A Beautiful Summer Evening
by Voltaire on Aug 17, 2009 12:05 AM EDT
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This afternoon, I made the trip down to Columbus to watch the Clippers. The game began at 5, early enough to remain light, but late enough for the sun to set behind the park and shade the seating bowl. It was a beautiful, if hot, evening for baseball.
Upon parking a block away from the stadium, I was first greeted by the train derailment at Neil Ave.
The train created a convenient metaphor for the 2009 Indians season. Above, we see Mark Shapiro, after putting on a few pounds consoling himself with ice cream, mourning over the team's fate. Below, Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee's future years with the Tribe spill away into the abyss.
I hadn't looked up the Clippers probables before leaving, so I was pleasantly surprised to see Carlos Carrasco on the mound.
He was his projectable self, pitching well into the 8th. He allowed only seven baserunners and struck out six. According to the stadium radar gun, he hit 95 MPH in that final inning. Yes, we should be more excited about this guy.
Matt LaPorta had an off day, going 0-4, and looked magnificent doing so.
Josh Barfield played a mean left field and went 2-3 with two doubles and a run. Most importantly, he had a sac bunt.
After the second inning, I popped over to introduce myself to BuckeyeBrad. Happy birthday, dude, since I forgot to tell you in person. To the rest of you LGTers in attendence, I'm sorry I missed you.
Lou Marson went 2-3 with two runs and a BB. It was fantastic to watch him catch Carrasco and know that same battery will be in Cleveland next year.
One of the highlights of the game was minor-league journeyman Robert Tanois Taggert "Uncle Tagg" Bozied, seen here rounding third. His RBI single in the 4th inning, and subsequent run scored, were loudly cheered by his five-year old niece, sitting several rows behind me. Cheered just as loud were his three other, less fruitful, plate appearances.
I learned that there is a Sugerdale Hot Dog Derby in Columbus, too. These hot dogs are not nearly as anthopormophized, and sprint only down the right field foul line. None of them displayed the talent needed to make it to the bigs, but they were competitive nonetheless.
When it became apparent that Carrasco would not throw the complete game that I had been cheering for, I switched my desire to witnessing the magic that is R.J. Swindle. Instead, I was treated to Greg Aquino, which was actually rather enjoyable. He picked up his 13th save on the year for the Clippers.
The Clippers won the game, 4-2. I savored everything I saw - from the hero of the game, Stephen Head, of whom I took nary a picture, to Joe Charboneau*, whom I glimpsed for a few fleeting seconds leaving the Fantasy Camp game before the real game began. Huntington Park was a wonder to behold. Even if the team had no LaPortas or Carrascos or Rondons or Brantleys to offer, the stadium itself will make a trip worthwhile. I defer to the recent Fan Shots on the park for explanation - my own pictures of the stadium cannot hold a candle to them.
Returning to my car after the game, I saw a rare sight indeed - a flying hopper car. I leave it to you to determine the metaphorical significance of Cliff Lee (or Victor Martinez) being lifted away from the rails by crane.
All told, it was one of the most peaceful and enjoyable evenings I have had all summer. It was baseball, and it was beautiful.
* I sat on his lap during an autograph session at a mall when I was three. Now you feel old.
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Great pictures, Tyler! Thanks for sharing them. Isn’t Huntington Park beautiful? I have to agree with the recent BaseballParks.com vote; it really is the nicest stadium I’ve been to. There’s just loads of texture and not a bad seat in the house. I’ve been down once this season and hope to make it again before the year is over (and before LaPorta gets promoted).
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That pitching motion dooms Carrasco to an extensive injury!
Steel Nick
by nickjs21 on Aug 17, 2009 5:10 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs
The most exciting thing about these pictures is Lou Marson’s socks.
by FredOx on Aug 17, 2009 8:24 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Agreed. I can’t wait to see him in RF next year.
by ken from alexandria on Aug 17, 2009 9:08 AM EDT up reply actions 8 recs
I can’t believe you didn’t mention the dancing umpires! That was the highlight of the game for my wife. Between one of the innings, two of the umpires and a mascot did quite an elaborate dance routine (which they obviously choreographed ahead of time). It lasted a good minute. At the end, one of the umpires did a backflip then fell to the ground and did belly flops on the ground. It was really cool — I’ve never seen something like that at a baseball game before. The crowd gave them a big ovation.
two of the umpires and a mascot did quite an elaborate dance routine
Those were plants, right? I wasn’t watching that intently but I saw those guys retreat into the dugout once they were done (same with the opposing players being harrassed)
Yes… They have been doing this lately. Its all actors. I have not seen one where it is a player or umpire.
OK, I thought maybe there weren’t the real umps but I wasn’t close enough to see their faces so I couldn’t tell. I knew that the opposing player who got run over was fake.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 17, 2009 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I think they were animals, but I guess you never know.
by Logodaedalus on Aug 17, 2009 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions
I have some sort of irrational hatred for barnstorming mascots not attached to any team. It’s one thing to dislike them – for some reason I actually hate them. I’d much rather see the silly between inning contests for fans – win $10,000 if you can throw a frisbee from home plate through the windows of a Ford Escape parked in left field!
Well done, great write up.
After spending the first two innings watching my boys play in the fountains, I settled down on the first base side to watch Carrasco pitch. He looked good and was consistently between 93-95 all game. He has very powerful legs (ala Colon and Sabathia). Don’t know if there was a lot of movement on his fastball, he didn’t seem to miss many bats with it.
Marson looks kind of slight and unassuming, but had a nice compact stroke.
The park is beautiful, but I was kind of let down by the “big league prices” of the concessions.
I kept my eye out for you (well, your kids, actually). Shoulda figured they’d be in the fountain. I have to admit, I seriously considered splashing through it on my way out the park.
I’ll second the letdown on the pricing. The tickets themselves actually seem kinda pricey for AAA, too. They certainly do their best to earn your money, though, which that stadium.
The parking is usually cheap – $3. But there was an event at Nationwide Arena (Circ du Sole, or however you spell that) so it was pricier on Sunday. You’re right, the tickets could have been a couple of dollars cheaper but it’s a privately financed stadium so I guess they have to pay for it somehow.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 17, 2009 9:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Also! This has nothing to do with the game, but I saw Greg Oden coming out of Gordon Beirsch when I went there to eat before the game. I didn’t talk to him because he was texting on his phone then turned and walked away from me, but that was the closest I’ve ever been to an NBA player. He was tall. So that was cool.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 17, 2009 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Actually, the stadium was publicly financed by Franklin County (the actual owner of the team). The City of Columbus kicked in as well for a significant amount of the infrastructure.
"It's all part of life's rich pageant, you know?" - Inspector Clouseau
by woodsmeister on Aug 18, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Hmm, the article in the link said it was mostly privately financed. But I guess if the county owns the team then it would have to be publicly financed.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 19, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions
They must consider the name sponsorships to be private financing.
"It's all part of life's rich pageant, you know?" - Inspector Clouseau
by woodsmeister on Aug 19, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions
It depends on how you look at it. Franklin county issued $42.5 million in bonds and Columbus paid $9.3 million for infrastructure improvements. The county then got $24 million from private investors (Huntington, the Columbus Dispatch and Nationwide), which will be used (along with stadium revenues and sale of the old stadium) to repay the bonds.
What’s wrong with Jason Donald? Is he hurt? Also, where’s Wegz?
Sorry, I’m doing a little catch-all here.
Thoroughly enjoyed the piece as well. Great photos. Carrasco is my new second favorite minor leaguer.
It is almost like everyone was so quick to jump off the Carrasco bandwagon early in the season to jump on the Drabek bandwagon, that they have significantly underrated his potential
We haven’t had a huge strikeout starting prospect in forever before this season, it feels like, and now we have two!
Donald has a sore lower back.“We’re going to give him Sunday off,” Lovullo said. “Then we’ll have him play (Monday) at Toledo. That’s the plan.”
There is something seriously wrong with me.
I saw Brantley wasn’t playing, and wondered what was up.
I did not notice the absence of Wegz!
I thought he was still in Akron. Yeah, that’s it.
Ha, me too! It seems like the lineup was missing some players and all I could think of was Brantley. Don’t know why I forgot about Wegz.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 17, 2009 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I live in the Bethlehem where the Iron Pigs play in another beautiful new park. (Iron Pigs is a reference to the former Bethlehem Steel. It kind of grows on you.) I was selfishly a little bummed when the Indians AAA affiliate changed to Columbus, since Buffalo is in the same division as the Pigs and comes to town more than once a year. I grew up in Lakewood and although I’ve lived in Pennsylvania for the past 35 years, have never forsaken the Cleveland Indians.
I went to two of the four games against the Clippers and had the unusual experience of watching Donald and Marson play for the Pigs on Tuesday and the Clippers on Thursday. I missed Carrasco’s start on Friday.
Huntington Park looks really nice. Nice post. I’m glad real Tribe fans have the opportunity to experience minor league baseball in such a great facility.
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania? What kind of person lives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania?
by Logodaedalus on Aug 18, 2009 2:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Well we’re certainly not plants! I don’t care what your mother told you, we didn’t find you under a cabbage leaf.
You can just call me Pa.
what a curious response…
(Yes, this is my dad, if anyone was wondering. You may commence giving him a hard time about his genes.)
by Logodaedalus on Aug 19, 2009 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Apparently not. I’m not sure if he’s accused of being one a lot, or what….
by Logodaedalus on Aug 19, 2009 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s really tempting to make up a bunch of stuff about him, but yes, he is married to a former Rockies fan. It’s OK though, I think she’s seen the light. Can another generation of Tribe fan with a proclivity for word play be in his future?
Of a blow-up doll, with separate blow-up abdomen?
by Logodaedalus on Aug 19, 2009 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m guessing you’re thinking “getting her pregnant”, as opposed to, say, “e-mailing you”.
by Logodaedalus on Aug 19, 2009 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I ended up going to Carrasco’s start last night. I’m not going to pretend I have many great observations; I was kidnapped and taken to the game last minute as a birthday present. Our seats were too far to scout the pitches and I was pretty lubricated very early. But Carrasco seemed to be throwing three pitches all night: a fastball from 93-96, a slider (probably?) around 88, and a curveball (probably?) around 79-81. I think. His defense didn’t play very well behind him, but the home run he gave up was hammered.
There was absolutely no one fun to watch in the Columbus lineup.
And I bumped into Greg Oden after the game. So my night was pretty fun.
Steel Nick
What happened with Oden? Did you high-five him? You high-fived him, didn’t you?
by NickFantana on Aug 23, 2009 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Ha, that’s funny. Before the Clippers game last Sunday (the one these pics were taken at), my wife and I went to Gordon Beirsch and I saw Oden leaving the restaurant just as I was walking in. He was texting on his phone then walked in the other direction so I didn’t say anything to him.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 24, 2009 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions
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