Twittered Baseball Roadtrip #8: The International League of Major League Baseball

Dates: June 10, 2010, July 29, 2010, and August 15, 2010

Primary Destinations: Day trips to Allentown, PA, Moosic, PA, and Pawtucket, MA

Twitter Address: http://twitter.com/Wtriebel

Games Attended:

Game 1: Toledo Mud Hens vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs, June 10^th, 6:05PM (1st game of DH), Coca-Cola Park, Allentown, PA

Game 2: Norfolk Tides vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, July 29^th, 7:05PM, PNC Field, Moosic, PA

Game 3: Buffalo Bisons vs. Pawtucket Red Sox, August 15^th, 1:00PM , McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket, RI

Summary:

The International League is one of Major League Baseballs (MLB) affiliated Minor Leagues. Players on the teams of the International League are at the highest level of the minor league system, which is known as triple A (AAA). They are just one step away from the major leagues. In fact, many of them have been up and down from the majors a number of times. Some of the players on International League team rosters are on the associated major league team’s 40-man roster.

This league has fourteen teams, which are organized into three divisions: the North Division, South Division, and West Division. Unlike the Eastern League, who’s teams are more concentrated primarily in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States, the teams of the International League are located farther apart. The south most team of the South Division is the Gwinnett Braves in Lawrenceville, Georgia, who are the Atlanta Braves AAA team. The Pittsburgh Pirates AAA team, the Indianapolis Indians, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the west most team. The Indians are a member of the West Division. Finally, North Division teams form the northern and eastern bounds for the International league. The Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) in Rochester, New York is the north most located team and the Pawtucket Red Sox (Boston Red Sox), located in Rhode Island, represents the east most team.

"The International League of MLB Roadtrip" is planned as a series of day trips to attend games of three International League teams at their home stadiums. Since the day trips originate from either the metropolitan New York City or Boston areas, the teams chosen were the following:

• Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Allentown, PA: AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies
• Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, Moosic, PA: AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees
• Pawtucket Red Sox, Pawtucket, RI: AAA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox

Three other International League teams were seen as visiting teams during the roadtrip. The Toledo Mud Hens, which is the AAA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, was the opposing team of the IronPigs in Allentown. The Mud Hens are a member of the West Division of the International League. In game 2, the Baltimore Orioles AAA team, the Norfolk Tides, was the opponent of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. The Tides are a South Division team. Finally, the Buffalo Bisons played the Red Sox in Pawtucket. The Bisons are in the North Division and the triple-A team of the New York Mets.

I attended the first game, Lehigh Valley vs. Toledo alone, but was joined on the trips to both Scranton Wilkes-Barre and Pawtucket by my brother, Bob.

Summary of International League Roadtrip Games:

Game 1: 6/10/2010

Toledo 4 R 6 H 0 E

WP: Ryan Ketchner (3W:2L)

SV: Jay Sborz (13)

HR: Scott Sizemore, Ryan Stiebly

Lehigh Valley 3 R 3 H 0 E

LP: Joe Savery (1W:6L)

HR: Cody Ransom

Game 2: 7/29/2010

Norfolk 1 R 6 H 0 E

LP: Chris Tillman (8W:6L)

HR: None

Scranton/WB 7 R 12 H 0 E

WP: Jason Hirsh (6W:7L)

SV: None

HR: Jesus Montero (11)

Game 3: 8/15/2010

Buffalo 1 R 4 H 0 E

WP: Rich Hill (2W:0L)

SV: Fernando Cabrera (15)

HR: Val Pascucci (14)

Pawtucket 3 R 2 H 1 E

LP: Raul Valdes (1W:1L)

HR: Gil Velazquez (1)

Attending these International League games enabled us to see some of the top prospects of the affiliated major league teams, a number of major leaguers on the comeback path, and even current major leaguers making rehab starts. For instance, in the Toledo/Lehigh Valley game, I saw Cody Ransom (a former New York Yankee) play third base for the IronPigs and hit a home run in his first at bat of the game. Soon after that game Cody was called up to the majors by the Phillies. While in game 2, Norfolk vs. Scranton/WB we saw the Yankees top catching prospect, Jesus Montero catch the game and hit a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 5^th. Jesus was the subject of much trade talks in the days coming up to the trading deadline. In the Pawtucket/Buffalo game the sell out crowd of more than 12,000 PawSox fans cheered as Dustin Pedrioa was announced as the designated hitter. Pedrioa, who had been on the DL, was making his final rehab start before returning to play in Boston.

The “Baseball America” website http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/ provides team by team listings of the “Top 10 Prospects” for the 2010 season. For example, the New York Mets listing

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2010/269121.html includes pitchers Jonathon Niese, catcher Josh Thole, 1^st baseman Ike Davis, 2^nd baseman Ruben Tejeda, and outfielder Fernando Martinez, who all currently on the New York Mets Major League Roster. To be considered for the top 10 prospect listing, a played must still be considered a “Rookie” by MLB. The criteria for remaining a rookie is that the player must not have more than 150 at bats or pitched more than 50 innings at the major league level.

A number of other players we saw in International League games had spent time with their major league clubs during the 2010 season. They include::

• Kevin Russo, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (New York Yankees)
• Chad Huffman, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (New York Yankees)
• Jesus Feliciano, Buffalo Bisons (New York Mets)
• Daniel Nava, Pawtucket Red Sox (Boston Red Sox)
• Josh Reddick, Pawtucket Red Sox (Boston Red Sox)
• Gustavo Molina, Pawtucket Red Sox (Boston Red Sox)
• Dane Sardinha, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies)
• Nolan Reimold, Tidewater Tides (Baltimore Orioles)
• Craig Tatum, Tidewater Tides (Baltimore Orioles)
• Rhyne Hughes, Tidewater Tides (Baltimore Orioles)
• Scott Sizemore, Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers)
• Will Rhymes, Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers)
• Jeff Frazier, Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers)
• Casper Wells, Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers)

Though in most cases, their stay with the parent major league team was short. All of them have made a big step in fulfilling their life long dream of playing on the biggest stage of Major League Baseball. For some of them, this is just the beginning and they will return to stay. But for all of them, this is an achievement that has only been attained by a few.

Also, during these games we saw a number of other players that are on their major league team’s 40-man roster, but had not yet been call up to the majors this season. For example, Nick Evans (3B), Justin Turner (SS), Jesus Feliciano (LF), and starting pitcher Raul Valdes, who are all on the Mets 2010 40-man roster, played for the Bisons against the PawSox.

Recently Eduardo Nunez, who batted 3^rd in the order and played shortstop the night we attended the Norfolk Tides-Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees game, was called up by the New York Yankees. On that night Nunez play a prominent role in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s victory. He went 2 for 3 with two singles, reached base on a walk in a 4^th at bat, stole a base, and scored two runs.

This is Nunez’s first stint in the majors. He has subbed at third base for injured Alex Rodriguez and at shortstop for Derek Jeter. Eduardo played in his first game as a New York Yankee on 8/19/10 vs. the Detroit Tigers and got his first career hit, a single to right, in the 8/21/10 game against the Seattle Mariners. This hit knocked in the go ahead run for the Yankees and accounted for Nunez’s first RBI at the major league level. On 8/28/10 Eduardo hit his first home run, a two run shot, in Chicago off White Sox starter John Danks.

We made two stops en-route to Pawtucket. After participating is sports on the weekend when young, we frequently went to Bonds Ice Cream Parlor in Elizabeth, NJ for a special milk shake, known as an Awful Awful. An Awful Awful was extra large, extra thick and could hardly be consumed through a straw. In recent years while visiting Newport, RI, I discovered that the Newport Creamery was selling Awful Awful milk shakes that were quite similar to those we enjoyed when young. In fact, the design of the glass they served them in (which had vertical ribs and Awful Awful written at the top in red letters) was similar to the one used at Bonds, except plastic instead of glass.

If one would drink three Awful Awfuls in one sitting at Bonds Ice Cream Parlor, they were recognized by having their name posted on a plaque on the wall. Well many of us tried, but not many of us succeeded. Though, my brother Bob (accompanying me on this trip) did succeed and was so recognized in the Awful Awful Club. So it was in honor of his feat, we made a small diversion from our route between NJ and Pawtucket, RI to stop at a Newport Creamery Restaurant in Providence, RI (http://www.newportcreamery.com/). We stopped on the drive to Pawtucket and again on our return after the game to enjoy both a pregame and postgame Awful Awful. We both consume a total of 48 ounces of very thick, creamy milk shake. Yum! Yum!

Our other stop had a more somber meanng. When reaching Groton, CT, we visit the “United States Submarine Veterans of World War Two National Submarine Memorial East.” (http://www.submarinehistory.com/WWIISubmarineMemorial-East.html). The memorial has three elements:

1. The Monument, which is formed from the upper part (conning tower, fairwater, and periscopes) of the WWII submarine USS Flasher. The USS Flasher and its crew hold the record for the most tonnage of enemy ships sunk by any submarine in Naval warfare history.

2. A series of Engraved Granite Stones each with a tribute to one of the 52 Submarines lost during WWII. Engraved on each stone is a silhouette of the ship, its name and number, information about where and how it was sunk, and the number of sailors lost.

3. Wall of Honor that lists the names to honor all those sailors that gave their lives in service of their country on these submarines during WWII.

My brother and I were motivated to make this stop because our uncle Walter F. Seidman is one of the submariners that lost his life when his ship the USS Argonaut was sunk during WWII. The Argonaut was on patrol near Rabaul in the South Pacific Ocean when on January 10, 1943 it became engaged in combat, was damaged by depth charges, and was sunk by surface ship fire when it had to surface. At the memorial, we were greeted by William Beaman USN (ret.), an American Patriot, who had done a number of tours of duty aboard the USS Flicker during WWII. Together we found the engraving of our uncle’s name that honored him on the Wall.

Twitter Roadtrip Information:

The tweets posted on Twitter for each of the games includes pre-game tweets with information about the league, each team participating in the games, and probable starting pitchers. In addition, travel information is provided such as the address of the stadium, a link to photos of the stadium, distance, and travel time. After the game, post-game tweets summarized the result, such as winning team, final score and overall team stats, winning and losing pitchers, and scoring highlights of the game.

Total number of Tweets: 128

Game 1: Toledo Mud Hens vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs

Number of tweets: 47

Time/Date of 1^st Tweet: 10:20 AM Jun 10th

Time/Date of last Tweet: 11:47 PM Jun 10th

Game 2: Norfolk Tides vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees

Number of tweets: 39

Time/Date of 1^st Tweet: 11:07 PM Jul 27th

Time/Date of last Tweet: 2:38 AM Jul 30th

Game 3: Buffalo vs. Pawtucket Red Sox

Number of tweets: 42

Time/Date of 1^st Tweet: 7:31 PM Aug 13th

Time/Date of last Tweet: 11:23 PM Aug 15th

Roadtrip Planning Resources

The following are the web resources used for planning the "International League of MLB Roadtrip.” Official Website of the International League: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=l117 Current Standings of the Teams in the International League: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=l_sta&lid=117&sid=l117 Official Websites of the Teams: Lehigh Valley IronPigs: http://www.ironpigsbaseball.com/ Toledo Mud Hens: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t512 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t531 Norfolk Tides: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t568 Pawtucket Red Sox: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t533 Buffalo Bisons: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t422 ·