A few weeks ago, OMDQ had a brainstorm. We like inside perspectives on what it’s like in the minors. Our internet buddy Darren Heitner manages minor league ballplayers as part of his growing business called Dynasty Athlete Representation. So, we got together, and the Quail kicked it off by discussing the WBC with Australian player Paul Rutgers. I chose a player who reminded me of home. Meet Nick Czyz, former pitcher for the Kansas...
What a week this has been! Alex Rodriguez has a dramatic return from his injury with a first pitch homer on 5/8/09 and Manny Ramirez shows his feminine side by being the latest superstar to test positive for PEDs. Still though, bobblehead promos are front and center on my end of this blog. Here’s the lineup this week: San Francisco Giants 5/12/09 Lou Seal (Chinese) (Mascot) – Part of a Chinese Heritage Night Promotion. ...
Baseball fever is officially in regular season mode. 2 new venues have debuted for MLB here in NY, minor league reports are starting to mount and promotional schedules continue to mount. Here’s this week’s report on the still prosperous hobby: Chicago Cubs 4/21/09 Carlos Zambrano “No-Hitter” Statue – First 10,000 fans – Z’s feat is especially amazing considering this was to be a “road game” in a neutral site due to a hurricane in...
With 300+ minor league teams in these United States, OMDQ and I will need some way to focus our energies, and this is one way we figured to do it. Monday is “A” ball day. That will include Rookie League and every form of A ball. Wednesday we’ll check out the AA clubs, and then on Friday on up to AAA. We’ll also develop a few weekly features to slot in on the other...
Last summer I took my son to nearly every minor league ballpark in our home state of Virginia. I called it “The Summer of Baseball”, and published some of my photos on this blog. I ended up writing an article about it for Camperways magazine, which runs destination features for fans of RV travel. At the time we had seven teams active in the area. Since then, the Atlanta Braves have announced that they will...
OMDQ and I often joke about how we’re going to become famous for our travels in search of minor-league baseball. Apparently, it’s already been done, but it only made one man Lancaster-famous. LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. – A love of America’s Pastime, a chance to see the country and some downtime after his manufacturing company stopped production were the key factors in guiding Chuck Barrage’s minor-league baseball journey this season. Barrage, of Honey Brook, has...
Danville, VA hosts the Rookie team for the Atlanta Braves. They play in Dan Daniel Stadium, which is part of a very nice complex that includes a park and municipal ball fields. Click on any thumbnail to see a larger image. The ticket teepee, concession workers, international dugout, kids run the bases Hand-written lineups, sno-cones, one on, watching from the dugout. If you go to a game at Danville, pay the extra couple of...
The Empty Ballpark Blues. Thanks to a friendly groundskeeper, these photos were taken while the White Sox Rookie affiliate Bristol Sox were on the road. Even without the players in action, there’s just something cool about a community field. This one is a stone’s throw away from the Tennessee border, in the far southwestern corner of Virginia. Inside the home dugout; VFW Bingo; View from the dugout box seats; field-level access; 27...
2012 05 14 Scranton Wilks Barre/ Empire State Yankees vs Pawtucket Red Sox
