2.8.08 Providence Bruins v. Hartford Wolf Pack - Pastings

Hartford WINS! 7-5

This would be the best P-Bruins game I've ever been to, in spite of the loss During the first period, the teams beat the shit out of each other and many, many players received penalties. The Bruins were hit pretty hard and Hartford took full advantage by scoring like four goals in the second period.

The Bruins wore Providence Reds jerseys which will be auctioned off on Monday.

Also, Don Orsillo attended this game with the family. At first I thought, wow, he is slumming, but what the hell? He lives in Rhode Island and he's no different than the rest of us. Us Rhody folk. He probably had himself a coffee milk.

In the middle of a bath I call your name....

Oh, Johan!

The Mets? Perfect. Now maybe I don't want to see the Twins in Milwaukee. No Santana, no Torii Hunter, no Mientkiewicz or Pierzinski or Jacque Jones? No Corey Koskie? LaTroy Hawkins? The Twins as I have loved them are no longer.

I guess there's always Restovich and Cuddyer. And Joe Nathan and Boof Bonser. And Rochester...

I'm still going to Milwaukee, but now if I don't get Twins tickets I won't die.

Brewerfans.net is a great website, by the way. A lot of people around here seem to think that no other team has passionate, intelligent fans. Shut up, People Around Here.

Daniel Nava: YOU WILL BE HAPPY

Santa Clara U. grad Daniel Nava. Future goals include playing professional baseball. Coming to a double-A ballpark near you!

The 24-year-old Mr. Nava played for the Golden Baseball League's Chico Outlaws in California. He's a talented switch-hitting outfielder that'll probably play in Portland. What does this mean to me? It means I'll be checking out some Sea Dogs games in Connecticut and New Hampshire. I think this is going to be great. Can't wait to see him in spring training! Isn't he adorable?!

"You have no idea how excited I am," Nava said from his home in Los Altos. "I am so pumped ... all I really asked for was a chance, and now I'm going to do everything I can to take advantage of it."

I guess he's excited, too! YEAH BASEBALL!! Pop off the top and rock with my posse!

Another pitcher? Really?

Jacob Miller, RHP, signed by Boston Red Sox. Except he's really Matt Miller. And he's older than I am.

Here're the new (probably Pawtucket) people so far:

1. LHP Jay Marshall, claimed off A's waivers...wait, he was reclaimed by Oakland. (?)
2. OF Daniel Nava, top ranked independent league player, signed to Red Sox contract.
3. RHP Lee "Lee" Gronkiewicz
4. OF J. Van Every
5. 3B Keith Ginter
6. C Juan Apodaca
7. 2B Joe Thurston
8. SS Tony Granadillo
9. SS Gil Velazquez
10. LHP Jon Switzer
11. LHP Michael Tejera
12. RHP Ben Howard
13. RHP Dan Kolb
14. RHP Dan Miceli
15. RHP Miguel Asencio
16. RHP David Thorne
17. C Steve Torrealba
18. OF Rich Thompson
19. RHP Matt "Jacob" Miller

Wow! We'll have to see where everyone ends up after spring training. The Red Sox should make them all live in the same house and install a confessional and tape their lives.

I'll have to check out Daniel Nava, Mr. Independent. It is wicked, wicked hard to be scouted out of a non-MLB affiliated team.

Still on the PawSox:
1. Zink
2. Bailey
3. Chad Spann
4. Brandon Moss?
5. Kottaras and Breslow?
6. What?

Okay, I am going to stop right there because we are not finished with the off-season. Poor, dumb Brandon Moss... all that work at first base in the Dominican and now we go and sign Millar 2.0 (Casey).

JD Durbin

Last April, the Red Sox claimed former Twins minor leaguer JD Durbin off Diamondbacks waivers. I thought, OK, cool, I know him from the IL. But then Durbin was all, 'Tell my wife I love her very much' and he stepped outside the door.

So what happened? Well, Durbin was on the AAA Rochester Red Wings for a couple of years until the Twins DFA'd him last March. The Diamondbacks claimed him off waivers and he pitched the season opening series... but hey, they wanted Micah Owings to come up from AAA and start and Durbin had done a crappy job so he got DFA'd to open a roster spot.

And then... try and remember this... April in Boston and Mike Timlin's got an injury thing so we might need a reliever. Boston claims JD Durbin. Timlin's all, 'I was only kidding!' So within 24 hrs Durbin's career in Boston is ovah.

The Phillies picked him up and that is where he now resides. I knew everyone was wondering about this.

a football crumb

2002 was like, six years ago.

Things I learned from the PawSox 2002 souvenir program:

1. The murals: The walls of the entry ramps at McCoy Stadium are lined with paintings and photos of guys who played in Pawtucket. The original murals were painted directly on the walls, but were destroyed when the park was renovated in 1998. Fortunately, original artist Tayo Heuser had replicated the murals on 4'x8' boards. The 150-lb boards could not be rehung due to size issues, but were stored for future use.

The artwork was finally returned to the towers after being upgraded, lightweighted, weatherproofed and digitalized. I never realized how iconic they were until now. Iconic and at times, creepy.

2. The PawSox have an unofficial historian: one Mrs. Betty Johnson. Johnson has mad archives and you can check it all out by appointment. She is in Pawtucket's HOF.

3. Who dey? Tonayne Brown, Bry Nelson, Mike Kusiewicz, Jay Yennaco, Mike Drumright.

4. 2002 PawSox now deceased: Dernell Stenson, Josh Hancock, Casey Fossum. Stenson's picture would kill you. He looks very sweet and very, very young. Sad.

5. OMG, remember??: Sunny Kim, Angel Santos, Juan Peña, Andy Hazlett, Butch Henry?

6. RHP Derek Hasselhoff? Yes, they're cousins!

7. In 2001, first baseman Juan Diaz hit a record-setting 491-ft home run. It went out, up and over the house-looking thing in center. Into the parking lot! YES!

8. Youkilis' OBP with Lowell? .512


9. Gulf Coast Red Sox Player of the Year was 19-year-old Manny Delcarmen.

I promised to mention Nelson here. He lent me the program. Thanks, Princess. You left your movie tickets stubs inside, though. And now I know you went to the bargain matinee showing of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'.

It's all about the workplace.

our voices will ring together until the twelfth of never

If they win: I'll have to hear about it for like three weeks.

If they lose: two months.

For that reason only: go, team, go.

casey

I have made almost no progress.

Someone told me about Sean Casey today. Instead of rifling through my mental catalogue of 'One Million Ways Most Baseball Players Are Bad and Will Suck in Boston' and ripping the signing, I said, "Oh my God! I LOVE Sean Casey! I love him! That's great! I hope he plays in Pawtucket! Sean Casey, alright!"

Not that people were like "OMG!!! FIRE THEO!!!"

homeboy

Interview with Jon Van Every. He's got the tools and he's got the talent!

He also looks uncannily like a guy who played on our baseball team a couple of years ago. Chris, congratulations! He was like our best player.

and it makes me wonder. and it makes me sad.

You remember
Junior Spivey
He contracted
Poison ivy!

(also resigned by Boston, yeah!)

Other new kids:
RHP Miguel Acensio
RHP David Thorne
C Steve Torrealba
OF Rich Thompson

Kyle Snyder is coming back... for a while. For a while. You wanna do some blow?

I'm not a loser.

I didn't manage to get any tickets for myself the other day, but that's okay. I only kinda sorta wanted Diamondbacks.

What I'm really looking for are a)opening day b)last series of year or c)monster seats.

I like to attend a game in the last series of the year, but this year it's the Yankees. So I'm screwed?

I know a great guy who loves the Red Sox but as far as I know has never been to Fenway. And I suspect it's not financially possible for him to do that. I would love to get tickets for this guy. And just say, hey, I can't go to this game, but you go and take your wife or brother or one of your kids or something. To me that would be better than going myself. I've been a hundred times and what's a pair of tickets to me?

This year I'm going to Buffalo and Brewer Park and Frontier Field in Rochester. And a Yankees game with my brother, which looks like it'll be an annual excursion.

In a related story, I've settled my cable TV debts and I'm now laying the groundwork for digital cable so that I may get the MLB package. And switch from dial-up to high-speed internet. Yes, I am still on dial-up. Yes, it does suck. No, I can't watch videos online.

Have fun this year everyone! Let's play some ball!

Dans Party 2008

New kids in P'tucket: Dan Kolb and Dan Miceli.

Both these guys are right-handed relievers. They're invited to spring training.

Kolb was an all-star in 2004. Seriously? I mean, I know he was on the Brewers... and the Brewers then are not the Brewers now... and can you believe the highest priced ticket you can possibly get(premium seat v. premium opponant) at Brewer Park is $60? That's like front row on a Saturday night against the Cardinals or the Mets or something. I can't wait!

Miceli was last in the majors in 2006 with Tampa Bay.

I can't wait to see what these guys are going to bring to the table! I mean, a 37-year-old former Devil Ray reliever and a 33-year-old Illinois Stater originally drafted by the TEXAS RANGERS? Oooh, sixth round! He must have at one time had a bright future!

THIS is the hot-stove action I've been missing! Can't wait for poster night so I can shake hands with these superstars!

Butch Hobson splits Nashua

Yeah, Hobson's not going to manage the Nashua Pride any more. He's got a job in the Atlantic League, it seems.

Nashua won the Can-Am League championship in 2007.

2008 Granite State Baseball Dinner: Better Luck Next Time

Oh, yeah, I went to that about a week ago. I got there pretty late due to a)inviting someone with serious time management deficiencies, b)traffic and c)weather.

I started drinking as soon as I got there to ease my guilt and annoyance and as a result, nothing really stands out. I've probably had more fun at wedding receptions. The governor spoke and I wanted to ask the woman next to me if he was doing a good job. Don Orsillo talked a lot. Pesky said a few words.

The one thing that stands out is when the shuttle driver was bringing us back to the car, I mentioned that there was no after-party.

"Oh, you would be SO wrong about that!" the driver said. I pressed for details but he clammed up. Rats!

I'll go back next year with someone else and stay away from the booze.

Benny Agbayani: Concepts, Contributions, and Reflections

Benny "Hawaiian Punch" Agbayani was a Hawaiian outfielder dude who played for Boston after being claimed off Rockies' waivers in August of '02. He was released during the 2003 spring training. He played in 13 games, batting .297 with an OBP of .395. No home runs or anything... just a double. It looks like he was intentionally walked in one game. I wonder which pitcher? I wonder which team was so terrorized by the mighty Benny A. that the manager called for the IBB?

Okay, it was Willis Roberts of the Orioles at Camden Yards. Who? WHAT?! The score was tied at the top of the 14th on September 23rd. God damn, Baseball Reference is fucking awesome.

Agbayani had previously been on the Mets and is probably best remembered for a walk-off home run in the 2000 NLDS. The opposing team was the Giants... wow. And then, the Subway Series! The Mets won only one game, and Agbayani drove in the game-winning run off El Duque. I know a lot of Mets fans are probably reading this, so pour a little out for Benny!

Currently, Agbayani is doing the Japanese thing with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Believe it or not, he's got an autobiography which I am going to buy immediately. It's called "Big League Survivor".

et Aaliyah:
1. Graduated from Hawai'i Pacific University. HPU. Not High Point in NC. Degree in Human Services. He actually took classes in the off-seasons to get his diploma.
2. Got married at home plate 1998 right before the AAA All-Star game in Tidewater (The Norfolk Tides [NYM] used to be the Tidewater Tides).

3. At one time, Kimo Bean Stores sold Benny Bean 100% Hawaiian Coffee (named after Agbayani). Wow, I love coffee!
4. Was paid $100,000 after being released by Boston. It's called termination pay. Don't you think that's a lot of money? Is there any other job where you get a fat bonus for essentially being fired?
5. There's a little internet fuzziness on BA after the Red Sox released him. Many sites have him listed as a Royal with no stats. And then I've read that the Reds picked him up that same spring.
6. Has been interviewed by both Regis Philbin and Howard Stern.
7. "Benny Agbayani, he has some pretty good numbers against Andy Pettitte," [Grady]Little said. I can absolutely hear Grady's voice in that one statement.

Thanks, Ben!

Mike and Javier

Right-handed crap pitcher Mike Burns has been signed to a minor league contract by the Pirates. Ooooooooh. I hope he pitches in Pawtucket and gets shelled. But only if I don't have to watch that happen because honestly, I'd feel bad. I mean, he's someone's son!

Lefty reliever Javier Lopez has been resigned by Boston, which most people think is a bad idea. Lopez has this weird thing where he's more effective against righties. I only include him here because he did a lot of time in AAA. He may return, I don't know. I bet he'd LOVE that!

Also signed to a minor league contract: righty Ben Howard. So in many ways, Mike Burns never left! HA!

Enjoy your MLK experience.

Joe McEwing Retires

As I may have mentioned once or twice, I loved Joe McEwing. Many, many Mets fan hated him, as you might hate a non-productive bench guy whose hustle is the only thing he's hanging onto. But I didn't know him on the Mets. To me he was a real cool veteran guy who worked hard every day when he really didn't have to.

McEwing already has a new job. He'll be the Charlotte Knights hitting coach. So in all likelihood I'll be seeing him at McCoy. That's great!

I know this is a photo of Mientkiewicz, but the guy in the Hawaiian shirt is McEwing.

2008 Pawtucket Red Sox Hot Stove Party

I attended the 2008 PRSHSP this morning after having breakfast at Don's Lunch with my fake daughter. And Elvis.

I like home fries.

Everybody came out for this! The kids, the old baseball ladies, the binder guys, your mom. It's Justin Masterson, really. He just draws you in with his talent, which you can see right under his skin and a little bit in his stomach in the shape of a ready-to-burst alien parasite.

Cast member by cast member:

Bill Wanless! Billy emceed the first Q&A in the home clubhouse (RJ, Masterson, and Van Every). A friend of mine tells me that when he calls you on the phone he almost always says "This is Bill Wanless."

Ron Johnson! I asked RJ about Jeff Bailey and whether he'd ever catch again. I thought I might be the only person in space who cared, but RJ said he'd really been trying to talk him back into it because it's his way into the big leagues. He also said they'd gotten back into it a little at the end of the year. I love the end of the year in the minor leagues when half the team's been called up! Anything goes!

Also, RJ's first question from the audience was from a 109-year-old man who told him he looked like he'd lost weight.

Dusty Brown! Dusty Brown was in the batting cage room. I must admit I did not recognize him right away. He's gotten a nice haircut and looks great. I was dying to ask him if he was ready to kick Kottaras' ASS and be the next Mirabelli or whatever but. You really can't do that. But that's what I hope happens.

No further information is available on D. Brown.

Steve Hyder! Hyder's the PawSox radio guy and he emceed the batting cage table (Bowden, Lowrie, Brown).

Jonathan Van Every! JVE's come to us fm. the Cleveland organization. Since he's been in Buffalo all this time, I asked him hhow cold it is in late April. The answer would be "very cold". Dunn Tire Park is right on the lake. It does not get warm until June. So be prepared. This is what he said.

Van Every said he went to junior college and it was easy. He made sure the kids all knew that. "So kids, remember. Junior College is easy."

Justin Masterson is a superstar, a valuable prospect, and a giant douche. If I ever met him at a party and spent maybe five minutes talking to him, I'd walk away rolling my eyes. You just know he probably took copious notes in his 'Dealing with the Boston Media' seminar at BC, because he was rather slick and phony. Pretty nice to my fake daughter, but seriously. Annoying. I feel bad for his teammates. The fans are going to love him, though.

Masterson claimed to have been a straight A student, except he got a B once. ONCE.

Jed Lowrie really impressed me in Pawtucket last year. It was nice to see him. He was dressed like a turbo-preppie privileged Connecticut boy, even though I think he's from Arizona or something.

You drink and drive, you lose. Jeremy Kapstein showed up later in the day. I'm a very busy woman and I didn't have time to talk to him.

Michael Bowden accompanied on the piano.

Bowls of snacks! Every year each room has a bowl of chips, a bowl of pretzels, and a bowl of cheese puffs (or "Jax"). The bowls never become empty! It's amazing!

The Dunkin' Donuts truck! Free samples!

Okay, see you April 3rd!

dos zurdos

The Boston Red Sox have just signed a pair of lefty pitchers to minor league contracts. They are Jon Switzer and Michael Tejera.

If you'd like more information about these two gents, you can click on the links. I'm not going to get into it until the first week of April and I get to see what's what. Or I suppose I could watch some spring training games, since they've both been invited. It's also possible I've seen either or both of them in Pawtucket with the Indianapolis Indians (Tejeda) or Durham Bulls (Switzer). I could end up hating them both! Can't wait to find out!


Side note: Michael Tejera is from Cuba. That is tremendous. I was looking at pictures of the Hotel Nacional de Cuba and it is stunning. Stupid embargo!

Also, happy birthday to my brother Tom, a lifelong Yankees fan. May he endure a loss during the potential annual trip to NYC. FINALLY.