Doubleheader and Driving - Two games 400 miles apart - July 19, 2010

I skipped Clinton last week because I discovered that they had a game Monday morning at 10. I was planning to drive to Kansas City from Minneapolis that day, but Clinton is more or less on the way, so I decided to head back to eastern Iowa for this game. Clinton is 400 miles from Kauffman Stadium, where I would be on Monday evening for a 7:10 start to watch the Jays and Royals. That's about 6 hours on the road, so a quick game was the order of the day for me to make it.

It was "Pack the Park with Kids" as local campers got a chance to see their LumberKings (Seattle) take on the South Bend Silver Hawks (Arizona).

Alliant Energy Field

When I did my 2001 trip, Riverview Stadium in Clinton was one of my least favourite ballparks. I found it cramped, dark and bug-filled and didn't really enjoy the experience. I don't recall much else, but I had heard that renovations had improved it, so I wanted to revisit.

The park was built in 1937 and is a classic structure. A roof covers much of the seating area, but the last couple of sections are now in the open air, and also without protective netting, a huge plus for me. There are 3 rows of box seats that are $7 and about 12 rows in the grandstand for $6.

It was renamed Alliant Energy Field in 2002 when the naming rights were sold. The renovations took place in 2005-06 but didn't affect the actual seating area. Rather additional buildings were added for administrative offices, the field was redone, and the canopy was improved. These are all subtle changes but they made a big difference to me, opening up the space and making it seem brighter.

There are party areas down the left field line, where the Picnic Pavilion stands. In right field is the Lumber Lounge, the seats there are just above the fence and look pretty cool. The fence itself is really interesting too, as it starts out as clear wire from left field but turns into a wooden fence around left-center.

The starting lineups and standings are on a wall just inside the entrance. More interesting is a list of every Clinton player who has made the majors. Canadian Jason Bay played here in 2001 among other notables.

There was an organist playing during the game, something you never hear in the minors anymore. Otherwise, there's not much else to see here. This is really a classic old-time park that was properly renovated. The open areas above the dugout and the lack of netting really make this an enjoyable place to visit and I encourage everyone to stop by Clinton and check out a LumberKings game.

The Game

Erasmo Ramirez (above) started for Clinton and was extremely strong through 5 innings, yielding just 3 hits while striking out 6. But his offense wasn't much help, plating just a run on a Tim Morris (11th, 2009) double, a wild pitch, and a Mario Martinez groundout off South Bend starter Diogenes Rosario.

Daniel Carroll (3rd, 2007) flies out here

In the 6th, Keon Broxton (3rd, 2009) blasted a homer to tie the game at 1. Ramirez was still strong though, adding two more strikeouts to end the inning.

Silver Hawk DH Matt Davidson (1st, 2009) grounds out

But he started to tire in the 7th. A single, walk, and hit batsman loaded the bases for Broxton. On a 3-1 pitch, Broxton laced the ball down the right field line, scoring all 3 runners and ending up with a triple. It was his 15th triple which leads all minor leaguers. Ramirez was replaced, but it was too late for Clinton.

James Jones (4th, 2009) dives back to first

Adam Worthington (2oth, 2009) threw 3 scoreless innings for the Silver Hawks to get the win. He looked sharp in the field too, making a couple of good plays on choppers in front of the plate, including one off Netherlands native Kalian Sams (shown below).

We left at 12:15 in the bottom of the 8th and listened to the rest of the game on the radio. Clinton's offense only managed 5 hits on the afternoon in what was a quick game that ended in just 2:33. We probably could have stayed for the whole thing but as it turned out, we left at exactly the right time.

Player to Watch

Ramirez was in line to get this but Broxton (shown below) stole the award with his triple. Watch for him in an Arizona uniform in about 3 years.

The Drive

After the game, we headed west on US 30, turning south at US 61 and then I-80 west to Des Moines. There it joins I-35 south which we took all the way to Kansas City, with a slight detour to the east to reach the hotel next to the stadium.

It was 400 miles and took 6 hours, with just a couple of stops to switch drivers. There was a rainstorm early in the journey, but things cleared up as we neared Des Moines and by the time we hit KC it was hot and humid.

With Sharpy along for the drive, I was able to snap a picture as we entered Missouri.

Jays lose in extra innings

After checking in, we left the hotel to walk the 15 minutes to Kauffman stadium. But there was a shuttle taking passengers, so we waited for it to return to avoid the humidity. We arrived just two minutes before game time and I was shocked to see a large lineup for tickets. Fortunately, I noticed a couple with four tickets and a look of desperation. "You got extras?" I inquired and was told that they had two above the dugout for $30. With a face value of $43, I thought $30 was fair. They then said "$30 for both". Sharpy and I managed to cobble together the cash and zoomed through the gates, racing to our seats just a few rows above the field. We sat down about 5 seconds before first pitch and proceed to watch the Blue Jays play an absolutely atrocious game.

Baserunning blunders and an outright refusal to bunt cost the Jays what should have been an easy win. On five occasions they had the first two batters in the inning reach, but only two runs resulted from those 10 runners. In the fourth, Vernon Wells and Adam Lind opened with singles. Aaron Hill grounded out to advance the runners and then Lyle Overbay hit a fly to center, plenty deep to score Wells. But Lind ran as well and David DeJesus make a perfect throw to nail him at third before Wells had crossed the plate. Aargh!

With the game tied at 3 in the eighth, Hill reached after being hit and Overbay followed with a single. Rather than bunt them into scoring position, Cito Gaston elected to hit away. John Buck (below) popped out and Edwin Encarnacion grounded into a double play. Aaargh!

The game went to extra innings and the Jays managed a run in the 10th to take a 4-3 lead. But in came Kevin Gregg to blow the save. My heart sank as Gregg is simply no longer capable of closing and I confidently predicted a 5-4 Royal win. Sure enough, Scott Podsednik led off with a triple, scoring on a Jason Kendall sacrifice fly. After DeJesus grounded out, Billy Butler singled and Jose Guillen (below) walked. Yep, Gregg was up to his old tricks.

Albert Callaspo then knocked a 2-0 pitch back up the middle. Gregg got a piece of it, slowing it down enough that pinch-runner Chris Getz would score easily to give Kansas City the victory. AAARRRGGGHHH!

Mike Aviles scores the Royals second run

OK, it was a great day with two games 400 miles apart. That's not something easily replicated; you need to have a morning game that finishes 6 hours before the next game starts. A unique road trip experience to be sure. But Toronto's failure to win the nightcap was a bitter pill to swallow. They've got two more games to make it up, but unless they start playing fundamentally smart baseball, my hopes are not high for success.

Check back tomorrow for updates on the two games.

Best,

Sean

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Lake County Captains 6 at Quad Cities River Bandits 1 - July 15, 2010

I was originally going to see a game in Clinton last night but milb.com's mobile site shows the starting pitchers a few days in advance and I saw that Quad Cities was sending Shelby Miller, St. Louis' first rounder last year, to the hill. I had already seen a game here, but didn't have time to really tour the park as it was after the World Cup Final. So I made an executive decision and pushed the Clinton game to Monday morning and drove back to Davenport to watch the game.

The Drive

Rather than retrace the route I took the day before, I went over the Mississippi River into Illinois. I took US 34 east to Monmouth, then turned north on US 67 which heads into Rock Island, where it eventually becomes Centennial Bridge, which is the span you can see from the ballpark. This drive is mostly through farm country and there weren't any spots worth stopping for, but at least it wasn't just another interstate.

Modern Woodmen Park

Modern Woodmen Park is rather misnamed as it is not modern at all. It was built in 1931 and known as Municipal Stadium for 40 years. In 1971, it was renamed John O'Donnell Stadium after the longtime sports editor of the local newspaper. Modern Woodmen of America bought the naming rights in 2008, so the press box was renamed in O'Donnell's honour.

This might be one of the most famous minor league parks in the country. First, there is the Centennial Bridge that provides a spectacular view beyond right field. For that reason only, I recommend sitting on the 3rd base side. Most national articles about minor league include this stadium and a picture much like the one below.

The other reason Modern Woodmen Park is so famous is flooding. It lies right next to the Mississippi and for years had no flood protection. In 1993, the river flooded and the stadium was covered in water. This made national news as the team had to find another ballpark to play in for part of the season. This happened again in 2008, but since then there have been several major renovations.

First and foremost, the park has a floodwall that protects it against the ravages of another flood. The wall also acts as berm seating in left field. This is one of several major renovations instituted by new owners over the past three seasons. As you walk around, you will notice several unique features. In the left field corner is a corn field which is now high enough so that the players run out of here during introductions, much like "Field of Dreams".

You can make your way behind the batter's eye for some nice views of the river, and a good shot of the whole park from center field (below). In right field is a tiki bar along with a hot tub for groups to enjoy. There's also a children's play area down the right field line. There are a couple of other group areas, including a sky deck above third base and a series of boxes along the concourse in left field.

Tickets are $9 for the good box seats, which are up to row M. Above that are a few rows that go for $8. There are some general admission benches down the left field line.

As this is the Quad Cities, each town in the area is "honoured" with a concession stand, Moline Market or Davenport Diner are examples. Most of them serve the same typical ballpark fare, but the Bettendort Bakery has ice cream.

The scoreboard is behind left field and includes a video screen and line score. During the game, the ball-strike-out counter was broken and the video screen was used to display the count. There's a new ribbon board along the right field fence which displays player stats, it's really quite nice and a unique feature at this level. It also shows major league scores on occasion.

Parking here is $2 but you receive the same amount in Bandit Bucks which can be used at the concession stands inside. I went on Thirsty Thursday where 16 oz beers are just $2, so as far as I am concerned, parking is $2 and I got a free beer.

There's no doubt that Modern Woodmen Park is a must-see for any minor league road trip in the Midwest. Just the view alone is worth it, but the River Bandits put on a good show and keep the fans entertained.

The Game

Miller (above) started well, striking out 5 in the first two innings. But Lake County's starter Trey Haley (2nd, 2008) was nearly as good, fanning four in his first two frames.

In the third, the Captains leadoff hitter Delvi Cid singled with one out. Argenis Martinez followed with a single of his own and then Casey Frawley (17th, 2009) drove Cid home with another single. In the 5th, the same three hitters manufactured another run. Cid, who is second in stolen bases among all Class A players, bunted for a single (above). Martinez then nubbed one down the line that hit first base for a single. Frawley followed with a bloop hit (below) to right to make it 2-0 Captains. Miller received a visit from the pitching coach but whatever was said didn't work as DH Chris Kersten (33rd, 2009) sent the first pitch he saw deep into the night for a 3-run shot and a 5-0 lead.

Miller finished the inning but the mistake had been made. He ended up with 9 strikeouts but gave up 10 hits and the 5 runs, not a great performance, but really just that one mistake that cost him.

Both teams traded solo homers but the bullpens were strong and the final was 6-1 Lake County. An interesting game as Haley outpitched Miller- who knows, they could be facing each other in the majors in 3 years.

Player To Watch

Trey Haley. He only pitched 5 innings and was taken out before I even took a picture of him. He must have been on a strict pitch count because he only tossed 61 pitches. But he was very effective, yielding just two hits and an earned run while striking out 7. Certainly on the basis of this one game, he would seem to be the prospect, so he wins the award.

Jerry the King Lawler

Pro wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler was on hand tonight as a promotion. For those of you who might not know him, he is most famous for slapping Andy Kaufman on the David Letterman show as part of a long-running "feud". Lawler did a pre-game interview and then tossed out the first pitch.

But the highlight of his appearance was during the mascot race. If you have ever been to a minor league game, you will have seen the promotion where a young child races the mascot around the bases. The kid always wins. Until last night. As the kid approached the finish line, somebody dressed in a Bandits' uniform stopped him and Rascal, the mascot, won! I was pumped to finally see a mascot win the race. But Lawler was not happy with the result and showed his displeasure by spinning the offending Bandit several times before dropping him to the ground. He then slammed Rascal as well, and gave the kid the win after all. Good fun and a nice take on a somewhat tired promotion.

Next Up

I'm in Minneapolis now where I just saw the Twins end the Chisox 9-game win streak. I'll post about Target Field and the series later, but with a whole bunch of roadtrippers in town for the series, it will be a busy weekend. Check back Sunday night for a summary of events.

Best,

Sean

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Bowling Green Hot Rods 6 at Burlington Bees 7 - July 14, 2010

Burlington is a small community about 80 miles south of Davenport. The drive between the two is completely without interstates, taking SR 22 along the Mississippi first. This takes you to Muscatine, where I saw more police presence in 10 minutes than I had on the whole trip so far. I then turned south on US 61 which heads straight into Burlington. I'll write more about all of these Iowa towns in a post at the end of the trip, but here's a couple of pictures from some riverside parks along the way.

Today's game featured the visiting Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay) against the hometown Bees (Kansas City).

Community Field

Located just off US 61 in north Burlington, Community Field is perhaps the simplest ballpark in minor league baseball. There's little in the way of attractions (or distractions), just a ball field and a few concession stands.

This also might be the most affordable place to see a game. Parking is free, tickets are $7 for box seats for $5.50 for general admission. There are only 4 rows of box seats that stretch from dugout to dugout, and about 15 rows of benches. The entire seating area is protected by a screen, although there are a few benches down third base line next to a concession stand known as "Homer's on Third".

The stadium underwent a major refurbishments in 2005. The main addition was a large building which houses the ticket window on the outside and the concession stands on the inside, as well as a large canopy that covers the concourse as well as a few rows of benches. Concessions are basic but cheap, with cans of beer going for just $2.50. They even had ears of corn (this being Iowa, you know) for only $2. You can eat in a shaded area that you can see in the bottom right corner of the photo below.

Programs are only $1 and provide chances to win with stamped advertisements. I won a free entree at a local pub, which I enjoyed after the game. Game notes and rosters are included and are quite useful as they list the player's draft position.

Other than a small slide, there's not a lot for kids here. This might explain why there weren't that many young children in the crowd; people are here to watch a baseball game, not be entertained otherwise.

The park itself is asymmetrical, with 338 down left field, 403 to center, and 318 to right. The scoreboard has no video screen, just a line score. And that's about it.

Burlington provides an old-school minor league experience. The fans here are true ball fans from Burlington. They all know each other and their team. The GM is in the stands and in one case, went to chastise a fan of the visiting team for using foul language. There are a few promotions between innings but mostly just the PA guy announcing. They do play a lot of music clips and there were occasions were they tried the "Everybody Clap Your Hands" bit, but with only 587 people in the stands, this didn't work so well.

If you like minor league ball, pay a visit to Community Field in Burlington. It's the way it used to be, with baseball as the main event.

Fernando Cruz (6th, 2007) walks to the dugout

The Game

Holy Humidity Batman! It was about 92 degrees with a heat index over 100 when the game got underway at 6:35. This meant the ball would carry and sure enough, there were four homers early. The Bees' Carlo Testa (18th, 2008) got things started with an opposite-field solo shot in the first (below).

Bowling Green tied it in the second. Ryan Wiegand (25th, 2009) led off with a perfect bunt single and advanced on a groundout. After Dustin Biell (5th, 2007) singled him to third (below), Julio Cedeno got the RBI on a fielders choice.

Burlington got 3 in their half, highlighted by a 2-run double from Hilton Richardson (7th, 2007) that went down the line (below).

Cody Rogers got one back for the Hot Rods in the third on a solo shot, but the Bees replied in turn when Testa hit his second of the game in the bottom half. Burlington added singles in the 4th and 5th to take a 7-2 lead and it looked like the rout was on.

Sugar Ray Marimon was pitching well for the Bees, but he ran into trouble in the 6th. A one-out hit batsman and walk ended his evening, and Brandon Barrow, a recent free agent signing, replaced Marimon. He faced Wiegand first and yielded a 2-run double. Mark Thomas (22nd, 2006) followed with a 2-run homer and suddenly the 5-run lead was down to 1. Barrow settled down and retired Biell and Cedeno to end the inning.

By now the weather had cooled somewhat and the ball was no longer carrying. In the 7th, Canadian Mitch Hodge (above) was brought in to relieve. He lasted one inning plus a batter, giving up 2 walks and a single, but no runs. He was replaced by Ryan Dennick (22nd, 2009) who pitched the final 2 innings, giving up just a walk to earn the save. The final batter was Ty Morrison (4th, 2008) who lined to first with the tying run on second. A great ending to a very interesting game.

You can see Dennick and catcher Jose Bonilla congratulating each other beneath the scoreboard below. For what it's worth, Iowa teams are 4-0 on the trip so far.

Player to Watch

I was hoping to give it to countryman Hodge but he didn't pitch that well. So it goes to Carlo Testa with his two homers as well as a great assist, throwing out Rogers at the plate to maintain the 1-run lead in the 7th inning.

Travelers Cheques Update

If you recall, I was unable to cash my American Express Travelers Cheques at a branch of US Bank in Davenport. American Express even provides an online site which tells you where you can cash your TCs. This particular branch of US Bank was even "recommended" which is why I chose it. Didn't matter - no account, no cash.

Fortunately, Iowa is a progressive state and has casinos. So I went to one. "I'd like to cash these please." I said politely. The lady behind the counter told me that I needed a players card. "Not a problem, sign me up." So she did and I got my cash. It did take her a few minutes to process everything and I apologized to the gentleman standing behind me, but he was good-natured, telling me that I was "saving him some money".

The good news is that when you sign up you get $10 in bonus money to use at a slot machine. All you have to do is put $10 of your own money in. The first $10 that is used is the bonus money though, so there is no risk. With the payback at 91.9% according to a sign in the casino, it was a no brainer. So I went to a dollar slot and put my $10 in to activate my bonus bucks. I played ten $1 spins, winning $5 twice! Essentially I turned my $10 bonus into a $10 bill. So thanks US Bank for not cashing my TCs!

Finally I'd like to point out that America is now a country where gambling establishments are more reliable than banks. Given the whole financial crisis was spawned by utter incompetence in banks (with a bit of greed thrown in), this should not be surprising. I expect now I'll be visiting casinos wherever I go.

Chase Lambin Update

Last year, Chase Lambin was playing in Japan's minor leagues for the Chiba Lotte Marines. He is a career minor leaguer who was given a shot in Japan by Bobby Valentine, but he couldn't deal with Japanese pitching and was sent to the minor league team there. I spoke briefly with him after a game and he was still positive and friendly despite the setbacks. Well, he is now back in the States toiling for Syracuse, Washington's AAA team. He was the star in the AAA All-Star Game played last night so he might just get a call-up soon. In fact, as I was typing this, ESPN was showing highlights of the game so he gets some national recognition. C'mon Nats, call him up!

Next Up

A change of plans! I was originally going to see a game in Clinton tonight. But Shelby Miller, St. Louis' 1st round pick in 2009, is supposed to start for Quad Cities in Davenport. I missed out on my second game at Modern Woodmen Park due to Monday's rainout, so I'm going to watch that instead.

As for Clinton, they have a Monday morning game at 10 am. I was planning to drive from Minneapolis to Kansas City that day, but I'm going to spend Sunday evening driving to Clinton and then Monday we will race across Iowa after that game to see the Jays and Royals in the evening. I saw we because my roadtripping friend Sharpy is joining me from Saturday, so we'll have two drivers which makes it a much easier trip. Check back for updates!

Best,

Sean

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No-hitter! No other games! - July 12, 2010

Today began sunny and clear. There were 3 games on the schedule: a doubleheader in Cedar Rapids and a night cap back in Davenport. With minor league DH's only 7 innings each, that meant 23 innings of baseball on the menu.

Before I left for Cedar Rapids though, I stopped in at a bank to cash some travelers cheques. After I signed and dated them and showed my Canadian drivers license, the teller asked me my account number. Now the bank is called US Bank. Naturally, they don't have any branches in Canada. So I don't have an account. I explained all this politely but was told that without an account, they couldn't cash the TCs. Would have been nice if she had told me this before I signed them. I said, as I always do in these situations, "They are called Travelers Cheques! They are for people traveling!" but it was to no avail. I wish I could boycott US Bank for their sheer stupidity, although the teller did come up with a solution - go to a nearby check cashing service and pay a tiny 6% commission. Yeah, right. I had enough cash for the day, and there's a casino here which will cash them, so it's not a problem. But I include this little anecdote as it served as an omen for the entire day.

I left the bank and headed northwest on State Highway 130. It didn't take long for my anger to subside as I drove through Iowa farm country. Which means corn and more corn. There were few cars and although it was a short drive, it was nice to be off the interstate. At Tipton, I turned onto SH 38 which joined US 30 at Stanwood, turning west to reach Cedar Rapids. It was about 80 miles total, but a relaxing distraction after the morning's incident.

Perfect Game Field

The Cedar Rapids Kernels play at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. This is the new trend in baseball stadium names - maintaining the traditional stadium or field name while selling the naming rights to the other to a sponsor. It's unwieldy though, and obviously the sponsor name is what wins out in the marketing. Perfect Game, by the way, is a high school baseball scouting service based in Cedar Rapids.

The ballpark is just a mile west of the I-380 on Rockford Rd SW. Parking is free and there are two lots. One is at the back of the stadium while the other is up the hill and much closer to the front entrance. As I drove by I noticed that there was a military plane but this is not part of the stadium complex, rather it belongs to the All Veterans Memorial Park next door. There's also an ice hockey rink and high school football stadium nearby.

Tickets are $10 for the good seats and $7 for GA. There are no ushers checking though, so just get the cheapies and sit where you want. With only one seating level, there's not a bad seat in the place. There are bleachers down the right field line and some grass seating that exists for kids to chase foul balls just beyond 3rd base. Luxury boxes ring the upper level of the concourse while a party deck lies at the left field corner. Sections are denoted by signs featuring famous Cedar Rapids alumni - not only recent grads but historical figures such as John McGraw and Lou Boudreau. The concourse also has decals of each of these stars as shown by John Lackey below.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the keyhole, the strip of dirt between home plate and the pitcher's mound. The park is also not symmetrical, measuring 315 down left field, 400 to center, and 325 down the right field line. The scoreboard is a typical small video board along with the line score above right center.

The team store is located on the concourse and has a small Hall of Fame inside. There are a number of inductees and a few displays on the history of baseball here. Definitely worth stopping in before the game.

There's a good array of food choices, including a healthy concession stand that sold wraps and even apples. There is also a large Klements barbeque stand that was selling hamburgers and other grilled stuff that seemed to be the best bet. With my cash at a premium though, I chose the cheaper hot dog option. Nothing special there.

Before the game, two Kernels players are assigned to the autograph stand. I guess the fans are rather jaded because neither Jon Karcich (left, 7th round, 2009) or Jose Jimenez (47th, 2009) had a single fan asking for an autograph. I took a picture and talked to them briefly. Nice guys who didn't start the first game but were scheduled to play in the second.

At first glance this seems to be a generic minor league park but I found it to be very enjoyable. Perhaps the only annoying thing was the "Make Noise" signs that would occasionally appear on the scoreboard. Let's leave the fake cheering to the majors now, will we? Seriously though, a great place to watch a game and I'll have to revisit as the game I saw didn't quite make it to 9 innings.

The Game - Peoria Chiefs 0 at Cedar Rapids Kernels 10 (5 innings)

The Cubs' affiliate from Peoria was visiting the Kernels, who are under the Angels' wing (sorry, couldn't resist). Stephen Locke (22nd round, 2009) got the start for Cedar Rapids against Robert Whitenack (8th, 2009). The game started poorly for Peoria when shortstop Logan Watkins (21st, 2008 but now the Cubs' 7th-best prospect) couldn't make the throw on a grounder from leadoff man Jean Segura (pictured below). It was scored an infield hit and after a walk, Jeremy Cruz (13th, 2009) tripled home both runners. This was good news because Cruz was the game's Arby's RBI guy. With those RBIs, all fans got a free Arby's melt. Free food!

Anyway, the game continued as Cedar Rapids added 2 more on another walk and 3 singles to make it 4-0 after an inning.

Korean Jae-Hoon Ha looks foolish on this strikeout

Meanwhile Locke was unhittable. In fact, he was perfect through 3.2 innings before walking D.J. Fitzgerald (22nd, 2009). Fitzgerald stole second but was thrown out at third to end the inning. Locke continued to shut down the Chiefs in the 5th, with the only baserunner reaching on an error.

Matt Cerda (4th, 2008) fouls this off

At this point the P.A. announcer came on to say that rain was expected in the next 10 to 15 minutes and fans should move to a safe area. Well, with the score 4-0 in the middle of the 5th, the game was official. So I expected that the Kernels would try to bat quickly to see if Locke could get the full 7 inning no-no. But they didn't. They pelted out 7 hits to score 6 runs, aided by an error by Watkins.

As Locke took the field for the 6th, the umpires signaled the tarp to be brought out. What? It wasn't raining yet. No matter, the grounds crew set the tarp and we waited. It took 35 minutes for the rains to come and the game could have been finished in that time. I guess they didn't want the grounds crew out there during a thunderstorm, but they certainly erred on the side of caution. After another 45 minutes of rain, the game was called and the second game was postponed.

So Locke gets his no-hitter, albeit a rain-shortened 5-inning one. It was the lead story on milb.com though, mainly because most leagues are in their all-star breaks.

I think the umpires should have continued the game for a bit longer, but as it was official they must have felt it better to be safe than sorry.

Player to Watch

Duh. Stephen Locke (above) threw a no-hitter. Yeah, it was just 5 innings, but that's not enough time to judge the batters so Locke gets the award.

The Drive Back

First stop was the local Arby's to get my free sandwich. This is where the iPhone is so handy. I just did a quick search and found one just over a mile from the ballpark. The value of the burger was $1.54 and I probably spent $1.50 in gas to get there but it was worth it - yummy stuff.

I then headed back to Davenport, staying on the interstates this time. It was a torrential

downpour for most of the way and I didn't expect the Quad Cities game to be played, but it took them a while to call it. So I didn't get to return to Modern Woodmen Park on this trip and missed a free cap as it was giveaway night. Oh well, got to watch the Home Run Derby instead.

Thoughts

Out of 23 scheduled innings today, I saw 5. But I also saw a no-hitter and got a free Arby's burger. So not a total loss.

The difference between low-Class A ball and AAA is huge. Most of the guys I saw today are not going to make it to the show. They are good players but you can immediately see the difference. Some of it is experience, but most of it is missing talent. The biggest difference is the lack of command of the pitchers. At the lower levels, walks are far too common and the pitchers can't make the adjustments when their mechanics fail them.

Baseball uses the term prospect to denote a young player who may have an impact in the major leagues. But each team has perhaps 20 prospects out of a minor league roster of around 150 players. The other "non-prospects" are referred to as organizational filler - players who serve to fill out teams and provide competition. Generally prospects are drafted early, and the later rounds are where filler players are taken. I think that teams don't put a lot of thought into these later rounds. Sure, sometimes a diamond in the rough is found as with Albert Pujols (13th round, 1999). But generally GMs are graded on their top picks so the incentive to provide quality teams in the lower minors is not that high.

The reason I mention this is because Cedar Rapids was better in all aspects of the game, even without their best player, Mike Trout, who was at the Futures Game. It seems like the Angels do spend more time on the later rounds and it shows at this level. Cubs fans, I'm afraid your future is not as bright.

Next Up

Tomorrow is a rest day as there's no baseball within a 3-hour radius and the All-Star Game is on, but on Wednesday I'm off to Burlington to catch the Bees in more Midwest League action. Talk to you then!

Best,

Sean

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