September 7, 2011 · 9:16 am

Call-ups and The GM

Call-ups

LHV

As previously mentioned, Pete Orr has received the September call-up – don’t think he will be back with the Phils now on their expanded 28 man roster.

In 75 games with LHV Orr has racked up a .267 average, 5 HR and 26 RBI’s while playing 5 different positions.

Good luck Pete!
We’ll miss ya in the playoffs!

PAW

The Pawtucket Red Sox have also completed a number of call-ups including ‘Pig killer Ryan Lavarnway (as Dan had mentioned) and Nate ‘oops he did it again’ Spears who have combined for 100 RBIs in 2011.

Kyle Weiland     (P)  8-10  3.58
Felix Doubront   (P)  2-5   4.22
Nate Spears      (Util) .248  8 HR  45 RBI
Ryan Lavarnway   (C/DH  .295 18 HR  55 RBI

Mr. Landes

IronPigs General Manager Kurt Landes was kind enough give a moment of his time to the Nation. He noted the IronPigs are certainly as excited as we are that post-season Baseball is coming to CCP and looks forward to great attendance.

The Nation wanted to confirm when we Bring the Noise we don’t effect the enjoyment of the game for anyone else in attendance. So bring your pots and something to beat them with. We also hope to have a non-powered megaphone a bugle and perhaps a hand-held siren.

The only items to avoid are of course the currently banned air-horns and vuvuzelas.

Mr. Landes was appreciative of our inquiry and we will respect his wishes when WE BRING THE NOISE!

Go Pigs!

OinK On!

DiPro’s Dish

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September 6, 2011 · 9:03 pm

Pig Playoff Preview – Weather Info

The Pigs made the playoffs!! Now what?

First things first, the Pigs will play two home games at The Coke on Wednesday and Thursday then move to Pawtucket for potentially 3 games there. It is a best of 5 series.

Looking at how the IronPigs could fare in the playoffs, lets take a look at their last few games vs. Pawtucket. (Game results with key players on opposing team)

Pawtucket

July 18th – The Pigs lost this game in Pawtucket by a score of 1-4.

Lavarnway – 3 for 4 with a HR and 3 RBI *Now on Boston’s active roster.

Duckworth – Pitched 5 shutout innings. Listed on 7 day DL but expected to start during playoffs.

July 19th – The Pigs lost this game by a score of 2-7.

Lavarnway – 2 for 3 with 3 RBI including a HR. *Now on Boston’s active roster.

Lars Anderson – 2 for 4 with 2 RBI.

July 20th – The Pigs lost this game by a score of 1-2.

This was a tied game into the 9th when Schwimer allowed a run.

July 21st – The Pigs won this game 5-4.

Lavarnway, Luna and Expostio had a good game on this day.

This is the game where we saw Tony Pena pitch.

*While not the “star” of any of these games, outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin had hits in each game. Look for him to perform well.

July 26th – Pigs won 8-7
This was by far the best game I have ever seen. The game went into the 10th inning tied, Pawtucket scored once and the Pigs twice in the bottom of the inning to win.

Lin, Nava, Lavarnway, Anderson, Luna and Burmudez all had multi-hit games.

July 27th – Pigs win 4-1.

July 28th – Pigs lost 1-2

July 29th – Pigs lost 3-4
Duckworth beats the Pigs again.

So out of these 8 games the Pigs won 3 and lost 5. Not the best outlook for a 5 game series but with Lavarnway up in Boston, these one run games could move in the Pigs favor.

Here are the pitching probables for the Lehigh Valley vs. Pawtucket IL Playoff series beginning on Wednesday (Subject to change):

WED: RHP Dave Bush (1-2, 3.91) vs. RHP Matt Fox (10-4, 3.96)

THU: LHP Ryan Edell (5-5, 3.27) vs. RHP Tony Pena, Jr. (9-6, 3.56)

FRI: RHP Brian Bass (8-10, 3.81) vs. RHP Alex Wilson (1-0, 3.43)

SAT: RHP Scott Mathieson (2-2, 3.28) vs. TBA @ PAW

SUN: RHP Nate Bump (5-9, 4.97) vs. TBA @ PAW

***

Now for the weather. Forecasts call for a 50% chance of rain on Wednesday evening. Also looking at the possibility of rain on Thursday.

The Round One schedule for home games appears below:

Round One: International League Divisional Series

Game A: Wednesday, September 7 at 7:05 p.m.
Game B: Thursday, September 8 at 7:05 p.m.

Please make note of the following Playoff Information:

The gates at Coca-Cola Park will open at the regular times:

– Club & Suite Entrance (West Gate): 5:30pm

– AT&T Plaza Entrance (East Gate): 5:45pm

In the event of a postponement due to weather on Wednesday, the IronPigs would host playoff games on Thursday and Friday. If this were to occur, Game A would shift to Thursday and Game B would shift to Friday.

If the IronPigs win the best-of-five Divisional Series against Pawtucket, they will host the following games during the Governors’ Cup:

Round Two: International League Championship Series (Governors’ Cup)

Game D: Thursday, September 15 at 7:05 p.m.
Game E: Friday, September 16 at 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
Game F: Saturday, September 17 at 6:35 p.m. (if necessary)

Also, we lost Pete Orr who was called up to the Phillies.

That’s all I got.. Go Pigs!

OinK!

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September 5, 2011 · 9:32 pm

IronPig Final Regular Season Stats

It’s a little cramped and I had to shrink everything down a bit, but here are the final 2011 Regular Season IronPig stats.

Enjoy!

Player
 G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB AVG
Kevin Frandsen 77 284 32 86 13 3 4 40 10 0.303
Freddy Galvis 33 121 15 36 6 1 0 8 4 0.298
Erik Kratz 103 358 56 103 19 0 15 53 2 0.288
John Suomi 19 42 4 12 2 1 1 5 0 0.286
Cody Overbeck 68 226 15 63 11 1 6 26 0 0.279
Rich Thompson 124 424 81 117 25 8 5 30 48 0.276
Brandon Moss 124 436 66 120 31 1 23 80 4 0.275
Pete Orr 75 281 40 75 16 2 5 26 15 0.267
John Mayberry 28 113 16 30 8 0 4 15 2 0.265
Domonic Brown 41 138 22 36 6 0 3 15 12 0.261
Josh Barfield 123 452 47 116 23 4 6 55 12 0.257
Ronnie Belliard 53 199 27 50 8 1 3 23 3 0.251
Jack Cust 6 20 3 5 2 0 1 2 0 0.25
Scott Podsednik 14 53 4 13 6 1 0 0 2 0.245
Delwyn Young 126 442 51 108 30 0 11 51 0 0.244
Jeff Larish 75 254 33 61 12 1 13 37 1 0.24
Tagg Bozied 62 189 31 45 13 2 11 31 0 0.238
Joel Naughton 4 13 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 0.231
Brian Bocock 95 301 25 68 7 1 4 28 3 0.226
Matt Miller 15 32 2 7 0 0 0 6 0 0.219
Cory Sullivan 36 100 15 21 4 0 0 14 2 0.21
Carlos Rivero 7 27 1 5 2 1 1 5 0 0.185
Dane Sardinha 29 93 6 13 3 0 0 1 0 0.14
Robbie Hudson 12 30 2 4 1 0 0 1 1 0.133
Placido Polanco 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Niuman Romero 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Player
 W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP ER BB SO HLD
Brian  Bass 8 10 3.81 28 28 1 0 0 158 67 56 105 0
Nate Bump 5 9 4.97 26 25 1 0 0 134 74 29 66 0
Ryan  Feierabend 10 8 5.39 28 23 0 0 0 132 79 41 92 0
Scott Mathieson 2 2 3.28 30 12 0 0 5 82.1 30 50 83 1
Ryan  Edell 5 5 3.27 17 10 0 0 0 77 28 11 65 1
Michael Schwimer 9 1 1.85 47 0 0 0 10 68 14 22 86 7
Drew Carpenter 5 1 1.79 34 1 0 0 0 60.1 12 11 65 8
Brian Gordon 5 0 1.04 13 10 0 0 0 60.1 7 7 63 0
Mike Zagurski 4 0 2.65 46 0 0 0 11 54.1 16 27 63 9
Vance Worley 5 2 2.31 9 9 1 0 0 50.2 13 12 50 0
Eddie Bonine 3 4 5.16 11 10 0 0 0 45.1 26 8 44 0
Justin De Fratus 2 3 3.73 28 0 0 0 7 41 17 11 56 2
Juan Perez 0 5 5.7 36 0 0 0 4 36.1 23 25 53 8
Tyson Brummett 1 4 5.82 7 6 0 0 0 34 22 11 20 0
Jason Grilli 4 1 1.93 28 0 0 0 3 32.2 7 12 43 5
Chance Chapman 2 2 5.29 17 0 0 0 0 32.1 19 10 27 1
Joe Savery 4 0 1.8 18 0 0 0 2 25 5 6 26 1
Dave Bush 1 2 3.91 4 4 0 0 0 23 10 6 16 0
Phillippe Aumont 1 0 3.18 18 0 0 0 3 22.2 8 14 37 3
Tim Redding 0 3 5.16 5 4 0 0 0 22.2 13 7 14 0
Aaron Heilman 2 0 4.42 16 0 0 0 1 18.1 9 9 14 3
David  Herndon 2 0 2.45 8 0 0 0 1 14.2 4 2 14 1
Les Walrond 0 1 1.23 12 0 0 0 0 14.2 2 9 15 4
Michael Stutes 2 1 1.8 7 0 0 0 1 10 2 4 14 1
Roy  Oswalt 0 0 2.7 2 2 0 0 0 10 3 4 8 0
Jose Contreras 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0

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September 5, 2011 · 4:40 pm

R-Phils Following In Pigs Hoofprints

Last night I saw a note from our friend Tommy V out in Reading.

The Reading Phillies were in a similiar situation as the IronPigs were.

Tweets from @Tommy_the_V

“Worst case scenario — R-Phils lose Monday, Rock Cats win, then there will be a one-game playoff on Tuesday in New Britain.”

“Best case, R-Phils win Monday and they are in the playoffs. Tyson Brummett gets the nod for R-Phils in most important game of the season.”

So like the IronPigs, the R-Phils could clinch their league’s wild card spot with a win on Monday and like the Pigs… they WON!

The R-Phils have made the Eastern League playoffs as the Wildcard team!

You can’t make stuff like this up!

GO PIGS! GO R-PHILS!

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September 5, 2011 · 4:26 pm

IronPig Game Results 9/5/11 – Pigs Pull the Tarp Into the Playoffs!

Leading by a score of 4-1 the Pigs had the bases loaded with 1 out in the 6th inning and Erik Kratz at the plate, after a brief delay the umpire decided enough was enough. The game was called due to rain awarding the Pigs their 80th win of the season and the Wild Card Berth in the International League Playoffs.

PIGS IN THE PLAYOFFS!

So before I mention everyone who insisted on a playoff berth when they heard Ryne Sandberg would be the manager this season or the Pulling the Tarp incident in Buffalo earlier this season I will say this,

Congratulations to each and every IronPig! You worked hard and made this season the first winning season in IronPigs’ history. We truly appreciate what you’ve done for us fans and will forever be remembered in our hearts. Thank you!!

So we are looking at hosting Pawtucket at home on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Pigs last faced the Pawsox in July when they went 1-3 in Pawtucket and 2-2 at home.

It’s gonna be fun!

OinK!

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September 5, 2011 · 10:15 am

The Most Interesting Umpire in Baseball

Back in the early 80’s both during Legion ball (SPYA) and High School (PHS) there was an umpire we hoped would be calling our games. I realize that is not quite the norm but this was no ordinary umpire.

I recall him blasting out the count with nary the need for a PA announcer.

He would draw the score in the dirt with his shoe between innings lest anyone not see the scoreboard.

Every ball, strike or out call was a show in itself and there was no one who knew the rules better.

He was animated, boisterous, and entertaining.

He was definitely the Most Interesting Umpire in Baseball.

When he was behind the plate the strikes called themselves.
When he rung you up – you thanked him.
(Feel free to add more “Most Interesting Umpire in Baseball” quips below)

Those who listen to the IronPigs radio broadcasts are well aware of clubhouse worker “Uncle Marty”.

I  just discovered that Uncle Marty is non other than Marty Ondrovic, the local umpire and referee legend mentioned above!

If you played sports in the Lehigh Valley back in the day you certainly knew Uncle Marty – back then we just called him Sir.

Go Pigs!

OinK On!

DiPro’s Dish

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September 5, 2011 · 2:44 am

Wild Hogs Running Rampant in NY!

Even though the Pigs did win key games against Buffalo and Syracuse this past week.. the below story is completely unrelated. Still made me laugh and so I am sharing with you:

NY seeks stop to wild hogs; may ban captive hunts

VALLEY FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — Wildlife officials in New York may ban captive boar hunts as they try to curb a growing feral hog population before it gets as bad as it is in Southern states, where roaming droves have devastated crops and wildlife habitat with their rooting, wallowing and voracious foraging.

Feral swine are breeding in three counties in central New York, according to a federal study done last year with funding from New York’s Invasive Species Council. The wild population statewide is likely in the hundreds , said Gordon Batcheller, head of the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Bureau of Wildlife. Read the rest of the story here…

OinK!

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September 4, 2011 · 11:05 pm

IronPigs Game Results 9/4/11 – Pigs Fly into the Post Season!

In 1980, a very famous sports announcer once said “Do you believe in Miracles?”

In 2011 for the first time in Lehigh Valley history, Coca-Cola Park will see post season baseball with at least a one game playoff  Tuesday at 7:05 against Gwinnett.

Miraculous? Perhaps not, but the feeling seems nearly the same.

In what will likely go down as the most crucial game in IronPigs history (thus far) Lehigh Valley came back from a 3 run deficit in the 7th to prevail 7-4 to take a one game lead in the Wildcard race with one left to play.

Who better to get the crucial two out game tying double than local, long time IronPig Richie T!

Who better to get the strong save than come-back Joe Savery?

The Pigs finally benefited by some clutch hitting with RISP (and a little luck) to score the win. The team hit a very respectable .378 this evening followed by Zagurski, Feierabend, and Savery with 4 2/3, two hit scoreless, close-out innings.

At this time there is a 100% chance of rain in Lawrenceville, GA tomorrow and if the Braves are rained out the IronPigs will win the Wildcard outright and we’ll see you on Wednesday at the Park against the Pawsox (with the NOISE)!

Nate Bump (4-9 5.09) will be on the soggy mound in Syracuse tomorrow – rain is currently in the forecast there as well.

What else is there to say but…
… get your “A” ticket ready because we are in for an “E” ticket ride!

Go Pigs!

OinK On!

DiPro’s Dish

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September 3, 2011 · 9:21 pm

IronPig Game Results 9/3/11 – Pigs Holding Their Own

The IronPigs came out tonight with a mountain to climb.. .well maybe a small hill, but they took on the challenge and held up their part of the bargain by defeating the Buffalo Bison by a final score of 3-0.

Brian Bass pitched brilliantly. He went 8 innings allowing only 2 hits, striking out 10. Phear de Phratus, Justing DeFratus took over in the 9th and earned his 7th save.

Tonight also welcomed back Posednik and tomorrow Erik Kratz’s suspension will be over. The Pigs move on to Syracuse for 2 games.

While we saw Gwinnett lost their first game tonight the second game is only in the 3rd inning at this point with no score. (7 inning game)

The Pigs win tonight officially eliminated Indianapolis and put the Pigs up 1.5 games in the Wild card. If Gwinnett wins tonight the lead is 1 game, if Gwinnett loses it will guarantee the Pigs at least a tie in the wild card spot. (A one game playoff at Coca Cola Park on Tuesday if a tie results)

Anyone else going to make the trip to Syracuse on Monday?

OinK!

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September 3, 2011 · 3:56 pm

To Boldly Go Where No IronPig has Gone Before

“Playoffs, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Their four year quest: To score enough runs, win many games, bring home the bacon. To Boldly go where no IronPig has gone before!”

Tonight could be the last home game of the great 2011 IronPig team.

Facing Buffalo at home, the Pigs come off a dramatic late inning win yesterday and look to advance closer to bringing home the wild card spot for the International League.

In their way, the Gwinnett Braves have a double header against Charlotte tonight. Also klinging-on (pun intended) are the Indians.

It’s been a long time since the Phillies AAA team has made the playoffs, no less having an above .500 season, and the IronPigs are full of firsts this year. We will see.

Tonight could prove pivotal.

Some scenarios:

Pigs win + Gwinnett wins 2 = Tie for the wild card

Pigs lose + Gwinnett wins 2 = 1 game behind the wild card

Pigs lose + Gwinnett splits = Tie for the wild card

Pigs win + Gwinnett splits = 1 game lead in wild card

Pigs win + Gwinnett swept = 2 game lead in wild card

So after tonight the Pigs could guarantee at least a tie for the wild card (win + Gwinnett swept) or they could find themselves 1 game back with 2 to play.

OinK long and loudly my friends.

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