t answer Tuesday night’s trivia question correctly, you can bet that I will be in the running today!

Can you beat me to it? 🙂

Kurt Landes did say the steps were being built by in-house folks but will there be a Carpenter to assist?

Most likely.

Per Todd Zolecki via his Twitter account…

“Phillies claim RHP Nelson Figueroa off waivers. He is expected to join the big-league club upon his arrival.”

Figueroa spent the past two seasons in the Mets organization and is expected to push Andrew Carpenter back to the Ironpig’s starting rotation.

Good news! Good news!

Well, my headline could be perceived in a different way but anyone who has taken a look at Coca Cola Park can notice the work being done in the outfield lawn by the bullpens.

It looks like the stadium crew is hard at work installing a stairway from top to bottom of that surprisingly steep hill. For anyone who has started down the hill on a rainy night and rolled to a stop at the bottom (myself included) this is a welcome addition!

Speaking to Ironpig’s General Manager Kurt Landes last night he said it was being installed in house and to create a safer experience for those lawn fans.

Really, it did get muddy over there with folks squeezing together trying to see pitchers warming up in the bullpen.. anyone remember Pedro Martinez’s bullpen session?

Looking good Coca Cola Park! Looking good!

What a great evening for a ballgame! The Pigs had a big inning on prospect BJ Rosenburg and ended up giving the crowd at CCP something to cheer about. Overall the game was slow but the players were very accomodating of us fans.

Rich Thompson, Mike Spidale both acknowleged the Noise Nation and even John Mayberry gave us a shy wave. New Ironpig DeWayne Wise also took to us well and I think we will be having a lot of fun with him in centerfield this season. Early in the game Cody Ransom let a routine ground ball by him at 3rd and when one of the Noise Nation yelled out, “Hey Ransom, you have to get those! You’re not with the Yankees anymore!”, Wise let out a howl and laughed and waved up to us. Welcome aboard new friend!

Another highlight moment would be Brown’s sensational catch in centerfield. Having a very close vantage point, we saw Brown show us at Coca Cola park for the first time why he will be the Phillies future right fielder. Those Philly fans who don’t know him yet will soon find he is more than Jimmy Rollins, more than Chase Utley or Ryan Howard.. this guy has MVP and Hall of Fame career written all over himself. Let’s hope the game treats him well.

The food was great, most stands were open and credit card machines were working. I sampled an italian sausage, cheeseburger and some pierogies. Even got to see our old friends Scott and AnneMarie at the trough!

Adding a few more notes that I forgot. Scott Mathieson was on fire adding two K’s to the OINK sign in one inning of working allowing no hits. There is a new staircase being slowly put together in the outfield lawn, should make it easier for us older folks to get up and down out there. After speaking to the Pig’s GM, Kurt Landes, it appears the Noise Nation land will soon be changing. More details to come on that as it develops.

Good times! Good friends! Can’t wait for the season begins!