There is something about playing afternoon ball games that I enjoy – as does the coaching staff for the Hawks.  When I read “This Day in Baseball History” each night on the broadcast, the talk about the first night games in the late 1930s harkon back to the days when afternoon games were all there was.

I think about how Wrigley Field kept the lights away until 1988 and how when I was growing up, it was the last of the afternoon League Championship Series games in the afternoon (I still remember hearing the call of Ozzie Smith’s homer at Busch Stadium to win the pennant for the Cardinals).

It was the third day game of the year for the Hawks – and we’ll have one more on Tuesday.  Vancouver thrives on the afternoon games and the fans come out in droves for their “Nooners”.  In fact, the C’s decided to play up the “Green” card this year – as most of the NWL teams have this season, having an entire “Green” series against Everett, three straight weekday day games, which would have been sweet.

One of the things that make the Sunday games for Vancouver is that they serve A&W root beer floats (the owners of the C’s own A&W’s in the city) for a $1 – with the procedes going to charity.  It is the best $1 investment in the league…especially on a warm summer afternoon (if only we had that in Boise on the 100-degree nights).  I also love seeing the A&W Bear and Bob Brown Bear (the C’s cute mascot) hanging out on Sunday’s.

WHERE DID THE CURLING GO: Sitting adjacent to Nat Bailey Stadium is one of the venues that played a big part of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, the Vancouver Olympic Centre – which played host to the curling championships.  A year ago, I was able to sneak into the building to watch as they were putting together the finishing touches to the facility – but in 2010, I could not get close to the rink – as major rennovations are on-going again, as it does not look anything like the building everyone saw on television.

Following the Winter Games (as Vancouver also hosted the Paralympic Winter Games as well), the City of Vancouver began to convert the facility into a Legacy Design, something that the entire community will be able to use.  The first thing that opened earlier in the year was a pair of huge swimming pools – one a 50-meter lap pool with a swim and dive tank (including a movable floor), an outdoor pool that seems to be packed all times of the day (even when the temperatures are in the 60s), and a huge fitness center.

Under construction is converting the arena that held the curling event (which held upwards of 6,000 fans a night) into a multipurpose facility.  A full-sized ice rink (NHL regulation size) along with enough ice for eight sheets of curling will be constructed – but along with it, a true community center – including a full-size gymnasium, arts and crafts rooms, aerobics rooms, and the housing of the Vancouver Park Board’s main offices.

GAME NOTES: Both Alvaro Ramirez and Pierre LePage logged multi-hit games and the duo, who lead the Northwest League in hitting, added to their totals…Ramirez has 26 multi-hit games this season, with LePage right behind him with 23…speaking of LePage, he was credited with an RBI groundout in the eighth inning, which pulled the Hawks within 4-3.  On the play, Vancouver manager Rick Magnante questioned the umpire crew as to whether or not the ball might have hit LePage on the foot (but the call was upheld)…when I asked the UConn product as to whether it hit him on the foot, he said no – it hit me on the shin…

ROSTER CAROUSEL CONTINUES: After arriving in Vancouver on Friday night after spending a month in Peoria, right-hander Danny Keefe’s stay north of the border will last four days…Keefe has been promoted back to Peoria – and should be back in the Midwest League in time for the Chiefs game tomorrow night in Clinton, Iowa, one of 21 former Hawks on the Peoria roster.

There are things that go on in every ball park in America during the summer – hot dogs, popcorn, and ice cold beer for the fans.  For the players – the daily grind of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Power Bars for a pregame meal and a trip to Denny’s after the game (maybe an Applebee’s if the group is lucky).

For the coaches and staff (and I get in on this one) – most teams provide some sort of postgame spread.  Typically it is hot dogs and hamburgers – Yakima busted out some of their outstanding Teriyaki Chicken, Spokane will have a chicken sandwich or two, and here in Vancouver, they have foot-long Nathan’s hot dogs.

But with all of us staff members well over 21 years of age, the best thing to wash down the meal is with a cold beer – especially on those nights on the road when it is 100 degrees, the press box is 120 degrees and after an hour pregame show and a three hour game.

Unfortunately – it is something that we had to figure out on our own here in Vancouver, as the Canadians do not supply the visiting team (and I am guessing they probably do not supply their own team) with suds.  Which saddens us, because Canadian beer is VERY good – especially the two breweries that are sponsors of the club – Whistler and Granville Island. 

There was a time in which they did – and I remember it vividly.  My first three years in the league, not only did the C’s provide beer to the clubhouse, they provided beer to the pressbox (of all places).  I was talking with longtime C’s scorer, Pat Karl, yesterday about the old days, when following the game, we’d crack open a Molson and talk about the game.  It was never abused by the pressbox or the media – a kind gesture for the hard work we all do for 76 days during a summer.

Not anymore – as our trusty bus driver Hal got to visit a local Liquor/Wine store (they do not sell beer at groceries in Canada) and purchase a 15-pack of Coors Light (have to stick with our sponsors), which cost $28.99.

The rest of the NWL takes a different approach.  In Yakima, Budwiesers and pale ales from their local brewery are consumed, in Tri-City, the kind clubhouse attendant brings a pitcher of beer for the staff.  Spokane, Everett, Eugene, and Salem-Keizer have a fridge with bottles or cans of their sponsors beer for the staff.  Nothing is abused, just a beer to celebrate a great win or to help take away the bad taste of a loss.  In Vancouver, though, we settle for the crystal canadian water (or the watered down Canadian version of Coors Light that we had to buy ourselves).

ROSTER NOTES:  Prior to this afternoon’s game, the Cubs announced that left-hander Austin Kirk has been promoted to Class-A Peoria.  Kirk, the third-round pick from 2009, was 4-5 with the Hawks, including a victory on Wednesday night vs. Everett in his final start of the season.  He will join the Chiefs starting rotation.  Matt Loosen will take the place of Kirk in the rotation.  Juan Serrano made his scheduled appearance in Mesa last night, tossing three shutout innings, while Tarlandus Mitchell made his second rehab appearance, tossing two scoreless innings.  Larry Suarez rejoined the team in Vancouver prior to last night’s game after his visa issues were resolved. 

BATS ERUPT: The Hawks bats erupted last night, pounding out 16 hits in the 9-3 victory over the C’s.  Pierre LePage had his first four-hit game as a professional and is now 7-for-9 in the series with a double, two triples, and three RBI.  Micah Gibbs logged his third-straight multi-hit game, climbing his average to .155, while Alvaro Ramirez lined a single in the eighth, ending a season-long 0-for-11 slump.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Yesterday was also the 21st birthday for shortstop Elliot Soto, who was kept busy in the win, converting seven infield assists flawlessly.  He also had a good day at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI.

PAST FIVE INNINGS:  For the first time this season, a Boise pitcher broke past the five inning barrier – and kind of by necessity.  Cam Greathouse was nearly unhittable, allowing just two hard hit balls in six innings (one a double by Nino Leyja in the third, the other a fly ball out by Ryan Lipkin in the sixth), working to just two two-ball and one three-ball count.  After five innings, Greathouse had thrown just 52 pitches (well below the 75 pitch limit Boise pitchers are on), so instead of wearing out the bullpen, the lefty went out for the sixth and retired the side in order on 13 pitches.

LOOKING AHEAD: Look for pictures from what was the Olympic Centre – the 2010 Olympics Curling venue, which is no longer a home for curling.

The following link contains some of the best highlights from July 25 through August 18…including

Richard Jones two-run triple vs. Yakima (July 25), Ryan Cuneo two-run single vs. Vancouver (July 31), Elliot Soto’s walk-off winner vs. Vancouver (August 1), Ryan Cuneo solo homer at Everett (August 8), Aaron Kurcz final out vs. Tri-City (August 11), Ryan Cuneo two-run double vs. Tri-City (August 12), Jeff Vigurs two-run double vs. Everett (August 16), Ryan Cuneo homer vs. Everett (August 18), Jeff Vigurs homer vs. Everett (August 18)

Listen to the highlights at http://www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/boise/AugustHighlights.wmv

It would make Memorial Stadium a destination place – a ball park that people would want to come to, just to come to the ball park.  Nat Bailey Stadium in Vancouver used to be Memorial Stadium, a worn out yard that used to host AAA baseball, but relagated to short-season ball after the Athletics moved to Sacramento in 2001.

However, the new ownership group that took over the club in 2006 has decided that the largest city in Western Canada and the only Canadian team in all of minor league baseball, is going to thrive in a community that is fixated on hockey and curling.

Two years ago, the concourse at The Nat was completely gutted and remodeled – giving it a charm of going to a rustic ball park, with amendities that most parks don’t have (including a sushi bar).  The playing surface was replaced.  Seats were upgraded.  An this year, the best videoboard in the entire minor leagues was installed.

The video board is unbelievable (look at the clarity on the first picture, then the clarity on it from the pressbox in the second pic) – like watching TV from 450 feet away and feeling like you are at home.  It is 29 feet long by 19 feet high, yet the hi-definition quality is amazing – as Rob Fai, the C’s assistant GM and radio man said, it has the second-best quality picture in all of sports – behind that at Citi Field in New York.

An the C’s do it right.  Lou Fillipano handles all of the video stuff, with the very photogenic Cindy Park handling all of the interviews on the field (as she told me tonight, she wants to work for NBC and become the next Connie Chung – and I think she can do it) – the staff works seemlessly, to bring high-quality action to the fans, with Vancouver boasting the second highest attended games in the league.

My hats off to them – it will make the next four days go by quick.  But it makes me think, gee whiz, outside of the diamond club in Boise, a small clubhouse addition, and some paint and pictures, what have we done to Memorial Stadium not just in the last five years, but say the last 15 years?  Nat Bailey is now a destination place – just as Avista Stadium is in Spokane.

GIMME SOME FOOD: The food options at Nat Bailey this year are bigger than ever – as the media has the option of having a burger, a regular hot dog, a footlong Nathan’s hot dog, some California rolls, or chicken strips and fries.  The coffee is also very good (the only downfall is that the the C’s are the only team that does not provide a beer to the coaching staff after a game).  But what set the food apart tonight (I went with the chicken strips) was the sweet chili dipping sauce that came with the meal – it was worth the price of admission just to have it.

A QUICK TRIP: Props go out to Hal our trusty bus driver from Interwest Transportation – who made an “all-timer” of a drive from the Treasure Valley to Canada – as we left Boise around 11:30 p.m. – made it just south of Mount Vernon, Wash., around 8 a.m., and to our hotel in Richmond, B.C., by 10:30 a.m.  Kudos also to the RCMP, who allowed the Hawks to get through customs at the U.S.-Canadian Border very quickly.

THE BIGGEST BOMB: I was excited to see the Athletics first-round pick, Michael Choice, out of Texas-Arlington for the first time.  After a 3-for-4, five RBI performance, I can see why he is now a millionaire.  In the third inning, he hit a bomb off Dustin Fitzgerald – the biggest home run I have ever seeing at Nat Bailey, this one went over the manual scoreboard(pictured right) in deep-deep left center (it is 390 feet to the scoreboard, which is 24 feet tall) – probably an estimated 430-450 feet in distance.

ROTATION UPDATE: With Juan Serrano in Mesa for a start, the Hawks will break up the Cam Greathouse-Brett Ebinger piggy-back for a time through, as Greathouse gets the ball on Saturday and Ebinger on Sunday, while the Eduardo Figueroa/Matt Loosen tandem will work Monday and Austin Kirk on Tuesday.  Serrano will next pitch for the Hawks on Thursday in Tri-City. 

Tonight, the Boise Hawks used a seldom seen boost of power to record their fifth-straight home series win against the Everett Aquasox, earning a 4-1 victory, before a sellout crowd of 3,544.  The Hawks have now won each of the last five series at home against the Frogs since 2006 – including a pair of series sweeps.

It was the long ball that propelled the team to victory tonight, as the team hit a season-high three home runs in the win.  Ryan Cuneo got the party started with a long solo shot over the right-field wall in the fourth inning.  One out later, Jeff Vigurs hit his first professional homer, just over the right-field wall.  In the fifth, Richard Jones ended a month-long homerless drought, smacking a ball to straight-away center for his team-high fifth home run of the season.

It was the third time this season that the Hawks have hit two home runs in a game (Jones and Alvaro Ramirez hit homers vs. Salem-Keizer on June 22; Jones and Jesus Morelli hit homers at Salem-Keizer on July 15), however, it was the first time in over four years that the Hawks have hit more than two homers in a game – dating back to July 17, 2007, when Bill Moss, Marquez Smith, Tony Thomas, and Jonathan Wyatt hit dingers at Everett.

Pitching was also key – as Austin Kirk ended a personal three-game losing streak with five innings of four-hit ball.  Even more impressive was the outing by Larry Suarez, who tossed three shutout innings – without allowing a walk.  Aaron Kurcz slammed the door, notching his sixth save of the year in six chances.

DROUGHT OVER FOR GIBBS: Switch hitter Micah Gibbs leads the Hawks against left-handed pitchers – hitting .355.  However, it isn’t the same against righties – as Gibbs recently snapped an 0-for-38 slump with a single last night, his first hit against a right-hander since July 13.  He is now 4-for-74 this season left-handed.

ROSTER MOVES: Three Hawks will not accompany the team to Vancouver tonight, as Juan Serrano left this morning for Mesa – where he will spend the next six days working out with the Mesa Cubs (as a defector from Cuba, Serrano is unable to enter Canada)…Jordan Latham will also miss the trip North – thanks to his legal issues that kept him away from the field in 2009, while Larry Suarez will join the team as soon as he received his visa.  All three players will return to the Hawks by next Wednesday at the latest.  The team is expected to receive a pair of relief pitchers in time for Friday’s game.

WEST BOUND AND DOWN: The bus will leave Memorial Stadium in about 30 minutes – pointed westward, with the destination, Vancouver, B.C. – 604 miles overnight.  The team will stop for a rest around the Tri-Cities (probably around 3 a.m.), and a breakfast stop north of Everett (probably around 9 a.m.), and after the annual crisis at the U.S.-Canada border (last year, it took us all day), we should be to the Accent Inn around 1 p.m.

LOOKING AHEAD: The series with Vancouver at Scotia Bank Field should be a doozie, as the C’s lead the West Division race.  Look for coverage of the new video board at the stadium – which has the best quality picture in all of minor league baseball, a new video of the Great Sushi Race.

Just as Pat Dillon, the longtime Voice of the Everett Aquasox, joked about before we left Everett Memorial Stadium last Monday night – the trend for the Boise Hawks and the Everett Aquasox continued tonight – the Hawks hanging on to defeat the Frogs, 7-6, at Memorial Stadium, on Tyler Colvin (pictured left) bobblehead night.

Most wouldn’t call it a trend – since the Sox just completed a five-game sweep of Boise in Everett.  However, although the Hawks have dropped nine of their last ten games in the North Puget Sound – the Aquasox have had their own “House of Horrors,” Memorial Stadium in Boise.  Last year, Everett dropped 4-of-5 to the Hawks, in 2008 – Boise swept the Frogs…as Everett has dropped ten of their last 11 games and 20 of the past 22 games in Boise, since 2005.

Errors hurt the Hawks in this one, as a fourth inning error allowed an unearned run to score, and a fifth inning error prolonged the inning, allowing Hawkins Gebbers’ two-run single that put Everett up, 4-3.  But something that had eluded the Hawks in the past month saved them tonight – the longball, as Arismendy Alcantara launched a two-run homer in the sixth, giving Boise the lead for good (Alcantara has the only two homers for the Hawks since the middle of July). 

With it being an Applebee’s After Party night – extra innings were expected, and nearly occurred, as a Kevin Mailloux RBI triple in the ninth put the tying run on third with one out.  However, Centennial product, Jordan Latham buckled down, getting a pair of groundouts to pick up his first save of the year with the Hawks (and his 12 save overall this year).  It marked the first time in the five Applebee’s After Party games that a game had not gone extra innings (including a game-winner last year in 13 innings against Everett).

GAME NOTES: Alcantara had his second four-hit game of the season, and just the fourth four-hit game of the year for the Hawks…Eric Jokisch got the start, going four solid innings – however, recorded a walk for the first time in three appearances…Dustin Fitzgerald picked up his second win, tossing four innings, allowing just one earned run – much better than the nine hits he surrendered against the Frogs in Everett last Sunday…Alvaro Ramirez saw his hit streak snapped at 16 games – with the Hawks now boasting four of the five longest hit streaks in the league in 2010 (Ramirez-20, Matt Szczur-18, Ramirez-16, Richard Jones-14).

HEADED TO PEORIA: With the promotion of Welington Castillo to the Cubs, it set off a chain-reaction of roster moves throughout the organization…Jonathan Mota was called up to Iowa from Tennessee to fill Castillo’s spot, while Mario Mercedes was promoted from Peoria to Tennesssee.  That opened a spot for Jose Guevara, who moved into full-season ball for the first time, earning to promotion to Peoria.

WHERE WAS SAFFORD: During the series against the Tri-City Dust Devils, fans were noticing that media relations intern, Chad Bates, was getting a little-bit more play-by-play action, in fact, calling four innings of the 4-1 loss to the Dust Devils on Friday night.  The reason?  Saturday night marked the Owyhee County Fair and Rodeo’s final night in Homedale, and a big night for my little cowboy, PJ, who got to be front and center at the biggest Idaho Cowboys Association event of the summer – and it was something that I wasn’t going to miss.

So while I was watching PJ lasso in the sun along the Snake River and play to the crowd inside the rodeo arena, Chad was living the dream that so many people wish they had an opportunity to do – call a professional baseball game on the radio solo.  It was a great evening for the Safford family – although I will say, the dust at the fairgrounds rivals some of the dust we have seen at Gesa Stadium in the Tri-Cities in the past.

Tomorrow night, it is back to reality – as the second half of the longest homestand of the year continues on, as the Hawks – winners of five of their last six home games, welcome skipper Jody Davis back into the dugout – with his six-game suspension by the Northwest League served. 

To me, it seemed as if it was deja vu – Saturday night in Everett again, as nearly four-tenths of an inch of rain fell in Boise on Wednesday, almost identical to the infamous night from the weekend.  However, kudos to the tarp and drainage at Memorial Stadium, the tarp kept the infield in outstanding shape, while the drainage in the outfield soaked in the deluge (actually helping the grass that has turned a deep, deep green – thanks to Zamzow’s).

Speaking of the tarp – what a great investment, something that the majority of Northwest League teams do not have.  In fact, only three clubs own one – Everett, Boise, and Vancouver, while Salem-Keizer, Tri-City, Spokane, and Yakima do not have one (Eugene does not need an infield tarp with their artificial surface at PK Park), with Spokane already losing one home date due to rain.

President/GM Todd Rahr was very up-front as to how the game was going to go – pushing the start time to 7:45 p.m. (sticking with it, even when the rain subsided at 6 p.m.)  It was a very different approach than what I saw in Everett on Saturday – as the Hawks staff worked like a well oiled machine, while it seemed like Everett tried to rush things along.  If they would have told the fans/coaches/umpires, “Hey, lets start at 9:05” – the fiasco that ensued probably wouldn’t have occurred.

THE SUSPENSION: I haven’t weighed in on the six-game suspension for Jody Davis – who is limited to what he can and can’t do during that period in terms of baseball-related activities.  Did Bob Richmond and the NWL have to be harsh – I think so, as they needed to send a message to the rest of the league and to Minor League Baseball, that this sort of activity shouldn’t be tolerated.  But in the same instance, in looking at it from Davis’ view – he was protecting his players and if I were one of the 27 guys in uniform for the Hawks, I would know that the guy wearing #7 definitely has my back.

THE MEDIA: Many thought that the incident would be a black eye for the Hawks, but it was far from that…both Idaho Sports Talk and KIDO’s T&T had Rahr on, while all of the television stations spent multiple days talking about the issue.  Most of the chatter – especially on blogs in the Valley and along the Cubs network was taking the side of the Hawks skipper – including some Cubs fans wanting to take up a collection to pay for the undisclosed fine that Davis will pay the NWL.

NEWS AND NOTES: The ride home from Everett was a long one – as the air conditioning on the bus did not work, as the team was a sweaty mess when they arrived in Kennewick around 2 a.m. in the morning for a pit-stop…Alvaro Ramirez has continued to hit, running his hit streak to 14 games, 34 of his last 36 games, with his average at .381 – tops in all of short-season ball…Brent Ebinger and Cam Greathouse continue to roll as a piggy-back, allowing just one earned run over their last 17 1/3 innings of work.

#79 AND COUNTING – The Boise Hawks saw their 79th player make their Major League debut on Wednesday, as Welington Castillo (pictured left), who played for the Hawks in 2006, was called up by the Chicago Cubs and went 1-for-3 with a double off Barry Zito.  He is the fourth former Boise player to make their debut this season – joining Josh Donaldson, Andrew Cashner, and Casey Coleman as part of the ever-growing list.  Also earning a call up was former NWL All-star – Micah Hoffpauir, who had 20 homers and 81 RBI at Iowa before earning the promotion. 

As of August 8, a total of 138 former Boise Hawks are currently playing professional baseball – from the independent circuit to the Major Leagues.  There are currently 19 former Hawks in MLB – including two players from the 2008 team (Andrew Cashner and Casey Coleman).

Read the entire Alumni Report here –
AlumniReport8-8-10.pdf

I have been a baseball fan for nearly all of my 34 years – watching the Seattle Mariners at the Kingdome when they were horrible, watching the Tacoma Tigers at Cheney Stadium during the glory days of the Bash Brothers (even when they were in Tacoma in 1986 and 1987), seeing a triple play at Memorial Stadium in 2005, and all of the Memorial Stadium magic over the last few years.

But truly, tonight was something in another realm – a forfeit of a minor league game that wasn’t because of unruly fans (aka – Disco Demolition Night).  And worse – it was the Boise Hawks who forfeited the contest.

Watch the final two minutes of the “game” as it happens tonight

On a rainy day in the Puget Sound area (picture of the tarp on the field at 6 p.m. tonight) – it was unclear whether or not the game would, or wouldn’t, be played.  Around 6:50 p.m., the grounds crew began removing the tarp and spent the next 90 minutes getting the field into playing shape – which included at least a half our of work in left field where the excess water from the tarp had formed into puddles.

Finally, at 8:25 p.m. – play began (to the delight of the fans, as it was the annual Frogstock event for the Aquasox – with a fireworks show to follow, and the team wearing tie-dyed uniforms), and the Hawks didn’t wait long – as Everett starter Eric Thomas needed just six pitches to get out of the first, with the Hawks swinging at each first pitch.

In the bottom of the first, Eduardo Figueroa gave up a double to left to lead-off man, Terry Serrano.  After two outs, Kevin Rivers followed with a base-hit up the middle, making it 1-0.  The next batter, Hawkins Gebbers, lined a ball into left, but as Ryan Cuneo went to play the ball – he slipped on the wet warning track and fell – allowing Rivers to score from first, making it 2-0.  Skipper Jody Davis, who felt all along the field was unplayable, came out and protested to plate umpire, Matt Mullins, that the field is in bad shape.  After a five minute conversation, Davis pulled the nine Hawks in the field off and into the dugout.  Field umpire, Matt Heersema then left for the clubhouse and returned about ten minutes later – after lengthy discussions with both managers, Mullins and Heersema told the Aquasox to take the field – with or without the Hawks.  (As pictured at the top of the blog) So Gebbers returned to second, the coaches went to their boxes, and Evan Sharpley, the next batter, got in the box.  After waiting the mandated five minutes as required in the MLB Rule Book, Mullins went to the Hawks dugout, giving Davis one last opportunity – when he declined, the game was deemed a forfeit, a 9-0 win for Everett.

What ensued was difficult for me to watch and describe – it was probably my toughest 30 minutes of radio in my career (and I have had some tough days on the microphone in my 16-plus years).  The team was being berated from the fans and needed an escort (as an entire group) to get off the field – all while I was trying to describe what was going on and keep a level head (while knowing that we had to play eight innings of commercials to pay the bills).

In one case, I know exactly what the skipper was doing – protecting his players and the Chicago Cubs from injuries, earning the respect of the 27 men in the clubhouse – as I know that if one of the players would have been injured, the Cubs would not have been pleased with the decision to keep the game going.  There was standing water on the warning track around the field and left field had drainage issues after the tarp was emptied.

On the flipside, I feel for all of the kids in attendance who were looking forward to watching a game – maybe their only game they’d get to see all year.  Everett is a community that has struggled financially with the recession and a lot of men and women are out of work – and this might have been their lone game they got to go to.  The Aquasox front office lost out on eight innings of concessions, eight innings of merchandise sales with a crowd of 3,000 – then will have to give out vouchers for another game to each of them.  It also hurt a charity event for Everett, as the tie-dyed uniforms were supposed to be auctioned to the fans following the game – part of the Frogstock promotion.  They did, however, get a nice fireworks show.

And for the Boise Hawks and I, it is a PR nightmare.  As soon as the game was over and reports of the forfeit surfaced – my phone (and Facebook) lit up.  People won’t look at it as the Chicago Cubs farm-hands forfeiting the game, it is the Boise Hawks – just before the team hosts its longest homestand of the year and during a tense time with the on-going process of a new stadium talks.

When it is all said and done – I am looking forward to Sunday afternoon, baseball as it was intended (hopefully).

QUICK HITS: Following the game, Major League Baseball Advanced Media stats service informed me that the statistics from the game will not count – so the runs allowed by Figueroa will not go against his ERA…it will also protect the 11-game hit streak for Alvaro Ramirez, who led off the game with a groundout to first…during the rain delay, the team had some fun with Webbly the Frog (Everett’s mascot), hula-hooping in front of the dugout (video is grainy)…it marked the first rain delay of the season for the Hawks…it is unclear who the starting pitchers will be tomorrow, as neither pitcher logged more than 20 pitches (Dustin Fitzgerald was the scheduled Sunday starter, with Eric Jokisch the back end of the piggy-back)…the loss for the Hawks was their eighth road defeat in their last nine games. 

Since I was unable to make the trip to Everett due to work obligations last year, it marks the first trek to the North Puget Sound area for me since we began “On the Mike” last year – which means, I need to give you a birds-eye view of the third-oldest ballpark in the Northwest League (behind Vancouver and Spokane).

Take a look at Everett Memorial Stadium from field level

Everett Memorial Stadium became the home of the Everett Giants back in the mid-1980s and was affiliated with San Francisco until the Mariners moved down from Bellingham in 1995 – resulting in the Aquasox and the closest affiliated team with their parent club in the NWL.  The park has a seating capacity of around 4,100 – which, depending on the weather, will be pushed to the limit on Saturday night for their annual Frogstock event, where the team will be wearing tie-dyed uniforms (which are pretty sweet).

It is actually owned and operated by the Everett School District – with the adjacent Everett Memorial Stadium (same name), a 10,000-seat football stadium literally next door (which gives the Hawks a nice place for strength and conditioning training for pitchers during batting practice).

The park has some of the smaller overall dimensions in the league – 325 down the left field line, only 380 to center, 340 to right center gap, and 330 to right.  There is a 14-foot high wall around most the park, it rises to 18 feet in left center, and to 20 feet at the manual scoreboard in right center, before dropping to 10 feet for the homer porch in right.

Speaking of the manual scoreboard, it is part of a dying breed in the Northwest League – as just a few years back, Vancouver, Everett, Yakima, and Eugene all had hand-operated scoreboards.  Now, only Vancouver and Everett remain – though both clubs have outstanding high-quality, hi-definition video-boards.  I still like the “Hit it Here, Win a Suit” sign that used to be on the scoreboard at Ebbets Field in New York.

QUICK HITS FROM THE BALLPARK: The Hawks dropped a tough 12-5 decision to the Aquasox tonight, as four Boise pitchers combined to walk eight Everett batters and allow a season-high four home runs.  Nine of the 12 runs were a direct result of the walks or homers…Alvaro Ramirez led off the game with a double, extending his hit streak to 11 – but his multi-game hit streak was snapped a six…on the flip side, Micah Gibbs had a good night, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, snapping an 0-for-27 drought that saw his average dip to .093…also gone is the Hawks homerless streak, which ended at 17 games, as Arismendy Alcantara lined a solo homer over the manual scoreboard in right for his longball of the year – the first Boise homer since mid-July…the Hawks have hit 16 homers as a team, Yazy Arbelo of Yakima has hit 11 by himself, while Everett as a team has hit 43.

WE WANT OUR ESPN BACK, PLEASE: The Holiday Inn in Everett (view from the room is to the right) is one of the nicer stops in the league, but they are having issues with their cable television…only 19 channels are working at the present time, including five shopping channels.  However, the lone ESPN channel that was on the line-up was recently replaced by…the Weather Channel, so for score updates, the computer or Blackberry is the best option.

SIGN OF WHERE WE ARE:  In the Seattle Times, it talks about the high temperature today was 65 degrees…with the record high for the day at 91…which is the average temperature on the date in Boise.