Leftovers
Cleaning out the notebook after a league-wide off day:
* Washington pitcher J.J. Hollenbeck, pictured, tossed seven shutout innings in the 3-2 win Sunday over Florence. That extends the right-hander's streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 26. The last run Hollenbeck allowed was in the first inning of a game June 21 at home against Traverse City. It's the only run Hollenbeck has given up in four starts.
When told that he was working a lengthy scoreless streak last week, Hollenbeck didn't seem impressed. "All I want to do is throw one scoreless inning - the next one I pitch," he said.
The league record for consecutive scoreless innings is 35 set by Traverse City's Tony Casoli in 2006.
* Kalamazoo's Fran Riordan and Southern Illinois' Mike Pinto, the managers in next week's all-star game, have made their three additions to their respective rosters. Riordan added Midwest outfielder Anthony Albano and two players from Kalamazoo, designated hitter Brendan Murphy and outfielder Simon Williams. Pinto added Evansville outfielder Justin Randall and two Southern Illinois players, infielder Tony Roth and pitcher Jack McMurran, to the West Division team.
* Though he hasn't pitched in a game with his new team, Sam Mann could be a key player for the Wild Things in the second half of the season. Mann, a former W&J standout, was released earlier this year by Kalamazoo and signed by Washington last week.
Mann was 6-2 in 15 starts last year for the Kings with a solid 3.65 ERA while pitching in a home park that is not pitcher-friendly. This year, Mann started the season by allowing two runs over eight innings in his first outing, earning a win, but he struggled over the next four games (three starts).
Mann hasn't pitched a game since June 14, but he he said he kept his arm in shape by throwing at W&J. "I could go deep into a game if needed," he said Sunday.
Mann was a Rhodes Scholar candidate last year and plans to go to law school but not until 2009 at the earliest. This spring, he was an assistant coach at Marietta College. Another assistant for the Pioneers is Trinity graduate Mike Deegan.
* I stumbled upon this story while surfing the Internet:
Check out the story here.
You might find it interesting that a first-year player in the low minor leagues makes $1,100 per month and $20 per day in meal money. The first figure didn't surprise me, but the meal money did. I've been told the Frontier League per diem is $21 per day.
I started searching the Net for the standard contract for Double-A and Triple-A non-40-man-roster players. The best I could do is find a two-year-old story that said a first-time Class AA player makes "roughly" $1,500 per month. I'm guessing that's up a couple hundred dollars a month this year, but the Frontier League's $1,600 per month (usually going to players classified as Veterans) cap is very comparable, especially when you consider guys in affiliated ball must pay for their own housing.
The same story mentioned that a first-year Triple-A player would make $2,150 per month. That was an eye-opener. I know in the Atlantic League, the top-level independent league that has many former major leaguers and Triple-A players, the max contract is $3,000 per month.
posted by Chris Dugan at
9:53 PM
31 Comments:
At least we know these guys aren’t in it for the money, which makes me respect their efforts even more.
I don’t’ know how much A-Rod makes but I’ll bet he makes more money per inning/at bat than most of our guys get in a month, or more. At least until his wife’s attorney finishes up with him.
With fame comes money - with money comes women – with women comes trouble AND attorneys etc., etc.,. It also seems to bring on insanity!
So minor leaguer players hear this; being the next A-Rod is only going to bring problems, so just enjoy going out on the field every game, doing your best leaving nothing behind. A-Rod, Clemens, Bonds, and the rest of these “big time’ players - do these guys REALLY enjoy, or even appreciate what they have, or had? I doubt it.
Ron Wilson
Will tonights suspended game also include a rain check for parking?
We get it thriftyone, the Wild Things charge for parking...next subject.
Went out to CEP last night to watch another performance by the amazin’ 2008 Wild Things.
When I arrived, right at game time, I couldn’t help but notice the place was bereft of fans. Since my glasses are not adjusted correctly I figured the place was almost empty just by hearing the echoes – probably of teams past!
After hearing the National Anthem 3 times (damn echoes again) I settled into my seat for what I thought would be a fun night of baseball. The game started out sort of slowly and I was beginning to wonder what I was going to do for entertainment when something amazin’ happened. One of the ‘front office’ types, Chris Blain, comes by our seats and introduces us to – now get this – ‘My Boy Dutch’! Now there is NO WAY I can tell you how long I’ve been waiting for something like this to happen. If my prostate wasn’t the size of a cantaloupe I might have wet my knickers right then and there! Honest! Actually “Dutch” is a very nice man and stopped by of say ‘hello’ and to apologize for something that happened a while back – a VERY nice gesture on his part. (I hope to Hell he didn’t see the ‘gesture’ I gave him!). ‘Dutch is indeed a very ‘Big Man’ and I really appreciated his thoughtfulness. I might even have to cut him a little slack now but I doubt it.
After watching a ‘promotion’ for some furniture company after the second inning, it suddenly struck me way their parking lot is always empty! I AM a little slow sometimes.
About the 5th inning things skyward were looking really dark so when we hear thunder we run for the parking lot and get to the car just in time! Thor must really be sore at the Wild Things this year. After I sit in the car for about 5 minutes I can see corks floating all over the place. I adjust my glasses and then realize those ‘corks are – PEOPLE!! Gee Whiz!! Got to do something about that drainage!
I get in the trunk of my car and put on my fishing gear so I can cast around center field and perhaps rescue Chris Sidick from drowning. Luckily, the Coast Guard had already done so. So I continue my fishing hoping that if there is any ‘carp’et out there I get it out before in hatches into artificial turf. Then some damn security guy comes and kicks me out because I haven’t paid my CEP/Wild Things fishing license fee. Do these folk have everything covered, or what?
Anyway it was a short, fun, and wet night at the ball yard. Now most people think it was a total washout, but not me. I got to meet ‘Dutch’ and had a pleasant conversation with my newfound hero. To me, that was almost better than a walk-off home run by Nathan Messner!! Almost as amazin’ as the ’69 New York Mets!! The only downside for me was that I didn’t get to see ‘Dutch’ chucking those t-shirts and lumps of coal into the stands. I must admit that was a real bummer!
Ron Wilson
Illegitimati non carborundum!
BTW: Thriftyone, no parking refund for you!
I hate you
Ron,
A very well written humerous summary of last night.
Good job.
Anonymous said...
"I hate you"
I don't think much of you either B**h
Ron W
Illegitimati non carborundum!
hate to interupt the steady flow of complaining but for those of you actually interested in baseball, and life in the frontier league...Interesting blog being done by the Columbus Dispatch on the Paints: http://blog.dispatch.com/roadtrip/ apparently an article is to follow in about a week.
Chris Dugan: I am just an observer to all of this, and also a fan, but my question to you is this. Was this site set up for all of thie nagging and complaining that goes on? My thoughts are like this. If you don't like what goes on at CEP, then don't go.
Definitely not, drbob. It was set up to share some of the interesting stories and tidbits that don't make it into the newspaper, to provide some extra analysis and to keep up with former Wild Things who are still playing baseball.
All the bitching, complaining and name-calling is not only getting old and repetitive but is quite childish and embarassing. It's amazing to me that much of what I post gets followed up with a string of comments that are either aimed at another person or have nothing to do with the original story.
Thanks Chris. I thought that you would say that. What concerns me is that I am sure there are fans of other teams that read this blog, and they are problay wondering what the hell is going on here, or laughing themselves silly. I read this site daily, and I agree with some things, but mostly disagree with a lot of things. This foolishness need to stop, oe we are going to become the laughing stock of the whole Frontier League. I am not an employee of the Wild Things, not a season ticket holder, not a host family, not nothing. Just a guy who likes to take his wife occasionally to CEP for an enjoyable evening of baseball. Maybe we can all bury the hatchet and let Mr. Dugan write his stories, without everyone under the sun complaining about everything, and hope that the Wild Things continue the tradition of winning baseball.
Mat Matters is a good O-R blog some of you might want to try. No name calling, childishness, etc.
And apparently no posts on Mat Matters.
In response to drbob I agree that there is too much complaining going on but it makes the day go by faster. Some people just like to air their frustrations and complaints here so it doesn't get bottled up inside. Some of my friends would b---h too if they had the guts to do it but they would rather complain to someone else and expect them to write.
As anyone in the business of entertainment knows, The Wild Things included, there is no such thing as bad publicity!
Perhaps the Wild Things should address some of their problems and there would not be as much to bitch about. They need to start with their employees and the rude behavior of some them. THAT was the number one complaint early this year on this blog. Chris, you were the one that started that!
So, why don't we all just put on our blinders, as Pennsylvanians tend to do, and pretend all is well? Why don’t we do what one man that sits near me does? He bitches and complains every day about how much food and drinks cost at CEP, so how does he fight back against this perceived wrong? Of course he continues to buy the stuff - a real brilliant solution indeed.
If Chris doesn't like what he sees here than perhaps he should shut it down, the only loser would be the O-R, the only winner would be The Wild Things, another brilliant solution. Chris said “All the bitching, complaining and name-calling is not only getting old and repetitive but is quite childish and embarrassing.”.
He sure didn't sing this tune yast year when many of the bloggers were coming to his defense when he had a complaint did he? There was a lot of the same stuff going on then too. I guess because it benefited him it wasn’t all that “childish and embarrassing” then was it? If this blog is too rough for you ‘complainers about the complainers’ perhaps some of you should check out some other sports blogs where it gets really gets down and dirty! This is really some mild stuff.
As for the fans in other FL cities - if you look hard enough, you will find most of their blogs, if they even have one, do not much care about their teams at all.
As for the personal things that appear on this blog, I agree that it should be stopped. Most of the jerks that do that sort of thing always fail to identify themselves you notice - these posts should be removed by the moderator but they are left there to continue to cause hard feelings. One recent post merely said, "I hate you" Now what possible good thing could be learned from that except that a moron wrote it? Why do you not remove this sort of stuff? I know who did that and I know who she aimed it at, so what's the point?
My feeling is that things that do not relate directly to something Wild Things, or a subject related to them, should be deleted.
There are far more problems with the Wild Things than there has been in the past. All one has to do is check the attendance figures or, better yet, go to a game and notice that lack of excitement there. Most of the Wild Things problems are self-inflicted. Now we have those on this blog that want to choke off the debate because they don't like what is being said - sort of sounds like a certain political party.
If we are going to do that perhaps we should also silence that ones that complain about the complainers don't you think?
For all you Wild Things fans that feel that all is well, how in the world can you possibly defend the behavior of Chris Sidick in last night's continuation game? This is family entertainment? Having that sort of foul language used in front of ones children or grandchildren is hardly what most decent people would allow to happen. How do the Wild Things intend to handle that? I’ll bet my supper that they will just pretend it didn’t even happen – the old ‘we never heard anything like that’ excuse. Well, the only people that didn’t hear it were either not there, or deaf! Never the less, an example of a self-inflicted wound.
The more I read drbob’s comment, and Chris’s reply the more I am reminded of the head in the sand syndrome – if I refuse to see it well, than it isn’t there! Brilliant!!!
Brad Hite
Brad,
I sure agree with most of what you say. As you know I was in attendance last night when Chris Sidick got a little upset and both saw, and heard his tirade in front of the dugout. Perhaps he should have expressed himself a little differently, as least verbally. With that being said, I like Chris. I like his hard-nosed approach to the game and the “take no prisoners” attitude. He is a winner because that is the way he plays the game – to win!!
Most of the players in today’s baseball, at ALL levels, have turned it into a sort of a social club. Most all of them just want to stand around and fraternize with the players on the other team. Hell, most of them don’t even wear their uniforms correctly! They look more like glorified softball player’s then baseball players! They don’t for the most part, even show their sox. If one didn’t know that the Red Sox were from Boston he sure couldn’t tell by looking at their sox could he?
But, ol’ Chris Sidick is throwback to the good old days for baseball. He reminds me a lot of John McGraw (if you don’t know who he was you know nothing of baseball history). Chris gives all he’s got in every game and on every play. He doesn’t mind putting his body a risk to make a play whether it is on offense, or defense. How can anyone find fault with that? His desire to play the game the way it should be played should be obvious to that care to see. That’s a really good thing to see. So, just because he used some rather ‘salty’ words doesn’t make him a bad guy – I think it shows his competitive attitude! I really enjoy watching him play! Nine guys like that on the field at the same time would be a dream come true. Alas, I don’t think we will ever see that again. There is too much ‘touchy-feeley’ crap now. I sure glad Chris only feels that way when he’s about to knock some catcher on his butt for blocking the plate. Kudos Chris, keep on playing the game the way it should be played!
So Brad even though we are friends, I just have to give Chris Sidick a pass on this one.
Speaking of that completion of the suspended game last night. You know I never saw a manager grasp defeat from the jaws of victory that well. It was a perfect example of how not to win! I was so disappointed that for a while I thought I saw the Titanic coming out from behind the left field gate heading straight for the Wild Things dugout with “Fireball” Jelks on the bridge. The more I watched this illusion I realized it was just the “Good Ship Lolly-Pop” with Chris Sidick on the poop deck waving like crazy to Jelks in the Wild Things dugout. You know something? This was the first time I noticed that Chris was missing 4 fingers on that hand. It all goes to show just how amazing Chris really is!
Ron Wilson
Illegitimati non carborundum!
WHAT’S THIS! Are my eyes failing me? Chris Dugan does not like the content of the blog? Was his treatment by the Wild Things last year not a lesson to him about what kind of folks the Wild things can be? Was it not “childish and embarassing” (sic), the way he carried on last year after his snub by the Wild Things players and the Wild Things management slow, and inadequate, response. It seemed to be perfectly alright for the bloggers to post almost endlessly in his defense – I don’t recall him being critical of all these complainers! No, that was just fine.
Now that some people are becoming a little too critical for his liking he thinks “All the bitching, complaining and name-calling is not only getting old and repetitive but is quite childish and embarassing.(sic). Well, excuse us!
We are free to vent as long as it promotes your gripes but when other fans have concerns it’s suddenly “repetitive quite childish and embarassing.”(sic). I thought last years season ending complaint blog became ‘old and repetitive’ also but I didn’t see the O-R complaining then. Weren’t you, and drbob, worried about how the Wild Things fans might look to the other cities in the mighty, all powerful Frontier League? Nobody was too concerned about that then were they?
Chris you seem guilty to me of a double standard! We are the ones that keep this blog alive – if you want to kill it, go ahead.
Now about this drbob that you seem so quick to agree with. I have a question for both of you – When was the last time drbob contributed ANYTHING to this blob? Just because he happened to read something he did not like he FINALLY decides to send a cry baby post directed to you and then you turn on those of us that have been contributing all along. Well, drbob, you say you are just an observer to all this. Think about this fellow posters, an observer and a reporter, both unhappy with some of us that wish to express their feelings about what is going on with the Wild Things this year. Perhaps I’m unhappy with the Observer-Reporter editorial stance – does that mean they should take another position just to satisify me. We all know that is not going to happen so why do you give so much weight to drbob’s opinion? Where has he been before this? I sure didn’t see anything profound in what he had to say. My guess is that he has never even been to CEP! If he is worried about how we look to others that is just a figment of this imagination. The last time I looked nobody was beating down the doors the get into Washington! Like drbob says about CEP – if you don’t like it just don’t go there! If we all took drbob’s attitude CEP would be empty and, of course, nothing would EVER change! I’m sure there are those that would just love that.
In some peoples view, I am about to damage my credibility now by posting this as anonymous. This is the way I always post and I have reasons for doing so and I’m not going to change it now. Anyway it looks as if this blog is going to die because the complaints are not about something that is of direct concern to Chris Dugan or the O-R.
If the Wild Things ever screw the O-R, or it’s reporters again, I’m most of us will find it ‘repetitive, childish’ or some other adjective that may come to mind.
I think all of Chris Dugan's bitching about the field conditions are both boring, and repetitive!
drbob,
I am just an observer too,
I you don't like what goes on here, than don't come here!
Sorry about all of this. I just wanted to state my feelings, and I didn't intend to make anyone mad, or to have people turn on Mr. Dugan. In response to all of the other people who respomded to my comment, yes I have attended many games at CEP, and have always enjoyed myself. You will notice I didn't mention paticular person, wither an employee or management person. I have always been treated with respect at CEP by all, and I certinally didn't intend to irritate anyone. (I just wanted to ask Mr. Dugan if he felt this blog was being used the way it was intended). Sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes.
Oops. Sorry about that. I neglected to enter my name in the above post.
I usually try not to post comments unless it's to answer a question, update the original post or correct something that was factually inaccurate in a comment, but I feel the need to respond to a couple of the recent comments.
1. Yes, I did find a couple of the comments at the end of last season to be childish and foolish, especially those that involved name calling. Nobody, however, ever asked me until today what I thought about them.
2. I have deleted only one comment ever posted on this blog, and it was spam (had nothing to do with baseball, the FL or the Wild Things). If I recall correctly, it was last year during a playoff game at Gateway. Unless you use one of George Carlin's six dity words and direct them specifically at a person by name, then it's highly likely that I won't delete your post.
3. I have no plans to take down this blog. Neither does the O-R. In fact, because of you loyal readers, this was either the second- or third-most viewed of the O-R blogs last week (I haven't seen the final numbers).
4. There is a lot of repetitive complaints in the comments. That's not a, well, for a lack of a better term, a complaint on my part. That's simply stating fact. My quam is the complaints usually have nothing to do with the original post. Maybe I need I need to post a "Time to Vent" post and see where that goes. That might make for some interesting reading.
And yes, even I am getting a bit repetitive. As someone above mentioned they are tired of reading my rants and stories about the field conditions. I guess I have become repetitive on that subject, so I hereby promise not to blog about water or mud in the near future. Well, maybe not mud. I was planning to do a piece about the umpires and their job of rubbing down the baseballs with mud before each game.
I am going to voice my opinion about all of this even though it is with some trepidation.
Chris I understand what you said here but IMHO it reeks of a bit of censorship. Only a very small amount of censorship, even a little mind you, IS how things can start to go downhill fast. I also think you allowed last years fiasco at Windy City to be used to your advantage. I was one of the ones that felt you had been treated with disrespect and made my feelings known , both on the blog AND directly Mr. Swiatek. If you felt the way you said you did then you could have, and SHOULD have renounced it then – it’s a bit late for that now. No matter.
The fans that want to vent have very little other place to voice their opinion except here or just keep there traps shut. It is a sad fact but for some reason most fans are afraid to let the Wild Things (or anybody else for that matter) know how they feel about things. I have voiced my feelings to Wild Things staff freely and they have never sent a “hit man” out for me – yet! Probably would like to though! LOL. As a matter of fact they have been very gracious about criticism. I met Mr. Swiatek face to face this evening and he didn’t even draw his side-arm!!!
I don’t think it would be right for you to limit our comments to whatever thread that you choose. If there is a way for the average Joe to start a new thread I haven’t been able to find it! I just sort of feel that whenever you start a thread that it is a sort of way of opening up free discussion. The way I feel about it is that ALL issues concerning the Wild Things should be fair game as long as one does not use the forbidden words or make personal attacks.
As for a “vent” thread well, I’m sort of luke warm about that, I doubt it would work well. Fans probably want to discuss a “hot’ issue now, not in some vent thread later on. I am one of the ones that have been getting a little off-topic at times but I try to keep it as current as possible with a small description of the game or other issues concerning the Wild Things.
Anyway, Thursday’s game was really nothing special except the good guys won!! There was a near home run by “Babe” Grandstrand that was really cool to watch – being blind as a bat, I thought it went over the wall. Also, there was a really fine catch of a foul ball made by Drew Hoisington deep in the right field corner. Way to go Drew!!!! The attendance was announced as a sell- out even though the empirical evidence would indicate either that was incorrect or some kind of ‘padded’ number. You know what I mean, no-shows, pimples on my juvenile face, etc. The most sensational thing by far was the appearance of the “real” Wild Thing and his excellent Wild Thing workout routine. As DiFabio would say, “He’s the best”. For once in DiFabio’s life he actually got something right!! I DO believe in miracles because that is probably the only way Ol’ Bill will ever get anything right! Please don’t try to debate that point with me because, in your heart you ALL know I’m right on that issue. Good Ol’ Bill gives me a migraine every time I go to the ball yard – which is every home game. So, as you can tell by that, my aspirin bill is getting pretty darn hefty.
Ron Wilson
Illegitimati non carborundum!
Ron, the Wild Things and all of professional sports announce the number tickets sold to a game for attendance, not what is actually there. I would believe what they announced last night was close to the actual people there. It was nice to have a buzzing crowd at the game. Just like the old days...
Claude,
Thanks for that. Yes, your are right about seeing the place come alive somewhat. I still doubt that attendance figure. There was also about three busses of kids there last night too. Having the ‘real’ Wild Thing there was a plus. Perhaps if he were to come back full time the attendance would pick up. The I suppose you would call him ‘trainee’ does a fairly good workout but otherwise just seems to stand around a lot. I’m sure he will improve with time.
Ron Wilson
Illegitimati non carborundum!
A good point has been made. There has been a lot of complaining going on that is totally unnecessary. I agree that a venting column would not be ideal for those that don’t have anything else to say other than complain. It should stay where it belongs. Right where it is now where everyone can read and say what they think – which is probably very little! Like I said before, many people want to complain but leave it to someone else because they haven’t the balls to do it themselves. We had a good game last night (Friday) and a great turnout. In fact it was actually an honest to goodness sellout. The Wild Things lost but the Otters put on a good show. Even the real Wild Thing showed up to entertain the kids. I sense a lot of tension at CEP and hopefully it will get taken care of soon. We go to the game to enjoy ourselves, not to sit there and look for upsets and complaints. Let’s hope it improves soon.
Sell outs and fireworks (in the sky, not on the field or in the club house).
Have fireworks every night and you will have a sell out!
But that cost money and there are not enought sponsers.
I try to leave before they start the fire works so I don't get the crap on my car. For $3.00 parking you should get a free car wash on fireworks night.
thriftyone, since 3 dollar parking is the biggest of your worries in life I have some suggestions for you as far as parking goes either a) bite the bullet pay the 3 dollars and quit crying every other day about it, b) park at the mall or Jumper's Junction and walk to the stadium, or c) so up to the game around 3 or 3:30pm I am sure they won't be collecting money at that point.
Sorry c) was show up not so up
Anonymous,
Thanks for giving me a way to save the $3.00 per game on parking.
Now can you give a suggestion on elimination of tip jars?
As far as parking, full season ticket holders should have free parking as an incentive to buy and pay for full season tickets in advance. There is no savings over going up and buying the same seat for all 48 (or whatever depending on traveling teams) home games and at times you don't get credit for the 2 for 1 or other promotions done to try to increase attendence.
Chillicothe, Gateway, River City, Florence, Evansville, and several others give full season ticket holders free parking.
anonymous said
"either a) bite the bullet pay the 3 dollars and quit crying every other day"
What is the matter with you? Thrifty has the right to say what he wants as often as he wants. You have the same option. If you don'tlike it - just skip over it. Now, what is so difficult about that?
Ron Wilson
Illegitimati non carborundum!
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