Nate Bump had a great performance and Tagg Bozied was responsible for the only Ironpig run (a solo HR in the 5th inning) but it wasn’t enough as the Clippers exploded in the 8th inning for 4 runs and a win in game 2 of the IL Championship series.
Bump came on in the 8th and allowed runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out before being pulled for Zagurski. An intentional walk and a sac fly tied the game. A wild pitch put the Clippers up and a 2 run single put the game out of reach.
I don’t have much else to say.. we get more baseball here in the Lehigh Valley and I will miss my Friday night bowling league for a 2nd week in a row.
The IronPigs are hosting a viewing party of tonight’s game at the Copperhead Grille on Airport Road. Game time 7:05pm.
If you aren’t able to get there, you can always listen to Matt Provence and Mike Ventola on the 1320 or 1230 AM.
Another option is the MiLB TV online feed.
I prefer to watch the MilB feed on mute and listen to the radio broadcast.
***
There will be a Phillies viewing party on Sept. 22 at Coca Cola Park for Season Ticket holders. If you are a season ticket holder you should have received an invite with all the details.
***
I’ve heard many grumblings lately about the Fan Appreciation night last week. I noticed there was a discount on soda.
Help me out here, I didn’t take a walk around the park that night, were there other “thank you’s” to the fans that I missed?
I didn’t take notice, more concerned with the game, but I have been a magnet for people complaining about what they saw as a lack of Fan Appreciation.
I remember in 2008 there was a big “THANK YOU FANS” painted on the field. I guess we deserved it with the season’s results that year.
I’d rather say “THANK YOU to each and every IronPig Player, Sal Rende, Rod Nichols and Ryne Sandberg!”
The Pigs won a team record 8th game in a row tonight by defeating the Columbus Clippers by a score of 5-2.
The Pigs got on the board early on base hits by Podsednik and Frandsen topped off with red hot Brandon Moss Hogg’s 3 run HR in the first inning!
Our beloved swine added another run in the 2nd and the final score on Overbeck’s solo HR in the 9th.
Scott Mathieson pitched well for 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 2.
Savery (2 innings), Aumont (1) and DeFratus closed out the game. DeFratus helped make it exciting allowing the bases to load before striking out the last batter of the game.
Columbus’ starter McAllister nearly pitched a complete game loss, but was pulled in the 9th before recording an out.
The Pigs now lead the best of 5 series 1-0 and look to take game 2 tomorrow in Columbus before returning to the Lehigh Valley on Thursday for Game 3 and potential Games 4 & 5.
We’re going to get free towels again as we arrive at The Coke on Thursday, courtesy of Service Electric. We got them earlier in the year as a promotion as well. Whose idea was this, anyway?
In 1975 Myron Cope, journalist and radio broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Steelers, noticed players on the sidelines encouraging the Three Rivers Stadium crowd by waving their towels over their heads. In the run up to the 1975 NFL playoffs, Cope urged fans via his radio show to bring yellow hand towels to the playoff games. During the 1975 playoffs he coined the name, Terrible Towel.
From 1975 to 1978 Steelers fans purchased yellow hand towels at local stores. Eventually, Cope trademarked the Terrible Towel, and with the help of a local department store had them made and printed. In 1996, Cope gave the rights to The Terrible Towel to the Allegheny School in Coraopolis, PA. The Allegheny School cares for over 900 people with mental retardation and physical disabilities, including Cope’s autistic son Danny. To this day, sales of The Terrible Towel benefit The Allegheny School.
It’s cool though. I’m all in favor of promotions and anything that gets the crowd involved in the game. However, every time I see a Rally Towel—or Homer Hanky or the like–I always think of the Allegheny School, and Myron and Danny Cope.
It isn’t easy to determine who will be on the Columbus roster for the Governor’s Cup final since so many of their best players are no longer there. Shelley Duncan, Jason Donald, Nick Hagadone, Luis Valbuena and Josh Judy are just a few that were called up to the Indians late in the season. To replace them on the Columbus roster, many players were promoted from the AA Akron Aeros so the Ironpigs may have to borrow scouting reports from Reading.
The pitchers are young and very right hand dominant which could be good for all the left handed hitters on the Ironpigs. The ones listed below are the most likely candidates to be active for this series. Eric Berger, 25, LHP: An 8th round draft pick in 2008, he pitched mostly for AA Akron in 2011, going 2-0 2.53. He pitched in 11 games for Columbus, all in relief and was 0-1 with a 10.05 ERA. In 14.1 innings he allowed 26 hits, walked 14 and recorded 20 strikeouts. Jeff Larish homered off him in game 2 of a doubleheader on May 8.
Cory Burns, 23, RHP: Drafted in the 8th round of the 2009 draft. He spent the entire season as the closer for AA Akron. He recorded 35 Saves and was 2-5 with a 2.11 ERA. In 59.2 innings he had 70 strikeouts and walked just 15 batters.
Kelvin De La Cruz, 23 LHP. He pitched the entire 2011 season in AA with Akron going 5-6 with a 4.19 ERA. In 86 innings he allowed just 70 hits but walked 57, so control appears to be an issue for him. He struck out 95 batters and allowed just 3 home runs.
Paolo Espino, 24, RHP. Paolo was a 10th round draft pick by the Indians in 2006. He was 6-0 2.44 at Akron this year before moving up to Columbus where he went 2-1 3.43. He pitched in 12 games for the Clippers, 5 of them as a starter. On July 24 he pitched in relief against the Ironpigs and threw 2 innings, allowing 2 hits and an unearned run.
Corey Kluber, 25, RHP. Kluber is 25 and started 27 games for the Clippers in 2011. His record was 7-11 5.56. In 150.2 innings he allowed 19 homeruns and struck out 143 batters. He averaged nearly a walk every 2 innings and allowed 153 hits. He lost to the Ironpigs on July 25th.
Matt Langwell, 25, RHP. Matt was a 2008 11th round draft pick by the Indians. He spent most of 2011 at Akron where he went 4-1 2.66 in 36 games, 1 of them as a starter. He was 1-0 4.00 with Columbus and recorded 17 strikeouts in 18 innings.
Chen Lee, 24, RHP. Lee was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Taiwan. In 2009 he played for Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic. In 2011 he was 2-1 2.50 at Akron and 4-0 2.27 with 1 Save for the Clippers. In 71.1 combined innings at AA & AAA, he recorded 99 strikeouts.
Joe Martinez, 28, RHP. Joe pitched in 35 games for Columbus in 2011, 16 of them as a starter. The Indians acquired him from the Pirates for cash considerations in January, 2011. His record this year was 8-9 4.04 and he allowed 136 hits in 118 innings pitched. He lost to the Ironpigs on July 24th by a 4-2 score as Brandon Moss and Josh Barfield homered.
Zach McAllister, 23, RHP. McAllister was drafted by the Yankees and was traded to the Indians on August 20, 2010 for Austin Kearns. He was 12-3 3.32 for the Clippers this year and is the scheduled starting pitcher for game 1 against the Ironpigs. He pitched against the Ironpigs on July 23rd but was not involved in the decision. He gave up 3 runs on 7 hits in 5 innings of work. Rich Thompson led off the game with a home run and the Ironpigs won 4-3 in 10 innings. Zach was the winning pitcher in game 1 of the opening round of the playoffs against the Durham Bulls throwing 6 scoreless innings in the 3-0 win.
Zach Putnam, 24, RHP. Putnam was a 5th round draft pick by the Indians in 2008. He went 6-3 3.65 for the Clippers this year in 44 games, all in relief. He recorded 9 Saves. He had 68 strikeouts in 69 innings of work.
Jason Rice, 25, RHP. He was 4-5 3.69 with Pawtucket in 2011. Boston sent him to Oakland for Conor Jackson on August 31st and then placed him on waivers where he was claimed by the Indians.
Tyler Sturdevant, 25, RHP. In 2011 Sturdevant was 4-2 1.98 in 41 innings in Class A, 3-1 3.30 in 30 innings in AA and then threw just 3.2 innings in 2 games at the AAA level.
Mitch Talbot, 28, RHP. He was acquired by the Indians from the Rays in December, 2009. He pitched in 13 games for the Clippers in 2011, 7 of them as a starter. His record was 4-2 4.26. He pitched in relief against the Ironpigs on July 22nd and 25th giving up 2 runs on 4 hits in 4.2 innings.
The catchers for the Columbus Clippers are both veterans over the age of 30. Luke Carlin is a 30 year old switch-hitter. He hit just .213 with 5 homers for the Clippers this year. Paul Phillips is a 34 year old right handed hitting catcher. He hit .237 with 3 home runs.
25 year old Beau Mills plays the majority of games at first base with veteran first baseman Nick Johnsonwho turns 33 next week now being used primarily as the DH. Mills hit .300 with 11 home runs at Akron and then hit .269 with 7 home runs in 119 at bats with Columbus. Johnson hit just .201 with 6 HR for the Clippers.
Other infielders include, Argenis Reyes, 2B. The 28 year old switch-hitter hit .313 but had just 83 at bats because recently promoted Luis Valbuena was the primary second baseman and had 17 home runs in over 400 at bats this year. Valbuena’s bat leaves a big void in the Clippers lineup. Rounding out the infield should be Juan Diaz at shortstop and Jared Goedert at third base. The 26 year old right handed hitting Goedert had 284 at bats with the Clippers and hit .271 with 15 homers. The 22 year old Diaz is a switch-hitting shortstop who spent all of 2011 at Akron where he hit .255 with 9 home runs and 60 RBIs.
In the outfield the Clippers have 29 year old right handed hitting Jerad Head. In 422 at bats with the Clippers he hit .284 with 24 home runs and 70 RBIs which puts him close to the same numbers as Brandon Moss had from the left side for the Ironpigs. He had 13 home runs vs RHP and 11 home runs vs. LHP. Ben Copeland is a left handed hitting outfielder who got called up from Akron where he hit .265 with 6 homeruns. He had just 15 at bats with the Clippers and hit just .133. Travis Buck is a 28 year old left fielder who bats from the left side and he hit just .256 with 4 homers in 121 at bats this year. Tim Fedroff is also a left handed hitting left fielder and he is just 24. He split time between Akron and Columbus this year, hitting .338 with 2 HR for Akron and .272 with 1 homer for Columbus. Chad Huffmanis a 26 year old right handed outfielder who played 124 games for Columbus this year. He hit .246 with 13 home runs. Rounding out the outfield is Thomas Neal, a 24 year old right handed hitter who played most of 2011 in the Pacific Coast League where he hit .295 with 2 home runs. Left handed Venezuelan centerfielder Ezequiel Carrera was a key member of the Clippers this year hitting .287 and stealing 35 bases but he was recently called up to the Indians. He was the only stolen base threat they had and now he is gone.
The Columbus Clippers are still a very good team and a very formidable opponent. But they are not the same team that cruised through the International League with an 88-56 record in 2011. It should be an exciting series.
Jason and I had a short back-and-forth on Twitter this evening as he proposed a “free tickets” campaign for the IronPigs to fill the stadium for the remaining playoff games. [edit: or so I thought. He meant for a viewing party on the big screen. I was tweeting, watching soccer and listening to a podcast at the same time, so it’s on me]. While free tickets might fill the seats, here are my reasons for disagreeing with free tickets:
It cheapens the product. Other professional sports teams have tried this through the years, and once you lower your ticket prices to “free,” then the perceived value decreases immediately. It does not create lasting customers, just folks looking for a handout.
“But it would sell concessions.” Maybe. But not as much as you might think. The same folks who’ll get in line for the free tickets won’t necessarily spend a lot of cash on other things.
It creates hard feelings. What do you say to all the folks who HAVE paid for playoff tickets? Many will ask for refunds. Why should we ever buy tickets again, when we know the price will eventually go down to “free.”
So what should they be doing to fill the stadium on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday? You know I’m not going to bother typing this if I don’t already have the answers: [edit: my suggestions hold, though.]
Try to organize quick groups. Group tickets are a big way that the ‘Pigs are able to sell as many regular season tickets as they do. They work very, very hard to cultivate groups and group leaders and provide an experience for them. They should have a database of all the group leaders and send them an email. Some may jump at the chance to re-organize their regular season group for the playoffs. This may help to sell the hospitality areas, as well. You could put $4 added value on the playoff tickets, instead of the regular $2, to motivate action.
Take advantage of your clubs. Kids club members get one free ticket to any game. Guess what? Kids don’t come alone. It’s the same principle of the Clippers “get in free if you wear your Little League uniform” promotion. It guarantees that you will sell more tickets to go along with the free one. Plus, it’s a group benefit, not a freebie. Perhaps Diamond Diva night in the picnic patio for one of the games? Or in the dugout suites? Silver Pigs can buy tickets for half price one night? Too bad they don’t have a club for middle aged guys…
Take advantage of your season ticket holders. I have about 68 unused tickets or vouchers or whatnot. If they came to me and said, “look, we’ll give you 34 tickets in section 104 if you promise to give them away or return them” then I could go out into the community and create goodwill giving away tickets that I’ve technically paid for. Or, like Reading, just give $2 off playoff tickets for any unused ticket (rainouts, vouchers, season, whatever). Again, that would be a benefit of the original ticket and not a freebie.
Try to get some free local buzz. They’re already doing this. It’s brilliant, really. I gather from Twitter than anyone who changes their marquee to “Go IronPigs” has a chance to win a dugout suite. I don’t know all the details of the contest because I was too busy trying to get my marquee changed.
Throw together some kind of promo. They’re doing OK. Rally towels Thursday, Fireworks Friday and Saturday. But they could have a potluck giveaway by emptying the promo closet of all the leftovers. Or, order a bunch of bobbles or other nicer item (hats?) that could then be saved for next year if need be. Consider some kind of “all you can eat” buffet ticket or promo.
Try to get more local news coverage. I know minor league teams often have to pay for their press coverage, and I don’t know what the deal entails with The Morning Call, but it seems to me that this should be a bigger deal in the local media. Pay a little extra if you have to in order to get some big articles and pictures. Perhaps the Express Times and channel 69 are doing a better job.
So there it is. I’ll see you at the park Thursday. I’m hoping for at least a split in Columbus and optimistic that there are no lefties in their rotation right now.
IronPigs Day Proclamation
September 12, 2011
Coca-Cola Park
Lehigh County Executive Donald T. Cunningham, Jr., will deliver a proclamation to IronPigs officials today at 4 p.m. at Coca-Cola Park to encourage public support as the Lehigh Valley IronPigs open up the Best-of-Five Governors’ Cup Finals this week. The public will be encouraged to wear red, display IronPigs signs and support the team beginning on Thursday when the IronPigs host the Columbus Clippers in Game Three of the Governor’s Cup at Coca-Cola Park.
After watching our IronPigs take a 2-0 lead in the best of 5 series against the Pawtucket Red Sox Friday night, four brave IronPig fans decided to make a spontaneous decision to road trip to Pawtucket for Game 3. While the trip was a series of obstacles, delays and heartbreaks along the way.. us fans made it to the game and saw the IronPigs win their way into the International League Championship series vs. Columbus.
The below is a true account of the trip:
10:00am – Dan’s house
Sara Haydt (Full name used), Jason DiPro and our driver Jay arrive.
All seemed well. While loading the car.. our official Road Trip mascot had a fatal fall onto the concrete and was left behind.
Hula Holly was placed on the Disabled List just prior to departure.
The next blow to the trip came early as well as the Mix-CD of crowd participation stadium music (that I spent an hour making the night before) would not work in the car’s player. We left with a resounding version of “Yakkety Yak” and got on our way at 10:30am.
Below is some footage of us enjoying the Noise Nation’s iPhone app (courtesy of Enter.Net) and Driver Jay mistaking our cheers for driving directions.
We had a slight snafu entering NYC… there was one ticket lane and 20 Easy pass lanes. Guess we’ll pay that toll by mail.
Then tragedy struck, or so we thought. While heading up 95 North, DiPro’s rear side window came down to a crashing end. The official prognosis was that the window came out of its slide but DiPro sat in the furious wind like a champ. Luckily we happened upon a Home Depot…
Stopped to fix the window
We found a tape measure in a nearby trash can
DiPro supervising the repair
Do not feed the DiPro!
So we were back on the road again with a slight delay. No worries at this point. We enjoyed a nice rest stop lunch of McDonalds.
We stopped for a nice view of the Mystic River.
We did not stop to try the pizza
We were cruising along 95 about an hour short of Pawtucket when this conversation happened:
Jay – “Uh guys, the battery light just went on”
Dan – “Keep driving”
DiPro – “Googling BMW Dealers in the area, found one calling now”
(5 minutes pass)
Jay – “Look the brake light came on… now the transmission light.. now the other lights are coming on”
(5 more minutes pass)
Jay – “Ummmmmm yeah I can’t shift the car”
DiPro – “I WILL GET TO THE GAME!”
Yes, we broke down.
Trying to signal other traveling Pig fans
Side of 95 north 1 hour short of Pawtucket
So we had some decisions to make. We were going to make it to the game no matter what. AAA (The auto version) was called and a truck dispatched.
Our plan:
1. Get towed to BMW dealer
2. Have rental car waiting there
3. Drive to Pawtucket
4. Watch Pigs win
What actually happened:
1. The tow truck driver arrives in 15 minutes. (Yes, impressive)
2. Driver informs us he can take only 2 people with him.
3. He will not leave the other 2 on the side of the road. Suggests 2 of us walk to a nearby road.
4. Sara Haydt (full name) and Jay head out with the driver
5. DiPro and myself begin the hike to the road where it was not illegal to be a pedestrian on.
Now this road wasn’t quite just a short jaunt from 95. We thought a nice nature walk would be wonderful. The 200 yards of thick brush and (according to DiPro) snake and bear infested woods led us to our safe haven. After some tripping, stumbling, branches flying into faces (I “really” didn’t do that on purpose:-) we found a small clearing near the road with some rocks to sit on.
Not happy with the path that Dan led him on 🙂
Looking back over the beaten path
Taking a break
Even I started to go native for a bit
Preparing our signal fire
Fashioning a help sign
This is what I heard every 2 minutes while stranded…
Meanwhile, while DiPro and I were having our own version of IronPig Survivor…
Jay and Sara arrived at the Dealership. They called the rental place to ask where their car was and were told they wouldn’t be delivered that they would have to pick it up at the airport. Sara swiftly got on the phone for a cab and (insert Sara’s not-so-family environment speech to the taxi agency) a cab soon arrived. Plagued by constant update requests from the Noise Nation tribal members, they literally sprinted through the airport and aquired a rental car and headed back to pick us up and it was none too soon…
The license plate on the rental car
We got back on the road and arrived mid-first inning!
Yes, we will get there... and we did!
The Pigs won! The folks in Pawtucket were great! We were particularly impressed with Pawtucket’s game program and scorecard. It did cost $3 but it is nice. The large pages, roughly 8×10 inches, were in full color and had a full page profile of each player that would be great for autographs. Also included was a large 2 page spread scoresheet with current rosters for both teams. If we pull anything back from our experience in Pawtucket to bring back as a suggestion to the IronPigs it would be this wonderful game day program.
Also ran into two of our favorite IronPig employees there to support the team!
After the game we went outside to congratulate our guys and waited with PawSox fans by the bus. Made some great new friends up there and many Pig players came by to talk and sign autographs for the folks waiting. Sandberg signed for a few, Mathieson for almost 20 minutes and we witnessed a very happy Zagurski trip and nearly faceplant coming out of the stadium doors. Daniel Nava of the PawSox also stayed and chatted with fans for close to an hour and Moss was happy to see some old friends from his days in Pawtucket.
Dweezy came by for a photo
Kratz stopped by too
We also noticed that Matt Provence hadn’t yet boarded the bus… it closed its doors and pulled away! We texted him and despair not, he had gotten a ride home from his good buddy Jon Schaeffer.
So the ride home began…
(Queezy readers, stop here)
Now, to flash back to earlier in the day, there was some contention that I was responsible for the window breaking. Granted I didn’t intend for the window to break (Jay had a similiar problem with the car this past summer) but the finger was pointed or should I say their noses were pointed away from my general direction. While we stopped to fill up with gas early in the trip there was no need for me to do the same… the sudden opening of all 4 windows was in direct correlation with an “event” that happened just moments before the window crashed into the door frame. I will leave it to your imagination to understand what happened….
So on the ride home we stopped at Wendy’s for a bathroom break and I had an idea for a prank. Jay and I were the only to go inside and I obtained a container of chili. Yes, chili. Jay set me up with a “You will not believe what he ordered!” comment and when I got to the car I held it up and announced.. “EXTRA CHEESE, EXTRA SOUR CREAM!!!”
DiPro looked like he was going to cry, Sara pleaded with me not to eat it.
The joke was on them though.. the chili bowl was empty.
It wouldn't have been a road trip without a prank
The windows remained up for the rest of the trip home.
We arrived safely home at 3:30 am and had nothing but smiles. I cannot overstate what a great time it was and how great Sara Haydt (full name), DiPro and Jay were during all of the above. We laughed, sometimes to the point of tears, and all took everything in stride.
I think I will hear DiPro screaming “I’m STUCK in the middle of the WOODS in RHODE ISLAND!” for many days ahead..
noisenation.mlblogs.com 