Month: June 2008

Ballgirl video hoists viral marketing campaign

A few people have sent me a link to a video of the ballgirl who caught the foul ball in left field to the supposed amazement of the leftfielder.  It does look pretty amazing.  Unfortunately, it’s a hoax.

It’s part of a viral marketing campaign by a sports drink company.  The ballgirl in question is stuntwoman Phoenix Brown and the video was apparently shot during and after a game by the Fresno Grizzlies and Tacoma Rainiers. 

Brown was attached to wires in order to make the big jump. 

The viral marketing campaign has been effective.  On YouTube alone, the video has been viewed over a half million times and each time a bottle of the sports drink is prominently displayed at the end of video.  In addition, any talk of the viral campaign brings them more advertising. 

Come on guys, did you really think a ballplayer was going to let a girl show him up like that?

EI League: Chambana vs Effingham

The EI League is a wood bat league.

Today, I made my way over to Champaign to catch EI League baseball action.  The EI (Eastern Illinois) League is a wood bat league which has mostly college or college-age players.

I made my way to McKinley Field. the home field of Champaign Central High School’s baseball team as well as EI’s Chambana team.  Chambana was hosting Effingham today for a doubleheader.  This was my first EI Baseball League so I was coming not knowing a whole lot about the players, teams or the league.

Kyle Wilson pitched 6 shutout innings for Effingham in Game 1

Someone did tell me that Effingham was at the bottom of their division.  Boy, you wouldn’t know it by the way they played today.  Behind the pitching of Kyle Wilson, they cruised to a 10-0 victory in the first game.  The game was called after seven innings because of a 10-run rule, it was explained to me.

Wilson also managed to strike out 10 Chambana batters.

014

Manager Bruce Barber having a chat with the ump

Frustrations were running high in the Chambana dugout, it would appear.  Manager Bruce Barber came out early in the game to argue about what he felt was a baserunning error by Effingham’s pinchrunner.  Towards the end of the game when the score and pretty much everything else was getting out of hand, batter Drake Wallace argued with the home plate ump on a called strike.  Obviously, they didn’t see eye to eye and words were exchanged.  Wallace went back to the dugout and still more words were exchanged.  Words I can’t really write here.  Let’s just say he wanted the ump to kiss him… but not on mouth.

Well, needless to say, he got ejected.  Then out comes Manager Bruce Barber with a song and dance about the ump not hearing him correctly (something about rabbit-ears) and it wasn’t long before Barber gets the thumb too.

A guy I was watching the game with said he thought Barber was just trying get the rest of team pumped up since they were down 8-0 at that point.

Chambana Game 2 starter Matt Miller

Game Two’s starter for Chambana was Matt Miller.  Miller was practically a walk-on for today’s game, according to his father.  Interestingly, the last league Miller pitched for was the Chicago Suburban Baseball League.  The CSBL is a popular league for Illini players (this year, we have two playing there).

Unfortunately, for Chambana, Effingham played not like a last place team but a team on the rise.  They defeated Chambana 13-3 with Ryan Bradley getting the win.

More photos in the photo gallery

EI Baseball League web site

Vintage Baseball: Vermilion Voles vs St Louis Perfectos

“One man dead!”

Today, the family and I headed out to Kennekuk County Park to see the Vermilion Voles play some vintage base ball.  The St Louis Perfectos complete with their red socks and all, came to play.

It was a beautiful day and when we arrived, I was pleased to see that there was a good crowd, so much so that we needed to park out by the road.  No complaints… I’m glad the Voles are getting some attention.

Speaking of attention, the Voles were getting some media attention today.  A cameraman from the local news station (Channel 3) was out there getting some good footage of them.

Today they had a doubleheader and we were able to stay for the first game.  As for the game itself, it was probably one of the best vintage base ball games that I’ve seen.  When we arrived somewhere around the 3rd frame, it was 4-3 Voles.  I heard later that the Voles had never beaten the Perfectos before so I bet the Voles were pretty excited.

The Perfectos tallied an ace in the 7th to tie the game to put it in extras.  Captain Jim “Weed Eater” Knoblauch told me that was the first time they had a extra-inning game at Kennekuk Park.

Two innings later, the Perfectos hit a 3-run double in the top of the inning.  The Voles managed to put to men on base in the bottom of the inning but were left stranded.  Perfectos won 7-4.

A good game by all gentleman (and gentlelady)!

Here are few of the photos I got today:

One thing I remember about the Perfectos from last year is their insanely red socks.

Voles’ catcher Rita “Hustle” Hostetler gets friendly with the opposition.

I swear, this cigar never left the mouth of this Perfecto ballist.  Whether he was batting or playing catcher, it stayed there.

This two-parter shows a dandy play by the Voles’ third-sacker.

I thought this gentleman bore a resemblance to Morrie from the Dick Van Dyke Show.  I’m not laughing though.  He was 5 for 5 with 5 rbis.  Well done, sir!

Between games, Ed “Hambone” Hamiliton, who is the tallykeeper for the Voles, led the fans in a rousing song of “Buffalo Gals”.

When we got home tonight, I overheard my 8-year old daughter singing it to herself.  Well played, Hambone!

Hambone at his normal station.

You’ll find lots more photos from today at the Photo Gallery.

Once again, we had a really good time.  Unfortunately, the Voles couldn’t pull it out but it was a really good game with some really good defense (see the two photos above).  Hopefully, the Voles came out the victor in game two.

If you’re in the East Central Illinois area, come out to a Voles game sometime.  You’ll find their schedule on the Voles’ web site.  If you don’t live in the area, find a vintage base ball team around you.  A good place to start is the Vintage Base Ball Association directory.  Maybe there’s a team around you and you don’t know it.

Local baseball this weekend

For those in the Eastern Illinois area, there are a couple chances to catch some good baseball fun this weekend.

Vermilion Voles

The Voles are hosting the St Louis Perfectos on Saturday at 1pm.  The game will be at beautiful Kennekuk Park near Danville. 

If you haven’t had a chance to see this particular brand of vintage base ball, do get out and try it out.  It’s a lot of fun. 

Schedule and directions to the park are at the Voles’ web site.

Chambana Baseball

Chambana is a member of the Eastern Illinois League.  They’ll be playing a doubleheader against Effingham on Sunday at 1pm.  Chambana’s home field is McKinley Field which is at near Champaign Central High School. 

I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing an EI League game yet but heard good things about the league from a friend.  Apparently, the games are quite an experience.  I’m planning to get out there this Sunday.

More details at Chambana’s web site and the EI League web site.

Scorekeeping 101

image-300x161

Here’s an pretty cool web site I ran across tonight.  Coach Bobby B has an extensive tutorial on his web site on how to score a baseball game.  I realize I’m preaching to the choir since most reading this site probably have a pretty good idea how to do this but it’s interesting and good resource for those newbies learning the game. 

Those of us in the Illowa APBA League have a lot of practice scoring games.  Unlike other fantasy baseball, APBA is a simulation game.  Actual games get played, stats are accumulated and therefore we need to score them. 

There are ten managers in our league and we use ten different ways of scorekeeping.  Everyone’s way is different.  Some are incredibly thorough (bordering on anal).  Others can fit six games on one side of a sheet of paper. 

Anyway, for those who want to brush up on scorekeeping, take a look at How to Score Baseball. 

IT’S THE BADDEST PART OF TOWN

Last week I got tickets to see the Sox play the Cubs Friday & Sunday at the Cell. That was before going to Waupaca while the Sox lost three straight at the un-Friendly Confines. The Cubbies then hosted the Orioles from Baltimore, losing two of three to the Birds. While the Sox traveled across country and took two of three from the Dodgers. So now it was time for the rematch. I was not looking forward to sharing my home with Cub fans, but at least I wouldn’t be at Wrigley. I was excited to back the Sox as they tried to hang onto their 1/2 game lead over Minnesota. Remember I’ve got a ten game winning streak.

The Cubs had their best pitcher on the hill, Ryan Dempster, but he hadn’t won on the road. Dempster hadn’t lost at home, would the Cell feel like home, with all the Cub fans in the house? Jose Contreras started for the Good Guys in Black. The Cubs hamered Jose last weekend on the northside.

Derrick Rose threw out the first pitch, a strike, to Mark Buehrle. I’ve had season’s tickets for the Bulls for 30+ years. I REALLY wanted the Bulls to draft local kid, Memphis point guard, two time Illinois State Champion at Simeon High School in Chicago. So I was very excited to give Rose a big Chicago welcome.

The Cubs leadoff man reached base, but with one on & one out, Derrek Lee grounded into a doubleplay. The Pale Hose jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead, but that didn’t look like it would hold up, as Contreras lost control & got into a bases loaded jam, but DP Lee obliged once again.

The Sox pushed the envelope with aggressive baserunning, especially against Eric Patterson (who didn’t look any better than brother Corey & he wasn’t up to the challenge of playing LF). I wore my Nick Swisher tee, as luck would have it, Swish stepped in with the bags juiced, and took the ball the opposite way for a grand slam to put the game on ice. Dempster was tagged for eight earned runs, the Sox were up 8-0, enroute to a 10-3 drubbing of the Cubs.

Alexei Ramirez wasn’t available, as his wife went into labor. There were lotsa Cub fans there to see their team, but there were also some of my good friends, Adele, her cousin Mary, Dick & Bea, Steve, Caramel-Corn Mike, and new/old friend Dennis.

Rich going down-Hill?

What’s happened to Rich Hill?  It looks like after his stint with the AAA Iowa Cubs, he’ll be demoted once again. 

Three starts ago with the I-Cubs, he allowed only one hit in five innings.  Cynics will joke that opponents could only get one hit because he couldn’t get the ball over the plate.  In that game, he allowed seven walks. 

The downward trend continued on June 11 when he gave up three runs in four innings while walking six.  Unlike the previous game, Hill got the loss. 

Finally, last Friday, Hill didn’t last even one inning.  In 2/3 of a frame walked four and allowed three hits and six runs in front of a home crowd.  Apparently, that was the last straw for Cubs management as he’s been sent down to AA. 

At this point, I don’t expect him back for a while, if at all. 

Hill came up through the Cubs system highly touted and while he’s had his ups and downs in the majors, he put together a solid season in 2007.  There’s no doubt the hard throwing lefty has talent but confidence has been an issue.  At this point, is it an over-statement to say he has a case of the yips?

Steve Blass, anyone?

Incentive is a wonderful thing for Carlos Zambrano

Carlos Zambrano says he wants to be healthy so he can pitch in this year’s All-Star game.  The reason is simple:  He wants the National League to win so his Cubs will gain home field advantage. 

“I’m ready,” he said Thursday. “I want to pitch in the all-star game. I want to be there. I want to help the National League, so we can be in the World Series and get homefield advantage. With a little help from me, (Arizona’s Brandon) Webb and (Cincinnati’s Edinson) Volquez, and the rest of the hitters and pitchers, we can finally win one.”

I like his optimism… and his motivation.

Z is likely to come off the 15-day DL on July 4th, just in time for the midseason classic.  He’ll begin throwing from a bullpen mound Sunday.

Retrosheet upgrades their web site

Retrosheet Boxscore

Good news for stathounds.  Retrosheet.org has updated their website.  In addition to making changes to their user interface, they’ve added to their database. 

The site looks great moving from a frame-based format to a top menubar complete with some new snazzy graphics. 

More importantly, they’ve added some more seasons in their quest to add more play-by-play data from past years.  According to David Smith from Retrosheet, seasons that have been added include:

  • 1921 NL
  • 1953 NL
  • 1954 AL (NL was released earlier)
  • 1955 both leagues

[Link]