Living on a Prayer

A song came to mind as I was contemplating my blog this morning.  Bon Jovi’s lyrics seem appropriate:

“Whooah, we're half way there
Livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear
Livin' on a prayer

…

We've got to hold on ready or not
You live for the fight when it's all that you've got”

We are rapidly approaching the end of the first half of our season and the Daytona Cubs have been eliminated from contention for a 1^st half championship.  Dunedin is seemingly repeating there incredibly strong run as they did last year.

But, there is the 2^nd half still to play.  If history repeats itself, Daytona can shake of the less than stellar play to date and rip into the second half without slowing down.  Last year saw the team finish the first half in 3^rd place, but they hit the ground running to finish the 2^nd half with a record of 40 wins and 20 losses.  They went on to slide through the playoffs without ever looking over their shoulders.

I have big hopes this team will do the same.

At this point, I would like to catch up with my recent activities.  Last weekend, Ed and I were able to attend 3 games of the Tennessee Smokies vs the Jacksonville Suns series, in the town of my birth, Jacksonville, FL .  I always love making that trip, particularly when the Smokies are in town.  We stayed at the team hotel, the Hyatt Regency, Jacksonville Riverfront.  A beautifully located facility located downtown on the St. Johns River.  A mile away is Bragen Field at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

 

 

As I have stated in earlier posts, one of the best things about MiLB , is the people we get to know.  There were several we ran into this trip.  First off, was Michael West, former radio broadcaster for the Daytona Cubs.  Michael is broadcast for the Suns this year and was gratuitous enough to obtain tickets for us for Friday nights game.  We took in a visit to the broadcast booth and stopped in to say hi to Mick Gillespie, the Smokies broadcaster.  I love the views from the booth, even when the teams aren’t playing.  I think I will come back as an announcer/broadcaster in my next life!

We also got to see one of our favorite ushers of all time, Patrick!  He takes care of the Dugout boxes and is an absolute joy to be around!  Tommy is another house favorite.  He sells the team programs and always has a smile (and a starting line-up) for me!

They boys played very well, shutting out the Suns on Friday night. A highlight was the first home run of his career for starting pitcher Eduardo Figueroa!  Jacksonville had a rehabbing Rafael Furcal on the roster, but that didn’t intimidate our guys.  After the game, we waited for the team as they headed to the bus and got lots of hugs and handshakes from our former Daytona Cubbies.  The bus driver for the team is Bobby and he takes good care of our boys.  We also ran into Dustin Geiger and John Andreolli’s parents and a few other fans and friends from Daytona.

I spent some time Saturday morning, walking around downtown Jacksonville looking at some of the beautiful old buildings they have there.

 

I should tell you at this point that the send-off game for the USA World Cup soccer team was going on right next door to the baseball stadium at Everlast Field (home of the Jacksonville Jags).  The town was virtually taken over by crazed soccer fans!  They were evident at every turn! Saturday afternoon we moved down to our “regular” seats in section D4.  The best view in baseball if you ask me!

 

The team again shut out the Suns.  A great game, again with lots of action that concluded with the good guys on top!  Sundays game was a close game, but our boys were not able to pull off a comeback and ended up taking the loss.  With the conclusion of that game, we headed home.

The Daytona boys were on the road all week and we have been taking care of business at the house.  This weekend we head to Bradenton for the FSL All-Star game.  I’ll be sure and let you know how that goes! 

 Thanks for reading!

Outta the Park

It's been a while since my last post and with good reason.  The team has lost 8 of their last 9 games and we had 3 rained out games at home.  Not a lot to feel good about, hence, my absence.  For me, the highlight of the past 12 days happened outside the ballpark.

On May 6th, the Cubs hosted the 1st Ever Charity Bowling Tournament to benefit children and their families at Nemours Children's Hospital.  This was my first ever charity bowling tournament as well!  The entire team was present as well as most of the Cubs office staff.  The team and fans packed the Bellair Lanes Bowling Alley!

I'm sure for some of the players, it was the first time they ever bowled.  Each team consisted of a player/coach and fans/staffers.  I couldn't bowl due to a finger injury, but I was able to assist with the drop ticket raffle, where attendee's could purchase raffle tickets and drop them in a cup that corresponded with the prize they wanted.  There were ton's of great items including wine packages, golf outings, fitness center memberships, camping gear, a "Big Green Egg" grill./smoker and of course, sports memorabilia.

Being a collector of autographed items, you know where my tickets went!  There were items sent from the Chicago Cubs which included signed Darwin Barney and Jeff Samardzija jersey's, a bat signed by Starlin Castro, and a ball signed by Wellington Castillo.  Other items includes balls signed by Lee Smith, Rollie Fingers, Gaylord Perry and .... Albert Pujols.  (I have a simple rule about buying autographed items.  I don't do it, unless it is for a charity auction.  I have a bit of a problem with people making selling autographs to line their own pockets.  Dealers have made it so much more difficult for personal collectors because most players don't want their signatures to be sold without them benefitting. But that's another rant to be reserved for a different time.)  To continue,  I dropped my donation into the pot and threw nearly all my tickets into the Pujols cup, along with all the other tickets.  There were 2 signed balls to be raffled off and when they pulled the last ticket number, it was mine!!! 

As for the bowling, it seemed like everyone was having a great time.  I had a lot of fans and players tell me they had a lot of fun and hoped this would be a regular event.  The tourney was the brain child of our Manager, Dave Keller.  He wanted to do something different from the normal golf outings, so that more people could be involved.  He wanted something that would allow the players and the fans to mix and that would instill the idea of charitable giving in the players.  All in all, it was a huge success! The proof is in the pic!

 

As for the on-field play.... Well I still have hope.  We have had some recent player transactions that include Arodys Visciano, being sent up to Tennessee and Daytona has acquired Zack Godley from Kane County and one of my 2013 favorites, Zeke DeVoss, from the Smokies.  Losing Ardoys may hurt a bit, as he has been solid, but he certainly deserves the promotion.   I predict he will be in Chicago before long.  Zeke should help with the team chemistry.  He is such a likable guy and a great presence both on the field and in the clubhouse.  Time will tell how the team responds, but regardless, me and my cowbell will be there cheering them on!

Till next time....Go Cubs Go!

What a difference a week makes.

Well it’s been seven days since my last post and the feeling around “the Jack” is quite a bit different than last weekend.  Our boys have won 6 of their last seven games and are showing they can be contenders.

Great pitching and timely hits have been the key factors in the apparent transformation.  Although there are still a high number of base runners being stranded, the clutch hits that were previously non-existent are coming through.  The mood in the stands and I sure in the clubhouse are definitely improving. 

The thing that gives me the most hope is that the improvement is being shown by the entire team.  They are all digging in and working the entire game.  This was apparent in Sunday’s walk off hit by Wilson Contreras.  After hitting into an inning ending double play earlier in the game, Wilson was able to get the job done in high fashion.  This was the first walk off hit of the season, and the first series sweep.  It followed the first wining series this year.  So, it’s been a week of firsts, all good ones!

The boys are on the road for three days before returning for a long home stand.  I will be getting all my household chores completed so I don’t miss a minute of the action. 

I’ve talked about some of the perks of being a season ticket holder and of getting to know the team and fans.  One of those perks showed up yesterday at the ballpark. Daytona Cubs former hitting coach and proud member of the 1984 World Series Champion Detroit Tigers, Barbaro Garbey, stopped in to see some of his former colleagues and check out how the team was doing.  Barbaro is currently coaching in the Brave organization and will be handling batting instruction for the GCL Braves.  He spent a few minutes in “the Den” yesterday to say hello to some of us.  Too bad he didn’t stick around for the teams on-field celebration.  For me, it was the best game of the season to date and I look forward to may more just like it!

 

Barbaro and I at the Detroit Tigers Fantasy camp game featuring the 1984 World Series Team

Cubs Win! Cubs Win!

I guess the more accurate title would be Cubs lose, Cubs win, but who’s keeping track?  We had our first home win of the season on Saturday as part of the 2^nd game of a double header.  The first game was a bit depressing, so I am choosing to pass right over that and talk about the big win!  Before a large Saturday night crowd, the boys put together a great game.  The starting pitching was outstanding, with Felix Pina, going 6 innings (in a 7 inning game) that included 8 strikeouts, 3 hits and 1 run.  Michael Jennings finished the Yanks, giving up only 1 hit in the final inning.  The bats were alive, with a total of 9 hits and nearly everyone reaching base (Contreras reached on an error.  Zapata was the only one not to get on base, but he did manage to move a base runner into scoring position.)  In the end, the team put together 9 runs, giving up only 1.

Again, they showed a lot of heart and desire.  For me this was the biggest victory of the season to date.  Not only did they show the home town crowd they could do it, but they broke out of a 6 game losing streak against a very tough Yankee line-up.  This could be the start of something big! 

 

 

 

                                                       Friday's rain out

 

 

I would like to spend a few lines talking about some of the action in the stands.  I have mentioned before how much I like getting to know the families of our players and staff and I will talk about that a bit more in a moment.  One of the other treats we experience is the other visiting faces.  Being an autograph collector, I am blessed with getting an up close look at the stars of tomorrow.  We also get a chance to meet lots of former stars when they come to “the Jack”, either as minor league coaches, scouts, front office staff or merely to watch their kids play.  Dwight Smith was in attendance to watch his son Dwight Jr.  when we faced the Blue Jays.  I was able to meet him, get an autograph and thank him for the memories. Growing up a fan of the Atlanta Braves, and converting to a Cubs fans in later years, made this a very special meeting for me as I got the best of both worlds with Mr. Smith!

This homestand brought Dante Bichette to town to watch his son play for the Evil Empire.  He was gracious when I asked him to sign a couple of his baseball cards and he smiled when I told him I was looking forward to seeing another generation of Bichette’s in the big leagues.  We also had super scout Joe Bochy in attendance. You may know him as the brother of San Francisco Giants manager, Bruce Bochy.  Joe is a semi regular in Daytona and a very nice man.  I had a chance to talk with him during the rain delay (that ended in a called game) on Friday.  I love having the opportunity to see the game through different eyes.  Scouts, parents, front office people all have a different perspective of the game and the players.  I believe learning to see things from their point of view, helps to make my baseball experience a bit broader and certainly enhances my enjoyment of the game.

Another of the benefits of minor league baseball is the give-a-ways.  Although the Friday night game was postponed due to rain, we did get our replica championship rings on a stand. Not as nice as the real deal, but still something to look at with a feeling of pride for such an outstanding season.

Finally, the highlight of my game day, was getting a chance to spend some time with our manager’s wife, Dana Keller.  We met last year and I took an instant liking to her.  I love the story she tells about her and Dave.  They were friends in elementary school and high school sweethearts, before college and life saw them head in different directions.  They met up again at a high school reunion and found the spark was still there and now they are living their childhood dreams!  Who knew there were such great  love stories in baseball?  We, I did, of course, after hearing many of them!  Again, seeing the game through different eyes is always very enlightening. 

 

And with that, I will sign off for a while.  The team is heading out on the road for a 3 game stand in Clearwater followed by 2 games at Brevard.  Here’s hoping the immortal words of Lou Brown from Major League II ring true…  “ We won a game yesterday, if we win one today that's two in a row. If we win one tomorrow that's called a winning streak. It has happened before!”

Free Baseball!

Everyone likes getting something for free, well, most of the time…   Last night was our first extra innings game of the season.  It was a roller coaster night beginning with a downhill launch with the Yankees scoring a run in each of the first three innings.  Our boys scored one in the third, but gave up one in both the 5^th and 6^th.  Then the twists and turns came in.  The cubbies managed to load the bases and scored 3 single runs in the bottom of the 6^th, yet still managed to obtain their 3^rd out with the bases loaded.

They tied it up in the 8^th but gave up the winning run to the Yankees in the 10^th.  All in all they were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring positions, leaving 11 men on base for the evening.  That brings the LOB total to 99 men in 14 games….

Losing is always heartbreaking but an extra innings loss even more so.  They crowd was lively, being a Thirsty Thursday, and there was evidence of several fans, (myself included), trying to change things up to create some positive mojo for the team.

On a different note, it was a special evening for my section as we were joined by Gwen’s son, daughter-in-law and 3 of her great grand kids!  Her grandson Aidan, threw out the first pitch and it was a near perfect strike.  I think he may have gotten Ron Villone’s attention or at least caught the eye of one of the scouts in the stands.  Unfortunately, they will have to wait until he first finishes elementary school and moves on to high school before they sign him!

Overall, it was a night that left us with hope.  Again the guys scraped their way back which shows a lot of heart.  Hopefully, they will get tired of ending with an L and make whatever corrections are needed to come out on top when’s it all over. You can bet, my bell and I will be there when that happens!

Growing Pains

If you have been keeping up with my beloved Daytona Cubs, you know that they are off to a rather slow start.  Times like these separate the casual fans from the fanatics.  They also separate the men from the boys in regards to how the individual players handle adversity.  My husband is fond of saying “this is a teaching hospital!” and that is a true statement.  At this level the parent club is more concerned with the development of the players than the numbers of wins/losses on the score board.

The stats show that the team is playing rather “middle of the road” baseball.  The win/loss record shows something different entirely.

Is there a problem with the batting?

Is pitching the problem?

Obviously errors hurt.

The numbers would indicate that we should be in the middle of the pack, yet that is not the case.  Our current record is 2-10

Yes it's early in the season and baseball is a marathon, not a sprint. But for the fans and for the guys, it’s tough to deal with.  I chose to look at it in a different way.  Many times the players come to a new team thinking they already have what it takes to make it to the SHOW.  Seldom is that the case.  We have a great coaching staff in Daytona and they have a proven track record, but they cannot win games without the team playing like a team.

I know from personal experience, that sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before your willing to try something different.  I think the human condition makes it difficult for us listen to advise from others and sometimes to even realize we may be the problem in a given situation.  I like the story about a life guard trying to save a drowning victim.  The drowning person struggles against the rescuer, or clings to them in such a way that they are both in danger of going under.  Finally, the lifeguard must render them still more helpless, by knocking them out entirely.  By doing so, the lifesaver can do their job and bring them safely to shore.

You might ask what does that have to do with baseball and with a severe slump?  I would say everything!  When the team realizes that by themselves they can’t put together a winning team, they will be more likely to listen to the instruction of the coaches.  Eventually, rather than 25 individual guys trying to make it to the bigs, they will come together as a team.  When that happens, (and I have faith it will!), the numbers will results will begin to change.

Either way, I’m sticking around to find out.  I love my team, regardless of the record, but dang, it sure feels good to back a winner!

Road Trip #1…..

I love being able to follow my Cubbies when they go on the road.  Being a part of the Florida State League makes it rather easy to catch away games on the weekends.  Over the years, I have enjoyed getting to know the other stadiums, fans and town that are homes to our opponents.  We try to get away on travel weekends whenever possible.  We love the travel and the team seems to appreciate familiar faces (and sounds…) when they are the away team.

Our first road trip of this season took us to Steinbrenner Field, home of the Tampa Yankees and Spring Home of the Evil Empire.  Of all the stadiums we visit, I would have to say this is my least favorite.  The facility itself is quite nice, much like a mini version of the old Yankee Stadium.  My issue is with the “policies” they have in place.   They don’t allow you to bring bats into the stadium, nor do they allow “noise makers”.  That means we can bring our cowbells in.  They are sticklers about so many things such as “don’t put your feet, bag, drinks, etc. on the dugout, No noise makers, no yada.. yada.. yada….. ad nauseam.   It is the only ballpark in the FSL where I feel unwelcomed.  It is almost as if curmudgeonly old George himself is there barking out orders!  It’s no wonder they have such a small attendance for the minor league games!  There have been many instances where the Cubs fans, family and staff in attendance far outweigh the number of the hometown crowd.

 

On the other hand, I do love Tampa.  We typically stay pretty close to the ball park.  So the travel is easy.  Additionally, they have some great restaurants in the area, particularly Cuban cuisine.  Those who know me know I love to try new restaurants almost as much as I love baseball!  Another positive note is that for some reason, we seem to have a lot of players from the west coast of Florida, so we get to see lots of their families.  This weekend was no exception.  Both Rock Shoulders and Dan Vogelbach are from the west coast of FL and both had family in the crowd.  Albert Almora’s family was also there (although they are from the Miami area and travel a lot following the team!

 

Well back to our guys.  They ended up losing the series 2-1, but Saturday night’s victory was much like the win in Brevard earlier in the month.  The team seemed to be firing on all cylinders.  Offense and defense were outstanding.  And the larger than usual home town crowd had little to cheer about. (maybe that’s why there were only a couple of hundred people at the game on Sunday?).

 

 

We had a rally going (thanks in no small part to our rally caps!), but unfortunately, the spark just wasn't enough. 

The weather was quite cooperative but we did get a small taste of what the summer has in store for us during the 1:00 pm start on Sunday.  The temps were in the mid 80’s and the sun was brilliant.  I think it’s going to be a long, hot summer.  Hopefully, the team will be cooling off the competition and it won’t seem too bad!

The ride home always seems a bit longer when we are taking home a win, but the trip was well worth it and I look forward to the next one....