David Bromberg delivers a pitch as the shadows lurks
7/29 - Photo of the Game, Jose Morales Dirt (7/20)
Catcher Jose Morales catches the ball in a midst of dust
7/26 - Old Time Baseball
Before the game at Frontier Field today, they had a special old time baseball game. It was pretty cool seeing how they played the game back when it first started. They had no batting helmets nor gloves as well. The game was a lot simpler than today. They even played by the rules back in the 1800's. For example, if you catch a fly ball after one bounce, you're out. Pretty interesting, huh?
They even had an old-timer PA announcer at the game! (with the modern microphone, of course :-) )
7/26 - Photo of the Game, Jacque Jones with Hall-of-Famer Rod Carew
Two Twins Greats in Hall-of-Famer Rod Carew (left) and
Jacque Jones, who helped the Twins to three AL Central Division titles from 2002-2004.
7/25 - Photo of the Game, Brock Peterson Mans First
Brock Peterson mans first base and awaits for the pitch
7/24 - Photo of the Game, David Bromberg Rain Delay
David Bromberg looks out onto the field during the Rain Delay.
The Red Wings had over 90 minutes of rain delay at two separate times during tonight's game.
7/23 - Photo of the Game, Dustin Martin Irish Jersey
I'm going to try something new with this blog: Photo of the Game. This is where I would select the game's top photo and put it up here and explain the story behind the picture.
So here's the lead off image:
Dustin Martin takes (above) off from second base to score on Trevor Plouffe's double.
The Rochester Red Wings were wearing green jerseys in honor of Irish Night.
7/23 - Traveling down I-90 West
During this past week, I had the opportunity to follow the Rochester Red Wings down I-90 West to Buffalo to shoot their road game agains the Buffalo Bisons (New York Mets).
It was also my first time seeing the Red Wing's road uniforms in action. They look AWESOME. Much better than the home uniforms in my opinion. It's more clean and simple and traditional as well. Check them out below:
1 - Matt Macri shares a laugh before the game on-deck
2 - Jose Morales hustling down the first baseline and beat it out by half a step
3 - Brendan Harris celebrates a home run with Brain Dinkelman
4 - Trevor Plouffe makes a play at shorstop
7/19 - Rochester Red Wings All-Stars
Even though the Red Wings are struggling this season, despite their frustrations throughout the season, the Wings still managed to send two deserving players to the Triple-A All-Star game: Outfielder Dustin Martin and Pitcher Anthony Slama.
The 26-year-old Martin is in his 3rd full season with the Twins organization after getting traded from the New York Mets with Drew Butera for Luis Castillo July 30, 2007. Martin was originally the Mets' 26th round pick in 2006 out of Sam Houston State University. His homer June 10 gave him three more home runs than all of last year. He homered in back-to-back games April 18 and April 19 vs. Pawtucket.
Slama's seasons numbers entering play Tuesday July 19: an 0-1 record, 1.58 ERA and 17 saves, with 63 strikeouts in 51 and 1/3 innings. League hitters have a .149 batting average against Slama this season. The 26-year-old is in his second season in Triple-A, his fourth season in the Minnesota Twins organization, and was the Twins' 39th round pick in 2006 out of the University of San Diego.
~pulled from www.redwingsbaseball.com [with updated statistics]
7/18 - Iowa Cubs All-Stars
It was so awesome to see my hometown team, the Iowa Cubs, at the Triple-A All-Star game, even though if it was only two players and I didn't know them personally, it was still nice to see somebody donning an IOWA cap. Both of the I-Cubs, pitcher Thomas Diamond and shortstop Darwin Barney, were standouts for the PCL team during the game.
Barney went 1 for 2 while driving in the PCL's only run for a RBI single up the middle in the second inning and turned a double play himself. Diamond earned the PCL's Top Star Award striking out two in two scoreless frames to open the ball game.
7/17 - Home Run Derby Final Round
There was so much stuff going on during the final round of the Home Run Derby that I couldn't sum up the entire plot in just four images. So I'll pull the story from www.ironpigsbaseball.com for you.
Johnson Tops Tracy in Derby Tiebreaker
Dan Johnson took the 2010 Triple-A Home Run Derby crown in come-from-behind fashion over IronPigs slugger Andy Tracy on a soggy Monday night at Coca-Cola Park.
Tracy, hitting first in the final round, cracked 10 long balls to seemingly put himself in good position to take the title on his own turf. But Johnson roared back with home run after home-run belted over the right field wall and into the Bud Light Trough.
With nine outs and nine homers on the board, Johnson, who leads the IL with 24 homers at the break, hit a line drive that cleared the wall by just a few feet to pull even with Tracy.
The Derby went to a five-out tiebreaker where Tracy, understandably winded from the previous round, failed to go deep. Johnson, meanwhile, ended the drama quick, lofting the second pitch of the round over the right-center field wall.
Omaha's Alex Gordon got things going after an hour and 40 minute rain delay crushing three homers in the first round that would hold up to earn the former second overall pick a place in the second round.
Joining Gordon, Tracy and Johnson was Rutgers product and New Jersey native Jeff Frazier (TOL) who hit two round-trippers in the first round to advance.
Both high school sluggers, D.J. King (Nazareth) and Westyn Baylor (Bangor), each left the yard once. King rocketed a 345-foot shot over the wall in right and Baylor deposited a 375-foot shot into the bullpens in left.
Las Vegas' J.P. Arencibia, who leads all of baseball (Minors and Majors) with 25 homers at the break, managed to knock just one out of Coca-Cola Park. Albuquerque's Jay Gibbons, the owner of 121 career Major League homers with the Baltimore Orioles, was the only Derby participant not to hit a home run.
In the semifinal round, Tracy was down to his last four outs needing four home runs to advance and promptly hit the next four over the fence to knock out Gordon, who had seven total home runs, and advance to the finals.
Johnson stepped to the plate in the semi's needing just one home run to take the lead over Tracy into the final round. He ended up hitting five for a two round total of 13.
Tracy's 462-foot mamoth blast in the final round was the longest home run on the evening off the top tier of billboards in right-center.
Dan Johnson took the 2010 Triple-A Home Run Derby crown in come-from-behind fashion over IronPigs slugger Andy Tracy on a soggy Monday night at Coca-Cola Park.
Tracy, hitting first in the final round, cracked 10 long balls to seemingly put himself in good position to take the title on his own turf. But Johnson roared back with home run after home-run belted over the right field wall and into the Bud Light Trough.
With nine outs and nine homers on the board, Johnson, who leads the IL with 24 homers at the break, hit a line drive that cleared the wall by just a few feet to pull even with Tracy.
The Derby went to a five-out tiebreaker where Tracy, understandably winded from the previous round, failed to go deep. Johnson, meanwhile, ended the drama quick, lofting the second pitch of the round over the right-center field wall.
Omaha's Alex Gordon got things going after an hour and 40 minute rain delay crushing three homers in the first round that would hold up to earn the former second overall pick a place in the second round.
Joining Gordon, Tracy and Johnson was Rutgers product and New Jersey native Jeff Frazier (TOL) who hit two round-trippers in the first round to advance.
Both high school sluggers, D.J. King (Nazareth) and Westyn Baylor (Bangor), each left the yard once. King rocketed a 345-foot shot over the wall in right and Baylor deposited a 375-foot shot into the bullpens in left.
Las Vegas' J.P. Arencibia, who leads all of baseball (Minors and Majors) with 25 homers at the break, managed to knock just one out of Coca-Cola Park. Albuquerque's Jay Gibbons, the owner of 121 career Major League homers with the Baltimore Orioles, was the only Derby participant not to hit a home run.
In the semifinal round, Tracy was down to his last four outs needing four home runs to advance and promptly hit the next four over the fence to knock out Gordon, who had seven total home runs, and advance to the finals.
Johnson stepped to the plate in the semi's needing just one home run to take the lead over Tracy into the final round. He ended up hitting five for a two round total of 13.
Tracy's 462-foot mamoth blast in the final round was the longest home run on the evening off the top tier of billboards in right-center.
DERBY FINAL STANDINGS (Total Home Runs)
1. Dan Johnson - Durham (IL) 24 homers
2. Andy Tracy - Toledo (IL) 18 homers
3. Alex Gordon - Omaha (PCL) 7 homers
4. Jeff Frazier - Toledo (IL) 5 homers
5. Westyn Baylor - Bangor High School 1 homer
6. D.J. King - Nazareth High School 1 homer
7. J.P. Arencibia- Las Vegas (PCL) 1 homer
8. Jay Gibbons - Alberquerque (PCL) 0 homers
1. Dan Johnson - Durham (IL) 24 homers
2. Andy Tracy - Toledo (IL) 18 homers
3. Alex Gordon - Omaha (PCL) 7 homers
4. Jeff Frazier - Toledo (IL) 5 homers
5. Westyn Baylor - Bangor High School 1 homer
6. D.J. King - Nazareth High School 1 homer
7. J.P. Arencibia- Las Vegas (PCL) 1 homer
8. Jay Gibbons - Alberquerque (PCL) 0 homers
7/17 - Home Run Derby Warm-Ups
J.P. of the Las Vegas 51ers (Toronto Blue Jays) - Total Home Runs: 1
Jay Gibbons of the Albuquerque Isotopes (Florida Marlins) - Total Home Runs: 0 (poor guy)
D.J. King of Nazareth High School from the Lehigh Valley area - Total Home Runs: 1
Alex Gordon of the Omaha Royals (Kansas City Royals) - Total Home Runs: 7
7/16 - More Coca-Cola Park
Like I said in my previous post, the ballpark is just beautiful.
The main entrance to Coca-Cola Park, in right field instead of the usual "behind home plate" location.
The largest scoreboard in minor league baseball, stretching across 22 feet, towers over the All-Star logo painted on the outfield grass.
The banner of the Pawtucket Red Sox, Rochester Red Wings, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees for the International League in the main concourse.
The banner of the Colorado Spring Sky Sox (Colorado Rockies), Fresno Grizzles (San Francisco Giants), and my home team, the Iowa Cubs for the Pacific Coast League in the main concourse.
7/14 - Coca-Cola Park
If I have to say one thing about this ballpark, I would just say, "wow."
Coca-Cola Park is the home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Philles AAA) that was opened in 2008. The stadium is just gorgeous. It's state-of-the-art. When I went on the field, I could tell why it was named the best minor league ballpark of 2009. It's just perfect for baseball. Its dimensions is exactly the same as Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Phillies, so that should help the Phillies' prospects get used to the playing surface.
The ballpark is also the host of the 2010 Triple-A All-Star game. This photo was taking during the preparation of the home run derby this past Monday.
I'll put up some more photos of the derby and the game in the next few days, when I have the time to work on this blog.
Also, this is almost my dream field! Coke products.... EVERYWHERE!!!!
7/4 - Patriotic Baseball
There's a reason why I've stated that both Memorial Day and the 4th of July are always my two favorite holidays. Why?
Simple.
Baseball.
There's always a baseball game going on on those two days. In today's case, it was 4th of July, so here's some snapshots from the Red Wings - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (you know what team, haha) game.
1 -Right fielder Brain Dinkelman sports a patriotic cap and jersey for the Red Wings
2 - Pitcher Matt Fox stands in front of the flag for the National Anthem
3 - Shortstop and a former I-Cubs Brandon Harris makes a play in the first inning
4 - Fox makes a pitch with the US banner behind him
At first, I thought the jerseys were kinda ugly, but after seeing them in action, I just thought they were gorgeous, especially the caps. Perfect for our Nation's birthday.
God Bless America.
God bless Tess.
7/4 - Happy Fourth of July
Today for the Fourth of July, I went to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial of Greater Rochester and enjoyed the day myself there. It's located in Highland Park in Rochester and when I was there, nobody was there. The place was so quiet and there was no wind at all. It was so peaceful and secluded at the same time. It was the perfect day.
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