The Long Island Ducks - Are They Worth The Schlep?

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Well, I'm not schlepping to Long Island to see them. But next week they have a series against the Somerset Patriots. I've never been to the stadium in Somerset, but I hear that it's nice, and D-Dad and I are thinking about bringing MK there for a game.

What do you guys know about the Ducks?

[Willets Point]

They used to have John Rocker and his kitten.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Yeah, but now that he's strangled the kitten what's the draw?

[Guest KC]

[seawolf17]

Hey, I was going to post a Ducks thread tonight. Just got back from Citibank Park in beautiful Central Islip (motto: "We're Not The 'Hood Any More") after seeing some nice Ducks pitching take care of their arch-rivals, the Bridgeport Bluefish, 3-1.

Game Notes:
Wow, This Guy Sucks: Bluefish starter Tim Cain entered the game 1-9 with an ERA over 6. He promptly gave up a walk, infield single (should have been an error on the pitcher), walk, walk, walk, sac fly, fielder's choice -- and without the ball leaving the infield, the Ducks had plated three.

Not Too Many Dashes on the Scorecard: The Bluefish infielders had as many assists -- two -- as both their outfielders and their catcher: Ducks catcher Steve Torrealba was thrown out at the plate by RF Chris Latham in the second, and Pete Rose Jr. ("That guy? He's Pete Rose's son.") was thrown out by CF Jamie Gann in the fourth, and catcher Hector Kuilan threw out two Ducks trying to steal. Everything else was a fly ball or a K or a groundout to first base. Weird.

Making Charlie O Look Like Nook Logan: Bluefish catcher Hector Kuilan -- a shorter, fatter Ramon Castro -- hit four balls VERY hard, but had only a double, single, and two loooooong flyouts to show for it. He's also the slowest man I've ever seen, and his four-hop throw on a Pete Rose Jr. SB attempt led to Rose's first stolen base since July 2003.

Hey! I Know That Guy! Managing the Bluefish is longtime Pirates 2B Chico Lind. Also manning the coaching boxes is former catcher Terry "Don't Call Me Fred" McGriff. Former Brewers reliever Angel Miranda pitched two innings of solid relief tonight for the Fish, who also have former Met Robert Person, former Pirate OF Will Pennyfeather, and former Oriole 3B Willis Otanez on the roster.

Hey! I Know That Guy II! Besides Buddy Harrelson, co-owner and bench coach, former Met Kevin Baez mans the third-base coach's box. Pedro Borbon Jr. is on the pitching staff, along with former major leaguers Lance Davis and Mike Crudale, who picked up his first save tonight. 41-year-old former A's 1B Doug Jennings is a longtime Duck who retired to coach this year, but is apparently back on the active roster, because he started in left field tonight. The aforementioned Pete Rose plays first and third, newly-signed Armando Rios joins fellow former MLer Henry Rodriguez in the outfield.

Blue Point Beer PotG:
SP Luis Arroyo 3
RP Tony Runion 1
RP Mike Crudale 1
CF Armando Rios 1
1B Henry Rodriguez 1
3B Donny Leon 1
LF Doug Jennings 1
RF Jason Johnson 0.5
SS Juan Lorenzo 0.5

The Atlantic League is a good time. A lot of ex-major leaguers fill the rosters, along with a bunch of guys who will never be quite good enough to make it. The games tend to run long -- almost never less than three hours, I think -- because the pitching is pretty spotty, especially the middle relief.

FWIW, the Patriots are a playoff team this year, having won the first-half title. They're managed by Sparky Lyle, and the roster includes former Mariners prospect Ryan Radmanovich, D-Rays pitcher Nick Bierbrodt, and Graig Nettles' son Jeff. Outfielder Jeremy Owens has 21 homers and 26 steals, so that's pretty impressive.

(If you're going to go, go Wednesday night to see the Zooperstars. They're freaking hysterical.)

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

What are the Zooperstars?

[seawolf17]

[url]http://www.zooperstars.com/[/url]

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Well, our plan is to go next week to see the Ducks, if we go at all.

But thanks for the info.

[smg58]

I actually caught Sunday's game. It was a fun little diversion. Expect the promotions and between-inning activities to be hokey. The Ducks did not play good defense at all on Sunday, but I suppose it could have just been an off day.

[Zvon]

I saw the Ducks play the Surf here.

I asked Buddy H if he still plays the guitar.
He said hell yea.

Yep, its worth it.
But i love all kinds of baseball, so dont go by me.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Ask him if he's popped Pete, Jr.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Well, the plans to see the Ducks have been scrapped. Cub Scout and Little League meetings came up :(

[Guest silverdsl]

ScarletKnight41 wrote: What are the Zooperstars?

In July I went to see the Portland Seadogs, a Red Sox minor league affiliated team and they had the Zooperstars there that night. Even I, an adult for many years, laughed my a$$ off at their antics!

[seawolf17]

Silver, thanks for validating my obsession with the Zooperstars. We saw Ken Giraffey Jr, Shark McGwire, and Clammy Sosa in Rochester several years ago, and I laughed so hard I cried.

[nymr83]

i saw the zooperstars a few years ago with staten island yankees, they're pretty funny.