3.27.2013

Ramp Champ #54 - Jonathan Papelbon

Jonathan Papelbon (or "Jon", as he was known at the time) is a right-handed reliever/closer who pitched for the Pawtucket Red Sox in 2005. Like most megastars, Papelbon's time in Triple-A was brief. Papelbon pitched in seven games, starting four of them and earning one save. His ERA was 2.93. He struck out 27 batters but only walked three. Nice job, kid!

Two things:
1. Papelbon pitched in the big leagues that year and at one point was sent down to make room for Jose Cruz Jr. Imagine!

2. I don't remember this: "Papelbon may have established himself in the eyes of Red Sox Nation with one pitch in spring training - A high and tight fastball that buzzed Orioles slugger Sammy Sosa, in response to Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera plunking Jay Payton earlier in the game." (from the PawSox 2005 program)

Please enjoy Jon Papelbon's mural in the middle portion of the home plate tower!

3.25.2013

The Buffalo Bisons are the Blue Jays.

From Syracuse to Buffalo? UPGRADE.

I hope you like Anthony Gose as much as I do, because he's gonna get a lot of face time at McCoy Stadium! Gose will look great sporting his exciting new Buffalo uniform, too.

Back in September, Buffalo signed a two-year player development contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. THIS IS VERY EXCITING AND SIGNIFICANT. First of all, Toronto and Buffalo are less than 100 miles apart. Secondly, the old park in Las Vegas is small and abnormal. Also, it's in fucking Las Vegas.Thirdly, and most importantly, the Blue Jays look like AL East contenders at last.

Like any other minor league team, Buffalo's got a book of numbers and remedies on the counter by your keys. They'll have 48 games on TV, which is 300 percent more than Pawtucket ever has. These games will include at least one game per visiting team and 11 road games.

Marty Brown will manage the team this season, so read this story. Here's a link to their promotional schedule.




Bob Socci is the other half.

"Bob Socci" sounds like a dish you'd order at a Korean restaurant. "I'll have the Bob Socci with rice noodles and a cola with no ice."

Bob Socci is the other half of the **NEW**  !!@@@LOOK@@@!! PawSox radio team. He has his own website, that being bobsocci.com. And .net as well, but probably not .biz or .xxx. I bought pawsox.xxx, so don't get any ideas! If Carlos Maldonado ever makes a sex tape, I'm going to be a very wealthy woman.

His righteous path: Peoria Chiefs. Delmarva Shorebirds. Naval Academy basketball. Navy football. Frederick Keys, Albuquerque Isotopes, Norfolk Tides. Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China Johnny Ray.

I came across an Albuquerque blogger who talked to Socci back in 2005. The story's great. But then there's this exchange:

"Kris: “So Bob, have you ever said anything on the air that you wish you hadn’t?”
Bob: “Yes, many times. But one stands out in my memory.”
Kris: “Were you able to make amends?”
Bob: (laughing while entering the names of starting Isotopes players on his score sheet) “Fortunately, not many people heard it.”
Kris: “Would you care to tell me what it was?”
Bob: “Sure, but not on the record.”

A few minutes later…
Kris: “Oh, that IS funny! Thanks for sharing.”


Why would you even include this? Is this some kind of in-joke?

Socci has spent most of his career in a world I don't understand, so I'll just conclude by saying I look forward to him blowing my mind.

3.08.2013

"Hooray for everything!", says PawSox staff.

"Exactly 4 weeks 'til opening day. 5 from the home opener @ McCoy! 'Snow will be gone soon' says baseball Gods."

 "A great music video to get you into the spirit of baseball season!"

"The defense of the 2012 Governor's Cup begins in exactly one month!"

"Fill your belly without emptying your wallet. Dollar Menu Mondays at McCoy!"

"The snow is melting, and the groundscrew is ready to work!"

"Come and enjoy and All-You-Can-Eat BBQ prior to a PawSox game in 2013!"

"Hey guys, have Paws deliver 12 roses, a PawSox hat, and two flex tickets to your valentine at her home or office!" (Please do not deviate from the implied genders.)

"The Hot Stove Party is from 11am - 2pm!"

"Take your picture with the Cup and win FREE items!" (I love items!)

"Nothing says "Happy New Year" quite like Rollin' with Rick!"

The PawSox use ALL THE EXCLAMATION POINTS. 


3.01.2013

Last year I got an email from a PawSox player.

Last year, I was surprised by an email from a former PawSox player. This guy basically told me that he liked my blog and that it made him laugh, had a humorous question for me about some jokes I made about his appearance. He wrote me a couple of times and then that was it.

Shortly after receiving that message, I went back and made sure I hadn't said anything too scathing about the player. I was pretty sure I hadn't, because he seemed like a good guy and he performed reasonably well. Lucky me, it was all good stuff.

I know it sounds like no big whoop, but let me put it into terms you might understand. Imagine you got an email from Laurence Maroney telling you he liked your Patriots blog. Does that help?

I was pretty sure the player and I were going to become best friends and that he would collaborate with me on my blog, therefore making it a baseball blog to trump all others and launching me into super!stardom!, but he seemed pretty busy.


Born on January 31st

Minor league signings on January 31st, 2013: Lyle Overbay, JD Durbin, Charlie Haeger, and Christian Perdomo.

Lyle Overbay is Lyle Overbay, I'm sure you've bumped into him at SXSW or whatever.

JD Durbin is a righty starter who has been all over the place. Durbin came up through the Twins org, did a little time with some Phillies junk, a bunch of minor-league Dodgering in 2009, and spent the last couple of years hanging out in Mexico and independent Lancaster. Durbin pitched for Rochester and the IronPigs, so the odds are good that I've seen him at McCoy. I'll look it up later. Oh, wait, I just did and here it is.

Durbin's been with Boston before... I feel like I kind of remember his story. One of those Casey Fein things, where you get claimed off waivers and then DFA'd the next day and you've been on three teams in one week and you never leave your couch. From commenter/registered user 'Paradigm': "So, they might claim him, keep him on the 25-man roster, demote Javier Lopez, then activate Timlin and send Durbin through waivers. The end result is still the same (Timlin on the major league roster) and they might keep Durbin, or he might get claimed." This was posted in April 2007.

OH MY GOD this is all coming back to me now... Durbin's handle was 'titsandassforme' and there were pictures of him at the adult video awards. Poor kid.

Some Detroit fan back in 2007 summed it all up: "What's with this guy? He was just released by PHI after they claimed him from the Red Sox who claimed him from ARI who claimed him from the Twins." What's with this guy, indeed. I mean, seriously, I don't understand this pickup at all. WAS KYLE SNYDER NOT AVAILABLE? Whatever, I feel like Durbin's just going to disappear a couple of weeks into spring training. Happens all the time.

Charlie Haeger! Haeger was on the Sea Dogs last year. You may remember Haeger from his outstanding performance as "Charlie Zink" around 2008.

Christian Perdomo, who maybe says shit like " Do any of my followers have any problems or idn something ... so i can pray for you at night before bed", is a New York mall-rat kid so never mind.

By the way, Ryan Sweeney's around. In case you like Ryan Sweeney.