my.nwi.com

  Fans, this blog is for you. Enough about me, and enough about the team. I want to write this as a sincere thank you for all the support during the 2009 season. With our last home stand of the regular season beginning next Tuesday, the end is around the corner. 

Without a doubt in my mind we have the best fans in the Northern League. I know athletes say that about as much as Favre changes his mind, but I truly mean it. Because of you, The Steel Yard has a unique atmosphere unmatched in the league. It’s very clear our fans are attentive, knowledgeable and very passionate. 

To the season ticket-holders a special thank you. Trust me, we understand your hard-earned money goes toward attending our games. With the economy where it is, this means a lot. We’ve also enjoyed getting to know some of you. Jogging out to warm up before a game can feel like a stroll through the neighborhood saying hello to old friends. We can only hope we’ve done our part and played hard all year. 

With all this being said, there’s been no fat lady singing just yet. Last Saturday we clinched a playoff birth extending the season into September. I know school and football are in full swing by then, but playoff baseball is something special. Each pitch of every at-bat is magnified, and there’s tension in the air. A full Steel Yard for a playoff game would be incredible, let’s try to make it happen. 

Thanks again,
Mike

We’ve reached the dog days of summer, marked by the start of two-a-days and back to school shopping. I always hate this time of year because baseball is almost over. No matter who you are, this is always the time when you look back at the summer and realize you didn’t enjoy it as much as you could’ve. Maybe you slept in too often or didn’t take that vacation you were thinking about. Either way, time is running out.

We’ve spent the last five days in Kansas City, which has apparently moved closer to the equator since our last visit. The temperature was 95 degrees or higher during each game last weekend. We’d spend time in the hotel’s steam room after games just to cool off. 

Guys have been talking about the recent announcement made by the Northern League. Two new teams from Rockford and Zion (Northern Chicago suburb) will join the league next year, making it an eight-team league. Everyone would agree more teams were needed considering last year Tanner Townsend could mimic the batting stance of every player in the league. On a side note, if you haven’t yet youtubed Gar Ryness, go do it.

The location of the two teams was also good news. From Gary, the cities are under three hours away, which means less bus time. We also learned the team in Zion, officially the ‘Lake County Fielders,’ will be owned by Kevin Costner. Even though he probably won’t be the starting catcher or build the stadium himself, it’s still pretty cool.

The characters in his movies have a permanent place in the culture of baseball. Bull Durham gets quoted nightly in every ballpark across the country, and I still get chills when James Earl Jones speaks in Field of Dreams. I wonder if Mr. Costner can fly him in for the ceremonial first pitch, giggling and everything. 

I’m going to keep this one short so you can get back to enjoying the rest of your summer. Hopefully I’ll see you at the park, only 10 regular-season home games left. No matter what you’re doing though, remember to clear the mechanism. 

That’s all for now,
Mike

Fans, this week’s blog is a little different.  Here’s 24 hours through the eyes of a RailCat starting with game #70 in Kansas City on Sunday night.  I’ve always loved this type of article so I thought I’d try my own:

Sunday, Aug. 2, 7:55 p.m.: KC first-baseman Jim Fasano squeezes a pop-up for the last out as the T-Bones clinch a series win with a 5-2 victory in front of 4,867. As the sun sets on Eastern Kansas, the 29 in our travel party pack up about 50 bags. Before leaving, a dozen of us grab combo meals from a nearby Sonic. I go with the #7: Popcorn chicken, fries, and a lemonade.  No tots this time, maybe next weekend. We depart for Gary around 9:15.

10:30 p.m.: About an hour into the trip, my attention is divided between tonight’s main feature, "Yes Man" with Jim Carrey, and a discussion with Tony Cogan about different grad schools. Many guys doze off by lying down on foam mattresses under the seats. We have roughly seven hours until we’re home.

Monday, Aug. 3, 1:00 a.m.:  After diving headfirst into my LSAT study book and a bag of pretzel-cheese combos for 2 hours, I decide it’s time for a sleep attempt. After 30 minutes of no luck, our bus driver Chris pulls over to a rest stop for a restroom and coffee break. I have no clue where we are; apparently somewhere north of St. Louis. I grab an apple juice from a vending machine hoping it will help me sleep.

6:00 a.m.: We arrive back at The Steel Yard. I estimate I slept on-and-off for three hours, which isn’t bad. While guys unload bags into lockers, Greg Tagert writes the day’s plan on the bulletin board for tonight’s home game against Schaumburg. Derell McCall will make his home debut as our starting pitcher in thirteen hours.

8:00 a.m.:  After driving to Valparaiso and enjoying a delicious egg breakfast with roommate Steve Haak:e and our host, John DeCoster, I shut the blinds and try to sleep. In the background is the Dan Patrick radio show, which ironically is making its television debut. As far as interviewers go, Dan Patrick is the best in the business, hands down.Today: swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker. You see what I mean.

2:15 p.m.: I listen to a cell phone message from my sister Emily about plans to drive down for Thursday’s home game with the Famous Chicken. I have a feeling she’s more excited to see the Chicken than to watch her brother play. I can’t say I blame her, he’s hilarious.

2:50 p.m.:  My buddy Zak hooks me up with extra pickles as I grab an Italian sandwich from the Merrillville Potbelly. It was a toss up between Jimmy John’s and Potbelly. Potbelly took this one.

4:00 p.m.:  After ten minutes of running and stretching while listening to some Airborne Toxic Event, I retreat into the indoor cage for some pre-batting practice tee work. I quickly smile realizing how lucky I am to do this for a living.

4:45 p.m. – 5:25 p.m.: The RailCats take batting practice. In between swings I chat with Joe Gates about hitting the ball with more authority to the opposite field. Afterward we all grab a bite to eat and heckle two families on the greatest game show of all time, Family Feud.

8:00 p.m.:  Twenty-four hours later, we are in the third inning of game #71 tied with Schaumburg, 2-2. Without giving up a hit, we surrender two first inning runs thanks to two errors by yours truly. Yep, not a good start. We get two runs back in the bottom half, but nothing for either side since. 

So there you have it, 24 hours in the minor leagues.  We get to do this 96 times a year.  I can’t imagine wanting to do anything else.

That’s all for now,
Mike

I’m pretty sure we all agree that times spent relaxing at home are to be cherished. It’s no different in minor league baseball, where dates on the calendar without a game are few and far between. Even less frequent are days like this past Monday which was a day off spent in Northwest Indiana. Outside of the All-Star break, we only have four of these in 2009. I wish we could play everyday, I truly do, but I’ve learned it’s vital to get away and relax from time to time.

Guys spend these rare days usually doing one thing: Relaxing. Prime example: We arrived at The Steel Yard at around 11 a.m. Monday morning from Winnipeg with no obligations until Tuesday afternoon. By 11:05 a m. Kenny Graham and Jamie Bennett looked like U.S. Ryder Cup partners getting ready for an afternoon best-ball match against the Europeans As you might’ve already guessed, hitting the links is a popular off-day activity. They quickly hustled out to the parking lot.

Before we all scattered, Eric McNamee was overheard asking someone, “Hey, good day to lay by the pool, isn’t it?” Sure, but why sit at a pool when we’re lucky enough to have the Dunes a short trip away. After an off day earlier this season, Jordan Czarniecki and his wife enjoyed the Dunes but apparently forgot sunscreen Jordan's chest was bright red the next day After that night’s game, Jay Pecci kept exclaiming, “There’s a lobster on the loose!”

I spent my off day relaxing in a different way. I was lucky enough to score tickets to Wrigley Field for the Cubs and Astros. Now before going further, I must explain that I am a huge Brewers fan. I grew up in the shadows of County Stadium and Miller Park, and I hate the Cubs. However, I must confess I am a huge Wrigley Field fan. There’s a certain contagious energy around Wrigleyville that makes a Monday night in July feel like Game Seven in October.

Without hitting 88 mph in a Delorean, watching a game at Wrigley Field is also the closest thing you’ll find to a time machine. There’s no oversized jumbotron, hardly any advertisements, and no gimmicky bells and whistles. Without all of these distractions, I found myself more immersed in the game than ever before.I actually watched the action on the field. Funny how it worked out.

There are many who don’t appreciate Wrigley like I do. People say the sightlines are lacking, the space is limited, and the rats lift weights. Here’s to hoping they can renovate and renovate for years to come without having to build a new one.

On a side note, the mustache train has come to a screeching halt with the last stop being in Winnipeg. I blame myself for the sweep by writing about not only the mustaches, but superstitions in general. I apologize, it won’t happen again. That’s all for now, Mike