Rising Stars? What's that?

You may have noticed that the scheduled game in the Arizona Fall League is called the Rising Stars Showcase. That is just a fancy way of saying AFL All-Star Game.

Here. I'll let the story explain:

The Arizona Fall League is generally considered the circuit in which baseball's elite prospects meet in October and November to hone their already considerable skills. The best prospects square off against one another in what can often resemble a daily All-Star game at any one of the parks in and around Phoenix.

That said, the Rising Stars Showcase takes that notion just a bit further. It features current AFL participants selected by scouting and Minor League directors from every organization, along with input from AFL Executive Director Steve Cobb. The 50 players chosen to represent the newly realigned and renamed National and American Divisions will come together on Friday night at Surprise Stadium.

Daren Brown, the Rattler manager in 2003, will head up the National Division squad. He has a couple of ex-Rattlers -- Carlos Triunfel ('07) and Greg Halman ('07) -- on his team.

2008 World Series Game Two

The Rays evened the series at 1-1 with a 4-2 win over the Phillies last night.

Box score

Ex-Rattler for the Phillies:
Greg Dobbs ('02): 1-for-3, 2K

Highlighted Midwest League Alum:
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel played for the Wisconsin Rapids Twins in 1967. He hit .313 in 111 games with 15 homers and 70 RBI.

Also, Manuel was the manager of the WR Twins in 1983, the final year there was a Midwest League team at Witter Field. That year's team went 71-67.

Game Three is Saturday night in Philadelphia.

Ex-Rattlers in Fall Ball

Arizona Fall League:

Phoenix 13 @Peoria Javelinas 1
Box score | Game story

Ex-Rattlers for the Javelinas:
Carlos Triunfel ('07): 0-for-4
Rob Johnson ('05): 0-for-2
Joe Woerman ('06): 2IP, 3H, R, BB, 2K

Hawaii Winter Baseball:
The Waikiki BeachBoys were off on Thursday

Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional:

@Lara 6, Margarita 3:
Box score | Game story en Espanol

Aprovecharon a los Bravos | They took advantage of to the Brave

Ex-Rattlers for Lara:
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-4, 2B
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 0-for-2, 2BB, run, RBI
Ivan Blanco ('05): 1-1/3IP, 0H, 0R, 2K
Shawn Kelley ('07, '08): IP, 0H, 0R, 3K, Save

Friday's schedule:
AFL Rising Stars Showcase 7:15pm Arizona time
Waikiki at North Shore 7:30pm Hawaii time
Caracas at Lara 7:30pm Venezuela time

Shop early; Shop often

Timber Rattler Holiday Ticket Packages are now available.

Two options:

4-Pack

• Four (4) undated box seat or reserved bleacher seat vouchers
• 2009 full color wall calendar

Pick 1 of the following:

• Set of Four (4) Appleton baseball legends pint glasses (includes Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Harold Baines, and Goose Gossage)
• Timber Rattlers/Milwaukee Brewers co-branded adjustable hat
• Timber Rattlers/Milwaukee Brewers co-branded t-shirt (4 to choose from)

Box Seat Package: $40
Reserved Bleacher Seat Package: $34

8-Pack

• Eight (8) undated box seat or reserved bleacher seat vouchers
• 2009 full color wall calendar

Pick Two (2) of the options from below:

• pint glasses, hat, or t-shirt

Box Seat Package: $80
Reserved Bleacher Seat Package: $68

Sounds like a deal for the Timber Rattler fan on your list.

Game Two 1915 World Series

Since the Rays are in their first World Series, Rattler Radio is taking a look back at the first time the Phillies made it to the Fall Classic.

Philadelphia had a 1-0 lead in the series after beating the Boston Red Sox in Game One of the 1915 World Series.

Game Two at the Baker Bowl featured Rube Foster for the Red Sox against Erskine Mayer for the Phils on Saturday, October 9.

Boston jumped to an early lead with a run in the first inning thanks to an error on an attempted double steal.

Harry Hooper started the game by drawing a walk, went to second on a bunt and took third on a single by Tris Speaker. Phillie catcher Ed Burns threw Speaker out at second, but Burns dropped the return throw to the plate and Hooper was safe.

Foster retired the first 12 batters he faced. Then, Gravvy Cravath doubled to start the fifth inning. Fred Luderus followed with a double and the game was tied 1-1. Foster would allow just one more hit the rest of the game.

Mayer was not as efficient -- he allowed 10 hits in the game, but he kept the score tied until the top of the ninth. Larry Gardner singled to start the inning and was standing on second with two outs and Foster coming to the plate.

Foster hit .277 with a homer and nine RBI in 83 at bats during the regular season. Against Mayer, Foster sacked a single to center and Gardner scored the go-ahead run for a 2-1 Red Sox lead.

After driving in the run, Foster went to the mound and retired the Phillies in order to even the 1915 World Series at a win a piece.

Complete box score and play-by-play

Game Three is scheduled for Monday, October 11. But, it would not be played at Fenway Park. The Red Sox had worked out a deal to play their home games during this World Series at Braves Field, the larger home of the National League team in Boston.

Game Three Pitching matchup:
PHI: Pete Alexander (31-10, 1.22)
BOS: Dutch Leonard (15-7, 2.36)

And the winner is...

Quad-City River Bandits fans apparently prefer practicality over added bells and whistles.

In the Midwest League club’s “You Pick the Improvement” contest, fans selected adding seat backs to bleacher seats at Modern Woodmen Park as their preferred improvement for the 2009 season.

“We really didn’t know what to expect in the final vote, but in the end, the fans told us they want to be comfortable,” River Bandits general manager Kirk Goodman said. “As cool as a waterfall or a retractable roof would have been, it came down to something that will add to the basic fan enjoyment at games, and that’s great.

Read all about it in the story titled: Bandits fans choose comfort over luxury

Meanwhile, in Tampa

Game One of the 2008 World Series:

Philadelphia 3 @ Tampa Bay 2
Box score

Highlighted ex-Midwest Leaguer:
Phillie closer Brad Lidge (Quad Cities, '98): IP, 0H, 0R, 2K, Save

Game Two is tonight:
PHI: Brett Meyers
TB: James Shields
"7:00pm" CDT

Ex-Rattlers in Fall Ball

Arizona Fall League:

Peoria Javelinas 16 @Phoenix 5:
Box score | Game story

Ex-Rattlers for the Javelinas:
Carlos Triunfel ('07): 3-for-6, 2 runs, RBI
Greg Halman ('07): 0-for-4, 2BB, 2 runs, 4K
Stephen Kahn ('05): IP, H, 0R, BB, K

Hawaii Winter Baseball:

@Waikiki BeachBoys 9, West Oahu 8
Box score | Game story

Ex-Rattlers for the BeachBoys:
Jamie McOwen ('07): 1-for-3, 2 RBI
Steve Richard ('07): IP, 2H, 2R, 3BB, K

Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional:

@La Guaira 8, Lara 5
Box score

Game story en Espanol
Fatídico Octavo Episodio (Computer Translation: Fateful Eighth Episode)

Ex-Rattlers for Lara:
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 2-for-4, 2 2Bs, RBI, run scored
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-4
Justin Thomas ('06): 0.0IP, H, 2BBs, 2 runs, blown save

Thursday schedule:
Phoenix at Peoria Javelinas 12:35pm Arizona time
Waikiki -- OFF DAY
Caracas at Lara 7:30pm Venezuela time

Phils First World Series

The Rays are playing their first World Series game tonight against the Phillies. During the Detroit-St. Louis World series of 2006, this blog took a look back at the previous meetings (1934 & 1968) between the Tigers and Cardinals.

That isn't an option this year.

So, here is a look at the first time the Phillies made it to the World Series. Dial up the Wayback Machine to 1915 and a Philadelphia Boston Fall Classic.
Game One was at the Baker Bowl in Philadelphia on October 8. Philadelphia went 90-62 and won the NL by seven games over the Boston Braves. The Red Sox went 101-50 and won the AL by 2.5 games over Detroit.

The Game One pitching matchup:
BOS: Ernie Shore (19-8, 1.64)
PHI: Grover Alexander (31-10, 1.22)

The Phillies scored first with a run in the bottom of the fourth. George "Possum" Whitted drove in Gavvy Cravath with an infield single.

Boston tied the game with a run in the top of the eighth inning. Tris Speaker walked with one out, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on a two-out single by Duffy Lewis.

The Phils answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth. They loaded the bases with one out against Shore. Cravath drove in the go-ahead run with a groundout. Fred Luderus singled in the second run for a 3-1 lead.

Side note on Luderus. He is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin native and is buried in Pinelawn Memorial Park in Milwaukee.

Back to the game: In the top of the ninth, Alexander -- who had scattered eight hits over the first eight innings -- struck out the first batter. Then, an error brought the tying run to the plate. But, Shore was due up.

So, that tying run was a 20-year-old pinch hitter. This youngster was a pitcher during the year and went 18-8 in 28 starts, but he hit four homers during the year. He would go on to hit about 710 more homers in his career.

Alexander got Babe Ruth to ground out to first base in Ruth's first World Series at bat. Alexander got the final out on a popup and the Phillies had a 1-0 lead in the series.

Game Two's scheduled pitching matchup:
BOS: Rube Foster (19-8, 2.11)
PHI: Erskine Mayer (21-15, 2.36)

Here's one not in favor

Gary Bond, the Whitecap beat writer at The Grand Rapids Press, chimes in on the Whitecap downtown stadium idea.

Whitecaps shouldn't move to downtown ballpark

OK, let me see if I can't make a little dollars and sense out of John Wheeler's "dream."

Wheeler, a chief executive for Rockford Construction, threw out the idea of building a ballpark in downtown Grand Rapids during his speech at the University of Michigan/Urban Land Institute Forum last week and having the West Michigan Whitecaps move from Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park and play their home games within the Grand Rapids city limits.

It's an idea that could boost the downtown economy if it became a reality. But it shouldn't have been talked about out loud.

The Whitecaps, who have played in their team-owned facility since their first season in 1994, receive 100 percent of all revenue from ticket sales, parking and concessions.

Playing in a city-owned facility means sharing the revenue. Those percentages calculate to smaller pieces of the pie. Playing at Fifth Third Ballpark means the Whitecaps' front office can have their pie and eat it, too.

And, if approved, who would pay for this downtown ballpark?

Don't tell me. I know this one..........Tax something...Tax...Pass! Pass!

There is also a mention of another reason why this downtown ballpark is almost definitely not going to happen.

Whitecaps start stadium makeover

The playing surface at the home of the West Michigan Whitecaps has now been completely removed and is being replaced, the centerpiece of a million-dollar renovation at the stadium.

"This is a 16-year-old facility, a stadium that is in great shape, but we now want to take it to the next 15-to-20 years by doing this work now," said Jim Jarecki, Whitecaps' vice president. "This stadium is a landmark, and in order to keep it that way, you have to re-invest in it. You can't let it deteriorate."

The Whitecaps' renovations began shortly after the varsity high school football game between Forest Hills Northern and Cedar Springs two weeks ago.

The biggest and most costly part of the project is the field. Improvements include putting in a more efficient drainage and irrigation system along with a deeper sand base (from four inches to eight inches), then re-sodding the field.

The field renovations are expected to be completed in two weeks. More than 90 percent of all the renovations are scheduled to be completed before the start of the 2009 season. Estimated cost for all renovations will be between $1 million and $1.5 million.

Page two of that post has a complete list of the improvements. That I will leave to you and your curiosity.

Moving on

No Mariner minor league transactions in this Baseball America post. But, there was an ex-Rattler and another ex-Mariner mentioned.

Philadelphia Phillies
Granted free agency: LHP Travis Blackley, OF Chris Snelling

Snelling was a Rattler in 2000. Blackley skipped over the Timber Rattlers.

Ex-Rattlers in Fall Ball

Arizona Fall League:

@Peoria Javelinas 18, Peoria Saguaros 11
Box score | Game story

No ex-Rattlers got into the game for the Javelinas.

Hawaii Winter Baseball:

@Waikiki 8, West Oahu 5
Box score | Game story

Ex-Rattler for the BeachBoys:
Johan Limonta ('06): 0-for-2, BB

Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional:

Lara 8 @ Aragua 4
Box score

Ex-Rattlers for Lara:
Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-4, HR, RBI
Matt Tuiasosopo ('05): 1-for-4, 2B, run
Ivan Blanco ('05): 1-1/3IP, 2H, 0R, 2K
Shawn Kelley ('07, '08): 2/3IP, 0H, 0R, K, Save

Wednesday's Schedule:
Peoria Javelinas at Phoenix 2:35pm Arizona time
West Oahu at Waikiki 3:00pm Hawaii time
Lara at La Guaira 7:35pm Venezuela time

Four Phillies

The Phillies are in the World Series for the first time since 1993. Here are four members of the Phillies I'll be pulling for in the Fall Classic.

Infielder/Pinch hitter Greg Dobbs. Dobbs was a member of the 2002 Timber Rattlers.

Catcher Chris Coste. Coste played for the Fargo-Moorhead Red Hawks when I was a radio announcer for the Duluth-Superior Dukes in the old Northern League.

General Manager Pat Gillick. Gillick played for the Fox Cities Foxes in 1960 and is a member of the Appleton Baseball Hall of Fame.

Radio Announcer Scott Franzke. Scott was the radio announcer for the Kane County Cougars in my first two years with the Timber Rattlers.

Two for Tuesday

Took a look at Joe Woerman's blog today. Joe ('06) has a post about movies, but there is a special guest blogger who pops in with a post, too.

Howdy Fans and Friends! Rob Johnson here with the Seattle Mariners and Peoria Javelinas. I come to you on this Saturday night from my home in Peoria, AZ. Its only fair to give a little background about myself and my family. So here goes. I am a proud native of the great state of Montana. I grew up in a small town, Whitehall, Mt,(pop. approx. 1000) and later moved to the big city of Butte, Mt,(pop. approx 30,000). Growing up in Montana, baseball is not the highest of priorities for young athletes, but my dream of making it to the big leagues dates back as far as I can remember. One reason that baseball seems like a far and distant dream in Montana is that we don't even have high school baseball. Interesting, but true. Consequently, I played American Legion ball two months out of the year.

Catchup with the catcher from the first part of the 2005 Timber Rattler season.

Joe at the Movies:

This week I wanted to touch on some movies, cause I cant seem to think of much to write. I know that Tuesday (oct 21) the movie that changed my life forever, in the form of pure terror, is hitting the shelves on DVD. This movie that I would like to share with you is not for the grandparents, or say, anyone with a heart condition. The suspense that is created from the very start is enough to make you sweat like a used car salesman who just got caught flipping back odometers. Dadadadadadadada (drum roll).. the movie is The Strangers. You might have already heard of it, you might not have, but please let me be the first to recommend this terrifying thriller. The movie itself, is a very straight foward plot. Liv Tyler is one of the main characters, and does a great job horrifying me. Not too much gore-ish graphics, but where that lacks, its made up with creepy music and heart stopping surprises. I cant wait to purchase my own copy.

Read the whole thing to find out what Joe's favorite movie is. If you are too lazy to click on the link....

Joe Maddon and the MWL

Joe Maddon is the manager of the American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays. He is also the subject of a few stories that reveal his Midwest League ties:

Peoria's Pete Vonachen, Rays' Joe Maddon share a bond

He came up to the Peoria Chiefs' owner one morning in 1984 and introduced himself.

He said, "Hi, I'm Joe Maddon and I'm your manager. I just want you to know that I've never managed a team before."

The owner shook his hand.

He said, "Hi, I'm Pete Vonachen and I've never owned a team before."

...

"Everybody in Peoria was afraid the team was going to leave town, so they convinced me to buy it," Vonachen recalled. "I think they got a bunch of drinks in me."

He inherited Maddon as manager.

At the time, Peoria was a part of the Angels' organization. Maddon had knocked around a while, playing minor-league ball in the Quad Cities and failing to make it past Class A ball as a catcher.

The '83 team in the Class A Midwest League had been known as the Peoria Suns, having moved there from Danville. The first thing Vonachen did was restore the Chiefs name from a previous Peoria incarnation of the team.

His next act was to notify the Angels that their affiliation would cease at the end of '84. Having been a Peoria businessman for a long time, Vonachen—which is pronounced "von-OCK-en"—felt it was a priority to join forces with the Cubs or Cardinals instead.

Pete is recovering from surgery to amputate his left leg, but he is still in pretty good spirits.

Rays manager Maddon left impact on QC

Joe Maddon’s professional baseball career began at Davenport’s John O’Donnell Stadium.

It was there that the manager who is preparing his Tampa Bay Rays for the World Series saw his first action as a minor-league player, working as a catcher for the Quad-City Angels in 1976.

“There were probably players with more pure talent on that team, but his leadership allowed him to stand out,” said Harry Pells, the general manager of the Midwest League club from 1976 to ’78.

“Thirty years have passed, and I don’t remember his average, but I do remember him quite well. That’s the kind of impact he had. And no question, he had the respect of his teammates.”

The Angels finished as the runner-up to Waterloo in the 1976 Midwest League playoffs and 10 players from that team reached the big leagues — most notably infielders Carney Lansford and Dickie Thon — but Maddon wasn’t among them.

But that doesn't matter to fans who remember him.

Longtime fan Frank Wulf remembers he and his wife Dorothy having postgame meals and good conversations with Maddon.

“He was a good catcher, and an even better person. He was a good man to be around and consider a friend,” Wulf said.

Maddon remained with the Angels after his playing career ended, working first as a manager and later as the organization’s minor-league hitting instructor and field coordinator.

He managed the Midwest League’s Peoria Chiefs in 1984, and then returned to the Quad-Cities many times as an instructor when the Angels were affiliated with Quad-Cities from 1985 to ’92.

Wulf recalls traveling to Peoria to watch Maddon manage, and he received a telephone message from Maddon earlier this year after his wife’s death.

“That’s the sort of guy Joe is, very thoughtful, very kind,” Wulf said.

Here's one in favor

Chris Knape of The Grand Rapids Press says, "YES!" to a theoretical downtown ballpark for the Whitecaps.

A downtown baseball park would be an outstanding asset.

In theory it could be built with something akin to a "liner" building that provides retail, office and maybe even residential spaces on its periphery that would keep it busy year round.

Then, he lays out some things called facts:

With that out of the way, let's get back to reality.

The Whitecaps own the current Fifth Third Ballpark and surrounding parking.

They get all the revenue from concessions, suites, parking, tickets, etc.

Setting aside the chinsy vinyl siding, Fifth Third is a nice place to enjoy a game. It's affordable, well run and generally easy to get to and from.

Damn reality. Always getting in the way.

The score was what now?

When I saw this Arizona Fall League score, I thought it had to be a typo....

Surprise 1
Mesa 28

Oh, it wasn't a typo.

Box score | Game story

Phillies prospect Jason Donald and Marlins farmhand Scott Cousins fueled the most prolific offensive performance in the Arizona Fall League this season.

Donald went 4-for-7 with a homer, four RBIs and four runs scored and Cousins was 3-for-5 with a homer, five RBIs and scored three times as the Mesa Solar Sox used a 24-hit attack to rout the Surprise Rafters, 28-1, on Monday.

Mesa (7-5) actually trailed entering the bottom of the second, but scored multiple runs in seven straight innings while taking advantage of eight Surprise errors in the fall's most lopsided contest thus far.

"I've never been on the other side of a game like this," said Donald, who is hitting .417 in 11 AFL games. "I've actually never been on this side of a game like this. It was a tough day for them, but that's baseball. It happens."

Knight of Columbus! That had to hurt.

While Mesa's offense was busy putting on a show, five pitchers quietly held Surprise to only three hits. Jesse Estrada (1-0) went the first four innings, allowing a run on two hits while striking out three and walking one.

Fellow Cubs farmhands Esmailin Caridad and Donald Veal and Tigers prospect Zach Simons each tossed a scoreless inning before Rocky Roquet (Cubs) allowed one hit over the final two frames.

Ex-Rattlers in Fall Ball

Action from Monday

Arizona Fall League:
Peoria Javelinas 4 @ Peoria Saguaros 2
Box score | Game Story

Ex-Rattlers for the Javelinas:
Carlos Triunfel ('07): 0-for-5
Greg Halman ('07): 1-for-3, 2B, RBI
Rob Johnson ('05): 1-for-4
Joe Woerman ('06): IP, 2H, 0R, K

Hawaii Winter Baseball:
The Waikiki BeachBoys were off on Monday.

Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional:
Cardenales de Lara were off on Monday

Tuesday Schedule:
Peoria Saguaros at Peoria Javelinas 12:35pm Arizona time
West Oahu at Waikiki 3:00pm Hawaii time
Lara at Aragua 7:30pm Venezuela time

By the beard of Zeus!

Ye, Gods, this is a late start. Sorry.

Ex-Rattler playoff action (10/19)

Game Seven ALCS:

@Rays 3, Red Sox 1
Box score

Ex-Rattlers for Boston:
David Ortiz ('96): 0-for-3, BB, 2K

Highlighted Ex-Midwest Leaguer:
Matt Garza (Beloit, '05): Last night, Garza allowed one run on two hits and struck out nine over seven innings for a Rays win. He was a first round pick of the Twins in 2005 and quickly went to Beloit after four starts in the Appalachian League.