Just one day until the Isotopes’ 2009 season opener and the excitement is building around Isotopes Park like never before.  Today, the ‘Topes presented Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez with a check for nearly $2 million, a payment that represents the basic rent plus surcharge amounts for city-owned Isotopes Park.  The sum is also indicative of the team’s success, as the club has given more than $12 million to the city since the club’s arrival in 2003.  

The photo linked below is of Mayor Chavez accepting the check from Isotopes President Ken Young.  
 

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As far as the team goes, the rotation is set and getting the ball for the Isotopes in the historic opener is right-hander Miguel Pinango, who will take on Omaha righty Brian Bannister.  The entire rotation for the series is: 

RHP Miguel Pinango vs. RHP Brian Bannister
LHP Eric Stults vs. RHP Luke Hochevar
LHP Eric Milton vs. LHP Heath Phillips
RHP Charlie Haeger vs. RHP Brandon Duckworth 

Tommy Lasorda has also officially made it back to town and will have a big day tomorrow being a part of the Isotopes’ Opening Day festivities.  Tommy will throw out the first pitch with Mayor Chavez before interacting with Isotopes fans throughout the game.   Oh, and most importantly, Tommy has already guaranteed a ‘Topes win!! 

Media Day is always a lot of fun because it’s not only the first opportunity for the media to interact with the team, it’s a great chance for the front office to get to know the guys as well.  Until this point, the Isotopes have been names on a piece of paper but Media Day lets everyone put names and faces together. 

Of course, Media Day consists of much more than interviews with the local writers, radio broadcasters, and TV reporters.  The day starts with a team meeting to introduce them to Albuquerque and the Isotopes, followed by photos and video that you see on the video board during games.  

 

After interacting with the media and a team photo, the day finishes off with batting practice and a short workout.

   

On Wednesday, the team will hit the field again for a workout under the lights beginning at 6:00 PM.   Albuquerque’s Opening Day starter will also be unveiled sometime tomorrow.  

Sorry for the long delay between entries, but the preparations for the upcoming season interceded with the blogging.  Now that the season is pretty much upon us, you can expect updates to appear with much more frequency (promise!).   Plus, other than the media guide being finished, some new signage on the scorebaord, and a fresh coat of paint, there wasn’t too much to report… until now.  The 2009 Isotopes Opening Day roster has been revealed and it’s safe to say that the ‘Topes’ first year as Triple-A partner of the Dodgers is going to be extremely entertaining.   Manager Tim Wallach will also have the luxury of putting out what should be one of the most potent lineups in the Pacific Coast League.  While things could still change between now and when Albuquerque meets Omaha at The Lab on April 9, this is the Isotopes’ possible rotation (in no particular order): 

LHP Shawn Estes
RHP Charlie Haeger (a knuckleballer)
LHP Eric Milton
RHP Miguel Pinango
LHP Eric Stults

Out of the bullpen, the ‘Topes will throw: 

RHP Giancardo Alvarado
RHP Henry Bonilla
RHP Nick DeBarr
RHP Dwayne Pollok
RHP Tanyon Sturtze
RHP Jeff Weaver

LHP Stephen Randolph
LHP Erick Threets

While the likes of Estes, Milton, Weaver, and Sturtze provide a ton of mega-watt former Major League experience, Stults was in heated competition with James McDonald for the Dodgers’ fifth starting slot until as recently as Saturday and Pinango is one of the organization’s bright young stars.  

Behind the plate, the Isotopes will have: 
A.J. Ellis
Danny Ardoin

On the infield, Albuquerque fans will see: 
Juan Castro (who also played for the Dukes in 1995-97)
Chin-Lung Hu
Hector Luna
Luis Maza
Valentino Pascucci (the Italian Bazooka returns!!) 

Finally, the ‘Topes will have one of the deepest outfields in the PCL with:  
Dee Brown
Xavier Paul
Mitch Jones
Jason Repko

It’s safe to say this offense is going to be able put some runs on the board! 

On Tuesday, the Isotopes will hold their annual Media Day, which will be followed by a team workout under the lights on Wednesday night.  Finally, Thursday will feature one of the most memorable Opening Day celebrations in team history, with special guest Tommy Lasorda scheduled to be on hand to help ring in a new era of ‘Topes baseball!     

  

 

  

Sorry for the long delay between entries, but the preparations for the upcoming season interceded with the blogging.  Now that the season is pretty much upon us, you can expect updates to appear with much more frequency (promise!).   Plus, other than the media guide being finished, some new signage on the scorebaord, and a fresh coat of paint, there wasn’t too much to report… until now.  The 2009 Isotopes Opening Day roster has been revealed and it’s safe to say that the ‘Topes’ first year as Triple-A partner of the Dodgers is going to be extremely entertaining.   Manager Tim Wallach will also have the luxury of putting out what should be one of the most potent lineups in the Pacific Coast League.  While things could still change between now and when Albuquerque meets Omaha at The Lab on April 9, this is the Isotopes’ possible rotation (in no particular order): 

LHP Shawn Estes
RHP Charlie Haeger (a knuckleballer)
LHP Eric Milton
RHP Miguel Pinango
LHP Eric Stults

Out of the bullpen, the ‘Topes will throw: 

RHP Giancardo Alvarado
RHP Henry Bonilla
RHP Nick DeBarr
RHP Dwayne Pollok
RHP Tanyon Sturtze
RHP Jeff Weaver

LHP Stephen Randolph
LHP Erick Threets

While the likes of Estes, Milton, Weaver, and Sturtze provide a ton of mega-watt former Major League experience, Stults was in heated competition with James McDonald for the Dodgers’ fifth starting slot until as recently as Saturday and Pinango is one of the organization’s bright young stars.  

Behind the plate, the Isotopes will have: 
A.J. Ellis
Danny Ardoin

On the infield, Albuquerque fans will see: 
Juan Castro (who also played for the Dukes in 1995-97)
Chin-Lung Hu
Hector Luna
Luis Maza
Valentino Pascucci (the Italian Bazooka returns!!) 

Finally, the ‘Topes will have one of the deepest outfields in the PCL with:  
Dee Brown
Xavier Paul
Mitch Jones
Jason Repko

It’s safe to say this offense is going to be able put some runs on the board! 

On Tuesday, the Isotopes will hold their annual Media Day, which will be followed by a team workout under the lights on Wednesday night.  Finally, Thursday will feature one of the most memorable Opening Day celebrations in team history, with special guest Tommy Lasorda scheduled to be on hand to help ring in a new era of ‘Topes baseball!     

  

 

  

Sorry for the long delay between entries, but the preparations for the upcoming season interceded with the blogging.  Now that the season is pretty much upon us, you can expect updates to appear with much more frequency (promise!).   Plus, other than the media guide being finished, some new signage on the scorebaord, and a fresh coat of paint, there wasn’t too much to report… until now.  The 2009 Isotopes Opening Day roster has been revealed and it’s safe to say that the ‘Topes’ first year as Triple-A partner of the Dodgers is going to be extremely entertaining.   Manager Tim Wallach will also have the luxury of putting out what should be one of the most potent lineups in the Pacific Coast League.  While things could still change between now and when Albuquerque meets Omaha at The Lab on April 9, this is the Isotopes’ possible rotation (in no particular order): 

LHP Shawn Estes
RHP Charlie Haeger (a knuckleballer)
LHP Eric Milton
RHP Miguel Pinango
LHP Eric Stults

Out of the bullpen, the ‘Topes will throw: 

RHP Giancardo Alvarado
RHP Henry Bonilla
RHP Nick DeBarr
RHP Dwayne Pollok
RHP Tanyon Sturtze
RHP Jeff Weaver

LHP Stephen Randolph
LHP Erick Threets

While the likes of Estes, Milton, Weaver, and Sturtze provide a ton of mega-watt former Major League experience, Stults was in heated competition with James McDonald for the Dodgers’ fifth starting slot until as recently as Saturday and Pinango is one of the organization’s bright young stars.  

Behind the plate, the Isotopes will have: 
A.J. Ellis
Danny Ardoin

On the infield, Albuquerque fans will see: 
Juan Castro (who also played for the Dukes in 1995-97)
Chin-Lung Hu
Hector Luna
Luis Maza
Valentino Pascucci (the Italian Bazooka returns!!) 

Finally, the ‘Topes will have one of the deepest outfields in the PCL with:  
Dee Brown
Xavier Paul
Mitch Jones
Jason Repko

It’s safe to say this offense is going to be able put some runs on the board! 

On Tuesday, the Isotopes will hold their annual Media Day, which will be followed by a team workout under the lights on Wednesday night.  Finally, Thursday will feature one of the most memorable Opening Day celebrations in team history, with special guest Tommy Lasorda scheduled to be on hand to help ring in a new era of ‘Topes baseball!     

  

 

  

The last few weeks leading up to the season always seems to feel like the Star Wars movies whenever anybody makes the jump to hyperspace.  Everything starts coming at you very fast.  In just two weeks the Isotopes will begin their seventh season and first as Triple-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.  As you’d imagine, the excitement for the new year has been ratcheted up quite a bit.  If you haven’t already, make plans to join us for Opening Day on April 9, for the beginning of a new era of Albuquerque baseball.   

With two weeks to go, the ‘Topes’ roster is also starting to take shape at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona.   This week six players who could very well be Isotopes on April 9 were reassigned to Minor League camp, including ‘Topes’ fan-favorite Valentino Pascucci.  While the prospect of seeing the “Italian Bazooka” deposit baseballs over the scoreboard at Isotopes Park is great, Pascucci was having a terrific spring in big league camp and the fact he won’t be starting the season in L.A. is a little bit bittersweet.  In 12 games with the Dodgers this spring, Pascucci batted .429 (9×21) with three doubles, three homers (tied for second most on the team) and 10 RBI.   Hopefully after another stellar season with the Isotopes, Pascucci will get another chance at cracking the big league roster.  

Other players to be reassigned were INF Hector Luna, OF Mitch Jones, RHPs Nick DeBarr and Charlie Haeger and LHP Stephen Randolph.  Jones led the Dodgers with four home runs when he was in big league camp, so there’s a good chance the Isotopes’ lineup will have plenty of pop.

There is still much to be determined, so be sure to check back here as the 2009 ‘Topes roster takes shape!

On September 4, 1814 Baltimore attorney-turned prisoner exchange agent Francis Scott Key watched from a the British ship HMS Minden as English ships bombarded the city of Baltimore and Fort McHenry.  After a long, rainy, terrifying night, the fort held and triumphantly raised a large American flag (which at the time had 15 stars and 15 stripes), a sight that so moved Key that he penned a poem called “Defence of Fort McHenry.”  Key’s brother-in-law took the poem and set it to the music of “The Anacreontic Song,” composed by John Stafford Smith, which was the official song of the Anacreontic Society, an 18th-century club of amateur musicians in London. The poem and accompanying tune was then taken to a Baltimore printer, who produced broadsheets that were quickly picked up and reprinted by the city’s two newspapers.  The Star-Spangled Banner was born. 

In 1918, the tune was played at the World Series, inextricably linking it the national pastime forever. 

Key no doubt would have been delighted about the treatment his poem received last Saturday at Isotopes Park, as 125 singers came out to audition to perform the National Anthem at a ‘Topes game this season.  It was the largest turnout in the seven-year history of the event and testament to the excitement around Albuquerque for the upcoming baseball season, the Isotopes’ first as Triple-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.  

If you were one of the brave singers that auditioned, thanks for your patience and participation.  A huge thanks also to our great panel of local celebrity judges; Jaimey B. from 100.3 The Peak, Tony Lynn, Myles, and Nikki from Big-I 107.9, Antoinette Antonio from KOB-TV 4, and David Jubb from 610 The Sports Animal.   Lauren Farris from the Isotopes staff organized everything and did a great job, as usual.  

If you didn’t get a chance to audition and still want to sing at Isotopes Park, don’t fret.  Simply drop off a CD or video of you or your group performing the anthem at the Isotopes administrative offices located on the second floor of the ballpark.     

On the field, the Isotopes will play their first exhibition game this Friday, March 20 against the Columbus Clippers (Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) and Opening Day is right around the corner, April 9!   

 

 

When you hear the National Anthem 72 times during the course of a season, there are a few things that inevitably find their way under your skin.  The first is those singers who treat the National Anthem like an American Idol audition and carry out every note to show their “range,” thereby increasing the length of the song from its intended minute and a half to an excruciating five minutes.  It’s reminiscent of the classic Dancin’ Homer episode of the Simpsons where Bleeding Gums Murphy is singing the National Anthem at a Springfield Isotopes contest and a clock behind him reads 6:45.   As he continues through the song, the scene shifts to the Simpsons sitting slumped in their setas in left field bleachers before finally Bleeding Gums wraps up the song as the clock behind tolls 7:00.  Nothing can zap the energy from a crowd like a long National Anthem. 

The second, and granted this is pretty nit-picky, is people’s insistence on singing about the “per-OL-ous” fight instead of the “per-IL-ous” fight.  In the history of mankind, nothing has ever been in “perol.” 

With those two valuable nuggets of information, the Isotopes invite all of those interested in singing the National Anthem to come to Isotopes Park this Saturday, March 14 for open tryouts.  There is no need to reserve a spot, just show up to the park beginning at 10:00 AM and check-in.  Anthem auditions begin at 11:00 AM and will last until 1:00 PM.  

The auditions are part of a big day at Isotopes Park that includes an Open House complete with guided tours of the ballpark, a Select-A-Seat where prospective season ticket and mini-plan holders can literally pick their seat for the upcoming season, and the official on-sale of individual game tickets.  Everything starts at 10:00 AM and fans can buy tickets at the Isotopes Park Box Office, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone with Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, or on-line at www.ticketmaster.com, or www.albuquerquebaseball.com.   For the big dates (Opening Day, July 3, etc.) it’s a good idea to get tickets Saturday or else you’ll be in “peril” of missing out on all the great fun this year.

When you hear the National Anthem 72 times during the course of a season, there are a few things that inevitably find their way under your skin.  The first is those singers who treat the National Anthem like an American Idol audition and carry out every note to show their “range,” thereby increasing the length of the song from its intended minute and a half to an excruciating five minutes.  It’s reminiscent of the classic Dancin’ Homer episode of the Simpsons where Bleeding Gums Murphy is singing the National Anthem at a Springfield Isotopes contest and a clock behind him reads 6:45.   As he continues through the song, the scene shifts to the Simpsons sitting slumped in their setas in left field bleachers before finally Bleeding Gums wraps up the song as the clock behind tolls 7:00.  Nothing can zap the energy from a crowd like a long National Anthem. 

The second, and granted this is pretty nit-picky, is people’s insistence on singing about the “per-OL-ous” fight instead of the “per-IL-ous” fight.  In the history of mankind, nothing has ever been in “perol.” 

With those two valuable nuggets of information, the Isotopes invite all of those interested in singing the National Anthem to come to Isotopes Park this Saturday, March 14 for open tryouts.  There is no need to reserve a spot, just show up to the park beginning at 10:00 AM and check-in.  Anthem auditions begin at 11:00 AM and will last until 1:00 PM.  

The auditions are part of a big day at Isotopes Park that includes an Open House complete with guided tours of the ballpark, a Select-A-Seat where prospective season ticket and mini-plan holders can literally pick their seat for the upcoming season, and the official on-sale of individual game tickets.  Everything starts at 10:00 AM and fans can buy tickets at the Isotopes Park Box Office, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone with Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, or on-line at www.ticketmaster.com, or www.albuquerquebaseball.com.   For the big dates (Opening Day, July 3, etc.) it’s a good idea to get tickets Saturday or else you’ll be in “peril” of missing out on all the great fun this year.

The Dodgers have added a pair of Minor League free agents that could be Isotopes this season in outfielder Timo Perez and left-handed starter John Koronka, both of whom inked Minor League deals with invites to Major League Spring Training.  Isotopes fans will remember Perez from the 2007 Triple-A All-Star Game at Isotopes Park, where he was named “Star of the Game” after going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI as a member of the Toledo Mud Hens, Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.   That season was a big one for the veteran outfielder, who finished the year with a month in Detroit, where he batted .389 in 29 games.  After spending the entire 2008 campaign with the Mud Hens, Perez played last year in the Mexican Summer League, batting .323 in 77 games with Rojos del Aguila de Veracruz.   In addition to his stint with the Tigers, Perez has seen Major League time with the St. Louis Cardinals (2006) and Chicago White Sox (2004-05), but has logged most of his Big League service time with the New York Mets (2000-03). 

To those who have been to a lot of ‘Topes games in the past six years, Koronka’s name will no doubt ring a little familiar.  After coming up in the Cubs organization, playing for Iowa in 2004-05, the southpaw has played for three PCL teams; Oklahoma (2006-07), Colorado Springs (2007), and New Orleans (2009).  Last year, Koronka saw the Major Leagues for the first time since 2005, starting a pair of games for the Marlins.   

Until then, if anybody has an extra rookie Nolan Ryan they could part with, I have a mint condition 1984 Rick Camp and an ’89 Wayne Tolleson I can trade. 

The second, and granted this is pretty nit-picky, is people’s insistence on singing about the “per-OL-ous” fight instead of the “per-IL-ous” fight.  In the history of mankind, nothing has ever been in “perol.” 

The auditions are part of a big day at Isotopes Park that includes an Open House complete with guided tours of the ballpark, a Select-A-Seat where prospective season ticket and mini-plan holders can literally pick their seat for the upcoming season, and the official on-sale of individual game tickets.  Everything starts at 10:00 AM and fans can buy tickets at the Isotopes Park Box Office, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone with Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, or on-line at www.ticketmaster.com, or www.albuquerquebaseball.com.   For the big dates (Opening Day, July 3, etc.) it’s a good idea to get tickets Saturday or else you’ll be in “peril” of missing out on all the great fun this year.