Jun 30
Minor league baseball teams are known for coming up with unorthodox promotions in an effort to draw fans to the ballpark. The Rays’ short-season affiliate, the Hudson Valley Renegades are no exception. The same club that once asked fans to leave their Y-chromosomes at home, may have finally failed to think a promotion through.
July 3 will be “Founding Fathers” night in Fishkill, NY. And being so close to the Fourth of July, the Renegades will host fireworks. And who did the Renegades find to sponsor the fireworks?
The Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group.
Root, root, root for the home team, if you don’t have a seizure, it’s a shame.
First 150 Fans To Have Seizures Get A Free Hot Dog! [Deadspin]
Feb 08
The Rays short-season affiliate, the Hudson Valley Renegades have introduced a new blog, The Renegades Rundown…
Here you’ll get a glimpse into what the Renegades are doing on and off the field. By keeping up with the blog you’ll get the latest news regarding players, schedules, promotions, events, and more! This will be your one-stop shop for all things Renegades!
The blog is part of a new effort by the ‘Gades to be more active in social media. An effort that includes a very active Twitter account (@HVRenegades). And the voice behind the new fronts is Megan Ogulnick, the ‘Gades manger of new media.
As much as minor league teams depend on promotion, we are amazed that so few teams are this active in new media and these new ways of reaching out to current and potential fans.
So, if you have a moment, go on over and welcome Megan to the organization.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- David Price spoke to a Nashville paper about life in the spotlight, his charity work and money, including a bizarre story about some overaggressive autograph seekers. [Nashville News]
- Marc Topkin hears that Pat Burrell “has been working out extensively at the Athletes’ Performance Institute in Arizona, specifically strengthening his back, and is in tremendous shape.” [St. Pete Times]
- Devil Rays blast from the past…Joel Guzman has signed a minor league deal with the Orioles. [Baltimore Sun]
- Durham manager Charlie Montoyo was named sports person of the year during the Greater Raleigh Sports Council’s “Evening of Champions.” [Carolina Newswire via Biscuit Crumbs]
Jul 09
For a minor league baseball team, there is no such thing as bad publicicty, so the Hudson Valley Renegades must have been loving this commotion caused by their “Ball-Less Baseball” night.
In fact, the commotion reached all the way to the pages of this week’s Sports Illustrated, in their ever popular “Sign of the Apocalypse” feature. But not for their promotion. Rather, it was for the County’s (over)reaction.
Officials in Dutchess County, N.Y., warned the Class A Hudson Valley Renegades that a planned ladies’ night promotion “violates the New York State Human Rights Law … and the [federal] guarantee to equal protection.”
The second lady from the left in the above photo is Staten Island Yankee’s assistant GM, Jean Afterman, and third from the left is Tyler Tumminia, of Hudson Valley’s ownership group (the promotion was her idea). Do they look worried to you?
And if you are curious, here is a photo gallery from the night.
Hudson Valley Promotion Asks Fans Not To Bring Balls To The Game [Rays Index]
Sign Of The Apocalypse [SI.com]
Jul 07
Durham 6, Charlotte 1. Carlos Hernandez allowed just 1 run in 5 innings on 5 hits and a walk. He struck out 2…John Meloan made his second appearance since being acquired for Winston Abreu and he threw a scoreless inning with 2 strikeouts, a hit and a walk…Elliot Johnson hit a grand slam in the 5-run 5th to break a 1-1 tie, and Ray Olmedo added a solo shot…Matt Joyce was 1-2 with 2 walks and his 10th stolen base. He is hitting .277…Justin Ruggiano went 0-4 with a pair of Ks and John Jaso was 2-4 with an RBI.
Birmingham 3, Montgomery 0. Aneury Rodriguez gave up 2 runs (1 earned) in 6 innings but dropped to 4-9 on the year. He has a 5.79 ERA…Ryan Reid struck out 2 of the 3 batters he faced and now has 8 strikeouts and just 1 walk in his last 5 appearances (6.1 innings)…Desmond Jennings went 0-3 as the DH with a walk and his 30th stolen base.
Charlotte 6, Sarasota 5. Brian Flores made just his second start of the season and gave up 4 runs in 5 innings…Emeel Salem and Henry Wrigley each went 3-4 and Wrigley added his 4th home run…Shawn O’Malley was 0-3 with 2 walks and Cody Cipriano went 0-3 with a walk.
Bowling Green 4, Augusta 3. Frank de los Santos allowed 2 runs (1 earned) in 5.2 innings…Tim Beckham went 2-4 with an RBI and his 28th error…Jake Jefferies was 0-4.
Hudson Valley 2, Vermont 1.
Elizabethton 5, Princeton 2 (gm 1).
Princeton 5, Elizabethton 4 (gm 2).
Notes from Down on the Farm…
- That “Ball-Less Baseball” promotion that we told you about last week, continues to make noise. This time it is in the form of a letter from the team’s home county that suggests the promotion to “allow” only women “likely violates the New York State Human Rights Law”…Please people. Don’t we have better things to worry about. At least wait to see if somebody complains or threatens a lawsuit. Because if some guy does throw a stink about this, then there is a good chance he would have met the original criteria for admittance anyway. [Deadspin]
Jul 04
Time to bring back the GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.
click above image for boxscore
THE GOOD: The Bullpen. 3 more shutout innings…Savvy Navi. He didn’t score, but with 2 outs, a base runner on first base should always try to get second. And Navi knows this as well as anybody. In the 5th he stole second base to get into scoring position. Navi has 6 career steals with the Rays, 5 have come with 2 outs and nobody else on base.
THE BAD: Scott Kazmir. Not terrible and his defense let him down, but 3 of the 5 leadoff hitters got on baseAnd of course he was out of the game after 5 innings. Not good…Offense Has Gone South. The Rays, the highest scoring team in baseball, have now scored 1 run in the last 19 innings…It’s Not The Home Run. It is the batter before the home run. This time a Jason Bartlett throwing error turned Hank Blalock’s home run in to a 2-run shot…All In The Name Of Sales. MLB wants to be “patriotic”? We are throwing up the bullsh*t flag on that one. They already wore the red caps on Memorial Day. That’s fine. nice gesture. But now they have to wear them this entire series? THEY LOOK HIDEOUS.
THE TELLING: The Rays got 3 hits and 1 run off a guy with zero major league wins.
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: Grant Balfour.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- The Rays will skip Jeff Niemann’s next start with Matt Garza going tomorrow…It is not surprising that Garza is going tomorrow, as Joe Maddon likes to keep him and James Shields on normal rest. But it is surprising that JoeMa is skipping Niemann completely (who will be available out of the ‘pen). We are struggling to remember the last time JoeMa skipped a starter completely. [Rays Report]
- BJ Upton was named the AL Player of the Month, joining Evan Longoria who won the award for April. [Rays Report]
- Remember the “Ball-Less Baseball” promotion we told you about a coupld of days ago? Some people are less than thrilled…We are shocked! And notice that Marc Topkin never actually uses the name of the promotion in his write-up. [The Heater]
- @evanlongoria is 100% fake, but @RaysJoeMaddon is apparently real. Go figure. However, Marc Lancaster writes that Joe Maddon “began authorizing short messages to be posted.” In other words, these are his thoughts, but he is not the one actually Tweeting. Meh. That seems no different than catching his quotes in the Times or Tribune. [Tampa Tribune]
- We don’t drop a lot of FIPs around here, but that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate the stat. And it doesn’t mean we don’t shake our head in shame when Patrick Reusse writes “Apparently, FIP stands for Fudge I’m Pathetic among bloggers.” Sad. Oh yeah, and appreantly the only reason the Tigers are ahead of the Twins in the standings right now is because the Tigers ripped off the Rays and the Twins didn’t. [Minneapolis Star-Tribune]
- In honor of the 4th of July, Rays the Stakes has written a Constitution for the Rays. [Rays the Stakes]
- David Chalk is up to #76-73 on the top 177 Devil Rays Ever. [Bugs and Cranks]
- Joe Smith has some quotes from Andy Sonnanstine on his recent demotion. [The Heater]
Jul 02
It is no secret that Minor League teams will do just about anything, in the form of a promotion, that will bring fans to the ballpark. But this latest one put forth by the Rays’ own low-A affiliate, Hudson Valley Renegades, is definitely one of the stranger promotions we remember.
On July 7th, the Renegades will be hosting “Ball-Less Baseball.” How does a minor league team play a game without any balls? Simple, no men allowed. Get it? No balls. We’ll let the aptly named small ball usa provide the details…
History will be made this July 7th, as the Hudson Valley Renegades defy convention and possibly even common sense when they welcome only the “better half” into their ballpark. On this evening, all men will be greeted in their own separate zone outside the gates, with only female fans permitted inside until the game is official at the 5th inning mark . All boys, seven and under, will be allowed entry at any time…
We are still awaiting official word as to whether or not transvestites will be allowed in prior to the 5th inning, but we are fairly certain Julian Tavarez is safe.
Hudson Valley Renegades Announce “Ball-Less Baseball” Night (July 7) [small ball usa]
