Link Report for Games of Thursday 4/9 -- Play Ball! And All At Home, Too! (T-Rats on TV)

[Mass Haas]

Look for the formal Nashville game summary and all the media coverage in the AM.

 

OK, we survived night # 1.

[TheCrew07]

I thought audio was going to be it's own thread? Change of plans?

[Mass Haas]

I thought audio was going to be it's own thread? Change of plans?

 

See my post here. The only audio we'll be getting is from the Nashville site.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Game Summary includes Mat Gamel HR audio

Chris Smith struck out five batters over two innings, including four in the bottom of the sixth after Brett Hayes reached on a wild pitch.

Several nice photos in a gallery from the Tennessean

New-look stadium welcomes Sounds

"I didn't recognize this place at first. I think the fans are going to love it. We're used to things being run down. Everything is painted and looks very nice, and the field looks almost like a new field," said Mike Magdalena, 52, a Cookeville resident.

Even staff members of the Sounds' parent organization - the Milwaukee Brewers - took notice.

"Just walking through the crowd, you hear people making positive comments," said Scott Martens, the Brewers business manager of player development and minor league operations. "The players and staff were talking about the improvements. Sometimes that gets lost."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Old ballpark still brings 'em in

Contact Mark McCarter at mark.mccarter@htimes.com or visit his al.com blog at http://blog.al.com/mccarter

Huntsville Times

 

He came coolly strolling around the corner and onto the concourse, wearing a blue plastic Stars batting helmet turned backward. It swallowed his head like a hubcap on a golf ball. He was plunging his hand into a small bag of Cracker Jack.

 

Modify the lyrics a bit:

 

Buy me a helmet and Cracker Jack

I don't care if I never get back

Let me root, root root for the home team ...

 

In two words, Preston Grasham was absolutely adorable.

 

Preston is 21 months old.

 

The first word he ever said: "Ball."

 

"He didn't say 'Mama' until a few weeks later," said his father, Brad, a Huntsville Stars season ticket holder.

 

Preston needs to meet Johnny Raburn, a Stars' infielder. Raburn wears No. 7. So will Preston. He was born on 7/7/07, at 7:07, weighing in at 7 pounds, 7 ounces.

 

Preston Grasham is why the Huntsville Stars are here. They're here for the little boy or little girl in all of us, from 21 months to 21 years to well beyond. They're here to provide entertainment and civic pride and to create memories.

 

They're a touchstone for people who can remember the Kodak moment that was Jose Canseco's grand slam the first night they opened the gates in this place, or for people who will one day tell their own children, "I saw Jonathan Lucroy hit one out on opening night in '09."

 

Hey, you never know.

 

The Stars opened their 25th season Thursday night. They've been this city's most enduring sports franchise.

 

Here's hoping when Preston hits 21 years instead of 21 months, they're still around.

 

If they are, they'll probably be in the same ballpark.

 

General manager Buck Rogers and his staff gussied up the old girl the best they could for this season. Joe Davis Stadium is an ancient Hollywood starlet who's gotten her nips and tucks and shows up for Oscar night with a mask of makeup to cover the lines. Think Sharon Stone.

 

The stadium has some fresh paint and the signage is in NASA-style font. There are several murals leading into the concourse, honoring local nonprofit organizations. (These days, doesn't that phrase describe a broader spectrum?)

 

The crowd was announced at 2,562, and they saw a less-than-spectacular Stars performance that fell short in a 5-4 loss to Mobile. They did, however, get to see new manager Bob Miscik earn a Triple Crown of arguing. He came out of the dugout to - quite legitimately - bicker with all three umpires at separate times.

 

A goodly number of fans were certainly lured to the park by the Thirst-Aid Thursday promotion, judging from lines at (1) the 2-bucks-a-beer lines and (2) restrooms.

 

Hey, in a time of economic woes, a bargain is a bargain.

 

Fact is, if minor league teams play it smart, this could be a monumental season for them as the Big Lots of sport.

 

The average major league ticket is $26.64. The average premium ticket is $96.93. For a family of four to attend a major league game, the average cost is $196.89, throwing in some drinks, munchies, a cap, a program and parking.

 

Look at it this way: That $196.89 is half the cost of one season ticket for 70 Stars games. A family of four can get to a minor league game for the change you find behind the sofa cushion.

 

Again, 2,562 were at the ballpark Thursday. Some were there for the baseball. Some were there for the beer.

 

Some of them have been fans for the life of the Stars.

 

And, in a big ol' plastic helmet, grinning shyly as his father prompted him to say "baseball," the Stars had a new fan for life.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Things just don't fall right for Stars

Mobile's stellar defense ruins season opener, 5-4

By PAUL GATTIS

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, paul.gattis@htimes.com

 

If gravity had kicked in a little quicker, if the line drives had found the ground instead of the glove, it would have been different.

 

A long drive to right-centerfield with two outs in the eighth inning was outrun by Mobile center fielder Evan Frey.

 

A sinking drive to right field with two outs in the ninth inning was snatched just above the blades of grass by diving right fielder Gerardo Parra.

 

And that's how the Huntsville Stars opened the season Thursday night with a 5-4 loss to the BayBears.

 

"Definitely, that was the difference in the game, those two plays," Stars manager Bob Miscik said.

 

It made for a thrilling finish for the 2,562 fans at Joe Davis Stadium but, in the end, was a sour ending for the Stars - which fought back from a 5-2 deficit to put themselves one hit away from a win.

 

Twice.

 

"I thought they were both (going to fall)," said Miscik, who watched both plays from the third-base coaches box.

 

The ninth-inning almost-rally was perhaps the most painful. The Stars had runners at second and third with one out when Shane Justis struck out. Then Vinny Rottino roped a liner to right on a 3-2 pitch that Parra snagged to end the game.

 

The catch secured the first professional save for Daniel Schlereth, last summer's first-round draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the son of ESPN football analyst Mark Schlereth.

 

"That was exciting," Mobile first baseman Brian Byrne said. "They battled back tonight. But we grinded out a win and that's a great way to start the season."

 

Especially for Byrne, who was 2-for-3 with three RBIs for Mobile, which got five solid innings from starter Matt Torra (1-0).

 

The BayBears were also opportunistic, scoring two unearned runs in the seventh inning off two Stars errors.

 

Still, the Stars almost overcame it.

 

In the eighth, Justis doubled and scored on Freddy Parejo's fielder's choice. Then with two outs, Miscik called on Kevin Melillo to pinch-hit for left fielder Chuck Caufield.

 

Melillo rocketed a Daniel Strange pitch to right-center that Frey tracked down a step shy of the warning track.

 

"When I looked up, the center fielder was shading me toward left-center," Melillo said. "But I think the wind may have pushed it back toward him. But he chased it down.

 

"It's obviously disappointing because you want to be the guy to come off the bench and win the game. But I had a good (at-bat) and hit it well and hopefully it will be something I can build off of."

 

The Stars, who lost their first season opener since 2005, allowed only six hits but walked 10 batters. Four of the five runs were scored by batters who reached on walks.

 

Huntsville starter Jeremy Jeffress, the Milwaukee Brewers' 2006 first-round draft pick, lasted three innings, giving up two runs on three hits, while walking five and fanning a pair.

 

Catcher Jonathan Lucroy was 2-for-3 for the Stars with a solo home run.

 

The series continues at 7 p.m. today with as Stars left-hander Chris Cody pitches against the BayBears' Hector Ambriz.

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's starsboxscore.com

 

You had to be there....

Radio days are over, and MILB.com ceases their audio replays

 

The more advanced we get in this so-called information age, the more someone will find a way to make a buck off us and screw us all........ That's what seems to have happened this year....... Just when we were getting used to archived replays of games on the internet (www.milb.com) last year, they -- whoever they are -- have taken it it away.

 

The Huntsville Stars this year have no radio coverage of games for the first time, so the only way a fan can listen when they can't be at the ballpark is to ---- nope, don't go in your car. (Old habits die hard)...... Just hope your laptop, if you have one, is charged up. If you don't have a laptop --- tough!...... If you don't have that or a computer, then yank out your wallet and shell out lotsa money, or hope you have the free time and ability to get to the ballpark every day of the season........ Someone has done a huge disservice not just to me this year, but to minor league fans all over the country who can't be in two places at once. As much as we wish sometimes, our lives don't and can't revolve around baseball. That's why we were so thankful for the replays last year on MILB.com. Now, we have no choice but to either show up at the park or read about it the next day........ If you live in a minor league city that broadcasts their games on the radio, you're indeed more fortunate than us.

 

Be that as it may, my reports will look like what they were in 1996 when I started this -- short and absent any description....... McNuggets.

This was the Stars' first opening day loss since 1995 when Dana Eveland lost to Carolina, 1-0, and their first loss in an opening day game at home since 2003...... Huntsville pitchers walked ten, a record for opening day. It's the most since Stars pitchers walked nine in an opening day win over Memphis, April 4, 1996. They also did it in 1985 and 1992....... The five walks by Jeremy Jeffress is the most by a Stars pitcher on opening day since Joe Law walked six for Huntsville in the 1985 opener.

 

Ten walks will clearly make a difference in a one-run game. They figured in four of Mobile's five runs. The other was the result of an error...... Jeffress threw 28 pitches in the 1st inning, only 11 for strikes. He threw four straight balls to three batters that inning -- #2 hitter James Skelton, #4 hitter Cyle Hankerd, and #5 hitter Bryan Byrne. Skelton scored when Jeffress walked Byrne....... In the 3rd, Mobile's top minor league prospect, Gerardo Parra, walked, stole with two out, and scored on Byrne's single to center.

 

Jeffress was done after 65 pitches (31 for strikes or 47.7%). Then, Donovan Hand walked two more in the 5th. Leadoff hitter Evan Frey walked on four straight and eventually scored on a sac fly...... Derrick Ellison's odd line of two no-hit innings, included two unearned runs -- the first after Frey reached on Shane Justis's fielding error. Frey then went to second on a balk, stole third, and scored on Jonathan Lucroy's throwing error in an attempt to throw him out.

 

The Stars took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 1st -- their only lead in this game -- after Justis followed Adam Stern's leadoff infield single with a triple. Justis then came in on a ground ball....... Justis later doubled in the game for his second hit, the first Huntsville hitter since Kade Johnson in 2004 to collect two extra-base hits in an opener...... Lucroy hit the Stars' first home run of the season to leadoff the 7th on a 2-2 pitch from reliever Clay Zavada.

 

The Stars will go with Chris Cody Friday...... The attendance of 2,562 on a very pleasant night in Huntsville is the best for an opener at the Joe since 2002 when 2,673 came out to see the Stars host Carolina...... Last year, only 1,471 came out on a cloudy 62° night when the M'Braves came into town. 2,218 came out for the 2007 opener on a chilly 47° evening at the Joe. The 2004 opener brought out 2,517 and in 2003, 2,508 came out to see the Stars lose to Jacksonville in that opener.

 

Wondering where Mike Jones is?....... He's on the Manatees' roster along with the rehabbing Cole Gillespie, Martin Maldonado, and Anderson de la Rosa........ Taylor Green, who looked like the incumbent 3rd baseman after Mat Gamel's successful year, or maybe half-year, is on the disabled list, and on Brevard's roster....... Recently released pitcher Steve Bray signed with an independent team, the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League.

 

Circle May 2 if you have plans to clean out the closets, the attic, and the garage........ The Stars will host a stadium-wide garage sale to benefit ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). The event is open to the public until 5 pm. Saturday games are 6 pm. The cost for a table is only $25 and 100% of the table space rental fee benefits the ALS Association.

 

A few fans here have asked about the possibility of a bus trip to Milwaukee to see the Brewers play a weekend game in August....... A road trip with no conflicts is possible when compared to the Stars own schedule. So GM Buck Rogers wants to know how many people would be interested on a weekend trip starting Friday, August 14 and ending Sunday the 16th. Essentially, the bus would leave Thursday, the 15th at 3 am in order to catch the Brews and the Astros Friday and Saturday. Shoot an email to kylee@huntsvillestars.com with the text MILWAUKEE in the subject line. After gauging interest, Buck will look into bus, hotel, and ticket costs....... Sounds exciting, huh?

[Mass Haas]

To the surprise of no one, no local coverage of the Manatees' Opening Night win is available.

 

Must be a wild press box at Space Coast.

[Mass Haas]

Photo Gallery from the Appleton Post-Crescent

 

Mike Woods column: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers draw fans to see Milwaukee Brewers players-to-be

Plenty of fan shots in a video at the Mike Woods link just above

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

 

Timber Rattlers rally with two-run eighth to beat Quad Cities River Bandits in front of sell-out crowd

By Brett Christopherson

Post-Crescent staff writer

 

GRAND CHUTE - Anxious fans waited seven months to witness the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' first game as a Milwaukee Brewers minor league affiliate.

 

They didn't even have to wait three hours to catch that first win.

 

A Fox Cities Stadium Opening Day record crowd of 5,487 - many of them decked out in Brewers jackets, caps and jerseys - headed home pumped after watching the Rattlers open the 2009 Midwest League season with a 2-1 comeback win over Quad Cities on Thursday.

 

Key was the performance of a Rattlers pitching staff that tallied 14 strikeouts and limited the River Bandits to just three hits.

 

But Efrain Nieves - one of those charged with tossing strikes - felt compelled to salute the performance of the large crowd, which he said was the biggest he had ever played in front of and served as a catalyst in helping his club seize the victory.

 

"We talked, not only just to win, but to play hard and to give something back to the fans," said the 19-year-old left-hander, who struck out six and didn't yield a hit in three scoreless innings. "Because I know they're really, really excited that we're here, especially being in the Brewers minor league system.

 

"So we just came out, did our job, and got a W for the crowd."

 

Very few had checked out of the stadium when Wisconsin mounted its rally - a two-run eighth boosted by the fielding miscue of River Bandits third baseman Domnit Bolivar, who allowed catcher Sean McCraw's two-out roller to pass through his legs and the winning run to cross the plate from second.

 

That wound up giving the Rattlers, in their first season as the Brewers' low-Class A minor league affiliate, the 2-1 edge and the fans a reason to erupt in cheers - finally.

 

"It was awesome," said Michael Vass, the designated hitter whose two-out, infield single in the eighth erased a 1-0 deficit. "The fans kept us in the game. Especially Opening Day, we wanted to come out with the victory, and that's what we got tonight. It's going to be an exciting year, I think. I think we'll compete this year."

 

For two reasons.

 

The first is a stable of pitchers that includes five players rated by Baseball America as among the top 30 prospects in the Brewers' minor league system.

 

Starter Cody Scarpetta is listed in that group and didn't disappoint, finishing with eight strikeouts and scattering a pair of hits in four strong innings.

 

The second is an unwavering desire to play hard no matter the situation, a trait the Rattlers relied on in the eighth, when they took advantage of two errors to score their unearned runs, and one manager Jeff Isom thinks fans will cling to as the season progresses.

 

"That's kind of our prototypical game there," Isom said. "Sometimes, it's not going to be pretty, but we'll put pressure on the defense. We stress that a lot. … Games are won and lost that way, and we want to make sure that our guys continue to play the game the right way. How we ended up winning this game is how we want to play - putting pressure on the defense."

 

As for getting that first win - and game - under the belt?

 

"Sometimes that first one is tough to get, and I'm just glad it happened here at this park and in front of our home fans," Isom said with a smile. "It was quite a treat from our side, seeing all of those fans out there. I know our players appreciated that, and we're just happy to give them the win."

[colbyjack]

Yeah, both Scarpetta and Nieves looked sharp last night. Like we've heard before, Nieves' changeup is a really nice pitch, his curve is good for a lefty, and Scarpetta is a true power pitcher. The T-Rats are going to be a lot of fun to follow this season.

[Mass Haas]

This poster at BrewCrewBall with some nice insights from Appleton.

 

His most surprising comment was describing LHP Efrain Nieves as "big and lanky", which is not a sense I get from past descriptions and his still-listed 6'0", 169 bio.

[JohnBriggs12]

Positive spin: Based on last night, Gamel is the equal of Craig Counsell defensively.

[JJHardy7]

Salome with 2 passed balls tonight and Gamel with an error- ugh

 

I wouldn't worry about Gamel. He made a heck of a play to even get to the ball. It was a poor though, but it's something that is more mental than anything else. He rushed it and it sailed on him a bit.

 

I'd be more worried about Salome than Gamel, but I'll give Salome some more time to work with the pitchers. The Nashville staff isn't full of guys he's worked with before.

[JoeHova]

At least Salome caught someone stealing, that's a little encouraging despite the two passed balls. Hopefully he can keep up the CSs and clean up the PBs.

[raven2479]

I was impressed with both pitchers for the T-Rats last night. Scarpetta started off a little slow and looked nervous, but really settled down and was completely overmatching the Quad City hitters.

 

As for the hitters, not much excitement there, but they played better defense then Quad Cities, that's why they won. Lawrie made a couple nice plays and looks to be pretty comfortable out there at 2nd, which is a good thing.

[hsvstarsfan]

This was the Stars' first opening day loss since 1995 when Dana Eveland lost to Carolina, 1-0.

 

Of course, I meant 2005. Don't know what I was thinking. Probably won't be the first mistake I make this year.

[brewjihad]

This poster at BrewCrewBall with some nice insights from Appleton.

Just getting caught up on some link reports and I saw your link. I'm sure this is confusing, but brewjihad=jihad=Jordan M. I changed my BCB user name a while back. We're all the same person.

 

About Nieves, maybe "big" isn't the right word, but he looks taller than 6' and I would still use the word lanky. I don't think he's 6', 165 right now. He seemed pretty tall to me, and as you know I was impressed with him.