L.I. Ducks: Bluefish Last Trip to Pond Going Swimmingly

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

1998 ~ 2017

Long Island Ducks: Bridgeport Bluefish Getting in Last Licks at The Pond.

Red hot Bridgeport has taken the first two games of their weekend series against the Ducks, and look to complete the sweep in Sunday's afternoon finale.

The Fish are now 8-2 in their last ten games, and have quietly lowered Long Island's Liberty Division lead to 3.5 games.  The Ducks have eight games remaining on their schedule including Sunday's game, while the Bluefish have seven.  This leaves the door open just a crack for the Fish, but open none the less.

Long Island let a 4-3 eighth inning lead slip away en route to a 6-5 loss in Friday's series opener.   Four Bridgeport pitchers then joined forces to whitewash the Ducks 4-0 on Saturday.  Sunday's finale against the Fish will conclude the last ever Ferry Series game played between the Long Island Sound neighbors.

Bridgeport, a charter member of the Atlantic League, began play twenty years ago in 1998.  It was announced earlier this year that 2017 would be their last.  Their final home game is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 17.  Unfortunately, the town doesn't want the team, and not the other way around.  The city of Bridgeport has already committed to alternative uses for what will become the former site of the Ballpark at Harbor Yard.

The team will be relocating to North Carolina for the 2018 season.

The Ballpark at Harbor Yard

N.Y. Giants: All Eyes On Offensive Line

From the desk of:  DO IT FOR THE DUKE

Nothing Changes

Everything Starts Up Front

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

NEW YORK GIANTS

vs.

DALLAS COWBOYS

FROM

The House That Jerry Built

TEXAS

New York Football Giants: Big Blue Will Go As Far As Their Offensive Line Takes Them.

We left off last season with Coach McAdoo downplaying the offensive line's pedestrian performance, and instead taking odd shots at Eli Manning, and placing the onus on his QB's individual play.

Coach McAdoo may have simply been employing tough talk tactics, especially coming off guiding the Giants to their first winning season since 2012, and first playoff appearance 2011.  There's also a part of me that totally understands the art and intricacies of Coach Ploy.  Indeed, many things coaches do and say serve specific reasons, particularly where it involves sending messages and/or singling out players.  And at this point, Coach and Eli are also no longer strangers to one another.  But if Coach McAdoo honestly believes his offensive line was not necessarily a problem (or the problem) last season, then we have a big problem on our hands.

I obviously believe the offensive line remains this team's greatest liability.  Last year's performance was mediocre at best ... and I think that's being kind.  One hand washes the other.  So, with regards to Eli, Coach McAdoo has obviously altered the plan since Kevin Gilbride once called the shots.  Eli played under duress.  Why?  His 6.7 yards per attempt last season were his lowest since 2008.  His 10.7 yards per completion were his lowest since 2006.  And while Eli's average yards per game, and QB rating improved dramatically during Coach McAdoo's time as offensive coordinator, Eli's yards per game and QB rating experienced a noticeable downturn last year, not coincidentally, during McAdoo's first year as head coach.

Point is, Coach might be talking out of both sides of his mouth.  It was his own offensive predictability that stood out most me.  That, and the team's complete lack of a running game.

Fact is, the Giants attained an 11-6 record last season despite their offensive line deficiencies.  And as far as I'm concerned, all that does is build false hope.  You saw what happened in the playoffs last season against the Packers.

Having a great defense is just that ... great!  But if your offensive line is incapable of pass protection, and creating daylight for the running game, and thereby managing the clock, then the quick strike system (aka Odell Beckham Jr.) allows the opposition every chance in the world to stay in the game, and position themselves for victory.  Why?  Because they'll likely have sufficient time on the clock. Said another way, the Giants can not win in December and January if their defense has been forced to play 32:00 to 38:00 minutes a game.

The alternative has been Eli needing to orchestrate a game saving 1:39 minute, 87 yard drive for the victory.

The Giants head into this season with the same offensive line as last season.  There's something to be said for continuity.  I believe in that.  But does this unit, as presently constituted, posses the talent worthy of such a time investment?

At left tackle, the answer is unequivocally, no..!  Ereck Flowers must blossom this season, and preferably sooner in the year that later.  There's no doubt all eyes will be on him.  But will Eli need eyes in the beck of his head?

Hoepfully (I can't stress that enough), LG Just Pugh is a year wiser, and a year better.  And at Center, I'm expecting perhaps too much from Weston Richburg.  I have a belief that winning, success, or at the very least a effective running game is born of an all-pro caliber center.  Look how the Jets ran with Jeff Mangold, then how their running game fell off the planet without him.  The same thing happened last year of the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl against the Patriots.  Atlanta couldn't keep the Patriots offense off the field once their center got hurt because they could longer run the ball effectively.  The Giants won Super Bowls with Bart Oates at center, with Joe Morris, and O.J. Anderson, and Sean O'Hara at center with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw.  Get the picture?

The right side of the line is a complete mystery to me.  I have no idea what we'll be getting, from what is sure to be a revolving door system, involving John Jerry, Bobby Hart, and D.J. Fluker.

At least Jerry Reese thought enough to fortify tight end, if only to help the running game, and give Eli an occasional outlet.  But by no means are any of them a primary pass option, and that's too bad.

To make this long story short, and as good as this defense is expected to be, the Giants will only go as far as their offensive line takes them.

PIGSKIN 2017: Opening Week

PIGSKIN

Football Sunday

WEEK ONE

Welcome back!  What a Super Bowl, huh?

Before getting started, allow me to explain what I do here.  I usually post my picks on Friday according to the day's spread.  Unless the Giants/Jets are playing, PIGSKIN picks involve Sunday games only.  My preferred unit of worthlessness is the Bagel.  That's right ... each game is worth one Bagel, and I list a Schmear of the Week worth three Bagels.  And just to be clear, I do this for fun.   So, if you get all Craig Carton'd up and lose real money as a result of following my picks, that's your problem.  Not mine.

Notes:

• Since Daniel Snyder won't change his team name, I did it for him.
• I usually get all Cleveland Browns games wrong.
• Everyone seems to have two teams they root for.  Therefore I'm first and foremost a Giants fan, and I've been a Raiders fan since the days of Ken Stabler, Dave Casper, Coach Madden, etc.

Week One:

Saturday Line NYDN

Giants +4 (COWBOYS)

Ezekiel Elliott?  Really?  Cowboys, Jerry Jones ... nothing about that organization surprises me anymore.  I was down on JPP last season.  Not this year.  And I always hated starting the season against Dallas.  Not this year.
Loss  19-3 Cowboys

BILLS -9 (Jets)

Gang Green's horrible season starts, now.
PUSH  21-12 Bills

Falcons -6 1/2 (BEARS)

Talk about pissed off.  I still say the Falcons were incapable of running the ball after their center got hurt.  Why no one made a bigger deal of that is ponderous.  That prevented Atlanta from keeping Tom Brady and the Patriots' offense off the field.  The rest is Super Bowl history.
Loss  23-17 Falcons

TEXANS -5 1/2 (Jaguars)

Tom Coughlin will make a difference in Jacksonville ... eventually.
Loss  29-7 Jaguars

D.C. HOGS +1 (Eagles)

Opening day upset anyone?
Loss  30-17 Eagles

Cardinals -2 (LIONS)

This is the Cardinals last chance before their window of opportunity slams shut.
Loss  35-23 Lions

Raiders +2 1/2 (TITANS)

See Atlanta ... the Raiders have one pissed-off quarterback on their hands who's gonna take out last season's frustrations on this year's opposition.
WIN  26-16 Raiders

Buccaneers @ DOLPHINS

Game has been moved to Week Eleven due to Hurricane Irma.  I have family in Florida, as I'm sure many of you do too.

BENGALS -3 (Ravens)

Rebuild said the Raven...
Loss  20-0 Ravens

Steelers -9 (BROWNS)

I've often wondered how Paul DePodesta (former NY Mets front office executive) thinks he's going to turn around the Browns.  Can't draft high school players in the NFL, dude.
Loss  21-18 Steelers

RAMS -4 (Colts)

The Colts can not protect Andrew Luck.  Oh wait, he's not playing!
WIN  46-9 Rams

PACKERS -3 (Seahawks)

I'm as apathetic as Las Vegas on this one.  Take the home team and the points.  Can you say, Push?
WIN  17-9 Packers

Panthers -5 (49ERS)

This is all about Carolina.  Does happy-go-lucky Cam show up, or does despondent Newton rule the day?
WIN  23-3 Panthers

Schmear of the Week:

Cardinals -2 1/2
LOSS

Guten Appetit:

Why fight tradition?  We're kicking off the new season with chicken wings - buffalo, bbq, and parmesan style.  Making bruschetta with my own tomato, basil, and parsley.  I grew hot peppers this season too!  So I'll be making a salsa, and tossing in my home grown cucumbers, bell peppers, and arugula into another salad.

Good luck, and have a great Football Sunday everyone!

POST-GAME:
Week One Record:  4-7-1
Schmear of the Week:  0-1
Bagels in the Basket:  -7

S.I. Yankees: Baby Bombers Capture Division Flag

From the desk of: THE RICHMOND COUNTY BABES

Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George

McNamara Division Titles

2000, 2002, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2011, 2013

2017

Staten Island Yankees: Richmond County Babes Clinch Their Ninth McNamara Division Title.

On a wet Wednesday evening, the Staten Island Yankees gained a rain shortened/official game victory over the visiting Brooklyn Cyclones to clinch the organization's ninth division title, and their first since 2013.

With the Yanks holding a slim 2-1 lead, the umpire's call to halt play came after Staten Island reliever Kaleb Ort struck out the side during Brooklyn's top half of the 6th inning.  Despite initially playing through rain, conditions worsened and the game was therefore declared official shortly thereafter.

The New York-Penn League regular season wraps up on Thursday.  Or does it?

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers captured the Pinckney Division, while the Vermont Lake Monsters won the Stedler Division.  In posting the NYPL's top regular season record, Richmond draws the Wild Card in the first round of playoffs.  Hudson Valley presently leads the Wild Card race by 2.5 games over Aberdeen.  However, two straight rain postponements involving the Aberdeen @ Hudson Valley series have naturally created a big problem.

Stay tuned...

• Someone failed to inform Cyclones starter Briam Campusano that Brooklyn will finish the NYPL season last in team ERA.  Needless to say, the Brooklyn Cyclones will close out their worst regular season, ever, when they host the Yankees at Coney Island on Thursday.  Briam Campusano, however, pitched a gem albeit in a losing effort.  Staten Island's two runs in the 2nd inning were scored on ground ball outs.  Otherwise, Campusano allowed just one hit and a walk through five innings, while fanning seven.

The Yankees will undoubtedly rely on their pitching.  Offensively, their team average, slugging, and runs scored is comparatively bottom tier.  On the mound, however, Staten Island owns the best team ERA with a 2.62 mark, and a league low 1.10 WHiP.  They also lead the league in shutouts, and their bullpen has posted the most saves.

Roberto Clemente Day

ROBERTO CLEMENTE WALKER

1934 ~ 1972

HOF: Roberto Clemente Day

Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, and Roberto Clemente

entrance lobby at Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown

Summer 2017

Summer 2017

PNC PARK

PITTSBURGH

Posvar Hall

University of Pittsburgh

Roberto Clemente Stadium

Carolina, Puerto Rico

2013

Translation:

"I want to be remembered as a baseball player 

who gave all he had to give."

All photos are my own/Cooperstown/Pittsburgh/Puerto Rico

Minor League Showdown Between Mets and Yankees Affiliates

From the desks of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET  and  BLAME CARLOS MAY

EASTERN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

GAME ONE

Trenton

Thunder

vs.

Binghamton

Rumble Ponies

FROM
NYSEG STADIUM

Binghamton Rumble Ponies: New York Mets Upstate Club Set to Face Yankees Affiliate in (AA) Eastern League Semi-Finals.

It's not exactly the Subway Series; no crosstown rivalry here.  But because the Mets triple-A affiliate plays in the PCL, and the Yankees top farm club plays in the International League, the upcoming playoff match-up pitting the Binghamton Rumble Ponies against the Trenton Thunder in the Eastern League's division playoff is perhaps the next closest thing.

In fact, I'm looking forward to it.

On Wednesday, the post-season commences throughout the MiLB landscape.

As they say in Binghamton, 

The Road to Queens Runs Through Rumble Town

Only problem is, the road to the Eastern League championship series goes through Trenton.  With a 92-48 regular season record, the (AA-Yankees) Thunder won the Eastern Division handily, by six games over the second place (AA-Mets) Rumble Ponies, whom nonetheless posted a stellar 85-54 (.612) regular season record.

I timed my most recent road trip so as to catch last Sunday's game in Binghamton.  I thought the team's early-afternoon decision postponing the game was hasty.  It rained throughout the previous night and through the morning ... yes.  But as indicated by weather forecasts, all rain had ceased by mid-afternoon (considering a 6:35pm start time).  A sign posted at the ticket office stated the game was ultimately called due to unfavorable field conditions.

Plausible ... I guess.  At least the geese enjoyed themselves.

My initial plan was to catch Sunday's game in Binghamton, then trek again to New Jersey for Labor Day's 1pm game in Trenton.  With a planned overnight stay in a Binghamton hotel, we stuck around for Monday's 1pm game then headed home.

The division series starts on Wednesday in Binghamton, with Game Two on Thursday.  Friday's Game Three (Four, Five if necessary) will be in Trenton.  The winner moves on the Eastern League championships against the winner of Altoona Curve/Bowie Baysox series.

I'm looking forward to third baseman David Thompson and recently promoted 

first baseman Peter Alonso (pictured above alongside L.J. Mazzilli) competing against Trenton.

Affiliates: 2017 Mets vs. Yankees Comparison

AAA  Pacific Coast League: (NYM) Las Vegas 51s - last place.
AAA  International League: (NYY) Scranton/WB RailRiders - first place.

AA  Eastern League: (NYM) Binghamton Rumble Ponies - second place
AA  Eastern League: (NYY) Trenton Thunder - first place.

A+  Florida State League: (NYM) St. Lucie Mets - last place.
A+  Florida State League: (NYY) Tampa Yanks - first place.

A  South Atlantic League: (NYM) Colombia Fireflies - last place.
A  South Atlantic League: (NYY) Charleston River Dogs - first place.

A-  New York Penn League: (NYM) Brooklyn Cyclones - last place.
A-  New York Penn League: (NYY) Staten Island Yankees - first place.

L.I. Ducks: Rain Stalls Freedom Division Race

From the desk of: THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Ducks @ YORK

GAME CALLED

9/5/17

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Flock Set to Meddle in Freedom Division Affairs

The Flock own a 6.5 game lead over the Bridgeport Bluefish with 12 game left to protect it.  All but three of those games will be on the road.  Should they hold on, Long Island would face the Somerset Patriots in the Liberty Division playoff.

With a 36-34 first-half record, the Ducks finished six games behind first-half champ Somerset.  Long Island has posted a 34-24 second-half record thus far, and entered Tuesday's action tied with the Lancaster Barnstormers with the best overall record in the Atlantic League.

Bridgeport and the Ducks will face each other this coming weekend when the Bluefish visit the Pond.

In the meantime, Long Island is poised to play a disruptive role in the Freedom Division's race for the second-half flag.  The York Revolution and Lancaster Barnstormers each entered Tuesday's action locked in a tie for first, with the Sugar Land Skeeters trailing by only 2.5 games.

Tuesday's series opener between York and visiting Long Island was rained out.  Lancaster also encountered rain in New Britain while trailing the Bees 7-5 in the seventh.  After Long Island's weekend series against Bridgeport, the Ducks will visit Lancaster in the penultimate series of the regular season.  The Ducks will then close out the regular season against the Skeeters in Sugar Land.

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs captured the first half Freedom Division flag.

Road Trips 2017: Hartford Yard Goats

Established: 2016

(AA) Colorado Rockies Affiliate

August 13, 2017

Minor league fans, history buffs, and road trippers alike, I promise you visiting Hartford, Connecticut, is time well spent.  Aside from exploring Wilmington for the first time, I had been spending this summer revisiting familiar MLB towns like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.  I was therefore looking forward to seeing Double-A baseball in a new town, and searching out Hartford's other points of historical baseball significance.

Church of the Good Shepard's Caldwell Colt Memorial

Former site of the Hartford Dark Blues Base Ball Club Grounds

The Dark Blues were a member club of the National Association of Professional Baseball Players during the years 1874 and 1875.  In 1876, they became a charter member club of the National League.  In 1877, the club relocated to Union Grounds in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, where they adapted the team name to the Brooklyn Hartfords.  The team folded at season's end.

As a life-long baseball fan particularly fascinated by its early history, I applaud those collectively and personally responsible, along with the city of Hartford, for setting these markers in place.

Morgan G. Bulkeley Stadium

Home Field

Hartford Senators 1921-1932 (Class-A) Eastern League

Hartford Senators 1934 (Class-B) Northeastern League

Hartford Laurels/Bees/Chiefs 1938-1952 (Class-A) Eastern League

The Hartford Senators were established in 1878.  In 1921, team owner Jim Clarkin opened the gates to brand new Clarkin Field.  Upon his retirement from baseball after the 1927 season, the park was renamed to commemorate the former owner of the Hartford Dark Blues, the first President of the National League, and former Governor of Connecticut, Morgan G. Bulkeley.  

Before becoming a permanent fixture at first base and Captain of the New York Yankees, Lou Gehrig played 205 minor league games for the Hartford Senators.  During their 1923 Eastern League championship season, the Iron Horse batted .304, and slugged .749, with 13 doubles, 8 triples, 8 home runs, and 24 RBI, in 59 games.

Photo Featured at Dunkin Donuts Park

• In 2001, MiLB commissioned a list to determine the all-time best 100 minor league teams in which the 1931 Hartford Senators ranked 26th.

• In 1932, the Senators were an affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

• The Hartford (Laurels/Bees) Chiefs were established in 1938, and spent 15 years through 1952 as an affiliate of the Boston Braves.

• In Sept. 1945, Babe Ruth played his last ever game at the age of fifty, for charity, appearing as a pinch hitter for the Savitt Gems at Bulkeley Stadium.

• Hartford Blues of the National Football League played at Bulkeley Stadium in 1926.

• Bulkeley Stadium was demolished in 1955.

The site where Bulkeley Stadium once stood is now a nursing home, which keeps the memories and spirit of Bulkeley Stadium alive and well.  Within the main lobby is a wall adorned with framed images chronicling Hartford's proud baseball past.  The centerpiece of their collection is clearly the photo of Babe Ruth's appearance at Bulkeley Stadium.

The Babe

2017

DUNKIN DONUTS PARK

Inaugural Season

The Yard Goats Played Their First Season on the Road