Harry Kalas Bobblehead Day

5/16/2011 LEHIGH VALLEY IRONPIGS (Phillies' AAA Affiliate) VS. NORFOLK TIDES (Baltimore Orioles' AAA Affiliate)

W 4-3

with Scott Pinkelman

Okay, let's try this again. Myself and pal Scott set out to get what me and Sam had failed at a few weeks prior; getting a bobblehead at a Lehigh Valley game, the most attended team in the minors. This time, we set out an hour earlier. Surely that would be enough! After all, this was for Harry Kalas, a hero of mine. When we got there... oh my god. Two hours early, and there was already a few thousand people in line. On this chilly, rainy day, Philadelphians commuted up the northeast extension of the turnpike because Kalas was loved that much. I wonder if it annoys the locals... 

When we pulled into the parking lot, the parking attendant said, upon peering at my philly carshare, "Philadelphia? We love people from Philly!"

I responded, "Well, just keep sending us players."

He quipped, "That's what we like to do."

By the time we got to the line, I'll be honest. It didn't look good. I said to Scott that I thought it was less than a 40% chance we'd get a bobblehead. People were totally camping out to get one of those. The Ironpigs let the anticipation build even more by opening 10 minutes late, at 5:40, before the line started to move. At one point, we switched to a shorter line, which I'm not sure was kosher or not. As we were 10 people away, I said to Scott, "I know they're going to run out right before we get there."

Ohhh boy.

This doesn't look good.

Are we fucked or what?

There's no way we're getting a bobblehead

And they did! All out! But there was a few underneath the table, which started a mad dash for fans grabbing them. One of the attendants got one of them, the very last one of the whole park, and handed it to me. OH WOW WOW WOW. I couldn't believer how lucky I was. While others looked at my greedily and with envy, I got my wits together and dashed away, lest either the attendant try to take it away or other fans beat on me for it. It felt like they might, as the anger built. 

I got the last one! I got the last one! I got the last one! 

wooooo!

In my opinion, I think if a game is going to sell out, the team should just give bobbleheads to everyone, so no one is pissed off. A local company, this time an eye doctor company, always sponsors it, so its not like they're paying for it. And why not just make 10,000 instead of 3,000? You're gonna advertise to way more people that way! Its a nice thing about the Phillies, is every free give-away, all fans who are eligible are guaranteed one, if you have a ticket.

For the rest of the game, my Harry Kalas was hidden in my bookbag. I took it out once to take a picture, and I noticed fans eyeing my up and down. DON'T TRUST NOBODY! THEY'RE ALL OUT TO TAKE MY PRECIOUS.

As I said in the previous post about Coca Cola Stadium in Allentown, it is totally covered toe to toe in advertising. Scott said while the Phillies ballpark reminded him of a cool rehabed warehouse, the Ironpigs' home was more like a shitty stripmall. He did enjoy the corn on the cob, though.

at least Scott dressed for rain

Me making a damn mess with peanuts. 

Coca Cola Pig

They did do Harry Kalas right though. There was a nice video montage of him, (though I think it was just ganked from the dvd phillies '09 yearbook). They showed him doing his Hall of Fame induction speech, and later in the 7th inning stretch, his rendition of "High Hopes", which they also play after every Phillies victory. It always sends a jolt of joy to see that song sung. Which also makes it a karaoke favorite of mine, I'm sure to the chagrin of anyone who hears me sing it.

Harry, circa 2002, HOF

And I was tempted to eat one, too.

This was a well-played game by the Ironpigs, though the Tides did a good impression of their parent team, the O's, and played very sloppy, with two costly errors. I think I counted 5 dropped or missed balls that went to their way. It reminded me of our softball team trying to field the first time... Speaking of which, we have an official name, the Oregon Ave Octopi. We even have our own homebrew to drink with practices!

One of the Tides' player's was named Tyler Henson. So... that makes for a good chant? "Tyler Henson!" I guess it was supposed to be like Tyler Hanson, of the mmbop Hanson band. (Are those kids coke heads yet?)

The Tide practice dropping the ball

I was not a fan of the "Wack an Intern" game, in which unpaid interns played the mole for fans trying to win something. Could it get any worse? Might as well say, "Wack a Concession Worker". Also, they had a free-groceries giveaway, which if catcher Erik Kratz hit an RBI, people would get some groceries. So everyone was supposed to chant "GROC-ER-IES". Why does that sound like begging for food from the all-mighty corporation to me? However, the Pork Product Race, the third time I've seen it, kinda tickles my funny bone. Its between Hotdog, Bacon, and Hambone. Aaaand they have a Pig mascot, so yeah, they play both side there.

Hambone in the lead

Rounding Home

Bacon almost won

Why is their pig mascot okay with this?

Willful ignorance brought on by dancing?

So I got the bobblehead by being a little quicker and the attendant being nice to me. So it was time to give back. They did one of those plush ball sling-shot launches, (I had gotten one at Reading). This time, it went right at me and these kids. Being taller, I was able to snatch it out of the air. This one redhaired kid looked very very sad. So I handed him the ball. Everyone around me gave me applause. One mom said, "That was very nice of you. That was a standup thing to do." What am I supposed to do? Keep it? Laud it over the kid's head? Well, I guess I felt nice about it.

I'm off the snide. The Ironpigs won, 4-3, with a homer, despite Mike Zagurski's best attempt at giving away the game. David Herndon, who I've seen pitch a whole bunch last year as the Phillies 2010 Rule 5 pick, including the notorious 16 inning, Ryan-Howard-Ejection, Roy-Oswalt-At-Left-Field game. He was pretty shutdown.

It was all worth it for the bobblehead. 

Rain, rain goaway. I wanna see the Rockies Wednesday!

More pictures:

Delwyn Young at right field

Game Stats:

LEHIGH VALLEY

Pitching:

Starter:LHP Ryan Feierabend (98 Pitches, 59 Strikes, 5 Innings, 4 Hits, 2 Runs, 2 ER, 1 Double, 1 Homerun, 3 Walks, 2 players hit by pitch, 1 Strikeout, 5.73 ERA) W (2-2)

Relief: RHP Chance Chapman (33 Pitches, 21 Strikes, 2 Innings, 1 Hit, 1 Walk, 3 Strikeouts, 5.06 ERA) H (1)

Relief: LHP Mike Zagurski (15 Pitches,10 Strikes, 1 Inning, 2 Hits, 1 Run, 1 ER, 1 Triple, 2 Strikeouts, 1.74 ERA) H (2)

Closer: RHP David Herndon (10 Pitches, 8 Strikes, 1 Inning, 2 Strikeouts, 2.00 ERA) S (1)

Lineup:

1. CF Rich Thompson (3 At-bats, 1 Walk, .264 AVG)

2. 3B Ronnie Belliard (4 At-bats, 1 Run, 1 Hit, 1 Double, 1 Strikeout, .273 AVG)

3. LF Cory Sullvian (3 At-bats, 1 Walk, 1 Strikeout, .207 AVG)
4. RF Delwyn Young (4 At-bats, 1 Run, 2 Strikeouts, .211 AVG)

5. 2B Josh Barfield (4 At-bats, 1 Run, 3 Hits, 1 Homerun, 1 RBI, .256 AVG)

6. DH Brandon Moss (4 At-bats, 1 Run, 2 Hits, 1 Double, 1 RBI, 1 Strikeout, .252 AVG)

7. 1B Jeff Larish (4 At-bats, 1 Strikeout, .233 AVG)

8. C Erik Kratz (4 At-bats, 1 Hit, 2 Strikeouts, .275 AVG)

9. SS Brian Bocock (3 At-bats, 1 Strikeout, .205 AVG)

Norfolk

Pitching

Starter: RHP Rick VandenHurk (97 Pitches, 63 Strikes, 5 Innings, 7 Hits, 4 Runs, 3 ER, 1 Homerun, 2 Walks, 7 Strikeouts, 1 Wild Pitch, 5.88 ERA) L (2-6)

Closing: RHP Armando Gabino (25 Pitches, 17 Strikes, 3 Innings, 2 Strikeouts, 3.10 ERA)

Lineup:

1. LF Tyler Henson (5 At-bats, 2 Strikeouts, .224 AVG)

2. 2B Ryan Adams (3 At-bats, 2 Walks, 1 Strikeout, .291 AVG)

3. 1B Brandon Snyder (4 At-bats, 1 Hit, 1 Walk, .276 AVG)
4. 3B Josh Bell (4 At-bats, 1 Hit, 2 Strikeouts, .282 AVG)

5. LF Nolan Reimold (4 At-bats, 1 Run, 1 Hit, 1 Homerun, 1 RBI, .220 AVG)

6. SS Nick Green (2 At-bats, 2 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Walk, 1 Hit by pitch, .198 AVG)

7. DH Brendan Harris (4 At-bats, 2 Hits, 1 Double, 1 Triple, 2 RBI, 1 Strikeout, .210 AVG)

8. C John Hester (3 At-bats, 1 Strikeout, 1 Hit by pitch, .182 AVG)

9. CF Matt Angle (4 At-bats, 1 Hit, 1 Strikeout, .168 AVG)

James's 2011 Stats

Starting Pitchers:

RHP Roy Halladay 1

RHP Roy Oswalt 1

LHP Cole Hamels 2

LHP Ryan Edell (AA) 1

RHP Joe Blanton 1

RHP Eddie Bonine (AAA) 1

LHP Ryan Feierabend (AAA) 1

Total Games: 8

Minor League: 1-2

Phillies: 1-4

Overall: 2-6