Results tagged ‘ Redbirds ’
Memphis Redbirds in Oklahoma City
miss Brian Barton: hitter, rocket scientist and world traveler.
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was southern summer nights
Maybe it was you maybe it was me
But it sure felt right
-Michael Anderson
Since I will see both minor and major league games this year, it
did feel right to start off my season seeing both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Memphis Redbirds play two exhibition games over the weekend. The match-up took place at Auto Zone Park on historic Union Avenue in Memphis Tennessee.
Walking into the ballpark, I felt I had died and gone to redbird
heaven. The entire field was covered
with St. Louis Cardinals and future St. Louis Cardinals, such a beautiful
sight.
I had heard that Auto Zone Park was even
nicer than AT&T Ballpark, the home of the Oklahoma City Redhawks. And, the ten-year-old park is nice, but I do
not think it has anything on the ballpark in Oklahoma
City. AT&T
Ballpark managed to add historic value to a new park, by making monuments to Oklahoma born players,
such as Johnny Bench, Mickey Mantle and others.
The park in Memphis is missing
the historic element.
However, you know you are in Memphis when you are
greeted by a live band playing in the courtyard, just inside the front
gates. In the city that gave birth to
the Memphis sound, music is everywhere. Also, the courtyard is graced with the lovely Memphis Redbird Red Hots.
I knew I took a bunch of pictures, but even I was surprised when I uploaded them to my computer that there were 600+ taken over the course of two days. Unbelievable. I swear, I did not have my finger on the button the whole time. I actually kept a scorecard, too. But, evidently I was very busy. So, when I say here are “just a few” pictures, you will know I mean it.
Everybody stops to watch Albert Pujols take batting practice. I think he could sell tickets to his batting practice to raise money for the Pujols Family Foundation.
The Cardinals 25-man roster includes a number of rookies. Here are just a few getting ready to take batting practice: Infielders, Joe Thurston and David Freese, and outfielder, Colby Rasmus. I believe fellow rookie, infielder, Brian Barden was in the cage.
New Shortstop, Khalil Greene, looks happy to be a Cardinal. He had a great spring training, and hit a bomb in Memphis, so we are so happy to have him.
Yadier Molina heads to work.
One of my favorite game sights is the catcher, starting pitcher and pitching coach walking in from the bullpen, all warmed up and ready to go. The walk means it is almost game time. In the first picture are Yadier Molina, P. J. Walters and Dave Duncan. P. J. Walters, who will start in Triple-A Memphis, made a spot start for the Cardinals in Friday’s game in place of Chris Carpenter. Walters had a very fine outing, as the Cardinals won 13-1.
The second picture is Yadier Molina, Joel Pineiro and Dave Duncan. Joel Pineiro had a great spring training, and he pitched well on Saturday. He got into a couple jams, but did not loose his cool. He pitched better the longer he went. The Cardinals won 7-3.
Another beautiful sight:
I took the following two pictures, because I wondered if the kid in the #12 Aaron Miles jersey was asking John Mozeliak, “Hey, Mo. Why didn’t you pick up Miles? Now, I need a new jersey. Forget the autograph. I want a new jersey.”
Amazingly enough, another kid walked up with a #12 T-shirt. I imagined him asking the same question.
This is a nice shot of Khalil Greene , but the guy on second base got my attention over the weekend. Memphis center fielder, Shane Robinson, has a nice bat. He made a great diving catch in center, and literally climbed the wall to try to get to a Rick Ankiel home run that was long gone.
But, I found the following shot of him hilarious. From left to right (field), we have Jon Jay (5’9″), Shane Robinson (5’7″) and Joe Mather (6’4″). Mather looks like a Giant.
Chris Carpenter was scratched from the Friday start, which is fine with me. There is always a worry that he has X number of pitches left. No need to waste them on an exhibition game. He was reported to have a calf injury, but if he can cop a catcher’s squat to catch Adam Wainwright, the calf must be healed.
Before Saturday’s day game, I was at the park before it was open. So, I decided to take a little walk all the way around it. When I got to the back of the park, the gate was open. I resisted the urge to trespass. However, I could see through to the field. I was not surprised by what I saw: Third Base/Infield Coach, Jose Oquendo was hitting early morning ground balls to Skip Schumaker. Here is a picture of Schumaker warming up later.
Speaking of Jose Oquendo, late in the game on Saturday, he was sent in to pinch hit. The crowd went wild. He fouled off a couple and then drew a walk. When he took his lead at first, the crowd wanted him to steal. He got moved around to third base. He had an opportunity to tag and score on a fly ball, but evidently, he did not send himself. Ironically, he was stranded at the base he will be coaching all year.
The-closer-who-must-not-be-named, Jason Motte, pitched in the ninth inning Saturday.
Not to be outdone by the Cardinals coaching staff, Memphis Redbirds Manager, Chris Maloney, sent himself in to pinch hit. He made nice contact, but grounded out to finish the game.
Ballpark Food Note
I give the ballpark hot dog a grade of “B”. Good quality hot dog, toasted bun. Good, but not fantastic. The unique food to have are the barbecued pork nachos. Very good, but very pricy at $8.50. The hotdogs were $4.00
Livin’ on the Wrong Side of Memphis
I’ve been living on the wrong side of Memphis
Gonna bronze these blue suede shoes
These cowboy boots are gettin’ kinda restless
And I ain’t gotta single thing to lose
–From “Wrong Side of Memphis” by Garry Harrison and Matraca Berg
Cowboy Boots
I live in Oklahoma. I know cowgirls.
long best friend comes from a rodeo family of barrel racers, bulldoggers and bull riders. My sister, although a city girl in every other way, is a horsewoman who is far happier in her cowboy boots than a pair peep-toe pumps.
One of my good friends in high school wore Wranglers and Ropers every day. My life-
In contrast to my sister who thrives on city life, I do enjoy the simplicity of my small town existence. But, I am not a cowgirl. I grew up on a farm. I went to Oklahoma State, home of the Cowboys (and Cowgirls). I love a good country tune, and if you want to go two-steppin’, I am so your girl. Just in case my sister ever lets me near her horse, or I need to go to the rodeo with my friend or two-stepping with you, I own a pair of cowboy boots.
I love my boots however, I am not comfortable in them the way the cowgirls in my life are. I always feel a bit like I am wearing a costume. Oddly enough, I am more comfortable in my peep-toe pumps with 4 inch heels. It is wrong. No one should feel at home in those shoes. Maybe my sister’s cowboy boots are her tie that grounds her to her country roots. Perhaps, my pumps lift me out of my simple life and tie me to the city that I sometimes miss.
That being said, there is no doubt that my “cowboy boots” have been “getting’ kinda restless”. Winter (meaning the off-season) has been long and tedious. I decided last year that I would organize my life and finances in such a way that I could see the most baseball possible. In the dark, cold winter, I have planned, plotted and booked. As the possibilities unfolded, I became more and more restless, anxious for the day the baseball adventures would commence.
This Friday, April 3, 2009, it begins.
I Ain’t Got a Single Thing to Lose
When I first started planning, I considered a Spring Training trip. But, just getting there is expensive, with a plane ticket, rental car and hotel. Also, when I was looking at it, the World Baseball provisional roster was not out, so I did not know how many Cardinals would be gone.
While I was still vacillating, I saw that the St. Louis Cardinals would play two exhibition games against their Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds. Memphis is only a seven hour drive. No plane ticket. No rental car. Pre-season problem solved.
With two dugouts full of redbirds, “I ain’t got a single thing to lose”. Redbird heaven, here I come. Although if the Memphis Redbirds beat up on the St. Louis Cardinals, that could be construed as a bad thing. Or, it could mean we have great depth. It is Spring, a hopeful time, so if that happens, I will be bragging on our depth.
So, today, I am packing and preparing. The #4 Molina jersey is in the suitcase. The score cards are printed. The batteries are in the camera. Gretta V. Jetta has new shoes(tires), a fresh oil change and a new tag. We are ready to hit I-40 and go east until we cross the Mississippi and end up on the right side of Memphis. Let the baseball begin!
’33, not #33
I
was happy to find Redbird Chatter on the mlblog.com leaders list this week. Number 33.
I have been here before. I posted
a dedication to #33 Barney Schultz.
Oddly enough, Mr. Schultz was mentioned on the broadcast of today’s
Cardinals Spring Training game when the discussion turned to whether or not the
Cardinals have ever had a knuckleball pitcher.
Al Hrabosky impressively pulled out the name, Barney Schultz.
So,
since I had already written a #33 dedication, I decided to do 1933 instead. As I did my research, I realized I could use 1933
facts to unveil my projected 2009 baseball adventures. You might say I was killing two birds with
one stone, but killing birds (especially red ones) is a touchy subject here.
In
many ways, 1933 was a horrific year. The
Great Depression devastated the nation.
Aldolf Hilter became dictator of Germany and terrorized the Jewish
population. And, the St. Louis Cardinals
only finished in the middle of the National League pack.
But,
there were good things. Both my parents
were born in 1933. Frances Perkins
became the first female member of the United States Cabinet. The St. Louis Cardinals did not win pennant,
but they laid the foundations for what would be a 1934 championship season for
the Gashouse Gang.
Dizzy
Dean led the pitching staff with a colossal 293 innings pitched. He finished with a 20-18 record and an ERA of
3.04. Third baseman, Pepper Martin had
189 hits and 122 runs with a .316 batting average. He was being knocked in by outfielder, Joe
Medwick, who had 98 RBI’s and slugged .497.
Baseball
Adventure #1
Also,
in 1933, Frank Schutt was the general manager of a downtown Memphis hotel, The Peabody. He and a buddy returned from a hunting trip
and thought it would be fun to put their live decoy ducks in the hotel’s
fountain. The ducks liked it. The guests liked it, and a tradition
began. The ducks make a daily pilgrimage
to and from the fountain. It is one of
those “must see” things in Memphis. After Graceland, of course.
What
do the Peabody ducks have to do with baseball? The
Peabody Hotel is in close proximately to Auto Zone Park, the home of the
Cardinals Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds. On April 3-4, Redbirds will migrate in mass to
the ballpark to watch a couple exhibition games between the St. Louis Cardinals
and the Memphis Redbirds. And, I will be
among them.
Baseball
Adventure #2
On
January
5, 1933, construction began on
one our nation’s most recognizable landmarks, the Golden Gate Bridge. I have only seen pictures. In May, I will actually touch it, when I
visit San Francisco to see the Cardinals take
on the Giants. I am excited to see the
beautiful AT&T Park on the bay and two
Molinas behind the plate. Heaven!
Baseball
Adventure #3
In
June 1933, the Union Station Massacre took place Kansas City, where four law enforcement
officers were killed in an attempt to free the prisoner they were
transporting. Charles “Pretty Boy”
Floyd was thought to be involved, but evidence suggests otherwise. Hopefully, the only violence I will see on my
June trip to Kansas City, are the Cardinals seriously
punishing a little leather ball when they take on the Royals in the I-70
series.
I
am excited to see the newly renovated Kaufman stadium. But, that is not what’s going to make this
adventure extra special. I will be
visiting family as well. Hopefully, if
he or she cooperates, I will be meeting my new niece or nephew that is due to
enter the world in June.
Baseball
Adventure #4
On
September
1, 1933, Ann Richards, future
governor of Texas was born. In July, I will road trip to Houston, Texas to watch the Cardinals
play the Astros. Last year, I enjoyed my
trip to Minute Maid Park. I only hope that the Astros do not sweep the
Cardinals this time.
I
also plan to get in a visit to Johnson Space Center, which I have wanted to
visit for a long time. This trip may
also include a stop off in Dallas to watch a Rangers game. It seems wrong to just drive past a ballpark
and not stop in.
Baseball
Adventure #5
Also
in 1933, Giuseppe Zangara attempts to assassinate President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt
in Miami, Florida, but instead fatally
wounds Chicago Mayor, Anton J.
Cermak.
Every
fall, my work takes me to St. Louis for a few days, which is
exactly how this whole Cardinals fan thing got started in the first place. Luckily, the trip this year coincides with a Florida Marlins and a Chicago Cubs series. (Yes, I
could not believe that I found a 1933 fact that included both Florida and Chicago. Too bizarre.)
Baseball
Mini-Adventures
There
will be other baseball mini-adventures.
Trips to Oklahoma City to see the Redhawks and
the Memphis Redbirds. Trips to Tulsa to see the Drillers and the
Springfield Cardinals. The Bedlam series
between my Oklahoma State Cowboys and the OU Sooners. These can all be related to Oklahoman, Wiley
Post, who in 1933 became the first person to fly solo around the world,
traveling 15,596 miles in 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes.
My
baseball miles logged will probably fall short of 15,596. But, I decided last year that I would
organize my life in a way that allows me to see the most baseball possible in
2009. I saw five Cardinals games last
year. I hope to see 15 this year. Not bad, when you live 500+ miles from Busch
Stadium.
I
look forward to taking pictures and chronicling my adventures. But, mostly, I am looking forward to seeing
some great baseball.
Thanks
to Wikipedia for providing all the great 1933 facts.
A Red Bird is a Redbird is a redbird
Sunday night, the Cardinals will be playing for the Championship! Oh, to be typing those words in October! Or, November, since the 2009 season is starting so late.
The Super Bowl bound Arizona Cardinals are not my Cardinals, but they are redbirds, so I will be cheering for them. Perhaps, 2009 will be the “Year of the Cardinals”, starting with a Super Bowl Championship and ending with a World Series Championship. Ah, the beauty. The symmetry. The poetry. The hope that lives and breathes in the days before Spring Training.
This summer, I am adopting a new group of red birds. No, they are not Cardinals or even part of the Cardinals farm club, but they are red, they are birds, and they are a baseball team that plays a couple hours from my house. They are the Oklahoma City Redhawks, Triple-A affiliate to the Texas Rangers, and I have season tickets.
The Oklahoma City Redhawks play at the beautiful Bricktown Ballpark in downtown Oklahoma City. The three entrances to the park are guarded by larger than life statues of Oklahoma born baseball legends: Mickey Mantle, Johnny Bench and Warren Spahn.
In this picture, Johnny Bench is standing watch on his plaza. Approriately, this is the entrance behind home plate.
During the Oklahoma Centennial celebrations in 2007, monuments were erected to honor other Oklahoma born players: “Bullet” Joe Rogan, Paul “Big Poison” Waner, Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner, King Carl Hubbell, Pepper Martin, Bobby Mercer, and “Superchief” Allie Reynolds. So, this relatively new park does a good job of capturing the history and spirit of the sport. It’s a great place to watch a ballgame.
I was at the park not long after the passing of Bobby Mercer. His monument was adorned with flowers and a Yankees hat in his memory.
With the park being 2 hours away, I won’t see all 72 games, but certainly enough to justify the purchase. I can trade in my unused tickets for general admission seats and give them to friends–spread the baseball love.
Of course, when the Cardinals Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds, are in town, I’ll be cheering for them. Ultimately, a Redhawk might be a redbird, but that does not make them a Redbird! Go Cardinals!
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