Month: July 2008

EI League: Buckley crushes Chambana

 

Buckley starter Justin Schroeder pitched a complete game win in game 2.

 

When I got to McKinley Field today to watch Chambana today, the home team had the lead!  That was something I hadn’t seen much of since I started following the Eastern Illinois Baseball League team. 

Unfortunately, the lead didn’t last long.  Their opponent, the Buckley DutchMasters, simply overpowered Chambana and came back from a 6-3 deficit to win Game 1 11-7. 

As for Game 2, it was all Buckely and then some.  Their offense was just too much for Chambana.  By the time I left in the fourth inning, it was 12-2 and the rest of the game was superfluous.   Congrats to Buckley’s Justin Schroeder for pitching a complete game win. 

I did run into Robin, a friend of mine I knew from University of Illinois games.  It was Robin who actually told me about the EI league and suggested I check it out.  Turns out Buckley is his home team so he and I hung out during the games today. 

Some photos:

The EI League has two things that University of Illinois baseball doesn’t.  Wood bats and lots of dust.

 

A near collision in the infield.  Buckley’s catcher made the play at first.

 

Buckley has a cowbell that travels with the fans and gets rung after every good play by their team.

 

I’m sure Chambana catcher Jake Mathis is saying something nice to the ump in this photo.  Mathis was 5 for 7 for the day with 2 runs and 2 rbis.

Lots more photos in the Photo Gallery.

Chambana game today

046 There’s a Chambana doubleheader at McKinley Field this afternoon.  They’ll be taking on the Buckey Dutch Masters at 1pm.  Buckley has sole possession of first place in the North Division of the Eastern Illinois Baseball League.

Chambana has dropped their last four games and fallen to last place in the South Division in the EI League.  A doubleheader sweep would certainly help their situation. 

Come on out for some baseball.  I’ll be there. 

Gonzo trades some leather with a fan

Outfielder Luis Gonzalez played for the Cubs for only a year and a half but that was long enough to establish a tradition that he plans to re-establish today. 

Back when Gonzo played left field for the Cubs, he and 50 year-old fan Gary Stromquist, whose seat was out in the left field bleachers, would trade gloves every year. 

This year Gonzalez will be playing right field but he’ll make the effort to meet with Stromquist.  Stromquist, otherwise known as "Loudmouth Gary" had some kind words for Gonzalez.  From an article on the ChiTrib:

"Gonzo is like the milkman or the mailman or your school teacher," he said. "He’s the nicest guy on the face of the earth."

In other news, Luis Gonzalez is actually playing right field.

Peoria Chiefs and Dayton Dragons scuffle

The Cubs single A team, the Peoria Chiefs got into a bit of a scuffle with the Dayton Dragons in Dayton last night.

And that’s putting it mildly.  Judge for yourself.

The conflict started when Dragons Angel Cabrera and Zack Cozart were hit by pitches.  The situation was exacerbated when Cozart was hit in the head.

Cabrera retaliated by sliding with his spikes held high, Ty Cobb-style.  That when the sparks flew and WWIII started between the two teams.

In all, 15 players were ejected.  The men in blue decided to reverse the ejections mostly because of staffing issues.  No one wanted pitchers playing outfield.   Is that an acceptable excuse for reversing the ejections for everyone?  Watch the video and tell me.

After a delay of over an hour, play resumed and the Dayton Dragons defeated the Chiefs 6-5.

Rumor has it that Ryne Sandberg was out of town for the Hall of Fame weekend.

TAKING MY STREAK ON THE ROAD

I’m going to Minnesota Sunday to see the White Sox battle the Twins in a key four game series. Never been to this indoor ballpark(?), not really looking forward to it, heard nothing but bad things about this stadium, but the White Sox need my support. I’m not bringing my laptop, as I’ll be coming back via Greyhound overnite 7/31-8/1, then hopping into a car in Chicago, and then going up to Waupaca for my nephew’s 4th birthday (BIGTIME PARTY with ponies & everything). So I’ll be filling you in on my Twinkie experience when I get to Waupaca. CLuke & his family will be with me the first two games, then they’re going to Crivitz for the rest of their vacation.

After watching the lifeless White Sox this past Monday night, at least it was halfprice night, but I was so tired & out of it. The game was dull & boring, even though Tade, Al, Anothony, NickyV were there. Crowe Dog even made an appearance. Sox got clocked, I was there, streak over!

I really was in no mood to go to the game Tuesday night, but I went anyway, and am very glad I did. Mark Buehrle was moved up in the rotation so he could attend his grandfather’s funeral, he tossed a gem. My other two favorite players also had big games, Nick Swisher hit a three run homer & Alexei Ramirez hit a grand slam. 10-2 Good Guys and I had a new streak going.

Clayton Richard made his major league debut one day later than originally planned. Richard struckout the first batter he faced Ian Kinsler, but then the 2nd batter he faced Michael Young took him yard, welcome to the big leagues kid! Jim Thome ripped a three run bomb in the bottom of the 1st to give Clayton a 3-1 lead, but it didn’t last as Texas scored five more times, benefitting from sloppy fielding, 4 Sox errors in the game.

Carlos Quentin cut the deficit to 6-4 with a 5th inning solo shot. Boone Logan allowed two runs in the top of the 7th to make it 8-4. Then Ozzie Guillen went out to ask what was said between Swisher & the homeplate umpire in the 7th, was tossed, and went crazy! There were three or four questionable calls on pitches that were clearly outside that were called strikes. Nick walked after Guillen was ejected, but then Quentin grounded into a doubleplay, leaving a runner at 3rd with two out. Jermaine Dye doubled home Cabrera, but it all seemed too little, too late.

Chicago trailed 8-5 going into the bottom of the 8th inning. Paul Konerko just missed putting one on the board, and settled for a leadoff double. After Toby Hall popped out, Alexei Ramirez plated Paulie with a ground single to left, and then Ramirez went to 2nd on a wild pitch. Officially Juan Uribe was credited with a double on which Alexei didn’t score from 2nd, but here’s what really happened. Ramirez held up on Uribe’s grounder up the middle, not wanting to get caught in no man’s land, then went to 3rd when the ball made it to the outfield, Juan took 2nd when the outfielder’s throw was toward home, good baserunning by Uribe. With runners on 2nd & 3rd with one out Orlando Cabrera crushed a Eddie Guardado offering over the leftfield wall, only to have the wind bring the high drive back for a sac fly rather than a three run homer. Swisher walked on four pitches, none of them close. And then Carlos Quentin hit C.J. Wilson’s first pitch for a no-doubter to left, 10-8 White Sox.

Bobby Jenks walked Texas’ leadoff hitter in the 9th Josh Hamilton, but then settled down to get the save, WELCOME BACK BOBBY JENKS! I sat down when he entered the game. I’m not superstitious, but I know what works.

Some other happenings in the game. Dick went to the bathroom when Carlos Quentin hit his 2nd homer, that trick always works. We met the agent who represents Juan Uribe, Pablo Ozuna, Miguel Olivo, and Damaso Marte, he seems like a nice guy. Jermaine Dye made a great diving catch in right to keep the Rangers at bay, I guess his knees okay. The Number One Webgem of the day was turned in by Alexei Ramirez. Ramirez was running in at full speed, backhanded the ball with the web of his glove, and flipped it to Paulie, who caught it barehanded for the out. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s always nice to be out at the ballpark for a day game in the middle of the week, this one was extra special, and it was great to see Nancy Faust’s smiling face, she’s such a nice lady!

BZR interviews Erik Manning of Future Redbirds

Baseball Zealot Radio got a chance to interview Erik Manning tonight.  Erik writes for FutureRedbirds.net, a website that scouts Cardinals prospects in their farm system.

In show 46, we talk a bit about Future Redbirds and the tools he needs to scout the players.  He then gives us a snapshot of the current Cardinals’ farm system.  Who’s hot and who’s not.

I couldn’t let Erik off the line without asking him about the big league so we talked a little about the NL Central race, one that’s shaping up to be a humdinger.

thanks, Erik!

PS don’t miss the Amaury Marti Facts page on Future Redbirds!

Length: 31:53

Date Recorded: 7/24/08

 

Listen to Episode 46 Listen to the show via iTunes!
Listen to other Baseball Zealot Radio episodes BZR Podcast Feed

25 years ago: George Brett and the Pine Tar Incident

It was 25 years ago today when the infamous Pine Tar Incident took place at Yankee Stadium.  I remember it well.  I watched the game live on television and I remember thinking “that’s one angry ballplayer” when George Brett came running out of the dugout to face umpire Tim McClelland.

The Royals appealed the ruling that pine tar was too far up the bat handle.  The AL president Lee McPhail upheld the appeal the next day and the rest of of game was finished on August 18th.  The Royals won the game 5-4 thanks in part to Brett’s ninth-inning two-run homer that almost didn’t count. 

Here’s a treat… take a listen to broadcaster Phil Rizzuto’s call of George Brett’s homerun. 

NCAA Custom APBA Cards Available!

hastingsapba My buddy CLuke purports to not care so much for college baseball but I’m beginning to think otherwise.  Every time I hear from him, he’s talking about something related to the topic. 

This time it’s pretty exciting.  Not only is it about college baseball but it pertains to another baseball interest of mine… APBA. 

Chuck pointed me to Steve Guthrie’s web site.  Steve has custom-made APBA baseball cards based on the 2007 NCAA season.

Wow! 

Steve pumped in the stats to Brian Davis’ APBA Card Generator for most of the Division I teams in the NCAA.  There are nine sets available:

    • Set 1: SEC, Atlantic 10, Wright State, Hawaii-Hilo
    • Set 2: ACC, Ohio Valley, Oral Roberts, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A and M, North Carolina A and T, Dallas Baptist, Prairie View A and M
    • Set 3: Big XII, Sun Belt, Mountain West
    • Set 4: PAC-10, Missouri Valley, Southern
    • Set 5: Big East, Ivy League, America East, Texas-Pan American
    • Set 6: Conference-USA, Colonial, West Coast
    • Set 7: Big West, WAC, Metro Atlantic, Army, Navy
    • Set 8: Big 10, Big South, Atlantic Sun
    • Set 9: Southland, Mid-American, Illinois-Chicago, Lafayette, North Dakota State, South Dakota State

Each set is available for download from Steve’s web site and can be printed with minimal configuration. 

Me?  I got the Big Ten :)

 

 

St Louis and Baseball

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A shot of Busch Stadium taken from the Arch

It’s been said before and I’m not going to deny it, St Louis is a baseball town.

I just spent two days there and though time prevented me from attending a ballgame, it’s obvious that St Louisans take the sport seriously.  Throughout town, I saw countless families who were ALL dressed in Cardinal red.  Dad, Mom, kids, everyone. 

019

“Albert Pujols” and his mini-me

They always say they Chicago is lucky to have two major league ballclubs and I suppose that is true.  The Sox and Cubs appeal to different audiences and draw well. 

Coming from the Chicago market (I actually live three hours south), the concept of one city, one team is quite foreign.  I have to admit it does sound quite appealing.  Encountering a fellow baseball fan on the street, it must bring some solace and comaderie to know that chances are high that he’s rooting for your team and that FIVE is his favorite number too.

062

I zoomed in on the field.  It looks like some of the ground crew were beginning to start work.