Pawsox Come to Town

The games this week start at 6pm, which make it a bit difficult to get to the stadium in a timely manner. I listened to the first inning and a half on the radio at home, which was a true challenge trying to get the starting line ups.

We arrived at the stadium during the top of the third inning, and went off in search of dinner. I decided to try the grilled chicken sandwich (which TV Stevie said was the best thing he'd eaten at the food preview). It was fabulous. If it didn't come with fries, it would be perfect! TV Stevie and I shared the fries that came with my sandwich. He ate another of those quarter pound hot dogs, well done. We're going to start calling it a Steve-dog.

The entire 207 gang was in attendance tonight. That always makes for a fun time. Trivia, laughter, baseball. Does it get much better than this? TV Stevie came up with a great trivia question: Which players who were #39 have had their number retired? The Throwback Thursday Game Worn Jersey Raffle tonight was for number 39, which is what prompted the trivia question. I actually got it (after many hints): Roy Campanella, The Dodgers.

Yesterday's player of the game was not Mitch Atkins, but rather, Mark Teahen.

Chris McConnell has been sent down to Harrisburg; Xavier Paul has been put on the restricted list.
Josh Johnson played his first ever Triple A game tonight (SS). Sandee and I realized after the fact we should have voted for him as player of the game because he really hustled.

Work has begun on the new scoreboard. You can see something new right above the fence. Paul from the Chiefs seemed happy that I noticed. They've hired someone to run the board and he's going to school to learn how to do it. Paul also mentioned installation of the controls for the board has started, and it's a sight to behold.  It's going to be a Whiz-Bang of an experience. ETA: May 7.

Work has begun on installation of the new scoreboard.

The Bryce Harper Report
2nd inning: 1-3
4th inning: single
7th inning: double
The kid is 19. He's never played CF before. He dropped 2 balls in the 8th that should have been outs. He's 19. He's never played CF. Patience.

The Corey Brown Report
1st inning: 1-3
3rd inning: 7
5th inning: 3-1
7th inning: single
9th inning: K

Most exciting inning: The 7th.
It began with the score 4-0 Pawtucket. The Sox starting pitcher was tiring. Single by single, error by error, the Chiefs managed to fill the bases and score three runs. Then Garret Mock, former Chief, came in to pitch. Rally killer! The next three batters struck out. As Maven said, we couldn't even force a tie with a double play.

Tonight's jersey give-away was -- you guessed it -- Garret Mock's Throwback Thursday from last year. Sandee really wanted it, because it was Chad Mottola's number, Chad being her all-time favorite Chief. Guess who won it?

Molly modeling Garret Mock's game-worn jersey from last season.

Carlos Maldonado waved to us in the ninth.

Crazy Fan Man tried to strike up a conversation with Anthony when Anthony went to place our votes for Mark Teahen as player of the game. Scary!

As TV Stevie and I were leaving the stadium -- actually, he was taking photos of me in my new game-worn jersey -- we ran into one of his clients: Cate from Cate & Sally in Skaneateles, along with Cate's husband. Their daughter met Pawtucket CF Alex Hassan when they were attending Duke. They started dating. Alex played A ball, then Double A Ball (Cate and her husband went to Binghamton to see him play when Boston's double A team played there), and now he's in Triple A, playing center field for the PawSox.

Cate Davis and husband, waiting to take PawSox CF Alex Hussan for Dinosaur

Tonight there is going to be a post-game family dinner at the Dinosaur. (Proud dad wanted me to mention that his daughter played lacrosse for Skaneateles.) They never followed baseball much, but are learning the subtleties and nuances of the game and are finding it enjoyable. Wait until they figure out that they will never see all the nuances baseball has to offer because it is an ever-changing pageant.

Final Game of the Season

September 5, 2011
The Syracuse Chiefs ended the season the same way they began it: in the rain. But because Lehigh Valley needed to play this game in their run for the Wildcard spot, the game went on in spite of the weather. According to radio reports, this game was pretty much mandated.

And I suppose the weather reflected my mood: dismal. The end of the season is always sad for this fan.

The weather also made play dangerous. And the pitchers had a difficult time controlling a wet ball.

The scoreboard when I arrived

When TV Stevie and I first arrived we sat with friends in the back of Section 207, but by the start of the 2nd inning, I needed to be in my front row seat. It was just rain. I'm not made out of sugar, I won't melt. And it wouldn't be the first time I sat watching a Chiefs game in the rain. Especially this season.

Steve Lombardozzi was the first base coach for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th innings. We know he heard us. The stadium was nearly empty. Sandee said his grandmother (with whom he lives, in Auburn) would be ashamed of the way he dissed a couple of old ladies like us. It's not cool.

Matt Antonelli was the first base coach in the 4th inning, and he acknowledged us. YAY Matt!

It was very difficult to take notes in the rain while holding an umbrella, but I have a few:

• In the middle of the3rd inning, Carlos Maldonado came out of the dugout with a pink bat and gave it to a kid sitting near the dugout. Carlos is just a great guy when it comes to his fans. That is why Sandee and I are the co-presidents of the Carolos Maldonado Fan Club.
• We saw Carlos come out a couple of times to warm up the pitcher, but he never responded to us. He was focused on the kid behind the net near the dugout.
• Talked to Tall Mike, the assistant GM: 214 days until opening days. That's 30 weeks. In our opinion, that's too long! But we got the schedules last night (with an unknown Nationals player on them) and saw how "heavy" the schedule was in April and wondered who did that? Hello?? This is Syracuse, New York, the snowiest major metropolitan area in the continental United States. Why are there so many April games in Syracuse? We should be in Charlotte, Gwinett, Louisville.
• We noticed the team wore their weekend red jerseys today. Maybe the others were already packed away. 
• The Famous Eric Cohen stopped by to say hi.
• Sandee and I each got t-shirts in the t-shirt toss. So did TV Stevie.
• So many controversial calls by the umps starting in the 5th inning. It was very clear that the league had said this game had to be played, regardless of weather, and that the umps were favoring the (iron)Pigs. Tug was "accused" (interference error) of tripping a player running home (the grass was wet!) The catcalls from the stands were quite creative. "Tell him to tie his shoes next time!" and "You try to run on wet grass, Ump!" Sandee, Anthony, & I joined in. So even though Jhonatan Solana made the out at home, the runner was called safe. 
• Bottom of 5th: it sure as sugar looked like an in-park home run to us, but Garret Mock's hit was ruled a ground rule double. 
• Garret Mock had to ask for towels several times to wipe down the ball and his glove. 
• Top of 6th: the Lehigh Valley runner slid at first base and was clearly out, but was called safe because he slipped. As someone behind me said, "Can't call it, 'cause they gotta win it."
• During the top of the sixth inning, Randy Knorr and Ryne Sandberg came out and conferred with umps. The rain was steady. Five innings (the minimum required to be an 'official' game) had been played. The players were called in. The announcer made it sound as if the game had been called. Thanked us for our attendance.
• Sandee and I shrieked Carlos's name. He raised his helmet in acknowledgement. 
• XG-man came down to say good-bye. He'd been sitting out of the rain. He said, "I wondered who was crazy enough to be sitting down here. It figures." He wished us a Merry Christmas, and said he'd see us next season. 
• Maven came down to say good-bye. He'd been sitting out of the rain. He hugged us all. 
• Sandee thinks we should have a Section 207 reunion mid off-season.
• Jim Durkin has been having back problems. Hope you're feeling better soon, Jim!
• I found TV Stevie, who was sitting with friends, Kevin & Debby. Kevin asked: "Did they call the game?" The announcer never said. But Kevin pointed out to me that they'd picked up the bases and gone home. The scoreboard read: RAIN DELAY.

The base path is a river. No tarp.

Kevin also told me he'd miss the blog. (Thanks, Kevin!) I explained that Sandee and I have plans to keep the blog going in the off-season. Maybe we won't blog as often, but we have material we've been saving, and plenty of ideas. 

Two hundred and thirteen days, but who's counting?