Last night was a frustrating night for the Sounds. There was good news and bad news. The good news was that the rain that had plagued Nashville much of the afternoon had subsided. The bad news was that the Sounds let one slip away. After converting successfully on his first twelve save opportunities this season (and 21 dating back to last year), Sounds’ reliever Chris Smith proved that he is only human after all.
Coming into the ninth with Nashville ahead 3-1, Smith proceeded to give up two home runs: one was a two-run shot by Tacoma First Baseman Mike Carp inside the right field foul pole to tie up the game at 3-3, but then Third Baseman Matt Mangini drove in the eventual game winner for the Rainiers when he blasted a shot over the right-centerfield wall. The Sounds could not score in the ninth against former Washington Nationals Reliever Chad Cordero and the Sounds lost 4-3. Originally, Carp was not supposed to be in the starting lineup, but he was a last minute change and the changed proved to be a good call for Tacoma Manager Daren Brown. I might have mentioned that I was with Daren when he was the manager for the Class AA San Antonio Missions back in 2006, when they were a Double-A farm club for the Seattle Mariners then. I was the San Antonio broadcaster for a decade and I enjoyed my relationship with Brown and still do, even though we are now on opposite sides. He was the only person I was really happy for last night because you always want to see nice guys do well. Of course, I was frustrated by the loss, but life goes on and tonight is a new night and a new team in town.
The only thing that is NOT new to me regarding the Portland Beavers are the names and faces of many of their players. It was only last September when I was still broadcasting for the Missions (having already been affiliated with San Diego) and they saw their season end with a playoff loss in Midland, Texas. Terry Kennedy, the former All-Star Catcher, was the manager with Orv Franchuk and Steve Webber as his coaches. Well, guess what? They have been promoted to the Triple-A Beavers and they will be in town for the next four days. Guys like Craig Cooper, Matt Buschmann and Mike Baxter (whom both attended Vanderbilt University) are among the players who were with me in San Antonio the last couple of years and are now in AAA. I want to let people know that I definitely want to see the Sounds win. However, having said that, I still have an emotional attachment to a lot of the Beavers since I rode the busses with them, interviewed them, stayed in the same hotels as them and saw them continue to vault up the ladder in the Padres’ organization. You can’t help but want to see these guys still play well since I was once with them. You develop great relationships with the players who are with you and you can’t help but pull for them. That’s what makes a series like this become difficult sometimes. Since they are in the enemy uniforms, I can’t pull for them to win, but I want them to continue to develop so they will get a chance to play in the major leagues with the Padres or any other team for that matter. Naturally, I want to see my Sounds players continue to flourish as well.
I also continue to develop great relationships with my new colleagues, the other broadcasters in the PCL (some whom I have known before I got here to Nashville). Rich Burk, the longtime Beavers’ announcer, is one guy I know. We’ve never met face to face, but we used to exchange e-mails while I was working for the Padres’ AA affiliate in San Antonio and he with the current Triple-A team in Portland. The only thing I will regret is that I won’t see the Portland ballpark. After this year, the Beavers must move to a new ballpark/location since their longtime home, Civic Stadium, is being converted into a soccer-only facility. It’s a shame because Portland has been in the Pacific Coast League forever! I keep hearing that Tucson (a former longtime member of the PCL) may be a feasible site for the franchise, but perhaps temporary and I heard the club may move to Southern California to be near the parent club, the San Diego Padres. Only time will tell. Since this franchise will host the Sounds next year, it’s just too bad I won’t see one of the most historic parks in the PCL as well as all of minor league baseball. I wish the franchise the very best.
Just like the Sounds/Brewers, I’ve had a very good relationship with the Padres and I wish BOTH organizations the very best. I will just continue to broadcast like a professional and not let my personal feelings get in the way for either side. Just always have to report and let the game be the story. That has always been my broadcasting philosophy.
Tonight, it is Chuck Lofgren and former Brewer farmhand and former SA Missions colleague Will Inman pitching in tonight’s game for Nashville & Portland respectively. Both pitchers are great young prospects and I wish both Chuck and Will the very best. The game will start at 6:35PM and there will be fireworks after the game. Come on out if you have not formulated your plans for tonight yet. Otherwise, tune in to yours truly at 6:30PM on 104.5 The Zone and on nashvillesounds.com. Again, best of luck to both teams and we will see what unfolds from here.
- Posted on May 15, 2010 at 1:53 pm
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