Full of Surprises

A tribute to Stanley Coveleski, the Hall of Fame pitcher who retired in South Bend.

Where to begin with this one? I try to do a little background research before going to a stadium. Other blogs, the team websites and maps give me an idea of what to expect, but I’m often pleasantly surprised. Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium, home of the High-A South Bend Cubs, knocked my socks off. 

It’s not a new stadium, by average standards, but it looks like it could have been built yesterday instead of almost 35 years ago. It’s not quite as wide open as the stadiums that are being built today, but it has wide concourses that open out with views of the field once you get past about first and third base. The 5,000 seats are spread out around home base and along the baselines in a way that puts everyone close to the action on the field.

Splash pad in the outfield. Great for the kids on a hot day.

Apparently it was one of the first stadiums to “open up” the walkways behind the seating arena and served as a model for other ballparks that followed. There’s a walkway completely around the field that provides good views except for a small area behind the batter’s eye and some structures in center field. There are play areas for kids, a lively and popular splash fountain that even has changing rooms for the youngsters that get soaked.

A few years ago, there was a major renovation effort around the stadium and now the outfield is surrounded by apartment buildings that provide views for residents and rooftop seats for others, just like at the big ballpark in Chicago’s north side. Of course, the name and the team logos are a dead giveaway that South Bend is an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

Seating on the rooftop, party decks down below.

There are other references to the big home team. There are signs above the various concession stands that say things like “Clark Street” and “Waveland Avenue” to help you remember where you saw the ice cream cones or the chicken fingers for sale.

One of the best nods to Chicago is the alternate identify the South Bend Cubs have adopted for the Copa de la Diversíon series: Los Cabritos Maldichos, or the little cursed goats. I found out about them in the team store, which I had a little difficulty finding, because it was in an unusual place beyond the outfield. The store is inside what might be the only synagogue building attached to a ballpark.

The South Bend Cubs team store is located in the historic Sons of Israel synagogue. 

The Sons of Israel synagogue was built in 1901, but had outlived its usefulness as a house of worship. It was sold several times over the years as people tried to figure out what to do with the historic landmark until it was taken over by the Cubs. The building has been restored inside and out, except that now it’s full of South Bend Cubs merchandise.

Double header fare. Fried curds for starters, Philly steak nachos in the nightcapper.

The food at Four Winds is top notch. I started with an order of fried cheese curds, a treat that I am happy to say has migrated from its homeland in Wisconsin, and I was going to have something small later in the game. Then people started showing up with a dish that looked and smelled delicious. It turned out to be a Philly cheese steak, not in a roll, but piled over a basket of tortilla chips. There were many other tempting options, too many for even a double header, and too many to list them all. But you can look at the menus here.

I had another surprise when I arrived in South Bend early and went straight to my hotel west of town to check in rather than exploring downtown. It’s a good thing, because when I double-checked the game time, I found out there was a double header of sorts, a continuation of the game that had been suspended the night before. The game would resume at 5:05 with the regular game starting about a half hour after the end of the first game.

Early arrivals for the double header at Four Winds Field.

I didn’t even unload the car because it was almost 4 o’clock and I figured the gates would be open by the time I got there. It would give me time to settle in, visit the shop, grab a bite to eat, etc. There were a few people waiting outside when I got to the stadium but the gates weren’t open. I bought my ticket and asked when the ballpark would open.

“5 o’clock.”

I don’t know. I guess it was going to take time to get the stadium staff organized and the concession stands up and running, but five minutes didn’t seem like a lot of time to get us through the gates and into our seats. Well, I thought, they finished two innings the night before and there was no score, so it would be kind of like watching a 7-inning game from the start.

To my surprise, I looked out on to the field and saw the bases were loaded with two outs in the top of the third inning. That was the situation at the time the game was suspended when a big storm rolled through town. It didn’t take long for the game to get exciting. On a 1-2 count, Michael Massey hit one over the right center field fence, and just like that, the Quad Cities River Bandits were up 4-0 over the Cubs.

South Bend got back into the game with the score 5-3 at the end of the 6th, but the River Bandits batted around in the 7th and added two more runs in the 9th for a 12-4 lead. The Cubs fought back in the bottom half scoring 4 runs and loading the bases with two out for Bryce Windham, who represented the tying run. It was his second at bat of the inning, and for the second time he flied out to end the game. Final, game 1: Quad Cities River Bandits 12, South Cubs 8.

The moon came up for a view over the first base stands.

In the second game, the Cubs came back to tie things up 4-4 in the sixth, but the River Bandits scored two in the extra 8th inning and the Cubs could manage just one more run. Final, game 2: Quad Cities 6, South Bend Cubs 5.

One more thing: I believe this is my first baseball game where one of the umpires was a woman. Jen Pawol, one of two women currently working in the minor leagues and the seventh woman to umpire in men’s professional baseball, was behind the plate for the first game and in the field for the second game. You can read more about her here. She has an interesting story.

Jen Pawol makes the call at third base.

The Winning Number

Day Air Ballpark completes my tour of all the Cincinnati Reds teams.

Day Air Ballpark, home of the Dayton Dragons, opened in 2000 as Fifth Third Field. It’s a big, spacious ballpark, like so many that were built around the same time. It has a large capacity for an A league team, more than 7,000 stadium seats and room for another thousand fans in general admission areas. The year the stadium opened, the full season was sold out before a single game was played. The team went on to set a number of attendance records, not just for baseball, but all professional sports.

Heater the Dragon greets fans at the gate. His friend Gem is in the background.

There was a big crowd on hand for the Dragons’ matchup with their cross-state rivals, the Lake County Captains, the High-A team of the Cleveland Indians. The two teams are neck-and-neck in the standings and trying to get a spot in the High-A Central post-season championship series. The loyal fans were rewarded with an exciting finish on Wednesday when James Free came to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded in a game tied at 2-2.

A sundog peeks over the top of the crowded stadium. 

I usually root for the home team, but I try to get copies of the team rosters so I can stay more involved in the game. One thing I look for is a player who wears No. 28, which has somehow become my number whenever I buy a game-worn jersey. Half of the time, there is no 28 on the roster. The rest of the time, there’s a 50 percent chance that it’s a pitcher, and most of them spend the night in the bullpen. Some times a coach has the number, but a small fraction of the time I’ll find a position player wearing 28, and ever so rarely he’ll be in the starting lineup.

James Free comes to the plate.

At Day Air Park I circled the 28 next to James Free, who was batting third and playing first base. He went 0 for 4 in his first at bats, but his moment came after a single, a walk and a throwing error loaded the bases. The Captains outfield moved in, hoping to force an out at the plate. On the first pitch, Free swung, the ball took off, and it went over the head of right fielder for a base hit. Jonathan Willems scored easily from third and the celebration began.

Dragons in the outfield celebrating.

The win put the Dragons back in first place in the standings, at least for another day, and I got to cheer for another player wearing my number. Final: Dayton Dragons 3, Lake County 2.

Where there's dragons, there's fire.

Not So Nice Weather for Ducks

The soggy field at Canal Park. More photos will be added soon.

Storm clouds from the south brought a rain delay to Canal Park, home of the Double-A Akron Rubber Ducks, less than 10 minutes before the scheduled first pitch. The tarp came out. The clouds arrived. It rained for several minutes. The clouds left. The tarp came off.

Finally came the announcement that the first pitch would be at about 9 p.m., a delay of two and a half hours. The game would be shortened to seven innings though. The Ducks apologized for the long delay and said our tickets could be used for any remaining home game this season. 

Free t-shirt for Ghostbusters Night. Blazing duck head over Ohio pin.

Whether or not I get back to Akron in the next few weeks remains to be seen, but at least my friends Paul and Sally, who live less than an hour away, will be able to use them. And at least I got the free Ghostbusters Night t-shirt.

If you have to get stuck in a long rain delay, Canal Park is the place you want to be. You can kill the time looking at the multitude of menu options. Then you can take your time deciding which mouth-watering thing or things you want to try. Each of the concession stands goes over the top on at least one of the offerings on their menu.

Elote nachos and Pineapple TeriyAKRON bowl.

Elote nachos? An ear’s worth of elote-seasoned corn, shaved off the cob and served over a basket full of your choice of plain or flavored tortilla chips.

The Pineapple TeriyAKRON bowl? A half a carved out grilled pineapple filled with grilled rice, chicken and chunks of pineapple.

Those are just two examples found on the Extreme Foods page inside Duck Tales, the team's program. Maybe the most outrageous offering is the WKDD Screamer, a five-pound sundae made with 21 scoops of ice cream on a brownie, with banana, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, etc., and a cherry on top. It costs $25.

A baseball poster painted on the wall.

Everything else about Canal Park is good: Easy parking, no stairs (except for those leading down from the broad concourse to your seats), and a huge, easy-to-read video screen to keep you updated on the game’s action.

The player’s got a late start, but wasted no time bringing the action. The visiting Harrisburg Senators, AA affiliate of the Washington Nationals, got a hit right off the bat and had runners in scoring position in the first three innings. The Rubber Ducks, affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, were able to answer back with offense of their own, but took a few base-running risks that might have cost them some runs. In the bottom of the third, Brayan Rocchio knocked one over the right field wall with two runners on base to put the Rubber Ducks up 3-0.

As the sun set slowly in the west, the grounds crew put finishing touches on the field.

Paul and I left after three innings. It was getting late and we had at least seen every player come up to bat. We listened to the game on the radio until the signal faded away and made it home at about the time we would have anyway if the game had started on time. Here’s what we missed. In the top of the sixth inning, the Senators sent eight batters to the plate. With four singles, a walk and a double, they scored four runs to take the lead for good. Final: Harrisburg Senators 4, Akron Rubber Ducks 3.

Who's on First?

Take a look at the peculiar defensive shift used by the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs in their game Saturday with the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Railriders. Five Iron Pigs, wearing their gunmetal gray road uniforms, stand guard from first base to third, and two outfielders take their positions at left center and right center. 

Here is the situation: The score is tied in the bottom of the tenth inning, with the bases loaded and nobody out. The pitcher can’t seem to find the strike zone, but he’s faced only two Railrider batters and he can’t be yanked. 

Any fly ball, caught or not, will likely score the winning run. What do you do if you’re the Iron Pigs’ manager? You bring in the right fielder to strengthen the infield defense. A force out at the plate is just about your only hope.

Would it work? We'll never know. On a 3-1 count, the batter swung at a wild pitch that got away from the catcher, and the runner on third waltzed home for the win. Final: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 6, Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 5. 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1426728199212441603

Baseball Fun on the Hudson

The stadium is in Dutchess County, named for the Duchess of York,
way back when people spelled duchess with a “t.” She went on to become
Queen of England when her husband became King James II.

If the New York Yankees were looking for fun when they invited the Hudson Valley Renegades to be their High-A minor league team, they came to the right place. It’s a special night at Dutchess Stadium, with a giveaway bobble head celebrating Rick Zolzer, who skillfully directs game-night hijinks as the public address announcer. He got national attention 25 years ago, when an umpire who was having a bad night ejected him from the game.

Dutchess Stadium is nestled in the hills where the Taconic and Marlboro mini mountains come together and where I-84 crosses from Newburgh, N.Y., to the east side of the Hudson River. It’s just a short ride to the ballpark from the Metro-North train station at Beacon.

Caps for the Hudson Valley Renegades and two of their alter-egos,
Los Fenomenos Enmascarados and the Hudson Valley Veterans.

The Renegades played in the low-level New York-Penn short season league beginning in 1994 after the team moved from Erie, Pa. They became an affiliate of the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1996, an association that continued until last year’s reorganization of the minor leagues.

In a kind of one-for-one swap, the Yankees adopted the Renegades as their High-A minor league team for the 2021 season, while the Rays took the Yankees’ place in Charleston, S.C., with the River Dogs. For the Renegades, it was a big promotion to full-season minor league baseball, with a big-time major league affiliate just down the river. The River Dogs also wound up with a major league team that’s a little closer to home.

Both teams offer an exceptional baseball experience, where it’s easy to have a good time. When you buy a ticket to Dutchess Stadium you get two shows for the price of one. First, there’s a baseball game. The comes the show between innings from Zolzer’s booth at the top of the seats behind home plate.

An outburst of Cotton-Eyed Joe in the middle of the seventh inning.

As an example, the Renegades staff and camera crew did a quick roundup of youngsters in the seventh-inning stretch for what Zolzer called, “a group of random kids sing ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame.’” A traditional stadium-wide sing-along of “Take Me Out” followed. Then came a quartet of “Cotton-Eyed Joe” dancers that turned into a huge circle, like a flash mob, when a group of revelers poured down from their party suite to join in the dance.

Between innings, “Zolz” and the fans are celebrating his ejection with a game of “Let’s Make a Deal.” He asks for an item, like a stress ball, a clean diaper, a tube of hand cream, or $1.52 in dimes, nickels and pennies. The first fan to reach the announcer’s booth with the item wins a prize. My favorite item was “a speeding ticket.” The winner was a guy who was caught going 35 mph over the limit.

My favorite among the inductees in Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of fame.

Zolzer has been behind the microphone for the Renegades since the beginning, which would make him a kind of star even without his infamous ejection. I would say he’s more famous than most of the inductees in the Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame, whose plaques are mounted on the wall outside the entrance to the stadium. Zolzer is more than a game-time celebrity. Several years ago he was promoted to Vice President in the front office.

Read the story on the side of the box. Rick Zolzer's head doesn't bobble
as he climbs out of his booth, but his arm waves "bye-bye."

The story of the ejection is recounted on the box holding the souvenir bobble arm figurine that was given to the first 1,000 fans. There might be other versions of what went down that long ago night. Do a little internet research and I’ll let you make the call.

The bobble promotion was supposed to be part of a 25-year celebration of the ejection in August 1995, but there was no baseball in the minor leagues last year. The rescheduled 2021 version of Zolzer night was threatened by rainstorms and by an accident on I-85 that tied up traffic around the stadium for miles. The game started a half-hour late after the skies cleared, and all the bobble heads were gone after fans overcame delays of as much as an hour to get to the game.

Party in a paper bowl from Sweet and Boozy Ice Cream.

 
I have to say a word about Sweet and Boozy Ice Cream and their outrageous concoctions. As far as I can tell, you can only get these treats at the original faraway location in Katy, Texas, west of Houston, and on game days at Dutchess Stadium. I chose a big cup of cotton candy ice cream flecked with tiny chocolate bits and topped with whipped cream and peanut m&m’s.

Next time I might try one of their wine-infused flavors or maybe a sensational sundae like Zolz’s Oh, My Oreos. It’s one thing to be tempted by the description of a sundae that is loaded with cookies and an actual ice cream sandwich. It’s quite another, and quite intimidating, to see one glide by your seat in the hands of another fan.

Tarps stayed on the pitcher's mound and home plate until the coast was clear.

Rain and traffic couldn’t stop the fun at Dutchess Stadium, but the visiting Jersey Shore Blue Claws threw a wet blanket over the fun on the field. A lead-off single, a walk and a home run put the Phillies High-A team ahead early in the game. The Renegades scrapped their way back and went ahead in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Blue Claws scored three runs in the top of the sixth to regain the lead. The Renegades tied it up at 6 runs apiece in the seventh, but Jersey Shore scored one run in the top of the ninth, then put down the home team in order for the win. Final: Jersey Shore Blue Claws 7, Hudson Valley Renegades 6.

Little Park With a Lot of History

Valley Strong Ballpark is a blend of old and new in Visalia, Calif.

Of the 10 oldest minor league ballparks in the United States, I can say I’ve been in half of them. There’s another stadium that’s tied for 10th, but it’s in Vancouver, B.C., so let’s just stay with the U.S. for now. Besides, the Vancouver Canadians are playing their home games in Oregon this year, so of the 10 oldest minor league ballparks “currently being used,” I can safely say I’ve been in half of them.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, let’s turn our attention to No. 7 on the list, Valley Strong Ballpark, also known as Recreation Park, in Visalia, Calif.

The home field of the Visalia Rawhide is kind of a movie star. Visalia is mentioned in Moneyball because of the team’s long association with the Oakland A’s, and in Bull Durham, as a likely landing spot for Kevin Costner’s catcher, who is nearing the end of his playing career.

It’s the smallest of all the affiliated minor league stadiums with a seating capacity of 1,888. There’s room for another 500 or so fans in standing room and in the grassy area known as The Pasture.

The Pasture wraps around the right field foul pole.

The stadium was built in 1946 and had a major renovation that was completed around 2009 when the team adopted the Rawhide name. It’s been the same team in the same ballpark the whole time, but with about a dozen different names and major league affiliations. The Rawhide is currently the Low-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Visalia Oaks was the team’s name for the most years up until the change to Rawhide. You can still get caps featuring Chatter the Squirrel, the team’s old mascot, as well as other throwback items.

In fact, the team is paying tribute to the past this week, playing as the Oaks in throwback jerseys. A lot of new players have been added to the roster recently, so for their at-bats, the scoreboard shows a picture of Chatter next to their stats.

They’ve made the best use out of all their space at Valley Strong Ballpark. The bullpens are tucked into the left and right corners. The grassy Pasture wraps around the corner of the field, starting at right center almost all the way to where the infield dirt starts. The right field entrance leads onto a concourse with the team store and a food and beverage stand, ending at the doorway to the Hall of Fame Club with stairs that lead to premium box seats next to the visitors’ dugout.

View from the Hall of Fame Club

The Hall of Fame Club is for season subscribers, but tonight there’s an Alzheimer’s Awareness package for $20 that includes a box seat close to the field, access to the air-conditioned Hall of Fame Club and a purple Visalia t-shirt. This is an especially good deal with the temperature over 100° and with the sun still high in the sky for a 6 p.m. first pitch.

The tiny grandstand behind home plate barely reaches as far as first and third base, although there are additional seats extending toward left field and two party tents the rest of the way. The crowd tonight is small, but that’s probably because it’s Wednesday, or because it’s hot, or both. The announced attendance is 980, but I don’t think everyone showed up.

The sense of history is strong in Visalia. As one of the oldest members of the California League, the team pays tribute once a year to the Mudville 9, a team that played in Stockton, Calif., and might be the inspiration for “Casey at the Bat.” The Rawhide honor their own as well, with hall of fame plaques on the wall below the club of the same name, including Kirby Puckett, the beloved Minnesota Twins National Hall of Famer, whose retired number 28 is mounted on the left field fence.

Kirby Puckett's plaque is on the wall of fame at Valley Strong Park.
28, his number and mine, is on display in left field.

I bought a 2019 California League championship pin, which is the last of its kind since Major League Baseball reorganized the minor leagues and ditched the historic league names.

The clerk at the store noticed the other pins on my loaded lanyard and asked me how many stadiums I’ve been to.

“81,” I said. I think it’s actually 82. Even under her covid mask, I could see her jaw drop.

“What’s your favorite?” she asked.

“Right now? This one,” I told her. And I meant it. This is a great ballpark.

Visalia Rawhide celebrate an exciting victory at Valley Strong Park. 

The game was good too. The visiting Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels) started things off with a 2-run homer in the 1st inning and held the lead for most of the game. The Rawhide, or Oaks, tied it up and took a two-run lead in the bottom of the 8th with some home run heroics of their own. The 66ers answered in the 9th with another home run to tie the score. In the bottom of the ninth, Visalia loaded the bases with a double, an intentional walk and a single. Then the “good eyes” of Ronny Simon drew the walk-off walk and a win for Visalia. Final: Visalia Oaks 7, Inland Empire 66ers 6.

Big Changes at a Big Ballpark

Chukchansi Park in Fresno, Calif., is another one of those great big, beautiful ballparks built in the 21st century, with wide, open concourses behind rows of seats that are close to the action on the field. Food and drink concessions are easy to get to and you don’t have to miss any of the game while you wait in line. 

Many of these ballparks follow the model of Baltimore’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards and Chukchansi Park was even designed by the same company. The stadium is well-suited for other uses, like music concerts, high school football and soccer. There are almost 11,000 seats for baseball, but plenty of open seating and standing room for thousands of additional fans. An exhibition soccer match in 2012 between two teams from Mexico’s Primera Division drew a crowd of more than 16,000.

Plenty of room for my friends Joyce and Malcolm and me.
Did the 104° temperature keep the fans away.

The ballpark opened in 2002 for the Grizzlies, the AAA team that arrived in Fresno a few years earlier when the major league Arizona Diamondbacks pushed the minor league team in Phoenix into Tucson, which in turn forced the Tucson team to find their new home in California.

From 1998 to 2014, the Grizzlies were the AAA team of the San Francisco Giants, then for six seasons they were an affiliate of the Houston Astros. In 2019, the team adopted bold new uniforms featuring a fierce bear that looks like it jumped right off the California Republic state flag.

Buy the big souvenir fountain soda and get $4 refills all season.

They also became the AAA team of the Washington Nationals, whose contract with the Syracuse Chiefs had come to an end. That made a long trip for any movement of players from the farm team to the big leagues, but in the musical chairs of minor league baseball, one or two teams have often been left in similar circumstances.

After the 2020 season, Major League Baseball attempted to mitigate the long-distance problem in its takeover and reorganization of the minor leagues. In the process, it meant there would be some losers among the minor league teams, and Fresno was one of those hardest hit.

My Trenton Thunder jersey, a symbol of solidarity with the Grizzlies.
Both teams were hit hard in the minor league shakeup.

The Minnesota Twins had decided to adopt the independent St. Paul Saints as their AAA team. This opened up Rochester for the Nationals to pick up as a team closer to their big league home. Two other AAA teams were pushed aside when the Miami Marlins promoted the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp from AA, and when the Houston Astros invited the independent Sugar Land Skeeters to be their AAA team. The San Antonio Missions and the Wichita Wind Surge were both demoted to AA to make way for those additions.

But, for Fresno, a move to AA was not an option. There are no other AA teams nearby for them to play, in fact, there are no AA teams west of the Pecos. To make matters worse, the A-Advanced California League was converted to the Low-A West league in the new configuration. That meant Fresno would have to join those teams in Low-A or be left out of affiliated minor league baseball altogether.

Anatomy of a mitt on display at Chukchansi Park. Other displays
looked inside baseballs and showed how bats are made.

It took some effort for the Grizzlies to work out a new arrangement with the city of Fresno that would keep the minor league team at Chukchansi Park. Filling all those seats will be a challenge now that the team is showcasing players that are three levels further away from making it to the big leagues.

The Grizzlies, now affiliated with the Colorado Rockies, are holding their own on the playing field with a good lead in the standings for a likely spot in 2021’s scaled-down minor league postseason. The two top teams in each league from AA down will compete in a best-of-five series for their league’s championship. Fresno’s week-long series with the second-place San Jose Giants could be a preview for the Low-A West championship in September.

A real hand-operated scoreboard in the outfield.

In the first game of the series, the Giants took an early lead with a 3-run homer in the first inning and a 2-run shot in the third. The Grizzlies came within one run in the middle innings and were trailing 7-6 after eight. A single in the ninth with one out and a triple tied the score at 7 apiece. The Giants’ Casey Schmitt had trouble with Warming Bernabel’s grounder to third allowing the winning run to score. It looked a lot like an error, but it was ruled a fielder’s choice. Final: Fresno Grizzlies 8, San Jose Giants 7.