This ‘N That
Just checking in …
The tenth episode of FutureAngels.com Radio is now on-line. It includes two interviews on the subject of women in baseball. One is with Jean Ardell, the author of Breaking Into Baseball: Women and the National Pastime. This is one of the best baseball books I’ve ever read, and I say that in all sincerity. Jean will be lecturing later this week at the Cooperstown Symposium. The other interview is with Sarah Hansen, assistant general manager of the Orem Owlz, who tells what it’s like to be a 20-something female executive in a traditionally older male bastion of the game.
This will be the last podcast for a while. As I explain in the introduction, the show is going on the shelf indefinitely. I have to catch up on all the photos and video I’ve shot this year. I just finished processing spring training photos, and those were shot two months ago. The photos help defray expenses and, although about a hundred people download the radio show every day, very few have donated to keep it afloat. So the show is going on hiatus, at least until I catch up, or more donations come in.
On Thursday I head for North Little Rock to spend five games with the Arkansas Travelers. The first two games will be against Wichita, the Royals’ affiliate, and the next three with the Springfield Cardinals. This is Wichita’s last year in the Texas League, as the franchise is moving in 2008 to Springdale, Arkansas where they’ll become the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. As for the Cards, those who know their Travs history will recall that the Travelers were a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate for 35 years until they left after the 2000 season. A few fans posting on-line still think they’ll somehow lure the Cardinals back to Little Rock, even though the parent club owns the Springfield operation and would have no reason to terminate its own affiliation, but then it’s no secret that some people on the Internet have a loose grasp on reality.
Making the Thursday game will be a trick. I have a 40-minute layover at O’Hare, and I’m dubious that my camera gear will catch up with the connecting flight. Nick Adenhart could get the start that night, so I’m crossing my metaphorical fingers and hoping that either (1) the gear shows up, or (2) the game gets rained out and there’s a makeup doubleheader the next day. (Yes, Travs front office, I know option (2) isn’t acceptable.)
Somewhere in that series, I’ll probably do some color and a pre-game interview with Travs broadcaster Phil Elson. I did pre-game shows in Salt Lake and Cedar Rapids, and was scheduled to sidekick with Kernels broadcaster John Rodgers on the May 15 broadcast but the game was rained out. When I get the time, I’ll put the pre-game interviews on-line.
Down the line, I’ll shortly pick dates for trips to Orem and Tempe for summer league. I have the Tempe Angels schedule and will try to get it on-line before I depart for Arkansas.
In the I-Told-You-So Department … In my May 28 blog, I wrote that Nathan Haynes had a weakness facing left-handed pitchers. "If Nathan gets a callup to Anaheim," I wrote, "don’t be surprised if other teams go to the bullpen for a situation lefty to face him." Well, last night Nathan came up to bat against Baltimore, and Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo went to the bullpen for a lefty reliever. Haynes hit a fly ball to deep right-center for an out.
Finally, I’m still working on various projects related to documenting the early days of the Angels minor leagues. I may have a phone interview soon with a "big name" from that first season in 1961 — we’ve exchanged phone messages — but I won’t say anything until it actually happens and I can post it on-line.
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