5.15.06: Pawtucket v. S/WB Red Barons - Game One

Pawtucket WINS 3-2

Double header!

I cannot tell a lie. I missed the first 2 innings of this game because I didn't think they'd be playing. But then I heard the broadcast and hied myself to McCoy. Two innings in and there was still parking available. No one was at the park! WOW!

David Riske started for Pawtucket and pitched probably 2 innings, giving up 2 runs. I truly wish I could tell you who started for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but they rather stupidly neglected to put uniform numbers next to the players on the scorecard. So number 32, who could be Travis Minix, started. Unless it was Clay Condrey. (Pawtucket has the best scorecards around. Yes, you have to pay a dollar for them, but they're printed on non-slick paper and are formatted simply but not sparsely.)

Offensively, Pawtucket got their act together in the 6th, making Ryan Cameron look like a bird flu victim. Stern, Calloway, and Choi all hit doubles! Hee-Seop Choi is great. He always looks strong and happy. If he's still in Pawtucket come autograph night, I'm gonna bite the bullet and have him sign my PawSox lunchbox. And I HATE getting autographs.

I look at the S/W-B roster and I think, who are these people? Is this the Phillies farm system? Whoa. Coming into last night they were first in the IL. I can't imagine how. One player stood out for me: Joe Thurston, infielder. He's the kind of balls-out player who will run from second to the outfield wall to back up a play or knock down the outfielder to catch a fly. You know, the aggro guy all the other players hate. But, yeah, he hit a double. Joe Thurston, nice to meet you.

Jimmy Serrano took over for Riske in the third and the Red Barons didn't score off him. Jermaine Van Buren was interesting in the ninth. I don't know anything about anything, but you look at Van Buren's form and how he just hucks the ball in there... his arm is going to fly out of the socket. Plus he's physically Sabathia-esque. I don't get it.

Luke Allen report: Luke Allen sucked. Luke Allen swings at everything. I would say he was visibly chagrined by his poor performance, but I think he has that perpetual look of disquiet and poutiness. Like Maxwell Caulfield or something.

There was some kind of flaky play at first where Pedroia was called safe but the sitch was hotly contested by various Red Barons. Enraged players look like they're pantomiming fury when you can't hear them, what with the pointing and huffing and stamping... it looks exaggerated and theatrical. The coolest thing I ever saw was former manager Buddy Bailey getting down on the ground and methodically covering home plate with infield dirt, sweeping it atop the dish in a neat yet disrespectful pile.

Onto Game Two!