Voyagers family! It's been a while. I hope everyone is doing well and gearing up for an exciting 2012!
Since my last blog post, I have received a lot of very kind notes from several people and I want to thank all of you for your kind words. In that post, I wrote about how amazing my experience was. I feel even stronger about my words now than I did four months ago.
I was very fortunate to receive an offer from Kattie to come back for the summer of 2012. That was an option I seriously considered, but wanted the chance to explore broadcasting opportunities at the full-season level before making a decision. A few days ago I officially accepted the position to broadcast for the Great Lakes Loons, an A-ball affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In addition to serving as the team's #2 broadcatser for baseball, I will also lead the local ESPN affiliate, 100.9 FM, as the program director. On top of those responsibilities, I will host my own sports show and broadcast football and basketball in the area. It is a year-round job which means I will be shifting my life from Dallas to Midland, MI in late February.
To all of you who were so kind to welcome me into your community and in some cases, your homes, be it physically or through a radio/internet stream, I can't thank you enough. It is such a privilege to have the microphone, bringing you as close as possible to the action and to the wonderful team.
The acceptance of the offer from Great Lakes was very bittersweet. While I was and am incredibly excited for the challenge, I very much enjoyed my time in Great Falls and am sad to leave behind some very close friends.
My goal is and has always been to become a Major League broadcaster. Great Falls will always be the first professional stop on that journey. Everyone that made my experience so special will always have a unique place in my heart.
Fortunately, in the world of facebook and airplanes, this is not a 'farewell forever,' but merely a 'see you later.' The drive to Great Falls from Midland is 27 hours, so I think I am going to honor the Wright Brothers and fly to the Great Falls at some point this summer to say hi to everyone. But, I am on facebook and nothing would make me happier than to chat or message with any and all of you.
To the men of the press box: Here's to one last handshake! Please give the next broadcaster the same opportunity to join in on the camaradarie as you all gave me, and make sure to give him equally as hard of a time!
To everyone: Thank you so much for making my experience so special. Please keep in touch.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Below is footage from the Championship clinching game. There is a video I put together, the final call, followed by the raw footage beneath.
Once again, it was an absolute honor and privilege to be a part of all of this. A tip of the hat to the players and the coaching staff. I have had several people congratulate. I do not want to be rude so I accept and appreciate their words, but I do not feel worthy of any such praise. The players and coaching staff deserve all of the credit. The way they fought, the way they faced adversity, and the way they won as a team combined to make them such a special group. So, to the players and the staff, thank you for bringing me along for the ride and, to you, CONGRATULATIONS.
Once again, it was an absolute honor and privilege to be a part of all of this. A tip of the hat to the players and the coaching staff. I have had several people congratulate. I do not want to be rude so I accept and appreciate their words, but I do not feel worthy of any such praise. The players and coaching staff deserve all of the credit. The way they fought, the way they faced adversity, and the way they won as a team combined to make them such a special group. So, to the players and the staff, thank you for bringing me along for the ride and, to you, CONGRATULATIONS.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
09.17.2011: Pioneer League Champions
That's all she wrote. Only one playoff team in every sport in every league gets to end their season with a win. It's nice to be that team. What a way to end the season...as Champions. In a few days I will put up a post with a whole bunch of media from the final game.
I thought about individually thanking just about everyone in this final blog but decided against it. Individually, I will be thanking people on my own time. As a group, however, I want to thank you all for such an amazing experience this summer. Each and every person I spoke to or communicated with played a role and will forever be a part of the memories from this summer I will forever cherish.
It feels like yesterday I was saying goodbye to a world I called home for four great years--USC. On May 29, the night of our final game versus Washington State, I said by to my LA family, the USC Baseball team. That next morning, after making one last round of goodbyes, I began a drive with my father from the City of Angels to Great Falls, the city of...Waterfalls?
I had just graduated a few weeks earlier. Most of my friends were going to play baseball, make a Europe trip or, maybe go home. I was going farther away from home to a destination filled with so much uncertainty. I was nervous, yet excited; confused, yet eager; and definitely hungry--and I mean for food.
Back in December of '10, I committed to the Voyagers. Instead of holding out and weighing potential options, I took no chances and accepted the offer of the first team that expressed interest. Making that initial step into affiliated baseball is very difficult. There was no guarantee anyone else would offer, but I was not going to wait until March to find out. So, much like I chose a college, I blindly agreed to become the Voice of the Voyagers.
Great Falls was unlike any placed I had lived. There was a bit of a culture shock. Not that I couldn't handle it, but I had to get used to it. As I drove around town and saw a few things my first day, my nerves increased. I just wanted the season to begin, but I had 3 weeks.
My first night had great potential. The Mavericks and the Heat played game 1 of the NBA Championship. The Heath won. Whoops. I am big on signs and symbols, and I was worried the anger I felt towards the television set at the Fairfield Inn that night was the same anger I would feel all summer.
As stupid as it might seem, though, the Mavericks played a huge part in my transition. It served as a ground to get to know my co-workers, watching every game with fellow front office members, Scott and Erik. It is a mystery why they let me watch with them as I paced, fidgeted, talked...to myself, screamed, yelled, and cheered. But, they did, I and appreciate that. Ultimately, of course, the Mavericks won. Not to sound unappreciative of certain events in my life or immature, but witnessing the Mavericks win the NBA Championship was absolutely amazing, and, if anything, that statement underexaggerates my emotions towards that event. Regardless, the Mavericks games helped me make a transition to Great Falls.
Then came the MLB Draft. It was awesome following it and seeing where my friends went. I was pretty psyched early on in Day 2 when a pair of Trojans--Logan Odom and Austin Wood--were drafted by the Angels. All I wanted was one Trojan to be in the league and there, I had two. The day progressed and then, Cal catcher, Chadd Krist--a guy I was good friends with from my time spent broadcasting last summer--was drafted by the White Sox. I was sure Chadd would be a Voyager, though he never did end up signing. Seven rounds later turned out to be one of the most important events of the summer. After just texting him moments before, I saw that the White Sox drafted Joseph De Pinto. Without even considering the possibility that he would be assigned to Bristol, I was ecstatic that one of my best friends was going to be in Great Falls with me.
I was so fortunate for those two events to take place as I began an extended period of time in a city unlike any other I had lived around people I did not know, beginning my post-college life. It made things so much easier and, it turns out, those two positive events were symbolic of the summer, rather than that game 1 loss.
As I look back on this summer, I will always have a smile and very fond memories. This was my first summer as a professional broadcaster. This was the first Championship team I have ever been a part of. Good English suggests I need a third 'This was' sentence to make it sound good, but I just can't think of one. Anyway, I learned so much this summer, more than I can express in this blog.
Feel free to contact me at any time. You can reach me at radio@gfvoyagers.com or on twitter, @j_sandler.
On Friday I will begin a trek with dad and my car back to Dallas. Along the way I will stop in Denver to see a friend and go to a Rockies game. On Sunday I will get back to Dallas and go right to see my nephew, Chase. On Monday, work begins. As I head back, though, I will undoubtedly feel nervous, yet excited; confused, yet eager; and, the whole trip without question, 100% hungry.
Great Falls was not a Europe trip, it was not Dallas or Los Angeles, but, for the summer, it was home. I wouldn't trade my experience for anything else.
Goodbye, Baseball. Hello, Pioneer League Champions.
I thought about individually thanking just about everyone in this final blog but decided against it. Individually, I will be thanking people on my own time. As a group, however, I want to thank you all for such an amazing experience this summer. Each and every person I spoke to or communicated with played a role and will forever be a part of the memories from this summer I will forever cherish.
It feels like yesterday I was saying goodbye to a world I called home for four great years--USC. On May 29, the night of our final game versus Washington State, I said by to my LA family, the USC Baseball team. That next morning, after making one last round of goodbyes, I began a drive with my father from the City of Angels to Great Falls, the city of...Waterfalls?
I had just graduated a few weeks earlier. Most of my friends were going to play baseball, make a Europe trip or, maybe go home. I was going farther away from home to a destination filled with so much uncertainty. I was nervous, yet excited; confused, yet eager; and definitely hungry--and I mean for food.
Back in December of '10, I committed to the Voyagers. Instead of holding out and weighing potential options, I took no chances and accepted the offer of the first team that expressed interest. Making that initial step into affiliated baseball is very difficult. There was no guarantee anyone else would offer, but I was not going to wait until March to find out. So, much like I chose a college, I blindly agreed to become the Voice of the Voyagers.
Great Falls was unlike any placed I had lived. There was a bit of a culture shock. Not that I couldn't handle it, but I had to get used to it. As I drove around town and saw a few things my first day, my nerves increased. I just wanted the season to begin, but I had 3 weeks.
My first night had great potential. The Mavericks and the Heat played game 1 of the NBA Championship. The Heath won. Whoops. I am big on signs and symbols, and I was worried the anger I felt towards the television set at the Fairfield Inn that night was the same anger I would feel all summer.
As stupid as it might seem, though, the Mavericks played a huge part in my transition. It served as a ground to get to know my co-workers, watching every game with fellow front office members, Scott and Erik. It is a mystery why they let me watch with them as I paced, fidgeted, talked...to myself, screamed, yelled, and cheered. But, they did, I and appreciate that. Ultimately, of course, the Mavericks won. Not to sound unappreciative of certain events in my life or immature, but witnessing the Mavericks win the NBA Championship was absolutely amazing, and, if anything, that statement underexaggerates my emotions towards that event. Regardless, the Mavericks games helped me make a transition to Great Falls.
Then came the MLB Draft. It was awesome following it and seeing where my friends went. I was pretty psyched early on in Day 2 when a pair of Trojans--Logan Odom and Austin Wood--were drafted by the Angels. All I wanted was one Trojan to be in the league and there, I had two. The day progressed and then, Cal catcher, Chadd Krist--a guy I was good friends with from my time spent broadcasting last summer--was drafted by the White Sox. I was sure Chadd would be a Voyager, though he never did end up signing. Seven rounds later turned out to be one of the most important events of the summer. After just texting him moments before, I saw that the White Sox drafted Joseph De Pinto. Without even considering the possibility that he would be assigned to Bristol, I was ecstatic that one of my best friends was going to be in Great Falls with me.
I was so fortunate for those two events to take place as I began an extended period of time in a city unlike any other I had lived around people I did not know, beginning my post-college life. It made things so much easier and, it turns out, those two positive events were symbolic of the summer, rather than that game 1 loss.
As I look back on this summer, I will always have a smile and very fond memories. This was my first summer as a professional broadcaster. This was the first Championship team I have ever been a part of. Good English suggests I need a third 'This was' sentence to make it sound good, but I just can't think of one. Anyway, I learned so much this summer, more than I can express in this blog.
Feel free to contact me at any time. You can reach me at radio@gfvoyagers.com or on twitter, @j_sandler.
On Friday I will begin a trek with dad and my car back to Dallas. Along the way I will stop in Denver to see a friend and go to a Rockies game. On Sunday I will get back to Dallas and go right to see my nephew, Chase. On Monday, work begins. As I head back, though, I will undoubtedly feel nervous, yet excited; confused, yet eager; and, the whole trip without question, 100% hungry.
Great Falls was not a Europe trip, it was not Dallas or Los Angeles, but, for the summer, it was home. I wouldn't trade my experience for anything else.
Goodbye, Baseball. Hello, Pioneer League Champions.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
09.14.2011: One More To Go...
(Writing this on the bus back from Ogden to Great Falls. The Voyagers have just won Game 1 of the Championship League Series and now have an opportunity to clinch the title at home on Thursday).
Got some quick hitters.
-Last long bus ride of the season. Personally, I do not mind the bus trips. I love movies. I love getting work done. It doesn't totally phase me. A lot of jokes and memories have come from these bus trips. If I didn't have my own row would I feel the same? Not sure. Having my own row is nice.
-So fitting how the Voyagers won tonight's game. It was a grind. They had to comeback--weird, right? The Voyagers coming back. Who'd a thunk? In all seriousness, it did not go as planned. Did Scotty have some bad luck? Ya. But he also did not have his A-game. There's nothing wrong with that, either. He was playing the league's highest-scoring offense. Last I checked, I do not broadcast for the Great Falls Snodgresses. This is a team and the best teams pick up their teammates in situations like this. That is what this group is about: TEAM. Do they have the most individual talent of the teams in the league? Personally, I don't think so. But I genuinely believe they are the best team. They just need to win one more game to prove it.
-The stereotype is that the minor league baseball player is out for himself. He just cares about his numbers. He doesn't care about a ground out to the right side to advance a runner because it is an 0-for him and does not show up in the stat sheet. What is interesting is that, in Rookie Ball, the emphasis is on the individual development. Ryan Newman and every other manager in the league manages to win. They do not want to lose. But they also manage to develop. In game 3 of the season, you are not seeing a manager play the matchups to win. They put players in positions to give them a challenge and to see how they respond. This is slightly different than other levels, where the focus is more and more on winning. With this in mind, it almost gives players a "right" to be selfish, a "right" to care about themselves. What is so impressive about these guys is that they genuinely care about winning. At the beginning of the second half, all you could hear about was "Second Half Push." After finishing in last in the first half, all these guys wanted was to win. Not finish second. Not do better. But win. I admire that. When they were five and six and seven, they were not saying their dream was to win the Pioneer League Championship. They all hope to advance within the organization. But right now, for the team, they want to win. I think this is reflective of their unique competitiveness and their unique bond as a group. This is a special bunch. As pumped as I am that Thursday could be the end, I don't want it to be the end.
-As far as development is concerned, I have to believe that winning is a big part. There are certain players that win. It's what they do. Some of these guys have great stats, but some are more pedestrian. They come in all shapes and sizes but they all have something. I do not know what it is. It is a combination of qualities and characteristics that make them winners. Winning makes people better. Ya, if I am a MLB GM, I salivate when I look at my farm teams and see guys with .350 BAs and high HR, RBI totals or a 3.00 ERA with a K/9 rate of 10+. But, I would like to think if I was a GM, I would be more pumped about a group of players that seem to win at every level. A group of guys like the players on the Voyagers. Guys that win.
-A lot of people have asked about a post-season blog. I will likely keep my blog up, but it will not be centered around the Voyagers after the season. What will the subject matter be? Whatever my ADD mind wants. BUT, I will submit a final Voyagers post that wraps up the summer, my memories, my experiences, some good-byes and thank yous, and hopefully some video footage of the Voyagers reaching the top of the mountain. I hope you enjoy it.
-Even more people have asked about my "Final Call" if we were to win a fourth game in the Playoffs. What will it be? Have you thought about it? I hope to be doing this for years and maybe I will change my stance on this over time, but I do not like to plan ahead for a call like that. Just as you see the natural emotions of the players pour out as they celebrate, I feel like a call like this is best spontaneous. If a corny cliche pops out, so be it. But all I care about is that my call reflects my genuine emotion and passion and not something scripted. It is impossible to totally ignore it, but I do not have something set.
-
Got some quick hitters.
-Last long bus ride of the season. Personally, I do not mind the bus trips. I love movies. I love getting work done. It doesn't totally phase me. A lot of jokes and memories have come from these bus trips. If I didn't have my own row would I feel the same? Not sure. Having my own row is nice.
-So fitting how the Voyagers won tonight's game. It was a grind. They had to comeback--weird, right? The Voyagers coming back. Who'd a thunk? In all seriousness, it did not go as planned. Did Scotty have some bad luck? Ya. But he also did not have his A-game. There's nothing wrong with that, either. He was playing the league's highest-scoring offense. Last I checked, I do not broadcast for the Great Falls Snodgresses. This is a team and the best teams pick up their teammates in situations like this. That is what this group is about: TEAM. Do they have the most individual talent of the teams in the league? Personally, I don't think so. But I genuinely believe they are the best team. They just need to win one more game to prove it.
-The stereotype is that the minor league baseball player is out for himself. He just cares about his numbers. He doesn't care about a ground out to the right side to advance a runner because it is an 0-for him and does not show up in the stat sheet. What is interesting is that, in Rookie Ball, the emphasis is on the individual development. Ryan Newman and every other manager in the league manages to win. They do not want to lose. But they also manage to develop. In game 3 of the season, you are not seeing a manager play the matchups to win. They put players in positions to give them a challenge and to see how they respond. This is slightly different than other levels, where the focus is more and more on winning. With this in mind, it almost gives players a "right" to be selfish, a "right" to care about themselves. What is so impressive about these guys is that they genuinely care about winning. At the beginning of the second half, all you could hear about was "Second Half Push." After finishing in last in the first half, all these guys wanted was to win. Not finish second. Not do better. But win. I admire that. When they were five and six and seven, they were not saying their dream was to win the Pioneer League Championship. They all hope to advance within the organization. But right now, for the team, they want to win. I think this is reflective of their unique competitiveness and their unique bond as a group. This is a special bunch. As pumped as I am that Thursday could be the end, I don't want it to be the end.
-As far as development is concerned, I have to believe that winning is a big part. There are certain players that win. It's what they do. Some of these guys have great stats, but some are more pedestrian. They come in all shapes and sizes but they all have something. I do not know what it is. It is a combination of qualities and characteristics that make them winners. Winning makes people better. Ya, if I am a MLB GM, I salivate when I look at my farm teams and see guys with .350 BAs and high HR, RBI totals or a 3.00 ERA with a K/9 rate of 10+. But, I would like to think if I was a GM, I would be more pumped about a group of players that seem to win at every level. A group of guys like the players on the Voyagers. Guys that win.
-A lot of people have asked about a post-season blog. I will likely keep my blog up, but it will not be centered around the Voyagers after the season. What will the subject matter be? Whatever my ADD mind wants. BUT, I will submit a final Voyagers post that wraps up the summer, my memories, my experiences, some good-byes and thank yous, and hopefully some video footage of the Voyagers reaching the top of the mountain. I hope you enjoy it.
-Even more people have asked about my "Final Call" if we were to win a fourth game in the Playoffs. What will it be? Have you thought about it? I hope to be doing this for years and maybe I will change my stance on this over time, but I do not like to plan ahead for a call like that. Just as you see the natural emotions of the players pour out as they celebrate, I feel like a call like this is best spontaneous. If a corny cliche pops out, so be it. But all I care about is that my call reflects my genuine emotion and passion and not something scripted. It is impossible to totally ignore it, but I do not have something set.
-
Saturday, September 10, 2011
09.10.2011: The Belt
(Currently on the bus heading to Missoula as i write
this)
I wish we could get a population on the gnats in attendance to tonight's game. They must have enjoyed the action they caught because a good group of them are on the bus with us to Missoula. Thankfully this is only a three hour trip.
I am always thankful as I watch the players spend every second in between each pitch swatting away the insects. For the most part, I stay out of harms way in the box, although for the past few weeks, I get about two big bees per game joining me for a few pitches. Now, I am right along with the guys swatting away these freakin' things. Not conducive for a relaxing environment. Dealing with this after a win makes it much better.
Anyway...at the bottom of this post is a small little video I made which honors Jamaal Hollis and Jeffer Patino, the winners of the "Championship Belt" awarded to the hardest winning pitcher and position player at each level, as decided on by Strength and Conditioning Coach, Tim Rodmaker, the field staff, and Strength and Conditioning Instructor, Dale Torborg. As you will see below, the belts are exactly like those you see awarded to wrestling champions or boxing champions. Of course, Dale, formerly known as the Demon, used to be a professional wrestler.
Before we get into tonight's game, let's backtrack a bit...
To close out the season, the team won 9 of their final 11 games, highlighted by an 8-game winning streak, including a big sweep of Missoula on the road and two huge wins over Billings to claim a two-game division lead. Despite the streak, those buggers from Billings wouldn't lose and the Voyagers could not increase their lead beyond 2 games. Eventually, after losing back-to-back games, first Helena and then to Missoula, the Voyagers found their lead down to one game with one to play. It was tough to consider that the Voyagers, the hottest team in the league just a few days before, was in jeopardy of losing their playoff berth. But they pulled it together and clinched the division with the win over Missoula in the finale. It was neat how the game developed because I believe it was a microcosm of the season.
After the first inning the Voyagers trailed 3-0. Right away, the Voyagers came back to get two runs to cut the deficit to one and then, while they had an opportunity to tie the score and maybe even take the lead with some base runners, they settled for just the two runs in the inning. After falling behind 4-2, the Voyagers tied it up in the fourth only to see Missoula immediately reclaim the lead, 5-4. Sure enough, the Voyagers took a lead, 6-5 but, once again, they immediately gave it right back, falling behind 8-6. So, what do the Voyagers do? They score five runs in the top of the sixth to lead 11-8. The final few innings were by no means relaxing. Missoula threatened in both the eighth and ninth only to have Kevin Vance shut the door on both occasions. Ultimately, the Voyagers won 11-8.
So...let's think about this.
On a larger scale, the Voyagers put themselves behind the eight ball pretty early on in the season. While they were never out of the division until the end of their Utah trip, specifically the series in Orem, they were constantly fighting from behind. On a more specific scale, the Voyagers, in the early part of the season, would fall behind in individual games, fight back, but just come up short, kind of like the top of 2nd where they came to within one, had an opportunity to put more on the board, but fell short.
Let's go to the innings 4 and 5, which, to me, symbolizes a first-half trend on inconsistency that represented the anchor preventing the team from taking off. The Voyagers tied the game in the fourth only to give the lead right back. They then took the lead and lost the lead all in the 5th. In the first half of the season, the Voyagers were unable to put together a three-game winning streak. Even Casper, the worst team in the first half by a decent amount, had two streaks of three wins or more. But, the Voyagers would trade a win with a loss and another win with two losses then a win and a loss, two wins, and then a loss, etc etc etc. While they never let it all fall apart (throughout the regular season, the Voyagers, quite remarkably if you ask me, had losing streaks of four games twice and three games just once), they were unable to get on a roll. But then, right when the second half got going, in the case of this game, the top of the sixth inning, the Voyagers started to pull it together. In the five run inning, the Voyagers got three runs to take a one run lead. Instead of stopping there--like the inability to win three straight in the first half or settling in the first part of the game--the Voyagers added two more big runs, kind of like how they were finally able to win three or more and give themselves an opportunity to separate. What happened next? The Voyagers battled. Their inability to score the rest of the way was not as much due to struggles at the plate as it was good pitching from Missoula. And Missoula's continued pressure was not because of poor pitching from the Voyagers, just the inevitable of a very strong lineup trying to get back in the game. This is all parallel, to me, to how Billings would not just bow down to the Voyagers and continued to hand around and hang around. Ultimately, in the end of the game, the Voyagers pulled through, just like they did in the division. And how did they get it done? For one, Michael Earley's huge double with the bases loaded gave them the lead. Fitting that it was Earley, one of the leaders in the clubhouse and, in my opinion, an unsung hero of the offensive attack, who got the eventual game-winning hit. Earley's consitent production was overshadowed by Kevan Smith's tear and Mark Haddow's power surge, but Earley was a consistent force in the middle-to-bottom part of the lineup. Secondly, the bullpen. They brought it home in the game and they were huge in the second half. Great Falls' bullpen ERA, which was around 2.70 in the second half, was the best in the league. Not even really close. Oh, and how could I forget. The team that made their mark coming from behind--including a five-game winning streak in the second half featuring five comeback wins--won their most important game...coming from behind.
If that was a stretch, I am sorry...but I just couldn't let it go.
Now let's talk playoffs...
I said in my introductory blog that, among my few singular passions, is competing or the idea of competition. I am a competitive son of a gun. Yet, I never won a state championship or, in college, working for the USC baseball team, never made the post season. As a media member at USC, I never witnessed the powerhouse Trojans make a National Championship game, despite, my first two years, having the most talented team in the country--you can argue with me, but I will win. I mean, jeez...until this recent year, my favorite teams struggled to bring home the bacon. Nonetheless, I cannot tell you how excited I am that, in my first professional season, I get to broadcast playoff baseball. I love being a part of sports on a big stage. Is this the World Series? No. But for the Great Falls Voyagers and every team in the Pioneer League, this is what is at stake. It is awesome to be a part of a team that is winning and I am so thankful to all the players and field staff for providing me this opportunity. They work their butt off and they deserve all of this. I am just thankful that I am along for the ride which I hope keeps going all the way to the Championship.
But, like I said, this is because of them. This is not about me, nor should it ever be. This is about the Voyagers. The players. The coaches. Their trainer and their strength and conditioning coach. This is about the White Sox people that come to Great Falls. They are the ones that, despite finishing in last place in the first half, entered the second half with an awesome attitude. They are the group that consistently fought and fought, both in individual games and in a tight late-season playoff race. They came up with the big hit, made the big pitch, or made the big adjustment to enjoy more success.
We are on the bus to Missoula with the hope of winning one of two so as to advance to the Championship. If that's the case, baseball will return to Great Falls in a just a few days. Tonight, the boys played in front of a loud crowd. To all of those in attendance, I tip my cap to you for your support. But the crowd was just shy of 700 and I find it hard to believe more people in the town would not enjoy some men representing their town with some playoff baseball. I hope that, if baseball comes back here next week, we can get some of the biggest crowds of the season. Chances are that those of you reading this are the same people at the games, making noise, or you are the families thousands of miles away. For those with an influence, spread the word. Help us promote the Voyagers game. But don't do it because I am asking you because, as I have said, this is not about me. Do it because these men deserve it. They deserve to play in front of a few thousand fans.
One win down, one more to go, and then another two after that. One game at a time. It all continues Saturday night in Missoula. What will the end result be? Only time will tell. But I can guarantee you that these boys will fight their effing tails off for nine innings--or more if the game dictates such--because that's what they have done since day 1. I hope everyone can appreciate and admire that. I know I sure as hell do.
--------------
Without further ado...THE CHAMPIONSHIP BELT
this)
I wish we could get a population on the gnats in attendance to tonight's game. They must have enjoyed the action they caught because a good group of them are on the bus with us to Missoula. Thankfully this is only a three hour trip.
I am always thankful as I watch the players spend every second in between each pitch swatting away the insects. For the most part, I stay out of harms way in the box, although for the past few weeks, I get about two big bees per game joining me for a few pitches. Now, I am right along with the guys swatting away these freakin' things. Not conducive for a relaxing environment. Dealing with this after a win makes it much better.
Anyway...at the bottom of this post is a small little video I made which honors Jamaal Hollis and Jeffer Patino, the winners of the "Championship Belt" awarded to the hardest winning pitcher and position player at each level, as decided on by Strength and Conditioning Coach, Tim Rodmaker, the field staff, and Strength and Conditioning Instructor, Dale Torborg. As you will see below, the belts are exactly like those you see awarded to wrestling champions or boxing champions. Of course, Dale, formerly known as the Demon, used to be a professional wrestler.
Before we get into tonight's game, let's backtrack a bit...
To close out the season, the team won 9 of their final 11 games, highlighted by an 8-game winning streak, including a big sweep of Missoula on the road and two huge wins over Billings to claim a two-game division lead. Despite the streak, those buggers from Billings wouldn't lose and the Voyagers could not increase their lead beyond 2 games. Eventually, after losing back-to-back games, first Helena and then to Missoula, the Voyagers found their lead down to one game with one to play. It was tough to consider that the Voyagers, the hottest team in the league just a few days before, was in jeopardy of losing their playoff berth. But they pulled it together and clinched the division with the win over Missoula in the finale. It was neat how the game developed because I believe it was a microcosm of the season.
After the first inning the Voyagers trailed 3-0. Right away, the Voyagers came back to get two runs to cut the deficit to one and then, while they had an opportunity to tie the score and maybe even take the lead with some base runners, they settled for just the two runs in the inning. After falling behind 4-2, the Voyagers tied it up in the fourth only to see Missoula immediately reclaim the lead, 5-4. Sure enough, the Voyagers took a lead, 6-5 but, once again, they immediately gave it right back, falling behind 8-6. So, what do the Voyagers do? They score five runs in the top of the sixth to lead 11-8. The final few innings were by no means relaxing. Missoula threatened in both the eighth and ninth only to have Kevin Vance shut the door on both occasions. Ultimately, the Voyagers won 11-8.
So...let's think about this.
On a larger scale, the Voyagers put themselves behind the eight ball pretty early on in the season. While they were never out of the division until the end of their Utah trip, specifically the series in Orem, they were constantly fighting from behind. On a more specific scale, the Voyagers, in the early part of the season, would fall behind in individual games, fight back, but just come up short, kind of like the top of 2nd where they came to within one, had an opportunity to put more on the board, but fell short.
Let's go to the innings 4 and 5, which, to me, symbolizes a first-half trend on inconsistency that represented the anchor preventing the team from taking off. The Voyagers tied the game in the fourth only to give the lead right back. They then took the lead and lost the lead all in the 5th. In the first half of the season, the Voyagers were unable to put together a three-game winning streak. Even Casper, the worst team in the first half by a decent amount, had two streaks of three wins or more. But, the Voyagers would trade a win with a loss and another win with two losses then a win and a loss, two wins, and then a loss, etc etc etc. While they never let it all fall apart (throughout the regular season, the Voyagers, quite remarkably if you ask me, had losing streaks of four games twice and three games just once), they were unable to get on a roll. But then, right when the second half got going, in the case of this game, the top of the sixth inning, the Voyagers started to pull it together. In the five run inning, the Voyagers got three runs to take a one run lead. Instead of stopping there--like the inability to win three straight in the first half or settling in the first part of the game--the Voyagers added two more big runs, kind of like how they were finally able to win three or more and give themselves an opportunity to separate. What happened next? The Voyagers battled. Their inability to score the rest of the way was not as much due to struggles at the plate as it was good pitching from Missoula. And Missoula's continued pressure was not because of poor pitching from the Voyagers, just the inevitable of a very strong lineup trying to get back in the game. This is all parallel, to me, to how Billings would not just bow down to the Voyagers and continued to hand around and hang around. Ultimately, in the end of the game, the Voyagers pulled through, just like they did in the division. And how did they get it done? For one, Michael Earley's huge double with the bases loaded gave them the lead. Fitting that it was Earley, one of the leaders in the clubhouse and, in my opinion, an unsung hero of the offensive attack, who got the eventual game-winning hit. Earley's consitent production was overshadowed by Kevan Smith's tear and Mark Haddow's power surge, but Earley was a consistent force in the middle-to-bottom part of the lineup. Secondly, the bullpen. They brought it home in the game and they were huge in the second half. Great Falls' bullpen ERA, which was around 2.70 in the second half, was the best in the league. Not even really close. Oh, and how could I forget. The team that made their mark coming from behind--including a five-game winning streak in the second half featuring five comeback wins--won their most important game...coming from behind.
If that was a stretch, I am sorry...but I just couldn't let it go.
Now let's talk playoffs...
I said in my introductory blog that, among my few singular passions, is competing or the idea of competition. I am a competitive son of a gun. Yet, I never won a state championship or, in college, working for the USC baseball team, never made the post season. As a media member at USC, I never witnessed the powerhouse Trojans make a National Championship game, despite, my first two years, having the most talented team in the country--you can argue with me, but I will win. I mean, jeez...until this recent year, my favorite teams struggled to bring home the bacon. Nonetheless, I cannot tell you how excited I am that, in my first professional season, I get to broadcast playoff baseball. I love being a part of sports on a big stage. Is this the World Series? No. But for the Great Falls Voyagers and every team in the Pioneer League, this is what is at stake. It is awesome to be a part of a team that is winning and I am so thankful to all the players and field staff for providing me this opportunity. They work their butt off and they deserve all of this. I am just thankful that I am along for the ride which I hope keeps going all the way to the Championship.
But, like I said, this is because of them. This is not about me, nor should it ever be. This is about the Voyagers. The players. The coaches. Their trainer and their strength and conditioning coach. This is about the White Sox people that come to Great Falls. They are the ones that, despite finishing in last place in the first half, entered the second half with an awesome attitude. They are the group that consistently fought and fought, both in individual games and in a tight late-season playoff race. They came up with the big hit, made the big pitch, or made the big adjustment to enjoy more success.
We are on the bus to Missoula with the hope of winning one of two so as to advance to the Championship. If that's the case, baseball will return to Great Falls in a just a few days. Tonight, the boys played in front of a loud crowd. To all of those in attendance, I tip my cap to you for your support. But the crowd was just shy of 700 and I find it hard to believe more people in the town would not enjoy some men representing their town with some playoff baseball. I hope that, if baseball comes back here next week, we can get some of the biggest crowds of the season. Chances are that those of you reading this are the same people at the games, making noise, or you are the families thousands of miles away. For those with an influence, spread the word. Help us promote the Voyagers game. But don't do it because I am asking you because, as I have said, this is not about me. Do it because these men deserve it. They deserve to play in front of a few thousand fans.
One win down, one more to go, and then another two after that. One game at a time. It all continues Saturday night in Missoula. What will the end result be? Only time will tell. But I can guarantee you that these boys will fight their effing tails off for nine innings--or more if the game dictates such--because that's what they have done since day 1. I hope everyone can appreciate and admire that. I know I sure as hell do.
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Without further ado...THE CHAMPIONSHIP BELT
Friday, September 9, 2011
09.09.2011: Stache Crew Update
It's been a while but here's the pre-playoff update on the Stache Crew. The two founding members who have held strong all summer: Tim Rodmaker and Kevin Vance and they are joined by Jamaal Hollis
Top to bottom:
Kevin and Tim
Tim
Jamaal
Kevin
Kevin Jamaal Tim
Top to bottom:
Kevin and Tim
Tim
Jamaal
Kevin
Kevin Jamaal Tim
09.09.11
The last week has been intense. I am going to put all of my thoughts together after tonight's playoff opener. I always have a video I am working on some final kinks to post as well.
Plain and simple, we got playoff baseball again in Great Falls. These boys have fought their tails off all year long to make the worst-to-first possibility a reality. They deserve your support and it would be great to see that support at the ballpark tonight.
VOYAGERS. OSPREY. GAME 1. 7PM.
Plain and simple, we got playoff baseball again in Great Falls. These boys have fought their tails off all year long to make the worst-to-first possibility a reality. They deserve your support and it would be great to see that support at the ballpark tonight.
VOYAGERS. OSPREY. GAME 1. 7PM.
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