A look at the calendar will show that late August is here;
That means that the end of the season is very, very near.
There are 10 games to go -- barring anymore rainouts;
The playoffs are slipping way, but this is no time for pouts.
Fans turned out at the ballpark in record numbers;
There are three home games to go before the stadium slumbers.
Make your plans! The 2010 schedule has been released;
Get one. Don't fold it. Then it will be creased.
I'm going to crank up that song by The Clash that mentions Lauren Bacall;
Because now is the Time for This Week in Timber Rattlers Baseball.
Week in review:
The scores. Click on the link for the boxscores
8/21 4-1 loss to Cedar Rapids
8/22 11-2 loss to Cedar Rapids
8/23 8-5 win over Cedar Rapids
8/24 5-1 loss at Burlington
7/7 2-1 loss at Burlington
8/25 12-6 loss at Burlington
8/26 2-1 loss at Burlington
8/27 Rained out at Burlington.
Actual analysis...or a reasonable facsimile...with some news and notes.
One run in four of the seven games that were played. One of the stats that I keep track of during a season is the number of times the Rattlers have scored four or fewer runs in a game and what the record is in those games. That has happened 79 times in 129 games. The team is 22-57 in games when they score four or fewer runs. After the 2-1 loss...the one that happened on Wednesday....research was done; numbers were crunched and I discovered that the Rattlers have scored one run in a game 23 times. They are 3-20 in those games. Add to that eight times the Rattlers have been shutout in 2009 and you have 31 games in which the team has scored one or no runs. That's 24% of the season.
What to have some fun? Take a look at that boxscore for July 7. That was the game that was suspended in Burlington and was picked up on August 25. Seven of the 10 starters in that game, including the starting pitcher, are no longer with the Timber Rattlers. The official scorer had a blast in that one.
From that same game, here's your Kobayashi Maru scenario. For those unfamiliar:
Klingons? I thought the Neutral Zone was between Federation space and Romulan Territory. It was clearly stated in episode...Whoa...Back to baseball.
It's a tie game in the bottom of the eighth inning. The leadoff hitter is up with one out and nobody on base. He is fast and a pretty good bunter, but he can also line the ball down either line. There is a lot -- and I mean a lot -- of foul territory at Community Field in Burlington. You're the third baseman. What do you do? Shoot the hostage is not an option.
Kyle Dhanani played in for the bunt against Patrick Norris. Norris lined a pitch down the third baseline -- to Dhanani's right -- and the ball rolled and rolled and rolled into the bullpen. By the time anyone picked it up, Norris was cruising into third base. Then, the infield comes in to cut down the run at the plate and Fernando Garcia, who also was not in the original lineup back in July, lined a pitch past Dhanani -- to his left this time -- and Norris scored.
Pick a tougher way to lose. Top of ninth in the same game and the tying run is at first with one out. Pinch runner sent in. Pinch runner picked off for out number two. Then, strike three swinging on the batter at the plate. Game over.
or
Two days later there are two outs and nobody aboard in the bottom of the ninth inning with the score tied 1-1. Dhanani is at first this time and he is guarding the line against an extra base hit. David Wood, a big, hard hitting first baseman, is at the plate. The pitch is ripped to about the spot where Dhanani would usually be playing and winds up as a double anyway. The next batter sends a grounder to third and Jose Duran fields it cleanly, but throws wildly to first. Winning run scores. Game over.
The Rattlers have been "walked off" (Honus Wagner, help me, I hate that term) four times this season. The winning plays for the opponents have been: Game winning RBI single, two-run homer, wild pitch, and E-5. Ouch.
Back to that Star Trek clip for a moment...Kirstie! Why!?!
Daniel Meadows caught another break. He was the starting pitcher in the rainout at Burlington. The forecast called for rain pretty much all day, but there had been nothing for most of the afternoon. The game started on time. The Bees scored a run in the bottom of the first and three more in the bottom of the second. Meanwhile, the Rattlers were without a hit through 3-2/3 innings against Ivor Hodgson. After that second out of the top of the fourth inning, the skies opened, and the game was called an hour later. None of the stats count from the game. The Vulture strikes!
Speaking of almost no-hitters. That's what almost happened to the Rattlers in that 11-2 loss to the Kernels. Manaurys Correa took a no-hitter into the bottom of the ninth. For the first 25 outs, there might have been two balls hit by Wisconsin that could have been hits and that's being generous. Mike Brownstein broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single in the ninth.
The Sunday game against Cedar Rapids was not only an 8-5 win, it was also the day the Rattlers broke their single season attendance record. There are three home games left. A season attendance of 250,000 is possible. Sunday was also the last day the Rattlers wore their Brewers themed jerseys. Most were auctioned off on that day, but there is still time to get a bid in on a Brett Lawrie jersey at this site. That auction ends Monday night.
You may have noticed that mention in the bit of verse up top that the 2010 schedule has been released -- creased is the best I could come up with for a rhyme -- and you can take a look at it at this link. It leads to a PDF. Print it off at home and start making plans.
By the way, in an interview that I had with Timber Rattlers team president Rob Zerjav on Sunday, he said that the Brewers and the Timber Rattlers are interested in another Miller Park Game. It's just a matter of having the schedules align properly and see what can be done. There is no guarantee that there will be one in 2010, but we will have to wait until the 2010 Brewers schedule is ready before we can look at that possibility.
One last note: Welcome back to the lineup John Delaney. It has been an injury plagued season for Delaney. He has been hit in the head twice by pitches. The last time was in Fort Wayne on July 28. He made it back into the lineup on August 26. Unfortunately, Erik Komatsu, who has also battled injuries all season, went on the DL to open up a spot for Delaney to return. Injuries stink.
Playoff chances as told by a 70's televison character:
What do want me to do, Jimmy? Lie to you? Tell you what...Gimme 20 bucks and I'll see what I can find out from my people. Heck, Jimmy, don't look at me like that. I've got people. Why just the other day I asked the guy at the newstand to, you know, keep an eye out for just this kind of thing. Think of the 20 as an expense that you can write off on your taxes. No, I don't have a hunch that I want to play at the track. They're called hot tips, Jimmy.
The week ahead in bullet points:
- Friday, 8/28 to Monday, 8/31 - @ Kane County
- Tuesday, 9/1 -- OFF DAY
- Wednesday, 9/2 to Friday, 9/4 vs. CR. Fan Appreciation w/
- 2010 Magnet Schedules to the first 1,000 each night
- Bang For Your Buck all three nights
- Josh Prince Player Poster Giveaway on Wednesday
- Brett Lawrie Bobblehead giveaway on Thursday
- Reusable tote bag on Friday
And now, a song from a million years ago when I was at WSUP:
So long, everybody.