Catcher-chism Revisited.

I know, I know. I've been missing in action. I never finished blogging about the 23rd, never blogged about the 24th. Team has been on the road since then, and I've been frantically trying to catch up with the rest of my life.

Reading Facebook, then reading the IL Transaction page spurred this blog.

The Nationals signed Kurt Suzuki, who is supposed to be some hotshot catcher.

This news took Jesus Flores by surprise. Davey Johnson essentially told Flores that performance equals playing time.

In the meantime, to make room for Suzuki, the Nats optioned Sandy Leon to Triple A . . . which means the Chiefs.

According to the International League Transaction Page, Catcher Jeremy Mayo has also been assigned to the Chiefs (from Hagarstown), Jeff Howell is off the 7-day DL, and Koyie Hill has been released.

Where does all of these leave Carlos Maldonado, asks moi, co-president of his fan club? Well, according to the article about Suzuki, Carlos has been designated for assignment. He's no longer on the Chiefs' roster. Which really stinks.

On a lighter note: the Washington Nationals bullpen read 50 Shades of Grey. Aloud. For giggles.
Check it out here.

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.

No Luck on Everything Irish Night

Thursday was Everything Irish Night at Alliance Bank Stadium. Big crowd.

We arrived during the final innings of the finish of the suspended game from April 10. I took my seat just in time to see Carlos Maldonado at bat. He walked. Some jerk in Section 205 started calling Carlos "Fat Boy." A lot. I was outraged.

Room to talk? I think not.

 Carlos finally shut him up when he hit a double in the bottom of the ninth. Unfortunately, the rest of the team couldn't help him out. The Chiefs lost that game.

The Everything Irish Scoreboard was very cool. The numbers were easy to read on the kelly green background. It's helped a lot since they've started outlining the numbers in black.

Other items of note:

• Last season, Uber Usher told me the ushers are not allowed to touch foul balls. I guess the rules are different this year. He picked up one and handed it to a child further up in Section 207.
• Maven is still sitting out of the sun. We miss him.
• The scoreboard no longer has the Taco Bell logo on the K-Man's picture when he comes to bat. I thought that was very cool when I saw it back when the scoreboard debuted. Perhaps it's a licensing thing. 
• I hate that one of the scoreboard sponsors has usurped the song Centerfield for their game.
• Irish music replaced at-bat music for an innng or two. In some cases, it was an improvement.
• Manny Mayorson made some awesome catches. We voted for him as Player of the Game.
• Four Chiefs were in the Triple A All-Star Game. There was a neat graphic bragging about that.

• The team wasn't wearing their Throwback Thursday Jerseys, which I happen to like very much.
• Some out-of-town visitors came late to the second game and sat behind us, not realizing they were in reserved seating. The peanut shells were annoying, but the people turned out to be okay. They were in town for a high school baseball tournament. We chatted quite a bit. 
• Suspect brought his daughter to the game. I took a photo of them. 

Suspect's daughter has grown a lot since last year.

• Koyie Hill's at-bat "music" sounds like a pinball arcade on steroids. Sheesh!
• We held up our Carlos Maldonado signs every time Carlos came out to warm up the pitcher during the second game. He acknowledged us. Even TV Stevie noticed it. 
• Someone behind us with a Hispanic Accent started shouted out things just like Suspect. The two of them finally got together. It was hysterically funny (if a tad annoying).

Suspect and Spanish Suspect. 

TV Stevie and I left the game at the bottom of the 10th inning. There was no score. We listened to the end on the radio. Chiefs lost in the 14th inning on a controversial play.

If it was Everything Irish Night, where was the Luck?

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.

Two In a Row!

Chris Marrero played first base tonight. It's been a long time since we've seen him there. Looking good as he rehabs in Syracuse. We called out to him after he made a particularly good play and he grinned in our direction.

Koyie Hill made his debut behind the plate at ABS tonight. I heard through the grapevine that he wanted to sign with the Nationals organization because he had a decent chance of making it up to the majors. LOL! Say your catcherchism, Koyie.

The Chiefs led from the first inning -- Marrero hit an RBI single -- and never looked back. Final score: 4-3. The Pawsox are the best team in the IL -- not just the ILE, but the entire IL. Two down, two more games to go this home stand.

Ran into Alex Hassan's local connection on our way out of the stadium.

I'm about to step on my soap box for a moment:
Last night, Maven said he would not be at tonight's game. On Sunday, he told me he'd given tickets to a friend of his. We all watch out for each other in our Section 207 Heaven. So tonight, when TV Stevie and I arrived to find someone sitting in Maven's seats, we were suspicious. Our suspicions turned into irritation when they started rooting for the Pawsox. Fotunuately, they were savvy enough to realize they weren't welcome, and left in the middle of the first. When Maven showed up in the seventh inning, we asked him: they were interlopers.

If your ticket reads Section 300 General Admission, what gives you the right to sit in any section 200 seat? I pay good money for those seats. They are mine, not yours.

Finally, saw something cute. TV Stevie says he's seen it before, but I haven't. And I couldn't get a good picture, but the one I have conveys the message.

I love K-Daddy's jersey.