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.

Carlos Maldonado is Coming Back!

According to several sources on Twitter, Carlos Maldonado has been reassigned to Triple A. That would be . . . Syracuse!

Of course. Just when the longest home stand of the season just ended.

Oh. I went to the game last night, but left around the 6th inning. It was an exciting game; the Chiefs bats were still hot. Eight in a row and still going strong.

This makes 7 straight wins!

They did it again!  Gotta love those Chiefs :)

Let me start with a correction:  last blog I wrote that the Cheif's were over 500 for the first time this season - fact is, they are over 500 for the first time since April 14th. 

Upon our arrival, there was almost no one in our section, yet there were three guys sitting in the row right behind us.  Going in, we knew we would have to wipe the rain off our seats, so of course I came armed with the necessary tools for the job.  Not only was my chair wet from the rain, it was covered with peanut shells from the guy sitting right behind my seat.  He suggested that I didn't have to sit there (and he would be WHO to tell me where I might or might not sit??).  I informed him that it was MY seat and there would be other people coming for the other seats.  Then he said he felt bad about the shells and I replied with, well you should!  Then, because I'm nice, I kinda chuckled AS I WIPED THE SHELLS FROM MY SEAT!  Maybe he and his buddies should have found a different seat.

Carlos Maldonado's jersery was raffled off tonight.  Anthony and I slapped some money down, thinking we could actually win it, since there were not very many people there.  But it wasn't meant to be.  I did get to touch it though ;)

Last time I wrote about Christian and Chris Marrero - could they be brothers?  My source tells me that, indeed they are!  And to make the story even better, they have a sister named Christine.  So that would be Christoper, Christian and Christine Marrero!!  Hey Chris!!!!!!!!! 

Good game again tonight - close there for awhile.  Henry Rodriguez (can we call him "H Rod") ?? came in again to close and it wasn't 1, 2, 3 like last night, but close enough. He got the job done, making it the 7th straight win for the Chiefs - their best run of the season.  

Cool fact:  On April 20, 1912 Boston's Fenway Park was opened.  It's the oldest ballpark still in operation. 

Calico Joe

Several weeks ago the Chiefs gave away three copies of John Grisham's new book, Calico Joe.

I read, and I'm curious, so I took it out of the library this weekend. I read it this afternoon.

I don't get the big hoo-ha.

Names, action and fun!

When players for the other teams get called to bat, we think the names are so unusual.  Gwinett Braves called Ruben Gotay (pronounced go-tie), Jose Yepez and Ernesto Mejia (pronounced may ee yah) - unusual names, right?  But we take for granted the names of some of our players - such as:  Xavier Paul, Jim Negrych, Austin Bibens-Dirkx, Jarrett Hoffpauir, Yunesky Maya, Koyie Hill and (my favorie name) - Atahaulpa Severino.  Nothing unusual there, right?

The game started out with Syracuse scoring 3 runs in the first inning!!  The guys looked pretty sharp in their red jerseys with white pants.  It was Little League night and the 300 level was packed!  More fans attended than the night before for fireworks!  Speaking of which, I have to say I think that was the best fireworks show I have ever seen at Alliance Bank Stadium! 

Jersey raffle was for Keven Mench.

Under a seemingly black sky with a crescent moon, there was much action and fun to be had at last night's game...

I had just finsihed joking with one of the other season ticket holders, telling his wife that when she wasn't there the night before, her husband was on the dugout dancing with Schooch.  I told her this because when she and her husband arrived last night, her husband started dancing with Schooch as he was walking by.  She was feigning embarrassment, but enjoyed it nonetheless.  So just as I was joking about dancing on the dugout, a girl climbs right up there with Schooch and starts dancing!!  This is the third time in two weeks that this has happened.  Two times it was kids, but one night it was an intoxicated male.  We have to laugh, though, because that's the fastest (and the most) we ever see the ushers move!!  Two of them rushed to the dugout to get the girl off.  Not a big deal?  Well, it would be if someone fell from the dugout.  They tell us it's a 12 foot drop to concrete.  Yikes!!!

Our first base player for last night's game was Chris Marrero, number 35.  The Braves have a player who plays left field whose name is Christian Marrero and his number is 33.  I just find things like that very interesting.

Brett Carroll (right field) made an amazing catch last night.  Landed on his belly and must have slid 2 feet - love it!!

One of the Braves players lost his bat as it flew from his hands and went into the crowd somewhere in between home plate and third base.  The security guy collected the bat from the fan and the crowd boo'ed.  Security gave the bat to our bat boy and he returned it to the batter.  One of the Braves handed the batter another bat and he discarded the returned bat for the new one.  Then we watched as the Security guy walked down to the Chiefs dugout and the bat boy handed him a bat.  Security then proceeded to walk back up to the fan and give him the bat from the Chiefs dugout.  The crowd cheered.

Some highlights:

Seth Bynum had a pretty good night last night (good to see)...he hit a ball that may have only been a double, but man, was he running!!!!  He made it safely to third :)

Mark Teahen stole second base and slid in right before being tagged.  Then he stole 3rd base!!  Then he scored on a fly ball by Koyie Hill.  His run home was followed by a slide into third base by Brett Carroll (his second belly slide of the night)!

I have to recap the bottom of the 8th inning...

The action in the 8th started with bases loaded and Seth Bynum getting walked, resulting in a run being walked in, bringing our score to 8 and bases loaded with only one out.  Then Hoffpauir hit a single resulting in another run - now 9 runs.  Erik Komatsu hit a single resulting in an out at 2nd base and leaving runners on 1st and 3rd and scoring a run - now 10 runs, 2 outs.  Corey Brown enters to pinch hit for Atahaulpa and the count is 3 balls, 2 strikes, 2 outs and two men on base.  Corey hits right in the gap in outfield and Seth Bynum scores, leaving runners on 1st and 2nd - now 11. 

Next up:  Xavier Paul up and during his 14 pitches, the runners stole to 2nd and 3rd; after a swing at one of the pitches the ball or bat somehow smacked X's knee and he was doing some limping and had to try and walk it off, he smashed the ball to right field and his bat broke into about 4 pieces!  That single resulted in a run - now 12.  Zach Duke came in to run for Xavier (knee still hurt).  Chris Marrero up  and out at first, ending the inning. Chiefs scored 6 of their 12 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning!! 

Henry Rodriguez came in to close the game and sweetly enough, it was a 1, 2, 3 top of the ninth.  Ending score 12-4, making this the sixth straight win for the Chiefs, putting them a game over 500 for the first time this season.

Mark Teahen was interviewed post game.  His highlights were:  2 doubles and 2 steals for 2 runs.  Not bad!  Go Mark T!!!!

I'm very glad to have been there to see it. 

Robert Frost said:  "As I say, I never feel more at home in America than at a ball game.  Be it in the park or in sandlot.  Beyond this I know not.  And dare not."

Friday Means Fireworks

Another lovely evening at Alliance Bank Stadium.

The score was 1-0 Chiefs when we arrived. Gwynett scored in the top of the 2nd, tying the game.

Hoffpauir's sacrifice in 3rd brought Bynum home. 2-1 Chiefs

The top of the seventh inning, Sandee mentioned the game was a little boring. That's all it took.

In the 7th, pinch-hitter Jim Negrych hit a home rum that also brought Rivero home.
Score now 4-1 Chiefs.

The Gwynett Braves scored off Jeff Mandell to the scent of fresh skunk (we wondered if it was a coincidence) in the top of the 8th.

Syracuse continued their late-inning ways in the bottom of the 8th: Carroll hit a triple with 1 RBI, then Rivero hit a single that brought Carroll home. Final score: 6-2 Chiefs.

Seth wore his socks on the outside tonight. We liked it. We wonder if he thought the change would help him increase his bat power. Players are very superstitious, you know.

Fun moment of the game: Pops and a bunch of men stood in front of us to have a photo taken. We couldn't see the field. So Sandee and I grabbed our bats and stood up so that we're in the pictures, too.

We needed a little fun.

And the lights in the sky after the game weren't the only fireworks at the stadium tonight.

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.

207 Heaven

Monday was Season Ticket Holder's Exchange Night.  Anthony and I had 10 tickets to exchange, giving us 12 seats in our section.  We invited some friends, one of whom is an avid baseball fan, but has no way to get to the games.  Needless to say, it was a GREAT game and a beautiful night!!  Chiefs took the Pawtucket Red Sox 11-7.  (as of today Chiefs have won 3 of the 4 game home stand - yay!!). 

Our good friend Garry is a Red Sox fan and came all decked out in Red Sox apparrel.  At one point I asked him who he was cheering for.  He said "both teams!"  So funny when the Red Sox picther's name was Mark and the Chiefs batter up's name was Mark.  Garry yelled "strike him out Mark!/hit a home run Mark!" 

Funny to see and hear our guests take on section 207 front row.  Garry, like so many others before him, was impressed with our cool cup holders.  He was thinking that he and his wife could use one of those.  So this is my opportunity to tell the story of how our first cup holder cost $12 at Bed Bath & Beyond.  Something I had been thinking would be nice to have so we wouldn't always have to put our drinks on the floor by our feet.  While shopping one day, Anthony spotted the cup holder, showed it to me and it promptly got deposited into our cart.  One of my best purchases ever!  So you might imagine how excited I was to find one (when I wasn't even looking) on clearance for only $7!!  Now Anthony and I have "his and hers" cupholders.  If you happen to walk by Section 207, you may see 4 cupholders lined up on the rail.  Kinda cool, huh?

A young boy sitting behind us starting chanting Taco! when the K-Man was at bat.  I grabbed my shaker bat and started chanting along with him.  Then Molly grabbed her bat and joined us.  Then, almost all of the people in the 100 level section started chanting - it was pretty cool.  It didn't result in free tacos, but it sure was fun.  We told the chant starter that he did a good job and I think we may have embarrassed him.  (sorry buddy!)

I want to add here that even though we have a great time at the games, it's still not the same without Carlos.  The real Carlos - Carlos Maldonado. 

I also find myself waiting to see Josh Wilkie loosening up, getting ready to come in to finish off the game.  Guess I'll just have to wait a while longer.  At least I have his jersey :)

Garry referred to Section 207 as "207 Heaven."  Molly and I wholehearted agree - that's about as close to home as it gets!!  Good ball, good friends, good times, good stuff!!  Everyone should be so lucky. 

So post-game on the ride home with Tom and Karen, of course the major topic was baseball and Tom remarked on how often the players spit.  I suggested it's akin to a dog lifting it's leg to urinate.  I quickly justified my remark with:  I am NOT comparing players to dogs really, I'm just sayin' - it's the natural order of things...if you play ball - you spit!!!  (as was pointed out by Molly, it could be gum, sunflower seeds or chew).  Spitting might even be somewhat territorial.  And it's a man thing, right?  Moral of that story:  Real men spit ;)

"Baseball is a game where a curve is an optical illusion, a screwball can be a pitch or a person, stealing is legal and you can spit anywhere you like except in the umpire's eye or on the ball" ~ Jim Murray

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.

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.

Chiefs Win!

What a night! Cool, breezy, and a win for the home team.

Heard a lot of rumors tonight, but nothing I can share yet.

We saw the new catcher, Jeremy Mayo, coaching first base. Sandee observed that if Mayo caught Maya, the announcers might have a difficult time.

Sandee's friend Gary was there tonight. The last time he was at a game was Thursday, when the Chiefs beat SWB 10 zip. Tonight's win was better, because there was actual competition. The final score was 11-7 Syracuse. Gary also made the astute observation that Sandee and I (and Anthony & TV Stevie, Maven, etc.) sit in 207 heaven.

Crazy Fan Man is stalking Anthony. He shook his hand tonight. Anthony fled to the rest room to wash his hands.

Level three behind us was filled with smoke from one of the food vendors. It smelled great, but at time the field got smoky, too.

The best inning: the bottom of the 7th, when Syracuse scored 5 runs.

Again, parents let little children dance with Pops on the roof of the visitors dug out. Frank from Security was right there to stop it.

Whoever was operating the scoreboard tonight was paying too much attention to being cute and not enough to what was going on. The counts were frequently behind. Runs weren't scored until several batters later. Granted, the cute was cute, but the scoreboard should deal with scores first, then cute.

Here is some of the cute:

Yeah, we didn't get it either.
TV Stevie had to look it up on his iPhone

The bald shot would have been funnier

The absolute best! This was really funny!

I don't get comparing one athlete to another.

Roster Update

Bibens-Dirkx is back; Skelton on the 7-day DL

Another Chiefs Loss/Yankees Win

Almost like a mirror of the major league teams, the SWB Yankees beat the Chiefs on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Only the Chiefs hot bats and Mitch Atkins pitching on Thursday night kept this from being a sweep.

The game started at two. It's a hot & sunny day in Syracuse, but there's a fabulous breeze that kept sitting in the stands tolerable.

The jersey raffle featured Roger Bernadina's jersey.

Yes, Austin Bibens-Dirkx is gone, but James Skelton is back.

Some weird stuff to start off the game. The National Anthem was sung by an  a cappella group, who started. Stopped. The leader played a pitch pipe. They sang the first line. Stopped. Pitch pipe again.  Really weird.

Then there was a delay in the bottom of the first. Dickerson rounded first base and did something to it.
The grounds crew had to come out and work on it, causing a delay of game.

Grounds crew repairing first base as the umps look on.

Kevin joined us again today. He said he saw Corban Joseph get on the team bus last night, and the resemblance to Ellen Degeneres is astounding.

Seth Bynum shaved.

Bynum without his facial hair

This woman is the Yankees' Number One Fan.

No Comment

Post-game interview with Cervelli happened right in front of me, but a rude fan stood in front of me so I had to snap a photo off the board instead of the field. That's a major problem with 207 Row 1: people think it's okay to just stop and stand and never pay attention to who might be sitting there trying to watch the game.

Cervelli Post-game Interview

The Father's Day festivities consisted of fathers running the bases after the game with children aged 12 and under. Madras shorts! Everywhere!

Except on Dan Fellman, who had the good sense to leave his plaid at home.

What?

Austin Bibens-Dirkx to Harrisburg????
Huh???

Extra Innings in Triple A, Too

Another perfect night for the perfect pastime. Scranton Wilkes-Barre is still in town, pretending to be home.

 Matt Antonelli was interviewed on the big screen before the game. Jason Benetti asked him what it was like to be homeless. Matt responded that he's living out of his car. His trunk is full, his backseat is full, and yeah, the hotels are nice, but he's living out of his car. What an awful thing for all of those players. I hadn't considered that they aren't in housing in Scranton.

Voice of the Chiefs Jason Benetti interviews former Chief
Matt Antonelli for the big screen.

The jersey raffle was for Boomer Whiting's Throw Back Thursday. We opted out.

Tonight was Ladies Night, which was very nice, but the time is odd: tomorrow is Father's Day. There's not much going on for dad's, yet there was a lot for the women tonight.

Welcome on the big screen.

TV Stevie bought me a very cool sweatshirt.

Noella "Pinky" Leduc was at the game signing autographs. The GPBL will hold their reunion in Syracuse this year, in September. I think I'd like to go to that.

"Pinky" Leduc waves to fans.

Speaking of autographs, Jeremy Mayo, the newest catcher, was in the Whistlestop signing autographs before tonight's game. I was tempted to go in and ask him if he was afraid. 

The Chiefs lost again tonight, but it took ten full innings for them to do so. Mark Teahen should probably be Player of the Game, but I didn't vote. 

Things I noticed at the park:

Austin Bibens-Dirkx coaching 1B

Too many tats

An interesting couple.

Madras shorts. All over the place. 

Odd moment of the evening: Bottom of the 9th, score tied, SWB coming to bat (they're the home team, remember) and the Big Screen plays all the vids they've put together to whip up the fans. Huh? Wrong team, guys!

And finally: I didn't sit in my usual seat tonight -- TV Stevie & I swapped spots. I saw something I'd never noticed before. The question is: why hasn't the county --yes, they own the stadium -- fixed it?

A stitch in time etc.

Friday Night at the Ball Park

The Chiefs should not have lost tonight's game. Mitch Atkins had pitched a good game and left with a three run lead in the 7th. Ryan Perry pitched 1/3 of an inning and left the game with the score 4-4.

Seth Bynum was named player of the game for last night. I don't get it. Yes, he hit a 2-run triple, but every Chief got on base last night and all but two had RBIs. Scoring the runs was a team effort. Zach Duke pitched an awesome game. The final score last night was 10-NOTHING. The problem with the casual fan is they think the 10 is the key, when the NOTHING has more meaning in this case. Maven explained it this way: Seth is a popular guy (I don't know of anyone who doesn't like Seth. I like Seth. That's not the point.) and he probably had family in town. There were only a few people at the stadium last night.

The opening pitch was tossed out by Dave & Diana Johnson & Family, who happen to be friends of my parents, so I made sure I snapped several photos. It was Home Builders & Remodelers of CNY Night; the Johnson family just had a total house makeover.

Dave & Diana Johnson & partial family

The scoreboard was dark green again, which makes the scores easier to read.

TV Stevie bought us beer during Happy House -- and it was served in Dixie Cups!

Beer in Dixie Cups

The Famous Eric Cohen joined us for an inning or two. He told us he went to the Change of Pace after the game last night and ran into Matt Antonelli there.

There were four umps officiating tonight. That's unusual.
Also unusual -- and Maven said he's never seen anything like it:

Pitching Coach Greg Booker -- coaching first base

There is scuttlebutt that the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees may revert to their previous name: the SWB Red Barons.

The SWB Yankees wear their socks out -- no pajama pants. Mark Teahen does, too. I've decided that I like seeing the socks over pajama pants.

Corban Joseph still looks like Ellen DeGeneris in his scoreboard picture.

Corban or Ellen? You decide!

And speaking of scoreboard pictures -- most of the Chiefs have one of three facial expressions: mean, dazed or blase. Not Brett Carroll. He looks delighted!

Brett Carroll: Happy Camper

Matt Antonelli coached 1B from the 6th inning on. He looks good in Yankee pinstripes.

TV Stevie went to sit with a friend in Section 205, where he spoke with K-Daddy as K was hanging a K on the railing.

And finally, an observation. There were two female Yankee fans sitting in the last row of 107. They each wore madras shorts. Madras shorts? I didn't even know you could still buy madras shorts? Are they coming back in style? I sincerely hope not.

Catcher-Tac-Toe

Latest update on the catcher-chism of the Washington Nationals farm system:

James Skelton (hurt in game earlier this week) sent to Harrisburg.

Jeremy Mayo brought up to Syracuse from Hagarstown.

10-Nothing: I Like It

The Chiefs won tonight, 10-zip. Zach Duke got the win. I voted for him as Player of the Game, too.

It was a pretty quiet night at the stadium. Not that many fans turned out, which was a shame, because the weather was lovely, there was a cooling breeze, and there was awesome baseball on the diamond.

It was National Kidney Foundation Night, so Sidney the Kidney threw out the first pitch.

Sidney the Kidney

Every time I tried to get a picture of Sidney, someone walked in front of me.

Syracuse is playing the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees this weekend. The New York Yankees will be playing the Washington Nationals this weekend. We think that's kind of cool -- the Majors and the Triple A teams battling it out.

SWB is the home team all weekend, so the Chiefs wore their gray travel jerseys with the teal numbers. I like the black with teal much better.

The Famous Eric Cohen saw me sitting alone, so came down from the broadcast booth to keep me company for an inning or two. He's fascinated with the way I've started scoring the game in a real score book.

Corban Joseph (one of the SWB Yanks) should have his photo on the scoreboard retaken. He looks exactly like Ellen DeGeneris. I pointed it out to Maven, who agreed.

Former Chief Matt Antonelli is with the SWB Yankees now, altho' he's on the DL. He did coach first base from the 6th inning on.

Former Chief Matt Antonelli flipping his
helmet during a pitching change.

I called out and waved to him several times, but he ignored me.

Tanner Roark (usually a starting pitcher) pitched one relief inning tonight. Maven and I speculated what this means: was it just his turn to throw in the bull pen so they decided to use him, or has he lost his spot in the rotation. If the latter is the case, could it be Eric Arneson will be getting a shot at being a starter?

It's very weird being the visiting team in our own stadium. We're so used to not having to play the bottom of the ninth when we're ahead, that it's discombobulating when we have to play it as visitors. 

So why weren't you at the ball park tonight?