Sunday’s game against the Portland Beavers featured Enrique Gonzalez on the mound for the Winders.  While he struggled in the first inning, overall Enrique had a lot more of his “stuff” working; throwing 92 pitches with 6 strikeouts and only one walk!  He also had a hit and scored a run to round out his day’s work.  Neither team was charged any errors and the Tucson bats had 10 hits, for four runs.  Daigle had another iffy relief appearance, but both Bill Murphy and Chad Harville threw outstanding innings to complete the game.  The Beavers lost the game 4 to 3, for a series split.

Following the Lincecum Story.  Ryan Radtke has obviously gotten “Lincecum fever” from the Giants, other scouts and baseball ranking folks…  You may remember Tucson’s outing against Tim in Fresno last week (see blog entry for Apr 24), where Tucson scored the only run (though unearned) against the kid to that point in the season.  The trend continues.  Lincecum pitched unbelievable ball against the Sky Sox yesterday.  In six innings, he gave up three hits, no runs, no walks, and had 14 strikeouts!  His ERA looks like a misprint at .29.  Heck, we think we’re doing good if our pitcher has a “2″ to the left of that ERA figure!  Tim’s going to be fun to watch.  As long as he is not pitching against the Winders!

The Things Mark Says!  After listening to the Sidewinders game on Sunday, I turned on the TV to watch the end of the D-Backs’ win against the Giants.  I’m not always enamored of the things Mark Grace says when working the games, but I really enjoyed one good pun he used yesterday.  As Tony Pena threw a heater right by one batter, Mark said Tony’d gone all Linda Ronstadt on him:  ”Blue Bayou.” 

(Disclaimer - this posting not reviewed/approved by the Sidewinders, Diamondbacks, PCL, MiLB, MLB, or any other baseball official and represents the views and biases of the author alone)

Last night’s game against Portland was a true pitcher’s duel, with Micah Owings pitching for the Winders (Micah still seems like one of our own in my heart, though he was actually here on a rehab start while recovering from a hamstring injury).  While he was forced to throw more pitches than he’d have liked in the first two innings, he still prevented any runs from scoring, plus he hit a single.  Both starting pitchers allowed four hits in their outings, but neither allowed a run to score.  Micah came out after the 5th inning and was replaced by Jailen Peguero, who took the game another two scoreless innings.  We were still tied up 0 to 0 in the top of the 8th when Winder reliever Mike Schultz came in and got in a bit of trouble before being yanked after 2/3 of an inning.  Randy Choate came in with inherited runners on base and allowed the only run in the game (which was charged to Schultz, who posted the loss).  The Winders had the bases loaded and two outs in the 9th, but were unable to pull off last season’s magic for a spectacular win when the final high fly ball was caught for an out in the outfield.  So close!  Final score:  Portland 1, Tucson 0.

What a crowd!  After lowering my expectations about attendance, Tucson surprised me last night by showing up in droves real early to claim their championship season fleece blanket!  I don’t recall ever seeing lines like those waiting as the gates opened last night; they actually snaked through the parking lot!…and me, just a fan towards the end of one of them!  Given the somewhat threatening-looking weather, I’d fully expected a light turnout for the game.  But people came!  Announced attendance was 5,454 and that actually looked about right.  Thanks for coming out to the game!

Wine, Women, and Baseball.  I have to admit, the title of this new promotion put me off a bit, but having seen what it’s about, I think it’s a great idea!  After the gates opened fans could participate in a wine tasting in The Ballpark Patio area of the Groves.  Wines were provided by Trinchero and samples were free.  Before official pregame activities began on the field, Rick Parr took about 5 minutes to discuss a variety of baseball topics with those who were sipping their wine.  He explained the minor league system in general terms and talked about the significance of the Sidewinders’ win of the Bricktown Showdown AAA Championship last year.  He also took questions.  This is a neat opportunity to learn about different baseball topics from a long-time minor league general manager - all while sipping free wine under the shade of lush Palo Verde trees.  The event will recur on May 26, June 23, July 7, and August 18.  Come on out and give this promo a try!

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On a night when fellow Winder Watchers and I consoled and reminded each other that last year the Sidewinders started out far worse than where they are today, the home team wowed us with a hard-hitting win, beating the Portland Beavers 11 to 5.  Chris Carter had his first homer of the year, knocking in three runs.  Virtually every starting position player scored at least one run and all had hits.  Ah!  This is the way it’s supposed to be!  Second baseman Craig Stansberry, for Portland, did nearly all the damage by the opposing team, scoring four of the Beaver’s five runs.  Starting pitcher Yusmeiro Petit got the Winder win (though today’s paper quotes him as being somewhat dissatisfied with the outing).  Casey Daigle struggled in his relief outing and lasted only one-third of an inning.  Our other three relievers were nearly flawless.

With the win last night (Apr 27), the Sidewinders are back up to .500 and are 2 1/2 games in back of Sacramento (who keep losing to Salt Lake.  Go Bees!).

One Big Hunk of Flesh!  Fans arriving before the game started were given the opportunity to meet one of the Budweiser Clydesdale horses.  This 18-hand, 2100 pound beauty calmly nibbled on his lead, nuzzled his handler, and let all manner of folks come up to give him a pat.  When his handler walked him away towards the White Sox parking lot at TEP, I figured they were giving him a bathroom break, but apparently they took him onto the field where he threw out the ceremonial first pitch.  Okay, that really didn’t happen!  But from my posting at the gate, I couldn’t see any of the on-field, pregame activities.

Fireworks and Run the Bases.  After the game, the remnants of the original 3,497 fans in attendance were treated to a wonderful fireworks show sponsored by Sam Levitz, then kids were allowed to run the bases.  This is such fun to watch!  Some older kids race each other around the bases and there’s usually a dad or two out there coaxing a teeny toddler around the path.  And it’s always neat to see our General Manager, Rick Parr, in his white shirt, tie, slacks, and loafers running behind his daughter (who was a birthday girl yesterday).  Can’t beat the fun at the ol’ ballpark!

Early Monsoon?  It can’t be, of course!  But today’s weather looks very much like our typical monsoon pattern.  Pretty warm this AM, but now very cloudy, windy, and thundering.  I’ve got a ticket to tonight’s game (who would miss getting the free championship fleece blanket giveaway?), so I’m really hoping the rain passes quickly!  And hey:  maybe I’ll see you there!

(Disclaimer - this posting not reviewed/approved by the Sidewinders, Diamondbacks, PCL, MiLB, MLB, or any other baseball official and represents the views and biases of the author alone)

Last night an announced crowd of 3,703 Thirsty Thursday celebrants watched the Tucson Sidewinders experience a first-inning meltdown during which the Portland Beavers (Padres affiliate) scored four runs and the Winders committed two errors.  While the Winders were able to prevent any more runs from scoring (though the Beavers had a total of 10 hits), the four runs in the first were enough for Portland to beat the Sidewinders, 4 to 1.  Portland pitching kept Winders bats in check:  Tucson had only three hits.  Interestingly, Danny Richar had last night’s hottest bat, getting two hits in four at-bats and scoring Tucson’s only run - Danny also committed both Sidewinder errors.  Now that’s a strange coincidence!  Sidewinders starter Evan MacLane pitched six innings and was pinned with the loss.  Excellent relief outings by four Winders pitchers held the Beavers hitless in the last three innings.

Where are you Tucson?  It was an absolutely perfect night for baseball at TEP last night.  Mild temperature, little wind.  It doesn’t get much better than that!  For the life of me, I cannot understand why Tucson doesn’t come out to support this baseball team, or even to enjoy a nice, reasonably priced family outing at the Park.  The Sidewinders consistently have one of the worst attendance records in all of the Pacific Coast League and it looks like we’re on a pace to do it again.  I’ve heard the stories about how folks are still angry at the city/county for building TEP way out in the “boonies,” but gosh!  Where else can you see future major league ballplayers at $6 or $9 a pop?  After last year’s championship wins, I firmly believed our seats would be better occupied this year.  And it hasn’t happened.  Come on, Tucson…give it a try!

Around the Ballpark…  I admit I spent the best part of the first inning “horror” making funny faces at a cheerful baby who was just delighted to be at the Park.  She giggled and wiggled all night long; a wonderful change of pace from the unhappy faces on most of the fans during our first inning struggles.  There was a lot of grumbling in the crowd last night.  Since I was working near the players’ family section of the Park I began to really empathize with players’ spouses.  How very difficult it must be to watch your loved one struggle and hear the jeers and complaints from the fans who surround you!  I asked one wife if it was hard to watch and she admitted could be…she reckons she probably gets more nervous about the games than her husband does.  Given all that’s riding on their success in AAA, the very challenging minor league schedule, and their not-so-great pay, life is pretty hard on these players.  Their families deal with all those challenges and more.  Baseball spouse:  one tough job!

The Sidewinders continue their series against the Beavers tonight at TEP.  It’s Fireworks Friday, too.  Gates open at 5:30…first pitch at 6:30.  Come on out, Tucson!

(Disclaimer - this posting not reviewed/approved by the Sidewinders, Diamondbacks, PCL, MiLB, MLB, or any other baseball official and represents the views and biases of the author alone)

Last night’s final game of the series with the Fresno Grizzlies was quite exciting, even if the final score didn’t fall in favor of the Sidewinders: Fresno 5, Tucson 4 after 14 innings.  Bill Plummer decided, after the double-header the day before, he would make the game a “bullpen day,” which essentially means that starting pitchers all get a rest and a succession of bullpen (reliever) pitchers take the mound and try to work three innings a piece to cover the game.  Tucson ended up using seven different pitchers in the game - due, in part, to the fact that the game went into extra innings (something you never want to have happen on a bullpen day!).

Notable among the seven…  Casey Daigle started off the game and had a (typically) rough first inning, but quickly settled down.  Casey is one of the few relievers on our team who can also hit quite well.  In fact in his one at bat, Casey hit an RBI single which tied the game at that point.  Randy Choate came in and almost did a reverse “hit for the cycle;” giving up a home run, then a triple, then a double…luckily the next batter resulted in one OUT, not a single!  Also on the negative side, Chad Harville had his first blown save of the year which forced the extra innings of work.  Mike Schultz followed him and did very well in his return to the Sidewinders.  Adam Bass, the final pitcher of the seven, took the loss after working 1.2 innings and giving up the final run.

Excitement in the 9th!  Trailing by a run at the top of the 9th inning, Tucson looked a lot like the championship club of last year (a team that was big into DRAMA and seemed to consistently wait until later innings to pull even and eventually win).  They got two runs when the wheels fell off Fresno’s well-oiled baseball machine.  It looked like a win for the Winders…especially when Fresno made a couple bad base-running mistakes in the bottom of the 9th that resulted in TWO runners being called out in run-downs between the bases on one play.  Somehow Fresno recovered, jumped all over Harville and pulled even to force the extra innings.  I am always amazed when a crazy game (as last night’s had become) immediately settles down for several innings of scoreless extra ball.  But it happened…

 The loss puts the Winders back at .500 and dropped them to the bottom of their Division (Pacific Conference, Southern Division).  They are 3 1/2 games behind the Sacramento Rivercats, current Division leaders. 

You may have noticed that Randy Johnson started last night for the D-Backs (if you live in AZ, you couldn’t really miss that!)…to make room for him on the roster, Yusmeiro Petit was optioned back to the Winders.

Hey Tucson!  The boys return to TEP tomorrow night to begin their first series with Portland…and it’s another Thirsty Thursday!  Come on out and “Catch More than a Game!”

(Disclaimer - this posting not reviewed/approved by the Sidewinders, Diamondbacks, PCL, MiLB, MLB, or any other baseball official and represents the views and biases of the author alone)

The Tucson Sidewinders played a double-header in Fresno on Monday night, Apr 23, to make up for the rain out on Sunday afternoon.  In the PCL, double-headers consist of two seven inning games, separated by about 20 minutes of down time. 

Game One.  The first game on Monday featured the highly touted young Giant prospect, Tim Lincecum, on the mound for the Grizzlies.  He came into the game with a 2 and 0 record…no team had scored on him in his earlier outings!  Unfortunately for Tucson, Tim lived up to expectations and pitched an excellent game.  Had the Giants not had him on a 90-pitch limit, I’m sure he would’ve had a complete game win.  As it was, he went 6 1/3 innings with NO hits (Tucson did get an unearned run in the first inning), though he did issue six walks.  Tucson pitching struggled a bit and the team was plagued by errors in yet another look at the line up (D’Antona at First; Chris Carter in Left).  Final score:  Fresno 7, Tucson 1.

Back again…  Mike Schultz returned to the Sidewinders Monday night, pitching an inning of relief in game one.  He was optioned back to Tucson to allow room on the D-Backs’ roster for Petit.  Ryan Radtke said Mike’s wife, Sarah, was on an airplane on the way to San Fran during the one inning Mike pitched for the D-Backs (against the Giants) last week.  Breaks my heart that she missed his debut (she’s always been very kind to me at the Park).

Game Two.  Thirty minutes later, the Winders looked like a whole different team (well, in fact, there were a fair number of different players in the game two line up) as they came out aggressively slamming the ball around the park in the first inning to score three runs.  The inning also featured a strange, brief game delay when a dog ran onto the field from somewhere; the pup seemed to believe he was penciled in as the first baseman!  (For the record:  you’re much more apt to see feral cats at TEP than you are dogs!)  After knocking in those three runs, the Winders were held scoreless through the rest of the game.  But it was enough to win, 3 to 1.  Yeah!

Chris Carter came out of game two early with a slight hamstring strain…as one of the few consistent power hitters for the Sidewinders, one can only hope he’ll be okay.

The win last night was enough to raise the Winders above .500 again.  One more game in Fresno tonight, then an off day before they return to Tucson on Thursday.

(Disclaimer - this posting not reviewed/approved by the Sidewinders, Diamondbacks, PCL, MiLB, MLB, or any other baseball official and represents the views and biases of the author alone)

Today’s game between the Tucson Sidewinders and Fresno Grizzlies at Chukchansi Field has been rained out.  They plan to make up the game with a double-header tomorrow.  This is the fourth weather-postponed game for the Winders in this young season. 

(Disclaimer - this posting not reviewed/approved by the Sidewinders, Diamondbacks, PCL, MiLB, MLB, or any other baseball official and represents the views and biases of the author alone)

The Tucson Sidewinders played their first game of the season against the Fresno Grizzlies (Giants) in Fresno last night.  Ryan Radtke was in great voice as he called the play-by-play, announced attendance, and commented on the weather (slight rain through second half of game).  Our Winders took the game, 9 to 5, with only one charged error.  Sounds like an impressive win, but it was actually a bit of a mess.  There were several hits that could’ve as easily been charged as errors and reliever/closer Bill Murphy walked in the final Fresno run with a called balk (which he disputed, of course.  The good thing about that call was that it totally ticked Murphy off - he threw incredible fast balls after that and quickly dispatched the final Grizzlies).

One of the contributing factors to the “messy” play on the field last night came from a different look to the Winders line up.  I’ve had a couple Winder Watcher fans comment on the instability of Bill Plummer’s line ups - they wonder if he knows what he’s doing.  For my part, I’m just uncertain how much latitude Bill is given.  The D-Backs have these players in their Farm system for a reason.  And sometimes they ask the Winders to do things that seem counterintuitive because the D-Backs want to look at something different from a player.  Last night Plummer had Jamie D’Antona (usually INF) catching, while Matt Morgan (usually C) took his place at 2B.  Although both players had played those positions before, neither had done so recently or consistently.  Their unfamiliarity with the position showed in their play last night.  Neither seemed very comfortable in the new spot.  While I’m assuming Plummer (on behalf of the D-Backs) is trying to grow each of them as “utility players,” it’s difficult to watch the team struggle through the growth process.  On the plus side, Jamie and Matt’s bats were both in the line up and they continue to do well offensively.

Stately Protocol.  Baseball has a number of traditions and protocols that amuse me.  For instance, there is a set way teams usually deal with a struggling pitcher.  At first, the catcher will run out to the mound and lend encouragement.  The next visit will usually be by the pitching coach.  If the struggles continue, the manager often is the next visitor and he’s usually there with the hook that pulls the pitcher out of the game.  The Grizzlies manager breached protocol last night by being the first visitor to the mound when his pitcher was getting in hot water.  When a manager visits his pitcher “out of order” like that, it usually has amazing and immediate results.  One can only guess what words the manager shares during these brief exchanges, but it usually works.  And did for the Fresno pitcher last night…he buckled down and had several more successful innings.

Earning Frequent Flier Miles.  A day after optioning Dustin Nippert to the Sidewinders and after Dustin had already flown back to Arizona (but had not yet reported to the Winders), the D-Backs called him back up to the Bigs to replace Juan Cruz who went on the DL.

The Diamondbacks have also called up our starting pitcher Yusmeiro Petit (a late-spring acquisition).  Petit is scheduled to start today’s D-Backs game in San Fran!  (Meanwhile, the Sidewinders’ bullpen is looking a little thin!)

(Disclaimer - this posting not reviewed/approved by the Sidewinders, Diamondbacks, PCL, MiLB, MLB, or any other baseball official and represents the views and biases of the author alone)

The Tucson Sidewinders played another night of error-free baseball and had another outstanding outing by closer Chad Harville, to beat the Salt Lake Bees, 2 to 1, giving the Winders a 5-4 record at home this season.  I am very impressed by the turnaround in play by my team.  Games one and two were a lot alike and quite bad.  Games three and four almost seemed to feature a different Winder team: one that played with confidence and teamwork.  Well done, guys!  (I’m wondering if Brian Barden’s arrival and presence on the field have acted as a good luck charm for the team.  Alternately, Brian’s skill and maturity as a AAA player may have lifted everyone up.  Either way, I’m struck by the coincidence of his arrival and the team’s awesome last two games!)

On the Radio.  I wasn’t on the schedule to work last night’s home stand-ending game against the Salt Lake Bees, so I don’t have any ballpark stories to share.  When I’m not working (and when the team is out of town), I try to catch the games on Tucson’s COOL 1450AM for Ryan Radtke’s excellent radio coverage.  While I miss being there and enjoying the look and feel of the ballpark, Ryan’s broadcasts are always educational and thorough.  I can understand why some fans at the park also listen to the game on the radio:  Ryan answers questions and fills in the gaps.  For instance, I had wondered why the Sidewinders sent up two pitchers while the D-Backs only sent down one.  Turns out that Micah Owings went on the DL.  Ryan also pointed out that there were some fresh faces in Winder uniforms last night - called over from extended spring training.  When I’m working and there’s a new face on the field I may not even be aware of the change.  Roster moves are a constant in the Farm system!

One feature of all baseball radio broadcasts tickles me to no end:  the description of what the players are wearing on the field for the game.  I had no idea that baseball fans were so fashion conscious!

Alumni Note.  The day after leaving the Sidewinders, Mike Schultz made his major league debut for the D-Backs (against the Giants) last night.  He pitched one inning, gave up one hit, no runs, no walks, and had a strikeout.  I think you could say that Mike rose to the occasion! 

(Disclaimer - this posting not reviewed/approved by the Sidewinders, Diamondbacks, MiLB, MLB, or any other baseball official and represents the views and biases of the author alone)

The season’s first Thirsty Thursday event was (as far as I could see) a huge success.  A crowd of over 7,400 folks enjoyed one dollar beer, a beautiful evening with just a sliver of a moon, and a strong performance by Randy Johnson on the mound.  I should immediately point out that my “rumor” about Bartolo Colon pitching was just that: a rumor.  Ah well.  It’s still a thrill to know that some of the big names in baseball occasionally cast a shadow at TEP!

I was unable to watch most of the game, so missed the first few innings where it appeared Randy was still warming up.  The paper today indicated he got much better as the game progressed.  When he left after the 6th inning with a 3 to 2 lead, he tossed his cap to the kids playing on the Berm.  I thought that was a cool touch.  Randy didn’t have an opportunity to wow us with his bat last night.  Although we are a National League affiliate/team, when an American League team comes to town we inevitably choose to play by AL rules - pitchers don’t hit and we get a designated hitter out there.  I don’t KNOW why we do this, though I can speculate about some of the reasons.  All I know is that last night it all worked.  The guys ended up beating the Bees, 4 to 2.  There were no errors (suppose there’s a cause/effect thing going on there?).

Around the Park.  Staff management of Thirsty Thursday continues to improve, making it a less hectic and safer event.  With clearly established lines for wristbands (required to buy beer, but only on Thursdays), clearly marked lines for the beer concessions, etc., fans moved smoothly in and out of lines.  I didn’t hear one complaint (except from the smokers…who are frustrated by staff’s conflicting instructions about the location of smoking areas).

Hey Jeff!  The tradition continues!  If you’ve ever been to the Park on a Thursday, you’ve probably noticed the sea of same-colored tee shirts congregated in section 107.  I have heard that the founder of the group, and some of the mainstays, are former officials and that their purpose each Thursday is to cheerfully pester the first base ump, Jeff (whatever his real name may be, on Thursday the first base ump is definitely Jeff), all night long.  It’s all done in fun and, in fact, I’ve heard that the Hey Jeff crowd often grabs a beer with “Jeff” after the game.  Anyone can be in the Hey Jeff gang.  Tee shirts this year are a lovely deep purple with pink lettering and will cost you $10 (they’re high quality tees, too, so I’m sure no one’s making money at those prices).  The crew sits in GA section 107.  I’m sure they’d be happy to have you join them!

Going Up…  The paper today says that pitchers Dana Eveland and Mike Schultz have been called up to the Diamondbacks!  I saw Mike walking from the dugout out of the Park last night with someone I didn’t recognize, but now suspect might have been Dana (I’m still learning who’s who on this year’s team).  I further guess they were on their way UP.   Wow!  Wish I’d known so I could’ve hollered something encouraging to them. 

…and Coming Down.  Before work yesterday I was able to listen to the Diamondback’s game at San Diego.  Dustin Nippert had a very tough outing in relief there, giving up too many walks and runs.  Nippert pitched well as a starter for us last year, but had two horrible outings with the Diamondbacks and after each one was sent back down to us.  This year the D-Backs kept him and converted him to a reliever.  Though he had no record, he seemed to be doing well with the new role.  Until yesterday.  The paper says the D-Backs have again optioned him back to us.  It has troubled me that in all of his difficult outings in the Bigs, the D-Backs have seemed to hang Dustin out to dry; working him past the point of common sense; letting him get into situations where it goes from worse to unbearably ugly…to me it has seemed most humiliating for him.  I’m sure they know what they’re doing, but I feel for the kid.  Regardless, he’s been an asset as a Winder and we’ll gladly take him back.

Catch the last game of the homestand at TEP tonight.  First pitch against the Salt Lake Bees at 6:30…Fireworks after the game!

(Disclaimer - this posting not reviewed/approved by the Sidewinders, Diamondbacks, MiLB, MLB, the Hey Jeff crowd, or any other baseball official and represents the views and biases of the author alone)