Story #97 -- The last(?) story.

Click here for my preview of the Pioneer League Championship Series. I am posting this really late (I've been busy), so now to spoil the point of even reading the article-- the Owlz won it.

That means I nailed the AZL pick, NWL pick and 2-of-3 PIO picks. I'll take a 4-1 record any day. The other intern and myself did much better with our picks than the rest of the MiLB.com regulars, so that makes us feel pretty accomplished.

Reflections soon to come, when I'm not so darn busy that is...

Story #96 -- (The last) Pioneer League Notebook

Take a second to enjoy the last Pioneer League Notebook of the 2007 season.

I would just also like to note in this post that Salem-Keizer won the Northwest League title (as I predicted, in four!), Orem has advanced to the Pioneer League Playoffs championship round (as I predicted, though it took two games, not three) and, if Helena wins tonight, I will be perfect in my picks for MiLB.com. Not too shabby!

Story #94, 95 -- Get your PIO on...

Yeesh, what a busy day for me on MiLB.com-- seven stories in total appearing on the site, most recently the Pioneer League Playoff Previews. The PIO postseason starts tomorrow and, well, all those weekly notebooks weren't for nothing. MLBAM had me previewing the festivities due to my extensive knowledge of the short-season league, of course. ;-)

Click here for my preview of the North Division matchup. Two really good teams here, but I picked the Brewers in three. I really don't know though, it's going to be a tight series. Ultimately two games are Helena, but unofficially I will say, "You can thank me later, Brockman. If they win it all I want to see the ring." Whew. Professional.

Click here for my preview of the South Division matchup. Another tough call. I mean all four teams that made the PIO postseason are the teams that should have made it there, and the South Division teams are both equipped to go the distance. I said Owlz in three, because who doesn't enjoy a mascot that ends with a 'Z'? (Plus I think they have the grit to dig down and win).

So yeah. Ninety-five stories. I know I have two more for sure, but I dunno if there's any after that. To break the century mark would be quite a feat. We shall have to wait and see...

Story #91, 92, 93 -- The Dayton adventure (finally)

I doubt any of you believed me that I went to Dayton a few weeks back ON BUSINESS, not just to pick up Mary. I don't blame you. It's been a few weeks with no Dayton update, I know this.

(For the record, Mary is back-- safe and sound-- from Greece/Europe. And I couldn't be happier about that!)

Turns out the stories were pushed back a week (rightfully so, the Dragons are currently doing work in the Class A Midwest League playoffs), and I did the work a week in advance...so...yeah. The stories finally went live on MiLB.com today as part of (what could possibly be the last) Farm's Almanac of the year. The links:

Click here for my general take on the ballpark. As far as Class A facilities go, this is a really nice stadium-- even compared to a couple of Class A Advanced parks I saw. This was also my first trip to Dayton (who would have thought, 22-years-old and I'd never been to Akron OR Dayton even though I'm an Ohio native). I liked the city, though it's hard to tell where it stops and Cincinnati begins ('Touchdown Jesus' is in between though!).

Click here for my story on Dragons broadcaster Mike Vander Wood. Mike's a nice, very enthusiastic guy who has been with the team since 5/3 opened in 2000. I was glad to hear that. As much as I can't get down on young guys covering MiLB (ahem!), I do like to talk to a seasoned personality when chatting about teams, parks, players, etc. Mike was such a personality (my sympathies for the hideous pic of him; I didn't pick it, Mike!).

Click here to get a taste of 5/3 from Dragons player Logan Parker's perspective. Not surprising-- he loves the fan support. Totally surprising-- this ballpark has sold out every game since it opened in 2000. Let's see, call it 70 home games a season times eight seasons, about 8,500 seats at...say $15 a seat. FINAL ROUGH FIGURE: $71.4 million. Can that be right? That's like almost $9 million a year. And that's not even including hot dog sales! Wow. Bravo, Dayton!

As always, more pics can be found via the Flickr! links (both to the photos and --even better-- the map) on the left. I would suggest taking a peek. My map is all expansive and such! :-)

Story #89, 90 -- Northwest League. Fin. (almost)

OK, so the Northwest League season isn't completely over just yet; the five-game series between the Tri-City Dust Devils and Salem-Keizer Volcanoes has only just begun (and has made me look bad already, I picked S-K in four-- T-C won the first game. C'mon S-K, three-straight).

(For the record, my AZL upset prediction was correct. Boo yah!)

But I'm getting ahead of myself. In order to understand my predictions and the matchup, you would have had to read my Northwest League Playoff Preview. And for those of you who want one final taste of the Northwest League Notebook, well, just click the link. Both are up on MiLB.com as we speak.

More to come today. Something like seven stories of mine went life today on MiLB.com, and I have a few left before --I think-- I might be done with this internship. I will keep you posted.

Story #88 -- AZL Playoff Preview

This one will have to tide you over until after Labor Day, people.

Click here to check out my preview for the AZL Championship game (looks like the contest should be a good one), and be sure to check back next week for a bunch of stories, including my trip to Dayton (pics and articles).

For now, have a good, extended weekend!

Story #85, 86, 87 -- Monday recap.

The typical Monday fodder is finally all up on MiLB.com for your enjoyment, so here's the links:

Click here to check out the Pioneer League Notebook. The short-season league is about 1 1/2 weeks away from conclusion, so now is the time to get the facts, and get excited!

Click here to take a peek at the Northwest League Notebook. This league is also a little over a week from conclusion. Have you caught NWL Playoff fever!? I hope not, there's no known cure.

Click here for my wrap on the various Minor Leagues' Offensive Players of the Week. I'm going to have to go with the guy in the picture, the Isotopes' Joe Borchard, as my standout hitter of the week. Obviously whoever did the art for the story agrees.

Story #83, 84 -- A pair of keepers.

After the horrendous start to this week, notebooking out of my freaking mind, I got to buckle down and turn out a couple of stories that I'm really proud of for MiLB.com's Farm's Almanac. They went live yesterday on MiLB.com, but I've been busy (school, Mary's back from Greece, etc.). I've finally got them up here for your enjoyment though, so...uhh...enjoy!

Click here to read about some of the trials and tribulations Minor Leaguers must deal with when they're living life on the road (on a bus), for 6-hour plus long trips to visiting parks. There are some hilarious stories and all around bitterness involved, so read the article. It's a good clup for me.

Click here to read a story about Toledo Mud Hens sideline reporter Jordan Strack, a former MHS hockey teammate and friend of mine, not to mention someone I respect in the journalism world as a peer and colleague. I mean when you have a chance to toss someone some exposure, exposure you wish you had people handing you at this stage in your career, I mean why not. Fun to write, catch up with Jordan and a good story. That's money.

(PS- get over to MiLB.com and check out the main page and the art for the Farm's Almanac if you can, it's pretty cool, especially because one of my stories in the main, and the art is for it specifically).

Story #78, 79, 80, 81, 82 -- Believe it.

If you want a real understanding of what has been going on in the Minor Leagues for the past week, and even what's to come this week-- I've got five stories for you. The amount of information collectively in these notebooks is pretty staggering when you think about. And I'll let you do that, I have to get back to more work. Busy, busy, busy so I can pick up Mary on Wednesday. Until then, it's not fun for Mark though.

Click here to take a 'Peek at the Week.' This story involves me making picks so you, the reader, knows what matchups to follow this week in the Minors. Since it's coming down to the wire in some leagues for the pennant, there's some excitement. It's the leagues that are already all but decided that are really, really, really boring to research and write about.

Click here for the Pioneer League Notebook. I don't know what it is about the PIO League, but I love it so. I always do it first. I always do it better (in my opinion). Maybe there's a correlation there, but I think there's just some charm about the league I can't quite fathom.

Click here for the Northwest League Notebook. The Yakima Bears are in last in their division right now, but the good news is it's the tightest division in (possibly) all the Minor Leagues. Writing about Vancouver each week makes me want to go there more and more. Not for MiLB mind you, I want to just get to Canada and explore a bit.

Click here to hear about MiLB's Offensive Players of the Week. There are some pretty sick players in MiLB you'll be hearing about real soon. My pick out of the bunch for this week has to be Springfield Cardinals catcher Colby Rasmus. What he did in four games is amazing.

Click here for a roundup of MiLB's Pitchers of the Week. For some reason the pitchers story is much more tedious to write than the hitters story. I think it's because all of the pitchers get chosen for winning a pair of games while keeping their ERAs low. I actually revel in the few that either lose, or do something spectacular like a complete game, shutout or otherwise. I guess it's like defense in hockey, you either appreciate it, or you don't. I appreciate pitching, I just think offense is more fun to write about.

Wow. That's the most ridiculous 48 hours of notebooking in my young career. Let's hope it doesn't come to this again, or at least any time soon. OK, I need to be back to work. Heading to "exotic" Dayton on Wednesday, I'll make sure to take pictures! Until then, peace out!

Story #77 -- Martinez focuses on strikes, innings

Too busy to make this long, but here's my story for the Farm's Almanac that went live on MiLB.com today. Click right here to read a quick profile on San Jose Giants pitcher Joey Martinez, who currently leads the California League in strikeouts.

OK, back to work. I have to finish seven stories in the next five days in order to be able to pick up Mary this next week in Cincinnati without totally hosing myself. Busy, busy, busy.

Story #73, 74, 75, 76 -- A busy 48 hours...

Oy. Like two notebooks every Sunday aren't enough. Throw a few stories recapping the various Player of the Week honors today and it becomes a downright tedious beginning to the week. The fruits of my labors all went up on MiLB.com today though, so here are the links:

The Helena Brewers are struggling since winning the first-half division title, you can read a bit about that in the Pioneer League Notebook. The Yakima Bears are in one of the Minor Leagues' tightest races right now searching for a playoff spot, you can read about that in the Northwest League Notebook.

If you'd rather read about the best of the best instead of the short-season rookie league baseball, check out my story on the Offensive Players of the Week, or if you're a defense-first kind of person, the Pitchers of the Week.

Whew. That's a lot of notebook-ing.

OK, back to work. I've got a lot to get done before Mary is home next week! WOOOOO!!!

Story #70, 71, 72 -- The Akron Adventure (stories, pics)

Being home has been a blessing in many ways, but in terms of MiLB.com it's been best to be surrounded by a bunch of unexplored ballparks and teams again. Having hit Sacramento, San Jose, San Francisco, Modesto and Stockton, I had pretty much exhausted what Northern California had to offer in terms of MiLB teams.

So when I saw I was assigned a few more 'On Location' spots before the conclusion of the regular season...well, let's just say I'm glad to be back in Ohio. There's like, 10 teams, within or a little over two hours from Toledo in just about every direction.

For my first road trip since the road trip back from Cali, I went with Akron. The Aeros were home, fit into my schedule, and...well, I'd never been to Akron. Here are the stories for your reading pleasure.

Click here for my general take on Canal Park. It was built by the same architectural group that had a hand in MLB parks like Jacobs Field and Camden Yards, so it had a big-league feel. Also, the Akron cityscape is actually pretty impressive in the background. Who'da' thunk it?

Click here to read up on Aeros radio broadcaster Jim Clark, who moonlights as the play-by-play caller, but his day job is being the Sports Information Director at Walsh University. A family man, that's what Clark's story is about-- a fun tradition he has with his two sons.

Click here to hear what Aeros first baseman Jordan Brown thinks of Akron and Canal Park. He's also having a pretty solid season statistically, so take notes Indians fans. He could be in Triple-A by the end of the season, and possibly into the Majors sometimes in the future.

For those of you who would rather look at pictures than read, click here to head to my Flickr! photo map and simply navigate over to the Akron area. As usual, I have some pics of the ballpark.

Story #67, 68, 69 -- It smells like notebooks in here

And they smell delicious. Three, count them three, notebooks for your reading pleasure. All of them went live today on MiLB.com.

I've got the Pioneer League Notebook for those of you who are interested in say, Brockman's Helena Brewers. What's that you say? You'd prefer something a bit more West coast-style, say closer to Paul's Yakima Bears? OK, well enjoy the Northwest League Notebook then. Still not good enough? Picky, picky. Well than I've saved the best for last-- enjoy the Pitchers of the Week. Whew, you were tough to please today.

OK, check back later this week for three more. I'm doing my first 'On Location' articles since I've returned to Ohio, and I'm still figuring out where I'm going to go. That means it'll be a surprise!

Story #66 -- Siblings share the same dream

I enjoyed writing it, so I hope you will enjoy reading it-- here's my story that went live on MiLB.com today. It's about the brothers scattered across MiLB, specifically Jake and Ryan Eigsti. The pair had some good stories to tell, so it made for a good story. Click here to check out the article.

On a more somber note-- R.I.P. Nick Blanke. A former neighbor, MHS hockey player and family friend-- it's a damn shame when people are snuffed out so soon...

Sigh...

Story #64, 65 -- Sac Town routine, Maumee environment

Well, the reason we pushed so hard to get home was because I had my regular pair of short-season notebooks due Sunday. They went up on MiLB.com today, so I thought I would post. Click here for the Pioneer League notebook, or here if the Northwest League is more your flavor.

DAY 3+1 -- The day after the last day of driving...

MAUMEE, Ohio -- For those of you that I kept in suspense...yes, we made it home. My dad and I rolled into Maumee yesterday around 8 p.m. EST! The California adventure is officially over, even if the MiLB.com internship continues (at least for the time being).

I figure that there will be some reflective posts in the future, but right now isn't the time for that. Right now I'm just happy to be home. The environment, family, the dog, the friends, the stuff to do (with people!)...well, it's just perfect. I jokingly told a few people I figured I would be socially awkward upon my return --I have been talking to myself for the past three months-- but I guess it's like riding a bike. Or maybe I was never that socially gifted before. Hmm...keep that to yourself, ha!

Some early news. I have a new cell phone. Uhh...my friends still rock. It's 24 days until Mary returns from Greece (HAPPY 22nd BIRTHDAY, CUTIE!)! Oh, and I weigh 190 POUNDS!

Let me talk about the weight thing real quick. Entering Fall Quarter at OU this year, I was 240 pounds. In January I was down to 230. Before I left for Sac Town I was 225. In Yosemite, the hotel scale read 200. And yesterday, after a very satisfying shower, 190 pounds. I didn't even weigh 190 when I left for college! I was 210! So yeah...there's something to be said for the "poor college student living in solitude" diet. I hope to keep running, start lifting and keep eating wisely/healthy.

Can I hit 180 before Mary gets home!? That may be a lofty goal, but it's a goal all the same. I could settle for some definition, but I doubt the ladies could handle it. Sigh, there's always a risk attached.

Tomorrow I try to get my life in better order and settled in a bit more. The car needs to be washed. Grass needs to be mowed. Unpacking still has to be done. I need to get over and see the Fagans-s-s-s sometime and prepare for a family reunion this weekend. I think we're heading up to Em's cottage Friday, which would be stellar. I've never been. The Simpsons Movie is in the works somewhere. I need to square away monetary things with MiLB.com.

And yes, there's still stories to be written. I can only hope MLBAM keeps me on while I'm here, all the way though playoffs would be awesome. For now, I'm just happy that the money I am earning is profit. It's nice to not have to be paying a (almost) $700 rent every month. I'd like to make some money during this internship. Oh wait, I mean make back some money I spent moving to California, living in California, etc.

Sigh...one step at a time. Peace out. Sleep is a priority for the next week.

DAY 2 -- I-80...to the FACE!

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- For my lone poller who visits this blog "every full moon," welcome. The big hunk of the cheese in the night sky is indeed viewable in its entirety tonight, so since it's been like...wow, since my Yosemite trip...that you've been here, I'll make sure to make this post extra good! :)

(SHAMELESS PLUG FROM THE EDITOR: The poll closes soon! Don't miss out!)

My dad and I saw plenty of the moon tonight, as we rolled into our final destination for the day around midnight CST. We drove over 1000 miles today, making it from Elko, Nev., to Grand Island, Neb., which puts us about two hours from our (unfeasible) goal of Omaha I stated yesterday. The main goal --getting home tomorrow-- still stands though, thanks to our ridiculous pounding of I-80 today.

Go figure, after an (almost) 15-hour day of driving, I think my dad and I are pretty tired. Neither of us has ever driven more than 1000 miles in a day, so it was a milestone to say the least. And tomorrow, the Escort rolls over 80,000 miles (it's grown up so fast).

It's just a celebration on I-80...and you're all invited! I'm hoping to be home at a decent hour and --if I'm not passed out exhausted-- I may try to meet up with anyone willing to do something, if anything is even going on. Call me tomorrow if you're bored [insert YOUR name here]. We should have cell service for most of the remainder of the trip.

(Again, we shall see-- I will be tired and I have a FULL day Sunday of MiLB.com work).

We saw all the landmarks today-- the "Tree of Life" (aka crazy sculpture in the middle of the Great Salt Desert), the howling Coyote atop miscellaneous rocks in Wyoming (no details needed) and the Great Platte River Monument thing-a-majig (which had NO LIGHTS on it at night, you could almost miss it...ridiculous). I wish I could say they were all more exciting going East, but they're not. I-80 is a harsh mistress and extremely boring.

For the first time since visiting Mary (her 22nd b-day is Sunday! CELEBRATE!) in Cincinnati around Memorial Day, I saw rain. And then proceeded to see it, and have to deal with some intense drops, from Rawlins, Wyo., through most of Nebraska. I'm already sick of it, at least until this drive is finished. It was more annoying than anything else.

I'd love to type more right now but, again, tired. I will try to post more from HOME tomorrow!

PS-- My story on MiLB.com this week is posted below if you want to kill some time until I'm around to make your life more thrilling in Maumee! :)

Story #63 -- Isom happy at the helm in Helena

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- Just wanted to post my Farm's Almanac's story real quick, which went up on MiLB.com. That's right, even on the road I'm not going to keep you from some quality feature writing. Click here for my story on Helena Brewers manager Jeff Isom.

DAY 1 -- The trip home begins...

ELKO, Nev. -- Greetings from one of maybe three 'major' towns in Nevada located along I-80, and that number includes Reno.

It's weird to think about the timeline of this trip and our first stop puts it in perspective. The last time we were in Elko was around the time of the Virginia Tech shootings. Not a happy memory to associate with a destination, but it illustrates the time has, indeed, passed. In case you were worried.

(They still have a stuffed moose on the bed here too. Again, in case you were worried.)

I picked my dad up from the Sac Town airport and we began heading East around 1 p.m. PST. Around 420 miles and six hours later, here we are in Elko. We're not hitting the casino like last time because I've learned from my previous mistake, and my dad is understandably tired from a 7 a.m. flight from Cincinnati to Sac Town which rewarded him with a trip back East (longer than his flight with far less impressive results).

The goal tonight-- sleep. We are getting up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to continue East. If we make it to Omaha, Neb., we deserve medals, but we are definitely shooting to hit Nebraska (Ogallala, North Platte, Kearney or Grand Island maybe). The further we get tomorrow, the less overwhelming the distance to Maumee will seem Saturday, if doable at all.

It may even make doing this trip in three days seem sane.

We're rushing home because I have two stories due for MiLB.com Sunday, my weekly installments of short-season notebooks. If we get home at any hour Saturday (or early Sunday morning), then I will be good to go Sunday to get some sleep, wake up and routinely finish the stories. If not...well. That's when life on the road gets interesting. "The ultimate inspiration is the deadline."

Also, Sunday is Mary's birthday and, while she is in Greece --presenting her final project actually on her special day-- I'd like to be in a stable location, with phone service so I can (hopefully) get a quick call in to wish her a happy one. She's soon to be traveling Europe, and I'm totally jealous. But I have Maumee to look forward to, and with it regular human contact. I'm for it.

So will we make it to Omaha tomorrow? Check back to find out...

Story #62 -- Pitchers of the Week

Almost three months of working for MiLB.com have come and gone, and I finally had to do a story chronicling the various Minor Leagues' Pitchers of the Week. Sure, I've done tedious notebooks before like 'Peek at the Week,' and the weekly short-season notebooks for the Pioneer and Northwest Leagues, but the Pitchers of the Week wrap is a whole other animal.

Click here to check out the story.

Thankfully, due to travel back to Maumee this next weekend, I was excused from doing another Pitchers of the Week story next week. Safe...for now.

Story #60, 61 -- Short-season baseball, there's never enough.

Hooo-wee! I'm sure all of your are just fiending for your weekly fix of short-season notebooks. Well, you're in luck-- they went up on MiLB.com today! Click here to check out the Pioneer League recap (shout out to Brockman's Helena Brewers, one of the hottest teams in possibly all the Minors right now), or click here for my Northwest League recap.

One story to go before striking home for Maumee Friday. That's pretty exciting to think about, so make sure you check back for the article and to follow the I-80 adventure East-bound style. Because I-80 heading East is going to so much more exciting than it was heading West!

Story #57, 58, 59 -- 'On Location' in Modesto

OK, well I hope everyone has gotten a chance to check out my pics from Modesto. Here are the stories from this week's Farm's Almanac's 'On Location' section on MiLB.com chronicling the city and stadium, John Thurman Field and --of course-- the Modesto Nuts! Enjoy.

Click here for a general take on John Thurman Field. As far as ballparks I've seen in California, it's a bit humdrum, but it still had it's quaint features to make it unique. That's the Minors for you.

Click here for my interview with Nuts broadcaster Josh Suchon, who was by far one of my favorite interviews out here in California at the Minor League level. He gave up a successful writing career (one that I would kill for) to follow his love of radio. Interesting guy.

Click here for Nuts hurler Darric Merrell's take on John Thurman Field and Modesto, Calif. He's in his second season with the Nuts and a member of a successful pitching staff, and he made it sound like Modesto is pretty chill.

Sorry the posts are few and far between. My dad is here next week, and that's when we will begin the trek back across I-80 to Maumee so I've been getting my life in order out here in Sac Town.

"TO THE NUTS!"

Just wanted to post and let everyone know that the pics from my trip to Modesto, Calif., are up. Since I have maxed my slideshow capabilities at Flickr!, I would suggest the best way to view them would be by clicking on the MY PHOTOS link located amidst the links on the left.

Actually, the BEST way to view the photos would be to click on the MY PHOTOS (map) link on the left. That's a pretty cool way to see all of my pics really. Anyway, enjoy them for now. Stories are coming later this week, so check back.

(And yes, I know I linked to the photos in this post in addition to them being located on the left, I just want you to see them th-aaa-t much!)

Story #55, #56 -- Who likes notebooks? Eh? Eh!?

Whew-- don't worry everyone. I'm alive, well and --most importantly-- a bit rested for a change. After four or five weeks of nonstop mayhem, things have calmed down in the MiLB world with the conclusion of all of the All-Star Games. I've had a day off (almost two!) in the past week, which allowed me to take some time for myself.

During said free time, I was able to catch dinner with Mr. Sheets (a Maumee-ian!) yesterday, which was an excellent change of pace-- both a fancy dinner and the taste of home. He's been spending a ton of time in Sac Town lately on the job, something I know a bit about, so it was a good time to meet up and spend an hour or so chatting over food.

With my remaining free time I've started the move out process. My apartment complex knows I'm leaving at the end of the month, and I've started to try and move my bed/desk/chair via Craigslist. If they sell they sell, if they don't...well, oh well. Pretty soon I will have to start worrying about getting all the utilities turned off, get the mailing address changed back to M-Town and start packing.

Dad's trying to make it to Sac Town July 28, with that plan having us leaving Sunday morning. Ah, I-80, I can't wait to get reacquainted (shudders). If all goes as planned, we could be home either Tuesday or Wednesday depending on how motivated we get on the trip back. West to East is usually harder (losing an hour a day instead of gaining an hour wihle driving). We shall see...

Back to MiLB though. I'm taking off to Modesto (home of the Nuts!) today to gather some info for a batch of 'On Location' stories due this week for the Farm's Almanac. It's really ridiculous to think back to how stressed this set of three stories used to make me. Now having two or three days to write them seems like an eternity. I'll just have to make them the best yet, I guess!

(Pictures from the adventure will be posted, as usual.)

For now, enjoy this week's edition of the Pioneer League and Northwest League notebooks. Brockman's Helena Brewers are in the the race for first in their division in the PIO, while Paul's Yakima Bears are getting a taste of the cellar in the NWL. Can you feel the excitement!?

Story #52, 53, 54 -- Back in the 'Nac...

Just 'cause a guy spends his weekend in San Francisco covering the largest event in all the Minor Leagues doesn't mean he can live the dream forever. It was back to MiLB.com's Farm's Almanac soon after, and I've posted this week's trio of goodness below of your enjoyment.

Click here for a story on Giants prospect Bryan Bocock, who is currently with the team's Class A Advanced affiliate in San Jose. Bockcock gives us all a taste of what it was like as a player to get treated like a Major Leaguer for a day-- the guy was a fantastic interview.

Click here for a story on Modesto Nuts pitcher Brandon Hynick, who has been amazing this season for the Nuts. An ERA under 4.00 is unheard of in the Cal League (which traditionally favors the hitters due to gusting winds and hot air), but Hynick's rocking an ERA under 3.00 right now. That makes for a good story, trust me.

Click here for a feature on High Desert Mavericks radio announcer Jon Rosen. I've had the pleasure of meeting Jon earlier this season in San Jose, and he's a great gut-- very dedicated to the Mavericks and his craft. In short, worthy of a feature.

All that said, USE THE POLL! I want results, people!

The POLL is open...

Hey everyone-- do me a quick favor and check out the poll to the right. By check it out, I mean check an option and click vote. I'm stumbling across all kinds of cool features with this blog (a counter, polls etc.) sadly as this blog's time begins to wane (under 2 1/2 weeks to go), but I'd like to get a feel for how much you all checked out this blog, enjoyed it...or didn't. I'm thick-skinned so be honest. This whole experience has been a pleasure for me, and you can't take that away from me, ha!

Thanks, Mark

2007 Futures Game (in pics)

As promised, here is the slide show of pics detailing my adventure to San Francisco and back for the Futures Game. I have also updated the 'map' of pics (link located on the left, self-explained) for those of you who want to get a stalker-ish look at where I took the pics this weekend (or if you just want to get a better understanding of my trip). Without further hesitation...

Click here to view my San Francisco pics!

Story #50, 51 -- Back to reality...

Just because I was in San Francisco busting my hump (and enjoying myself quite a bit) with the whole 2007 Futures Game thing didn't mean that I could ignore my normal MiLB.com responsibilities. I had a pair of notebooks due, and they're linked to below.

Click here for my notebook detailing the past week in the Pioneer League. AND/OR click here for my notebook detailing the past week in the Northwest League.

San Francisco pics are coming! Check back soon!

Story #48, 49 -- A last glimpse into the Futures

SAN FRANCISCO -- My (work) weekend concludes with a pair of stories, written pre-game and post-game, about players involved in the Futures Game. Like I said before, the only word for the weekend is ridiculous, and I will have more on the details of it once I get back to Sac Town and can collect my thoughts, photos etc.

Click here for a story on Lexington Legends outfielder James Van Ostrand, who joined another couple of Canadians on the World Team roster. This story gave me another chance to talk with Mike Saunders, a coulda-been-an-NHLer turned up-and-coming-baseball player. Good times.

Click here for a story focusing on the U.S. Team's starting pitcher in the exhibition, Durham Bulls right-hander Jeff Niemann. Making the cut as 1-of-20 pitchers selected in the game out of all the Minor Leagues is one thing, becoming the 18th pitcher to ever start in a Futures Game is something else all together.

Again, check back sooner as opposed to later. Details and photos of really fun stuff this weekend is coming.

Story #47 -- Mark becomes a Hall of Famer...kind of

SAN FRANCISCO -- From MiLB.com, to MLB.com and now to the Baseball Hall of Fame's official Web site. Speaking with legends of the game like David Winfield and Juan Marichal is bound to take you somewhere, that's for sure. This weekend has been ridiculous, that's the only word I can use to summarize it. The city, the event, the stories...just ridiculous.

Click here to read about two Hall of Famers giving back to baseball's next generation of stars.

For the record, both Winfield and Marichal are, without a doubt, the best interviews I've ever had. It's nice to talk to a couple of players with a bit of poetry in their words instead of the normal cliche machines most athletes are. Winfield has a bit of wit about him I've never encountered in an athlete, he slips in some jokes and sly remarks effortlessly, which makes the interview process that much more fun. As for Marichal, he doesn't speak the best English, but he speaks it well enough. And like I've said before, people with some grasp of the English language usually command it better, and Marichal was no different. He didn't say a lot, but what he said was definitely powerful.

Story #46 -- Welcome...to the big show.

Holy crap! I just saw my Futures preview on MLB.com, and about lost it. MiLB.com is one thing, but to make it onto baseball's grandest (online) stage, well...I'm blown away. Of course, I think the rest of the stories I'm writing this week will make their way there too, but still. Wow. It just didn't sink in, what I'm getting into this weekend with the Futures Game, until about right now. Again, just wow.

Share in the glory by clicking here!

This story will be updated later today, after it is re-posted, after I get some quotes from JUAN MARICHAL and DAVID WINFIELD soon after my arrival in San Francisco. Yeesh, I can't take it.

Time to hit the road...

Story #44, 45 -- Back to the Futures

Here are the MiLB.com stories about the U.S. pitching staff that I promised the other day. I leave for San Francisco tomorrow and I can't help but be a little nervous. I keep seeing all the commercials for the MLB All-Star weekend all over the TV and it's starting to sink in-- hey, you're going to that buddy. It's my first experience at an event of this magnitude so it's leading to mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness.

Click here for a quick look at the 10 U.S. players set to take the mound.

Click here for an closer look at Harrisburg Senators hurler Collin Balester, a surfer turned pitcher ready to leave his mark at the Futures Game Sunday. I really liked this story, probably because it wrote itself thanks to a good balance of story and good quotes.

Enjoy! I'll keep you posted on my adventures in San Francisco this weekend...

Story #42, 43 -- The Futures begins now...

I'm about three days from packing up my laptop and duffel for another road trip, this time to San Francisco for the 2007 Futures Game-- the 'IT' All-Star event of the Minor League season. We're talking AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, and a whole lot more...well, professional environment to boot (TV coverage on ESPN, my bosses at MiLB.com are flying out etc.).

So let's get this party started. Below are 2-of-4 stories I've written previewing position players on the U.S. team for the Futures Game. Today the outfield, tomorrow the pitching staff (that's a hint to check back tomorrow for my pitching previews too)!

Click here for a quick look at the five players in the U.S. outfield.

Click here to take a closer look at Chattanooga Lookouts (a fantastic Minor League name/logo) outfielder Jay Bruce, who is primed and ready to showcase his skills after garnering his first Futures Game nod.

Funny is funny...

I mean, I'm a Linkin Park fan and I still think this is hilarious. The guy nails just about every good burn about LP there ever was. If you're a fan this is a must-see. I enjoy the part after the pause in the middle the most, but the whole video is solid...

Story #40, 41 -- Notebooking my way into July...

HAPPY JULY+1, everyone. I had a couple of stories go up on MiLB.com today that are worth a quick read if you're bored and curious about short-season rookie league baseball. I know I am!

Click here to read a notebook chronicling the first couple of weeks in the Pioneer League. The league is home to Nick Brockman's Helena Brewers, so if you want to better understand what Nick's up to, or at least what his team is up to, check it out.

Click here to read a notebook chronicling the first couple of weeks in the Northwest League. The league is home to the Yakima Bears and I was able to pull some info from Paul's paper. It's amazing how small the world can be and how much you overlap with people you know.

Also, I meant to mention my 'stats' in my last post for the month of June. In total, I wrote 24 stories, which included coverage of the 2007 California/Carolina League All-Star game as well as miscellaneous notebooks and features of the normal day-to-day variety.

I hope July is even busier (since it will pass the time faster as my time out here winds down, the plan is to be back to Maumee during the first few days of August). This month will start off with the Futures Game in San Francisco, so make sure you're checking back regularly for stories and pictures related to that as I write/take them...

Yosemite National Park, complete coverage...

I am re-posting a link to my pictures documenting my adventures with my parents at Yosemite National Park. I found out that Flickr! only allows you to create three 'sets' of photos, and since I'm not going to pay for anything to post photos on a blog, I decided to free up a set heading into my coming weekend.

The Futures Game adventure is coming, and I'm planning on taking pics. So yeah, I have updated all of the old post's links with this slideshow link as well, so all the excitement is in one place for your enjoyment. You will thank me later, I'm sure...

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you want to see a really cool feature Flickr! has, click here. It's a good way to see all my pictures scattered across this blog...and WHERE I took them. Just click, you'll get it.

Story #39 -- Have a 'Peek at the Week'

Ugh, I hate Peek at the Week. It's a pain to research, tedious to write...BUT OH SO MUCH FUN TO READ! Ha, right. Anyway, click here for the link to that story over at MiLB.com.

As for my week, I have some preview stuff due for the Futures Game before heading to San Fran this weekend. Should be a good time, so be sure to check back.

Story #37, 38 -- Get your 'Nac on...

Hey, everyone. I'm back in Sac Town after an excellent couple of days with the parents at Yosemite. But just because I was on vacation doesn't mean that I didn't have stories in motion, and the links to them over at MiLB.com are below. Enjoy:

Click here for a story on Helena Brewers third baseman Zach McAngus, who had to work a bit harder than most to bridge the gap --literally-- from Hawaii to the continental United States.

Click here for a story on High Desert Mavericks second baseman Jesus Guzman. This was the first story I've done through an interpreter, and I'm impressed with the quality of Guzman's quotes. When you don't know a lot of English, what you say is much more powerful. I think it's the short sentences.

OK, back to work. The vacation's over for now-- there's lots to do before the Futures Game this weekend!

Yosemite National Park (day 2)

FISH CAMP, CALIF. -- I thought I would have a couple of sets up today, a morning and evening set, for our second day in Yosemite. No such love (darn you Flickr!). Anyway, all of the day-two pics are up now, so enjoy them. Click here to check out our adventures!

EDITOR'S NOTE: The slideshow includes both days at the park now, I had to free up a Flickr! set for my Futures Games pictures.

Story #36 -- Whoops.

FISH CAMP, CALIF. -- My bad everyone. I noticed that my number of stories on the blog didn't match the number of stories I had written and --low and behold-- I missed posting a story that ran on MiLB.com on June 12.

Click here to read that story, which is about Winston-Salem Warthogs pitcher Kyle McCulloch. And please, forgive me...since I'm sure you all care so much!

EDITOR'S NOTE: It just hit me why I missed posting this story, it ran in an E-Zine to Chicago White Sox fans and well-wishers. My bosses never forwarded the E-Zine to me, as in times past, so the story just faded from my mind. I'm happy I caught it, and you should be too!

Yosemite National Park (day 1)

FISH CAMP, CALIF. -- Greetings from the outskirts of Yosemite National Park. I'm posting a link to a slide show of some pictures I took with my parents during our first day out here. As far as parks go, this one easily stacks up in amazingness to other ones I have been to like Yellowstone or Acadia, so the pictures are pretty spectacular.

Enjoy them by clicking here! and check back tomorrow and Friday for more!

EDITOR'S NOTE: The slideshow includes both days at the park now, I had to free up a Flickr! set for my Futures Games pictures.

Mmm...fattening.

My mom, posted up in front of The Squeeze Inn, home to one of the best burgers in Sac Town, the Squeeze Burger. I heard about the place from my most-excellent friend Sarah, who caught it on a Food Network show showcasing the top 10 burgers in the United States. This place is tiny, there's a row of bar stools inside and that's about it. Our order took about 30 minutes to process and the place is AC-less, so it was quite the wait. Still it was worth it for...

A SQUEEZE BURGER! Sorry the picture is a little blurry, I think the fat is creating a lardy haze around the burger. That entire orangish/yellow area engulfing the entire front of the burger is cheese, let me assure you that. When the burger is cooking, they put a mound 2-3 inches high of cheese on top of the burger, which proceeds to melt onto it and onto the grill. The cook then pulls out an Exact-O-like utensil and slices the burger (cheese and all), off the grill. This leaves the 'skirt' (so Sarah tells me it is called) of cheese, which has the delicious kinda-burnt-but-still-good cheese taste you find with pizza sometimes. Case and point: The skirt makes the burger good.

(To top it off, the Squeeze Burger is only $4.80, which is quite a steal for 1/3 pound burger.)

OK, I probably won't get this again due to my pseudo-diet out here, but it's a must-eat if you're in the Sac Town area. Getting the food and the uniqueness of the burger is an experience you just have to enjoy once in life, so make sure you get on it...

Story #35 -- Southern League All-Stars in good hands

Ha, don't get excited. MiLB.com isn't footing the bill to send me to Pearl, Miss., for the Southern League All-Star Game. The league did release it's managers for the exhibition though, and I got to write a brief blurb about them. It's not that exciting compared to say, last week with the California/Carolina League All-Star Game or next week with the Futures Game, but it's a story and you have the right to enjoy it. So check it out:

Click here to get your read on!

Things should be exciting for me over the next few days. My parents are coming into town and we have plans to head to Yosemite National Park Wednesday through Friday, so I'm busy working out some stuff now to make the next few days relaxing. I promise I will have pics and anecdotes either during or after said trip, so make sure to check back this week.

Or...it was MURDER!

Story #32, 33, 34 -- Banner Island Ballpark (in print)

My adventure in Stockton, Calif., concludes today with a trio of stories in this week's Farm's Almanac's 'On Location' section on MiLB.com. Now this isn't to say that someday, somewhere I may write another story or make another visit to Stockton, but I'm guessing it won't be any time soon. So get your fill now, people, via the links below:

Click here for my perspective on Banner Island Ballpark. OK, it's more like a general rundown of the ballpark, but it's still interesting, I promise. Also, my editor informed me that I may be the first person in the history of MiLB.com to use the phrase 'tasty vittles,' on the Web site. I told you all I'm going to make history out here, ha.

Click here for Ports radio announcer Zack Bayrouty's take on Banner Island Ballpark. Bayrouty's a great guy, very helpful and in a great position to kick-start an amazing career. I'd like to take this opportunity to give him all my best.

Click here for Carolina League star Jason Delaney's take on Banner Island Ballpark. Delaney said that the Carolina League All-Stars left at 5 a.m. PCT the day after the game, and that he didn't arrive back into his apartment until 1 a.m. EST. I told him I felt for him. That sucks.

(Feel free to check out the previous post for pictures that will make some of the things I talk about in these stories come alive.)

Banner Island Ballpark (in pics)

Stealing a page from Molly's book of 'How to Post Picture's Online,' I'm posting a link to Yahoo!'s Flickr! to satisfy your photo needs. Click here to (hopefully) view a slideshow of pictures I took while in Stockton. If you click on the picures, my description should pop up for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for more on the ball park by the way. I have three stories coming in the next day or so on Banner Island Ballpark. It's just the theme of the week...

Story #28, 29, 30, 31 -- Yeah. Believe it.

OK, now that it's not the wee hours of the morning, and I'm not in a hotel in Stockton, Calif., but back at the apartment in Sac Town, I can bust out this post proper to wrap of my couple of days on the road covering the 2007 California/Carolina League All-Star Game. Here's my blow-by-blow recap of the past 48 hours:

Monday: I made the 40-minute drive to Stockton and got there just in time to check into my Best Western suite. Now by suite I mean one-room 'heck hole' that was poorly planned to the point that I was moving furniture so I could work at a table AND watch some TV (the typical routine for the working man in the virtual office). I'm glad I did because the CWS game I had watched all day was...well, still on. I am talking of course about the Cal-State Fullerton and Irvine game, which ended the longest CWS game ever. I sure can pick 'em.

I also experienced the worst pizza-ordering debacle in my life. I was all about another Mountain Mike's Pizza when I saw them in the phone book, but the hotel was out of their delivery area. The next SIX places I called rattled of the same response. Finally I called the front desk and had them suggest a place, only to find out (after the ordering process) that they only accept cash when they deliver to hotels. I was looking to charge, so that was out. I settled on Domino's, which tried to tell me it was $17 for a medium, one-topping pizza. I'm not kidding. They was $17 for a medium, one-topping Domino's pizza in Stockton. I settled on a medium pizza, cheesy break and a 2-liter FOR $12, one of there specials. Explain to me how that all makes sense if you can. Finally, with a less-than-stellar meal in my belly, I caught some shuteye.

Tuesday: Woke up, touched base with my editors and headed to Banner Island Ball Park. Let me make this clear, Stockton is a pretty trashy-looking place (places with incredibly high crime rates often are), but the area around the ball park is GORGEOUS.

After speaking with a columnist for the Stockton Record, I came to find out that when the city was looking to rejuvenate the riverside, they spoke with a lot of city planners...including Toledo's. I guess Stockton and Toledo are basically the same city (on a river, run-down industrial area downtown, same population and demographic), and so it comes as no surprise that Stockton is a lot like Toledo in the post-moving-the-Mud Hens-to-downtown era. There's tons of street parking, trendy restaurants and, of course, the sports arenas right on the river and it's amazing. It'd almost warrant a visit back, if it wasn't all Stockton seems to have to offer. Maybe worth a stop if you're in the area sometime.

I got to 'meet' Bridget Marquardt, who was an honorary coach and threw out the All-Star Game's first pitch (a Playboy bunny, two-time cover girl, dates Hef etc.). By meet I mean I was Johnny on the spot with gum when she needed some, and I had her sign my roster. I never got into E!'s "Girl's Next Door," though I've seen snippets while channel surfing or hanging out with Mary. The cheap thrills that come with this job, huh? ESPN Radio's Mike and the Mouth was also broadcasting from the press box before the game, so that was neat to see (and hear).

As for the actual event, the Home Run Derby was a good time, and the game was UGLY! There were six errors in the contest, which was pretty much over after the Cal League went up 3-0 in the bottom of the second. But for more on all this stuff, let me direct you to a MiLB.com link here:

Click here to go the MiLB.com's home page for the 2007 California/Carolina League All-Star Game. Every story on this page is mine-- from the main, to the Home Run Derby recap, to the notebook and the pitching preview (though that went up a day late). All of the stories were complete between the hours of 4 p.m. and midnight, two in an hour after the game concluded around 10:15 p.m. All in all, I pulled the intense deadline writing off, and I'm pretty happy about it.

I will get pictures up as soon as I can. I'm exploring another way to post the pictures online instead of making a huge list of them in my next post. After checking out Molly's blog (located on the left) I may steal her picture-posting thunder since it seems easier and more pleasant to look at.

Case and point, check back soon for more on my All-Star adventure!

Story #25, 26, 27 -- Gearing up to be an All-Star

STOCKTON, CALIF. -- Greetings from one of the most crime-riddled cities in the United States. Oh, and the home of the Class A Advanced Stockton Ports and Banner Island Ballpark, which will play host to the 2007 California/Carolina League All-Star Game.

Yep, here's where things get a bit (more) interesting. It's time to roll up the sleeves and get to some serious work. Since the pitching matchups for the game have yet to be announced, that puts my workload at four stories due tomorrow, at various times of the day.

I will have to preview the pitching matchup in the morning, begin my notebook throughout the day, recap the Home Run Derby ASAP while the All-Star Game begins, than rock the running gamer to have the recap of the game in posthaste after its conclusion. It's going to be a lot of running around, a lot of writing on a tight deadline...basically things a real journalist does. It's time to get busy.

For the record, I have been busy in the previous days. For proof of that, feel free to check out my preview of the All-Star Game, as well as my previews for a couple of short-season leagues that kicked off their seasons with Opening Day today.

If you're too lazy to go to MiLB.com, here they are:

Click here to read my preview of the 2007 California/Carolina League All-Star Game (and be sure to check back in the next day or so to read the rest of my All-Star articles).

Click here to read my preview of the 2007 Pioneer League season. A shout out to Nick "Home on the Range" Brockman, who is interning with the PIO League's Helena Brewers this summer. His blog has been added to list on the left if you want to see what he's getting into in Montana. My guess is tumbleweeds and banjos.

Click here to read my preview of the 2007 Northwest League season. Some props to Paul's publication, the Yakima Herald-Republic. Many rosters were not released until today, making deadline tough to meet. The Yakima Bears were no problem, however, as the Herald-Republic was all over the announcements of their roster and coaching staff.

OK, like I said before-- check back soon too see if I pull this All-Star Game off.

It's baaaaaack...

To quote Sanford from 3-South: "I wish I had money for one of these, my body is craving one. It's like in the wild when a bear craves a monkey, but there aren't any around because it's molting season..."

The good news is that I do have the money, and I hope to eat one tonight for dinner. I have heard from a couple of sources in Maumee that Pizza Hut's P'Zone is back, but it's not on the online menu so I fear it may not be rereleased in Sac Town yet. For those of you who don't remember the P'Zone, try to remember what you were doing in 2002. What I was doing was playing a lot of videogames with my friends, using the P'Zone as my primary form of sustenance.

UPDATE: The Sac Town Pizza Hut has them, and I ate the heck out of one tonight for dinner. For the record, the P'Zone is still ridiculously declicious...

Bear Grylls: Did you ever know that you're my hero?

While most people get down on summer TV and its less-than-stellar lineup, as each week passes more and more 'quality' shows are kicking in (this observation is pretty easy since I find myself with excess time here in Sac Town more often than not).

Now I don't know why I have such an affinity for trashy TV. Maybe I associate shows like FOX's 'Hell's Kitchen,' and MTV's 'Rob and Big' with last summer, when Tim and I passed the slow time in Athens laughing at the laundry list of expletives, amazingness and more these respective shows showcased. Eventually I stopped caring enough to explain to people why to watch these shows, I just made them watch, then watched them become hooked as well.

Now for the record, Man vs. Wild starts back up again tonight. Those of you who know me should know that I think that Bear Grylls is the man. If you dropped me in the middle of Ohio with a flint and a water bottle, you would find me curled up in the fetal position soon after. Drop me in the middle of the desert, or a volcano...and then ask me to drink the excess moisture from elephant poo to survive well-- that's why I idolize Bear Grylls.

Check out Man vs. Wild if you never have (Friday -- 9 p.m., Discovery). You shan't regret it.

Story #23, 24 -- Another week, another Farm's Almanac

I am a bit too busy to write a cute paragraph today, but I wanted to make sure my latest two stories made it from MiLB.com to the friendly confines of my blog for your enjoyment ASAP.

Click here...and I mean it, CLICK IT, to read a story about how the Cal League, traditionally a hitter's paradise, has had a few standout pitchers so far this season. I enjoyed this story, and it's by far the longest I've wrote since I've been out here too, not like that matters.

Click here for a feature on Visalia Oaks pitcher Dallas Buck. He's having the kind of season that had me thinking I'd meet him this coming week at the CAL/CAR League All-Star Game, but he was snubbed. Good thing I was on the ball to write a feature...or was told to write a feature. Whatever story works for you.

OK, back to work. Keep checking back for stories and more details about my trip to Stockton, Calif., for the All-Star game next week.

Story #22 -- Tucson dominates PCL All-Star vote

If you read this blog for something other than my stories that find their way onto MiLB.com, well...I wouldn't bother checking in for about a week.

I have 10 stories due between today and Tuesday. As you can see, Story #22 (which I'd like to make a big deal about what with being the double deuces and all), is the tip of that ice berg. Perspective: I wrote 21 stories in a month and a half. In a week I am writing 10 more. Hmm...

All of this ends with the 2007 California/Carolina League All-Star Game Tuesday and I will be in attendance, in Stockton, Calif. So maybe there will be some interesting posts between now and then not concerning MiLB.com, but most certainly baseball.

Ugh, I need some sleep.

PS- Story is this week's PCL All-Star team online voting results. I'm sure you can check back here next week for more on that gem of a subject :p

Story #20, 21 -- For your Saturday afternoon reading pleasure...

CINCINNATI, OHIO -- And so (almost) ends a busy week. A couple more player features in today's Farm's Almanac brings the week's MiLB.com story total to six, and that's not counting a story I finished that doesn't run until later this coming week.

Six stories in a week is hardly something to write home about (though I do e-mail regularly), but it brings my June total to eight stories. To put that in context, I wrote 12 stories in the month of May...so yeah. It's been a busy week to say the least.

I look forward to more of them though! The All-Star Games are coming...

Click here to read a feature on Round Rock Express pitcher, Philip Barzilla. He's a candidate for one of the best names in the Minor Leagues in my opinion.

Click here to read a feature on Sacramento River Cats second baseman, Kevin Melillo. The day after I interviewed him, he went out and hit a walk-off homer in an extra-innings victory for the 'Cats over the Express. I seem to bring some good luck to my interviewees.

Enjoy and don't forget to check back. This next week's a busy one too!

Story #19 -- Fans give Ankiel an edge in PCL vote

CINCINNATI, OHIO -- Three days after joking with a colleague about having yet to write a story off a press release (he had to in his first week), here I am with my third release-based story in a week. That's OK with me though, the more stories, the better.

Click here for a summation of the first week of fan voting to select the 2007 Pacific Coast League All-Star Team. I'd tell you the exact numbers, but MiLB.com swore me to secrecy, ha.