Of course I only jest but I did stumble across a great blog post from “Sully” in Cali. Seems even folks in Cali recognize the quality product the IronPigs offer us each year.

Demote the A’s to the minors and promote THE IRON PIGS

The Oakland Athletics are acting like a minor league team and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs are drawing like a major league team.

So for the next few years I think the A’s should be a AAA team and the IronPigs should play in the American League.

So while the A’s are a major league team acting like a minor league team, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a minor league team acting like they are the big leagues!

Unlike the A’s, ALL of their home games are televised. Unlike the A’s, ALL of their games are broadcast on the ESPN radio affiliate.

And unlike the A’s, they play in a state of the art stadium, Coca Cola Park in Allentown Pennsylvania. It holds 10,000 fans and they drew nearly that each game. Supposedly the A’s drew around 18,000 a game in 2011. But if you happened to catch an A’s game on TV, there is no way there were that many people at each game.

I doubt Coca Cola Park needs to put a tarp in the upper deck.

Be sure to read the rest by clicking here  – there is more on Ryno and Pork Chop Ferrous (I’ll have to correct Sully on that one).

Sully, if  you ever find yourself at Coca Cola Park, we’ll be sure to show you the “Major League” fans we have right here in the Lehigh Valley!

DiPro’s Dish

The Phils signed the following three players to minor league contracts with non-roster invites to spring training.

Dave Bush (RHP)
PA native Dave Bush 32, began 2011 with the Rangers before a stop at AAA Iowa and finally in the LVH where he went 1 for 2 with a 3.91 ERA in 4 games and 23 innings pitch. Dave Bush got the start back on September 8th and earned the win in the IronPigs first playoff victory. Dave pitched 6 2/3 fine innings allowing 1 ER on 5 H with 6 SO and 1 BB and left to a standing o. Bush was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 2002 Amateur Draft.

David Purcey (LHP)
Purcey spent some time in the major leagues in 2011 and in 8 games with the AAA Toledo Mud Hens pitching 11 1/3 innings with a 2.38 ERA. The 29-year-old left-hander from Illinois was originally drafted by Toronto in 2004.

Steven Lerud (C)
27 year old Nevada native Steven Lerud spent 2011 in the Eastern League for the Bowie Baysox the AA affiliate of the Orioles. In 54 games Lerud committed only 2 errors with a FLD pct of .994 while batting .193 with 5 HR and 30 RBI along with 86 SO in 228 AB.  An 8 year minor league veteran Lerud was drafted by the Pirates in 2003.

In addition, the IronPigs recently signed 26 year old Ohio born Free Agent Ryan Feierabend (LHP). In 2011 for the IronPigs Feierabend went 10-8 with a 5.39 ERA with 92 SO and 41 free passes. Ryan was drafted in 2003 by the Mariners.

Still need to find that perfect Christmas Gift? Sunday is the last chance for $.99 shipping on any sized online order at ironpigsbaseball.com.

DiPro’s Dish
OinK