Category: Dailies
Saturday Notables
Saturday, July 4, 6:35 PM – Memphis
Redbirds (37-43) vs. Round Rock Express (37-44)
- Tonight’s line-up is as follows:
1. Jon Jay – LF
2. Daniel Descalso – 2B
3. Nick Stavinoha – 1B
4. Brett Wallace – 3B
5. Brian Barden – RF
6. Donovan Solano – SS
7. Matt Pagnozzi – C
8. Shane Robinson – CF
9. Adam Ottavino – P
- With Jarrett Hoffpauir in St. Louis (see below), 2B Daniel Descalso was moved up from Springfield today and will make his Triple-A debut tonight. Descalso was hitting .323 (93×288) for the S-Cards.
- Fireworks will foloow tonight’s game, which bodes well for the Redbirds, who are 4-0 before fireworks.
- Brett Wallace starts anew after posting an impressive 15-game hit streak from June 15 to July 1. Wallace had a hit Friday and looks to for it to be the start of a new string of hits.
- Jarrett Hoffpauir made his major league debut Friday night a memorable one, coming in as a pinch hitter in the ninth to hit a two-run single that gave the Cards the lead over Cincinnati.
- Adam Ottavino looks for the first Triple-A win of his career tonight. Ottavino is 0-9 with a 5.30 ERA in 2009.
- Among other new additions to the Redbirds squad is infielder Mark Hamilton, who joined the club on June 27 from Springfield. In his three games as a starter for Memphis, Hamilton is hitting .455 (5×11).
- St. Louis Cardinals right-handed pitcher Kyle Lohse will make a rehab start in Memphis on Tuesday, July 7th’s Round Rock series finale. Lohse made a start in Springfield on Thursday, allowing two runs on three hits over 4.2 innings.
Martin Stadium and Red Sox Lore
Back by popular demand from Memphis historians and collectors everywhere, is another one of AutoZone Park’s Nostalgia Nights. The first 1,500 fans to arrive at AZP for Wednesday June 24th’s Redbirds game against the Omaha Royals will receive a Martin Stadium miniature replica.
Martin Stadium was the home of the Memphis Red Sox, Memphis’ Negro League team from 1920 to the late 1950s. The stadium was built in the mid-’30s and was named after the owner and real estate investor, Dr. W.S. Martin, who purchased the club in 1932. Located on Wellington and Crump, what is now Danny Thomas and Crump, Martin Stadium had an original capacity of 3,000. Renovations to the stadium eventually allowed it to seat 7,000.
Most Negro League teams played in white teams parks when the white teams were on the road, however Martin Stadium was one of the few parks owned primarily for a Negro League team. With segregation still very prominent, Martin Stadium was one place the black community could comfortably gather and socialize without racial restrictions. The stadium had dormitories for their players that were located under the left field seats.
In their near 40-year existence, the Memphis Red Sox captured one championship in 1938. Of the many men that came through Memphis’ Negro League team, four of them went on to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. The most recognizable pair are pitcher Satchel Paige and outfielder James ‘Cool Papa’ Bell. The other two are Willie Wells and Turkey Stearns.
The Negro Leagues began to diminish after Brooklyn’s Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. Most of the teams’ better players found jobs with Major League clubs. All of the Negro Leagues soon disbanded; Memphis’ Red Sox lasted until the late 1950s.
Former Red Sox players Bill Little, Joe B. Scott and Lonnie Harris will be in attendance Wednesday and will be signing autographs in the Entry Plaza before the game. Gates open at 6:00 P.M.
What To Know About Bobblehead #4
Born: September 27, 1976 in Creswell, Oregon
Drafted by St. Louis in the 33rd round of the 1999 draft
Bodhi (Bo) J. Hart played seven seasons in the Cardinals organization and in four of those he spent time with the Redbirds. The Gonzaga University product played as the team’s second baseman, but also spent time at the shortstop and third baseman positions.
Hart joined the team in 2003, one year after the Cardinals released Stubby Clapp, and was expected to fill in as the new fan-favorite. As it turns out, the infielder was received well by Redbirds fans, and even though he does not have his number retired like Clapp, he was included in the 2009 bobblehead series (below).
In his 370 games as a Redbird, Hart hit .276 (365-for-1325) to post 206 runs, 26 homers and 131 RBI. After a couple of months in Triple-A, the then 26-year-old made his major league debut for the St. Louis Cardinals on June 19, 2003. He was granted free agency in December of 2005 and went on to play in the Rockies, Cubs and Orioles organizations. Hart played his most recent baseball in 2008 for an Independent League team.
While Memphis is often the final stepping stone for professionals to get to the majors, the Bluff City can also bring other important career moments. Bo Hart actually met his wife at a Redbirds game, when she performed the pre-game National Anthem. Eventually, Hart proposed to her in the Redbirds dugout during one of AutoZone Park’s post-game firework shows.
Arrive early, because the Bo Hart bobblehead (the fourth of the 2009 collection) will only be given away to the first 1500 fans to arrive at Tuesday’s home game on June 16, when the Redbirds host the Albuquerque Isotopes. Gates open at 6:00 P.M. Also, Bo Hart will be signing autographs in the main gate entry plaza from 6:00 to 6:30 P.M.Redbirds Secrets: Joe Mather
Much like outer space, and the New Age section at your local music store*, the human mind is filled with vast amounts of unexplored territory; hidden nuggets of information that often go unrevealed and are carried to the grave.
In most social circles, these hard-to-locate pockets of knowledge are known as ‘secrets’ and they loom in the back of nearly every individual’s psyche, showing themselves in only the most comfortable of situations (i.e. at your Grandmother’s house or while wearing a pair of over-sized sweatpants).
Secrets can be small, like enjoying musicals, or secrets can be not so small, like being an active member in the Julie Andrews fan club (there’s only about ten of us). No matter the size, each man or woman carries with them their own satchel of buried tales that define who he or she is. We at Chirp Chatter have taken it upon ourselves to root our way into the minds of some of this year’s Redbirds squad to see what secrets they might have in a segment we have laboriously titled, “Redbirds Secrets”.
*the secrets found here are probably best left hidden
To start our reoccurring piece, we give you first…Joe Mather.
According to the Media Guide
Born:July 23, 1982 at Sandpoint, Idaho
Resides: Phoenix, Arizona
According to Joe
Favorite Color: Green
Nicknames: Joey Bombs, Bombs
Favorite Famous Mather: Jerry “Beaver” Mathers of ‘Leave it to Beaver’
Best Thing to do in Phoenix: attend Phoenix Suns games.
Recent Broken Bone Story: While batting, the knob of the bat pressed hard into the lower part of his hand and broke the bone. He pointed at the lower metacarpal.
Lightning Round Responses:
- Dogs over Cats
- Books over Movies
- Fruits over Vegetables
- Country Music over Water Sports
Memphis’ Best Kept Secret: Texas de Brazil
Joe Mather’s Best Kept Secret: He could eat pizza every single day of the year.
Royce Ring’s Best Kept Secret:Likes to go by the name ‘Snoozie’ and is a budding rap star.
Blake Hawksworth’s Best Kept Secret: Often provides Ring with backing beats to rap to and will most likely be Ring’s producer.
What To Know About Bobblehead #3
Bats: Left Throws: Right
Born February 24, 1973 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Drafted by St. Louis in the 36th round of the 1996 draft
Memphis Redbirds fan favorite, Richard Keith ‘Stubby’ Clapp, played seven seasons in the Cardinals organization, four of those with the Redbirds. The second baseman was known as the ‘Mayor of Memphis’ around town and delighted fans with his traditional pre-game flip, a round-off back-flip combination.
Stubby helped the Redbirds win their first and only team championship in 2000 and made his major league debut the following year on June 18. He had a short stay as a Big Bird, playing in 23 games where he hit .200 (5-for-25). He was released to free agency in 2002 and spent the next two years in the Braves, Indians and Blue Jays organizations before retiring.
On Stubby Clapp Day (above), April 21, 2007, the former Redbird’s No. 10 was retired at AutoZone Park. The likable infielder holds the all-time Redbirds records for runs (258), walks (222) and triples (19). No other Redbird has worn No. 10 since Clapp left.
Pictured above is the Stubby Clapp bobblehead (the third of the 2009 collection) that will be given away to the first 1500 fans to attend Monday’s home game on June 8, when the Redbirds host the New Orleans Zephyrs.
Clapp was known for his antics on the field (above) and off the field (below).
Don’t miss your chance to grab a Stubby Clapp bobblehead on June 8th.
Veg-he-might-throw-up
One of the great things about working with the Redbirds thus far is experiencing the virtual melting pot that surrounds the game of baseball. This year’s intern class alone features representatives from nine states all over the U.S. From the Puerto Rican clubhouse attendants to the bevy of international players on our roster, AutoZonePark becomes a literal kaleidoscope of cultures that come together every time the ‘Birds play a game.
In the ‘Birds last homestand, Alex and I were provided the opportunity to share an international snack with the Redbirds Australian strength and conditioning coach, Cameron Brown.
Upon trying the Vegemite, Cameron told Alex and I that it had a taste similar to the generally well-liked chocolate spread Nutella.
After our initial and only run-in with this overly-salty jar of gross, it is safe to say that Vegemite has done the impossible. It has managed to capture the smell of dog food, transform it into an actual taste and then have it haunt your mouth for a solid hour-and-a-half. A tip of the multicultural hat to you, Australia!
Lesson learned and never again. We have included photos below to as a kind of visual precautionary tale to keep this from happening to anyone else. Thank you again, Cameron!
Ben jumps right in while Alex watches, testing the water.
Before the finger even leaves the mouth, Ben can already tell something is not right.
Alex gets involved, but proceeds with caution. Ben disgusted.
Alex starts generating an uneasy taste, while Ben questions the “spread”.
The over-bearing wave of salt proves to be too much for both Ben and Alex.
McCarver Stadium Lore
Exciting news for those of you who have a certain fascination with Memphis history and collectibles. The first 2,500 fans to May 29th’s Memphis Redbirds game against the Iowa Cubs will receive a Tim McCarver Stadium replica.
Erected in the early 1950s, Tim McCarver Stadium was originally built as a part of a multi-field complex on the Mid-South Fairgrounds. The park was unique with its grass outfield, turf infield and high-school-like fencing behind home plate. The small field gradually grew, adding a covered grandstand and press boxes, readying itself to be called the home of Memphis’ first professional baseball team since 1960. The Memphis Blues won their debut game at Tim McCarver Stadium on April 16, 1968 in front of a capacity crowd of 5,447.
Over the years, the park had been known as Fairgrounds #3, Blues Stadium and Chicks Park before donning the name of Memphis’ own baseball ambassador, Tim McCarver, in 1978.
McCarver’s baseball history stretches back to when he used to work the concession stands during Memphis Chicks baseball games. He played college ball for Christian Brothers University and later played for the Chicks in 1960, where he hit .347, a year after debuting in the majors for the Cardinals. At the conclusion of his 21-year major league career, McCarver took up broadcasting, which he still enjoys today alongside Joe Buck with FOX’s coverage of the MLB.
Tim McCarver Stadium was dismantled in the spring of 2005 and currently is a vacant grass lot. Though the stadium is gone, Memphis will always have the memories of the Blues winning the Texas League championship in 1969 and 1973, the Chicks winning the Southern League championship in 1990 and hosting the inaugural season of the Memphis Redbirds.
Friday Night, cleverly named ‘Nostalgia Night’ (the first of three), will also be spent remembering the Memphis Chicks, which means the players will be wearing the sweet old-school Chicks uniforms.
One of the most nationally-remembered moments in Chicks history can be found here. Go straight to page 48 for the full story. Interesting how AutoShack (AutoZone’s old moniker) is mentioned.
Sunny Tacoma
It’s our last day in Tacoma with the ‘Birds going for a series split with the Rainiers and the weather could not have been better all weekend. The weather has been sunny and in the 70s all four days we’ve been here. All the stories you hear about it raining here all the time have not been true during this visit.
The Cardinals activated Rick Ankiel from the DL today which meant somebody had to come back to Memphis. That somebody was Tyler Greene, who was hitting .257 in 11 games with the Cardinals in his first big league time.In 19 games with the Redbirds Greene was hitting .296 with two homers and nine RBI.
Memphis will travel to Portland after today’s game and open a four-game series with the Beavers tomorrow afternoon at PGE Park. The ‘Birds and Beavers split their four-game set in Memphis last season. The series could be a low scoring one with both teams being the top two pitching teams in the PCL and the worst two hitting teams in the league. The Redbirds pitchers have a 3.54 ERA compared to the Beavers 3.67 team ERA. Memphis is hitting .241 and Portland is hitting .240 on the year. If you like pitcher’s duels this might be the series for you.
After finishing up in Portland the ‘Birds are back home on Friday, May 29 to play six games in four days against Iowa. Memphis and Iowa will play two seven-inning games on Saturday, May 30 with the first game beginning at 4:05 p.m. and fireworks following the second game. On Sunday, May 31 the two teams will pick up the suspended game from May 3 with the I-Cubs already leading 2-0 in the fourth. A seven-inning game will follow the suspended game. No rest for the weary because after the game on June 1 the ‘Birds head back out on the road to Oklahoma City. Memphis is definitely in a tough strech of games over the next couple of weeks with games, opponents and travel.
Heading to the NW
The team is leaving for Tacoma and Portland tonight and with them goes our boss, KP, on a rare journey to the mighty northwest. For Ben and Alex, this means one thing: press-box office chair races are back!
Early odds have Alex as the 4-1 favorite, seeing as how Ben has a troubled history with races and I haven’t been able to locate my conscience since the late 1990s. And for the first time in a long time, there has been some talk of allowing a female intern to race with the boys. It’s still early though and the race is only a three-chair contest which may fill before then, leaving the girls a-watching.
In all seriousness though, the world’s not ready for mixed-gender chair racing.
Over the next week we expect a few good blogs from KP, as he explores the far-and-away lands, and a few awesome posts from us! So stay tuned.
By the way, were you aware we have a twitter account? Follow us!
Saturday Notables
Saturday, May 16, 6:05 PM – Memphis Redbirds (18-15) vs. Reno Aces (14-21)
- The night’s line-up is as follows:
1. Jon Jay – CF
2. Casey Rowlett – 2B
3. Brett Wallace – 3B
4. Allen Craig – LF
5. Javier Brito – 1B
6. Mark Shorey – RF
7. Brandon Yarbrough – C
8. Donovan Solano – SS
9. P.J. Walters – P
- A lot has changed in the Redbirds line-up over the past 15 days, losing Tyler Greene, Brad Thompson, Shane Robinson and Nick Stavinoha to St. Louis. Also Jarrett Hoffpauir, Joe Mather and David Freese were placed on the DL. What you see above is a new flock of ‘Birds to cheer for.
- Brett Wallace, the Cardinals number one draft pick of 2008, transferred from Springfield today and lands in the three-spot for his Triple-A debut.
- The ‘Birds are 7-2 in series openers this season. The Reno Aces make their debut at AZP.
Chirp Chatter 