See You In April

Another season's in the books for the Sky Sox. A year that started with so much promise just kind of washed away in the rain (and cold and that dastardly torquing East wind). But hey, that's minor league baseball.

There's always next year!

Okay. Is baseball gone? Good, because it's time for FOOTBALL!

Maybe, just maybe, the most exciting
shot of a football field you'll ever see!

Hell! The only sports better than football are hockey; Aussie Rules; Rugby League; and some baseball; oh, and some soccer...blah, blah, blah. 

I'm bitter because I don't get the NFL RedZone with my free NFL Sunday Ticket package on DirecTV. Yes I get all the games, but I'll have to watch the boring stuff and work the clicker myself. Screw you Goodell! You're Satan!

As*holes! Don't you dare make me work while I watch TV

Vegas Dance Off!

The Las Vegas 51's are in town and DAMN! if they didn't bring their dancin' shoes!

First up for the 51's is #38 Sean Henn!

Sean, in the middle with his arms crossed, was just chillin'
when he busted out the "chair dance"!

Nice use of a prop Mr. Henn. 7/10!

Next up is catcher Kai Gronauer, showing the boys his "moves":

My milkshake brings all the boys to the (ball)yard...

Way to shake it Kai! 3rd up on our list is #73 Robert Carson:

Great facial expression Robert!
Shows that you're really, really into it.

Oh no! Look out Robert! It's the boss-man! Las Vegas manager Wally Backstrom!

Grrrrrr. Harumph! Something's going on somewhere.

HEY! What the hell are you doing back there?

Who me skip?
It's cool!

What does Justin Hampson, a former Sky Sox player, 2005-2006, think of this Vegas Style Bullpen Dance Party:

Justin Hampson thinks it's Flippin' AWESOME!

BONUS TIME! The original dancer from the May 1, 2013 post Dance You Fool! Dance! was not Sean Henn as we believed, but the one and only Justin Hampson! You rock dude!

Slip-Slidin' Away

Last night it rained...

The game will be delayed a bit.

And rained...

On-field host Jon Eddy truly does not
have the sense to come in out of the rain.

And then for good measure it rained some more, only this time really, really hard...

Think we're going to need a bigger boat.

So, while Security Service Field at Mile High looked like a pond...

Hey! There's a wee tarp out in left field.

...the hail was so deep in the North part of the city it looked like a blizzard hit, Manitou waited on a "wall of water" to hit it and the city's weatherpeople got collective chubbies...

With his hand on his hip he's saying,
"I'm a fu*king weatherman! Kneel before my Doppler!"

...leave it to a couple of brave Sky Sox players, Lars Davis and Hernan Iribarren, to save the day by breaking out the tarp-slides!

LARS! No not the one from Metallica, DAVIS!

Lars Davis leaves the building while
Hernan Iribarren sprints onto the tarp!

Safe! And wet!

Great form! Hernan must have traveled close to 60 feet!

As you might have guessed, the game was bagged. Wet field and stuff. Doubleheader today! At least until the rain returns.

Is Iribarren doing the side-stroke?

Johnny D!

Sacramento radio legend Johnny Doskow
entertains Sky Sox fans with a medley of hits
from his Outfield days during a rain delay
at Security Service Field at Mile High.

Next year the Sky Sox are moving from the PCL Pacific Northern to the American Northern division. That means that the teams they faced 8 times a year at home will now only come round Security Service Field at Mile High for only 4 games every other year. So, we will only get to see some of our favorite PCL radio personalities every other year. Radio personalities like Sacramento River Cats' superstar Johnny Doskow.

An angry Johnny Doskow knows what he doesn't like.
And Johnny Doskow doesn't like this.

Johnny was the lost forgotten 4th member of the 80's pop sensation The Outfield, known for their mega-hit Your Love,

Johnny, two years are two too many. We'll look forward to seeing you in 2015 (unless the schedule plays out that we'll see you next year and then in 2016)!

Pop sensation and radio god,
Johnny Doskow!

Cowards!

I know I focus on the visitor's bullpen a lot. Truth be told, it's in better light and they always seem to be doing interesting stuff because they have no where else to go. The Sky Sox bullpen is in the shadows and they can all sneak around the back way and go hang out in their clubhouse, so it's sparsely populated at most times. But not on July 26th...

It's chill. Just minding out own business...

...FOUL BALL LINE SHOT!
Wakes the hell up!...

...Rob Scahill, far right, seems to be checking
for something in his pants while the rest
look like they're on a ride at Disneyland...

...you know, if a couple of you wore your gloves
crap like this wouldn't happen. Just saying.

Reid Brignac Sure Is Hungry

You can now get most of your deep-fried food needs
in one convenient, easy to carry bag. Thanks Tyson!

On July 7th, during a between innings promo where a couple of guys were whipping Tyson Any'tizers over their shoulders while a partner tried to catch them in a Tyson Any'tizers backpack...

Tyson Any'tizers!
Eat 'em or throw 'em!
The choice is yours!

...well, along comes Sky Sox shortstop, Reid Brignac, who wanders by the tray of Tyson Any'tizers, and helps himself to a wee meal...

I sure is hungry and I couldn't help but notice that you has
some food there. HEY! Tyson Any'tizers!...

...Count me in!
I'm Reid Brignac. And I approve of these Tyson Any'tizers!

Bon appetit Reid!

Umpsquatches

A dreaded Umpsquatch was spotted in the wilds of Security Service Field at Mile High this week.

 It was definitely A SQUATCH!
All dark and in the way.

Damn thing even went after Tulo! TULO! Won't someone please think of the children. Where are them folks from Finding Bigfoot when you need them?

Lookout Tulo! It's an Umpsquatch!

Dick Vitale Sings The National Anthem

ESPN's own Dick Vitale, Mr. College Basketball or something, threw out the opening pitch at tonight's Sky Sox game:

Kind of high up there. Maybe it was a jump shot.

We all know he loves him some college basketball, but Dick is also a huge baseball fan, with season tickets to the Tampa Bay Rays (a good baseball team with one season ticket holder, Dick Vitale!) and stopped in to watch the Sox take on the Salt Lake Bees between motivational speeches at the Broadmoor.

I didn't know Dickie V was going to be there so I shot the first pitch from the press box while eating my tasty dinner from Carino's. I got there late due to it being Free Car Night. You know the Free Car Night which everyone that wants to win a car arrives by, wait for it, car, and clogs up the surrounding streets. So, I could have run down and shot it, but I didn't out of spite.

When I did get down to the field, it was just before he was to sing the National Anthem with the America the Beautiful Chorus. Wearing their trademark black slacks and red polos the AtB Chorus always looks sharp, and delivers a great Anthem. Well done gentlemen!

Dick Vitale, Cole Chisholm and the America the Beautiful Chorus
just before they sang the National Anthem.

Mr. Vitale posed for every requested picture and gave every interview with a smile on his face. He was one of the most giving, magnanimous celebrities I've come across. A class act all the way. 

Here is the publicity still from Dick Vitale's
upcoming sitcom on ABC,
Dickie V and Tony E!

Dick also talked about his new sitcom he's staring in along with Sky Sox GM Tony Ensor, Dickie V and Tony E! The show will follow the hijinks of a minor league baseball GM forced by ownership to hire Dick Vitale as his on field manager while a court order resulting from a police mix up forces them to live together in a luxury suite above the stadium. The clubhouse, and baseball, will never be the same baby! Look for it this Fall on your ABC family of networks.

Dick is 74 years old and has an engine on him like a 20 year old. The man is a class act and made a fan for life of this cynical old photographer. Rock on Dickie V! Rock on indeed baby!

They Will Haunt Your Dreams

Mascots. No good dirty, filthy mascots. Oh, how I hate thee(s)!

Exhibit 1:

Hey! It's The Famous Chicken!
He's pretty damn old, and pretty damn entertaining...

Here's the entire Reno Aces team bombarding The Chicken
with water balloons for some transgressing or another.

Aces Tuffy Gosewisch, left, and Taylor Harbin, right, join with
one of The Chicken's minions, tall guy, in some sort of
wacky hijinks or something.

An attempt to recreate the Brazilian soccer ref drawing
and quartering just ends up with a naked chicken
and close to 9000 traumatised fans .

Okay. The Chicken is damn good. Damn good indeed. How about our own Sox the Fox?

Exhibit 2:

Here's Sox ruining my shot!
(Truth be told Culberson fouled this one off so Sox ruined nothing).

How about this one? Huh?!

Or this one...Damn! He is good too. And the kids just love him.

Okay. This isn't going like I planned. Time for the big guns:

Exhibit 3:

Yup. It's a cigarette butt and 3 hip-hop rats...

...and a Nazi Hotdog...

...and from Sunday's game...this, this thing:

That kid in the foreground can't get away quick enough.
Smart kid. Very smart kid.

It's the Grinch. For local charity Christmas Unlimited.
A very good charity with nothing but nightmare fuel
for a mascot. Thanks. And Merry Christmas to you too.

Why? I know the Grinch is a Christmas cartoon but this, creature, is nothing but pure evil. Don't they own a mirror?! Time to go back to good old Santa.

Dammit! That's it! No more Christmas for PengoSports!

What' next? Messing with Easter? Sure. Okay. If you insist. Coming soon! This guy hanging out in the restrooms with our old pal the Urinal Deuce:

Plenty of room. Come sit a spell.