Category: Dailies

On The Road With the Isotopes… To Memphis (Day Three)

Field From Dugout.jpgSpirits in Memphis are still high even though the ‘Topes are still looking for a win in this series after being held to four hits on each of last two nights. In fact, AutoZone Park is starting to become a house of horrors for the Isotopes, who have lost four straight games here, dating back to last season (including the playoffs). Overall, including last year’s post-season, Albuquerque has dropped five straight games to the ‘Birds. 

For most of the players, Wednesday was a day to relax a little since it will be the team’s last night game of the trip.  Tomorrow, the Isotopes will have to be at the ballpark early for a matinee that features a 1:05 PM first pitch local time so today was really their last chance to sleep in. Many enjoyed a late lunch at one of the many nearby restaurants before arriving at the ballpark in time for stretch at 4:00 PM. 

Despite the offensive doldrums, batting practice was lively and spirited, with Jamie Hoffmann and John Lindsey both crushing the ball.  Another highlight was hitting coach John Moses getting in the cage to take some cuts against Tim Wallach while the manager was throwing to his group.  Moses did pretty well despite not getting a chance to warm up, dumping a couple of Wallach offerings into right field.  Most of the talk around the cage centered around the enigma that is Wednesday night’s Redbirds starter Evan MacLane, who has flummoxed the Isotopes of late.  It was MacLane who authored the shutout in game three of the PCL playoffs that sent the ‘Topes home after a 1-0 loss at AutoZone Park.  As J.D. Closser mentioned during BP, “We owe this guy.”  We’ll see if payback is in the offing.

Incidentally, with due respect to good folks at Ovations who provide the nightly press box meal at Isotopes Park, the food in the press box at AutoZone Park is by far the best in the Pacific Coast League. Tonight, visitors were treated to a traditional southern meal complete with fried chicken, fried catfish, mashed potatoes and gravy, and hush puppies. Combine that with the usual AutoZone press box snacks that include chips, dips, popcorn, pretzels, and the thickest, most delicious chocolate chip cookies you ever laid eyes on, and you have a gastrointestinal dream.  It also means I’m going to have to increase the mileage on my daily run tomorrow morning.    

 
 
AutoZone Exterior.jpg 

   
IMG_0251.jpg

 

Steve and Tim.jpg

Peabody Ducks 3.jpg
Southern Fried Chicken.jpg

On The Road With the Isotopes… To Memphis (Day Two)

A good night’s sleep and a 35 minute morning run along the Mississippi River has finally shaken off any lingering effects of the travel day and the Isotopes and I are both loaded for bear as we embark on Day Two of our four-game roadtrip in Memphis.  The team had an optional workout at the gym, which is right down the street at 10:00 AM followed by lunch. With the hotel downtown, lunch options aboud, so essentially the team scattered before having to be to the ballpark in time for stretch at 4:00 PM. 

At the ballpark, one of the two main topics of conversation was the call-up of shortstop Nick Green to the Dodgers, replacing Rafael Furcal, who was placed on the DL with a strained left hamstring.  Dwarfing that topic, however, as far as the Isotopes were concerned, was the story of the kid in Philadelphia who ran onto the field at a Phillies game and got tased (Click here for the video), further cementing the sterling reputation of both Philadelphia sports fans and Philadelphia police officers. (Here is a hilarious piece The Daily Show did on Philly and New York sports fans during last year’s World Series)  

Instead of tasers, it was brought up by some of the Isotopes that unleashing a wild animal might be an effective deterrent for those that are of the mind to run out onto the field at Isotopes Park  (Law-enforcement meets Gladiator).  On a totally unrelated note, if anybody knows where to get a couple of blood-thirsty tigers on the cheap, please contact the ‘Topes front office.

All in all, spirits are high on the team.  In addition to the crack of the bat, BP was filled with laughter as players were joking with each other around the cage.  It’s amazing how BP can sometimes be an indicator of how a guy is going to swing it in the game.  Jay Gibbons, for example, was blistering the ball in batting practice and sure enough, delivered a two-run homer in the game. 

BP 1.jpg     
Gibbons.jpg
IMG_0236.jpg  
Thumbnail image for Isotopes Clubhouse.jpg 
Pre-game Show with Link.jpg

Taco Night.jpg

On The Road With the Isotopes… To Memphis (Day One)

Jack Kerouac wrote of the spiratually enlightening powers of the road, and nowhere is this more true than along the Pacific Coast League trail, which winds through some of the great cities in the country.  One of those cities is Memphis, which is also home to one of the League’s great ballparks, AutoZone Park, home to the Redbirds since 2000. Throughout the next four days, the ‘Topes Tattler will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the Isotopes’ four-game road trip to Memphis to give a glimpse of exactly what a road trip in the PCL is like. 

Make no mistake, travel in the PCL is neither glamorous nor particularly enjoyable. The ‘Topes had to be at Isotopes Park at 5:00 AM to catch a bus to the airport where the team would catch a 7:10 AM flight to Dallas.  There, the Isotopes had a two-hour layover before catching a connecting flight to Memphis, arriving at their hotel at 2:30 PM.  After a quick change of clothes, most of the team was at the ballpark (which is within walking distance of the hotel) by 4:00 PM in time for tonight’s 7:05 PM start.  The bottom line is it’s a long day. 

It helps of course that Memphis has one of the best set-ups in the entire Pacific Coast League and AutoZone Park is one of the circuit’s best yards.  The hotel is an easy walk to not only the park but also historic Beale Street, where restaurant and tavern choices abound.

Plus the ‘Birds’ organization, like the Isotopes, does things the right way, ensuring that everyone who visits AutoZone Park, be they players, fans, or visiting front office personnel, has an enjoyable experience.

 

Game Action.jpg  
Robert Portnoy.jpg

Memphis Eats.jpg

Throughout the series, we’ll have frequent updates and plenty of photos so you can keep up with what’s happening with the ‘Topes in the Volunteer State!