4/15/2014 Toledo Mud Hens 2, Louisville Bats 5

Louisville Slugger Field, Louisville, KY
Game 3 of 3

My first Bats game of the year, and a game I'll always remember as the COLDEST baseball game I've ever attended...thoroughly beating the record previously held by my 40th birthday visit to Wrigley Field of mid-April 2007.

The paid attendance was announced as 4,634...however, there couldn't have been any more than 1,000 bodies at the game, and this number dwindled as early as the 2nd inning. It was 40 degrees with a mild wind in the full sun at first pitch; when the sun began to set an hour or so later, I started to think about how nice it would be in a couple of months when this place will be a sauna...

My daughter Kei and I did our best to make the most of it; we seriously bundled up for the game, and were hoping we'd fend off the extreme chill. This photo speaks only to my joy at attending my first game of the season, keeping score, and admiring the bunting that had blown inside the ledge of the upper deck.

Sean Marshall was here tonight, making a rehab start that was anticipated to only last an inning or so. Here he is warming up...while the rest of us were freezing. Look at all the frigid, yet empty seats.

Despite the fact that the Bats managed to avoid any extra base hits, their big inning in the 3rd against Toledo Mud Hens LHP Kyle Lobstein gave them an early lead, and an eventually insurmountable one for the Mud Hens.

As I donned my GLOVES to continue keeping score, Nate Robertson came on in relief of Lobstein after that inning. Heck, I just LOVE Nate Robertson...but I can't explain why. Whatever the reason, he's back with the Detroit Tigers organization for the first time since 2009.

I fondly remember Nate the most for a Fox Sports Florida commentator assessment of his performance during this 2010 Florida Marlins game:

    RICH WALTZ: "He (Robertson) has a good work ethic..."

    TOMMY HUTTON: "Well, he needs to work his way out of this!"

Kei and I did out best to brave the cold for the entire game, but it wasn't meant to be. She asked if we could leave after the 6th inning, and I was glad that she did. She felt bad about it, but I assured her that I was sincerely hoping she'd let me know when she was ready to go, because my fingers were starting to not respond to the commands from my brain.

Perhaps my reception for Nate Robertson was so pleasant because our mood was so absolutely less than pleasant at the time.

Now it's time for the Mystery Rookie Card game. In case you missed it before, the game is simple. Matt of Slugger Monkey has a stand at LSF and is there for every single game. He sells $1 Mystery Rookie packs for each sport; I buy two baseball rookies - one for me and one for my guest. Each pack has a Rookie Card, the identity of the card is obscured by the colored paper the card is packaged in. I allow my guest to pick their card, and before the game we unwrap them and see who we got; if there isn't a price tag on the card it's worth a buck (or less), if there is a price tag on the card, that's the card's book value. The only rule to the game is: since I'm springing for the cards, I expect a fair opportunity to trade. Other than that, the "game" is...check out the cards, and talk about them before the game!

For our inaugural Mystery Rookie Card game of the season, I picked this 2004 Fleer Ultra #373, featuring a...gasp...Yankee that I've never even heard of before, Houston, TX native Brad Halsey.

On the back of the card, we are told that Halsey "became a serious prospect in 2003...the lefty control artist had a 3:1 whiff/walk ratio in three Minor League seasons." Well, enough of a prospect to be part of the January 2005 trade that sent Halsey, Dioner Navarro, Javier Vazquez, and cash from the Yankees to the Diamondbacks for none other than Randy Johnson. Halsey spent the rest of that season on the D-backs roster , posting an 8-12 record and 4.61 ERA in 26 starts. We was passed on to Oakland in exchange for Juan Cruz early the following year, appearing in 52 games but only 7 as a starter. He began the 2007 season at AAA Sacramento and missed a return to Oakland over a squabble about his health that also involved Rich Harden and Dallas Braden. His season ended with shoulder surgery in July of that year and was released in early 2008. After a month-plus minor league contract with the Dodgers came and went, Halsey spent 2009-2010 playing Independent ball. He returned to the Yankees system for a few months in 2011, as a 30-year-old, and has since vanished without a trace. Rearrange the names, dates, and teams and this is a fairly common career path that always manages to throw that TINSTAPP thing right back at ya.

Kei's pick was as much of a mystery as mine...this 2007 Bowman Chrome #BC56 featuring another Texas pitcher, Brian Henderson. Pretty much the same old story here, except for the fact that Henderson never made an MLB appearance throughout his career. 

He looks pretty cheerful in his Tampa Bay Devil Rays gear, and he has a right to be...on the back of the card we are thrilled by his exploits, namely earning a spot in the 2006 Arizona Fall League and how he helped the AA Montgomery Biscuits to a Southern League title "by allowing only 2 HR in 50 innings." Go ahead and cue the sad violins now; he labored in AA ball with Montgomery for the majority of 5 seasons, with only a brief stint at AAA Durham in 2008. The Rays organization ran out of gas for Henderson, who spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons with the Atlantic League Somerset Patriots. As a 28-year-old, he was heralded by Ryan Dunleavy for his potential "beyond (the) baseball diamond" in this May 2010 blog post. The potential referred to was, unsurprisingly, intelligence. In other words, after 2010 one wonders if Henderson's decision to give up baseball was an intelligent one. Or not.

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

Official Program (featuring Corky Miller) and Scorecard

Ticket (Jumbo Diaz)

Bat Chat and Gameday Stats

If you enjoy my work, I encourage you to spread the word via Twitter

(I am @yoshiki89), and also please leave a comment!

BIL Tour: 8/29/10 Chicago Cubs 5, Cincinnati Reds 7

Great American Ball Park, Cincinnai, OH

Still hard to believe after living in this area for so long that this was my first ever trip to Great American Ball Park. Is there any better way to herald this event than with the final trip of the tour AND with the Cubs in town?

A "W" would have been nice!

CHC 5 14 2
CIN 7 14 0

Ounce for ounce, one of the most exciting games of the trip. The Reds would score, the Cubs would come back. Travis Wood didn't have his 'good stuff' today, we got lucky there.

One of my greatest moments as a Cubs fan was Fukudome's 2-run homer in the 8th to tie the game. I was never as proud as I was when I stood up amongst the Reds fans in our section and cheered voraciously. Even better that I did this at GABP, in the nest of the Reds fans. Boo-YAAA!!

Even still great, despite his subsequent throwing error that didn't lose the game for us (that was Sean Marshall's RBI single to Hernandez) but that certainly seemed to seal the deal just the same.

2 humorous game notes:

While standing in line to buy a scorecard and pencil, the vendor didn't have change to break a 20. I turned around, frustrated, and asked Mark to spot me a buck so I could pick one up, a handful of singles in his hand. He said 'sure,' handed me one; I made my purchase and walked away...only to find Mark standing 20 paces away from the vendor booth, asking me who that guy was that I was changing money with. Turns out a complete stranger spotted me a buck, not Mark, and by the time I turned around he was gone.

A few Reds fans were sitting next to us, I in my Fukudome jersey, Cubs cap, and handy green clipboard with scoresheets, camera, and BB. In the 2nd inning, this guy on my left turns to me and asks, profoundly, as I'm totalling pitches, "Are you a scout for the Cubs?" My response: "No, I'm an evil spy for the Reds!" ...I guess it was the clipboard.

Approaching GABP from the 'mall'


Mark and I in our seats, near the field (that' not a "3" it's a "W")


Grandstand before the game...don't let the Red seats fool you, there are LOTS of Cub fans here today!


Starlin Castro gets on base


Fukudome in RF, we sat right in front of many of his plays


Casey Coleman delivers, Xavier Nady springs to make the play


Fukudome on 1st base


Sam LeCure


Sean Marshall warms up, he is TOO tall at this distance


Adios, Mark! Let's do this again sometime!!!





Official Scorecard



Souvenir Program (with Johnny Gomes poster!!!)

5/15/10 Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Chicago Cubs 4

Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL

Is this truly bliss, or are we just sliding down a pole with razor blades at the bottom (again)?

It's hard to believe I have such a sense of celebration over a WIN that avoids a sweep by the Pirates AND finishes a 3 game series with a loss, but that's what we Cubs fans have been used to this season so far.

PIT 3 6 1
CHC 4 8 1

The Buckos have won their games against us by scoring in the first inning. This is still true, as they did not score in the first (they waited until the 2nd, thanks) and subsequently did not win. The key seemed to be 'don't let McCutchen hit safely'...he did hit safely but was subsequently caught stealing (1-3-4)and that was really the end of his offensive threat.

Soriano...flied out once, hit safely twice, scored a run, stole a base (going on a wild pitch, snagging an extra base in the process), drove in a run, and was walked. Nice! Derrek Lee with 2 hits, an RBI...Fukudome, a hit and a run, Byrd (2 for 4)...Fontenot was walked and scored the tying run on a wild pitch by Evan Meek (whom we had feared when we was "throwing up in the bullpen")...Xavier nady delivers his first pinch hit RBI as a Cub, and suddenly our offensive power is easily matched with our ability to cross the plate. Defensively, the most honorable mention has to go to Fukudome's amazing catch in the top of the 7th, robbing Ross Ohlendorf's potential extra-bases drive with 2 men on base; this would have blown the game to a 5-1 advantage for the Pirates had Fukudome not reached the ball as efficiently as he had. As for Ohlendorf, see my post about Latos...moments like these don't -and can't- happen in AL games.

Yes, even if only for one afternoon...the nicest W of all is one that was fought for valiantly, and after such a dry spell.

I want to also comment that this year's Pirates really don't look or smell like last year's Pirates...they aren't really playing like the cheapo AAA team they have been for the past few years, so maybe they have the advantage in 2010 games with us 5-1 partly because we aren't performing as well as we should be, but also maybe because they are performing a little bit better than others have expected them to. Like they stole some of that 'mysterious spoiler mojo' from the Brewers (who could use some this year so far).

Lilly looked fine, but I still don't know what the hell happened in the 2nd inning. Sean Marshall = YES, and hey Carlos Marmol is effective as a closer in a Save situation. Theriot sat out the game due to a sore elbow from being hit by Carrasco yesterday.

WGN-TV broadcasters Len Kasper and Bob Brenly did their broadcast from the bleachers (with a visit from Bleacher Veteran Tom Ricketts as well) and no, this wasn't the first time they've done it but the weather was beautiful, no homers to catch out there today, and all is well.

5/7/10 Chicago Cubs 14, Cincinnati Reds 7

Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
Game 1 of 3

Starlin Castro's memorable debut. Also known as Homer Bailey's memorable choke.

Many Louisville Bats fans will tell you we are all still wondering why Homer gets the hype he does. He has always been this unreliable, and you'd think the Reds would have learned their lesson based on his record from last year's appearances.

This game really shows you why they call him "Homer." Reds phenom-in-the-hopper Chapman is starting to follow the same 'great fastball, poor control' pattern.

CHC 14 15 1
CIN 7 16 0

Castro homers in his first MLB at bat; racks up 6 RBIs to set a new MLB record. Carlos Silva pitches effectively for 4 innings, only to lose some control in the 5th. Just the same, as bad as Homer was, he was that much better.

Lest we forget some other great Cub performances...Fukudome, Byrd, and Soto enjoy offensive superiority, and even the slumping Lee and Ramirez hit safely. Add a special notch for Mike Fontenot, who's one-pitch first career Grand Slam in some ways overshadowed the great game that Castro is known for (and, of course, will have that much more of a challenge living up to).

Sean Marshall has been a stud in the bullpen this year, I'm finally forgetting about his stint as a start last year and I'm enjoying his effective appearances on the mound.

I had to watch this on Fox Sports OH, but found myself logging in to At Bat and turning the volume down on the TV while I listened to Pat and Ron. The Reds TV team of Welsh and Brennaman - it was fun to see them squirm but difficult to listen to.

Maybe it was because I had a sinking feeling as to how the rest of the series was going to go...

Good job, Starlin! WORLD SERIES HERE WE COME!!!!

4/7/10 Chicago Cubs 2, Altanta Braves 3

Turner Field, Atlanta, GA
Game 2 of 3

ARRRRRGHGHHHGHGHHHH

I was worried (mostly) about Ryan Dempster's performance...5-point-plus ERA in Turner Field, 0-8 record there as well.

Dempster was GREAT, a truly solid performance and he deserved at least one RBI, but didn't get it. The 5th inning was astounding, I felt vindicated as a Cubs Fan 2010 when that inning ended. Soriano's bloop double was awesome. I was even hooting Sean Marshall after his stellar performance in relief.

Good Grief, here comes Chipper Jones. Just when I felt like 'hey, our offense may be on its way up' the future HOF-er chops a reminder that this is only 'Opening Week' (hey, we dropped a BUNCH of games early on in 2007 as well) and that adjustments need to be made.

I'm also developing a bad taste for the Braves, but that's only envy right now.