Read it all."You definitely have to have fun," said Gennett with an infectious smile. "You can work as hard as you want, but if you're not having fun, I don't believe you're going to get any better or get anything positive out of it. You can work as hard as you want, take as many ground balls, but it's really the quality that you have in that energy and spark in your step."
Energy was never an issue with Scooter, in fact, there was too much of it at times. So much so that Gennett was diagnosed with AD/HD, or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
"I was constantly moving," explains Gennett. "I was the kid that if you said not to press the button, then I would. As I got older, I kind of matured. I'm not as defiant…just a little bit here and there."
Enough to keep Gennett grounded, understanding, and willing to work with children who face the same hurdles of AD/HD."It's important to accept that you have it and to know what triggers that," said Gennett. "I wasn't medicated when I was young, I actually got medicated after my first year of high school. When I was on my medication, I was just focused in class. But I was always good on the baseball field because that's what I enjoy doing."
Rain and snow stifled what would have been a banner year for Wisconsin Timber Rattlers attendance at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.Click the link and read it all to find the quote and to whom it belongs.
"If the weather and Mother Nature would've treated us a little nicer, I think we would've certainly beaten last year's (record) and been right up there in the 250s, 260 (thousand) maybe," Rattlers assistant general manager Aaron Hahn said.
Last year, Wisconsin set a club record with 253,240 fans despite 10 games being affected by poor weather. This year, 19 games were affected by poor weather, and the team still drew 244,331 fans.
That means this year's average of 3,759 fans per game is the highest in the history of the 15-year-old ballpark.
The 3-year reign of the Appleton Foxes as Midwest League champions officially ended as the clock struck midnight Thursday, and just about everyone was long gone from Goodland Field.
With the Twins leading 4-3, the game had been suspended after the seventh inning that would have done Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles proud.
After holding up the game for more than 2-1/2 hours, the umpires ruled that conditions hadn't improved enough. So they called the game, bringing a strange and disappointing conclusion to the FOxes' otherwise stellar season.
"Fog is a weather condition just like rain," said Jim Cutler, vice president of the Midwest League. "We waited a reasonable length of time and treated it just like a rainout. I talked with Bill Walters (the ML president) on the phone to make sure that there was no special rule for playoff games. I was told that there was no special rule for this situation."
Earlier in the day the park was drenched by 2 inches of rain. The efforts of groundskeepers Rick Raasch and Ray Remmel along with Foxes manager Sal Rende, pitching coach Mitch Lukevics, trainer Ken Koch and players Greg Tarnow and Ken Reed got the field into reasonable playing condition. Despite the work, wet spots caused treacherous footing in the outfield.
"Of course we're disappointed to lose," said Rende. "But lose we did. But, there are no losers in this (locker) room. We knew that we would be competitive coming into the season. We did better than we thought we would after spring training. This team came out and did the job every day. They're also good people, and that says a lot about them and their character."
COMMENTARY: What struck me most vividly was the manner in which the Foxes reacted to defeat. There were no alibis, no excuses. Rende and his players congratulated victorious Kenosha and wished the Twins well in the league championship series with Peoria.
Those of us who followed the Foxes this season were priviledged to watch champions in every sense of the word.
So....Just because there are! Okay!Why are doubleheaders played for seven innings? --Christine T.According to Rule 4.10 (a) in the Official Rules Book, Minor Leagues have the option to adopt a policy where all doubleheaders consist of two, seven-inning games. It's most likely done to get the games completed in a timely manner, considering it's a good value for fans and also accommodates the bus travel plans of many teams.
What kind of decision was it?The baseball club announced Thursday it signed a two-year extension to be the Low-A affiliate of the Padres’ organization.
TinCaps President Mike Nutter said he was excited to continue the relationship as the club nears the end of its 12th season with the Padres. During that time, the team is 830-828, according to the Padres.
“They have been a big part of this franchise’s success over the last several years, and we’ve really enjoyed working with the player development staff,” Nutter said.
Why was this a minor surprise?Randy Smith, Padres director of player development, said re-signing with the TinCaps was a “no-brainer.”
“The entire environment, including Mike Nutter’s staff, Parkview Field and the city of Fort Wayne, is conducive to player development,” he said.
Minor league teams are allowed to sign two- or four-year contracts with major league affiliates, Nutter said. While the Padres initially wanted to sign a longer deal, Nutter said the team felt the two-year extension provided the most flexibility.
Turning the affiliate page to Kane County.Recent speculation centered on the possibility the team might look to sign with a more regional affiliate, but when the Chicago White Sox opted to stay in North Carolina after signing a four-year deal with Kannapolis on July 2, there were not many regional options left for the TinCaps.
Among the select merchandise recently on super sale at the Cougars’ Elfstrom Stadium team store is a green and gold Oakland A’s visor for $2.
Fans of Kane County’s parent club might be wise to snatch the almost-hats up. They could be a collector’s item by Opening Day 2011.
The Cougars still are pondering an affiliate change for the first time since leaving the Florida Marlins for the A’s before the 2003 season. General manager Jeff Sedivy and other club officials continue to mull their options and expect to make a final decision in the next few weeks.
“We’re not ruling anything out as far as going back with Oakland,” Sedivy said, “but we’re still exploring what’s out there.”
A tampering clause prevents Sedivy from naming names, though fans should know the Cougars are guaranteed Major League affiliation as they conclude their 20th season in Geneva.
Suspend any hopes of seeing the newest Cubs and White Sox in training, however. The Cubs are in bliss with Peoria – the Cougars’ in-state rival in the Midwest League – while the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators announced in July a four-year extension as the White Sox Low-A affiliate.
Cedar Rapids is in its 18th season as a Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim farm club, representing the longest partnership in the Midwest League.
Finally, from Dayton, there is this note:[W]ith the Midwest League playoffs next week, how are the Cedar Rapids Kernels playing and what are their postseason chances?
Let’s give the wishy washy answer in both cases of “so-so.”
The Kernels beat the Burlington Bees last night, 4-1, to go 2-0 in September. On the other hand, both wins came again a Burlington club that has the second-worst record in full-season minor league baseball.
And the Kernels’ August record was a less-than-awe-inspiring 13-18.
“It is what it is,” said Kernels Manager Bill Mosiello. “We’ve been where we’ve been, and now we’ve got to play better.”
Against whom is yet another good question. Cedar Rapids has home-field advantage in the first round because of its first-half championship, but doesn’t know what Western Division club it will face in a best-of-3 series that begins on the road Wednesday night.
It could be Clinton, Kane County or Beloit. Quad Cities also is in the playoffs via its second-place division finish in the first half, and has all but wrapped the best overall record, which is significant because that’s worth home-field advantage in the second round.
But there’s a LONG way to go before that.
When new third baseman David Vidal took the field Thursday, Sept. 2, the Dayton Dragons set a single-season franchise record for players used. Fifty-five have appeared, five more than last season.
They have made 81 roster changes and just five players — catcher Mark Fleury, third baseman Frank Pfister, outfielder Alex Oliveras and pitchers Jacob Johnson and Junior Martinez — have been on the roster all season.
Some, such as relief pitcher Donnie Joseph and first baseman Chris Richburg, outgrew this level and were gone quickly. Others, such as shortstop Didi Gregorius and second baseman Henry Rodriguez, hung around until the final week before receiving their promotions to Lynchburg.
“You look at Lynchburg and who’s playing up there and you’re like, ‘Wow, that’s a pretty talented team.’ And most of them were here in Dayton — this year,” Dragons manager Todd Benzinger said.
The Dragons were 30-39 in the first half, then fell apart in the second half partially due to the many call-ups.