A Night at the Ballpark

For a change of pace, I thought that I would do a running diary of the typical ballgame experience at Hadlock Field. I had originally conceived of this post when I was going to be part of a "Bloggers Day Out" at a Sea Dogs game. That fell through, but I still liked the idea so I did double duty last night, scoring the game and taking lots of notes about the goings on at a typical minor league game.

On tap: the Portland Sea Dogs host the rival Trenton Thunder in the first game of a four game series. With the Red Sox having a night off, NESN is on hand to broadcast a showcase of Boston's top prospects. It doesn't hurt, I'm sure, that Trenton is the AA affiliate the New York Yankees. The Sea Dogs can clinch a playoff spot if they sweep the series.

6:05 pm: I arrive at the ballpark an hour before the scheduled start time. I park in my usual "free" spot on the street. Most people don't realize that it's a legal parking spot, so it's usually available to me. Parking lots around the stadium generally charge $5 to park, but you can usually park for free if you don't mind walking for an extra minute or two. Which I don't

6:10: As I arrive at the field, I pass "Banjo Guy". He's a guy who sits out in front of the stadium, strumming his banjo and singing, near as I can tell, one of the two songs that he knows. He's there before and after almost every game, and one of my favorite parts of the experience. My wife and I went to see Sting at the Cumberland County Civic Center last May, and Banjo Guy was playing outside after the concert. Made my evening.

Also out front is a tent with a toilet set up on display. I don't stop to find out why.

6:15: The starting lineups are posted just inside the main entrance to the stadium. Tonight's matchup features top Sox prospect Jon Lester vs. Jeffrey Karstens, who leads Trenton in wins but has mediocre stats overall. I also notice that the Sea Dogs are auctioning off game-worn jerseys from most of the top prospects who have played in Portland this year. Minimum bid is $100, so I pass. Then I head off to get some sustenance (popcorn chicken which, while deep fried, is about the healthies menu option available). As I walk to the concession at the far end of the concourse (the least busy one), I walk by the AG Edwards Autograph Table. The Sea Dogs have a player signing before every game. Usually it's somebody not in the lineup. Tonight's line is really long, and I guess that means that relief pitcher (and uber-prospect) Craig Hansen is signing. This turns out to be a good guess. Given that Hansen is a reliever, I'm not sure if that means that the team doesn't plan to use him tonight.

6:30: I'm in my seat, with good buddy Dave (of Total Recap fame) sitting to my left. We'll be scoring tonight's game together, which is always fun. The evening's first promotion (1/2 hour before the first pitch) is from Thirsty Turf, which sponsors a kid putting a fresh coat of white paint on home plate. Also on the dirt surrounding the plate for about six inches. The kid seems intent on emptying the spray can before the Sea Dogs staffer cuts him off. We speculate that the pitchers will have a generous strike zone tonight, but the staffer scuffs away the excess paint.

6:35: The second promotion. A guy gets three chances to hit the Citgo sign by batting a ball from left field. If he hits the sign he gets a $100 gas card. He gets off three good swings but misses the mark. At least he didn't embarrass himself.

6:40: For the first time tonight, Dave gives me shit about something for no particularly good reason.

6:45: It's Slugger's birthday greeting time. If a kid is having a birthday, they can meet Sea Dogs mascot Slugger and run around the outfield with him. Tonight we have a 12 year old girl and a 10 year old boy. Some nights you get 6-7 kids, but this is a Monday.

6:47: Starting lineups announced. Star Wars "Evil Empire" music accompanies the visitors. (This treatment is given to all opponents, not just the Yankee affiliate).

6:50: First pitch - some kid from a Frozen Ropes team. He has a half dozen teammates to give him moral support. I'm writing notes as he throws the pitch (with Craig Hansen catching), so I don't see if he throws a strike.

6:55: David's co-worker Jim and his wife Deb give themselves a free seat upgrade and join us in Section 108. There are usually empty seats in the box seat area because many season ticket holders don't go to every game. The ushers are pretty lenient about the upgrades, unless you look like you're going to be a bunch of obnoxious kids.

7:00: Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, your Portland Sea Dogs! The national anthem is sung by three sisters from Westbrook, two of whom are wearing Yankee tee shirts. What's up with that? I begrudgingly acknowledge that they did a terrific version of the song.

7:05: Play Ball! Lester's first offering is a 91 mph fastball for a strike. This is a good sign.

7:10: Maybe not such a good sign. After getting the leadoff batter, Lester has walked two in a row. Now batting, former top Red Sox prospect Michael Coleman. For whatever reason, this one-time "can't miss" guy has only played in 22 major league games. Now he's 30 years old (he and I share a birthday!) and, shall we say, not the slender kid he once was.

7:11: He still has some pop in his bat. High fly down the left field line, over the fence, over the screen. 3-0 Trenton. Lester does manage to whiff Shelley Duncan, and help Strike Out Cancer in Kids.

Middle 1st: It's Slugger the Sea Dog. Portland's mascot races around the warning track on his Napa ATV, and it's time to get this party started. It's also the Wendy's "Get a Hit" inning. We notice that every Trenton fielder has his socks showing tonight.

End 1st: Not so many hits that inning, though Hanley Ramirez did draw a walk. Now the BBI Waste Trash Monsters are entering the stadium. Wearing a "Monster" costume with an integrated trash can, walking around and having people shove their garbage at you - sounds like a job for an intern!

Top 2: Yobal Duenas is thrown out attempting to steal. That base runner was cut down, courtesy of Echo Power Equipment.

Middle 2: It's not a typical night, because Christopher is on hand, thanks to Time Warner Cable. Christopher is one man, but he provides five times the entertainment because he's got one of those things where four life-size puppets are attached to him, following his every move through the magic of levers. Christopher and his friends are dressed in honor of the Village People, and they are Macho Men.

Bottom 2: Trenton's defense is unable to track down what looks to be an easy foul pop by Chris Durbin. He makes 'em pay, by lacing a single to right and taking second when the right fielder bobbles the ball. The official scorer sees this as a double.

Karstens is a junkballer. His fastball hits 90, but he's throwing a lot of curveballs. For the most part, Portland hitters are banging everything into the ground.

David is trying to sell a Total Recap scorebook to Deb. She's not biting.

After 2: Look to the Ford board for tonight's Great Moments in Red Sox History. Tonight we remember Yaz Day at Fenway - October 1, 1983. It turns out that Jim and Deb were at that game, and if they were about 100 rows closer (they were in the RF grandstand, I think), they would have been able to High Five Yaz as he took his victory lap around the warning track.

Top 3: Lester continues to struggle, allowing three consecutive hits to score a run, prompting the first visit from Portland pitching coach Fernando Arroyo. Lester then whiffs Coleman (another Strike Out Cancer in Kids!), and induces Duncan to pop one up to the infield. First baseman Jeremy West boots the play, but the Infield Fly Rule is called, and Duncan is out. Bronson Sardinha then helps out by heading to third base while Lester still technically was holding the ball, and he is thrown out heading back to second base.

Bottom 3: Scott Youngbauer becomes Karstens' first strikeout victim. Noting that this doesn't help Strike Out Cancer in Kids, David deems the promotion to be "team-ist".

After 3: It's time to Lob a Lobster, courtesy of Newick's Seafood Restaurants! Our contestants are supposed to use an old fashioned lobster trap to catch five rubber lobsters lobbed by lacrosse players while the B-52's sing "Rock Lobster" over the PA system. The lobbers often wear lacrosse helmets for no particular reason, but tonight we can see their faces. The girls who are tonight's contestants don't make any effort to chase down the lobsters sailing in their direction. Perhaps they would like the lobbers to just come over and drop a couple in the trap? They don't catch the five required to win.

Top 4: Lester's night is over. He was struggling, but seeing as how he has only thrown 67 pitches and the Sea Dogs played 15 innings on Sunday, I figured he'd stay in and eat a couple more innings. Instead, it's knuckleballer Charlie Zink on the hill. This fact is announced over the PA system, which isn't always the case. David is busy swapping recipes with Deb, so he's surprised when I tell him that there is a new pitcher on the mound.

Meanwhile it's the Coca Cola kids challenge, wherein a young child is challenged with racing Slugger around the bases. The inevitable victory brings a case of Coca Cola as its reward. Tonight we have a boy who is turning 7 tomorrow. Because he has long hair, 95% of the crowd believes he's a girl. He wins regardless, and the PA announcer embarrasses staffer Liz by announcing that it's her birthday. She gets a hug from Slugger.

Also, turn to the Ford Board for tonight's trivia question: who is Boston's all time leader in hits and runs scored, and who turns 66 years old today. This is an easy one (Carl Yastrzemski).

Bottom 4: Now batting is tonight's Servicemaster cleanup hitter, David Murphy. Durbin then hits a shot to third base that is not cleanly handled by Duenas, who then throws wide to first. This is scored a hit, eliciting David's first complaint about the official scorekeeping: "If you can bobble the ball an throw it wide and it's scored a hit, then what's an error?" He has a point, but it was a hard shot by Durbin.

After 4: Christopher is back with his buddies, singing "Stayin' Alive" and "In the Navy", thanks to Time Warner Cable.

Top 5: Zink's knuckler is dancing tonight. A walk, passed ball, single and passed ball results in the 5th Thunder run. Zink also K's two in the inning (one of which catcher Jim Buckley couldn't handle cleanly - tough night to be a catcher). Coleman swings at one in his eyes to end the inning (he tried to hold up!). One of the guys to my right says, "You look fairly knowledgeable, what's going on with this pitcher?" I explain that he's a knuckleballer, which is why the balls are bouncing all over the place. The conversation segues into the usual "who are you scouting for?" questions. Nobody, I'm just a "consultant".

Middle 5: Wave to the camera, and if you're a big enough fool you can win free passes to Funtown/Splashtown USA. The kids who sit down front and wave crack me up - where is the camera that you think you're waving to? It's not on the field.

After 5: Christopher is back, leading us in the nightly "YMCA" dance. He's edging in on Slugger's territory here. Did we remember to thank Time Warner Cable for his appearance?

We're giving away four toilets tonight, awarded at random points during the game. This explains the commode on the concourse before the game. "Can you imagine going to a ballgame and winning a toilet?" I wonder aloud.

Top 6: Zink hits 85 with a fastball. Impressive! Bret LeVier starts a nifty 5-4-3 DP. That's another Coca Cola Double Play.

Middle 6: Slugger gives away a prize pack from David's Creative Cuisine, then leads the crowd in the Wendy's Chicken Dance. If you've ever been to a French wedding, or any social event in Lewiston, you know the chicken dance. We also learn who tonight's Home Sellers Home Run contestant is.

Bottom 6: Hanley shows us what all the fuss is about: he hits a rocket double to deep center, driving in Youngbauer, goes to third on a grounder to third (breaking after the throw), then scores on a wild pitch. He has speed and power, can hit for average and plays solid defense at shortstop. He's an exciting player.

After 6: Slugger is back on top of the dugout for his dance recital. He moves pretty good for a seal! Apparently this means that Christopher's night is over. He had three routines, using the same props, and was on the field for about six minutes total. I wonder how much that set Time Warner back?

Top 7: A foul ball lands about 5 feet behind us, hitting on the walkway behind the row behind ours and bouncing well into the reserved seating section. We're not in good foul ball territory in section 108 - this is the closest one all year.

Sheldon Fulse makes a running catch on a fly to shallow right field. That's the Weathervane Seafood Restaurants "Catch of the Day". It wasn't much of a tester, but they have to award it at some point. I was at a game during the last homestand when they got stuck in the 9th inning and ended up awarding the "Catch of the Day" on a strikeout.

Middle 7: The seventh inning stretch, brought to you by Gorham Savings Bank. It's a real good crowd for a Monday night, and a lot of people are singing. It's 9:00, so about two hours for seven innings. This is a pretty good pace.

Top 8: Melkey Cabrera, who patrolled center field for the Yankees for a few games this year, reaches on a walk and is cut down stealing, thanks to Echo Power Equipment. Melkey . . . it's fun to say!

Middle 8: A favorite Fenway tradition, Neil Diamond and "Sweet Caroline". A not-so-favorite Hadlock tradition, a new pitcher trots in from the Trenton bullpen and is not announced. For those of us without a program, a radio, or an intimate knowledge of the Trenton roster, he will be referred to as "#22" for the time being.

Bottom 8: Duenas misplays a ball and this time is charged with an error. Hanley Ramirez hits a hard shot up the middle and second baseman Gabe Lopez makes an outstanding diving stop. SS Ramiro Pena averts a hard slide by Brandon Moss to turn the DP. Trenton's middle infielders, particularly Pena, have been terrific all night. They receive a well-deserved hand from the Hadlock crowd.

After 8: Official attendance 6,817. Less than 200 short of a sellout. It's a good-sized crowd for a Monday, not a lot of no-shows.

Top 9: The guys to my right are talking about women with tattoos. I'm not 100% certain of this, but it probably has to do with the two attractive young women who have been in the front of our section tonight, but who are now making their way to the exit.

Dave asks, out of the blue, "Does Gary know you're doing this?" Gary is our coordinator at BIS. Not seeing Gary in the immediate vicinity, I surmise that he does not. David then comments on how evenly distributed the balls in play are on tonight's score sheets. These things matter to us.

Meanwhile, Zink is still in and he's been outstanding. He finishes six innings pitched having allowed just one unearned run on one hit and three walks while striking out 8. He had the Trenton hitters and his own catcher off balance all night.

Someone gives Shelley Duncan crap about his name for about the 55 millionth time of his career. Not to his face, though. The guy is huge.

Middle 9: "It's the Final Countdown" blasts on the PA, and it is the final countdown for the Sea Dogs, who still trail 5-2. #22 is still pitching, which means he's probably their closer, whatsisname.

Bottom 9: Portland goes quietly and we hear "There's Always Tomorrow" rather than "Dirty Water", another Fenway tradition borrowed by the Sea Dogs. And there is always tomorrow. As I walk back to my car there is Banjo Guy, solid as a rock, you can't tell by the expression on his face whether the Sea Dogs won or lost.

Jon Lester struggled for his third consecutive start. He’s been outstanding this year, but might be running out of steam as his inning count piles up. He did show some flashes of brilliance, recording four K’s in just three innings pitched and tipping the radar at 94 mph at one point. His biggest problem was not being able to finish batters off - he'd get ahead of the count and allow a bunch of foul balls, thus building up his pitch count. Karstens, meanwhile, kept the Dogs off balance all through the game. He’s been quite mediocre this season with an 11-11 record and 4.03 ERA. He pitches like Pedro Martinez against the Sea Dogs, however – 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA. And it turns out that mystery pitcher #22 was indeed closer Justin Pope.

I hope that you enjoyed this ballpark diary. Minor league teams try to keep things lively with a variety of promotions, giveaways and between-inning activities. The presence of Christopher tonight means that some of the normal schtick was set aside for the evening, but I think you get the gist - anything and everything can be sponsored. Still, it was a good ball game and all the promotions aren't much of a distraction if you don't allow them to be.