An outsider's view

Matt Nelson's profile of Time Warner Cable Field has sunk me into a deep depression. Just click the link and you'll remember the heady day of May 8, 2010.  Oh, heck. Watch the video.



His words:

The ballpark is nice, but lacks some of the ammentities of newer parks. Within the Midwest League it is probably the most comparable to Coveleski Stadium in South Bend. It has a mostly open concourse with a small press box at concourse level behind home plate. The exterior is ok, but doesn’t necessarily standout. The location of the ballpark is near a shopping mall and a major highway meaning it’s easy to get to and there is plenty to do near the park, but the fact remains that the stadium is pretty much just surrounded by parking lots.

Give the Timber Rattlers organization a lot of credit though, they've put in some very nice features. There's a restaurant/bar, plenty of group seating options throughout the park, and a new addition, there's a giant sand box in right-center field, much like what Petco Park in San Diego has. So although the ballpark isn't the newest, flashiest, park in the league, it's clear that the club has made efforts to give fans a great night of entertainment.

Yes. Imagine that. Parking lots. But, at least we get a lot of credit.

It's also clear that the fans in the Fox River Valley enjoy coming out and supporting the team. Part of that is probably due to the switch at the beginning of the 2009 season from being the longtime Mariners affiliate in the Midwest League, to having an affiliation with the in-state Brewers. They're also tough fans. It was 46 degrees at first pitch on the day I was in Grand Chute, and there was a very good crowd who didn't seem to mind the weather...probably because they have years of experience toughing out much worse weather 30 miles north in Green Bay at Lambeau Field.

It's a shame he didn't get any shots of anyone grilling out that day.

Flickr account.
His final words:

Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium is not a great park of the league, but it's a venue that has had some money invested in it, and the fans really come out and support their club. That's worth some serious points right there.

Gee. Credit AND points. Thanks. I guess.

WIAA will return

Good news, from Time Warner Cable Field.

Let the games continue.

That was the phrase of the day Thursday at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium after WIAA executive director Dave Anderson said the spring state prep baseball tournament is staying put for at least another three years.

The decision to keep the tournament in the Fox Cities for the next three years is expected to be formally ratified by the WIAA's Board of Control as early as later this month.

...

"All of our members and the board recognize what a great facility this is; what great people are here to work with, both in the Appleton schools and with the Timber Rattlers" Anderson said.

"I've said it every year: It's a great facility. It's a great part of the state that loves baseball and softball. The people here are as easy to work with and do as quality a job in running this event as anywhere and anyone that we work with. This is a great fit for us."

Click to read it all.

Pictures from a rally point

The Time Warner Cable Field Parking Lot was used as a rally point for tonight's LZ Lambeau event.

For more on the event and some video check out this Post-Crescent article.

Here are a few pictures that I took of yesterday's

This is from the pedestrian bridge across Highway 41 looking at the east parking lot.

Here is a little better shot of the east lot.

I really, really like this picture.

This one, too.

For more - by a much, much better photographer - head over to this album at Fang's Facebook account.

Front Page, baby!

The Post-Crescent has more on the renovations at Time Warner Cable Field today....with more quotes and everything.

“It’s trying to put this all together where there were baseball issues we have been trying to solve and fan issues we used as suggestions,” Rattlers president Rob Zerjav said of the current undertaking. “This is really taking all of that data and saying, ‘What can we do to make this all work?’ That’s how this project arrived.”

The upgrades — to be completed by April — are expected to cost roughly $400,000 and will be funded by the Fox Cities Amateur Sports Authority, a nonprofit group that owns the stadium and leases it to the team.

“The Sports Authority views the project as a very positive initiative on the part of the Timber Rattlers’ management team, and we whole-heartedly endorse and support it,” Sports Authority vice president Mike Reese said. “We’ve been thoroughly briefed, and we’re highly enthusiastic about it. It’s a great project.”

Click the link to read the rest, including some of the financial stuff that always gets asked and some of the other reasons for the renovations.

I hope this was worth the wait (BUMPED with addition)

I thought that this was important enough to bump to the top for the rest of the day.

Click for a larger view of the new Time Warner Cable Field seating chart below. Did I say new Time Warner Cable Field seating chart? Why, yes I did say new. Why would I need to say new seating chart? Because of this...

Time for renovations at Time Warner Cable Field

The Timber Rattlers are getting ready for their second season as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers by making significant changes to the makeup of Time Warner Cable Field. The renovations include the addition of several new seating areas, moving the bullpens, and extending the current walkway beyond the outfield fence. Construction is already underway and should be completed by April 8, 2010, which is Opening Day for the Timber Rattlers.

Read the story or click the image below for the new seating sections.

There will be pictures of the progress made by the construction through the off-season.

ADDED: These renovations make this story from September over at BallparkDigest.com look a little foolish now, don't it? Initial reaction to that story...because that's what it was...a story...is here.

Where's Flying officer Jim Cavanaugh when you need him?

From FOX 11 last night



The moral of the story: Get here a little early tonight and tomorrow.

About Peanut Free Night

Channel 2 was out at the stadium yesterday. Here is their story on what was involved in getting Time Warner Cable Field ready for Peanut Free Night.

The embedding code isn't working, and for some reason the link isn't working either.

So here is a link to their written story, video may be found there.

Click it and see how much work people around there actually get done when I am not there.

Did you notice

the new sign outside the ballpark? The one you can see on Highway 41?


This is a bigger deal than you may think:

Last year, Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, helped the franchise replace its outdoor incandescent message board with a state-of-the-art LED (light-emitting diode) alternative. The sign is located at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium, on U.S. Highway 41 in Appleton, Wis.

Focus provided a $7,094 custom lighting grant to help fund the new LED message board, which uses only one-tenth the power of the old sign, saving 93,381 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually and $9,338 in energy savings on utility bills.

"We had a very positive experience working with Focus on Energy," said Rob Zerjav, president of the Timber Rattlers. "Focus walked us through the entire process - from showing our current energy usage to potential cost savings - even giving us suggestions on how to save energy in other areas of the ballpark."

That is from a press release at WisBusiness.com. For more on Focus on Energy, here is their website.

Picture from ECOS-Fox Valley

It's time

This has been in the works for a long time. Finally, from the team release, it can be announced:

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are excited to announce the installation of a brand new LED video board to Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

The 16mm LED video board made by Daktronics is 16’ high x 36’ wide and will replace the existing matrix board in left center field. The HD16 LED video board will provide an unparalleled image to show video, replays, head shots, animations, and fan enhancements.

In addition to the video board, the Timber Rattlers will be installing a new LED scoreboard to replace the existing scoreboard. The new scoreboard will feature all the typical features such as balls, strikes, outs, runs, hits, errors, inning, and score throughout every Rattlers home game. It will also allow actual team names on the scoreboard instead of VISITORS versus RATTLERS.

I've got an awesome picture, er, artist's conception of the new board. But, stupid blogger won't let me post a PDF. Stupid blogger.

Daktronics HD16 LED video board is the newest evolution in video technology and optimizes viewing angles, prevents off-angle color shifts and also includes adjustable intensity to overcome harsh lighting conditions, even direct sunlight.

"We are excited to provide this new amenity at our ballpark. We feel this will allow us to continue to enhance the overall experience for our fans. With this technology, we will also be able to broadcast Rattlers games live throughout the ballpark. Fans will be able to keep up with the action from within the Leinie Lodge, our VIP suites and at the concession stands,” said Rattlers president Rob Zerjav.

Installation of the new video board and scoreboard will be in time for the Rattlers season opener at Time Warner Cable Field on Thursday, April 9th. Advertising opportunities are currently available on the new video board and scoreboard. If you are interested in advertising with the Timber Rattlers, please contact corporate partnerships at (920)733-4152.

Hey! How did that last part get in there?

82 dies insquequo Oris Dies

A shoutout for Eddie

The Oshkosh Northwestern has a few words for a man of few words.

Baseball seasons' practically around the corner at this point, so we'll get you thinking about the National Pastime and warmer temperatures with a shout-out to Oshkosh resident Eddie Warczak. Eddie tends to Time Warner Cable Field, where the Timber Rattlers play. Eddie and the field together received an award for Field of the Year from the Sports Turf Manager Association. Congrats!

Sunday at the Stadium

There is something else going on Sunday afternoon while the Rattlers are away? Oh, you bet.

Time Warner Cable Field to host FRV American Legion All Star Game August 17th

The Fox River Valley American Legion All-Star Game will take place on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Sunday, August 17^th. The game will start at 1:00 with the gates opening at 11:00 am. Admission is $5 and may be purchased at the gate the day of game or in advance by visiting the Fox River Valley Legion website at www.frvlegion.com.

The rosters may be found at the story link. Head on out for a fun Sunday of baseball.

About to start

Have fun at the Trace Adkins concert tonight.

Quick reminders

Game one of the doubleheader from Clinton may be heard locally on WFCL, 1380AM. Game time is 5:00pm CDT. This will not affect the internet broadcast.

The second game of the doubleheader is back on WJMQ, 92.3FM.

Tickets for the August 18 Trace Adkins concert on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium go on sale at 7:00pm tonight at the stadium box office.

That is all. Back to the game "prep".

Championship Friday

The WIAA Division 4 Champions for baseball were crowned yesterday.

Catholic Central's turnaround complete

"We started at 1-8," O'Connell said. "We changed the lineup around a little bit. I made some ultimatums. We had some gut-check practices, and all at once, things turned around. We've had a lot of good teams who won state championships, but they were 23-2. But never has a team come from 1-8 to win a state championship."

There was a long delay, too.

The game was delayed for three hours and five minutes due to rain. It was halted with two out in the top of the fifth, with Catholic Central ahead 10-6.

How do a bunch of teenage baseball players deal with a three-plus hour delay?

"Everyone was getting tired, and we laid on tables. We tried to stay awake. I ate a couple of hot dogs and kind of sat around]," said infielder Rex Morrow.]

The Division 3 title game started but was halted -- along with the rest of the day -- by rain. Marathon and La Crosse Aquinas were to have restarted at 9am today.

The other title games will follow the completion of the first game.
West De Pere and Prairie Du Chien - Division 2
Kimberly and Kenosha Bradford - Division 1

Semifinal Wednesday

Day Two of the WIAA State Baseball Tournament was June 11.

Division 2
West DePere 6, Barron 0

Barron (19-4) was plagued by five errors, which resulted in four unearned runs. Four errors came in the first three innings.

Prairie Du Chien 4, Waupun 0

Waupun pitcher Tyler DeBoer struck out 16 batters in a losing effort.

Baseball has given a welcome distraction to residents of those towns.

Prairie du Chien, Waupun deal with flood of emotions

The Blackhawks had made their way back into the state tournament field for the first time since 1993, when they captured the Division 2 crown. And many were hoping to use the excitement as a community-wide diversion, a way — for a moment, at least — to escape from life's problems.

"When we won the sectional and went back into town, it was about 11 or 12 at night, and we had three fire trucks, a cop car and about 50 cars leading us from the edge of town to the high school," said Blackhawks assistant coach Dale Hanson, who noted heavy rains passing through the state's southwest region on Wednesday and today threatened to raise the Mississippi to perhaps as much as two feet above flood stage and close U.S. 18 — a primary thoroughfare into town.

and

But Prairie du Chien wasn't alone in its ordeal. Across the field, in the Waupun dugout, players and coaches have been busy in recent days battling a flooded Rock River.

Warriors coach Kevin DeBoer, who lives near a creek that flows into the river, had to sleep two nights away from home because a portion of his 800-foot driveway was under about three feet of water.

And Waupun junior shortstop/pitcher Bo Miles was excused from Sunday's practice in part because he was still confined to his home, but also because he wanted to help a neighbor save his.

So for about five hours that night, he was among those tossing 50 50-pound sandbags between the threatened house and a backyard that, Miles said, had his 5-foot-10 frame standing in chest-high water.

That's a Brett Christopherson column, by the way.

Division 3 semifinal: La Crosse Aquinas 13, Fond du Lac Springs 0

Aquinas' Zach Rickaway had some impressive pitching numbers entering the WIAA state baseball tournament: a 10-0 record, six complete games, 75 strikeouts in 51-plus innings and an ERA of 1.23.

Division 3 semifinal: Marathon 7, St. Croix Central 2

Marathon's David Schreier scattered three hits and struck out 11 and the Red Raiders scored six runs over the fourth and fifth innings in their victory over St. Croix Central at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute on Wednesday.

Division 4 semifinal: Catholic Central 2, De Soto 1

The Hilltoppers, who started the season 1-8, won seven of their next nine and took third in the Midwest Classic Conference. Burlington Catholic Central entered the state tournament with a 12-12 record.

Division 4 semifinal: Rosholt 7, Bruce 6

A successful sixth-inning squeeze bunt proved to be the difference-maker as Rosholt (19-6) edged previously unbeaten Bruce (24-1) in a WIAA Division 4 semifinal.

It's Championship Thursday today. The Division 4 game is going on right now.

Day one wrap-up

Busy day yesterday with the D1 Quartefinals and Semifinals for the WIAA State . Click on the links for the Post-Crescent write-up on the game.

Division 1 state quarterfinal: Kimberly 11, Madison Memorial 1

Division 1 quarterfinal: La Crosse Central 14, Beaver Dam 4

Division 1 quarterfinal: Kenosha Bradford 6, Eau Claire Memorial 2

Division 1 quarterfinal: Wausau West 7, Wisconsin Lutheran 5

Division 1 semifinal: Kimberly 8, La Crosse Central 4

Division 1 semifinal: Kenosha Bradford 13, Wausau West 5

Notebook?

WIAA baseball notes: Appleton's Erickson ends pro baseball career

Matt Erickson, one of Appleton's favorite baseball sons, said today that his professional baseball career is over.

Erickson, 32, played professionally for 11 seasons. He said he had ambitions to compete again this season, but changed his mind.

Kimberly?

Up for a little ping-pong? How about badminton or some hoops or some trivia?

Interested in something a bit more off-the-wall, like seeing who can toss the most balls into a garbage can?

Pick a game, any game, and Ryan McGinnis claims he can't be stopped. Actually, he boasts as much.

Kimberly!
Kimberly fans flock to state baseball tourney to cheer on Papermakers

Having the opportunity to cheer on the Papermakers at [Time Warner Cable Field at] Fox Cities Stadium was an unexpected reward for many after the team lost nine seniors from last year's state championship baseball squad.

The semifinals for Division 4, 3, and 2 are today. In fact, the first Division 4 semifinal is underway!

Concert at home

Trace Adkins has a concert scheduled for Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

Country music star Trace Adkins will perform on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium on August 16th. Opening acts will include Restless Heart, Blackhawk, and The Outlaws.

Tickets go on sale Friday, June 13.

Tickets go on sale only at the Fox Cities Stadium box office on Friday, June 13th at 7:00 PM. Enjoy a live performance from Kerry McConaway & The Element in the stadium parking lot while you wait. The following day at 10:00 AM, tickets will be available for purchase over the phone (920-733-4152) or on the internet at timberrattlers.com.

I'm guessing this will be one of the songs:



I hope that Blackhawk does not do this song.

I can't see a single storm cloud in the sky,
but I sure can smell the rain.

The Outlaws better do this song!

While we are out

Another busy week on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium

WIAA STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT June 10-12.

Day one is Tuesday with the Division 1 Quarterfinals.
Day two is Wednesday with the Semifinals for Divisions 1-4
Day three is Championship Thursday

I'm sure a website for a local newspaper will have some sort of preview out there in the next few days

FOX VALLEY SYMPHONY ALL-AMERICAN OUTDOOR CONCERT June 14

The performance by the Fox Valley Symphony is hosted by WBAY-TV 2's Bill Jartz and will also feature Attic Theatre actors performing Casey at the Bat and Who's on First?, the Appleton Boychoir's Senior Choir, the Phoenix Boys Choir, some Timber Rattlers favorites like Promo Nikki and Brock, as well as a Salute to our Veterans. The parking lot opens for tailgating at 4:00 and the concert starts at 7:30.

I wish I could be there for this one...Tailgating before a symphony concert is so Wisconsin.

Then, there is some softball game on June 15

Aaron Rodgers, Charles Woodson, Al Harris, James Jones, Nick Collins, Scott Wells, Donald Lee, Edgar Bennett, Colin Cole, Chris Francis, Tramon Williams, Abdul Hodge, Charlie Peprah, Aaron Rouse and Chad Clifton are early commitments for the Donald Driver Celebrity Softball Game.

Donald Driver comments, "I am very appreciative that so many guys have committed to this game when we just announced it a few days ago. We are looking forward to other major announcements of Packers players and a surprise celebrity or two soon."

The date of the game has been scheduled for Sunday, June 15, 2008 and will be held at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium, home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

Have fun while we are gone, everyone.

Championship Tuesday

slQuite a day on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium to wrap up the NCAA Division III College Baseball Championships.

First, Johns Hopkins ended Trinity's quest for an undefeated season with a win in the first game.

Johns Hopkins faced history in the taking

But, this being a double elimination tournament, Trinity had another chance for the Championship. If there is one thing The Matrix taught me, it's don't give Trinity a second chance.


Trinity satisfied to walk away with NCAA title

Mike Woods has a good column on the Guy who drew the Championship winning walk.

Next time your kid is having a tough year, losing his starting spot to a kid who is only marginally better, and asks if he can pack it in, tell him the story of Guy Gogliettino.

This is a kid playing his senior year at Trinity College. His teammates thought enough of him to select him as a tri-captain. He was coming off a decent season in which he was the regular third baseman and started the first 19 games of his final season.

Then he was asked to take a seat on the bench in favor of Tim Bourdon.

The money line from today's NCAA D-III coverage is this one from Mike to sum up Gogliettino's situation. It's one that anyone of us can find ourselves in:

It may never have come had he sulked. It never would have come if he had walked away. But he accepted his fate, kept working and did as his coach instructed and waited for his opportunity.

I'm going bold that, italicize that, put it up in 32 point font and hang it up somewhere at the trailer.

The tournament returns next year. But as for after that, here is Brett Christopherson's article:
NCAA tourney a hit at the old ballpark

Day Four

The NCAA Division III College Baseball Championships have reached Championship Tuesday.

Monday's games:

Wisconsin-Whitewater 13, Adrian 11 (Adrian eliminated)

Johns Hopkins 12, Wisconsin-Whitewater 11 (UW-W eliminated)

JHU-UWW game story.
Great Game and some credit to the Grounds Crew!

[JHU Coach Bob Babb] was also glad for the diligence of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers grounds crew, which has been responsible for the field's upkeep throughout the double-elimination tournament.

That's because perhaps the game's key moment turned out to be a slow-rolling, pinch-hit bunt single by junior Dan Merzel on a 0-2 offering that hugged the third-base line and appeared to be headed foul but instead came to a stop in the dirt in fair territory.

That loaded the bases with nobody out and was followed by a fielder's choice force out at home before Fester's hit.

"The groundskeepers are fantastic," Babb said. "They're the only ones I've ever seen who (rake) the line and then come back over a second time so that the line is actually elevated a little bit. That might have been the difference."

Notebook.

44-0 Trinity is the focus of this story.

The Championship game is going on right now.

If Trinity wins, they are the champs. If Johns Hopkins wins, they play another game this afternoon.