Baseball in Fort Wayne

Archive for the ‘Parkview Field’ Category

Donovan: The Baseball Engine That Keeps Trying

Since the day the Padres drafted him in 1999, (Todd) Donovan has been an unwitting subject of a riveting novel. Cut a swath through the organization … injury. Repair and regenerate … Triple A … injury. Repair and regenerate … get to the 40-man roster and major league camp … injury. Repair and regenerate … set minor league records … injury.

Just so you know: Donovan’s ailments haven’t been Pavano-esque. He’s crashed into more walls than most NASCAR drivers. The unofficial list: two broken thumbs, two broken fingers, a broken bone in his hand and a torn elbow ligament.

And still … still! He’s at the ballpark an hour before his younger teammates to play a Double-A game.

Speed Burner

Missions manager Terry Kennedy admits he was surprised to see left fielder Luis Durango land on his Opening Day roster. The Panamanian, who played for his home country at the World Baseball Classic, is widely regarded as the fastest player in the San Diego Padres farm system but at 22 is a raw talent.

Prospect’s speed has Pads intrigued

A switch-hitter signed out of Panama for $12,000, Durango has reached base in about 42 percent of his some 1,400 plate appearances since debuting in the Venezuelan summer league five years ago.

“He’s got a chance to be an exciting guy,” said Grady Fuson, the Padres’ director of scouting and development.

Ocala woman enjoys a niche in baseball history

Mava Lee “Tommy” Thomas (Fort Wayne Daisies) went from local softball leagues to the heady world of professional fast pitch baseball, snagging herself a spot in baseball history along the way…

Thomas was determined to play, and her father, who knew league manager Max Carey, arranged an audition.

“He watched me play for about 15 minutes and told my dad I was in. I couldn’t believe I was going to get paid for playing a game I loved,” Thomas recalled.

Finally,  if you’re looking for professional photos of Parkview Field that don’t fit the norm that the umpteen other blogs out there have posted, check out Anna Lynch McClary’s blog.

Stumbled upon a couple items from SanDiego Padres front office folks. Here’s what they say:

Kevin Towers

“The ballpark is absolutely beautiful. It’s probably one of the nicest Class A ballparks in all of baseball. And I really think what it’s going to do for this downtown area as well, we kind of experienced that in 2004 in San Diego,” he said. “It kind of revitalized the downtown area and with the convention center and hopefully eventually the hotel and the condos in the outfield, I think it will bring some life around the ballpark.

“They did it right. From the scoreboard to the playing surface and just listening to the fans talk around here, it sounds like everybody is having a good time and enjoying it. For our ball players, it’s huge. To be able to come to work every day in a place like this makes you want to go out and play. With the type of support, more fans in the stands, it’s great for our young players” [LaMond Pope].

Paul DePodesta

The TinCaps seem to have adjusted well to their new name and new stadium. James Darnell leads the Midwest League with a .541 obp and his overall line is .304/.541/.609. Additionally, Matt Clark, Allan Dykstra, and Blake Tekotte all got it going to some degree this week. The real story in Ft Wayne, though, has been the pitching. Of the 13 pitchers on the staff, seven of them still have an ERA of 0.00, and the team as a whole is sporting a 1.30. Of the starters, Anthony Bass and Stiven Osuna have yet to give up a run in 22 combined innings of work. The bullpen as a unit: 0.89 ERA, 41.2 ip, 20 h, 8 bb, and 50 k’s [It Might Be Dangerous... You Go First].

There are three undefeated teams in all of Minor League Baseball entering Saturday. The Fort Wayne TinCaps, at a 8-0 are one of them. The TinCaps latest stand saw a comeback win Friday in downtown Fort Wayne. Saturday’s game against the Dayton Dragons  begins at 4:05pm and Sunday’s game starta at 3:05pm. The TinCaps then have Monday off before opening a fourgame series Tuesday against the West Michigan Whitecaps.

“I don’t think anybody could have ever predicted a start like this, but our guys keep on winning,” TinCaps President Mike Nutter said. “The crowds at Parkview Field have been electric and we hope our fans continue to rally around this team.”

On Saturday morning, many seats were still available for the weekend. Fans are encouraged to get their first look at the state-of-the-art facility, with seats in the All-Star sections as close as 45 feet away from home plate, the $8 Reserved seats down the baselines, Home Run Porch seating which is prime real estate for catching TinCaps home runs and the already-famous TreeTops section featuring all-you-can-eat food and all-youcan-drink soda.

Fort Wayne native Kyle Day is one of the Dragons’ key players. A Snider High School graduate, Day rewrote the Panthers’ record book and went on to play at Michigan State University. He was drafted last year by the Cincinnati Reds in the 12th round.

Thursday night’s home opener game was a sellout, with 8,208 fans in attendance for the TinCaps’ 7-0 victory. It was the largest crowd ever to attend a game since professional baseball returned to Fort Wayne in 1993.

Fans can order tickets online at TinCaps.com, by phone at (260) 482-6400 or in person at the Parkview Field Box office.

Here are some shots I took at the park. Hopefully I can post more and write a bit tomorrow.

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The final game at Memorial Stadium saw local standout, Jarrod Parker take the mound. It was one of the few times that a local product played on the field (Rob Bowen being the only other I know of, but I think there was one or two others). As Parkview Field is christened, it will be done with a local standout on the roster of the visiting Dayton Dragons.

Kyle Day grew up in Fort Wayne. A Snider High School product, he was a three-year letter winner. In his senior season, he hit .510 with eight home runs, seven triples and 12 doubles and 49 runs batted in. When he graduated, he was the school’s career and single-season record holder in all four of those categories.

He took his college game to Michigan State, where he took on catching duties and quickly provided massive offense with the bat. As a freshman, he started all 56 games, splitting time between catcher, outfield and DH. He ranked sixth on the team and 30th in the Big Ten with a .315 batting average while pacing the team (fifth in the Big Ten) with 52 runs. As a sophomore, he started 50 games, where he batted .295 with 16 extra-base hits and a team-leading 33 walks. He also led team with a .438 on-base percentage and was second in stolen bases with 14.

He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 19th round (577th overall) following the 2007 season, but returned to Michigan State for his Junior year. That year, he appeared in 53 games, where he hit .320 with 56 hits, 41 runs, eight doubles, nine home runs, 48 runs batted in and 39 walks.

In the 2008 player draft, Day was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 12th round with the 359th pick. He signed and joined the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer (rookie) League. In 31 games, he hit .268 with 30 hits, a home run and 11 RBI’s.

He started 2009 with the Red’s Midwest League affiliate, the Dayton Dragons. Through Wednesday, he had appeared in four games. He’s hitting .333 with a double and two triples.

Dayton, here’s my plea: KYLE DAY TO LEAD OFF!

The Fort Wayne TinCaps will host the first opportunity for the public to meet the team this Wednesday, April 8th. Fans are encouraged to enter through the south gate (on the corner of Brackenridge and Ewing) starting at 6:00 pm. The north gate (on Jefferson) will not be available.

Parking will be available south of the ballpark, as well as in the newly opened Harrison Square parking garage located on the corner of Harrison and Douglas.

The team will take batting practice during the beginning of the event and there will be an opportunity to get autographs once the team’s practice is complete.

I’ll probalby be unable to make the event, so hopefully some of the many bloggers in the area will take pics.

Update (4/8/09 10:00PM):

• WaneTV: Fans meet the TinCaps
• Indiana’s New Center: Meet The TinCaps At Parkview Field
• WhatsGoingDown(Town): At Home

The Fort Wayne TinCaps have sent out a release stating they will host an open house at Parkview Field on Saturday, April 4th from 10AM to 4PM. Details are available here.

Woudl love to attend myself, but I will be out of town this weekend. Guess I’ll have to wait for Opening Night.

One question that many folks have asked for quite a long while is with regards to the possibility that the TinCaps might do something to help promote the significant baseball history that belongs to Fort Wayne. While trying not to steal any of their thunder, I have quietly told people that I am sure they will and encouraged them to stay tuned.

Today, The TinCaps released details of once such avenue that they’ve deployed:

The rich and dynamic history of baseball in Fort Wayne will be on full display when Parkview Field opens in April. Drawing on more than 100 years of baseball in our region, the TinCaps have teamed with Federated Media to bring the city’s baseball history to life.

“During the planning of Parkview Field we were actively looking for the perfect way to integrate Fort Wayne’s storied baseball past into the ballpark’s design,” said TinCaps Team President, Mike Nutter. “There are so many great stories to tell and we wanted the chance to share those stories with our fans. We approached Federated Media with the idea of making the ballpark’s concourse a tribute to Fort Wayne’s rich baseball tradition and they were on board immediately.” Federated Media will be the presenting sponsor of the concourse.

“We knew that Federated Media wanted to be a part of what was happening at Parkview Field,” said Federated Media General Manager, Mark DePrez. “When the TinCaps began describing their vision for the concourse, it seemed like the perfect fit. Federated Media and our radio stations are focused on serving the community. By helping the TinCaps recognize Fort Wayne’s long tradition of exceptional baseball, we can educate and foster community pride by connecting with Fort Wayne’s baseball past, present and future.” Federated Media owns and operates six radio stations in Fort Wayne, including 92.3 The Fort, 97.3 WMEE, 98.9 The Bear, K105, News Talk 1190 WOWO, and 1380 ESPN Radio. 1380 ESPN Radio is also the radio home of the TinCaps, broadcasting all TinCaps home and road games live throughout the 2009 season.

“Fort Wayne has so many baseball stories to tell,” said Michael Limmer, TinCaps Vice President of Marketing. “We are glad to have a chance to shine a light on the teams and individuals that have played such a large role in baseball in this community.  We are also appreciative of Federated Media and all it has done to help us bring this wonderful history to life and educate the next generation of baseball fans in Fort Wayne.”

The Federated Media Concourse incorporates teams and individuals from Fort Wayne’s past into the section signage in the area around the main seating bowl. There are ten section signs located under the suite level which spotlight ten historic teams and organizations. Each of these signs are accompanied by a plaque describing the significance of each team or organization.  Those highlighted include,

• the Kekiongas, the first professional team to play in Fort Wayne and participants in the first professional baseball game in 1871;
• The Fort Wayne Daisies, Fort Wayne’s iconic representative in the All American Girls Professional Baseball League;
• The Fort Wayne Colored Giants, Fort Wayne’s semi pro team from the 1920s;
• The Fort Wayne Capeharts, who won the World Semi-Professional Championship in Japan in 1950;
• Wildcat Baseball, which has provided opportunities for thousands of area youth over more than four decades.

Beyond the Federated Media Concourse, there will be nine additional displays located along the perimeter of Parkview Field.  Each will showcase a prominent individual that played in Fort Wayne or hails from the Fort Wayne area.

“This process has been quite an education for me,” said Limmer. “When you step back and look at the people we are talking about – people such as Dottie Collins, Ford Frick, Eric Wedge, Dale McMillen – these are some giants in the world of baseball, not just in Fort Wayne but in the entire country.” Other individuals honored include Red Carrington, Jake Peavy, Red Braden, Chick Stahl and Bill Wambganss. “Unfortunately we couldn’t include everyone who deserves to be recognized, there just wasn’t enough space, but we hope that by learning about just a few we will encourage others to find out more about the place Fort Wayne holds in baseball history,” explained Limmer.

Assembling this historical display was no small task—it took dozens of hours on the part of the TinCaps staff and would not have been possible without the assistance of many in the Fort Wayne community.  “I have to thank the Fort Wayne History Center, News Sentinel, Journal Gazette, Northeast Indiana Baseball Museum and Chad Gramling, author of the book ‘Baseball in Fort Wayne,’” said Limmer. “It was through them that we were able to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Fort Wayne’s rich tradition and acquire the photographs and other information that will help bring Fort Wayne’s baseball history to life at Parkview Field.”

Imagine being 21-years-old and taking the mound against tried and true Major Leaguers during your first Major League Spring Training Camp after a year in the minors that was hampered by injuries. That’s gotta be nerve racking and memorable no matter the situation.

But imagine taking he mound to start the fourth inning, only to be greated by the likes of Victor Martinez. That’s exactly the sitaution Mat Latos experienced today. After three quick passes that missed the zone, Martinez didn’t give the kid any slack:

Anticipating a fat fastball on the 3-0 pitch, Martinez got one and unloaded. The ball soared in the hot, thin air, cleared the 380-foot sign in right-center and went at least another 100 feet.

Latos seemed to take it well, even after giving up another solo shot to Ben Francisco and a single before inducing an inning ending double play.

Welcome to the big leagues Mat. Hope we get to see you regroup this April in the Fort. We’ll have a much better facility for you this time around!

From the TinCaps’ newsletter:

The Fort Wayne TinCaps individual game tickets will be available for purchase starting at 10:00am EST on Tuesday, February 24th. The TinCaps offer three options when purchasing tickets for the 2009 season.
PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE

The TinCaps have partnered with Streamline Ticketing, a Nashville, Tennessee-based technology firm, to create a customer-friendly online ticket purchasing experience. First, fans will select their desired game date. Then fans will be able to select their exact section, row and seat with the TinCaps interactive Parkview Field ballpark diagram. Once fans have selected their desired seats, the third and final step will be completing the transaction by selecting their preferred payment option. An additional feature allows fans to print their tickets at home. Save time and select your specific seats, all from the comfort of your computer. The TinCaps online ticketing system will go live at TinCaps.com at 10:00am EST on Tuesday, February 24th.

PURCHASE TICKETS BY PHONE

The TinCaps will also be accepting ticket orders by phone beginning at 10:00am EST. Call the TinCaps administrative office at (260) 482-6400 to purchase your tickets.

PURCHASE TICKETS IN PERSON

If purchasing your tickets online or by phone on the 24th is not an option, the TinCaps will be setting up a temporary ticket office at the Grand Wayne Center on Tuesday, February 24th beginning at 10:00am EST. This temporary ticket office will be available Tuesday only from 10:00am till 5:00pm. Any walk-up ticket transactions after the 24th will take place at the TinCaps newly completed Administrative Offices located at 1301 Ewing Street, at Parkview Field. Please call (260) 482-6400 for directions and parking instructions while the final stages of construction at Parkview Field are still in progress.

TinCaps Job Fair – Saturday, February 28th
10:00am – 2:00pm  at the Grand Wayne Center – Fort Wayne

The Fort Wayne TinCaps will be hosting the team’s 2009 Job Fair at the Grand Wayne Center on Saturday, February 28th. The event, which will begin at 10:00am and run until 2:00pm, will take place in the Calhoun Room, located on the 2nd floor of the Grand Wayne Center, located in downtown Fort Wayne, directly across from the North Entrance to Parkview Field.

In response to increased staffing needs at the soon to be completed Parkview Field, the TinCaps are looking to fill over 200 seasonal and part-time positions during the team’s Job Fair on February 28th. “We are expanding the level of customer service at Parkview Field, both during games and at additional special events,” said team Vice President, Brian Schackow. “Our staffing needs have escalated for the 2009 season and we looking for qualified individuals to join our part-time and seasonal staff. There are a wide variety of positions available. We encourage anyone interested in applying to come by the Grand Wayne Center on February 28th.”

The TinCaps are looking for applicants in the following categories: Ushers, Ticket Takers, Parking Lot Attendants, Ticket Office Sales, Merchandise Sales, Video Production, In-Game Promotions, Field Maintenance, Special Events, Food Preparation and Service Staff. Applicants must be 16 years of age or older. Certain positions require specific skills and previous experience. Most positions do not require previous experience.

Applicants that are not available to attend the Job Fair are welcome to stop by the TinCaps Administrative Offices located at Parkview Field during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm). Please call (260) 482-6400 for directions and parking information.