The Baseball Enthusiast: 4/14/2016 Toledo Mud Hens 2, Louisville Bats 0

Thursday, April 14, 2016

4/14/2016 Toledo Mud Hens 2, Louisville Bats 0

Louisville Slugger Field
Game 1 of 4

Baseball is back in Louisville, and the Bats are sporting a really catchy new colors and logo designs...which naturally means new unis as well. I don't tend to care too much for change, but I'm loving this.

My scoresheets, using my pitch-counting method! Read about it HERE, download the scoresheets for free HERE!

SCOREKEEPER'S NOTE: LOU 1B Brandon Allen gets on base in the 7th due to a play that TOL 2B Field definitely could have made. I ruled it an Error, the OS here ruled it a hit. My wife agrees with me, so that's that.

Tools of the Trade: Scoresheet, clipboard, pencil, eraser, Popcorn Helmet

RHP Robert Stephenson, recalled after a single start in CIN, pitches to Cubs and Giants legend Nate Schierholtz. Stephenson still has great stuff, he's hitting his spots a lot better, striking out 7 in 4 innings, but ended up a little flat after about 60 pitches.

LHP Layne Somsen pitches to TOL C Miguel Gonzalez...my heart is filled with Somsen's "pick up that dollar" mechanics, a la Tim Lincecum.

My wife doesn't play the Mystery Rookie Card game, so I debuted the season here as a solo artist. Every now and then, I draw a guy who is completely unknown to me. Kevin Howard was also unknown (or at least forgotten) amongst Reds fans close to me, so I had to do some research.

Turns out Howard hails from Hinsdale, IL (20 plus years ago, it was home of the greatest record show on the planet, eternally recognized for the Hinsdale Oasis...if you don't travel in the Chicago area, this reference was totally missed on you). Of course, I could learn this from the back of the card; I could also find that Howard appeared in 134 games with Class-A Dayton in 2003...he was signed by the Reds in 2002 after being selected in the 5th round of the Draft out of the University of Miami. Howard never played a game for the Reds at the Major League level, nor did he play in MLB for any of the other clubs he bounced around amongst through 2012 (Yankees, Dodgers, Phillies, Mariners, Blue Jays, Padres and even the Cardinals). Howard ended up in the Atlantic League, playing 84 games of indy ball with the Lancaster Barnstormers in 2013 (he had appeared in 34 games with them in 2011 as well), and his last season of professional ball on record was a full one with the Lincoln (NE) Saltdogs of the American Association. If you wanted to build a template for a career minor leaguer with no fluff or sparkle whatsoever, Kevin Howard seems to be as good a place as any to start.

Official Program and Scorecard (with detail)