Oh, this is SO on...

Back when I first blogged about this, it was just a dream. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish... it was so fragile*.

But, thanks to Ben Hill of Ben's Biz Blog pointing out this news item from the West Michigan Whitecaps, I now have a goal.


Look out Fifth Third Burger. You and me are gonna dance.

*Not a real Marcus Aurelius Quote. That's from Gladiator. Here are a couple of quotes from the Roman Emperor/Philosopher that are a bit more appropriate to this situation:

A man's worth is no greater than his ambitions.

A noble man compares and estimates himself by an idea which is higher than himself; and a mean man, by one lower than himself. The one produces aspiration; the other ambition, which is the way in which a vulgar man aspires.

I guess this means my worth is 5/3 pounds of grilled hamburger topped with lettuce, tomato, nacho cheese, chili, salsa and crunched tortilla chips. AND, I might add, an 8" sesame seed bun. BUT, there is no pickle and no spam as originally intended. I guess that's okay.

Not sure if this makes me noble or mean. I'll let you know during the Timber Rattler visit to West Michigan May 29-31.

28 dies insquequo Oris Dies!

Steinmann Says

Dave Lezotte, the radio voice of the Clinton LumberKings, is down at the Peoria Sports Complex. He has a blog post that includes an interview with Scott Steinmann, the former Timber Rattler player, coach, and manager. Steinmann is getting ready to return to the Midwest League as the skipper of the LumberKings.

A taste:

DL: With Jack Zduriencik and Pedro Grifol running the show, has there been any change in philosophy for the Mariners' system?

SS: The overall philosophy of player development has never changed throughout time: "Never sacrifice a player's development for a win!" We in the Minors are all about developing players that are going to make it in the Majors.

Dave has a picture of a bullpen session at the blog. Steinmann and former Timber Rattler pitching coach Lance Painter are watching. Is that Rob Harmon in the picture, too?

Swoop has a blog?

The mascot of the SilverHawks has a blog?

Seven posts in '09, Swoop? And they call you the hardest working mascot.

A Guide to the Netherlands

Or, more accurately, a guide to the Netherlands baseball team.

The title borrows the classic line from Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid...

Who are these guys?

Astute baseball fans remember Randall Simon, they've heard of Sidney Ponson, and they might even know about Gene Kingsale's seven-year stint in the Major Leagues that ended in 2003.

But even the most serious ball geeks have to shake their seamheads at the rest of the roster of The Netherlands team that has turned this World Baseball Classic on its head by eliminating the star-studded Dominican Republic team.

Call me a geek. Here are players on the Dutch team -- with profiles in the story -- you may have seen play in the Midwest League...

Kenley Jansen, C: The 21-year-old catcher from Curacao played in 2008 for the Single-A Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who signed Jansen as an undrafted free agent in 2004. Jansen batted .227 in 2008 but hit nine homers and drove in 27 runs in 247 at-bats over 79 games.

Gregory Halman, OF: Netherlands native Halman, 21, was named the Seattle Mariners' Minor League Player of the Year in 2008 after hitting .272 with 95 runs scored, 29 doubles, five triples, 29 home runs, 83 RBIs and 31 stolen bases in 128 games combined between Single-A High Desert and Double-A West Tennessee. Halman, who was signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent in June 2004, was rated the No. 13 prospect in the California League by Baseball America.

Not getting profile treatment, but perhaps familiar to Midwest league observers:

Pitcher Alexander Smit (Beloit, '05, 06; Dayton '07)
Infielder Curt Smith (Quad Cities, '08)
Infielder Hainley Statia (Cedar Rapids, '06)

Ex-Rattlers in the WBC (3/11)

Puerto Rico 5, Netherlands 0

Ex-Rattler for Puerto Rico:
Ramon Vazquez ('96, '97): 0-for-3, 2 BB

Venezuela 5, USA 3

Ex-Rattler for USA:
Matt Thornton ('98, '99, '00): IP, 0H, 0R

Mexico 16, Australia 1

Ex-Rattler for Australia:
Chris Snelling ('00): 0-for-2

Ex-Rattlers in Spring Training (3/11)

Royals 9, Mariners 2

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Jeff Clement ('05): 2-for-3, RBI
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-2, BB
Bryan LaHair ('04): 0-for-1
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-3, 3K
Oswaldo Navarro ('04, '05): 0-for-1
Mike Wilson ('05): pinch runner
Carlos Triunfel ('07): 0-for-1
Justin Thomas ('06): 1/3IP, 6H, 6R
Denny Stark ('97): 1-2/3IP, H, 0R, BB, K

Ex-Rattler for Kansas City:
Gil Meche ('98): 2-1/3IP, 5H, 2R,. 2BB, 3K

Braves 12, Phillies 10

Ex-Rattlers for Philadelphia:
Raul Ibanez (Foxes, '94): 2-for-3, run, 2 RBI
Gregg Dobbs ('02): 2-for-2, RBI

Twins 4, Orioles 3

Ex-Rattler for Baltimore:
Adam Jones ('04): 1-for-2, run, BB

Tigers 7, Yankees 4

Ex-Rattler for New York:
Justin Leone ('00): 0-for-1, K

Rockies 5, Indians 0

Ex-Rattler for Cleveland:
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-3

Padres 10, Korea 4

Ex-Rattler for Korea:
Shin-Soo Choo ('02): 0-for-3, BB, K

Get lost.....

Or find your way...Not sure where I'm going with that, but you'll know where you're going with this map of minor league teams that is available here.

It's there. Trust me. I just can't convert it to a weblink or a file type that will display on this blog.


Sorry about that, Chief.

Want to know the way from Wisconsin to Dayton. How long will that trip to Lake County or Bowling Green be in 2010? Go to town, folks!

29 dies insquequo Oris Dies!

Answering a question (UPDATED)

There was a question from Josh in the comments about tickets for the Miller Park game. Here it is:

For those of us that have that Friday's game as included in a ticket package (either a mini plan or half season plan or what have you), if we can't make that game in Milwaukee is our best option just to exchange it for a different game?

As for those that have that ticket in a package, but still plan to attend it in Milwaukee, how should they go about exchanging tickets?

Well, that's technically two questions.

Taking #1 first: Please contact the Timber Rattlers at (920) 733-4152 and ask for either Aaron or Darren in the ticket department and they will be able to exchange your tickets before the ticket books go out in the mail.

Taking #2 second: For fans who have the Miller Park game in a ticket package already, you will receive that ticket in your ticket books when they go out.....

and I forgot to ask if the seats would be assigned or if you need to contact the Brewers to reserve your seat....


So, I guess, I'll just be updating this later then...


UPDATE:

If you have a ticket package that includes the Miller Park Game on April 24, your package will include an assigned seat at Miller Park. You do not need to exchange them for anything.



I hope that clears up everything.

A couple of pitchers

Nathan Adcock ('07, '08) gets a write up in his hometown newspaper.

Nathan Adcock endured something he never had to go through since he picked up a baseball at a young age.

Last season was a trying time for Adcock. While pitching for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Seattle Mariners’ Class-A farm team, he felt a sharp pain in his right elbow after throwing an 0-2 curveball on June 25. His arm began to tingle all the way up his long right arm. Adcock threw one more pitch and called for the trainer.

Adcock’s season, which was off to a solid start, was over in the blink of an eye. The Seattle Mariners elected to shut down the former fifth-round pick after he was diagnosed with an elbow strain.

“It was hard,” said Adcock, a former North Hardin standout and Kentucky’s Mr. Baseball in 2006. “I was depressed. I’ve never had any arm trouble. I want to compete and I’ve always wanted to pitch when it’s my turn. It was real frustrating. I didn’t know what to expect because I’ve never had anything like that happen.”

Although he had a 2-5 record at the time of the injury, Adcock posted a 3.72 earned run average in 77 1/3 innings. He had lowered his hits allowed and walks, while his strikeouts rose from his previous season with the Timber Rattlers.

Any goals for the 2008 Opening Day starter?

“Stay healthy,” Adcock said. “I feel fresh now. I feel good. Just being back in baseball and being able to pitch again is going to be fun.”

He is hoping to start the season with High Desert and finish it with West Tennessee.

Phillippe Aumont gets a write up in the New York Times.

Four years ago, the future of Canadian pitching spoke only French. Phillippe Aumont, a 20-year-old bold enough to retire three major league stars with the bases loaded, was too shy to talk with his teammates on a junior national team.

“I couldn’t speak a word,” Aumont said Monday at Rogers Centre before Canada played Italy in the World Baseball Classic. “I couldn’t talk with anybody. We had five other guys from Quebec, and I was always hanging out with them because I couldn’t communicate with the other guys.”

His silence did not last long. Aumont was a quick study in English, just as he has been in baseball. An All-Star last season with the Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in the Seattle Mariners’ system, Aumont has introduced himself on the world stage.

Although he speaks English fluently now, French steered him out of the worst kind of jam against the United States on Saturday. With the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh inning, Aumont prepared to face David Wright, Kevin Youkilis and Curtis Granderson.

Le français ? Que signifiez-vous ?

The catcher, Russell Martin, and the pitching coach, Denis Boucher, both of whom were also raised in Quebec, met him at the mound. Boucher knew what he wanted to say — relax and have fun — but he did not decide how until he opened his mouth.

“I looked at him,” Boucher said, “and it just came out in French.”

And it worked. Read the rest of that piece for some pretty big comparisons for a pitcher with some pretty big talent.

Ex-Rattlers in the WBC (3/10)

Venezuela 10, Italy 1
Ex-Rattler for Italy:
Alex Liddi ('06, '07, '08): 1-for-4

Netherlands 2, Dominican Republic 1 (11 innings)

Ex-Rattler for the DR:
David Ortiz ('96): 1-for-4

Ex-Rattler for the Dutch:
Greg Halman ('07): 0-for-1

Cuba 5, Australia 4

Ex-Rattler for Australia:
Chris Snelling ('00): 0-for-4, BB, K

Ex-Rattlers in Spring Training (3/10)

Cubs 8, Mariners 1

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 1-for-2, run
Bryan LaHair ('04): 0-for-1
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-3
Mike Wilson ('05): 0-for-3
Brent Johnson ('05): Defensive replacement
Rob Johnson ('05): 0-for-2
Adam Moore ('06): 0-for-1
Mark Lowe ('05): .2IP, 4H, 3R, BB
Shawn Kelley ('07, '08): 1-1/3IP, 2H, 0R, 3K

Braves 7, Astros 4

Ex-Rattlers for Atlanta:
Rafael Soriano ('00): IP, H, 0R, K
Erik O'Flaherty ('04, '05): IP, 2H, 0R, 2K

Mets 5, Nationals 5

Ex-Rattlers for New York:
Rene Rivera ('03): 0-for-1

Angels 8, Indians 4

Ex-Rattlers for Cleveland:
Luis Valbuena ('06): Luis Valbuena pinch runner

Miller Lite Tuesday (3/10)

Trivia with Appleton Baseball Hall of Famer Boog Powell and friends:



30 dies insquequo Oris Dies!

He'll get more games there

The Beloit Snappers do not have a lot of games on the radio, but there were enough for Jason Lamar to get a job elsewhere.

The River City Rascals, presented by Progress West Healthcare, are pleased to announce the addition of Jason Lamar to the organization as the new Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations. Lamar will serve as the team's lead play-by-play announcer for all 96 regular season games in 2009.

Lamar joins the Rascals after spending the previous 18 months at ESPN Radio 1380 in the Rockford, Illinois area. Serving as the Sports Director his final six months, Lamar's duties included co-hosting a daily talk show, performing sportscenter updates, and various play-by-play for the station. Lamar was also the lead announcer for the Beloit Snappers, the Minnesota Twins low "A" affiliate.

Ex-Rattlers in the WBC (3/9)

That's Alex Liddi ('06, '07, '08) after Italy's 6-2 win over Canada last night. Here is the game story. Make sure you click on the links at the story that take you to Liddi makes a great stop and Liddi's RBI single.

Box score:
Ex-Rattler for Italy:
Alex Liddi: 2-for-4, 2RBI, 2K

Puerto Rico 3, Netherlands 1
Ex-Rattler for the Netherlands:
Greg Halman ('07): 1-for-4, 2K

WBC Schedule today:
Italy (Liddi) vs. Venezuela (Felix Hernandez, Ivan Blanco)
Dominican Republic (Ortiz, Marte) vs. Netherlands (Halman)
Cuba vs. Australia (Craig Anderson, Snelling)

Some ex-Rattlers in Spring Training (3/9)

Seattle was off on Monday. So a lot of the ex-Rattlers were off yesterday. But...


Mets 9, Orioles 8

Ex-Rattler for the Mets:
Rene Rivera ('03): 1-for-2, run, RBI, HR

Ex-Rattler for Orioles:
Adam Jones ('04): 1-for-4

Padres 16, Diamondbacks 3

Ex-Rattler for Padres:
Cha-Seung Baek ('00): 3IP, H, R, BB, 2K, Win

Red Sox 15, Pirates 14

Ex-Rattler for Red Sox:
Carlos Maldonado ('97): 1-for-2

No Effect

I thought about linking to a few stories about the 6" of snow...I repeat...6" of snow that fell yesterday.

I will not.

It's 70 and partly cloudy in my mind. The weather outside is does not bother me. The weather outside does not affect me.

31 dies insquequo Oris Dies!

Auditions in Dayton

Thought about adding this on to the post about the National Anthem Tryouts in Quad Cities, but the decision to give it a post of its own is something with which I can live.

Picking winners from the more than 300 talented groups and individuals who showed up at The Dayton Daily News National Anthem Tryouts on Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, for a chance to sing or play the "Star-Spangled Banner" at one of 70 Dayton Dragons home games, was a challenge.

Highlights? You bet!

Gracie Mceldown, 10, of Russia, who sings in the children's choir at her church, dressed in red, white and blue Sunday. Josh Lawson, 22, a car washer from Beavercreek, wore pajamas with clouds because of his "angelic voice," he said. He belted out a raucous rendition of the anthem.

Diane Yeager, 45, of Dayton, assistant director of the Kettering Community Chorus, sang the song "the way it was written. I cherish the song and I think it should be sang the way it was written," she said.

Becky Schatzberg, 46, of Bellbrook, also sang a traditional rendition, while Chanella Dunford, 41, of West Carrollton, with her own band, sang a gospel-infused, neo-soul rendition.

Tyler Brown, 22, who has cerebral palsy, sang from his wheelchair with the help of his grandfather, Jerry Willoughby of Huber Heights. Billy Brandon, 13, of Centerville, a student at the Ohio State School for the Blind in Columbus, sang solo. He plays the trombone in his school band, which will be the first blind band to march in January's Rose Bowl parade, he said.

Tim Nichols, 49, and his son Tyler, 12, a fifth-grader at St. Charles Elementary School in Kettering, played a trumpet duet.

There is video at the link. I haven't watched it yet, but I'm hoping the gospel-infused, neo-soul version made it over the pajamas with clouds.

A big step

They are still talking about Phillippe Aumont ('08) and his great escape against the USA.

Two outs, 2-2 count, bases loaded with big-league stars. Phillippe Aumont had one pitch left. He had to make the most of it.

The Seattle Mariners had given Team Canada strict orders: Aumont, their top pitching prospect, was limited to one inning and 25 pitches per game in the World Baseball Classic. He had battled elbow problems last year, and they were taking no chances.

So here was Aumont, a six-foot-seven right-hander, getting set to throw his 25th pitch, with 43,000 fans on their feet at the Rogers Centre. Aumont fired a hard curve ball.

Curtis Granderson swung and missed. As Aumont pumped his fist and bounced off the mound, the crowd roared.

Ever wondered about the term wear it? Here it is in its proper context:

As Aumont’s pitch count soared, Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt huddled anxiously in the dugout with coach Greg Hamilton, who also runs Canada’s national baseball program.

Hamilton had accepted the Mariners’ conditions on Aumont’s participation in the WBC.

“I’m going, ‘What do you do?’ ” Whitt said. “I mean, what if (Granderson) fouls that pitch off, do I take the guy out or what? So I was in deep discussion with Greg Hamilton, and I said, ‘You know, you’re going have to wear this with Seattle if he has to throw an extra pitch.’

Well, he didn't have to wear it.

How to audition

The River Bandits held auditions for National Anthem Singers.

Some of the singers:

Maggie Wiederholt rolled her wheelchair out to the edge of the stadium seats at Modern Woodmen Park on the Davenport riverfront.

Despite Saturday’s chilly temperatures and rain, the 11-year-old, who suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, more commonly known as brittle bone disease, began singing the words of the national anthem. The young girl’s soft, but beautiful voice echoed throughout the mostly empty baseball stadium.

...

Jon Schweppe, a junior at Augustana College, showed up for the audition in shorts and a sweatshirt.

The economic/business major sings in a local punk band called “Economy Rising” and was excited to audition.

This is all well and good, but the windows in the radio booth still don't open.

Ex-Rattlers in the Classic:

Australia 17, Mexico 7:

Ex-Rattlers for Australia:
Chris Snelling ('00): 3-for-5, 3 runs, 3 RBI, 2 Home runs
Craig Anderson ('00): IP, 6H, 6R, BB, K, 2 home runs allowed

USA 15, Venezuela 6:

Ex-Rattler for Venezuela:
Ivan Blanco ('05): 1-1/3IP, 2H, R, BB, One very, very long home run allowed to Adam Dunn

Dominican Republic 9, Venezuela 0:

Ex-Rattler for DR:
David Ortiz ('96): 1-for-2, RBI, BB

Mariners 11, Diamondbacks 7 (3/8)

Seattle won their Cactus League game against Arizona on Sunday.

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-4, 2 runs, 3RBI, HR
Bryan LaHair ('04): 0-for-1
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 1-for-4
Oswaldo Navarro ('04, '05): 0-for-1, run
Mike Wilson ('05): 0-for-1, run
Ryan Rowland-Smith ('02, '03): 3IP, 5H, 2R, BB
Marwin Vega ('06): 2/3IP, 2H, R, BB

A Sunday Haiku

Snow is falling now
Maybe you did not hear me
But, I said no more.

NO MORE!

32 dies insquequo Oris Dies!

Possible Opponents

Here is one blogger's guess of what the Beloit Snappers may look like in 2009.

I won't give away the whole thing, but here is the possible starting rotation.

1. Carlos Gutierrez
2. Shooter Hunt
3. Dan Osterbrock
4. Bobby Lanigan
5. Brad Tippett

Shooter's back? Maybe?

One more on Aumont

He dazzled. It's science! At least according to FanGraphs.



That is the chart showing the velocity of his pitches. What is that? Here:

He only threw 21 pitches (13 fastballs, 8 slurves) but his average fastball sat near 96 miles per hour with solid movement. I could sit here and write out how impressive Aumont’s stuff looked or how consistent he mixed speeds, but how about I just show you using Pitchfx data?

Follow the link up top for movement and location charts.

USA 6, Canada 5

The ESPN Report....Watch and listen for something I am going to call Yankees on the Brain Syndrome at the World Wide Leader.



Oh, and it's pronounced Puts.

Box score:

Ex-Rattlers for USA:
Matt Thornton ('98, '99, '00): IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
JJ Putz ('00): IP, 2H, R, Save

Ex-Rattler for Canada:
Phillippe Aumont ('08): IP, 2H, BB, 0R, 2K

I am looking at TSN.CA for some video of Aumont pitching into and out of trouble in the bottom of the seventh, but apparently their videos do not want to work in the US today.

And since Gameday won't allow a cut and paste here is a transcription of Aumont's inning:

• Dustin Pedroia doubles to right
  
• Jimmy Rollins singles to third. Pedroia stays at second
• With Chipper Jones batting, Aumont throws a wild pitch. Rollins to second. Pedroia to third
• Jones walks. Bases loaded. No outs.
• Coaching visit to mound.
• David Wright Lines out to short. Bases Loaded. One out.
  
• Kevin Youkilis strikes out swinging. Bases Loaded. Two out.
  
• Curtis Granderson strikes out swinging. Three out. Zero Runs.
• Aumont yells in triumph and pumps fist!
• Judges give Aumont 9.5 out of a possible 10 points for fist pump!
  

Those last two bullet points may not be on the original gameday entry.

Various Ex-Rattlers (3/7)

First, Mariners 8 @ Dodgers 7:

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Carlos Triunfel ('07): 0-for-1
Jeff Clement ('05): 1-for-3, 2 runs
Adam Moore ('06): 0-for-1, run
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-1, run
*Bryan LaHair ('04): 1-for-2, run, 2RBI, HR
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 2-for-3, run, RBI, HR
Mike WIlson ('05): 0-for-1
Brent Johnson ('05): 1-for-1, 2RBI
Oswaldo Navarro ('04, '05): 1-for-1, RBI
Stephen Kahn ('05): 1/3IP, H, BB, 0R

Ex-Rattler for Los Angeles:
Shawn Estes ('95): 2IP, H, R, BB, 2K

*-That homer by LaHair was a two-run blast in the top of the ninth to erase a 7-6 deficit. He hit the home run off former Great.Lakes.Loon pitcher Victor Garate.

St. Louis 5, @Houston 1:

Ex-Rattler for St. Louis:
Joel Pineiro ('98): 4IP, H, 0R, 3K, Win

Non-USA v. Canada World Baseball Classic Rattlers:

Netherlands 3 at Dominican Republic 2:

Ex-Rattler for the Dutch:
Greg Halman ('07): 0-for-4, 4K

Ex-Rattlers for the Dominican Republic:
David Ortiz ('96): 0-for-2, 2BB
Damaso Marte ('96): IP, 0H, 0R


Venezuela 7, Italy 0:
Ex-Rattler for Venezuela:
Felix Hernandez ('03): 4IP, H, 0R, 2BB, 4K

Korea 14, China 0:

Ex-Rattler for Korea:
Shin-Soo Choo ('01, '02): 0-for-2, 2 runs

BOLOs

I had never heard that acronym until I started watching NCIS reruns on USA Network. It still took me awhile to figure out what BOLO meant...because...again...I'm not that bright.

But, know that I know what BOLO means, I am issuing a couple of Be On the LookOut orders.

The first is for you to Be On the LookOut for Timber Rattler Pocket Schedules. They arrived earlier this week. Timber Rattler front office personnel are hitting the Fox Cities area and beyond to drop off pocket schedules at gas stations, bars, banks, grocery stores, and other various places where pocket schedules may be found.

The second BOLO is for Timber Rattler front office staff. We are restarting a program that can get you a free ticket.

If a Timber Rattler staff member* sees you out in public (away from the stadium and/or team appearances) and you are wearing a Timber Rattler hat, t-shirt, jersey, jacket, or other apparel, you will be given a business card. The back of that business card is stamped with I Back the T-Rats. You can turn that card into the Timber Rattler ticket office for a free ticket. It's that simple.

So wear that Timber Rattler gear out in public.

*Probably not me. My participation in this program would call for me to A.) Go out in public and B.) Require me to be somewhere that people congregate.

33 dies insquequo Oris Dies!

At home with..

The Cedar Rapids Kernels are the latest focus of Ben Hill's At Home With feature. Cedar Rapids GM Jack Roeder answers the questions.

The highlight of the article is Jack picking highlights since the new Vet was built.

MiLB.com: What are some of your favorite on-field moments since you've been with the team?

JR: The support and contributions of fans and the comeback of the team after the devastating 2008 June flood was amazing.

[The time when touring mascot] "Reggy" had to use Roady, our equipment manager, as his dancing partner at the last minute because our manager was ejected from the game. Roady's full participation was entertaining.

The final performance of the Blues Brothers Act in 2007 had the whole stadium rocking. It was electric!

The day Mr. Shucks used a broom on the field to indicate a sweep of the other team. Our manager did not appreciate it to say the least.

The All-Star Game when the Hot Corner Grill caught fire. Listening to the rebroadcast of the game was hilarious (although it was not at the time).

What's next for Feierabend?

The Seattle Times has a quick note on Ryan Feierabend's ('04) return to Mariner camp after his Tommy John surgery.

Ryan Feierabend looked happy to be back at spring training Friday with his teammates. Surprisingly happy for a guy who just had Tommy John surgery on his pitching (left) elbow Wednesday, ligament surgery that ended his season before it started.

The painkiller medicine had him feeling good, he admitted with a grin.

"Trust me, I'm very upset the season's over, but I'm on some medication," he said.

Nevertheless, Feierabend was back at the Mariners' spring headquarters to begin his rehabilitation and talked about what's next.

The first step in rehab is regaining range of motion and building grip strength.

"I'm just glad it's done [the surgery] and over with so I can look forward to next year," Feierabend said.

Dr. Lewis Yocum performed the surgery in California. Feierabend lives in Arizona so he won't have far to go to do his rehab work, which will take 12 to 15 months.

Feierabend drew inspiration from his mother, whom he said has dealt with a number of health issues in her life yet fights through them and puts others first. A ligament out of Feierabend's left wrist was removed to replace the elbow ligament that was damaged.

JJ for the USA

The Detroit Free Press has a story about Michigan native JJ Putz ('00) as a kind of preview for him playing for the US in the World Baseball Classic.

When J.J. Putz returned home to Michigan last October, he visited his younger brother at work. That was nothing out of the ordinary, other than the fact that Brian Putz is a Taylor firefighter.

The elder Putz, an All-Star reliever with the Seattle Mariners in 2007, wanted to go on a run with his brother. For two nights, he waited up from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. No calls.

Even though the quiet nights meant that J.J. missed seeing Brian in action, the time was well spent. J.J. has lived in Arizona for the past several years, so he relishes any opportunity to spend time with his family. And with those trips to the firehouse, the message from J.J. to his brother was clear: I’m proud of you.

Brian will return the favor on Saturday afternoon. He plans to be there, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, when Team USA opens the World Baseball Classic against Team Canada.

Putz, 32, will be in the Team USA bullpen – wearing his country’s colors for the first time in tournament play.

“He’s my big brother – I’d look up to him, anyway,” Brian said in a telephone interview earlier this week. “I have the greatest respect for what he does. And when he says the same thing to me, it means a lot.

There are two pages to that story so make sure to read it all.

Expert Opinion

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus sat down for a Q & A with Oakland Clubhouse and said something in response to a Q about former Kane County Cougar Matt Sulentic, a 3rd round pick in 2006, about the Midwest League that doesn't surprise me. Here is the exchange:

OaklandClubhouse: Another guy who had a big comeback year in 2008 was Matt Sulentic. Do you think that improvement was a product of the Cal League or is he for real again?

Kevin Goldstein: I think the Cal League helped, but I think people just throw ‘Cal League’ out there a little too often. Stockton is in the northern half of that league, which isn’t nearly the pinball machine that the southern half is. So it’s not as huge of an effect. It’s obviously way better than Kane County. The Midwest League is the toughest hitters’ league in baseball now, even more than the Florida State League.

They took a really big risk putting him there, just from what he did at Kane County, but the decision was either to send him [to Stockton] and hope for the best, or send him back to Kane County, where the league could have gotten into his head a little bit and resulting in him really ending up with some confidence issues and stuff like that. I think he can hit. I’m not sure it is a ton, but if he turns into something between Jason Michaels and David Dellucci kind of bench outfielder, line-drive hitter, I wouldn’t be shocked.

For comparison:

Sulentic (KC, '06): 30 games, .235BA, .327OBP, .327SLG, 1 HR, 13 RBI
Sulentic (KC, '07): 56 games, .175/.234/.218, 1 HR, 16 RBI
Sulentic (Stockton, '08): 95 games, .309/.368/.481, 9HR, 55RBI

Aumont Arms Canada...

with potential. From The National Post:

It is the kind of pitching line veteran managers learn to expect from 20-year-olds with live arms and limited experience.

Canada's Phillippe Aumont has still yet to pitch above Class-A, but on Tuesday, he faced his first major league hitters - and some minor league ones - in an exhibition game versus the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Gatineau, Que., native pitched a shutout inning, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out a batter. It confirmed two things Canada manager Ernie Whitt already knew.

Young pitchers have a lot to learn.

And when it comes to talent, nobody else on Canada's pitching staff for this year's World Baseball Classic can touch Aumont.

The Canadians take on team USA in about an hour and Aumont may face the Americans, but he will be limited to an inning.

Because of his earlier elbow ailment, Whitt is under strict restrictions regarding Aumont. He can pitch an inning in tomorrow's opener against the U.S., but will not be able to pitch again until Tuesday. And if he does go, he will be limited to 35 pitches.

Not that Aumont is going to let that take away from the experience.

"It could be big if they trust me and they bring me in in a big situation, it's going to give me a chance to prove I can pitch at that level," he said. " I'm ready for all those kinds of things."

Various Ex-Rattlers (3/6)

Starting with Seattle's 12-1 loss to the Athletics:

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Jeff Clement ('05): 0-for-4
Bryan LaHair ('04): 1-for-3
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 1-for-1
Oswaldo Navarro ('04, '05): 0-for-1
Mike Wilson ('05): 0-for-1
Rob Johnson ('05): 1-for-3, RBI
Adam Moore ('06): defensive replacement
Mark Lowe ('05): IP, 2H, R, BB
Justin Thomas ('06): IP, H, 2R, BB, K
Denny Stark ('97): IP, 2H, R

Ex-Rattler for Oakland:
Yung Chi Chen ('05): 0-for-2

In the 17-7 Milwaukee win over Cleveland:

CLE:
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-2, Home Run

MIL:
Lindsay Gulin ('98): 2IP, 2H, R, 2BB, 3K, Home Run allowed...not to Valbuena

Chin-Soo Choo ('01, '02) went 0-for-2 in Korea's 14-2 loss to Japan in the World Baseball Classic

In the 10-3 exhibition win by the White Sox over Australia:

AUS:
Chris Snelling ('00): 1-for-4, RBI

This might be of interest

Thanks to Jay at Mariner Minors for posting the link to the following item which led to the item after that...If you can follow that sentence you have an understanding into how my mind works....Scary, no?

This is from Beyond the Boxscore and it puts a monetary value on a Major League team's minor league system.

There is a post about the AL West. Here is the quick-and-dirty criteria used by Victor Wang, a writer at The Hardball Times:

• Divide prospects into different tiers using Baseball America's prospect rankings.
• Find what the average player in a talent pool produces during their cost-controlled years.
  
• Find how much money a team would need to spend to acquire the prospect's production on the free-agent market. For this, Victor applied Studes' work on WSAB and its direct relationship to a player's salary.
  
• Find the savings.
• For those outside of the Baseball America's 100, Victor applied the same process to prospects graded with B's and C's by John Sickels, only with C prospects he further divided them by age. The grades would be seen in any of his top 20 rankings for a given farm system.

Okay? Okay.



Here is the post on the NL Central.

For those who don't want to click that link...Here is a table for you:

Write up...Check that...Pie Chart on the Brewers:

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You mean it wasn't before?

No. Seriously. It wasn't before?

The only thing that will be lighting up inside Fifth Third Ballpark this season will be the scoreboard.

That's because the ballpark is now smoke-free.

It's a move the West Michigan Whitecaps organization contemplated the past couple of seasons, but officials decided now was the time.

"We've fielded various complaints about the smoking at the park because people had to walk through the two smoking areas, (the first and third baselines near the lawn seating), but nothing serious," Whitecaps vice president Jim Jarecki said.

"We did it as an accommodation for all our fans."

Well, except for the fans who are smokers.

Smokers attending Whitecaps games must now light up near the gate areas along the first and third baselines, as well as the outfield gate area.

So, it will be just like the bus ramp in High School? At least when I went to high school.

There is this bit there Fort Wayne:

The Fort Wayne TinCaps, who changed their nickname from Wizards, will open a new city-owned ballpark this season. The TinCaps and the city of Fort Wayne, which has smoke-free facilities, are negotiating the park's smoking status and expect to have a decision before the April 9 season opener, a team representative said.

and another bit about Clinton and state law in Iowa and...Boy. Times have changed...

They really have changed...

Various Ex-Rattlers

Angels 4 @ Mariners 2:

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Bryan LaHair ('04): 0-for-1
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-3, run
Mike Wilson ('05): 0-for-1
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 1-for-3
Oswaldo Navarro ('04, '05): 0-for-1
Carlos Triunfel ('07): 0-for-1
Shawn Kelley ('07, '08): 1-1/3IP, 3H, 2R, Blown Save, Loss
Marwin Vega ('06): 1-/3IP, 0H, 0R

Korea 9, Taiwan 0:

Ex-Rattler for Korea:
Shin-Soo Choo ('01, '02): 1-for-3, run, BB

Another Interview

Not with me.

Justin Hull of AM 1570 The Score had Timber Rattler team president Rob Zerjav on the air yesterday.

I think this link will let you download the podcast of the interview.

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Finding a bright side

Ryan Feierabend ('04) had season ending surgery and will miss some time on the field. But, off the field, he won't miss a thing.

It took a while, but Mariners left-hander Ryan Feierabend finally found something positive about the season-ending surgery he had on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

He can be with his wife when the couple becomes parents for the first time in late June, when their son is born.

"I would get to spend the whole summer at home and get to know my son during the first few months of his life and not be gone every other week," he said.

Feierabend and his wife, Sarah, live about a 15-minute drive from the Peoria Sports Complex, and he has accepted the reality of staying home this summer, recovering from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery.

An examination in Los Angeles on Tuesday by noted orthopedic surgeon Lewis Yocum determined the course of action that was needed.

It's scary," Feierabend said. "I never imagined I would end [up] having any kind of major surgery because I've never had something like that before. But it is a relief to get it done and over with so I can start working my tail off toward next year."

A Fresh Start

Denny Stark started his professional career as 4th round pick out of the University of Toledo in 1996. In 1997, he was a Timber Rattler and went 6-3 with a 1.97ERA and 105 strikeouts in 91-1/3 innings pitched over 16 games (15 starts).

In 2001, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies. Now, he is back with the Mariners.

A 34-year- old pitcher who had every expectation he'd be making big money by now, Stark has been around too long, seen too much and experienced baseball's highs and lows at dizzying levels. So he'll take what comes.

It's been a decade since Stark pitched in his first big league game and seven years since he began knocking on the door of name recognition by going 11-4 with an otherwise undistinguished Colorado Rockies team. But it's been five years since he's pitched in a major league game and four years since he's pitched in a big league spring training.

There's no telling if he'll make it back to the majors in 2009 -- it's a long shot. But Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik and manager Don Wakamatsu are trying to rebuild a bullpen that has many unclaimed positions, and Zduriencik said Stark is "one of the more interesting stories we have in camp."

And after what Stark has been through, he's more than happy to be with the Mariners with a chance to do what he loves -- throwing strikes and challenging hitters -- and, yes, competing for a job.

Just go read it all.

As if this blog isn't enough

Jim Breen at Bernie's Crew sat down to interview...me on Tuesday. Here are the results.

Various Boxscores and performances

Some ex-Rattlers in World Baseball Classic exhibitions:

Australia 11 @ Seattle 9:

AUS:
Chris Snelling ('00): 0-for-5, RBI
Craig Anderson ('00): 1-2/3IP, 7H, 5R, 3HR

SEA:
Bryan LaHair ('04): 1-for-3
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-2
Wladimir Balentien ('04): 1-for-3
Jeff Clement ('05): 1-for-2, 2 runs
Adam Moore ('06): 0-for-2
Mike Wilson ('05): 1-for-2
Stephen Kahn ('05): 1/3IP, H, BB, K
Mark Lowe ('05): IP, 3H, 2R, BB, K

Italy 5 @ Florida 1:

ITALY:
Alex Liddi ('06, '07, '08): 0-for-1

@Cincinnati 4, Netherlands 3 (10 innings):

NETH:
Greg Halman ('07): 0-for-4, 3K

@ Baltimore 6, Dominican Republic 1:
BAL:
Adam Jones ('04): 0-for-2

DR:
David Ortiz ('96): 2-for-4
Damaso Marte ('96): IP, 0H, 0R, 2K

"FANG" -tastic

Possibly lost in the announcement of the game at Miller Park yesterday was the announcement of the FANG-tastic Ticket Package.

What's so FANG-tastic about it?

Get one Terrace Reserved ticket to one of six select Brewers games at Miller Park and one Reserved Bleacher ticket to one of six select Wisconsin Timber Rattlers games at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin, plus a special Brewers-Timber Rattlers t-shirt all for just $15.

Here is that website. You will find a list of the games available for this package there.

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A quick recap (UPDATED)

The big Timber Rattler news from yesterday was the announcement of the Border Battle.

The Timber Rattlers will play the Peoria Chiefs at Miller Park on Friday, April 24. Here is the release on the event.

On Friday, April 24, Miller Park will host the "Border Battle," which will feature a Midwest League matchup between the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (the Brewers' new Class-A affiliate) and the Peoria Chiefs (the Chicago Cubs' Class-A affiliate). Game time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The announcement was made today by Brewers Executive Vice President - Business Operations Rick Schlesinger and Timber Rattlers President and General Manager Rob Zerjav.

"Through our partnership with the Timber Rattlers, the Border Battle will serve as a great opportunity for fans to see some of the Brewers' younger prospects play in a Major League environment," said Schlesinger. "We're proud to host a Midwest League game at Miller Park and to showcase the players who will play key roles in the future of the Brewers-Cubs rivalry."

Tickets? How to get tickets?

All tickets for the "Border Battle" at Miller Park are just $10 each and go on sale [Tuesday] at 10 a.m. In addition, all seats will be reserved. Tickets may be purchased by visiting the Miller Park Box Office, online at brewers.com, or by calling the Brewers Ticket Office at (414) 902-4000 or 1-800-933-7890.

Local perspective: Appleton Post-Crescent:

Forget the April showers. For at least one day the fear of being postponed by rain isn't going to be a factor in the life of Wisconsin Timber Rattlers president Rob Zerjav.

The Timber Rattlers and Milwaukee Brewers announced Tuesday that the Rattlers will meet the Peoria Chiefs at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, April 24, at Miller Park and its retractable roof.

It is being billed as the "Border Battle."

The Rattlers are the new Brewers Class A affiliate, while the Chiefs are a Chicago Cubs Class A farm club. The teams are in the Midwest League.

"It will be one day where I won't have to wake up on game day and worry about the weather," Zerjav said.

Local Perspective: Peoria Journal Star:

First, the Peoria Chiefs took “The Road to Wrigley.” Now they will be locked in a “Border Battle” with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

On Tuesday, the Timber Rattlers — along with their major-league parent club, the Milwaukee Brewers — and the Chiefs announced the Midwest League teams will meet April 24 at Miller Park.

Discussion about playing in the Brewers’ home stadium came up about the time of the big-league winter meetings, Chiefs president Rocky Vonachen said Tuesday by telephone from Milwaukee.

“Wisconsin asked if we’d be interested in playing the game up there, and after our experience last year we said we’d love to,” Vonachen said.

Last season, the Chiefs played the Kane County Cougars in front of a league-record 32,103 fans July 29 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

How about some video? Sports Bubbler, take it away! That's to the front page. Click on the Timber Rattlers tab underneath The Daily Drink logo.

UPDATE: Here is a better link to the video at Sports Bubbler. That will take you directly to a page with the video.

Here is the link to the website to order tickets for the Border Battle.

Early in camp

Paging The Kid. Paging The Kid.

Tuiasosopo off to hot start with Mariners

Matt Tuiasosopo has no second thoughts of his decision to play baseball for the Mariners, and the guy once considered the Washington Huskies' quarterback of the future is enjoying a hot start to spring training in Arizona.

Even if this baseball thing had never worked out, Matt Tuiasosopo says he wouldn't have had any second thoughts.

"I haven't even thrown a football since I've been out of high school," says Tuiasosopo, whose name is synonymous with that sport in Seattle. "I don't even think about that. I'm totally happy with where I am."

And, increasingly, it looks like maybe baseball will work out just fine for Tuiasosopo, who signed to play quarterback at Washington in 2004 before deciding to sign with the Mariners.

Tuiasosopo is one of the hottest hitters for the Mariners through the first few days of training camp. He is 6 for 11 in the first five games with a team-high 11 total bases, including one homer, and four runs scored.

And slimmed down to 227 pounds from 240 a year ago, he's also shown increasing range at third base.

"What impresses me is that he keeps getting better," said Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu. "I saw him at the end of last year a little bit and thought that his defense wasn't strong. But he's lost a little bit of weight and he's moving better, playing aggressive, and running pretty good. He is getting better every day."

Another missed one

When listing players on World Baseball Classic rosters, always figure that I missed one. Like, oh, I don't know...Matt Thornton ('98, '99, '00) for Team USA.

The former Grand Valley State standout is ready to play for his country.

"I'm real excited about this opportunity and think this will be a great experience for me," said Thornton, 32, who is his fourth season as a middle reliever with the Chicago White Sox. Last season, Thornton was 5-3 with an ERA of 2.67 and one save.

The 6-foot-5 left-hander spent his first two seasons with the Seattle Mariners.

"There's no break in the major league season for the Summer Olympics, which would allow MLB players to play for their countries, and to me this (the World Baseball Classic) will be baseball's Olympics."

Then, there is this:

Thornton is one of six players in the classic with ties to West Michigan.

Catcher Andrew Graham, who played for the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2004 and '05, will is on Australia's roster. Ramon Hernandez, a Whitecaps catcher in 1996, will play for Venezuela and join Detroit Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez, who had a one-game rehab stint with West Michigan last season.

A.) You're thinking: "That's only four." B.) You're thinking the Ordonez connection is a bit of a stretch. C.) You ain't seen nothing yet.

Team USA includes shortstop Derek Jeter, who played at Kalamazoo Central High School, and Tigers outfielder Curtis Granderson, who had a three-game rehab stint with the Whitecaps last season.

I think I pulled somthing reading that bit about Jeter.

Just an ordinary day for a couple of ex-Rattlers

Well, maybe not.

Jake Wild walked into the Seattle Mariners' minor league clubhouse Monday morning expecting to go through his usual workout. He walked away Monday afternoon having pitched to a legend.

Gee, if he'd only brought his prized Ken Griffey Jr. baseball cards.

Like a lot of Mariners prospects, Wild has reported early to make sure he's in shape before minor league camp begins March 8.

A coach approached not long after he arrived Monday, saying he was needed to pitch in a simulated game at 11 o'clock. Wild was glad to get the work, and when he stepped onto the rubber Griffey was the first hitter he faced.

Yes, there was an awe-factor involved.

"That was my guy growing up," said Wild, a 24-year-old right-hander who pitched at Class A Wisconsin and High Desert last year. "It's pretty cool. I've got his baseball cards. Maybe I can see if he'll sign them."

Besides Griffey, three other Mariners who are being brought along slowly in camp took their swings in the simulated game -- Mike Sweeney, Russell Branyan and Yuniesky Betancourt. Left-hander Travis Mortimor also pitched to them.

The only player to really connect was Sweeney, who homered to left field off Mortimor.

Mortimore changed the spelling of his name? Who knew?

Grainy Photos of a Press Conference

Cleared them up as best I could.




Need a new camera.

Squint

and you might be able to make out where I am...

Live Blog

About 25 minutes away

I have an internet connection at the currently undisclosed location...But, check back around 1:00pm.

I'm going to try something.....

Miller Lite Tuesday (3/3)

With the snow that hit Milwaukee yesterday...or portions of it...Isn't Lake Effect Snow great?...I think that this Miller Lite commercial is appropriate



Also. There is some big news later today. If I can make the computer work, I will be live-blogging the event. It is scheduled for around 1:00pm Wisconsin time.

For now...

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Get your tickets

and rummage and win. The Timber Rattler team release makes it all clear:

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are excited to announce individual game tickets for the 2009 season will go on sale Saturday, March 14th at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Timber Rattlers box office located at Time Warner Cable Field, by calling 1-800-WI-TIMBER and online at www.timberrattlers.com.

Ticket prices for the 2009 season will remain unchanged from 2008; $8.50 for a box seat, $7 for a reserved bleacher seat, $5 for general admission grass, $52 per patio table (seats 4) & $250 to rent a VIP suite per game.

The Timber Rattlers will also be hosting their 2nd annual rummage sale in conjunction with the ticket event. A variety of items including game-worn & clearance items from the Snake Pit Team Store will be featured in the sale. Free hot dogs, popcorn & soda will be available for fans that make a ticket or rummage sale purchase.

Fang will make an appearance at the event before raffling off a VIP suite to the Timber Rattlers home opener on April 9th and four (4) tickets to the Milwaukee Brewers home opener on April 10th to two lucky fans making purchases at the stadium that day. For every $20 a fan spends on tickets at the box office or $20 in merchandise purchased from the Snake Pit Team Store (rummage sales items will not be included toward the $20) fans will be given an entry form. Winners need not be present to win and will be notified via email following the event.

Stop by to say hello....and get some tickets...and purchase stuff from our rummage sale...and win.

Scarpetta at Camp

Adam McCalvy, the Brewer beat writer for MLB.com, has the story on possible future Timber Rattler Cody Scarpetta.

The broad-shouldered, 20-year-old right-hander is in his first big league camp about four years ahead of schedule because of a rules technicality. Scarpetta debuted in a "B" game on a back field at the Dodgers' sprawling new Spring Training facility in Glendale, Ariz., on Monday. The appearance started Scarpetta on a fast track that he hopes will lead to the Major Leagues.

He's not there quite yet. Scarpetta couldn't locate his curveball, left a handful of 89-91-mph fastballs up in the strike zone and was knocked around by a Dodgers lineup that included big leaguers Juan Pierre and Andre Ethier. Scarpetta was charged with a run on three hits, one walk and two wild pitches in a 4-3 Brewers win in front of a few dozen fans -- including his dad, Dan, a left-hander who was Milwaukee's third-round Draft pick in 1982.

Here's where the story gets more interesting for the 2008 11th round pick:

Typically, a high-school pick -- Scarpetta came out of Guilford High School in Rockford, Ill. -- can spend five years in the Minor Leagues before he must be protected on the 40-man roster. Players who go unprotected after that time are exposed to the Rule 5 Draft, and can be snatched away by another team.

After a player is on the 40-man roster, he still has three or four Minor League options, according to a formula that is confusing even to some front office officials. In order to put a player from the 40-man roster in the Minors, a club must use one option per season, and then it can send that player back and forth all year without using another.

So, a typical high schooler can be drafted at 18, spend five seasons in the Minors and then three more seasons on the 40-man roster before he is out of options and must be exposed to waivers. At that point, he would be 26 or 27 years old.

The Brewers will not have control of Scarpetta for nearly that long because an unexpected injury prompted the team to void the prospect's original contract. When Milwaukee re-signed Scarpetta, the rules made the team place him on the 40-man roster following his first season instead of his fifth. That, in turn, meant his "option clock" started ticking four years early.

What about the near future?

Scarpetta was not sure about the date of his next appearance. He hopes it falls before Saturday, when the fan club that includes his grandparents, his parents and his cousin heads back to the snowy Midwest. Scarpetta will probably begin the 2009 season at Class A Wisconsin, less than 200 miles from his northern Illinois home.

"I've gone through all the scenarios of, 'How am I going to make it up there with three more options?'" Scarpetta said. "But all I can control is what I do on the mound. I still have a lot to learn about how to play the big league game, and I'm here in camp talking to everybody I can talk to. I'm soaking it all up."

Mariner exhibition game (3/2)

......R...H...E
SEA...5...9...0
CWS...3...9...2
Box score

Ex-Rattlers for Mariners:
Oswaldo Navarro ('04, '05): 0-for-1
Carlos Triunfel ('07): 1-for-1
Jeff Clement ('05): 0-for-1
Bryan LaHair ('04): 0-for-3
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 1-for-1
Mike Wilson ('05): 1-for-4
Rob Johnson ('05): 2-for-3, 3B, run, RBI
Ryan Rowland-Smith ('02, '03): 2IP, 4H, 3R, 2BB
Denny Stark ('97): IP, H, 0R

Damn

I needed some cheering up this weekend and I went looking for some highlights of UW-Superior's win in their NCHA Semiifinal game from Saturday.

I found this.

That's a video of Tom Hansen's reporting on the death of John Baggs. John was the head baseball coach at St. Scholastica in Duluth. He was also the Sports Information Director there when I first started as SID at UWS. John was a frequent guest at Wade Stadium when I worked on Dukes games. He was also a teammate of mine on the co-ed softball team that Tom mentioned in that report.

Here is part of the story from the Saints' website:

The College of St. Scholastica has announced the death of head baseball coach John Baggs. He died this morning in hospice care at his home after a four-month battle with cancer. He was 43 years old.

Baggs was the winningest coach ever at St. Scholastica in any sport. Head baseball coach since 1992, he built the team into a national powerhouse on the NCAA Division III level. In 2008 the team was runner-up for the Midwest Regional, its best NCAA finish in program history. The team has also won 12 straight Upper Midwest Athletic Conference titles.

Baggs was 531 wins to 197 losses during his career at St. Scholastica, a .720 winning percentage. He missed only one game in 17 seasons.

Just 43. I knew that John was sick, but...

Chris Earl, a former anchor in Duluth has a writeup that does more justice for Baggs than I could do.

Then, I was looking for a few more details on Mike Lockert at the South Bend Tribune website and saw this:

Tribune loses a legend

Fashion was never important to Forrest "Woody" Miller.

He was wearing the same crew cut in 1955 on his first day in The Tribune's Sports department that he sported more than a half-century later on his last day.

There was no pretense to Woody, who died in South Bend Saturday at 78. He was a reporter's reporter — not only bred from the "old school," but also an instructor there, influencing several generations of writers.

I can't say that Forrest and I were friends in the way that I was friends with Mike and Baggs, but he was always at The Cove and did an "old school" job.

Both Forrest and John are missed and remembered.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make a list of friends I haven't talked to in...well, too long.

38 dies insquequo Oris Dies!

Balentien is back and so is Snelling

Balentien reports to camp

As the Wladimir Balentien saga dragged on for two weeks, Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu joked that the outfielder was slowly swimming toward spring training from his native Curacao.

Balentien at last reached shore Saturday night and reported for workouts Sunday. Visa problems, apparently stemming from pages having been torn from Balentien's passport, caused the delay.

Balentien got as far as Venezuela, where officials rejected his passport. The ensuing red tape caused him to miss nearly two weeks of camp.

It was a terrible time for the 24-year-old to be absent, with a new coaching staff and plenty of competition in the outfield.

"I was nervous because I know the situation I'm in right now," he said. "I should have been in camp before anyone, and with the visa problem I was frustrated. But I'm over it now, and I'm in camp, and I've got to work harder to make up for the time I lost."

Later, in a different note at the same link:

Ryan Rowland-Smith's roommate, former Mariner Chris Snelling, is back in town, at least for a few days. Snelling, a free agent, is part of the Australian team for the World Baseball Classic, and the Aussies are training in Peoria.

"It's been great seeing them," said Rowland-Smith, who turned down a spot on his native country's team in order to stay and compete for a job in the Seattle rotation. "It doesn't make it harder, or make me regret my decision, though. It might be tough watching the (WBC) games on TV and stuff like that, but it'll be over soon."

The Mariners and the Australians will play an exhibition game Wednesday night.

"I was talking to some of the guys, and they said I should walk out there in a Mariners uniform and just rip it off and have the Australian one underneath," Rowland-Smith said.

To rip off a joke from USS Mariner...My God! That's Australia's Music!

Job Fairs

The Kane County Cougars, the Fort Wayne TinCaps, and the Lansing Lugnuts all recently held their job fairs.

Cougars job fair draws crowd, older workers to Geneva

More than 300 people showed up Saturday to apply for part-time positions at the Kane County Cougars job fair in Geneva.

"It was definitely the highest attendance we've had," said Cougars media relations coordinator Shawn Touney.

The job fair was for first-time applicants only, not returning employees, and many in attendance were not the traditional high school or college age job seeker.

Scott Snedden of Warrenville, 65 and retired from the video business, was applying for an usher's job.

"The way the market's been going, I saw it as an opportunity for some supplemental income," Snedden said.

Thousands apply for jobs with TinCaps

Well over 2,000 job seekers filed into the Grand Wayne Center on Saturday to learn more about the Fort Wayne TinCaps and the part-time and seasonal positions available at Parkview Field the team said in a press release.

The applicant line started to form as early as 8:30 a.m. and the TinCaps staff opened the doors and began the application process at 9 a.m., a full hour earlier than originally planned.

“We anticipated a great response to the openings we have available, so an early arriving crowd wasn’t a surprise,” said Vice President of Sales and Finance, Brian Schackow. “I am proud of our staff for being able to interact with as many people today as we did.”

Hundreds Show Up For Lugnuts Job Fair

There's no doubt finding a job in this economy is no walk in the park.

"I've been looking for a job for a year and a half," Jeffrey Cherkinsky said. "It's been really tough."

"I've been out of work for a month and a half and before that I was out of work for two months," John Mudget said.

That may be why hundreds of people packed the Lansing Center Saturday --- filling out applications and waiting their turn --- to take a swing at job with with the Lansing Lugnuts.

"Today is our game day job fair for all people that work at the stadium during the summer," General Manager Pat Day said. "Those are the people who serve your hot dogs or are on the field performing."

Day said the annual job fair usually brings in a crowd, but this is by far the biggest one he's ever seen.

'Fates entwined'

The Philadelphia Inquirer has a story on how important Dow Chemical is to Midland, Michigan, the home of the Great.Lakes.Loons.

This area near the thumb of Michigan is a place of small towns, farmhouses, and one giant corporate citizen in great distress.

Dow Chemical Co., the region's biggest employer and civic booster, faces narrowing options in its disastrously timed decision to buy Philadelphia's Rohm & Haas Co. for $15.3 billion in cash.

Dow has all but said that the deal would ruin the nation's largest chemical company.

Dow slashed its dividend last month, something it didn't do in the Great Depression, and local reSidents fear the company could be sold off limb by limb.

Indeed, the Dow executives have said they're considering 12 asset-sale scenarios to raise cash for the stalled merger. "Everything's on the table," said one Dow official.

Why would they need cash?

The staggering $15.3 billion price for Rohm & Haas, agreed upon last July, is going up $3 million a day because of penalties. Dow is fighting a desperate legal battle in Delaware's Court of Chancery to stave off a final closing of the merger.

New York hedge fund operators, and many legal experts, say they believe Dow will lose in court. A trial is scheduled for March 9 before Judge William Chandler 3d. Chandler is expected to balance the binding contract with Dow's doomsday scenario if the merger happens.

Dow is accelerating a program to close about 20 plants globally and streamline its operations with fewer employees, company officials say.

Investment bankers are shopping some of Dow's prized assets, such as its 50 percent stake in Dow Corning Corp., a major local employer, and a highly profitable agricultural division with operations in Midland.

And what led to this?

Dow and the Kuwait government planned a joint venture with Dow's commodity chemical and plastics businesses, naming it K-Dow.

The venture would have brought Dow $7 billion to $9 billion in cash for the Rohm & Haas acquisition. Kuwait canceled the joint venture in late December.

Without the Kuwait cash, Dow has to rely mostly on a one-year bank loan for funds to close on Rohm & Haas.

The home of the Looooons? Dow Diamond.

Mariner Exhibition Game (3/1)

......R...H...E
SEA...13..15..2
TEX....6..12..1
Box score

Ex-Rattlers for Seattle:
Mike Wilson ('05): 0-for-1, RBI
Jeff Clement ('05): 0-for-1, BB
Bryan LaHair ('04): 0-for-1, 2 runs, RBI, 3BB
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 2-for-4, run, RBI
Oswaldo Navarro ('04, '05): 1-for-1, run
Justin Thomas ('06): IP, 0H, 0R, K
Mark Lowe ('05): IP, 2H, 0R
Shawn Kelley ('07, '08): IP, 2H, R

Just one today.

Sorry this is late. I needed to do some things this morning. To tell the truth, I don't feel like blogging today, but I made a resolution that I would not miss a day for updating this year.

So, here is a link to a story on Greg Halman ('07) regarding the World Baseball Classic.

Just two years ago, things weren't looking so rosy for Mariners outfield prospect Greg Halman.

The native of the Netherlands who had signed with the Mariners back in June 2004 was giving full-season ball his first try. To say the 19-year-old struggled would be like saying the United States is having slight economic issues.

He hit .182 and struck out 77 times (against just eight walks) in 52 games in '07. He got sent back to short-season Everett for a second tour of the Northwest League. And that's probably when the Mariners realized they had a special player -- and person -- in their organization.

Rather than sulk, Halman was a Northwest League All-Star, batting .307 with 16 homers and 16 steals. He's been hitting for power and running since, making a big leap up to the California League in '08. He was there for only half a season, getting a bump up to Double-A at age 20. He was the closest Minor League player to put up a 30-30 season with 29 homers and 31 steals.

"He's come a long way and he's still young," said Pedro Grifol, the Mariners' director of Minor League operations. "He's an extremely talented kid who's come a long way both on and off the field. He's a high character kid who has the chance to do great things in this game and one day lead this organization."

There is more at the link along with a bit about other ex-Rattlers who will be playing for their countries.

39 dies insquequo Oris Dies!