Jam-packed July Meeting

Last night's Harrisburg Senators Fan Club meeting offered three rings of fun. No death-defying or animal acts, but lots of dugout chatter, roster moves and show-and-tell with CBS21 Sports Director, Jason Bristol.

As your elected ringleader, I called our meeting to order at 6:30. Following our traditional recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence to honor those killed in recent violence around the US, we got down to baseball.

We discussed our planned bus trips through the end of the MLB regular season, recognized our recent Eastern League Pitchers of the Week (Lucas Giolito and Tyler Mapes), and recounted Neftali Soto's huge accomplishments back in May. That's when he was named EL Player of the Week for a pair of 6-RBI games. Larry Kmetz presented Neftali with a Fan Club plaque to remember his achievement.



Tyler Mapes celebrated his 25th birthday earlier this week by twirling a CG 4-hitter, winning 5-1, and allowing just a solo homer in Erie. He could win another league-wide award as we present his plaque for June 13-19 before Thursday's start to the homestand.
We connected the dots on a series of roster moves that ultimately got Reynaldo Lopez onto the Nats' 40-man roster and the Nationals Park mound for his Major League debut last night. The organization also made Senators roster moves, unfortunately sending two pitchers (Greg Ross and Boone Whiting) to the DL.

More celebratory news: Fan Club member and baseball historian, Ted Knorr, received the Fay Vincent MVP Award. Since Ted could be with us last evening, we recognized his accomplishments and dedication to Negro Leagues research.

As our featured guest speaker, Jason Bristol talked about his rubbing elbows with former Expos players in Montreal this spring, minor league baseball salaries, and even his baseball bucket list. (He and I share wanting to attend the Midnight Sun Game during the summer solstice in Alaska!)



Jason is a great advocate for the Fan Club. He and CBS21 tweeted about his appearance, his photographer joined us for a while, and Jason mentioned us on the air both Monday and Tuesday evenings. Thank you, Jason, for always presenting initiating interesting baseball conversation and for your friendship with the members of the Senators Fan Club!

Brian Williams, President

Fan Club Hits the Road Again

Although we missed a second consecutive no-hitter at Nationals Park by less than 24 hours, Fan Club attendees (even the Pirates' fans) enjoyed a convincing victory Father's Day to sweep the Bucs. We followed our usual route, stopping for breakfast on the way, getting to the ballpark just before the gates opened, and enjoying a leisurely dinner on the way home.

Section 133 could not have been more convenient. We sat straight across the concourse from the 1st base gate. Our seats remained in the shade until the 7th inning, when the sun began to creep onto our laps.

Matt LeCroy appeared on the field before the game to toss several baseballs into the crowd and sign a few autographs. Ian Desmond also signed for a few fans after loosening up just before the National Anthem.

Two new members from Lebanon came along for the first time. We also had a father-son duo celebrate Father's Day on this trip, as Abby and I did.

Our next road trip will cheer on the Senators in their away greys. We're arranging a weekend in Erie against the SeaWolves, Saturday and Sunday, August 8th & 9th. Because of the distance, a single game wouldn't be practical, so we may as well back our team twice (Saturday at 7:05 and Sunday at 1:35) with an overnight stay.

As always, we're looking at creative ways we can keep the cost to a minimum and still enjoy a fun weekend series. If interested in learning more, please call Vice-President Jeanne Jacobs at 717-774-2730.


Brian Williams
President

Next Fan Club Road Trip on Deck

Our next Fan Club Road Trip will take us back to Nationals Park. This will be a Father’s Day special, Sunday, June 21st, to see the Pirates and Nationals at 1:35 PM.

Our seats will be in Section 134, the mirror image of the vantage point we had for Jordan Zimmermann’s no-hitter last September. (If you weren’t with us for that traditional final Sunday home game, we were at field level between third base and the left field foul pole. On Father’s Day, we’ll be between first base and the right field foul pole). Mouse over Section 134 for a 3D view:

http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/was/ticketing/seats_3d.jsp

Tickets and Wolf’s Bus Lines transportation will be $110 per member; ($115 per non-member includes 2015 Fan Club membership). Please contact Vice-President Jeanne Jacobs at 717-774-2730 to make your reservations.

Brian Williams, President

No-No History

Sunday, September 28, 2014

The Fan Club's traditional final Sunday home game trip to Nationals Park resulted in an extra-special historical treat this year: the Nats' very first no-hitter! The proof is in the MASN broadcast: during Adeiny Hecchavarria's 3rd inning at-bat, the centerfield camera panned down the left field line. Pause the broadcast and you'll see all of us cheering on Jordan Zimmermann from Section 110.

What a thrill to be on hand for such a historical occasion! Only two of us on the trip had ever experienced a Major League no-hitter prior to this date: Bill Given attended one in the 90s while I was fortunate enough to be invited to witness Roy Halladay's playoff no-hitter versus Cincinnati.

Nats Park was electric as the innings ticked by. Ian Desmond's line drive homer into the Marlins pen accounted for the only scoring, so the game was always in doubt.

Nationals starters would exit to standing ovations as more recent Senators took the field. Ryan Zimmerman, trying to work in some ABs following his DL stint, would be the last to depart as Steven Souza, Jr. trotted out to left field for the 9th inning.

None of us sat through the final two innings as Jordan put away Marlin after Marlin. His only perfect game blemish was a mid-inning walk to rookie Justin Bour.

After 26 outs, Christian Yelich battled and laced what appeared to be a gapper, splitting between Souza and Michael Taylor to snuff the drama. As Steven laid out, he snagged the liner and rolled over to preserve the victory and the team's very first no-hitter.

The aftermath was as much fun as the very efficiently played game. None of the 35,085 left or even wanted to leave. This is the last day of the regular season. Nationals baseball would take on a very different feel from this point forward.

Even the 8-year-old sitting next to me, attending his first ever MLB game, seemed to grasp the magnitude of what we'd just witnessed. Our bus was abuzz the entire way home.

The moral of this story? Don't miss another Senators Fan Club event. You never know what you're going to experience.

We're Back

“How do you pronounce ‘Tomah,’ Wisconsin?” Mitch asks the woman at the hotel front desk. “TOE’-mah” comes the reply. “Hell, if you live here.”

Seems quaint and peaceful enough to house the tripsters for the first night of UBT; plus, we always enjoy a fine sense of humor. Besides, Tomah, with its forests, farms and wooden lodges, gives us a jump on getting to Minneapolis when the gates open at Target Field. Sunday, June 2, features a 1:10 start to wrap up the Mariners series.

It isn’t that we’re any more eager to see a new Major League ballpark. It’s just that there's more square footage to explore than in the more intimate venues.

We arrive soon after the gates open, but do we enter? Not on UBT. We take a stroll around the outside of the ballpark, which unveils several treasures: banners of many key Twins players over the years hang neatly on a fence toward a construction site; statues of the most highly regarded Twins dot the landscape at various gates; and, families are everywhere.

Today's giveaway? A Josh Willingham jersey for the youngsters. We see lots of cute young fans, from infants to Little Leaguers, donning them throughout our stay.

And, it's good they have that extra layer. A stiff breeze accompanies the bright sunshine all day.

Our seats are second deck in the shade in right field. Folks are wrapped in blankets.

After an inning or two, Mitch and I begin our trek around the inside of this fairly new park. It reminds me somewhat of Nationals Park, but is less conventional.

Nooks and crannies and small, exclusive sections dot the various tiers. Open concourses can accommodate large moving crowds.

One can enjoy the action all around the park on both levels as there's plenty of room behind the seating. That's our mission the remainder of the game. Areas in the sun feel most comfortable.

I'm not sure if the wind assisted, but the home team launches four bombs to back Scott Diamond in a 10-0 shellacking. Mitch and I don't believe the wind is a factor for any of them.

As the game winds down, we're in center field, where a friendly usherette directs us to get our "First Time at Target Field" certificates. A pleasant couple asks about our trip. They notice our next destination, their home town.


Brian Williams
From Deep Short

Wang More Time, Anyone?

Nothing personal against Chien-Ming Wang, but weren't nine starts, a 1-5 record and an ERA north of 6.70 in Harrisburg enough for us to endure this season? I was more than a little disappointed when I read this morning that Davey Johnson plans to start Wang on Sunday, when the Senators Fan Club makes its annual trek to Nationals Park for the final regular season home Sunday game.

On another note, isn't it fun to have to qualify "regular season" for the Nats? Kudos to this team for remaining focused and never giving up as long as there are outs to be recorded.

The Nats have officially been fun to watch in 2012. They'd displayed flashes since their move south of the Canadian border, but this consistency truly makes it fun.

I just hope the miscalculation regarding Mr. Strasburg doesn't haunt them in the post-season. A five-inning pitch limit and extra day of rest following the All-Star Break would have easily allowed Davey to preserve his laser-tossing weapon for October.

The pen is certainly strong enough to have withstood an additional inning here and there. And Craig Stammen deserved to get the ball for an occasional spot start down the stretch.

Overall, I look forward to Sunday in DC and how this weekend develops against a hot Milwaukee club. There's still a division and home field advantage to clinch!


From Deep Short