Looking back: Game 1
A few very random thoughts and some leftovers from the season opener Friday night:
* Grant Psomas can hit. It looks like it didn't take long for Psomas, who played 180 games in Double-A and seven in Triple-A the last two years, to figure out the Frontier League's style of pitching. Even before his two home runs Friday, Psomas' swing reminded me of Josh Loggins'.
"Adjusting to the fastball is the big thing for Grant," manager Mark Mason said. "He's used to seeing it at a higher range, so he was out in front. He's made some adjustments. He's seeing the ball deeper now."
* That was a game the Wild Things gave away. A classic we-don't-want-it, you-take-it game. You can't walk the bases loaded in a 4-3 game and drop a fly ball in the ninth inning and expect to win. Of Lake Erie's last six runs, four reached base on walks and two were unearned because of a dropped fly ball.
* I hate home openers. Some baseball person a long time said something that rings true with me: "The real baseball season begins with the second game of the season." I agree. Nothing about the opener is routine.
* Judging by the people I spoke with, I'm probably in the minority when I say I didn't mind the purple jerseys. I've been told they will be worn for Sunday home games. But, if they were going to wear a colored jersey, I prefer red. They wore a red jersey in one game last season (think it had something to do with a Washington Hospital promotion) and those were the best-looking colored jerseys they've had.
* Washington starting pitcher Craig Snipp was spectacular for 3 1/3 innings, striking out seven, including four in a row at one point. After giving a one-out triple to Gordon Gronkowski in the second inning, Snipp struck out the next two batters to strand the runner and keep the game scoreless. Lake Erie, however, figured out something about Snipp the second time through the order.
"We got beat by the 7-8-9 hitters in the fourth," Mason said. "Other than, I thought Snipp did a good job. He was outstanding the first time through the order."
* The one lasting vision I have from opening night is this: When pulling into the parking lot and seeing the large roped-off area, I thought this might be reserved for WJPA Radio's Bob Gregg, based on his vote on the tax-for-turf issue Thursday. Nope! I saw Bob getting out of his car, and it was parked somewhere closer to Greene County than the ballpark.
Labels: Craig Snipp, Grant Psomas, Mark Mason
posted by Chris Dugan at
9:57 AM
20 Comments:
Chris Said,
"When pulling into the parking lot and seeing the large roped-off area, I thought this might be reserved for WJPA Radio's Bob Gregg, based on his vote on the tax-for-turf issue Thursday."
If you whan to know what eveybody else thinks just check out some of the previous post.
Chris,
How about putting up a pole on the blog on whether readers of this blog prefer or don't prefer tax payers money being spend on toupee turf for Consol Field. I might be more acceptive of tax payers money being used for proper drainage on the ball field. I guess I have a bigger problem with toupee turf than public money being spent.
However I dispise both!
Some of my observations from last night:
Yes, the second checkpoint for the parking is absurd, however, it's not worth a hour long debate. You come to a complete stop as you cross the speedbump anyway, right?
The PA is WAY too loud, you people are right on the money there. Turn it down PLEASE. Otherwise, I do think DeFabio and Dutch do a fine job. The adorable Japanese girl they had last year is missed, however.
A welcome surprise was the absence of the obnoxious idiot in Section 208 with the horn (you all know who I mean) who made an ass of himself at every game last year by heckling opposing players. I've been hearing a similar idiot during Pirates broadcasts, perhaps he has been called up to the big leagues? Long overdue memo to you, pal, people are laughing AT you, not WITH you.
Any chance that Jason, the old mascot, will do any games this season? Memo to management, whatever you were paying that guy wasn't nearly enough. He was worth the price of admission alone.
The posted starting lineups just inside the right field gate is long overdue.
A suggestion to management: instead of investing money in the new turf for next year, how about investing in a GPS to help the bullpen locate the STRIKE ZONE. We sure can't judge them after just one game, but last night brought back memories of last year's nightmares. How about bringing back Travis Risser? Did anybody pick him up yet?
Just curious, are any of the constant complainers on this blog among the thoughtless people who leave all their trash behind, and ignore the many available trash cans? Get some manners, and clean up after yourselves.
Chris, just want to thank you for keeping the real fans updated on the blog. I read the Observer Reporter online each day, as I do not live in the area. But I make the effort to attend my share of games. Also Chris, do you have any idea if there are any plans to televise any games this year, or why there were zero last year?
If you don't live in the area then why is the PA and the parking of any concern to you?
Those of us that have to live with it EVERY FRIKEN" GAME are already tired of it.
Thriftyone, a poll will not do any good now due to the fact it is now a done deal. I forecast this would happen over two years ago and everybody thought I was out of my mind. If you don't keep an eye on their EVERY move the polititions make they will stab you every chance they get.
I am amazed at how some things have a way of turning around. Just about 3 years Leo Trich urged me to start a petition about not replacing the natural turf with a rug. Well, I did that and got a fantastic amount of signatures in a VERY short period of time, including Mr. Trich himself.
Because of a health problem I was having at that time my efforts were cut short. I did however, turn the petition in the to the Wild Things management and it seemed to have a positive effect on their thinking. In retrospect, I can see that they were just 'shining me on'.
I can say that with almost NO doubt that the plan all along was to extract taxpayer dollars for this purpose. If there is anybody left out there that thinks the Wild Things REALLY care what you think well, dream on.
I decided last December NOT to post on this list again because the personal attacks on me were not warranted. I have, for this issue, decided to speak my piece and withdraw from this blog again as there is very little civility to it.
Ms. Williams seems to have decided to piss off evrybody in the County, except perhaps for her political friends. Well, that's her problem and I'm
sure as hell am NOT going to make it mine!
Ron Wilson
I, for one, am glad to hear from you, Ron. We might not always agree, but you always have something worthwhile to add to the conversation. I also have a couple of thoughts about last night's game. That parking system is a joke. Stop your car and give one kid your money. Drive 10 feet and give another kid the ticket that the first kid just gave you. It's the height of stupidity and inefficiency. Maybe a consultant gave them that idea. The other joke is the announced attendance of 3,417, a sellout they say. As best as I can figure, that place seats about 3,200, so 3,417 would be an overflow crowd. If there were 3,400 people in that place, I'll eat my hat. Sure, it's possible that some people bought tickets and then didn't show, but there was nowhere near 3,200 people in the seating area, unless a bunch of them came dressed as empty seats. And the concourse was much easier to navigate than it has been at games when there were ACTUAL sellouts. And this was on a night when it was not only the opener, but the weather was perfect and there were fireworks after the game. The Wild Things' management apparently thinks that its ban base is so stupid that it can pass off a ballpark that had visible stretches of empty seats as one that was filled to overflow. Ridiculous.
"The Wild Things' management apparently thinks that its ban base is so stupid that it can pass off a ballpark that had visible stretches of empty seats as one that was filled to overflow. Ridiculous."
Very visible on the front page of your paper Saturday morning, Brant.
And they announced 2261 Saturday night. Sad.
Wow, second game of the season, very nice Saturday evening, and less than 2300 people show. Well I am on of them. I went last night and between the stupid parking lot stuff, very terrible performance on the field, and the bloating with the fake check to buy toupee turf, I will have to take off several games to get my sanity back. I still enjoy listening to the games on WJPA as you know more listening to the radio than sitting in the stands.
They should have OSHA take loudness samples in the seating area behind home plate and if OSHA did, I think the Wild Thing management would be paying fines.
Maybe the Protech Auto glass should be done on home runs as every foul ball they do has no chance of hitting a car window.
I also agree on the positive side it was nice not hearing the idiot with the horn. Even on the radio it was disturbing.
Ron Wilson, glad to hear from you.
And I hope to hear from you again.
Is there any way of fighting the toupee turf?
According to what I've been told, Travis Risser is injured. I don't know if he'll be able to play for anyone this year or not.
Glad to hear from you again, Ron Wilson. Always enjoy and appreciate your contributions to this blog.
lliB said “
Ron Wilson, glad to hear from you.And I hope to hear from you again.
Is there any way of fighting the toupee turf?
lliB,
Thanks for the nice words but I just don’t care to get too involved any longer.
As some of you bloggers have intimated, I’m too damn old and for that reason, I am 72 years of age, what I
say, or what I think, is not applicable in today’s world. In other words – I’ve outlived my usefulness and can no longer contribute any thing of real value. No Matter.
As far as doing anything about the turf now – no it’s too late. I tried to warn all the fans that they would become unwilling partners in purchasing this turf, but nobody would listen. Just remember it was those ‘smile in your face while they stab you in the back’ people that brought this on. I am referring to both the Wild Things management and the sneaky politicians. The fix is in and I think it was in from the very start of the turf issue.
Now, to show the contempt these people have for the wishes of their customers, they WILL be installing turf just like the lemmings they are! If you don’t like it, as you have already demonstrated, well their feeling seems to be that that’s just tough shi*! I don’t know how they could make it any more clear to you
that they care not about you. Typical of a lot of organizations these days – Hooray for us and screw you!
Take it or leave it is the dominate practice business these days. The “customer is always right” attitude is as old as I. I feel I was somehow duped into the anti-turf petition thing for some reason that is not clear to me. Obviously, all your signatures were put in the “round file’ What the hell, you are just the people paying for the Wild Things freight – do you think your opinion matters? Please, please, just don’t forget this. Before you know it the “smiling faces” will be back being ever so nice to you while they are collaborating to stick a knife in your back.- again! Next time it might be a new ballpark you will be buying.
Just remember Mr. Maggi, and the most arrogant Mr. Bracken Burns, the next time you enter your polling place. Did these self serving guys act in my best interest, or theirs? The answer should NOT be too hard to figure out. The next time you pay to park and pay again to enter CEP, try not to spend any more then you absolutely have to. Enjoy the game but don’t fill their coffers with your hard-earned money. Give them the same amount of consideration as they give to your opinions. And, if you see a smiling politician approaching you with his hand extended – RUN, your about to be had again.
If you really care, raise voice LOUD AND CLEAR. These dumb ass politicians seem to think they are self employed and have to answer to no one. BULL CRAP, they work for US, NOT for their own arrogant asses. Let them hear from you and DO NOT let them rest. That is your responsibility as a citizen and something you owe to your self and those you care for. Government on all levels is becoming more, and more out of control and less responsive to the wishes of the people it is supposed to be serving. Since “all politics is local” what better place to start then with the County Commissioners, such as they are. What have you got to lose, you’ve already be screwed?
As for this Franni person, don’t know her – don’t WANT to know her. I’ve heard enough from her unhappy employees already. All I can say is – better them than me. I was a POW long enough and I don’t won’t to be reminded of it. You know, being watched and yelled all the time. NO THANKS! I’ve already had enough with the parking madness.
Ron Wilson
lliB, funny you should mention the decibel level. I'm guilty of playing music pretty darned loud in my car, because my hearing isn't what it used to be (probably from listening to very loud music as a kid), but I was clear down by third base, and some of the stuff they were playing almost made my ears bleed. And you're right about the auto glass thing. I said to my wife at one point, "You know, I don't think there are any cars where that foul ball just went."
WT were a joke in season 2. People just kept a blind eye to it because it was good "family fun". Crappy baseball made to seem actually meaningful from a newspaper and a radio station. The only thing professional about the organization is the way that it is covered.
Ron Wilson wrote, "Just about 3 years Leo Trich urged me to start a petition about not replacing the natural turf with a rug."
What Ron Wilson didn't write is that 3 years ago is about the time that the same Leo Trich LEFT Ballpark Scholarships Inc., the group that OWNS the Ballpark, to further his own career, taking a job with the Frontier League.
It's interesting that Leo Trich would urge someone else to take up a petition to do something that he himself could have done had he not looked for the greener pastures for himself...
Well, I finally made my second game and boy was it a joke. We drive up, show our placard, get a ticket, give our name, drive some more, get ticket torn in half and told that we are limited to parking even though we are both handicapped. We had to park quite a ways down and walking to the gate was a bit difficult. I guess we will just have to get to the game at 3 p.m. to be sure and get a spot. The PA system was so loud that I could not hear the persons on either side of me without yelling. If I don't go deaf soon I will have to wear earplugs and miss what Bill Defabio is saying. My eyesight is not great either so I depend on what the announcer is saying. I suppose I could stay home and listen to it on radio but why did we purchase season tickets? The year is new and already people are complaining. The concession stands are another joke. The hamburgers and hot dogs are in the middle of the concourse only, I go to get ice cream and they send me down to the coffee hut. No more funnel cakes - instead, they make 5 – 6 sticks, calling them funnel fries (ha, ha)put into a paper bowl and sprinkle powdered sugar ALL FOR $4.00! You can get a special one for $1.00 more. I go down to get two ice cream cones and they tell me to go down to the coffee hut. I ask for one chocolate and one vanilla. All they have is chocolate of which I am allergic. The food prices have jumped up, the Gyros price ($5.50) is ridiculous, one slice of pizza costs about as much as a whole 12 inch pie at Pizza Hut. The taco salad is no longer in a bowl (whether plastic or paper, but in a PLASTIC BAG that looks like you’re eating garbage! I don't think the Wild Things are here for much longer. As for having blacks, I am not prejudiced against them and I don't care how many are on the teams. All I want to see is a good game. I'm not alone in my feelings, many people that I've talked to have the same impression. Hey, Frannie! Why don't you stick to Law and leave baseball to those who know what they are doing? At the rate things are going, we may not be back next year.
What Ron Wilson didn't write is that 3 years ago is about the time that the same Leo Trich LEFT Ballpark Scholarships Inc., the group that OWNS the Ballpark, to further his own career, taking a job with the Frontier League.
Yeah,
So what is your point Anonymous?
Chris,
Why don’t we take a poll to see how the fans feel about the way Franni Williams is messing
with the fans, both inside the park, and outside in the frikkin’ PARKING LOT?
NO WONDER EVERYBODY HATES LAWYERS!! For those that don’t know, Ms Personality
IS one of that breed! You know the ‘fear and intimidation’ crowd of society.
Did any of you fans know that the police were checking the handicapped parking area last night? It was going on about the third inning – three patrol cars preying on handicapped people? Wow, I would sure hope not.. Don’t the dip shi** that run North Franklin Twp.have any more common sense than that? Come to think of it, I guess that was a stupid question on my part. I sure hope some lying spokesperson for the Township, or the Wild Things, does not try to feed us the BS that it was some sort of complaint that brought then to the scene. Worse yet, don’t tell me that it was a ‘public safety issue’ of some sort.
After flagrant violation of the law regarding handicapped parking for the last eight years, the Wild Things suddenly became righteous? Come on Franni, give up YOUR parking spot just to show your good intentions! You look to be in good enough physical to walk 400 feet, or so. Actually, Id like to have that parking spot. It has been done before you know. I just happen to know the people that got that special privilege and probably still do. Thank the Lord it isn’t your spot!
I was told by somebody in the Wild Things office today that the police were not there to cite any illegally parked cars. I would hope this was indeed the case and I really want to believe this person, but…….with all the crap that has gone on so far this season well, I just don’t know any more what to think. I really don’t think CEP is a high crime area – YET!
One thing is ABSOLUTY for sure, the Wild Things mucky mucks haven’t surrendered their premier parking spots for the benefit of their handicapped fans. There is a provision in the State law that requires businesses to provide ‘X’ number of spots for handicapped people. I don’t know the formula for determining the number of slots. Christine Blaine told me the Wild Things meet those requirements and I believe her. However, the problem now is that the handicapped have to walk even farther than before.
Hey Frannie, since you are in the “entertainment, not baseball, business, entertain this thought – How about a tram for us crippled up old turkeys? You know us – the ones that help keep you eating on a regular basis!
Ron Wilson
Anybody go to the game last night? My family did. It will be our last time. Loud public address system caused my daughter to cry. Laughably awful baseball caused me to cry. Anyone who thinks this stuff is anything equivalent to professional baseball is on drugs. Serious drugs. The Wild Thing management should be arrrested for calling what I witnessed as professional baseball. It is awful baseball.
I know this will get some people stirred up, but if this brand of baseball was being played at the beginning of last year - even though it's just the beginning of the season and no one is in mid-season form - you can bet that some people would be laying the blame on Greg Jelks and poor coaching. You can almost understand the lack of command by the pitchers at this point in the season, but the dropped balls and the horrible base-running? The ball that was muffed in the first game of the season in left field, leading to a pair of unearned runs in what was a one-run game, would have been caught by the average Pony Leaguer. But despite these things, and the fact that Wild Things management seems to go out of its way to discourage people from coming (the parking idiocy and the problems with concessions, described well by Rebel One), I still enjoy catching some games there.
Brant,
Good points. However, you can't use the word "catching" when talking about those games. Maybe "dropping" in on some games, but catching is an afterthought at the CEP.
I didnt see the first two, but that game last night was a below par high school game.
I have a grudge against our commissioner Larry Maggi. He is so stuck up with his head in the clouds that over the last 5 years he has completely ignored me even though I worked with him for a couple years. He is on the Board of Directors at CAL U and at every meeting, I suppled the reports, literature, coffee, doughnuts, etc. He stopped me one day at Walmart to read a label for him and he still didn't recognize me.
Rebal one said
I have a grudge against our commissioner Larry Maggi
Crap, everybody knws what sort of guy the phony bolony dude is!
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