Sports List: 5 Prospects In Dodgers Camp

Another of my sports lists for CBSLA, and one that let me expand on knowledge gained at Rancho games the past few seasons, as well as use a photo when I could not find one of Scott Schlber.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/02/27/5-top-prospects-in-dodgers-camp/

Quakes win in 10 with DH on the 10

When the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes clinched their spot in the postseason Sunday night, the man who started the night as their designated hitter was probably somewhere around Pomona, heading back to Los Angeles.

Matt Kemp is caught in a first-inning rundown

Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp continued his rehabilitation work with the California League farm team, but was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and a first-inning walk that later turned into an out when he was caught in a rundown between first and second.

Meanwhile, the Quakes were trying to earn a wild-card spot in the playoffs that start on Wednesday. They went into Sunday night’s contest needing a win or a High Desert loss to take the third and final spot.  

Lancaster took a 1-0 lead over the Quakes on a Brandon Meredith homer in the fourth, but Rancho answered with Corey Seager’s sacrifice fly to forge a 1-1 tie in the fifth.  As the innings went by, and Kemp struck out twice, High Desert won a seven-inning nightcap over Lake Elsinore after having dropped the opener to the Storm. To avoid some Labor Day drama, the Quakes needed a win Sunday night.

Kemp, who is now hitless in four games with the Quakes, left the game after his second strikeout ended the eighth. As the game moved to the 10^th, he signed about 50 or 60 autographs and climbed into an SUV that had been wheeled up to gates outside the café section down the third-base line.

About the time Kemp was leaving LoanMart Field, Quakes right fielder Noel Cuevas and catcher Chris O’Brien (who was not in the starting lineup) combined to nail Chris Epps trying the score the go-ahead run for the Jethawks, ending the inning.

Noel Cuevas touches home as the Quakes pour out of the dugout

Then, as these things often work out, Cuevas led off the bottom of the 10^th with a double, and after moving to third on a groundout, he scored the winning run on an O’Brien single to left, putting the Quakes in the playoffs.

The first thing I thought about was the fact that Kemp was not in the ballpark when the Rancho players celebrated their win. While the weekend rehabilitation assignment has been a disappointment for Kemp, the Quakes had bigger business to attend to. While the purpose of the farm teams is to groom new talent for the parent club, and decisions are often made that are at odds with winning games or championships, it would have been a disappointment to take this moment away from players who have been working so hard to get there.

One spectator noted that this was not Kemp’s team that won the playoff spot, so his early departure probably avoided some awkwardness. The more I think about that, the more I agree. Yes, it would have been nice for him to be at the end of the game he started, but Dodgers relief pitcher Brian Wilson left in the fourth or fifth after pitching an inning for the Quakes a few weeks ago, so this is something that is typical.

Clay Condrey pitches in Reading

And a lot of times these assignments don’t work out as well. When the Phillies needed a place to get Clay Condrey an inning of work before he was to come off the disabled list in September 2009, they dispatched him to Reading, where the R-Phils were in a best-of-five series against Akron. Akron had already won two games at home, so Reading was hanging on for dear life. After Condrey gave up two runs in the first, things went from bad to worse. By the fourth, the Aeros were up 7-0 and they cruised to a 9-3 win.

So while Kemp struck out with a runner on second in the eighth, he did not cost the Quakes the game. And folks who have been around the ballpark the past few days said the Dodgers outfielder has been signing autographs and buying the clubhouse spread for the Quakes – one guy told me their interest in finding the credit card receipt Kemp signed for a pizza order on Saturday.

Warming up Sunday afternoon, Kemp appeared to still have concerns about the ankle he injured sliding into home plate in Washington in late July. That game was his first after an earlier stint on the disabled list, and he homered and doubled in the second inning as the Dodgers won 9-2. 

While Kemp was back on the DL, the Dodgers have continued their improbable surge from last place in the division, and are looking for their first NL West crown since 2009. And there are still lots of questions about how he might fit into the formidable order manager Don Mattingly has put together. Striking out against young hurlers who are still working on their third or fourth pitch doesn’t help answer those questions.

Kemp’s a good guy, so Sunday’s victory for Rancho was tinged with a bit of concern for the organization. But the win has to give the Quakes a healthy dose of optimism heading into the postseason.

Tijuana beisbol is...wacky

A big crowd gathered at Esadio Gasmart in Tijuana for the Toros' game against Ensenada on June 8.

Minor league baseball can be wacky. My experience with entertainment from Mexico (mostly the Bee Guy from “The Simpsons”) has shown it to be wacky as well. So what do you get when you combine minor league baseball AND Mexico? That’s right, infinite wackiness.

Knowing how much Christina and I like minor league baseball, her friend Cynthia suggested that we might enjoy a visit to Estadio Gasmart for a Toros de Tijuana game. Cynthia has visited Tijuana a few times with Turista Libre, which runs day trips in northern Baja California.

The Toros play in Mexico’s Northern League, which is not to be confused with the AAA-level Mexican League. We were still trying to figure out the particulars, but it seems like this six-team league – with teams also located in Ensenada, Tecate, Mexicali, San Luis Rio Colorado and San Quintin -- plays at a AA level. The Tijuana roster included a few players who had been part of major league organizations here in the United States, most notably Reggie Abercrombie, who worked his way through the Marlins chain to play parts of two seasons in Miami, and also saw some time as a Houston Astro.

Still, a lot of this was unknown to us, so it was with some trepidation that we headed to San Ysidro earlier this month to meet with with Cynthia and about 15 other folks to seek out authentic Mexican cuisine and a Toros game against the Ensenada Marineros. We were met near the border by former Union-Tribune writer Derrik Chinn, the brains behind Turisa Libre, which he admits he started after having difficulty convincing friends from nearby San Diego to visit him and see the sights in Tijuana.

We parked on the U.S. side and walked into Tijuana.

The crossing into Mexico on foot was quick and before we knew it we were walking toward the spot where the bus would pick us up. We were waiting for two more groups who would meet us there and then we were on our way. Since this was more of an overall tourist venture, the group stopped for some authentic Mexican cuisine -- Christina had a tripe taco -- and then picked up some beer before continuing on to the stadium.

The bus driver had to take us on a couple of back streets to get around traffic, and it was already the fourth inning when we got inside the stadium, but we still had plenty of time to get a sense of what minor league baseball is like south of the border. 

Christina and I had just found seats a section or two past first base when Javier Brito, a former Astros and Padres prospect, and Abercrombie hit back-to-back home runs to give Tijuana a 2-0 lead. When Brito hit his homer, we noticed that everyone came out of the dugout, but his first congratulations came from the gorilla mascot, Chango 0.

Javier Brito got a furry welcome after his home run.

As it turned out, the mascots pretty much had the run of the place, with a chicken named Pollo Layo getting much more involved with the umpire at first base than the San Diego Chicken or Philly Phanatic would dare. The chicken even transitioned from the Ensenada side of the field to the first base line during one at bat. Toro Torin (the bull who serves at the main mascot), Pollo Layo and Chango 0 were seldom out of sight, and filled much of the 2 ½-minute changeovers with help from cheerleaders. During one of the skits the chicken came out dressed as a police officer but eventually ended up nearly naked. I am still quite shaken.

This was a little more over the top than the work of the San Diego Chicken or Philly Phanatic.

At one point, Pollo Layo ran from the Ensenda side of the field between pitches.

 

A nearly naked masot...still scary.

 Music was played between pitches during each at bat, including some tunes familiar to ballpark denizens in the U.S. At one point, the scoreboard showed people in the stands, such as a guy wearing a cowboy hat, and appropriate music was played to the delight of the crowd.

Another time, a guy who looked like Pitbull (thanks for clearing that up, Christina) was shown and they played a Pitbull song and would not leave him alone until he obeyed the request that he dance (“Que baile! Que baile!”) displayed on the scoreboard. Meanwhile, the public address announcer talked very fast and was quite boisterous; delivering the name of each Toros batter twice (JAVIER BRITO!!!! Javier Brito.) 

When they tell you to que baile, you'd best que baile.

These items were 50 pesos, or about $4.

 In the stands, the vendors got a workout, selling everything from plates of shrimp and meat to churros filled with several kinds of icing and even American ice cream.

 We recognized the cotton candy despite different packaging, but there were bags of other items we had no idea about. The vendors also sold $1 Tecate beers with paper cups dipped in a hot pepper powder. Hot dogs and hamburgers were available from stands throughout the concourse.

The vendors even sold plates of meat and shrimp in the stands.

 The atmosphere was amazing. As Christina noted, it was almost like something from a dream. The excitement was palpable, even if some of the baseball was a little less sound than one might like. (We got to see two rundowns between first and second base within 15 minutes of sitting down.)

A Toro player is erased at second base via a rundown.

Former Marlin and Astro Reggie Abercrombie

As the game winded down with the Toros up 3-0, I wanted to head down behind the Toros dugout because I had brought along two cards to be signed by REHHIE ABERCROMBIE (as the PA guy was calling the former Carolina Mudcat and Albuquerque Isotope). We got there just as the game was ending, and called out Reggie’s name. He stopped, and was nice enough to autograph the cards.

It was a great time, and going in a group with Turista Libre certainly helped allay any fears I might have had about going to the stadium, which recently underwent $2 million in renovations. The bus ride and game ticket was only $15 for each of us, so it was a great deal. 

 

Reggie Abercrombie signs cards after the game.

Christina and I had such a good time that we might go back, although the league’s season only lasts from May to July, so it would have to be next year.The parking lot had a lot of cars with California plates, and it turns out the stadium is not far from the border crossing at the 905, which is not quite as busy as the station right in downtown Tijuana. 

Reggie Abercrombie is congratulated after fourth-inning homer.

For those who wonder about these things, the businesses we went into and all of the stadium vendors and concessions accepted U.S. dollars at 12 pesos each, which is a good rate, and yes you need a passport even if you are only going to Tijuana. Most of the fans we encountered in the ballpark were friendly, even if we could not converse very well. The smile after a home run does not require translation.

Howling at the moon in Fullerton

Talk about your weird, fun sports experiences.

Christina and I, and a couple of our baseball friends, went to Saturday night's NCAA regional game between Arizona State and Cal State-Fullerton, and the fact that it started at 9:45 p.m. did not turn out to be the weirdest part of the night.

We were looking forward to the weekend because it included lots of baseball and a party with friends in Gardena. We did not count on the second game of the four we planned to see being the strangest for me in a long time. Christina and I arrived at 7:30 for what was supposed to be an 8 p.m. start, and our friends Alex and Robert were already in line, so we joined them. Based on the previous night's experience at UCLA, where they did not let us in until 5:30 for the 6 p.m. start, nothing seemed awry. That is until someone noted the Columbia-New Mexico game going on inside the stadium had gone to the 10th inning tied at 5.

The NCAA has scheduled these regionals rather tightly. It needs a 55-minute break between games to clear the stadium and get the teams for the second game on the field to take infield practice. So we knew at that point we would be starting late. How late depended on what happened inside Goodwin Field. As the game moved on to the 11th and 12th, it got dark outside and even a little chilly. Finally, Columbia came through for a run in the 13th and held on to beat the Lobos 6-5.

Despite the fact there were 4,000 people in line outside the stadium, the ticket-takers were very efficient and we had plenty of time to find general admission seats in the first section past third base. And the lines for food were not as bad as might have been expected, with lots of options still available at the late hour.

Why did people stick around? Well, Fullerton is a great baseball school and the match-up promised to be excellent with two 11-0 pitchers -- ASU's Ryan Kellogg and Cal State's Justin Garza -- on the mound.

As you might expect with that kind of firepower, ASU was quickly retired in the first as Garza recorded three strikeouts and a hit batter. In the bottom of the first, Kellogg showed off a rather lousy move to first that would not fool any baserunners all night, but eventually got out of the inning. Garza got out of the second unscathed and we settled in for what would ultimately be a great pitcher's duel that Fullerton won 1-0.

But as the bottom of the second got underway, we saw an usher come running down the aisle next to us chasing....an Alaskan husky. The usher went halfway down toward the field (there are maybe 16 or 18 rows) and then threw up his hands. I first thought it was because the dog had decided to relieve himself, but it was because the animal had jumped the railing and was now on the field.

 He went from third base to second rather quickly, passing the two rather surprised infielders along the way, then made a beeline for the outfield. First I though he'd find a way out by right field, but failing to do so, the dog came back along the warning track all the way to left field before leaving via a gate that was opened just for him.

I had already regretted that such a marquee match-up would be seen only by fans that realized it was on ESPNU that late in the evening, and now something this fun would slip into the nether reaches of sports television. Luckily, some folks tweeted about it and the video eventually made its way on the internet.

The rest of the game was not quite as eventful, although the fans got on Kellogg more and more as he tried to catch someone napping at first base. Robert and Alex decided to call it a night in the fifth inning, but Christina and I stayed for the duration, and enjoyed the Titans' efforts.

The late start meant singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" just before midnight, and the pressbox also got into the act. After the husky visited in the second inning, "Who Let the Dogs Out" was played during a mound conference. As it neared midnight, we heard "All Night Long" by Lionel Richie and "Sunday Morning" by Orange County's own No Doubt.

I have been to thousands of sporting events, and I have to say this regional game will rank high on my all-time list. A fun game, some weird highlights and an outstanding presentation. Kudos to the Titans, and I hope we get a chance to see them again in the Super Regionals.

By the way, here is a link for the TV coverage of the husky's visit:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZmaMmmpdIk

Playoff time (again)

I spent the last couple of weeks covering CIF-Southern Section playoff games for the Orange County Register. Mostly Division 3 baseball, but also a softball game and a Division 6 baseball quarterfinal.

Here in one convenient place (although now stuck behind a paywall for no apparent reason) are links to the stories and a thought or two:

I covered Loara once in the regular season and made a return trip to Anaheim on May 16 for a first-round upset. Technically speaking, this may be the best story I wrote for the Register so far. http://www.ocvarsity.com/articles/hits-37575-loara-saxons.html

The next day, I only had to drive up PCH to cover Estancia at South Torrance. I was starting to think I was a jinx for the Orange County teams. http://www.ocvarsity.com/articles/south-37597-torrance-great.html

I once again got to stay in the 310 on May 21 when Westminster traveled to Peninsula, which is either in Rolling Hills Estates or Rancho Palos Verdes. http://www.ocvarsity.com/articles/second-37663-westminster-lions.html

Having found Peninsula, I went back on May 23 to cover a Division 3 softball quarterfinal, and it was a nail-biter. http://www.ocvarsity.com/articles/ciocatto-37692-inning-akles.html

The next day, I traveled to Glendale to cover a Division 6 baseball quarterfinal. Considering the lack of scoring in many of these playoff games, I thought Crean Lutheran was in a pretty good place going to the seventh. As Lee Corso would say, not so fast.... http://www.ocvarsity.com/articles/run-37719-third-game.html

Baseball, at last

So I am still looking for a full-time job and writing for the Orange County Register about once a week. After covering a few CIF-Southern Section basketball games I have moved on to the baseball beat, and it was a lot of fun to get out and cover my first game on Friday. I trekked to Newport Beach to cover Corona del Mar as it hosted University High School from Irvine. I did not know it at the time, but the pitcher for University, Jordan Scheftz, has already committed to attend UC Irvine next year, so I suspect I'll be seeing his name, and maybe even writing a bit more about him, for a while. I really should have known something was up when he froze one of the CdM hitters with a vicious breaking ball that seemed to dive into the strike zone at the last second. After the game, I got a quick quote from Scheftz as well as both schools' coaches and then headed to a McDonalds on Pacific Coast Highway where I wrote my story. And here it is...

www.ocvarsity.com/sports/scheftz-36463-university-johnson.html

Oh and I want to include kudos to the folks at the Register. Whomever edited this moved a graf and cleaned up a couple more to make it flow much better. I was very happy with it.

Nunzsense: Baseball could be a good fit

It's not often that I get to write about minor league baseball, and I know more than a few folks are probably happy that's the case. But here is my favorite recent column on the subject of baseball potentially coming to Winchester.

http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2012/01/baseball-could-be-a-nice-fit.php

Blowhards

So I went to Harrisburg with a half-dozen friends on Saturday so we could see Nats prospect Bryce Harper play for the Senators. As usual, I brought along a stack of cards with hopes of getting at least a few signed. I knew early on there would be an issue in this regard.

It was pouring when we got to the stadium, but the tarp was down and they were able to get the field ready in plenty of time for the players to stretch and start playing catch. Standing next to me was a rather large guy with a heavy New York accent who was telling anyone who would listen, as well as those who wanted him to just shut up, that all the players were prima donas and nobody was going to sign. For 20 minutes. Nonstop. All I could think was that if I was a player and heard this guy, I probably WOULD just keep walking.

I managed to get a couple of cards signed by Harrisburg pitcher Cory Van Allen, and was pleased to catch up with him. This caught the blowhard by surprise, but not as much as when he saw Harper sign for about a dozen people near first base before coming back toward the dugout. In front of he two of us, Harper also signed a mini-bat for a little girl before going to the bench. None of this bothered me in the least, I'm always happy when anyone stops to say hello and sign a couple of cards. But this appeared to greatly offend the blowhard.

During the game he kept telling people Harper "blew me off" for an autograph. No, I think he was as responsible for not getting an autograph as anyone else out there.

My perspective on this thing has also been affected by a good experience at a couple of games this week. The main difference? No blowhard getting in the way.

’Appy to oblige

My minor league baseball adventures took me south and west of Winchester last weekend, taking of an opportunity to triple the number of Appalachian League teams I’ve seen in one day.

That’s right. Triple.

First, a little background. The Appy and the Pioneer leagues share the bottom rung of the climb to the majors. Technically, the Gulf Coast and Arizona leagues are lower, but their games are free-admission affairs played at noon on the back fields at the spring training complexes. That means the players who take the field in places like Missoula and Bluefield have begun their trek toward stardom.

But it’s still a long trip, and when you are a Mariner in Pulaski, 3,000 miles from Seattle, it can seem like an uphill climb. And it is, because Everett, Beloit, High Desert, Jackson and Tacoma all stand in your way.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Somehow over the years I had managed to see seven of the eight teams in the Pioneer (I’m coming after you Helena!) but only two in the Appy, despite the fact that the Pulaski Mariners are just 210 miles from here (yes, that IS closer than Idaho Falls). Steven and I stopped in Danville to see the Braves play the Bluefield Orioles eight years ago, and I had been meaning to see more of the teams that are spread between Tennessee, North Carolina and the Virginias, but never got around to it. Until Sunday.

I set out at 10 a.m., and managed to reach Princeton, W.Va., a shade over four hours later. The Rays were hosting the Greeneville Astros, and for $5 I got a box seat, and another $4 got me two slices of pizza and a can of root beer. Greeneville blew the game open with a hit-and-mistake fueled, five-run fourth inning. I had to hit the road at the start of the eighth, but the final score was the same 8-3 it was when I headed down I-77 to Pulaski.

There I found a gem of a ballpark that I cannot wait to visit again next summer. Sadly for the Mariners, they committed six errors in the first three innings, and despite out-hitting Elizabethton, the Twins managed an easy 11-3 win. I also got to see Cory Williamson, a former Winchester Royal, pitch two innings for Elizabethton, so there was a local element to the trip.

By the way, admission to Calfee Park was $4, and a bratwurst and a Coke set me back another $4. Since there was no parking fee at either venue, I managed to hit two games and get eats for $17. Now THAT’s a great price.

The gasoline for a 500-mile round trip on the other hand….

Yeah, I was in Indy for 15 minutes

I’m blaming this on Topper Shutt, although it’s certainly my fault.

Less than 24 hours ago, I drove past one of my favorite ballparks, a place I haven’t been in eight years, but skipped the chance to go to a game.

After spending an awesome extended weekend in Cincinnati, making friends with a bunch of trivia players from across the country, I had a free day before I needed to return to Winchester. What to do?

As soon as it became apparent that I was not going to have to ferry anyone back to town, I figured I’d find a game somewhere on the way home. Of course, most maps are not going to show Indianapolis as being on the way back from Cincinnati, but hey, Victory Field is awesome, I have never seen the AAA Pirates at home (the Indians were a Brewers club in 2003) and, what the heck, I still make the decisions around here.

The run up Interstate 74 was remarkably smooth and I pulled into Indy just after 1 p.m., an hour before the game. Drove past Lucas Oil Field, got closer to the baseball stadium and saw lots of people headed to the park, and plenty of guys who would be glad to give me a place to put the car for five bucks.

I also saw a black sky. I mean, a REALLY black sky.

OK, I got this one figured out. I drove past the stadium and turned onto the road that front the Indiana state Capitol. Having just been in town last year, I remembered where I had parked at a meter, and this would give me a chance to check the radar and make a few phone calls.

First up, check the weather. My phone has a nifty app from Channel 9 that includes a really good radar. When you start it up, the smiling face of chief meteorologist Charles “Topper” Shutt greets you. I had to swipe across the screen a couple of times to get from Washington to Indy. The colors west of the city included lots of red and purple, and some others I can’t properly describe. I was pretty sure one was black. And this IS tornado country. Strike one.

I called a buddy who I often get minor league sets for. “What do you need from Indianapolis, because that’s where I am,” I asked. He needed nothing, just picked up the 2011 set at a baseball card show a couple of weeks ago. Strike two.

I was still undaunted, that is until the wind kicked up. And the rain started to pelt the car.  I started thinking about a trip to Toledo earlier this year, which included two hours in a pregame rain delay followed by no game. And no chance to use the rain check. Did I really want to plunk down $5 to park and another $12 for a ticket to cower under cover for an hour or two, only to find out there would be no game and I was still nine hours from home? Strike three.

I briefly considered a couple of options. Go to the Speedway Museum. Find a mall and wait there for a bit to see if the weather would miraculously clear. But as I got on eastbound Interstate 70, it poured and poured, and I had no idea where I was, so the safest thing was to stay on the road home.

Which is why I cringed a half hour or so later when I found the Indians’ local radio station. They started the broadcast with all of the other International League scores from a handful of games in progress, then went on to the majors, and they don’t do that if they are getting ready for the first pitch.

Twenty miles outside of Indy, still in the pouring rain, I hear the guy say, “They are taking the tarp off the field and they hope to be playing here shortly.” What?

I stopped for a paper, looked at the radar again and somehow all that color west of town had disappeared, draining from the screen the way it did from my face. I’d just gotten out of the worst of the storm and would have to drive back through it if I even entertained the idea of going back. And if I’d go back, who’s to say the game would still be played? So I continued east as the play-by-play guy talked with the official scorer to fill time, putting up with static on my radio every time there was a bolt of lightning. And there was a lot of lightning.

I could still hear the game by the time I got to Richmond, Ind., and the kid for Indy had a no-hitter going into the fourth or fifth. When I got home, I checked the web. He didn’t manage to keep the no-no, but got a 3-0 win over Rochester in a game that was over by 5:30 before a crowd of better than 8,000. Thanks to modern technology, poor decision-making and, yes, Topper Shutt, I wasn’t one of them.