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A LITTLE OF THIS, A LITTLE OF THAT
THE PLACE TO FIND AUDIO AND OTHER MATERIAL, ADDED PERIODICALLY. WE START WITH BASEBALL.
THE PLACE TO FIND AUDIO AND OTHER MATERIAL, ADDED PERIODICALLY. WE START WITH BASEBALL.
CYZILLA
On 14 November 2018, Blake Snell of the Tampa Bay Rays earned the American League Cy Young Award. The lefty began his career as an 18-year old in the Gulf Coast League in 2011; the next season, the Rays promoted him to Princeton in the Appalachian League. It was there that the former 1st Round draft pick began to show the form that would take him to one of baseball's highest honors, and it was my privilege to Princeton's play-by-play announcer that season.
To commemorate Snell's Cy Young, we dip into the archives for this audio snippet from 2012. (For background, visit "Two Inning Sample: Princeton at Bristol" on my Audio: Baseball page.
(Note: That '12 Princeton squad had more than just Snell. Jake Faria, Oscar Hernandez, Omar Narvaez, and Andrew Toles also reached the Majors.)
On 14 November 2018, Blake Snell of the Tampa Bay Rays earned the American League Cy Young Award. The lefty began his career as an 18-year old in the Gulf Coast League in 2011; the next season, the Rays promoted him to Princeton in the Appalachian League. It was there that the former 1st Round draft pick began to show the form that would take him to one of baseball's highest honors, and it was my privilege to Princeton's play-by-play announcer that season.
To commemorate Snell's Cy Young, we dip into the archives for this audio snippet from 2012. (For background, visit "Two Inning Sample: Princeton at Bristol" on my Audio: Baseball page.
(Note: That '12 Princeton squad had more than just Snell. Jake Faria, Oscar Hernandez, Omar Narvaez, and Andrew Toles also reached the Majors.)
A SWAT, AUGUST NIGHT
Here’s a treat for Princeton Rays fans – the final stretch of the P-Rays' thrilling win over the archest of arch-rivals, the Bluefield Blue Jays late in the 2018 season. (Click here for background on the teams’ unique and hotly-contested Mercer Cup rivalry.) It was one of the most memorable moments in franchise history, and I’d like to share it with Princeton’s fans. They are my people.
But first, my apologies for the sound quality. My usual trustworthy recording method – a good, small, user-friendly digital recorder – went sideways that night. It usually produces crisp, clear audio, but this time it came out so staticky and hissy as to be listenable. Sorry about that. However, back at the station, the board op recorded the game off the on-air feed, which was the phone hookup from Hunnicutt Field. All things considered, the events outweighed the technical issues, which is why I’m posting the audio here.
Now for some context. Monday, 20 August 2018 was the back end of a two-game home-and-home series between Princeton and Bluefield as they were pulling away from the rest of the Appalachian League East, and (spoiler alert!) would go on to earn the division’s two playoff spots. Both the Rays and Jays went into the series hot. Princeton had won eight of its last ten games; Bluefield had won six of eight.
The Jays won the series opener on Sunday, taking a 5-0 lead after four innings on the way to a 9-5 win that pulled them to within one game of the Rays for the division lead with ten to go. The result made Monday night feel like a playoff game, and it lived up to the billing.
Princeton took the first lead on 2B Jonathan Aranda’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 2nd; an inning later, a single from Bluefield’s eventual Appy League All-Star CF Cal Stephenson tied the score.
The Blue Jays opened a 6-1 lead in the top of the 5th, on Luis De Los Santos' three-run homer and Dom Abbadessa's two-run single. Princeton got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Aranda scored on a wild pitch.
Princeton posted its own five-spot in the 6th. Carlos Vargas hit a two-run homer, Aranda added a two-run triple, and Jordyn Muffley delivered an RBI single.
Bluefield promptly re-tied the game with an unearned run in the 7th.
The score held at 7-7 when Wander Franco came to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the 8th.
Franco was in the midst of a rookie season validating his phenom status. He would earn the Appy League's Player of the Year award after leading the league in RBIs and at-bats and finishing 2nd in extra-base hits, 3rd in slugging and triples, and 4th in batting average and home runs. He had the league's best strikeout rate. He put together a 25-game hitting streak (11 games longer than anyone else) and a 53-game on-base streak (12 better than the runner-up). Franco reached base in every game he played between June 23rd and August 24th.
On this Monday, the 17-year old was 2-3 with a pair of singles, a run scored, and a walk going into his fateful plate appearance; his leadoff single in the 6th sparked the Rays’ five-run rally.
Bluefield manager Denny Holmberg had brought in closer Sean Rackoski to begin the home 8th, and the All-Star right-hander struck out Pedro Diaz before inducing All-Star INF Connor Hollis into a groundout. Then came Franco.
Rackoski, pitching perhaps a little too carefully, fell behind 3-0. Franco stepped out on the next pitch and took a fastball down the middle for a called strike, then awkwardly fouled off a pitch out of the strike zone. Rackoski got to a full count, but his next pitch never came back.
Princeton's 8-7 win pushed their lead to two games as the schedule wound down.
Again, I'm sorry for the lousy sound quality. Still, it’s a game P-Rays fans will be talking about for a loooooooong time. Enjoy!
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Here’s a treat for Princeton Rays fans – the final stretch of the P-Rays' thrilling win over the archest of arch-rivals, the Bluefield Blue Jays late in the 2018 season. (Click here for background on the teams’ unique and hotly-contested Mercer Cup rivalry.) It was one of the most memorable moments in franchise history, and I’d like to share it with Princeton’s fans. They are my people.
But first, my apologies for the sound quality. My usual trustworthy recording method – a good, small, user-friendly digital recorder – went sideways that night. It usually produces crisp, clear audio, but this time it came out so staticky and hissy as to be listenable. Sorry about that. However, back at the station, the board op recorded the game off the on-air feed, which was the phone hookup from Hunnicutt Field. All things considered, the events outweighed the technical issues, which is why I’m posting the audio here.
Now for some context. Monday, 20 August 2018 was the back end of a two-game home-and-home series between Princeton and Bluefield as they were pulling away from the rest of the Appalachian League East, and (spoiler alert!) would go on to earn the division’s two playoff spots. Both the Rays and Jays went into the series hot. Princeton had won eight of its last ten games; Bluefield had won six of eight.
The Jays won the series opener on Sunday, taking a 5-0 lead after four innings on the way to a 9-5 win that pulled them to within one game of the Rays for the division lead with ten to go. The result made Monday night feel like a playoff game, and it lived up to the billing.
Princeton took the first lead on 2B Jonathan Aranda’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 2nd; an inning later, a single from Bluefield’s eventual Appy League All-Star CF Cal Stephenson tied the score.
The Blue Jays opened a 6-1 lead in the top of the 5th, on Luis De Los Santos' three-run homer and Dom Abbadessa's two-run single. Princeton got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Aranda scored on a wild pitch.
Princeton posted its own five-spot in the 6th. Carlos Vargas hit a two-run homer, Aranda added a two-run triple, and Jordyn Muffley delivered an RBI single.
Bluefield promptly re-tied the game with an unearned run in the 7th.
The score held at 7-7 when Wander Franco came to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the 8th.
Franco was in the midst of a rookie season validating his phenom status. He would earn the Appy League's Player of the Year award after leading the league in RBIs and at-bats and finishing 2nd in extra-base hits, 3rd in slugging and triples, and 4th in batting average and home runs. He had the league's best strikeout rate. He put together a 25-game hitting streak (11 games longer than anyone else) and a 53-game on-base streak (12 better than the runner-up). Franco reached base in every game he played between June 23rd and August 24th.
On this Monday, the 17-year old was 2-3 with a pair of singles, a run scored, and a walk going into his fateful plate appearance; his leadoff single in the 6th sparked the Rays’ five-run rally.
Bluefield manager Denny Holmberg had brought in closer Sean Rackoski to begin the home 8th, and the All-Star right-hander struck out Pedro Diaz before inducing All-Star INF Connor Hollis into a groundout. Then came Franco.
Rackoski, pitching perhaps a little too carefully, fell behind 3-0. Franco stepped out on the next pitch and took a fastball down the middle for a called strike, then awkwardly fouled off a pitch out of the strike zone. Rackoski got to a full count, but his next pitch never came back.
Princeton's 8-7 win pushed their lead to two games as the schedule wound down.
Again, I'm sorry for the lousy sound quality. Still, it’s a game P-Rays fans will be talking about for a loooooooong time. Enjoy!
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For Starters: Sports Update
Here's a local SportsCenter for Montana Radio.
Here's a local SportsCenter for Montana Radio.