I told Rice Cube and Berselius I’d occasionally write about the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, since I go watch them with some regularity. That was 6 weeks ago, so I’m living up to the occasional part. Ticketreturn.com field, where the Pelicans play, is about 40 minutes from my house, so it’s pretty convenient, and I go to about 10 games each year. I love minor league baseball. I love the kitsch of the goofy between-inning contests. I love watching the kids play ball and then seeing some of them in the majors later. I love talking with other fans seated nearby, because nearly everyone is invested in baseball, otherwise they wouldn’t go watch a minor league game. The Pelicans are very good at customer service and the fan experience. Their staff is friendly and helpful and many of them have been around for the 10 years I have lived in the area. They are good about finding ways to involve kids, and they are active in the community. I don’t know if having Star Wars night really brings more people out to the game, but it’s fun, and it gives the guys like Berselius who live around here an excuse to dig their stormtrooper gear out of the closet.
The first few games I attended this year were pretty exciting, and the Pelicans were the first half winners with the best record in the Carolina League. Of course, when you are a winning low A team, that means your players get promoted and so they have been, with Cade Horton proving quickly that he needed better competition than the Carolina League, and Moises Ballesteros and Felix Stevens moving up to South Bend in the last few weeks. Yeison Santana (part of the Yu Darvish “return”) was cut recently. So some new faces since my last game about a month ago.
Unfortunately, last Friday’s game was a 4-0 loss to the Columbia Fireflies (KC) wasn’t really that exciting, so I’ll wrap game comments into a description of the Pelicans experience.
Last Friday was Christmas in July, and between innings Jingle Bell Rock and all your other favorite holiday songs serenaded the announced attendance of 4010. For context, the A’s, Rays, and Marlins all had home games on Friday too, and their attendances were 6,810, 19,703, and 14,092. (Marlins to Myrtle Beach, where the strange fountain thing would fit right in!) Being a Cubs affiliate certainly helps, and you see lots of Cubs shirts (but no one sporting a Barney shirsey so far this year), but there are plenty of folks who come just for baseball and something to do aside from the beach, golf, Ripleys, and the Seaboard Street tattoo parlors and “clubs.” The Pelicans were wearing their (Christmas) green “Palmetto State” uniform tops, which I like, rather than their sea blue and light yellow standard uniforms, which are also nice.
The Cubs started teenagers at 2b (Pedro Ramirez), SS (Cristian Hernandez), and DH (Jefferson Rojas). Hernandez is the only Pelicans position player ranked in the Cubs top 30 by MLB.com (6th). He’s had a pretty rough go so far this year offensively, but he was on base 3 times via a single, hit by pitch, and an error on the Firefly third baseman. Hernandez stole two bases pretty easily, so if he can start hitting, he can make things happen. Myrtle Beach is known as a tough place to hit, but a .581 OPS isn’t going to get it done. Reivaj Garcia batted leadoff and was 3/3 with a walk. Cubs on the basepaths were 3 for 4 in stolen bases. I was surprised to see them so aggressive, because they have about the most conservative approach to sending guys home from second that I’ve ever seen. It’s a frequent conversation among folks in the stands…
Not sure if this is standard at Single A, but the manager, Buddy Bailey, also serves as 3b coach. If you aren’t keeping up with your minor league records, Bailey is the winningest minor league manager (2331 wins) from 35 years coaching in the minors. You can’t really argue with Buddy’s results, but his trot to the 3b coach’s box from the dugout resembles a dude going out to replace the keg in the beer league. I wouldn’t be surprised if a Pelicans batter isn’t penalized a delay of game strike one day because Bailey isn’t ready. But the exasperating thing about Bailey is that he is more likely to hold a runner at third than a one-winged duck is to be the main course at an alligator party. The express train doesn’t run through Buddyville. Not that the Pelican’s had an opportunity to be held at third last Friday.
Friday’s starter was Grant Kipp. He’s a big dude. 6’6”. Inconsistency is his game but he has had some good flashes. Overall he’s a 3.19 ERA 17.7% K-BB pitcher. Signed last year after his senior year at Yale as a free agent after the draft. I guess that makes him the equivalent of a 47th round draft pick of yore. I have no idea if he’s a prospect, but he’s better than a lot of pitchers that were drafted. His first two innings were messy, including allowing a 2-run homer and walking 3. His last two innings were good – 6 batters, 3 Ks. Erian Rodriguez followed. I’ve seen him pitch a few times already this year. So far he’s a spinning wheel of possible outcomes. Lots of hits allowed, lots of walks issued, lots of Ks. Pray the sequence is favorable. Finally the Pelicans let one of their teenage pitchers mop up. No, not Jackson Ferris and his #8 Cubs prospect ranking, but Starlyn Pichardo who threw 2 efficient innings. The top of the 9th ended on a 1-2-5-4-3 double TOOTBLAN that the 2022 Cubs would be proud of. I guess the Fireflies should have used the Buddy Bailey approach to runners on third. That play and the foul ball that landed directly in the announcers booth, after which they jumped up and down in glee, were probably the highlights of the game.
Well, no. The highlight of every game is Slider the bat dog retrieving bats in the 3rd and 7th innings after walks and hits. They even have an Obvious Shirt for Slider, “I’m only here for the bat dog.”
A couple notes on the Fireflies for all the Royals fans that don’t follow our blog. They have the worst numerical font I have ever seen on their jerseys. The “ones” look, um, impolite. Their middle infield made a play I’ve never seen before. Bottom 9, Pelicans Parker Chavers hits a hard grounder to deep second. The second baseman is moving to his right and out toward center. No way he can field the ball and turn and throw Chavers out. Instead he scoops the ball to the shortstop with his glove and the shortstop throws to first for a close out.
The Pelican experience finishes with fireworks on Fridays, win or lose. This is a serious fireworks display. Choreographed to Christmas music, of course, with lots of red and green rockets. The folks from West Palm Beach Florida sitting in front of us were impressed. (And if you are reading this, the 94 degree heat index at 9:30 pm in Myrtle Beach was only 1 degree cooler than in West Palm, but I’m glad you thought it seemed cooler.)
Final note to make Rice Cube feel like this is complete: Game plus fireworks concluded in about 2:45.
Comments
I bet the hot dogs and beverages are much more reasonably priced
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Wow
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 113 9/9:
Rarity: 78
IMMACULATE!
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 113 8/9:
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The Rays column was pretty hard, especially the 300 save one.
PerkinsQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 113 9/9:
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IMMACULATE!
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BVSQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
We bought the Friday family pack. 4 pops, 4 dogs, and a medium sized bucket of popcorn for $25. Normally a 24oz pop is $5.
BVSQuote Reply
Way better than most movie theaters!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
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Big ol WAG on Carlos Pena for the last spot, since he’s played for just about everyone. Except the Yankees, I guess (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Dizzy bat races >>>>, I still have no idea why big league teams don’t do this regularly.
berseliusQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
For real though, I don’t get the love for Space Nazi paraphenelia out there in the universe. I’m always baffled when I see a car with the Empire logo or a stormtrooper stick figure family. It would be like having Colonel Klink as your favorite TV character (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Sometimes you just need people to know that the two most important parts of your identity are that you’re 1) a Star Wars fan and 2) super tough and scary.
andcountingQuote Reply
berselius,
I think it’s because the costuming is better and because the stormtroopers are seen more like minions than cruel oppressors.
The jedi costumes are just a few strands of hair cloth from pervy priest.
BVSQuote Reply
andcounting,
Or 2: you’re expendable and have bad aim?
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
(dying laughing) that’s why I wear my Fowler shirsey.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
I typed Rucker. WTF, (dying laughing).
andcountingQuote Reply
Maybe you’re trying to let the world know that you don’t know how to install a toilet main.
berseliusQuote Reply
I may or may not have jury duty tomorrow and beyond, will inform the masses if podcasting might have to take a back seat to civic duty
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Maybe I should just tell them that I already decided he’s guilty (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Twitter is now X and X is a trash fire apparently so I’m hoping that someone has a BlueSky they’d like to invite me to so I can at least figure out what the reporters are up to, or else I guess we can do what everyone else does and just read BN
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Or maybe I should just join Discord
Rice CubeQuote Reply
One of the few things I still like about TFA is that Finn had worked sanitation as a Stormtrooper, which I am certain was a nod to Clerks.
PerkinsQuote Reply
JURY DUTY?!?!?!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Perkins,
I thought so at the time as well, but after the following two films I’m not as willing to give them that much credit (dying laughing). In my head canon he cleans toilets, but doesn’t install them.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I actually mostly enjoyed TLJ (though I have some notes for how it could have been tighter and more effective). TFA was fun in the moment, but TROS was so atrocious that it feels worse in retrospect. Like that scene in Step Brothers where one of the rips ass in a job interview and the interviewer says “okay, now the tuxedos seem a little fucked up.”
TROS might be the only movie I’ve seen that I thought was actively trying to insult my intelligence.
PerkinsQuote Reply
tbh that’s how I felt about the whole ‘chase’ scene in a universe with FTL travel. But I think we’ve argued enough about these movies here (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
OOOO-EEEEE
berseliusQuote Reply
You won’t have to get too far through either the Nicolas Cage or the Keanu Reeves collections to be equally insulted.
BVSQuote Reply
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I like that the stats-based ones are getting tougher. Only 5 possible answers for Jays 200 hits and 4 for Brewers.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
So do the guesses have to be like “200 hits only for that team” or “200 hits in a season but only has to play on that team for half a season due to trade”?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 114 7/9:
Rarity: 400
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Just wanted to put in obvious guesses today but I guess I was surprised Alomar and Yelich never got to the 200 hit mark
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I think for counting or rate stats for a season, the player needs to have been on that team for the season in which it occurred (not sure if a partial counts). For career counting and rate stats, I think the player need only have been on that team at some point.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I went with Lloyd Braun for Brewers 200 hits and felt lucky to hit with that one.
PerkinsQuote Reply
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Burned by Robbie Alomar
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Though forgot that he would have worked in my empty square (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
We are in the angry waiting phase of the jury process
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Perkins,
IIRC for stat/awards crossings, they don’t have to be in the same season. I.e. if it’s MVP and 200 hit season the player doesn’t have to do it in the same season
berseliusQuote Reply
Woah, LeBron’s kid suffered cardiac arrest
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38068148/bronny-james-stable-icu-following-cardiac-arrest
Rice CubeQuote Reply
That’s correct – where both dimensions are stats or awards, they can be different seasons.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Marquee –> streaming service 📺💰⚾️
https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/marquee-sports-network-introduces-dtc/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs 2024 spring training schedule
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Today’s the deadline so the Cubs signed all their draftees, at least reportedly
https://www.mlb.com/news/cubs-2023-draft-signings-tracker?t=mlb-draft-coverage
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tonight’s lineup as I wait for the judge and lawyers to figure this out already
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1683946024086249473?t=-Fzb36exZ6Vz-UH9PAHVzg&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Back at jury duty tomorrow (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’ve heard the trick to beating jury duty is to say you’re prejudiced against all races.
PerkinsQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 114 9/9:
Rarity: 106
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I manage okay if I spend an hour on it. (dying laughing)
andcountingQuote Reply
swandong!
berseliusQuote Reply
Now they’re making the beast with two backs
berseliusQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
Swanson doing the things
berseliusQuote Reply
Bump
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I like Dansby Swanson
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Perkins,
berselius,
That’s what my wife suggested but like I told her, I’m a terrible actor/liar (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Great nights for Dansby, Nico, and Cyle
berseliusQuote Reply
How about “I believe is radical equality and aggressive equity. Also, the As ownership sucks but OCo sucks more.”?
BVSQuote Reply
I didn’t realize Mrs BVS would have something scheduled for us every Tues this summer…
Hope y’all had fun.
Don’t trade Cyle
BVSQuote Reply
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No Guerreros have had 200 hits for the Jays.
BVSQuote Reply
RuhRoh
BVSQuote Reply
Seiya!
berseliusQuote Reply
It feels like two batters ago would have been a good time to remove Kyle Hendricks from this game.
PerkinsQuote Reply
berselius,
And Seiya defense
https://twitter.com/WatchMarquee/status/1684024354458288128?t=jxSmkXRjoFeiyWTN0q23Hg&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
BVS,
We will probably do one next Tuesday for the actual trade deadline but I couldn’t do it today due to my civic duty or some bullshit
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I get trying to avoid using your closer but also that inevitably forces you to do it anyway
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Adbert was pretty good /understatement
Rice CubeQuote Reply
M —-> inverted
berseliusQuote Reply
The Reds have won which means the Brewers have lost which means the Cubs benefit
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Upon further review, false for now
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Ok now true
Would be kind of nice if the Dbacks pretended to be good for a few
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Currently not useless
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
And as I say that a game-ending double play to secure another Cardinals loss
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tried the new basketball Immaculate Grid and was even more trash than with baseball 😜
Rice CubeQuote Reply
We need them to play an 18 inning game or two.
berseliusQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 115 8/9:
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@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Edwin Jackson lets me down one more time.
berseliusQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 115 9/9:
Rarity: 44
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Major recency bias in the most common results, not a single one did I have.
The plight of so many, for so long.
BVSQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 115 9/9:
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My entire All Star column was deep cuts. Too bad I could only think of Greinke for HOU-KCR because I’d used Beltran elsewhere.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Interesting watching rarity scores change as the day goes on. Mine posted at 44, was 38 about 5 min ago, now 45 as some of my 1980s choices have slowly crept up in popularity.
BVSQuote Reply
I can’t believe 54% chose Jorge Soler, but perhaps that’s just a recent memory thing for all of us
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Also, since this is a quiz game, seems like one of the boxes today can only have one truly correct answer.
BVSQuote Reply
Damn you, Dee Gordon.
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andcountingQuote Reply
Perkins,
I took a flyer on Miggy Tejada and it paid off.
andcountingQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
The matter was resolved, we drove out for like an hour of waiting and 5 minutes of actual court time before Judge sent us home, what a dumb system sometimes, but at least I got the day off (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs lineup against Lance Lynn or TBD
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1684307286640979969?t=Cyf2umHy48lRxfHqCqHuQg&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Dbacks are useless again
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Stupid Reds
PerkinsQuote Reply
This is a game the Cubs really can’t afford to lose against a team that has no business beating them.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Stroman definitely not helping that trade value
Rice CubeQuote Reply
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=stromma01&t=p&year=2019
Wondered if Stroman was mediocre before he was traded to the Mets. Game log from 2019 basically shows he was not very consistent at all that year.
BVSQuote Reply
This game is drunj
berseliusQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
PerkinsQuote Reply
Why Sox.
andcountingQuote Reply
2 hours and only the fifth inning (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
An offensive inning I recently enjoyed, hope they figure out what’s wrong with Stroman soon
Rice CubeQuote Reply
This team is showing its comebackiness. I approve
BVSQuote Reply
Gotta string together 4 innings of bullpen without stressing Adbert too much before STL
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Time to screw the closer
BVSQuote Reply
I kinda love the cheesy mascot race commercials that mlb.tv has started running this year.
berseliusQuote Reply
Two innings of Merryweather helps
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Happ yay
berseliusQuote Reply
Belli yay
berseliusQuote Reply
Happ! Bellinger! Screw the closer, please.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Still technically a save if they don’t score again or if Merryweather goes the distance (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hard to see Merryweather going 4 innings. Maybe Rucker?
BVSQuote Reply
Just for the heck of it I played Immaculate grid NFL and NBA. I got 1 total square. Only heard of 3 of the NBA guys.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Not a big enough lead for mop up duty
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Women pull out a tie after giving up a goal to Holland pretty early.
BVSQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I figured he’d jumped Anthony Kay in the pecking order.
BVSQuote Reply
Is Joe Kelly the current version of Kyle Farnsworth? Discuss…
BVSQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
That was a tolerable 3+ hour game
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Sox did a trade after the game https://twitter.com/whitesox/status/1684410621079457792?t=QPjx1tsT8DDXgldQjJ6Wdw&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Don’t give me hope Hawkeye/Ronin dot gif
https://theathletic.com/4725129/2023/07/27/cubs-deadline-buyer-scenarios/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
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Not my finest hour today. Damn Angels.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Newish aside re: jury duty –> http://www.obstructedview.net/mr-cube-goes-to-court/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I hereby today do thus guarantee: I shall not remember, not for even a fraction of a moment, that Mike Trout has nary a Gold Glove to his name.
andcountingQuote Reply