Hats off to the Production crew

Here is a Fan Appreciation video for the season. Try not to smile as you watch it. If I were actually programmed to smile, I would have.

Since Spider-Man is here tonight...

The Amazing Spider-Man is making an appearance at Time Warner Cable Field tonight. That means it is time for my annual post of this old clip from The Electric Company.

Spot Morgan Freeman!

A day with the Miracle League

The production crew put together this video for the visit made by some Timber Rattlers players to a Miracle League of the Fox Valley game:

Top Plays and Managing in the Minors

The Production Crew has been busy.

Top Plays at home for July:



Jeff Isom on Managing in the Minor Leagues:

Your Timber Rattlers Music Video

The production crew has put together a music video to the song by 1st Degree.

The Odorizzi Way

The video crew got Jake Odorizzi to show how he pitches and to give some advice to young pitchers. Here is the result.

Cheers!

The video production crew has this preview of the upcoming homestand:



I dare them to work in Perfect Strangers next time.

Tarp pulls and insect swarms

I don't know how much longer the internet is going to be available and I need to vacate the room in a bit.

So, I wanted to share a couple of videos from around the Midwest League.

This first one is of the attempted tarp pull on Sunday in Cedar Rapids.



I think I found something that Mike Trout can't do.

If I get bit by that spider, do I become Spider-Announcer?

Oh, that wacky mascot...Running out there with a chair at the end of the video.

Checkout the photo at the bottom of this post for the result of not being able to get the tarp all the way on the field.

Here is a video of last night (Monday) in Quad Cities.



I still have a few of those insects in my car from 2003 or 2004. I drove to Davenport for a series in July and left my windows open a crack to let air circulate. Then, a swarm like the one seen above hit the stadium. Ick.

Steve Batterson's writeup is more about the swarm than the River Bandits win.

Thousands of mayflies weren't the only thing that proved to be a nuisance for visiting Burlington on Monday night at Modern Woodmen Park.

The Bees also found themselves swatting unsuccessfully at the baseball when the insects and a pair of pesky errors arrived simultaneously to help Quad-Cities claim a 5-1 Midwest League victory.

Two hours before game time

Well, the sun is out in Clinton



But, this is the Timber Rattlers' bullpen.
The game is still on for 7:00pm CDT

On Twitter, I remarked that it looked like the water hazard for the obstacle course on The Superstars....The Superstars? Bob Seagren won the first one? Kyle Rote, Jr. used to do pretty well in it, too if I remember?

Skip past the first minute of this video which is pretty poor quality. Jim McKay...Take it away!



If you ever wondered if Johnny Bench is a better swimmer than Johnny Unitas...I suggest that you get professional help.

A look at Gomez

Fox 11 had this story on Carlos Gomez and his rehab appearance with the Rattlers.

Rattlers at Miller Park Videos

The crack production staff has put together a couple of videos from the visit to Miller Park on May 7.

This first one is a series of player reactions.


The second is a music video with some highlights of the day.


Enjoy.

FOX 11 Video of Mother's Day at Time Warner Cable Field

Just what the title says:

Stories from Miller Park

I'm sure that there are more out there, but here are three that I have time to put up before today's game:


KCRG of Cedar Rapids had this Kernels-centric piece:

Jeff Johnson had the same from the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Below the lineup card on a bulletin board in the Cedar Rapids Kernels’ auxiliary clubhouse at Miller Park, Manager Bill Mosiello wrote a message to his team.

“This is the kind of ballpark you should want to play in EVERYDAY!!” Mosiello wrote. “Now, think about how hard you are going to push yourself to obtain that GOAL!!”

Cory Jennerjohn had this column in the Post-Crescent.

Remember when your grandpa would hoist you up on his lap and start telling you stories from his past?

Matt Erickson may not have an AARP card yet, but that didn't stop the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers hitting coach from letting the youngsters know about the team he used to play for as they toured the $400 million playpen that awaits the fortunate few.

"We went through the home clubhouse and I had a couple guys ask me, 'Where's your locker,' " said Erickson, who played four games for the Brewers. "So I got to show them that. Casey McGehee's in it right now. I'd like to let Casey know that he's in my locker."

Cory also filed this report.

"That was the best performance by Damon all season long," Timber Rattlers manager Jeff Isom said. "He got behind some hitters, but he made some pitches when he had to."

More later when I have time to look for them and post them...Say, next Tuesday.

Tour of enemy territory

Nathan Baliva and Kevin Capie have the debut episode of PLAY BALL! for the Peoria Chiefs. Tour of the O'Brien Field home team clubhouse.



Bonus clips of The Sandlot and Rookie of the Year.

Rattlers Intro Video for 2010

Here is the intro video put together by the production staff.

Why the Bucks won last night

As Andrew Bogut might say...That's not a mascot. THAT'S a mascot!



Click here to see it in all it's majesty.

And here is a fan's eye view of the stunt.

Boooooooog! Booooooooog!

Over at the Timber Rattlers Twitter account, the team is counting down to Opening Day, 2010 with the help of Appleton baseball alumni who went on to play in the major leagues.

Today -- which is 41 days until Opening Day, by the way -- was Boog Powell's day!

I wanted to post one of his Miller Lite commercials and hit the jackpot. Not only is Boog Powell in this one, so are Sparky Lyle and 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion.

Lyle and Geoffrion both have ties to Wisconsin. Lyle pitched for the Foxes in 1964 Geoffrion's grandson Blake plays the Wisconsin Badgers hockey team.

Trivial Pursuit, beer, baseball, and hockey. These are a few of my favorite things.

"Just have fun with it"

Big League Stew had a fun little post this past weekend. He tried out for the Public Address announcer for Baltimore Oriole home Spring Training games.

Look to whom he went in the Orioles clubhouse for some advice.

Orioles Magic on the Mic from Big League Stew on Vimeo.

"If it's loud, I'll go there."

The Offseason Finale

Season One of The Offseason has come to an end. I'd post it, but I can't find it on Youtube, yet. So, there is a link to a different player at the bottom of the post.

To introduce the episode, I asked the host of the best. clipshow. ever to join us today.
Hi, I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such baseball teams as the Fond du Lac Webfoots, the Eau Claire-Chippewa Falls Orphans, and the Freeport Pretzels.

Tonight we're here to honor America's favorite offseason video series produced by a minor league baseball team that features a snake with legs, who also happens to be mute.

We've received dozens of letters from fans wanting to know more about the show. Tonight, we'll answer some of your questions. Professor Lawrence Pierce of the University of Chicago writes, "I think Fang gets stupider every episode." That's not a question, Professor, but we'll let the viewers judge for themselves.

Episode Eight: "The Offseason"

Reminds me of....