Tooting our own horn. Well...

Building a promotional night that garners attention in the industry and gets people excited about coming to the stadium is a difficult thing.  So often, ideas are formulated and embellished to the point that it makes the follow through difficult to match the plan.  I'd like to believe that our April 26 game against Hagerstown was, from conception to execution, on point with what was planned.





First off, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Pirates 1979 championship.  We gave away championship ring replicas and our players wore Pirates-themed Power jerseys.  Adding to the fun was our Wall of Fame induction ceremony and appearance by former Charlie (and member of the 1979 championship team) Omar Moreno.

Omar and his wife Sandy were a blast to spend time with.  He wore both of his championship rings (he also won one with the Royals in '85).   I think they both had fun being in Charleston and Omar was quick to tell stories about walking to Watt Powell Park, eating big steaks from Ponderosa and remembering his teammates from the Charlies era.

I'll say this about his visit.  It wore me out.  I was on the go and on my feet the whole time. Maybe that is what a great promotion takes.

One food update... During our recent trip to Kannapolis, I went back to Jim 'N Nick's for barbecue.  I sampled their food last year in Charleston, SC.  This time around, I went for the Carolina BBQ.  It was sauceless (even though Carolina-style is supposed to have a vinegar-based sauce...  Maybe I got a dry batch.).  The sauce on the table was... ok.

So... On the 2014 BBQ Leaderboard after three rounds:
1.  Willie's Almost Famous (Lexington)
2.  Chestnut (Asheville)
3.  Jim ' N Nick's (Kannapolis)

I'll leave you with this tidbit.  During homestands, I have the luxury of prepping for games in the home radio booth.  Over the years, I have created a near Zen temple in the home booth.  Lights out, television on, a tart burner going (mostly to mask the scent of tarp shoes).

While prepping for games, I'll have episodes of Seinfeld on the television.  I now own all nine season of the Seinfeld collection on DVD and even just one hour of watching serves as a welcome change of pace to the day.  Mind you, I never just sit there and watch.  I'll listen and look up occasionally because a little laughter never hurts.  In the rotation during the last homestand, this disc came up.

Season Four-Disc 2.  Maybe the best single disc in the entire nine season set.  I'll never have another bad day.

Change, changes... and more BBQ.

Something funny happens on the road.  As I have mentioned in the past, the players and staff get meal money for these trips.  It is a set amount per day for each day of the trip.  Players use this to cover food costs and clubhouse dues usually.  As seen on this blog, I use it to stay well fed and up to date on the movies my wife won't want to see when the opportunity and time allows for it (Example... the night we were rained out in Asheville, I went to see the latest Captain America- rewatch the first one and you will enjoy the second more).

What never fails on any long trip, though, is the massive amount of change that I collect.  Everything I buy seems to be x-number of dollars and 20 cents... or 5 cents... or 14 cents.  And I don't take this leftover change with me anywhere, so it builds up.

This is at the end of the first seven day road trip.  $6.42 in coins.  And somehow still, I got two parking tickets during the next homestand.

While in Asheville, I tried a new-to-me place for lunch on the last day in town.  Chestnut is right along the main drag heading towards downtown about a half mile from the ballpark.

This is a barbecue brisket on a pretzel roll with tobacco onions and bleu cheese with a side of sweet potato salad.  Unlike the BBQ in Lexington, this was a sweet tasting sauce that worked well with the pungent cheese.  If 2013 was the search for the perfect sandwich (I'm looking at you Zunzi's of Savannah), 2014 might just shape up to be a quest for BBQ.  Willie's Locally Famous still holds the top spot, the Kannapolis may have a few contenders coming soon.

Lastly for tonight... During the past off-season, one of our most valuable employees left the Power for a new job with another team in baseball.  I asked for the chance to replace her.  I have taken on some new responsibilities in addition to my old ones.  This has made my life somewhat stressful, but again... I asked for and wanted this chance.

Here is the breakdown of my Opening Day at Appalachian Power Park.
4:15 am- Bus arrives home from Asheville
4:30 am- Home and in bed
8:10 am- Wake up for first radio interview (8:15) about the opener
8:40 am- Wake up again for the next interview (8:45) (if I actually fell asleep again)
8:50 am- Accidentally checked email before trying to go back to sleep until 10:44 am
9:05 am- Out of bed and into the shower.
10:00 am until 4:30 pm-  It is a blur.  I know I ate lunch though
4:30-6:30 pm- Interviews with three TV stations, two radio stations, a feature reporter, accommodating all the media as best possible, and occasionally jotting down some things on my scorecard.
6:45 pm- Radio pregame begins
11:30 pm- Home to bed.

I am not complaining.  I just know that is the most work I have done in one single day since getting in to this industry. I give my predecessor all the credit in the world now that I have had a glimpse into this life.

I'm ready to go and do it all again.  I'll never have another bad day.

Burnt Ends and Baseball

After plenty of rain, the 2014 season got underway late on Thursday night... and we played for a half an hour.  Teams across the country put so much effort in to preparing for the season and especially Opening Day.  I feel for the Legends front office staff, though we have all been through it.

Altoona, for example, was not only rained out on Opening Day, but on Friday as well and did not start their season until 4:30 Saturday afternoon.  That reminds me of 2011 when we "started" at home against Savannah.  We played in a near monsoon on Opening Night and did not play again until a Sunday doubleheader.  Along the way, we had a game canceled...  canceled... during the first weekend of the year.

On Friday, baseball resumed in the top of the third inning and the Power evened a 2-1 deficit at twos in the top of the fifth inning, only to fall on a debatable ground ball down the third base line that was fair and allowed the Legends to win in a walk-off.  If there wasn't a seven inning game to follow, third bagger Wyatt Mathisen might still be standing at the base with an incredulous look about a foul ball called fair to end the game.  No harm though as the Power won the nightcap 6-4.

For lunch Friday, I walked 0.3 miles down North Broadway to Willie's Locally Known.  It's a BBQ (and live music joint), but it was also a Friday during Lent, so I went with the vegetarian platter: a baked potato with sea salt, sour cream and butter, and three fried sides (pickle spears, green tomatoes and their truffle oil fries).  The potato was good, but if you happen to go, get the truffle fries.  It was almost sacrilege to dip these Parmesan-garlic fries in ketchup.

I went back for lunch before the early game on Saturday.  UK was playing that night, so the Legends moved the baseball game to 4:05 so that they at least had the chance of getting a crowd.  Saturday's treat was the Burnt Ends; a specialty at Willie's made from their brisket.  With a smokey barbecue sauce and some shoestring fries, this was a great choice and got my culinary quests this season off on the right foot.

On a side note, if you do find yourself in Lexington and at Willie's, sit at the bar and have a chat with Ray.  He is one of the bartenders, a musician and a big baseball fan.

After a 2-0 shutout win for our team, the staff congregated in the manager's room for pizza and Final Four basketball.  Five of the nine people in the room were a part of every trip last year and this allowed for some great stories and reminiscing.  I can see this group being very close knit in the dugout and off the field.

It is a pleasure and honor to be invited in behind closed doors to hear the stories, the venting and the insight that moments like this can provide.  I may never be able to tell those stories, but at least I can enjoy every second of hearing them.

I'll never have another bad day.

The Kerouac is back.

The clock has just ticked away a few more seconds of the final moments of the off-season.  The 2014 season begins at 7:05 pm today- April 3- at Lexington.  Between now and then, the club will jump on the bus, ride two-and-a-half hours west on I-64, grab some lunch, check in to the hotel, leave for the park, take some batting practice, and be ready to go.

I'll once again be on this journey.  The 2013 season was extremely rewarding.  Watching nearly every game, calling the action, and becoming a part of that team were all tremendous memories.

My plan for this blog this season is to continue some of the themes from last summer.  Meaning...  I'm still going to eat!  I will, however, write shorter posts more frequently added in to the food and movie reviews.  I have added some responsibilities within the Power's front office this season and I also plan on giving some behind-the-scenes thoughts on how-we-do-what-we-do and why we do it.

I'll leave you for now with this picture taken by our club's general manager.  The calm before the storm that is Minor League Baseball.

 
I'll never have another bad day.  Baseball is back.

North by Northeast...

It's playoff time for the West Virginia Power, so that means I have a lot of ground to cover to get us to this point:

After a much needed weekend with the wife and sending Mike on the road in late July, I got back into the swing of baseball quickly.  It was, by the way, just a four day stint of not being with the ballclub.  And I was watching the scoreboard the whole time.

The Power finished out July and started August at home... and continued to win.  Seven games at Appalachian Power Park with seven victories.  A few walk-off winners by Jimmy Rider and Jordan Steranka really put a charge into the crowd.  All told, the team reeled off 13 straight home victories to set a new franchise record.  We then embarked on the first of our last three road trips with each getting progressively shorter... sort of.

The first excursion was a seven-day trip to Delmarva and Lakewood.  I try not to be a creature of habit on these trips, but at the hotel in Salisbury, MD, there are very few options that aren't fast food.  I went back to Viva, a coffee shop nearby, that I visited during our first trip to the peninsula.

Prime rib panini with a tomato & mozzarella salad... healthy right?

On the last day in Salisbury, check out was at 11 and the bus wasn't until 2:30, so I walked the one mile distance to the ballpark.  I should have taken a cab.  I carried my laptop, a small bag, and my delicious Subway sandwich to the park.  By the time I got there, I was a sweaty mess and my sub was an "L" shape from the inertia of the walk.

Delmarva took two of three in this series, including Wednesday's game when Tyler Glasnow matched his season-best with 12 strikeouts, setting a new franchise record for K's in a single season at 135 (with plenty more to come).

On to Lakewood, which I've kept no secret, is one of my favorite places to eat... I mean watch and broadcast baseball.  There are so many options when it comes to delicious fare.  On one of my early (and maybe only) runs I took this season, I found this hidden gem:

Gustosa Gourmet Deli

During our three trips to the Lakewood Township area, I ate at this deli several times.  An Italian grinder during one of the early trips was only outdone by a chicken parmesan sub this time through.  The star of this meal, however, is in the background.

A chocolate covered cannoli.  Unbelievably good.  In all of the things I have eaten this summer, this is, hands down, the single most delicious decadence that I consumed.

I went to a movie after this, though I have no recollection of what I saw.

But I do remember that cannoli.

West Virginia continued their dominance of Lakewood during the series, taking three of four and finishing the season 20-4 against the BlueClaws.

Where would we have been without their assistance this season?  I'll tell you where... third or fourth place.

Coming up...  Part two of August, including a lobster roll, Matchbox 20, rain-delay fireworks, and more winning ways.

I'll never have another bad day.

Guest Bloggerman... I mean Mike Bogerman... I mean... nevermind. Read on.

(This following post was written by Power broadcast intern/ Media Relations assistant Mike Baggerman.  I have not edited, reviewed, or really even read it.- Adam)

Greetings from Lexington!

Well…not really, I’m actually at the offices of 601 Morris Street, reflecting my road trip to Lexington. First thing’s first: Many thanks to Adam for giving me the opportunity to go on the road by my lonesome to broadcast some games on my own. If you aren't aware of the life of minor league baseball, it’s a day in, day out grind for the entire staff. For me, I’m just fortunate enough to have this opportunity to get extra innings to call on the radio. As an added bonus, I’m glad Adam finally got some time away from the field to do his own thing. He hasn't had a day off all season. Whenever the team is on the road on a weekend, the staff at the stadium has off…Adam works.

Now…let’s talk Lexington.

I’m not sure what Adam really wants me to say during this blog post. He likes to talk about food, and the only “food” I found myself eating was Waffle House, which was right next to the hotel we stayed at. It was a quick walk, a cheap $5 breakfast, and highly entertaining place for people watching. Though, I will say that I felt out of place wearing a shirt that said “Drug Free”.

Anyway…

At Whitaker Bank Ballpark, I purchased their Bourbon Sandwich, which had the cheese and bacon inside the meatball, glazed with BBQ sauce as Adam mentioned in a previous posting. I didn’t mind the taste of it but the price for it was outrageous. It normally costs somewhere near $10 but I was fortunate enough to get it on the staff discount.

I was told by some Lexington staff members that about a week or two prior to our road trip to Kentucky, they had a concert series at their stadium. They had seating that included the regular stands, but also tons in the outfield grass. It was also raining during that time frame from what I was told, so the outfield grass was destroyed. I had the opportunity to see a before picture from Bret Lasky, the Delmarva radio broadcaster who saw it first hand. They've obviously made tons of improvements since, but you can clearly notice the patches in right field.

Picture from Delmarva's Bret Lasky

Photo from WV's visit

The road trip lasted from a Thursday to Sunday.  From the games standpoint, the Power took three of the five games during the series.  However, the first game on Thursday was a resumption of a game suspended at Appalachian Power Park earlier in the month.  It was all sorts of confusing trying to explain that the game will be "officially played" on July 6, though it was completed on July 25.  That was my major gripe about the series.  Friday was your typical 7:05 game, Saturday was a doubleheader, and Sunday was an early 1:05 start.

Saturday was by far the most memorable. There was a capacity crowd at the ballgame that day and what made it better was the Power rowdies behind the dugout on the third base side. Lexington fans are your casual baseball fans, but the Power rowdies always make the games memorable. It’s not something everybody loves, but I think that for every old school baseball purist that doesn't like it, three modern fans love it. I’m part of the latter. They’re awesome, but leave the kids out of it.

My biggest complaint about the road trip was that I couldn't enjoy the area. One of my old bosses when I worked in Rochester, NY recommended this burger joint called “Sawyer’s” in downtown Lexington. My only chance to explore the area came on the Friday game, but I opted to take a jog and exercise for the first time in about a week. Because of the doubleheader Saturday, I didn't have time to do much else. I wanted to go out on that Saturday night, but because doing game notes after a doubleheader take a while to finish, I stayed up until roughly 2:00 before having to get up early again.

I’m all about trying to keep a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) about everything. That doesn't mean being a happy-go-lucky person, it’s about trying to take the good out of the situations. For me professionally, absorbing knowledge is something I try to do with anyone I meet in the baseball industry. While there have obviously been those who I consider mentors and positive role models, there are others who I probably wouldn’t have taken as much from. I bring this up because I gained a much better appreciation for what Adam and I do on a daily basis after this road trip and seeing how other teams operate.

Adam likes to say “I’ll never have another bad day”. I can’t steal that quote. But I will steal this quote from pro-wrestler Colt Cabana

“Thanksssssssssssssss”

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of five miles in flip-flops...

This past weekend, I sent Mike Baggerman, the Power's broadcast intern, on the four-day, five-and-a-half game trip to Lexington.  This had been planned for some time, long before some games got suspended or postponed at our ballpark in early July.  It was a good chance to let him experience life on the road, and I have asked him to share his thoughts.  We will have a guest blog post later this week.

Rather than stay in Charleston, my wife and I took the now-rare chance to spend time together on a weekend getaway.  The goal was simple.  Find someplace that we would like to go within a morning's drive.  Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Charlotte were all discussed in some capacity (My early front runner was Columbus for the Under the Sun Tour- Smashmouth, Gin Blossoms, Sugar Ray, and other performing.  College music days all over again.  Unfortunately that show was Friday night and couldn't work logistically).

We settled on Charlottesville, VA, and I'm giving this trip my usual treatment.  Everyone we told about this excursion had a favorite restaurant (or five) that we had to try.  We did our best to accommodate!

We left at 8:30 on Saturday morning, made a few stops, and were at the Downtown Mall area in Charlottesville by lunchtime.  We got started with Eppie's, a fast, casual establishment.

http://eatateppies.com/

Brienne had the BBQ sandwich while I tried the Saturday special, a barbecue brisket sandwich.  The brisket was slightly on the oily side, but still a great choice.

The Downtown Mall is a wonderfully unique area.  It is a cross-section that is part-Strip District, part-Bridge Road Shops, part-Broadway.  Boutiques, theaters, an old-fashioned drug store with a soda shoppe, bars, restaurants, and book stores.  We would use this as the centerpiece of our trip.

After a stop at the hotel, we headed over to the University of Virginia's campus.  On the way, I had to stop at a Panera to use the wi-fi.  For the life of me, I could not get things to work at the hotel and had to make a WV Power roster move.  While Mike was handling the broadcasts in Lexington, I kept this responsibility on myself.  Just like old times when I didn't travel with the team.

While I was in Panera, Brienne walked through a section of shops at the Barracks Road Shopping Center.  She came across some of her favorites and one that truly caught her attention: Oil & Vinegar.  It is a store that sells... oils and vinegars (among other toppings, mixes, and things like that).  This was a store that would fit in perfectly in several cities we have lived in over the years.  I could see it on Bridge Road or in Shadyside.

http://oilandvinegarusa.com/

You buy the glass bottle (we purchased a few 100ml bottles for $3.25).  Then you pick which oil or vinegar you want and buy it per 100ml.  They have several kinds of extra virgin olive oils, flavored olive oils, grapeseed oils, and a variety of vinegars.  We bought small bottles of spanish unfiltered e.v.o.o, blood orange olive oil, cherry almond vinegar, and a riesling lime grape seed oil.  We spent about $45 in the process, but will give one away as a gift and most definitely utilize the others in our off-season cooking or daily lunches (Brienne had a salad today with the cherry almond vinegar and the blood orange oil).

UVA was one of Thomas Jefferson's crowning achievements in his retirement years (according to the tour at Monticello).  Several friends or colleagues hold a variety of opinions of this school and campus for one reason or another.  Some think it is the greatest place on earth.  Others went to Virginia Tech.  Since we hold no bias towards or against, we made sure to walk the grounds and take in the sights.

It is a gorgeous campus, no doubt.  It sparked a conversation, however, about being satisfied with the education choices we made. I went to Mercyhurst College for undergrad while Brienne attended Chatham College (both have since become universities since we left).  You could walk from one side of each campus to the other within 15 minutes.  It took 15 minutes to park at UVA.  The variety of educational institutions in this country are immense, and as this shows, there is always something for everyone.

For dinner, we got gussied up and went to the Blue Light Diner (at the Downtown Mall).

http://www.bluelightgrill.com/

Brienne and I split our meals.  She ordered the steamed lobster while I had crabcakes.  Each dish had two portions, perfect for trading plates halfway through.  She also ordered a watermelon daiquiri.

We are such non-drinkers that we had to Google how to spell daiquiri when she posted a pic on Facebook.  I had a local brew.

Ironically, most everyone told us to go to a winery.  See the comment above as to our drinking habits.  We skipped the wineries on this trip.

For dessert, we walked to the other side of the Downtown Mall and went to C&O Restaurant.  It looks like a greasy spoon on one side, has a gorgeous brick facade on the other, and then you feel like you are in a circa-1850's tavern once you get inside.  Dark wood (not paneling, actual wood) lines the walls with great ambiance and gives an amazing feel.  It was so dark that the flash kept going off while trying to take a picture, so I did not get one to post here.

This is, however, what our plate of chocolate bread pudding looked like.

After the fact.  It. Was. Awesome.

On Sunday, more delicious food and Monticello.    We attempted to go to a place called Beer Run for brunch.  It was 10 am and they didn't open until 11.  Then we opted for Horse and the Hound.  They opened at 11.  Back to the Downtown Mall for breakfast at Cafe` Cubano.

French toast and Chorizo and Cheese Potatoes.

Monticello was a sight to see.  Apparently I saw it when I was four, but have no recollections at all.

http://www.monticello.org/

After a tour at Monticello, we went back to Beer Run for a late lunch.  Brienne had the bacon, egg, and pimento cheese croissant and I had their fish tacos.  Not my favorite food from this trip, but still decent (the fish was in a thick batter that took away from the slaw and chipotle sauce).

http://www.beerrun.com/

Had we gone to brunch in the morning, we would have gotten to and stayed at Monticello until about 3:30 or so.  And would have been standing on the little mountain in this...

Funny how things work out.  I'll never have another bad day.