It's a pretty silly tradition when you get right down to it. Getting all excited about the fact that a moving truck is lugging a load of equipment from Boston to Fort Meyers, FL?
But I love Truck Day.
It's not so much the actual event as what it represents. Truck Day is the first step on the road to Opening Day. We go from Truck Day to pitchers and catchers to position players report to the exhibitions against the college teams to Grapefruit League games to the final roster cuts to the home and road openers. Truck Day is that first signal that spring isn't all that far off, a signal that is desperately needed after a brutal winter like the one we have been having.
So celebrate Truck Day. Wear a bit of Red Sox gear tomorrow. Look at the pictures on Boston.com. Heck, go over to Fenway and watch the truck leave if you are so inclined. We'll be seeing the boys out on the field at City of Palms Park before you know it.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Back to the Bucket List
It's been a while since I looked at a few more items from The Baseball Fan's Bucket List. Let's check out three more.
159. Visit Bowman Field: Bowman Field is in Williamsport, PA and is the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters, the Phillies affiliate in the NY-Penn League. Built in 1926, Bowman Field is one of the oldest minor league ballparks around. Williamsport may be more famous for being the site of the Little League World Series, but I would certainly like to see a ballgame at Bowman Field someday.
158. Visit the Sports Museum of Los Angeles: According to the book there are some good artifacts here (baseballs from Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, some Brooklyn Dodgers stuff). I can't say it would be at the top of my list if I was out in LA (Disneyland, Dodger Stadium and Angels Stadium would be there), but I would certainly check it out if I had the time.
157. Attend a Negro Leagues Day celebration and game: I find the Negro Leagues to be a fascinating topic, so I would love to go to one of these events someday.
159. Visit Bowman Field: Bowman Field is in Williamsport, PA and is the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters, the Phillies affiliate in the NY-Penn League. Built in 1926, Bowman Field is one of the oldest minor league ballparks around. Williamsport may be more famous for being the site of the Little League World Series, but I would certainly like to see a ballgame at Bowman Field someday.
158. Visit the Sports Museum of Los Angeles: According to the book there are some good artifacts here (baseballs from Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, some Brooklyn Dodgers stuff). I can't say it would be at the top of my list if I was out in LA (Disneyland, Dodger Stadium and Angels Stadium would be there), but I would certainly check it out if I had the time.
157. Attend a Negro Leagues Day celebration and game: I find the Negro Leagues to be a fascinating topic, so I would love to go to one of these events someday.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Bye bye, Andy
Andy Pettitte retired from the Yankees today after a great career that left him with a 240-138 lifetime record plus a 19-10 record in the postseason. After Whitey Ford, he is the best lefty starter in the Yankees illustrious history.
Pettitte's retirement is a huge blow to the Yankees starting rotation next year. Although he is getting up there in age (he'll be 39 in June), he had a pretty respectable season for the Bombers in 2010, going 11-8 with a 3.28 ERA last season. The mighty Yankees, with their $200 million payroll, have been reduced to going after retreads like Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia in an attempt to patch the back end of their rotation. Bet those Yankee fans who were mean to Cliff Lee's wife are rethinking some of their life choices right now.
One reason Pettitte may have retired is because he is scheduled to testify when Roger Clemens goes to court for lying to Congress and he may have wanted to minimize the circus that will surround the trial by not having to show up in the Yankees clubhouse every day.
Pettitte will come up for the Hall of Fame in 5 years and his election will be another controversial one. He certainly has the stats (especially in the postseason) to merit induction, but his admission of using HGH a few years back may mean that he will have to wait a while if he ever gets into Cooperstown.
Pettitte's retirement is a huge blow to the Yankees starting rotation next year. Although he is getting up there in age (he'll be 39 in June), he had a pretty respectable season for the Bombers in 2010, going 11-8 with a 3.28 ERA last season. The mighty Yankees, with their $200 million payroll, have been reduced to going after retreads like Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia in an attempt to patch the back end of their rotation. Bet those Yankee fans who were mean to Cliff Lee's wife are rethinking some of their life choices right now.
One reason Pettitte may have retired is because he is scheduled to testify when Roger Clemens goes to court for lying to Congress and he may have wanted to minimize the circus that will surround the trial by not having to show up in the Yankees clubhouse every day.
Pettitte will come up for the Hall of Fame in 5 years and his election will be another controversial one. He certainly has the stats (especially in the postseason) to merit induction, but his admission of using HGH a few years back may mean that he will have to wait a while if he ever gets into Cooperstown.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Northern New England Ballparks
Today, we'll look at some ballparks I have visited in the northern part of New England.
Centennial Field, Vermont Expos/Lake Monsters: One of the oldest minor league ballparks in existence, Centennial was built in 1922 and looks it. The ballpark has a ricketty old charm that extends to the wooden seats, the concrete bleachers in short left and right field and the dead-ball era distances to the outfield fences. With the walls at respectable distances of 330 to left, 405 to center and 325 to right, and the young, just drafted ballplayers getting their first pro experience in the short-season New York-Penn League, I don't think I have seen more than five home runs hit in the the dozen or so games I have attended. Despite the age of the facility, it is utterly charming and seeing a game there is a fun experience and a great way to end a day in Burlington.
MerchantsAuto.com Stadium, New Hampshire Fisher Cats: At the opposite end of the spectrum is this practically brand-new facility in Manchester, serving as home to the Blue Jays AA affilate. Opened in 2005, Merchants Auto.com Stadium (that is an awful name, and it was recently renamed Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, which isn't an improvement) has all the modern amenities: wide plastic seats with cupholders and plenty of leg room, a big concourse with great concessions choices, a pub in left field sponsored by Sam Adams and even a hotel in center field like the Rogers Centre (must be a Blue Jays thing). There is even a small area containing artifacts from the Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame. Great place to watch a game.
Hadlock Field, Portland Sea Dogs: Another fun place to watch a ballgame, this great Maine ballpark boasts it's own version of the Fenway Park Green Monster. Hadlock Field regularly draws big, enthusiastic crowds, and did even before the Sea Dogs changed their team affiliation from the Marlins to the Red Sox.
Centennial Field, Vermont Expos/Lake Monsters: One of the oldest minor league ballparks in existence, Centennial was built in 1922 and looks it. The ballpark has a ricketty old charm that extends to the wooden seats, the concrete bleachers in short left and right field and the dead-ball era distances to the outfield fences. With the walls at respectable distances of 330 to left, 405 to center and 325 to right, and the young, just drafted ballplayers getting their first pro experience in the short-season New York-Penn League, I don't think I have seen more than five home runs hit in the the dozen or so games I have attended. Despite the age of the facility, it is utterly charming and seeing a game there is a fun experience and a great way to end a day in Burlington.
MerchantsAuto.com Stadium, New Hampshire Fisher Cats: At the opposite end of the spectrum is this practically brand-new facility in Manchester, serving as home to the Blue Jays AA affilate. Opened in 2005, Merchants Auto.com Stadium (that is an awful name, and it was recently renamed Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, which isn't an improvement) has all the modern amenities: wide plastic seats with cupholders and plenty of leg room, a big concourse with great concessions choices, a pub in left field sponsored by Sam Adams and even a hotel in center field like the Rogers Centre (must be a Blue Jays thing). There is even a small area containing artifacts from the Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame. Great place to watch a game.
Hadlock Field, Portland Sea Dogs: Another fun place to watch a ballgame, this great Maine ballpark boasts it's own version of the Fenway Park Green Monster. Hadlock Field regularly draws big, enthusiastic crowds, and did even before the Sea Dogs changed their team affiliation from the Marlins to the Red Sox.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Stuff
A few thoughts as we move into the month of February. Hopefully, the fact that pitchers and catchers report in less than two weeks can distract me from the thought of yet another snowstorm bearing down on us.
- After dithering on a decision for a while, I finally joined The Society for American Baseball Reserach, or SABR. The tipping point for me was a 25% discount on my first year's membership I got as a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. I'm looking forward to getting involved with the Boston chapter and hopefully attending their next meeting.
- I'm going to be really interested in following the negotiations between Albert Pujols and the Cardinals over the next couple of weeks. You have to think that Pujols is looking for A-Rod type money. Will the Cardinals pony up? And if they don't, who will? The Yankees and Red Sox are tied up with big contracts at first base for years (assuming the Sox sign Gonzalez). Would another relatively high payroll team make a splash by signing him? There don't seem to be a lot of candidates - Mets, Angels, Cubs? Can you imagine if the Cubs signed Pujols away from the Cardinals? That would amp up the rivalry another few notches.
- I would really like to get to one of the New York ballparks this year. Tickets for Citi Field will probably be a lot easier to obtain.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Connecticut Ballparks
Back to the list of ballparks. Tonight, I'm focusing on the three minor league ballparks I have visited in the state of Connecticut.
Dodd Stadium, Norwich Navigators: The Navigators are gone, replaced by the Class A Connecticut Tigers, but Dodd Stadium endures. It's a very nice ballpark in a very odd location. It's way in the back of an industrial park, so there's nothing really near the ballpark other than office buildings. I do have a great story about Dodd Stadium, though. The Navigators were a Yankees farm team, and I ran a group outing to the ballpark for the New England area Starfleet chapters in 1997. I had to go down to Norwich to pick up the tickets before the day of the game, so A. and I decided to make a day of it. We stopped at the ballpark to meet the group sales manager, went to the casino for a few hours and then went to the ballgame that evening. When we got to the ballpark, we chatted with the group sales manager and she found out that I was a Red Sox fan. So she tells me that the Yankees 1996 World Series trophy was going to be at the game that night and that it was the only way I would have a chance to see one! It took seven years, but she was eventually proved wrong.
Yale Field, New Haven Ravens: Historic Yale Field was a great take. It's a classic old ballpark and was a fun place to watch a ballgame. It's also the site of this famous picture of Babe Ruth with future president George H. W. Bush.
New Britain Stadium, New Britain Rock Cats: New Britain Stadium is typical of most of the newer minor league ballparks built in the last 20 years or so. It seats around 7,500, has lots of exposed brick, and good sightlines. The Rock Cats are the AA affiliate of the Twins, and with Minnesota's productive farm system there's a pretty good chance you will see a future star at the ballpark. Recent alumni include Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Torii Hunter and David Ortiz.
More minor league ballparks to come!
Dodd Stadium, Norwich Navigators: The Navigators are gone, replaced by the Class A Connecticut Tigers, but Dodd Stadium endures. It's a very nice ballpark in a very odd location. It's way in the back of an industrial park, so there's nothing really near the ballpark other than office buildings. I do have a great story about Dodd Stadium, though. The Navigators were a Yankees farm team, and I ran a group outing to the ballpark for the New England area Starfleet chapters in 1997. I had to go down to Norwich to pick up the tickets before the day of the game, so A. and I decided to make a day of it. We stopped at the ballpark to meet the group sales manager, went to the casino for a few hours and then went to the ballgame that evening. When we got to the ballpark, we chatted with the group sales manager and she found out that I was a Red Sox fan. So she tells me that the Yankees 1996 World Series trophy was going to be at the game that night and that it was the only way I would have a chance to see one! It took seven years, but she was eventually proved wrong.
Yale Field, New Haven Ravens: Historic Yale Field was a great take. It's a classic old ballpark and was a fun place to watch a ballgame. It's also the site of this famous picture of Babe Ruth with future president George H. W. Bush.
New Britain Stadium, New Britain Rock Cats: New Britain Stadium is typical of most of the newer minor league ballparks built in the last 20 years or so. It seats around 7,500, has lots of exposed brick, and good sightlines. The Rock Cats are the AA affiliate of the Twins, and with Minnesota's productive farm system there's a pretty good chance you will see a future star at the ballpark. Recent alumni include Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Torii Hunter and David Ortiz.
More minor league ballparks to come!
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