Not that it means anything at this point . . .

Scanning the International League transaction page, I see some familiar names assigned/optioned to Syracuse:

• Eury Perez
• Jason Michaels (I thought he was a coach . . ..)
• Corey Brown (yawn)
• Jhonatan Solano
• Chris Marrero
• Yunesky Maya
• Ryan Perry

And a couple of unfamiliar names, too.

Counting down!

All Corey, All the Time

Corey Brown's hit resulted in a walk-off win earlier this week.

Now this.

In Town With Corey Brown

As predicted -- no, expected -- Cory Brown was called up to Washington on Tuesday.

The Nats played the Cubs this week, and in one game, there were two bench-clearing incidents.

Guess who showed up in one of the photos?

Bittersweet

Final home game of the season on a sunny, warm September Sunday. So different from last year's rainy conclusion.

Today was the season ticket holders annual picnic. Things were a bit different this year. Instead of being under the tent outside of the stadium before the game, the concession stand at the far end of the third base side of the stadium provided all-you-could-eat hot dogs, sausage, burgers, fries and peanuts. We had to eat it there, so we arrived before the game. Sandee & Anthony snagged a great table for us. We overlooked the home bull pen and warm up area.

Maldonado warming up the pitcher

Birdseye View from Left Field

The Chiefs warming up

Shortly after we sat to eat, Carlos Maldonado came out to warm up. We called out to him, he saw us, and his smile lit up the stadium. We stayed there until after starting line ups were announced, cheering for Carlos when his name was called. Again, he acknowledged us.

The game didn't start out well. The Redwings scored 6 runs before there was ever an out. The Chiefs responded with two homers in the bottom of the first. They scored another run in the bottom of the second on a Brett Carroll double. Two more runs scored in the bottom of the third before Carlos Maldonado came to bat. (Chris Marrero & Zach Walters with the RBIs). Carlos hit a "seeing eye" base hit, which scored the tying run.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh when the Chiefs scored the go-ahead run and an insurance run. Jesus Valdez and Chris Marrero had the RBIs on those.

In between: Jason Michaels still not around, so the 1B coach was either James Skelton or Manny Mayorson. We finally got James to wave to us, but he seemed baffled, like, "Why are those people calling my name?" Kevin said, "He's probably thinking they must be friends of my mom."

A bunch of kids walked by and wedged a foul ball between the bottom of the rail and the concrete.

Candid Camera?

It stayed there for quite a while. When one kid tried to take it, his mom told him to leave it alone. A little while later another kid unwedged it, the mom started to correct the child, but TV Stevie told her he could have the ball. She thanked us. There are still people with manners in the world.

Play of the game was in the 6th inning. Brett Carroll fielded a ball in right and threw to Carlos, who made a spectacular play at the plate. We're not the only ones who thought it was the play of the game. 

Corey Brown was hit in the knee by a pitch in the 8th inning. It took several minutes for him to walk off the pain enough to take his base. Not good He'll probably be called up to Washington on Tuesday.

Trainer walking Corey Brown to 1B

Rochester hit a HR in the top of the 8th, but that's all folks. The Chiefs win, 8-7.

Carlos turned and waved goodbye to us twice after the team's Walk of Winning. 

A woman sitting behind us noticed and asked how we know Carlos. She thought is was very cool that he has a fan club.

Then the sadness came. The Chiefs home season is over -- one more game tomorrow in Rochester, then that's it. 

Spent a lot of time with Maven after the game, talking about how sad it is. He observed that the next three weeks will be perfect baseball weather, unlike all those early April games we endured. He stays busy in the fall with SU football (which will be shown on the big screen at ABS on select dates), but after the holidays -- it's rough. January and February go on forever. He likes hockey, but it's no substitute for baseball.

Anthony said something about maybe getting Section 207 Row 1 together in the off-season. That's not a bad plan. Not a bad plan at all. 

You what would be really cool? Watching the Nats in the playoffs/World Series on the Big Screen at ABS, weather permitting. Extend our season just a little more.

L'il bits

The Chiefs are on their longest road trip of the year. Tonight's game has been rained out.

Here are a couple of bits of news:

John Lannan named IL pitcher of the week.

Corey Brown and Carlos Rivero have been named to the 2012 International League Post Season All-Star Team.

Davey Johnson says one of the first positions they'll be calling up when expanding the roster is catcher. My money is on Sandy Leon, altho' I think Carlos Maldonado deserves the opportunity.

A former co-worker went to a Reds/Nats game this weekend and said that the Reds scoreboard tells the players' walk-up music and their Twitter account.

One-Four-Six-Three

What a difference a day can make! Tonight's 11-4 win over the Norfolk Tides was a great game to watch.

Arrived at stadium during bottom of 1st, when Pinch Hitter Jim Negrych was announced. Pinch hitting for Corey Brown, who must have been called up to the Nats at the last minute.

We voted for Yunesky Maya as Player of the Game. Some people might think Jesus Valdez deserves that title for his 3 RBIs, but Yuneski pitched 6 innings, and the Tides scored only 2 runs in those 6, each one a single shot home run. Pitchers never seem to get their due, at least not at ABS in the Player of the Game voting.

Carlos Maldonado walked twice. The first time, Josh Johnson hit him home.

Carlos at third, waiting to come home

 Carlos coming home

Greeting Manny Mayorson as he follows him home.

Then Carlos hit a home run in the 6th. Single shot, but beautiful none the less.
Brett Carroll hit a home run right before Carlos did, for 3 RBIs.
A better shot of "Captain America".

The Chiefs ended with 11 hits and 11 runs. Looked kind of funky on the scoreboard.

Play of the game was 1-4-6-3 triple play in the 9th inning. Tides batter hit to pitcher Eric Arneson who threw to 2B Seth Bynum, who threw to SS Josh Johnson, who threw to 1B Carlos Rivero. Very cool moment.

Couple of awkward moments: in the 7th inning, there were several defensive moves on the part of the Chiefs, which weren't announced until a third of the way through the inning -- after we'd already figured it out. Seth Bynum replaced Jim Negrych. Seth batted. Then it was time for Mark Teahen to bat, but his graphic never came up on the scoreboard. It remained on Seth. Perhaps this was in honor of Seth's old game worn jersey being auctioned.

Annoyance of the game:
Several times, people came to sit in Maven's seats. Danny-the-Usher asked them to leave each time. The last time, the guy started arguing with Danny. Danny asked to see the ticket, and the man clearly didn't have a ticket for that seat . . . and argued about it. What's to argue about? It's not the seat you bought!

I did see Maven on my way out of the stadium. He's sitting out of the sun for the time being. We miss him. Intensely. I miss discussing the game and players with him.  Next time I see him behind the net, I may go over and sit with him for an inning or two.

An Evening to Remember

The Chiefs were back in town tonight. I miss going to games when there's a long stretch off. TV Stevie and I were in Cooperstown during the final two games of the last home stand, so it's been over a week for me. We did go to Auburn last night to see the Doubledays, but that's a story for the off season.

The Chiefs haven't been doing so well lately, so tonight's win was exciting.

I saw Corey Brown actually signing autographs for a fan before the game.

Heard a rumor that Lannan was called up to pitch in a double-header for the Nats.

Liars and thieves, stealing someone else's paid-for seats

Two guys came in and plopped down in Maven's seats. I asked how they knew him and they said, "Sure, yeah, where is he?" They were full of crap. A while later, an usher asked where Maven was and I said I wished he'd hurry back so other people wouldn't sit in seats they didn't pay for. That went right over the usher's head. Figures.

Billy Baldwin was there, as was Carol Baldwin (Mother of All Baldwins) for Breast Cancer Awareness Night. Carol threw out the first pitch.

Carol M. Baldwin and Billy Baldwin with L-Train

Then Billy threw out another ceremonial first pitch from the mound.

It took 3 attempts, but he threw a strike

The team wore their breast cancer shirts from last season, a very nice black with pink.

The players also wore pink wrist bands.

We didn't see any pink bats in use, nor did anyone wear pink cleats (as Gregor Blanco did last year).

Sandee and I were talking, when all of a sudden there was a huge commotion. We saw two players tussling on home plate. On the ground. Both benches cleared. I scrambled for my camera.

It was ugly. It took a couple of minutes to sort out. Chiefs catcher Koyie Hill and the Tides catcher were the original combatants. Once Hill was pulled off the other catcher, Carlos Maldonado was very protective of him.

Hill and the other catcher were ejected. Carlos came in to pinch hit for Hill, then remained in the game as catcher, so we got to wave our fan club signs.

Of course, while all of this was happening, Suspect brought Billy Baldwin over so I could take their picture together, which is why I don't have good shots of the melee.

Billy Baldwin and Suspect

We heard many stories of why there was a brawl, but the one that made the most sense (and came from the most reliable source) was that there is history between the two catchers. There was some trash talk, a little more trash talk -- then fists. Sandee and I are both pretty sure we saw a headlock.

It was certainly an evening to remember.

July 5, 2012: THE GAME

 Yes, there really was a game buried in all the 14-inning/22 players hype. I believe I mentioned we lost. Not for lack of trying, though.

Item of Note: Carlos Maldonado got on base every single time he was at bat.

• 3rd inning single (eventually ended up scoring the Chiefs first run)
• 4th inning walk
• 5th inning home run to tie the game
• 7th inning walk
• 10th inning walk -- offensive substitution took place at this time, with Yuneski Maya coming in to pinch run for Carlos. Sandee and I were both offended by this move.

Carlos, it's great to have you back in Syracuse. Your fan club is ready to cheer. We didn't have our signs last night, but I had my Carlos Maldonado Fan Club T-Shirt, which I held up when that 5th inning ball went sailing over the right field fence.

K-Daddy in his "I Don't Know" On 3rd shirt.

Last night was also game of firsts for the season:

• Suspect attended his first game. He looks well, as do his sons.
• Jim Durkin also attended for the first time this season. TV Stevie says he seems to be doing well -- at least well enough to organize a bus strip to Buffalo in August. That would be cool.

Scariest moment of the game: Brett Carroll hurt himself in the 9th. He was hustling to first and went backside over teakettle. It wasn't pretty. He look as if he were in pain for several tense moments. He did eventually walk off the field on his own, but he was done for the night.

Brett Carroll being helped off the field

The new scoreboard shifts innings to the left when there are extra innings. Very cool. There are a lot of great features to the new board that are gradually being introduced. I love it when I look up and see "Wild Pitch" or "Error". Unfortunately, that info appears to have replaced pitch speed. I could be wrong.

Innings 4-12 on the big screen

 Corey Brown was ejected from the game in the 12th.

The most amusing play of the evening: Tanner Roark was called in to play left field in the 13th inning. (He's a starting pitcher). He caught a fly ball for the final out of the inning. He was laughing, his teammates gathered at the stairs of the dugout to congratulate him.

It was nearly midnight when we left the stadium. There were maybe 150-200 fans left by the time the game was over. 94-year-old Don Waful was one.

Still Winning

The Chiefs are still winning.

Henry Rodgriguez has been sent to Harrisburg.

Tyler Moore hit the longest HR hit by a Nat this season: 462 feet.

Corey Brown and Zach Duke are All-Star game bound.

I heard Jason Michaels was retiring and going into coaching. Kevin Brown mentioned this in a post-game interview the other night. He's now listed as a coach on the Chiefs' website . . . but is on the 7-day DL on the League Transactions page.

Chris Marrero has been optioned to the Chiefs, as has Carlos Maldonado.

Austin Bibens-Dirkx to the Senators (again).

And the Chiefs are still winning.

We Should Have Had Our Brooms

Another muggy night at ABS; I longed for these nights back in April when I was in so many layers of clothes I couldn't move.

Koyie Hill was last night's player of the game -- and that's where Sandee & I cast our votes!

Steve Lombardozzi's Throwback Thursday Jersey was raffled off tonight.

Lars Anderson got everyone in the stadium a taco. Thanks, Lars

Item of note: The Pawsox catcher was throwing T-shirts into the stands during the Dunkin' Donut T-Shirt Toss. How cool was that?

Brett Carroll's at-bat music is almost as bad as Corey Brown's.

The Racing Presidents were on video -- doing the macarena. Too funny.

During the 8th inning, someone behind us kept calling for Durkin, who retired. No more $1 ice cream sandwiches in the stands on hot nights.

The Chiefs won, 3-1, sweeping the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Random thought: life is too short and so is baseball season. Enjoy the moment.

The Magic Of Baseball

Tonight started out really rotten. We were late for the game -- outside stuff we had to do. Then something happened when we arrived that really upset us.

So I didn't pay a lot of attention to the action on the field. Except the music. Home team players get to chose their own music when then come to bat. Carlos Rivero and Jarrett Hoffpauir have awesome music. Corey Brown's music makes me want to arrest someone. Or shoot someone. Preferably the so-called artist who recorded it.

The score was 5-3 Pawsox at the middle of the 9th. Sandee and I decided we'd had enough of that score,we started our vocal support of our team. That's all it took. Ninth inning rally tied the score. In one of the extra innings, the Chiefs had the bases loaded, but were unable to score the winning run, even though they were a mere 2 balls away from winning.

The ninth and tenth innings were terrific baseball. Corey Brown, the most dangerous bat in the International League, was instructed to bunt in the 10th inning. There was also a failed squeeze-play that should have resulted in the runner at third being out, but didn't.

Unfortunately, we had to leave in the bottom of the 11th. (The child who was born 5 weeks premature still has timing issues and needed to be picked up at the Regional Transportation Center, just around the corner from ABS.) We did get to hear Hoffpauir hit in the winning run. And we actually got to see the players converge on the field to celebrate the win -- on the big screen while we sat at a stop sign up the hill from the stadium.

Fun to watch, fun to cheer. That's why I go to the park.

Curse of the Catcher's Gear

The calendar may say it's still spring, but it felt like summer today, and I'm loving it.

It was warm and breezy at the ball park tonight. I arrived early -- alone -- and bought a chicken sandwich and a Molson's Canadian. Yesterday's Player of the Game: Mark Teahen. The Jersey being raffled -- Brian Bixler's Throwback Thursday from last season.

Pappi (Poppy) was sitting in the row behind Sandee, spitting sunflower seeds into the aisle. Blech! Last night he  was parked next to us and gave us the peace sign as he was leaving.

There's a guy who sits in Section 105. Tonight I noticed his hat for the first time. This probably means nothing to most of you, but this hat is a WTVH "Fish" Hat. Too funny.

Gio Gonzalez, one of the Washington  Nationals top pitchers, was tweeting for a date for some gala. A second tweet requested that they be 21 or older.

The grounds crew plays basketball in the old bull pen during the games.

James Skelton was injured in a play at the plate in the 4th inning and taken out of the game. Kyle Hudson: SHAME ON YOU!  Maven told me Skelton may have a concussion. A former co-worker, who happens to be a true Nats fan, told me he believes the Nats Catchers gear is cursed this season. I believe it.

A foul ball slammed into a seat only a couple of down from Sandee then bounced onto the field.

A Dunkin' Donuts t-shirt toss t-shirt landed at my feet, but before I could get it, XGMan's guest picked it up and handed it off to some kid walking by.

In the 6th inning, Yuneski Maya hurt himself in a play at 1st first. We were leading 1-0 at the time. Speculation is that it's a groin injury. He left the game. Jeff Mandel came in and proceeded to give up 4 singles before getting an out,. Then he gave up a double. And the damage was done. The Chiefs lost 4-1. Not pretty.

For the second day in a row, Carlos Rivero would snag a grounder then stand there and look around. Carlos? You're supposed to throw it!

Scoreboard fun with Tug Hulett. Thanks for pointing it out, Pete.

Tug!

Seth Bynum was first base coach in the later innings. He waved to us.

Around the 7th inning, we noticed Corey Brown had a fan. She was sitting in the handicapped area behind Section 205. She agreed to have her photo taken.

Corey!

I won the Brian Bixler Throwback Thursday jersey!!!

Molly in her new jersey

While I was at Stadium Guest Services collecting my jersey, some little kid climbed up on the roof of the dug out to dance with Pops. When the good people in Section 207 pointed this out to Uber Usher -- it's against International League regulations -- Uber Usher  . . . did nothing. The head of security told us it's about a 12-foot drop from the roof of the dugout to the concrete floor, with railings and other obstacles. What kind of moron parents let a toddler do that? And don't get me started on Uber Usher -- the same guy who had smoke blown at his head on Saturday and didn't notice it.

Anthony took our Player of the Game ballots (James Skelton) up to the ballot box and ran into Paul, who said no more raffle tickets for the first row of 207. We've won three this year and it's early June. But how many didn't we win last year? I really wanted one of the pink ones. 

Since arriving home, I've read that Roger Bernadina pulled a hamstring, so Corey Brown will likely be called back to the mothership.

Wow. More than enough to make up for last night.

Along Came James

We arrived at the stadium early enough to see the Chiefs PSAs (which TV Stevie watched being taped the other day) about ball park safety -- foul balls, broken bats and stay off the field. Every one of the on-camera Chiefs had a bit of a southern accent.

The Chiefs played the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs tonight. Former Chiefs Pete Orr and Tug Hulett are both Iron Pigs this year, and we got to see them in action.

Last night's player of the game: Corey Brown. DUH! Can you say GRAND SLAM?

The scoreboard used an orange background again tonight. Looks like a Creamsicle.

Before the game started, I saw a co-worker.

Co-worker Rob Heyman at his first Chiefs game.

It was a foggy night. As the head of security said, the air was heavy, so hits that should have been home runs didn't make it over the fence.

Overcast. The air was very heavy.

There were wisps of fog/mist drifting in front of the upper levels.

Foggy!

There was a great play in the third inning, which I missed because I had to go in search of security. Some jamoke at the end of our row was smoking! We smelled the smoke first. Anthony asked me if I smelled it, and as I turned to say yes, I saw the guy blowing a stream of smoke at the usher's head. The usher . . . did nothing. So I got up and found security. The usher claimed he didn't know it. How could he not have known it?

Anyway, while I was looking for security (who took my complaint very seriously), Skelton got on base, Zach Duke sacrificed to move Skelton to second, then Corey Brown hit a double to get Skelton home.

Unfortunately, the Iron Pigs scored two runs in the next couple of innings. Then Corey Brown hit a home run in the 6th, which tied the game.

Amusing overheard comment: Overbeck over-rated (Overbeck being the Iron Pigs first baseman.

Quote of the game - Maven: "Blue! They should have stopped you at the gate and let your dog in instead!"

Question of the game: with the advent of the new scoreboard is also the advent of what is being called "Instant replay." The TV in me and TV Stevie protest this. What are being shown and labelled as "Instant Replay" are actually game highlights. Instant replay means that which just happened. Sometimes the footage being shown is several innings old. Highlights.

The ninth inning was very intense. We were talking to the head of security (who had a lot of fascinating things to share) but things were also happening on the field. 

Rivero (2nd batter of inning) singled.

Negrych popped out to center field. 

Seth Bynum walked

Then along came James. Skelton, that is. He hit a single, which brought Rivero home to win the game. 

I love watching the team when there's a walk-off win. Unfortunately, I didn't get to my camera until after the crashing into each other. 

Team walking off field after walk-off single by James Skelton

The Chiefs win 3-2.

I will share what the head of security told us in another blog. It was a fascinating -- at least to me -- look at the inner workings of a minor league ball club.

Gull-able

Briefly. John Lannan pitched all 9 innings and gave up only 4 hits.

Corey Brown has hit 7HR in 8 of his last games with the Chiefs -- and 6 HR in each of his last 6 games at Alliance Bank Stadium.

Tyler Moore hit a homer tonight, too.

Eric Komatsu -- in his first game at ABS this season -- hit a grand slam.

Cory Van Allen and Rafael Martin are both in Harrisburg and Martin is on the restricted list.

Chris Marrero is rehabbing in Hagerstown.

Jeff Mandel is back in Syracuse.

Odd moment of the game (and I couldn't get to my camera on time):

A sea gull kept swooping around our area, then landed on the back of a seat about 4 rows from us. He looked around carefully, then hopped off the back of the seat to the ground. A minute or two later he zoomed up from the seats with a hotdog in his mouth. He took the hotdog to center field, where he proceeded to eat it.

Louisville Bats' 2nd Baseman watching gull eat hot dog.

Memorial Day and Beyond

The Chiefs are on their last road trip for a while (try all of June). There have been changes. Tyler Moore is back with the team, and according to what I read on-line this morning, so is Corey Brown. There are new folks, too; names I don't recognize but that I'm sure I'll get to know as June progresses.

In the meantime, there was a Memorial Day game that I never recapped, so here it is.

The team wore their "Patriotic" Jerseys -- a brilliant move on the part of Chiefs' management last season. TV Stevie thinks these jerseys look like Houston Astros jerseys, and he's probably right. But they are generic enough to be worn Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Arm Forces Days.

The first thing I did, once I made my way past Scooch and Pops at the top of the stairs, was check the board for the previous evening's Player of the Game. Corey Brown (still). A neat trick since he hadn't played in that game.

We arrived late (middle of 1st) so I didn't bother scoring the game.
There was another line-up shake-up, but at least Mark Teahen was back at first and Carlos Rivero was back at third where they both belong.

One broken bat in the night -- Clippers Catcher Pagnozzi.

The Presidents were still in town; TV Stevie took lots more pics. I finally figured out how to tell Tom from George (besides the names on their jerseys): Thomas Jefferson has reddish hair and brown eyes, while George Washington has blue eyes and gray hair (although they both wear "powdered wigs". TV Stevie also pointed out to me that they were the Mount Rushmore presidents. Sometimes I'm really slow. Really, really slow. I was feeling quite clever when I'd decided Teddy was included with Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln because he invented baseball's seventh inning stretch. Like I said: slow.

Other than the Presidents, the most amusing moment of the game was at the end of third, when Teahen struck out for the third out and the stadium announcer started to announce the next batter.

Sandee and I spent some time being amused by some of the outfits women wear to the games. Monday night was definitely horizontal stripe night. And trust me, some of those people should not have worn horizontal stripes.

The most obnoxious people at the game were a couple of rows behind us and loud-talkers. Especially the woman. That was bad enough, but they were Mets fans and kept insisting that if you're a Syracuse native, you're a Met fan. Clearly they were on crack or something. Everybody knows Syracuse natives are Yankee fans (unless they became baseball fans during the era in which the Chiefs were the Triple A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, in which case they are to be excused for being Jays fans).

The Clippers have two players with awesome names (I adore awesome names): Gregorio Petit and Ezequiel Carrera.

Sandee & I decided to start calling Carlos Rivero simply Rivero, to differentiate between him and Carlos Maldonado, who is our "real" Carlos.

The famous Eric Cohen stopped by -- first time this season when TV Stevie has been around. He said something about, "I haven't forgotten the peons," at which point I reminded him that I am not a peon, I am a has-been, and there is a difference. Eric shared the broadcast booth speculation that the reason Corey Brown hadn't been in the line-up for two nights was that he was about to be called up (which turned out to be true.)

Observation: Seth Bynum looks mean in his screen photo.

Best part of the evening: middle of the 7th inning. The crowd sang God Bless America before Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Down front, right behind the dugout, this little teeny, tiny moppet with a head of corkscrew curls sang along -- and she knew all the lyrics.

In the middle of the 9th, the scoreboard now plays Bobby McFerrin's Don't Worry Be Happy. Or maybe that's only when the team is losing.

Either way, I like it. Happiness happens.