Back to it!
I been slackin. I had to give myself a break after organizing my first baseball research conference and then doing double duty with history and current season upkeep! It's nice to get back to the stuff I had put off, putting away winter clothes and packing up the gear that was out for display at the big conference.
It also gave me the time to ponder some things...
Is Oakland still in the league? What ever happened with Wander Franco? What evil bringer of terror is going to replace Manfred? How long do we have to put up with Angel Her.. oh wait, great well thats one off the list!
BISCUITS ARE FIRST HALF DIVISION CHAMPS
Fans, for their part, have been largely underwhelmed by the playoff woes and grown so cynical that even the championship the Biscuits will eventually earn will be compared to the 1990s Atlanta Braves run that resulted in a single World Series title among a decade of almosts.
Even as the Biscuits clinched on the final day of the first half, it should be wondered how much sooner it would have happened if hot-hitting Heriberto Hernandez was left to rake in Double-A instead of being sent to Durham in order to hit .125 in eight games over three weeks.
Just as it is to be wondered how the Montgomery lineup will fare in the second half of the season, playing meaningless games without their slugging first baseman Bob Seymour. Bob was packed off to the Durham Bulls following the Biscuits clinch, where he promptly smacked his first homerun before Biscuits fans knew he was gone.
 |
| Barons meet on the mound to discuss pitching to Bob |
Such is the Tampa Bay Rays way.
They are teaching the Montgomery Biscuits players exactly what they want them to learn for their big league experience, to prepare them for life at Tropicana Field.
The Lessons:
Learn to compete on a team without a full compliment of position players, starting pitching or fully stocked bullpen.
Learn to compete against teams who have a full compliment of position players, starting pitchers and fully stocked bullpens.
Learn to compete on a team that will lose its best players mid-season.
Learn to compete in an empty ballpark with few fans who don't care about the game outcome.
LONG TERM QUESTIONS REMAIN
Sadly there is no answer to my queries regarding how long Riverwalk Stadium can remain a viable facility, how long the Rays plan to stay or if they even expect to extend their agreement with Montgomery beyond its 2027 deadline. With available parks in Pearl, Ms and Jackson, TN hungry to entice teams, the Biscuits could very well be on borrowed time beyond the next three seasons.
MILB regulations now stipulate a much longer term lease than used to be the norm, so an extension would guarantee Biscuitville continues through the mid 2030's. Without that assurance in the next 24 months or so, pro baseball in Montgomery quickly becomes an endangered species.
RICKWOOD
THIS WEEK IN MONTGOMERY BASEBALL HISTORY
 |
| Grey Sox pitcher Mason |
Montgomery, AL
"Grey Sox Will Play Birmingham Stars - The Montgomery Grey Sox and the Birmingham All Stars will clash this afternoon at 4 o'clock in the first game of a three game series.
The Grey Sox are in fine shape having had a two days rest after taking four straight games from the Atlanta team and they state that they are ready to hand the Birmingham aggregation the same dose. The Grey Sox have in the last few weeks showed some great improvement and have showed several times their ability to come out of a tight place, and the team in general has been improving with the stick.
Since the signing of Mason the team now has four strong pitchers in Myles, Mason, Streeter and Young. There will be games today, Saturday and Sunday and these games should prove very interesting for the fans. All three of these games will start at 4 o'clock."
JULY 11 1906
Pitchers duel - Montgomery Pitcher Malarky allows 0 runs on just 2 hits over 10 innings, Birmingham starter Regan allows just 4 hits in ten innings. Sporting News doesnt note who wins the game.
Montgomery, AL
"Grey Sox to Meet Birmingham Stars - The Montgomery Grey Sox and the Birmingham All-Stars will clas for the second time this afternoon at 4 o'clock. Streeter will do the box work for the locals and Zeigler for the visitors.
This will be the second game of the series and as the locals won the first game this one should prove very interesting. The locals will play Pensacola here Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday."
JULY 11 1968
Montgomery SP Bob Reed defeats Asheville 3-2, dropping Ashville tourists into a tie with Birmingham, who win on a Rollie Fingers two hitter against Savannah in the first of a doubleheader sweep for the Bham A's.
JULY 12 1907
In a Montgomery-Atlanta doubleheader, Montgomery Shortstop Ball is 4-4 on Atlanta pitchers Swalm and Ford, in game two Montgomery Outfielder Spear is 4-4 against Atlanta hurler Spade.
JULY 12 1908
Montgomery beats Memphis 2-0 in 13 innings, Memphis had 11 hits but failed to score.
 |
| 1908 Montgomery team |
 |
| Sam Streeter |
Montgomery, AL
"Grey Sox Defeat Pensacolian Team - Pitcher's Duel Between STreeter and Talley Decided For Home Team, 3 to 2. - In a pretty pitchers' battle between Streeter and Talley, the Grey Sox came out with the large end of a 3 to 2 score in the game with Pensacola, yesterday.
The locals scored their three runs in the first inning and after this they were unable to solve the curves of Talley. The visitors scored one in the seventh, and staged a rally in the ninth and scored one more. Streeter pitched a steady game for the local, and was given good support after the third inning The teams will clash in the second game this afternoon at South Side Park at 4 o'clock."
JULY 12 1978
Montgomery is no-hit by Columbus Astros Rod Boxberger in the second game of a double header. Rod's son Brad Boxberger would pitch for Montgomery in 2016. Asked if his dad ever mentioned the no hitter, Brad replied "ALL the time!"
 |
| John Malarky |
Montgomery Pitcher John Malarky holds Atlanta to two hits, but an error allows them to tie the game.
JULY 13 1920 
"Grey Sox Take the 2nd From Pensacola - Interesting Ball Game Settled Yesterday Afternoon by Score of 5 to 4. - The Grey Sox won the second game of the series from Pensacola yesterday, 5 to 4. The locals scored three runs in the first, and were held scoreless until the ninth frame, but the locals put two men over in the final frame and won.
The game was another pitchers' battle, Young pitching jam up ball for the locals, and Rudolph holding the local batters in the pinches. The visitors scored two runs in the fifth frame and then tied the score in the sixth and in the ninth they scored the run that gave them the lead. But the locals came back in their half of the ninth and with the jam up support of the umpire, at the plate were successful in scoring the two runs that were necessary.
The locals play a five game series with New Orleans, with a double header Friday, a double header Saturday and a single game Sunday. The double headers will start at 3:45."
No comments:
Post a Comment