The Staten Island Yankees at the dugout railAnother sadly baseball-less night. Even worse, it feels like winter. It's turned cold, and a nor'easter is roaring up the coast tonight. Probably just as well that the Yankees don't have home field advantage, because the weather's not going to be good tomorrow in the Bronx.
Nothing like memories of midsummer on a night like this. In late June, I went to a Hudson Valley Renegades game. They were playing the Staten Island Yankees. They are Class A-Short Season teams; the Renegades are a Tampa Rays affiliate. It's short season because the season begins in late June, so college players have time to play in the College World Series before reporting. As you might guess, many of the players are newly signed draftees, learning to hit with wooden bats for the first time. I was hoping to see some of the new draft picks, and there were quite a few there.
The Rays' 2nd round pick, Derek Dietrich.
Kyle Roller, the Yankees' 8th round pick.
Robby Price, the Rays' 13th round pick.
RHP Austin Hubbard, the Rays' 14th round pick.
Nate Garcia, Tampa's 16th round pick.
Michael Ferraro, the Yankees' 20th round pick.
The Yankees' 23rd round pick, Shane Brown.
Casey at the bat: 25th round pick Casey Stevenson.
Mike Gipson, drafted in the 31st round by the Yankees.
Robert Dickman, drafted in the 36th round by the Rays.
LHP Fred Lewis, drafted in the 47th round by the Yanks.
As it turned out, it was opening day for the Renegades. If I'd realized that, I'd have picked another game. Traffic is a nightmare on Rte. 9D at best, and so is getting in and out of the poorly designed Dutchess Stadium parking lot. Opening day made it exponentially worse, not mention a lot more crowded.
It was interesting to see the new recruits, but all in all, I prefer Triple-A. The level of competition is so much higher. Plus, you don't have to run a traffic gauntlet from hell to get to PNC Field in Scranton.
Labels: baseball photography, game photos, hudson valley renegades, minor league baseball, staten island yankees
Thursday's game was rained out, which meant a doubleheader on Friday. Apparently, the reason it took them so long to call the game was that Charlotte really didn't want to play a doubleheader Friday. It was getaway day for them, and they didn't want to hang around to play two. Therefore, the doubleheader started at 5:30pm - early even for a doubleheader. With each game only 7 innings (as is usually the case with minor league doubleheaders), the Knights should be able to leave town on time.
The early start time meant I would have to leave work early to get there on time. I wasn't sure I'd be able to get off early, so I didn't trade my raincheck for the doubleheader. Turns out, I was able to get the time off. There were no lower deck tickets available at game time, though. The first time this year that that happened. Probably because it was a doubleheader, and a Friday night (which means free fireworks after the game).
So I had to sit in the upper deck. I wasn't expecting that, so didn't have my really long lens. My photos aren't that great, but I'm posting a few anyway. ;-)
Andy Phillips before the game started:
You can really see the blond and red highlights in his hair.
Eh. Save your money for your daughter's education, Andy. You don't need highlights.
George Kontos started for SWB.
Carlos Torres started for Charlotte:
SWB scored in the bottom of the first. Austin Jackson walked, then Shelley Duncan hit a double:
Right fielder Josh Kroeger fields Duncan's double:
Austin Jackson scored from 1B.
Andy Phililps was 0 for 2 with a walk, but reached on an error.
Andy was playing 3B in the first game of the doubleheader, which gave me a good angle while he was warming up.
Mark Melancon pitched 1.2 innings.
Andy showing off his highlights. ;-)
Jackson's run in the first was the only one scored in the game. Charlotte 0, SWB 1.
Labels: Andy Phillips, baseball photography, Charlotte Knights, game photos, minor league baseball, Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees
Andy Phillips showed no mercy to his former teamAndy Phillips started at 1B and batted cleanup for the Charlotte Knights. He was 2 for 4 with a run scored, but did the most damage with his glove. He made three amazing plays that just killed the SWB Yanks. I'm afraid I didn't get any photos of those; they just happened too fast. Two of them were stabbing grabs of what seemed like sure base hits. In the other, he ran all the way out to right field, and reached into the stands to grab a foul ball. I could hardly believe he got out there. He was very deep in right field when he made the catch.
I think Andy was checking out my camera:
And here he is on the top step of the dugout. Looks like he still has those blond and red highlights, for those who were wondering:
Starting for the Baby Bombers was Casey Fossum. He was released by the Mets earlier in the season, and signed a minor league contract with the Yankees. The fans next to me, a couple of older gentlemen, were surprised to see him, and even more surprised that he wasn't on the 40-man roster.
Going for the Knights was former Yankee
Jose Contreras. He pitched so poorly for the White Sox that they sent him to the bullpen, and then to the minors. He cleared waivers, and ended up starting for the Knights.
Donny Lucy and Andy Phillips with Contreras on the mound.
Andy uses his amazing powers of telekinesis to levitate a baseball in midair:
Austin Jackson at the plate. He went 1 for 3 with a walk.
Andy singles:
He would eventually score, two singles and a GIDP later. He celebrates with this teammates:
Not sure what was going on here. He was talking to someone in the dugout:
White Sox outfielder Brian Anderson was with the Knights on a rehab assignment.
Andy got very upset over a call by the home plate umpire. He started in towards the plate, but a coach stepped in and blocked him.
He was still mad, complaining to the 1B umpire, two outs later.
I saw him get upset in a similar situation during a spring training game last year. Seems kind of odd, since Andy seems like such a nice guy. But he didn't seem to be upset for himself. Both times, he seemed to be angry on behalf of a teammate, so perhaps it's a team loyalty thing.
First baseman Juan Miranda at bat:
Andy walking into the dugout after the final out. He seemed to know some of the people in the stands, and was talking to them.
Final score:
Charlotte 2, Scranton 0. As of this game, the SWB Yankees had gone over 44 innings without scoring a run.
Labels: Andy Phillips, baseball photography, Charlotte Knights, game photos, minor league baseball, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
