TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS (2018 EDITION)
Year to year, one of my favorite gigs is the Mountain East Conference Baseball Tournament. The folks in the conference office are fantastic, Epling Stadium is a wonderful facility, and it's a thrill to call games that can make or break a team's season. Here are my two favorite games from the 2018 tournament:
1. The Elimination Final between Notre Dame College and two-time defending champion Shepherd;
2. The "If Necessary" Championship Final between Shepherd and the University of Charleston.
(In a personal note, congratulations to Andrew Wright and his Golden Eagles for earning their first-ever NCAA Tournament bid. Andrew and I worked together at Concord -- where he took the Mountain Lions to the 2011 NCAA tournament -- and all his success ... well, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.)
1. The Elimination Final between Notre Dame College and two-time defending champion Shepherd;
2. The "If Necessary" Championship Final between Shepherd and the University of Charleston.
(In a personal note, congratulations to Andrew Wright and his Golden Eagles for earning their first-ever NCAA Tournament bid. Andrew and I worked together at Concord -- where he took the Mountain Lions to the 2011 NCAA tournament -- and all his success ... well, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.)
THIS'LL HAPPEN IN ROOKIE BALL (13:35)
Part of the gameday routine in MiLB broadcasting is checking player transactions. Has a guy been promoted? Demoted? Released? Put on the injured list? Transactions happen everyday. But sometimes in short-season Rookie ball, a player move can fall through the cracks and, well, make a broadcast a bit more interesting.
Here, listen along as I juggle calling the game -- including a game-breaking three-run rally -- with a real-time investigation into the pitcher who gave it up. Let's call it "'Who's THIS Guy?' on the Princeton Rays Network."
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Part of the gameday routine in MiLB broadcasting is checking player transactions. Has a guy been promoted? Demoted? Released? Put on the injured list? Transactions happen everyday. But sometimes in short-season Rookie ball, a player move can fall through the cracks and, well, make a broadcast a bit more interesting.
Here, listen along as I juggle calling the game -- including a game-breaking three-run rally -- with a real-time investigation into the pitcher who gave it up. Let's call it "'Who's THIS Guy?' on the Princeton Rays Network."
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HIGHLIGHTS (1:14)
Those in the know suggest baseball highlight packages should NOT include home runs, since "anyone can make a home run sound exciting." Fair enough. With that in mind, here's a smorgasbord of a noteworthy called strikeout, a flyout double play, a (not very routine) single, and a bases-clearing double. Also some yelling. But that's to be expected.
AUDIO BELOW
Those in the know suggest baseball highlight packages should NOT include home runs, since "anyone can make a home run sound exciting." Fair enough. With that in mind, here's a smorgasbord of a noteworthy called strikeout, a flyout double play, a (not very routine) single, and a bases-clearing double. Also some yelling. But that's to be expected.
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SAMPLE INNING: PRINCETON AT BLUEFIELD (15:24)
Or, "A Representative Sample From an Everyday Game," in which Princeton visits historic Bowen Field to renew its hotly-contested Mercer Cup Series with Bluefield. The Rays are contending for a playoff spot; the Blue Jays are playing out the string of a loooooooong season. But -- Cliche Alert! -- you can throw out the records when these two arch-rivals meet.
This inning, the 3rd, had a little bit of everything. A sudden two-out rally sparked by an untimely error (is there ever a GOOD time for an error?), a home run, and cowbells. Lots of cowbells.
(FUN FACT: MERCER COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES WITH TWO AFFILIATED PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAMS.)
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Or, "A Representative Sample From an Everyday Game," in which Princeton visits historic Bowen Field to renew its hotly-contested Mercer Cup Series with Bluefield. The Rays are contending for a playoff spot; the Blue Jays are playing out the string of a loooooooong season. But -- Cliche Alert! -- you can throw out the records when these two arch-rivals meet.
This inning, the 3rd, had a little bit of everything. A sudden two-out rally sparked by an untimely error (is there ever a GOOD time for an error?), a home run, and cowbells. Lots of cowbells.
(FUN FACT: MERCER COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES WITH TWO AFFILIATED PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAMS.)
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PRE-GAME INTERVIEW (3:31)
Virtually everyday baseball broadcast begins with a pre-game show. Virtually every pre-game show includes an interview segment, usually with the manager or a player. The Princeton Rays Network has a fast-paced 20-minute pre-gamer which features "Three Up, Three Down" -- a catchy title for a three-minute interview with manager Danny Sheaffer. Like this one.
AUDIO BELOW
Virtually everyday baseball broadcast begins with a pre-game show. Virtually every pre-game show includes an interview segment, usually with the manager or a player. The Princeton Rays Network has a fast-paced 20-minute pre-gamer which features "Three Up, Three Down" -- a catchy title for a three-minute interview with manager Danny Sheaffer. Like this one.
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HALF-INNING WITH SCORING (8:14)
Applicants for a baseball broadcasting job are advised to submit two different types of half-innings – one in which there’s scoring, one in which there’s not. This is out of the first category. Nothing grand or historic, just a sample of everyday work.
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Applicants for a baseball broadcasting job are advised to submit two different types of half-innings – one in which there’s scoring, one in which there’s not. This is out of the first category. Nothing grand or historic, just a sample of everyday work.
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HALF-INNING WITHOUT SCORING (10:53)
...and here's something from the non-scoring category. It's meant to show how the job gets done when there's not much on-field excitement to carry the broadcast. Which happens a lot.
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...and here's something from the non-scoring category. It's meant to show how the job gets done when there's not much on-field excitement to carry the broadcast. Which happens a lot.
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TWO-INNING SAMPLE: PRINCETON AT BRISTOL (39:16)
If you're looking for a longer listen but still don't have lots and lots of time, here's just the thing. It's gleaned from a visit to Boyce Cox Field on a hot Friday night along the Tennessee-Virginia border.
The starting pitchers are a study in contrasts. Bristol goes with Scott Olsen, a former Major Leaguer on a rehab assignment. Princeton counters with lefty phenom Blake Snell, who would go on to earn the Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year Award that season on his way to the Major Leagues (and a Cy Young Award in 2018).
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If you're looking for a longer listen but still don't have lots and lots of time, here's just the thing. It's gleaned from a visit to Boyce Cox Field on a hot Friday night along the Tennessee-Virginia border.
The starting pitchers are a study in contrasts. Bristol goes with Scott Olsen, a former Major Leaguer on a rehab assignment. Princeton counters with lefty phenom Blake Snell, who would go on to earn the Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year Award that season on his way to the Major Leagues (and a Cy Young Award in 2018).
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FULL GAME, PART 1: DANVILLE AT PRINCETON (PRE-GAME THROUGH 3RD INNING; 49:14)
After starting the season 8-3, Princeton lost seven of nine, tumbling from 1st place to 3rd in the Appy League East. The team that took over the top spot was Danville, which had won six out of eight.
This was the finale of a three-game series at Hunnicutt Field, and Danville was seeking a sweep. The D-Braves overcame a 3-0 deficit to win the series opener; they jumped out to a 4-0 lead and cruised to a 9-4 victory in the middle game.
This was also a matchup of #1 starters. Princeton gave the ball to Blake Snell, while Danville went with Mauricio Cabrera, who was in the league's top ten in ERA and OBA. It was early in the season -- not quite 1/3 of the way into the schedule -- but Princeton was already facing an important "swing game." A loss would drop them five games off the division lead, while a win pull them within three ... with the two teams opening a new series at Danville the very next day.
Princeton reached Cabrera for a clutch two-out run in the bottom of the 1st, starting with Reid Redman coaxing a nine-pitch walk....
AUDIO BELOW
After starting the season 8-3, Princeton lost seven of nine, tumbling from 1st place to 3rd in the Appy League East. The team that took over the top spot was Danville, which had won six out of eight.
This was the finale of a three-game series at Hunnicutt Field, and Danville was seeking a sweep. The D-Braves overcame a 3-0 deficit to win the series opener; they jumped out to a 4-0 lead and cruised to a 9-4 victory in the middle game.
This was also a matchup of #1 starters. Princeton gave the ball to Blake Snell, while Danville went with Mauricio Cabrera, who was in the league's top ten in ERA and OBA. It was early in the season -- not quite 1/3 of the way into the schedule -- but Princeton was already facing an important "swing game." A loss would drop them five games off the division lead, while a win pull them within three ... with the two teams opening a new series at Danville the very next day.
Princeton reached Cabrera for a clutch two-out run in the bottom of the 1st, starting with Reid Redman coaxing a nine-pitch walk....
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FULL GAME, PART 2: DANVILLE AT PRINCETON (4TH INNING THROUGH 6TH INNING; 41:11)
Snell, showing the form that would earn him the league's Pitcher of the Year Award, gets more run support in the 4th. The Rays score again in the 5th, bookending singles from Brandon Martin and Redman around a Danville error....
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Snell, showing the form that would earn him the league's Pitcher of the Year Award, gets more run support in the 4th. The Rays score again in the 5th, bookending singles from Brandon Martin and Redman around a Danville error....
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FULL GAME, PART 3: DANVILLE AT PRINCETON (7TH INNING THROUGH POST-GAME; 54:58)
Snell shut out the Braves on four hits over five innings, but Danville got to reliever Jon Weaver for single runs in the 6th and 7th to get within 3-2. Hard-throwing right-hander Nick Sawyer replaced Weaver and retired all four batters he faced -- getting some help in the 8th when CF Andrew Toles robbed leadoff hitter Gerardo Reyes of an extra base hit. Closer Alex Keudell came on in the 9th to protect Princeton's one-run lead.
Aris Alcantara greeted him with a single; pinch-runner Logan Robbins stole second and moved third on a groundout. The Rays intentionally walked Felix Marte to put runners on the corners. Keudell steeled himself to face sluggers Blake Brown and Edison Sanchez with the game on the line....
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Snell shut out the Braves on four hits over five innings, but Danville got to reliever Jon Weaver for single runs in the 6th and 7th to get within 3-2. Hard-throwing right-hander Nick Sawyer replaced Weaver and retired all four batters he faced -- getting some help in the 8th when CF Andrew Toles robbed leadoff hitter Gerardo Reyes of an extra base hit. Closer Alex Keudell came on in the 9th to protect Princeton's one-run lead.
Aris Alcantara greeted him with a single; pinch-runner Logan Robbins stole second and moved third on a groundout. The Rays intentionally walked Felix Marte to put runners on the corners. Keudell steeled himself to face sluggers Blake Brown and Edison Sanchez with the game on the line....
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FULL GAME, PART 1: BURLINGTON AT PRINCETON (PRE-GAME THROUGH 3RD INNING; 45:49)
First, apologies for the, um, less-than-stellar audio quality of what turned out to be a pretty good game. It's the nightcap of a Sunday 7-inning doubleheader at Hunnicutt Field, and Burlington is looking to sweep after Daniel Hernandez's gem (6 IP, 1 H) in their 2-0 win in the opener. It was Princeton's sixth loss in ten games and dropped them three games behind the Royals for the lead in the Appy League East.
The loss pressed the P-Rays' Bruedlin Suero into a stopper's role. He had struggled in his first five appearances (four starts), allowing 26 hits over 17.2 innings, with an 8.89 ERA. How would he do against the league's top home run-hitting lineup?
AUDIO BELOW
First, apologies for the, um, less-than-stellar audio quality of what turned out to be a pretty good game. It's the nightcap of a Sunday 7-inning doubleheader at Hunnicutt Field, and Burlington is looking to sweep after Daniel Hernandez's gem (6 IP, 1 H) in their 2-0 win in the opener. It was Princeton's sixth loss in ten games and dropped them three games behind the Royals for the lead in the Appy League East.
The loss pressed the P-Rays' Bruedlin Suero into a stopper's role. He had struggled in his first five appearances (four starts), allowing 26 hits over 17.2 innings, with an 8.89 ERA. How would he do against the league's top home run-hitting lineup?
AUDIO BELOW
FULL GAME, PART 2: BURLINGTON AT PRINCETON (4TH INNING THROUGH POST-GAME; 42:51)
Suero spent much of the first three innings working from the stretch, and his 4th inning didn't begin so well, either. But the young left-hander settled down, kept his team in the game, and was rewarded when Princeton reached Burlington reliever Jake Junis for two runs in the bottom of the 5th. It was up to the bullpens from there....
(ADDED BONUS: A BREAKDOWN OF MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S "MONIKER MADNESS" CONTEST, WHICH OFFERED SOME WORTHY CONTENDERS.)
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Suero spent much of the first three innings working from the stretch, and his 4th inning didn't begin so well, either. But the young left-hander settled down, kept his team in the game, and was rewarded when Princeton reached Burlington reliever Jake Junis for two runs in the bottom of the 5th. It was up to the bullpens from there....
(ADDED BONUS: A BREAKDOWN OF MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S "MONIKER MADNESS" CONTEST, WHICH OFFERED SOME WORTHY CONTENDERS.)
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FULL GAME, PART 1: BRISTOL AT PRINCETON (PRE-GAME SHOW THROUGH 3RD INNING; 44:10)
Every game is meaningful. Some more than others.
Two days earlier, Princeton was red-hot. The P-Rays were fresh off a three-game sweep of Danville, pulling within two games of the Braves for the Appy League East wild card with six games left in the season. But then Bristol showed up.
The White Sox brought with them the worst record in the league -- they'd finish the year 27 games under .500 -- but blanked Princeton 4-0 in the series opener and held on for a 5-3 win in the second game.
The P-Rays found themselves three games out of the wild card with four to go. The chances of getting their first playoff bid in 14 years, already slim, hung in the balance on a lovely late summer afternoon....
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Every game is meaningful. Some more than others.
Two days earlier, Princeton was red-hot. The P-Rays were fresh off a three-game sweep of Danville, pulling within two games of the Braves for the Appy League East wild card with six games left in the season. But then Bristol showed up.
The White Sox brought with them the worst record in the league -- they'd finish the year 27 games under .500 -- but blanked Princeton 4-0 in the series opener and held on for a 5-3 win in the second game.
The P-Rays found themselves three games out of the wild card with four to go. The chances of getting their first playoff bid in 14 years, already slim, hung in the balance on a lovely late summer afternoon....
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FULL GAME, PART 2: BRISTOL AT PRINCETON (4TH INNING THROUGH 6TH INNING; 43:53)
Princeton starter Alex Keudell keep Bristol off the board through the first five innings but faltered in the 6th. With his pitch count reaching its limit, Keudell gave up a two-out, two-run single to C Jose Barraza that tied the score at 2-2. But the game was far from over....
AUDIO BELOW
Princeton starter Alex Keudell keep Bristol off the board through the first five innings but faltered in the 6th. With his pitch count reaching its limit, Keudell gave up a two-out, two-run single to C Jose Barraza that tied the score at 2-2. But the game was far from over....
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FULL GAME, PART 3: BRISTOL AT PRINCETON (7TH INNING THROUGH POST-GAME; 47:05)
Leading 3-2 and nine outs away from a win it HAD to have, Princeton stumbled in the top of the 7th. Bristol's Steve Nikorak reached on an error to start the inning and eventually scored an unearned run to tie the score. But the P-Rays answered quickly in the bottom of the inning -- Julian Morillo led off with a triple, and scored on a wild pitch. Princeton was ahead 4-3, and turned to fireballing closer Nick Sawyer to nail it down....
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Leading 3-2 and nine outs away from a win it HAD to have, Princeton stumbled in the top of the 7th. Bristol's Steve Nikorak reached on an error to start the inning and eventually scored an unearned run to tie the score. But the P-Rays answered quickly in the bottom of the inning -- Julian Morillo led off with a triple, and scored on a wild pitch. Princeton was ahead 4-3, and turned to fireballing closer Nick Sawyer to nail it down....
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