Baseball in Fort Wayne

Posts Tagged ‘Midwest League’

About a month or so ago, I met up with Matt Nelson from KCRG-TV at Parkview Field. Matt is a photojournalist in Iowa and was doing a tour of Midwest Ballparks – he even went and found Moonlight Graham. To say I was jealous is an understatement. His piece of Parkview Field is now posted on his site. I highly suggest. Thanks for the great story Matt.

 Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is not only a ballpark that stands out in the Midwest League, but one that stands out nationally. The TinCaps forgot no detail and spared no expense in building this ballpark. It feels like a ballpark you would find at a higher minor league classification.

TinCaps Reveal Playoff Schedule, Fireworks & Thirsty Thursday for First Round Game, September 10th ~ Playoff Tickets On Sale Tuesday, July 14th at 10:00am

The Fort Wayne TinCaps, with a record of 45 wins and 25 loses in the first half of the 2009 Midwest League season, clinched first place in the Eastern Division and a playoff berth. The first round is best two out of three games, with the winner advancing one step closer to the Midwest League Championship series. It is set to begin with the TinCaps on the road for game one on Wednesday, September 9th.

The team return to Fort Wayne for game two on Thursday, September 10th. The first pitch will be thrown at 7:05pm. The TinCaps also announced today that they have added a post-game fireworks show for this game and are continuing the Thirsty Thursday promotion for the Thursday playoff game. If a third game is necessary, it will take place at Parkview Field on Friday, September 11th beginning at 7:05pm.

Individual tickets for the TinCaps first home playoff game on Thursday, September 10th go on sale Tuesday, July 14th at 10:00am and are available by logging on to TinCaps.com, calling the TinCaps Ticket Office at    260-482-6400    or visiting the Parkview Field Ticket Office located at the south entrance to the ballpark. Tickets for a potential Game #3 will also be available for purchase.

The Fort Wayne TinCaps had six players invited to the MidWest League All-Star Game. Catcher Sawyer Carroll, infielder James Darnell, rigt-handers Anthony Bass and Brad Brach as well as lefty Zach Herr were on the winning Eastern Division roster tonight in the game played in Clinton Iowa. Jaff Decker had been invited after South Bend outfielder Brendan Duffy was promoted to Advanced-A Visalia, but Decker’s trip to the disabled list prohibited him from participating.

Carroll was awarded the Star of Stars Award after going 4-for-4 with two stolen bases and a run scored. Anthony Bass picked up the win. Over one inning, he struck out two while giving up one hit and a walk.

Darnell had a double, a walk and an RBI. Herr pitched a third of an inning and walked one. Brach also pitched a third of an inning. He gave up one hit and struck out one.

Fort Wayne TinCaps outfielder, Sawyer Carroll received Midwest League Hitter of the Week honors on Monday while right-hander, Anthony Bass snagged his second Pitcher of the Week award on the season. Both are MidWest League All-Stars and their performances are the latest headlines from an amazing run which has Fort Wayne on the verge of its first playoff berth since 2006.

“This team just continues to impress,” TinCaps president Mike Nutter said. “The players have more than lived up to the high expectations and we’re thrilled to be on the brink of making the postseason.”

Carroll, 23, went 12-for-25 during the past week (June 8-14). The University of Kentucky product ripped four doubles and a home run, scored eight runs and drove in six. In Sunday’s game at West Michigan, Carroll went 4-for-5 and finished a home run shy of the cycle. Last week he was selected to his second All-Star Team in as many seasons; he was a Northwest League All-Star for the Eugene Emeralds in 2008.
 
Bass, 21, won both of his starts last week, allowing two runs (one earned) in 12 innings of work to lower his ERA to 2.17, second-best in the Midwest League. This is his second time winning Pitcher of the Week honors; he was also selected on April 20th after delivering 12 scoreless innings to open the season.
 
It is the first time this season any team in the Midwest League has won both Pitcher and Hitter of the Week.

Related BBIFW Posts:

• Bass is First TinCap to Earn MWL Honors

You gotta think that if he had been there all year, Fort Wayne TinCaps’ outfielder Jaff Decker would have been on the Midwest League All STart team. Turns out, it didn’t take a whole season. In fact, Decker was added to the Midwest League Eastern Division All-Star team today, becoming the sixth TinCap on the squad.

South Bend Silver Hawks OF Brendan Duffy was promoted to Advanced-A Visalia, opening the roster spot. The move also pushed Fort Wayne OF Sawyer Carroll into the starting lineup for next Tuesday’s game in Clinton, Iowa.

Decker, 19, burst onto the scene this year, blasting a home run in his first at-bat with the TinCaps. He remains the only player to hit a home run onto the TreeTops Rooftop Party Area beyond the right-field wall at Parkview Field in a game. Decker was selected 42nd overall in last year’s draft and led all of Minor League Baseball with a .513 on-base percentage. He was the Arizona League MVP with the Peoria Padres. He is listed as the No. 3 prospect in the San Diego organization by Baseball America.

Decker, Carroll, INF James Darnell, RHPs Anthony Bass and Brad Brach along with LHP Zach Herr are on the All-Star roster for the Eastern Division

Former Wizards Pitcher, Jon Huber has signed a deal with the Atlanta Braves and will report to Triple-A Gwinnett County. Huber has some limited Major League experience and had been pitching with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League prior to the signing.

Former Wizards right-hander, Cory Doyne has signed with the Nationals and joins Triple-A Syracuse. Doyne has spent the past two seasons in the Baltimore Orioles organization.

Former Wizards outfielder, Will Venable has returned to the Padres after starting the season at Triple-A Portland. I recently got Will’s autograph. Glad to see him back in the big leagues.

As expected, former Wizards catcher, Chad Moeller was designated for assignment when Matt Wieters was called up. He cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A norfolk.

The TinCaps will have four representatives at this year’s Midwest League All Star game. Congratz to INF James Darnell, OF Sawyer Carroll, and right-handers, Brad Brach and Anthony Bass. If you’d like to help former Wizard Kyle Balnks make the Triple-A All-Star game, you can cast a ballot similar to the MLB version.

The Fort Wayne TinCaps welcomed their second largest crowd of the season to Parkview Field on Saturday to witness the TinCaps 6-4 victory over the Burlington Bees. The only game to attract a larger crowd was the festivities of the first game at the new ballpark, Opening Night on April 16th.

“Fort Wayne has really gotten behind the TinCaps and Parkview Field,” said TinCaps Team President, Mike Nutter. “The support that the team has received since Opening Day has been fantastic. To have a crowd of over 7,700 tonight, and to have welcomed our 100,000th fan through just 24 games, is a testament to how the community has embraced the team and this beautiful new facility. The weather is getting warmer, and school is letting out, which means the season’s biggest games are still to come.”

”We are confident that attendance at the remaining 46 games will continue to be strong and that we have several more sellouts ahead of us,” stated Michael Limmer, TinCaps Vice President of Marketing. “You really can’t underestimate the impact that warm weather and school being out has on attendance. Baseball teams in the Midwest typically see nearly 75% of their entire season’s attendance during the months of June, July and August and we have the majority of our fireworks nights and some of our best entertainment still to come in 2009.”

“While we don’t enjoy having to tell people that walk up to purchase a ticket that the game is sold out, that is just the reality on nights like this,” said Nutter. “We continue to strongly encourage fans to purchase tickets in advance. The best way to purchase TinCaps tickets is online at TinCaps.com, where you can select your seat and print your tickets all from the comfort of your home.” Tickets can also be purchased by calling the TinCaps at (260) 482-6400 or visiting the Parkview Field ticket office.

Michael Watt is back with Fort Wayne after making a spot start against the Fresno Grizzlies for Triple-A Portland yesterday. He didn’t fare so well, lasting just three innings where he gave up four earned runs on six hits, including a home run to Brain Horwitz.

Note: I originally posted this and indicated that Anthony Bass was returning to the TinCaps. Foolish error and my apologies for any confusion. I was typing one thing and thinking about two. Bass was the slated starter for tonight’s game and he was obviously on my mind. Thanks to a BBIFW reader for pointing out my folly.

If you were paying attention to the seasoning opening roadtrip, it would come as no surprise to you that Fort Wayne TinCaps RHP Anthony Bass was named the season’s first Midwest League Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday. 

Bass was the TinCaps’ Opening Day starter April 9th in Lansing, when he worked six shutout innings against the Lugnuts. He allowed three hits and struck out four. Bass then silenced the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ bats on April 15th, going six innings, allowing three hits and striking out six. The Trenton, MI native picked up the win in both starts and has not walked a batter this season [TinCaps.com].

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

[Show as slideshow]

123►