Sioux Falls and Wichita Share Doubleheader

After getting rained out Monday night, the Pheasants and the Wingnuts decided to play nice and share the doubleheader on Tuesday, which would prove to be an interesting night of ball play.

The Wingnuts winged the Birds with a 4-3 shotgun blast to send them into the second game. The Pheasants, however, were not going to be put in the game bag so easily and spurred the Wingnuts with a 4-2 win that included a round-tripper by MLB veteran and Pheasants centerfielder , Reggie Abercrombie. Pheasants ace, Chris Salberg, only allowed three runs on seven hits, only two of which were earned, and fanned six to earn the win.

It was certainly an interesting night absolutely filled with bad calls by the first base umpire (most of which were against the Birds) and both managers were thrown out of the game as a result. Let's hope this ump's role model isn't the infamous MLB umpire Jim Joyce, whose bad call earlier this year resulted in ruining what should have been Detroit's, Armando Gallaraga's, first perfect game. I think it's time the leagues get better umpires.

Stampede Star to Return to Sioux Falls for Visit

Former Stampede captain and current Minnesota Wild rookie defenceman, Nate Prosser, has been one of the players selected by the Minnesota Wild to stop through Sioux Falls on the Minnesota Wild Road Tour. Prosser, along with fellow defenceman, Brent Burns, former five-time Minnesota Wild captain, Brad Bombardir, radio personality, Dan Terhaar, and of course the Minnesota Wild mascot, Nordy, will be stopping through Sioux Falls on June 21st as part of the first day of their five day tour.

They will be set up in the north parking lot of the Sioux Falls Scheels All Sports from 5pm until 6pm, signing autographs, taking pictures and promoting "Cell Phones for Soldiers" along with Wells Fargo in addition to raising funds for Sioux Falls Youth Hockey. Bring any used cell phone to donate and receive a mug or puck from the Minnesota Wild players!

Prosser was a vital part of the Stampede and was a fan favorite during his tenure here in Sioux Falls. Prosser played in Sioux Falls for three years and was a key player as captain of the Herd's Anderson Cup championship team, posting 30 points and a plus-30 rating during the 2005-2006 season. In 2009, Nate was named to the Herd's All-Decade team and remains a fan favorite to this day.

For more information, check out www.wild.nhl.com or www.sfstampede.com.

Pheasants Back on Top After Breaking Three Game Losing Streak

Alright! This is starting to look like the team I know! Pheasants split the four game series with Wichita last night with a 6-3 victory that included Beau Torbert's 9th home run of the season. Pheasants hurler, Chris Salberg (5-0) pitched his fifth victory of the season, allowing only one run in six innings of play. Salberg and the Bird's defence make an excellent match up as the leftie forced 15 ground outs that coupled with four double plays to allow six hits, four walks and a strikeout.

These fighting Birds have now improved to 18-8 and maintain a solid hold on first place in the American Association. The Pheasants will meet up in St. Paul tonight to take on the Saints and, hopefully, improve upon their already impressive record. Tune in to KWSN 1230 AM or listen in at www.kwsn.com.

MiLB: Players Suspended

Oh boy, here we go again! Just when you think you have enough problems with doping in the MLB, three MiLB ball players have been suspended for Stanozolol among other performance enhancing drugs.

Come on, folks, I mean really! Doping? At such an early point in your career?! Don't get me wrong, I am completely against steroids and doping period, but to do it, let alone at such an early point in your career, is just completely stupid. The minor leagues are all about competing with yourself not other individual ball players. It's about improving, developing and honing one's skills with bat, glove and speed to prove that you are a great candidate to go up and prove yourself in the majors. You're not competing against every other Chipper Jones or Randy Johnson, you already did that in the draft. Being drafted proves the big ball clubs think you are or might be worthy of playing in their ballpark.

Just a shame. Hopefully this doesn't ruin their careers like it has so many former major league ball players; just take a look at Mark McGuire, Jose Canseco and Barry Bonds (who's all-time home run record is now tarnished with his past of steroid use). What a shame.

For more information check out http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100609&content_id=10985158&vkey=pr_milb&fext=.jsp.

Black Hawks Win Lord Stanley's Mug

It pains me to say it, as an avidly obsessive Minnesota Wild fan, but the Chicago Black Hawks win the 2010 Stanley Cup with an overtime goal against the Flyers to win the series 4-2. If you were to ask me mid-way through the regular season who was going to win Lord Stanley's Mug, aside from the Minnesota Wild, I would have said Capitals (lost in the 1st round to the Habs), Sharks (lost the Western Conference Finals to Chicago) or Vancouver (lost to Chicago in the Western Conference Semi-Finals). Never in my wildest dreams would I have said Chicago...never!

Maybe it's a good thing it's baseball season right now, hopefully it'll cool me down until October and the start of hockey season. Chicago, why did it have to be Chicago?! Good game, though, Hawks; I know it must be difficult hoisting the Stanley Cup in front of a hostile unsportsman-like Flyer crowd.

2010 Super Pitchers

There must be something in the water of our nation's ballparks because I can't come up with any other explanation as to why so many pitchers (some even relatively unknown) are having incredible games this year! You have the two Perfect Games earlier this year, then the controversial "28 Out Perfect Game" pitched by Armando Gallaraga and now a two hit shutout by Cleveland hurler, Justin Masterson; and this isn't the first shutout of the year either.

I mean, as a lover of the game, I am definitely not complaining about a pitcher's duel; there's nothing better in my own personal opinion. In fact, I especially like them because it gets me home in time to update my readership and get to bed before I start turning orange and growing a vine (turning into a pumpkin if you couldn't tell). What blows me away is the fact that there has never been two Perfect Games pitched in a season let alone almost three until this year! And Armando is fresh from the minors as well! Either the farm teams are growing them right or the high school and college draft crop is stronger and more selective than it used to be. I'll go with both.

Pheasants Know How it Feels With Two Game Losing Streak

The Pheasants finally know how the other team feels after losing 8-7 to Sioux City in extra innings and getting crushed 11-3 by a Wichita team they had just beaten last week. This was the first loss by more than two runs for the Pheasants.

American Association Player of the Week, Brandon Sing, had a great night last night with a home run and 2 RBI and was 1-for-3 for the night. This was Sing's third round-tripper in as many games; Sing leads the AAIPB with 10 home runs.

The Pheasants move to 16-7 but still have a firm hold on 1st place in the North Division. The Birds will continue with their four game campaign against the Wingnuts tonight at 7:05 p.m. Be sure to tune in to KWSN 1230 AM or listen online at www.kwsn.com.

Twins Choose Alex Wimmers for 21st Overall Draft Pick

He's no Randy Johnson (5 time Cy Young winner), but as a solid pitcher and starter for Ohio State, Alex Wimmers is a winner for the Twins. Predicted Twins draft pick, Deck McGuire, was drafted early on by the Toronto Blue Jays as the 11th overall draft pick in the 2010 MLB Draft, leaving a great range of ball players remaining to be drafted. Wimmers is a strikeout hurler with a fast ball in the upper 80s-mid 90s, a decent but could be improved curve ball in the low 70s and a presence and command of the mound befitting a 1st round draft choice.

For more information on Alex Wimmers check out his full scouting report at http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?topic_id=8080130&content_id=7177795. To watch the draft live or for more information on the 2010 MLB Draft go to http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2010/draftlive_app.jsp.

Twins Potential Draft Pick Looks Promising

MLB's 2010 Draft starts tonight and runs through Wednesday, bringing with it the possibility of playing in the big leagues to many young men with high hopes and even higher dreams. One such young man is right-handed hurler, Deck McGuire, of Georgia Tech, who is predicted to go as draft pick #21 by the Minnesota Twins.

At six feet six inches and 218 pounds, McGuire will certainly have a commanding presence on the mound. McGuire is a pitcher built for strikeouts with excellent control, a fast slider (86mph), a good changeup and a fast ball that hits low to mid 90s. I think McGuire will certainly be welcome in the Twinkies bullpen once climbing his way through the minors.

For more info on the 2010 MLB Draft or Deck McGuire check out MLB.com or clink on the link here: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?topic_id=8080130&content_id=7189157

Pheasants Hammer Explorers in 15-3 Win!

Okay, I don't think anyone can dispute just how home run happy the Pheasants are this year! Combined, the Birds have posted 32 round-trippers and lead the AAIPB with a whopping five Grand Slams, including two in the past three days by Brandon Sing. With three homers, including a Grand Slam, and several base hits, it's no wonder Sioux Falls managed to steam roll over the Explorers in a devastating 15-3 victory!

Not only did Sing get a Grand Slam, but former MLBer, Reggie Abercrombie, also drove in a 3-run homer and an additional run with a sacrifice pop fly early in the game. Reggie would be only 1-5 tonight but had 5 RBIs. Still, I wouldn't call that a bad night would you? On base percentages were good for both Joe Anthonsen and Trevor Lawhorn, who were both 3-5 on the night.

On a pitching note, Pheasants Ace, Chris Salberg (4-0), walked five, fanned five and only allowed two runs on three hits to remain undefeated for the season.

The Pheasants improve to 16-5 and will wrap up their home stay tomorrow against the Explorers with a possible sweep before traveling to Wichita to put those Wingnuts in their place once again.

Twins Break Three Game Losing Streak on West Coast with 5-4 Win in Oakland

Jon Rauch. The very mention of his name is enough to make even the toughest batters shutter. At 6'11", big Rauch is the tallest player in Major League history and the tallest player in the Majors to have ever hit a home run. His height alone is enough to make you quake, even without his tattooed up body and absolutely frightening heavy metal intro music when Rauch slowly takes the mound at home in Target Field. I know if I had to face him I'd drop the bat and run home, and I'm not talking home plate.

It was a tense game for the Twins as they came off a three game losing streak against the Seattle Mariners. Fortunately, a Morneau run in the top of the 11th and a solid shutdown of the A's by big Jon Rauch (1-1), who only pitched nine strikes and four balls in the bottom of the 11th, secured a Minnesota victory; this improves the Twinkies to a 32-23 record so far this season.

My opinion of the game? The Twinkies need to play with confidence, I mean, I can understand that 3-1 series loss against the Mariners is a bit of a boot to the berries but it's just one series. Gardenhire and the Twins need to take each series, no, each game, as they come. Play your hardest and have fun doing it is what baseball is all about. I hope they haven't lost sight of that. Heck, it's not like they're Baltimore and need a drastic change! The Twins have a great record so far and are one of the best teams in the AL, aside from a few teams in the AL East; yes, all hail the all powerful gods: the Yankees. That was sarcasm if you couldn't tell. Anyways, I see a bright future for the Twins this season and you can bet they'll be making a good case for a World Series championship win. Have a good night folks; I think I'm turning into a pumpkin as I type.

Pitching Duel Ends in 2-0 Win for Pheasants

Pheasants' Ace, Ben Moore, pitched a gem of a game, striking out ten and pitching eight scoreless innings in the Birds first of three consecutive meetings with the Sioux City Explorers. Closer, Aaron Cotter, pitched a scoreless 9th to give Moore (3-2) the win and notch a fourth save for himself. Tonight's game resulted in a tie for Moore with former Pheasant, Pat Mahomes, for second place all-time in franchise history with 246 career fans (strikeouts). Explorers' starter, Mikael Ryder (1-3) only allowed four hits, none until the bottom of the fifth. Ryder was relieved after 6 1/3 innings, walking one and fanning four Pheasants.

The Pheasants move to 15-5 (10-1 at home), solidly anchoring the first place spot in the American Association.

What a game, folks! This game was all about pitching, which was excellent on both sides, especially considering there were only eleven hits combined between both ball clubs. I, personally, didn't agree with manager, Steve Shirley's, decision to bring in Cotter (who is a heck of a closer and pitcher in his own right, don't get me wrong) to relieve Moore in the 9th. Ben was pitching a heck of a game and you have to stick with your hurler while he's hot! And Moore just seemed to be getting better and better as the night progressed! Overall though, great pitching by all hurlers involved in tonight's game, thank you for a wonderful night of entertainment and an unbelievable game of baseball!

American Association News: OF Sold to MLB Franchise

The Fort Worth Cats have announced that outfielder, Seth Fortenberry, will no long be suiting up for the AAIPB, but for the Florida Marlins instead. Fortenberry has a batting average of .354 with a round-tripper and nine RBI in the last 13 games with the Cats.

My opinion? It is always awesome to see a player from the AAIPB make it to the big leagues or their minor league affiliates, but I think there are a few more players that could have been called up before Fortenberry. Just take a look at some of the Pheasants players, including Trevor Lawhorn and Brandon Sing; last night Lawhorn homered for the second consecutive game (he had two homers the night before in the Pheasants' 8-7 loss) and would finish 3-5 with 3 RBI for the night. Brandon Sing got a Grand Slam in the bottom of the 8th, he went 3-4 with 6 RBI. And these are just a few of the players that are doing so well in the American Association! Man, that's awful good for a farm system!

Pheasants Win Big Time in Home Series Clincher Against Wingnuts!

I don't know of anyone that wouldn't consider 16-4 a big time victory, especially considering the 8-7 heart breaker the Birds lost last night to notch their first loss at home. The Pheasants improve to 14-5 (9-1 at home) and Wichita moves to 7-11. Sioux Falls will wrap up their home stand this week with a series against the Sioux City Explorers before engaging the Wingnuts, once again, next week in Wichita. For more information on the Pheasants or tonight's game go to the Pheasant's website (http://www.sfpheasants.com/).

Is there any stopping the Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants? Apparently not, and I'm not one to complain quite frankly. Go Pheasants!

Commissioner Leaves Near-Perfect Game Call As Is!

Commissioner Bud Selig has stated that the bad call by MLB umpire, Jim Joyce, will stand and the game that should have been perfect will remain a one-hitter much to the dismay of Detroit and baseball fans everywhere. However, the use of instant replay may be called on in future games depending on commissioner, committee and manager approval. Instead, Armando Galarraga will be driving home in a brand new Chevy Corvette and will have a guest stint on David Letterman. This whole situation may make him more famous than the perfect game would have!

My opinion on the matter? Bud Selig needs to get off his high horse and overturn this bad call made by poor Joyce, who has been made the biggest victim of this whole fiasco by not only baseball fans everywhere, but by himself as well. Joyce, who reviewed the play over and over again after the game, knows just as well as anyone else that he really screwed up big time! Bad calls have been overturned by baseball commissioners before, why not now? Especially considering that, in all actuality, Armando did pitch a perfect game that won't go down in the record books along with the other two that have occurred earlier this season. I think it's time for a new commissioner don't you? Check please!

Regional Triple-A Update: Omaha Royals Secure Tenth Win Out of Past Eleven!

Hurricanes and oil spills are not the only disasters to strike the gulf coast, as last night the Omaha Royals (Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals) hammered New Orleans; scoring nine runs against starter Rick VandenHurk in just the first three innings! This game was over before we even reached the bottom of the 3rd. Royals hurler, Blaine Hardy (1-0) pitched a perfect three relief innings that would end scoreless for the New Orleans batters and secured his first ever Triple-A win. The Royals easily won, 10-5, securing their tenth win in their past eleven games! Omaha is now 29-22 and will engage New Orleans for their third meeting of the four game series tonight.

The way the Royals are playing is just incredible! As a one-time Omaha resident, I remember many a time at Rosenblatt Stadium watching the Royals and later, the "Golden Spikes" (this name change was due to the history of the railroad running through Omaha, this did not sit too well with fans and the Golden Spikes once again became the Royals in the early 2000s), play the game that is to us what hockey is to Canadians. There is just nothing better than going to a ballgame, taking in the sights and sounds and, of course, enjoy a good stadium dog. I know I am not alone in this sentiment.

Stanley Cup Update: Flyers Win 4-3 to Cut Hawks' Series Lead in Half

Okay, anyone else disappointed in the final match up for Lord Stanley's Cup? As a Minnesota Wild fan, I didn't know who to root for, but I didn't want to see a third consecutive Red Wings/Penguins final and I especially didn't want to see the Chicago Black Hawks hoist the cup. But, as usual, San Jose showed weakness in the Western Conference final and the Hawks swept them in four games. And who would imagine that the Philidelphia Flyers and Daniel Carcillo would erase a 3-0 deficit against hockey great, Bobby Orr's, Boston Bruins to come back for the win and even beat the miracle team of Montreal to make it to the finals?!

I swear...I think the world is coming to an end and it began in Philly.

Pheasants' Four Homers Not Enough in First Home Loss

What an awesome night for homeruns, the Birds posting four including two back-to-back round-trippers. However, it was not enough to stop Wichita from breaking the Pheasants' 8-0 home streak with an 8-7 heartbreaker. The Pheasants move to 13-5 which still puts them solidly in first place in the American Association, and Wichita improves to 7-10, which puts them ahead of the Fort Worth Cats, Pensacola Pelicans and El Paso Diablos.

The Pheasants will wrap up their series with Wichita tomorrow night at 7:10pm and will then take on the Sioux City Explorers at home before once again engaging the Wingnuts next week, this time in Wichita.

Well, as a Pheasants fan, you always hope they win every game, but realistically that will hardly happen. They had to lose sometime and I think I know why they lost at home tonight, I wasn't there to cheer them on with my pheasant call and lucky pheasant hunting hat! You'd think that if you were their good luck charm you should automatically get season tickets or something...have a good night folks and be sure to tune into the game tomorrow night at 7:10pm on KWSN 1230 AM! For more information on tonight's game, check out the Pheasants' website (http://www.sfpheasants.com/) for updates and the full story.

Ump Rules No Out: Record 3rd Perfect Game Goes Awry

In what should have been the 3rd perfect game recorded this season, the Detroit Tigers got the raw end of the call when umpire, Jim Joyce, ruled Tiger's right handed pitcher, Armando Galarraga, did not have his foot on the 1st base bag before rookie batter, Jason Donald. Upon review in every replay that is available, anyone can clearly see that the ump must have been looking at something else because Donald is clearly out.

This would have (should have) been an MLB record of three perfect games in one season, breaking the current record of two perfect games in one season set last Saturday by hurler, Roy Halladay, against the Florida Marlins. Had they gotten the perfect game it would have been the first in Tiger history.

I am no Tigers fan, but you have to respect a great pitcher worth his salt. For more information on this disgustingly maddening event check out MLB.com. Here is a link to the story: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100602&content_id=10727590&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Mariners Great Retires

This just in off of MLB.com: Ken Griffey Jr. has decided to retire after 22 years in the Majors. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100602&content_id=10725878&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

An era in Major League Baseball now comes to an end, it started with 300 Club member, Randy Johnson, and ended with The Kid. You'll be missed, Jr.

Player Spotlight

I'm listening to the Pheasants game and Wichita is already in the lead 3-0 here in the top of the 1st with back-to-back doubles. Looks like we need a relief hurler sooner than I'd hoped. At the mention of Reggie Abercrombie in center field I decided that the world doesn't know much about our Reggie. So this is a Player Spotlight on Reggie!

Reggie Abercrombie
- born in Columbus, Georgia on July 15th, 1981
-graduated from Columbus High School
-was drafted in the 23rd round of the '99 MLB Draft by the LA Dodgers, but chose to go to college instead
-was called up by the Florida Marlins in Spring '06 after a strong spring training season in which he batted .358 with a .394 on-base percentage and a .627 slugging percentage. This was surprising as Abercrombie had only briefly played Single-A ball.
-had a well below league average batting average (.212), on-base percentage (.277) and slugging percentage (.333) but did manage to hit a homer on April 19th, 2006 that would be the longest homerun distance recorded (486ft.) since Hit Tracker Online's Standard Distance began recording homerun distances. This record would later be broken by Arizona Diamondback's Adam Dunn on September 27th, 2008 that was a distance of 501 feet.
-would later play for Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, the Houston Astros and the Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.

And that, is your Player Spotlight!

Welcome to the Corn Field!

This blog is dedicated (for the most part) to Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants independent professional baseball, however, this blog will also discuss sports topics from MLB and MiLB to NFL, NHL and even the great sport of hunting!

Let's start with last night's match up between the Pheasants and the Wichita Wingnuts! Before the bottom of the 8th inning the Birds did not look like the league leaders they actually are, posting only two hits to Wichita's ten. The score would be 2-1 until the Pheasants' potentially second-to-last at bat.

The first Sioux Falls hit came off Tim Hutting, who posted his first round-tripper of the year; Hutting, the Pheasants' lead-off man in the bottom of the 8th, would later score yet again off of an RBI single from former MLBer, Reggie Abercrombie. Abercrombie would, indeed, cross home plate just a few minutes later (after Joe Anthonsen and Gus Milner were driven home by a Beau Torbert 2-run single) after Hunter Jobes notched a base hit, making the game 5-2.

I must say, aside from the bottom of the 8th, this game was all about pitching. Wichita's starting hurler, Gabe Medina, was quite impressive; the big pitcher only allowed one run with only two hits in seven innings of play, walked two Pheasants and fanned six. Cephas Howard relieved Medina in the 8th, and as we all know, that didn't go so well for Wichita; Howard (1-1) took the loss while Pheasants reliever, Matt Zachary, pitched a perfect 8th leaving the mound nice and comfortable for the Pheasants' closer. In the top of the 9th, Aaron Cotter took the mound for the close against the Wingnuts, allowing two hits and striking out a formidable Wichita batter for out number two. In no time at all the fat lady had sung and the Birds improved to 13-4, standing undefeated (8-0) at home.

What a roller coaster of ups and downs! It was really looking like the Pheasants were in a slump until that 8th inning. Pheasants catcher, Eddy Rodriguez ("E-Rod"), hasn't been having as good of nights here lately it seems; he was either walked, flew out, or struck out last night. Let's hope tonight will be a better night for him. Be sure to tune your radio in to 1230 AM to listen to the Pheasants game, which starts at 7:05 pm. The Pheasants are on a home game stretch through Sunday against the Wichita Wingnuts and the Sioux City Explorers before packing up and playing Wichita in their ballpark. Get in on the action while you can; I can assure you that there is never a dull moment at a Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants game!