The 2009 Best of San Joaquin awards are issued by The Stockton Record, and are based on the online votes of readers. The Best of San Joaquin also highlights other top businesses in the San Joaquin County based on category. There were first, second and third place winners for each category.
The Ports are proud to have been nominated by fans as the Best Local Pro Sports Team and Banner Island Ballpark as the Best Sports Venue. The Ports would like to thank their fans for their continued support.
In the Local Pro Sports Team category, the Stockton Thunder were named second.
In the Sports Venue category, Banner Island Ballpark was ranked first, while the Stockton Arena came in second and the Stockton 99 Speedway finished third.
The Stockton Ports were also featured in the Local Pro Player category. Lefthanded pitcher Derrick Gordon was selected at the top Ports player for 2009. Gordon made 39 appearances for the Ports in 2009, finishing the season with a 5-6 record, a save and a 3.78 ERA. He struck out 90 batters in 85.2 innings and walked just 33 batters.
Brian Farber and Bonil Koccholie were selected from the Carolina Cougars, while Mika Kane from the Stockton Lightning and Mike LaLonde from the Stockton Thunder were also honored.
]]>It's a Google Calendar too, so you can import it into Outlook, your phone, whatever you prefer! Stay in touch with the Ports by finding them in area community events!
Here's the link: http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/community/page.jsp?ymd=20091022&content_id=7526846&vkey=community_t524&fext=.jsp&sid=t524
Go Ports! See you around the Stockton/San Joaquin County communities!
]]>The Desert Dogs are looking to capture their sixth consecutive championship this season, and feature the best record in the league at 10-5 thus far. A major part of that success has been the hot bat of OF Grant Desme, the Ports 2009 Player of the Year.
Desme has hit 10 home runs in 10 games, and is four homers shy of tying the league's single-season record set by Brandon Wood of the Angels organization in 2005. He is leading the League with a .434 batting average, 10 home runs, 22 RBI and 19 runs--all in 13 games. Desme put together an 11-game hitting streak as well. With those numbers, it's easy to see why he was named the Week 2 Player of the Week for the league.
Desme's first full season in professional baseball was in 2009, as injuries kept him from playing more than a handful of games in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, Desme began the year with Single-A Kane County before joining the Ports after the All-Star Break. In 62 games with the Ports, Desme posted a .304 batting average, with 12 doubles, four triples, 20 home runs and 51 RBI. Desme led the team in home runs and finished third on the team in RBI. Desme, in fact, led the A's farm system with 31 total home runs, and ranked among Oakland organization leaders with 89 total RBI and 40 stolen bases.
Brown and Weeks have also been showing good skills at the plate this season for Phoenix. Brown is batting .353 with three doubles, two triples, four home runs and 14 RBI this season. He's second on the Desert Dogs in homers and third in RBI. Brown has collected three RBI in each of his last two games, and has hit safely in 11 of his 12 games this season. He's also had an extra base hit in six straight games for the Desert Dogs. Brown was named a midseason All-Star with the Texas League in 2009. He batted .268 with 20 doubles, four triples, nine home runs and 43 RBI for the RockHounds this year.
Weeks, the A's 2008 First Round draft pick, is hitting .256 with five doubles, two triples and six RBI in 10 games for the Desert Dogs. He leads Phoenix in doubles. He had a great year with Stockton before being promoted to Double-A Midland. Weeks started off the season by hitting safely in each of the first 22 straight games he played in--the longest hitting streak by a Stockton player in 2009, and second longest in the California League. He batted .400 (36x90) with five doubles, a triple, seven home runs and 23 RBI in that span.
Demel and Friend have been seeing some action for the Desert Dogs as well. Demel, who split the 2009 season between Double-A Midland and Triple-A Sacramento, has appeared in six games and pitched 5.0 innings so far for Phoenix. He's struck out five and allowed nine runs on 12 hits.
Friend, one of the most reliable arms from the Ports bullpen in 2009, is tied for the team-lead with two wins. With Phoenix, he has tossed 5.1 innings over four appearances this season, striking out five and allowing five runs on three hits. The Manteca, Calif. native played in 43 games for the Ports--the second highest number of appearances for Stockton this season. He went 1-4 with five saves and a 2.87 ERA. He struck out 64 batters in 59.2 innings before being promoted to Double-A Midland in August.
The Desert Dogs also feature prospects from Toronto, Washington, Baltimore and Tampa Bay, in addition to Oakland. The No. 1 pick of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, RHP Stephen Strasburg, is also competing with the 2009 Phoenix Desert Dogs.
Click here to check out the report: http://stockton.ports.milb.com/documents/2009/10/09/7410302/1/2009_Community_Report.pdf
The Ports are proud to report that through the Anchor Fund this season, the Ports gave approximately $35,500 and nearly $107,500 of in-kind donations, including nearly 13,350 tickets, to local non-profits, charities and schools in San Joaquin County--more than doubling the total dollars donated and the amount of in-kind donations from 2008.
"I am truly proud of the great strides we have made in our community involvement--from the creation of the Anchor Fund in 2007 to setting new donation records in 2009," said Ports President and General Manager Pat Filippone. "It's been pleasure to serve our fans and to work hand-in-glove with the Stockton and San Joaquin County communities this season. We are proud that our organization, our corporate sponsors and our fans are so generous with their efforts to help improve our community, and to reach out and help our neighbors."
The 2009 Community Relations Report illustrates the depth of the Ports involvement in the Stockton and San Joaquin Valley communities, and highlights the positive influence the Ports have had in the community this season.
"The Ports organization--its front office staff, players and coaches--are committed to serving and supporting the community that supports it, in any way possible," Filippone added. "It is the organization's goal to be a responsible, proactive force in the community. The Ports are proud to be involved in and provide numerous community programs in Stockton and San Joaquin County."
The Ports have several exciting community outreach programs planned for the 2010 season, and look forward to working closely with Stockton and San Joaquin County to support the community that supports the team.
The 2009 Community Relations Report is available at www.stocktonports.com and at the front office suite at Banner Island Ballpark.
For more information, please contact the Ports at (209) 644-1900.
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The Ports hit two home runs--an inside and an outside the park homer--the most in a single game this season. The Boys of Banner Island totaled 19 hits in the contest. They had the chance to come back, loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but two pop outs to shortstop ended the game.
Under the Influence took a 1-0 lead in the first, on a sacrifice fly by Albert D., to score Eric M., who led off the game with a walk. Under the Influence threatened to score in the top of the second, loading the bases on a pair of singles and a walk. But Ben R. popped out to third baseman Zach Sharkey and pitcher Vic Zapien struck out Joey T. looking to end the inning.
The Ports made it 2-1 in the bottom of the second for their only lead of the game. Sharkey led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a hit by Zapien. Sharkey scored the first Ports run as catcher Kyle Osgood hit into a fielder's choice. Outfielder Sam Harold next stepped up to the plate and reached on a fielder's choice. First baseman Tim Pasisz reached on an error by the second baseman to load the bases with two out. Ben Carr knocked an RBI single to right field to drive home Harold.
Under the Influence had an offensive outpouring in the third inning, putting nine runs on the board. Mike D. led off the inning with a solo home run to center field, and later followed it up in the frame with a grand slam home run.
The Ports made it 10-5 in the bottom of the third inning. Outfielder Luke Reiff led off the frame with a solo shot to left field. Shortstop Kyle DeWitt reached first with a walk. Outfielder Mark Mendes doubled to left field to score DeWitt. Osgood notched an infield single to bring home Mendes for the third run of the inning. Harold followed with a double, but Pasisz grounded out to end the inning.
The Ports held Under the Influence scoreless in the fourth. Outfielder Ben Carr made it 10-6 in the bottom of the fourth. Carr slammed the ball to the back of the center field wall. As he came charging around second, Carr noted that the outfielders were scrambling to relay the ball in, and headed for home. He reached home plate standing up, as the relay throw was not in time.
Under the Influence added their eleventh run on an RBI single by Joaquin A., and kept the Ports scoreless in the fifth. The Ports defense, after allowing a leadoff walk, retired the next three batters in order in the top of the sixth.
The Ports pulled within two to make it 11-9 in the sixth. Carr led off the inning, reaching second on an error by the center fielder, who bobbled the ball. Ethan Bagen doubled to center field, and Carr crossed the plate for his second run of the contest. Reiff collected another RBI with a double to left field. DeWitt popped out to second base for the second out of the frame. Mendes reached base on an error by the shortstop to be runners on first and second for Sharkey. Sharkey notched an RBI single for his third hit of the game.
The Ports ran into a little trouble into the top of the seventh. Under the Influence led off with a walk. Albert D. hit into a fielder's choice, as Sharkey touched third base to put out the advancing runner. Jose S. then hit into another fielder's choice. With runners on first and second, Joaquin A. doubled to bring home Albert D. Danny R. hit into a fielder's choice, and Sharkey threw the ball to Osgood to get the runner at the plate. With two out, Tim G. doubled to score two runs. Eric M. singled to keep the Influence offense alive, but Ben R. popped out to Zapien to end the inning.
The Ports went into the bottom of the seventh down 14-9. With one out, Harold doubled through the hole at shortstop. Harold came around to score the final Ports run on a single to center field by Pasisz. Carr and outfielder John Watts singled to load the bases. Bagen and Reiff both popped out to short to end the game.
The Ports will look to capture their fourth victory of the season on Tuesday, October 13 at 6:00 p.m. at Louis Park against Clean Machine.
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STOCKTON, Calif.--The 2009 Ports Softball season has been characterized by late-inning heroics, and Tuesday's contest was a definitive example.
The Ports (3-0) were down 15-6 against Keith Lund (3-2) entering the bottom of the sixth, and left the field at Louis Park on Tuesday with a 19-18 victory.
The Ports scored 11 runs in the sixth inning and third baseman Zach Sharkey notched the game-winning two-RBI double to left field in the seventh to lift the squad to their third straight victory at Louis Park.
A pair of RBI singles gave Keith Lund a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but a sacrifice fly by outfielder Mark Mendes scored outfielder John Watts to give the Ports their first run of the game.
Both teams were held scoreless in the second frame. Keith Lund piled on six runs in the third inning to pull ahead, 8-1. The Ports added four runs in the bottom of the third. Pitcher Vic Zapien doubled to center field to lead off, and moved to third on a single by Watts. An RBI single by outfielder Luke Reiff made it 8-2. Shortstop Kyle DeWitt reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with two out. Mendes then stepped up to the plate, and slammed the ball to right field. The play was bobbled by the right fielder, allowing Watts to score. Mendes scored next on an RBI single by Sharkey.
A solo home run to lead off the inning gave Keith Lund a 9-5 lead in the top of the fourth. The Ports added one in the bottom of the fourth to make it 9-6. Outfielder Sam Harold, after leading off the inning with an infield single, scored the team's sixth run.
Keith Lund had another six-run outburst in the fifth inning, as the team collected two two-run home runs, to pull ahead, 15-6.
Facing a large, late deficit, the Ports offense came to life in the sixth. Harold got thing started with a single toward third base. First baseman Tim Pasisz and Zapien followed with a pair of singles. With the bases loaded, Watts singled to bring home the seventh run of the game for the Ports. Second baseman Ethan Bagen drove home another run with a sacrifice fly to center field. Reiff made it 15-9 with an RBI single to score Zapien. The next three Ports batters--Mendes, Sharkey and catcher Kyle Osgood--each notched an RBI single to make it 15-13.
With Osgood on first, Harold came back up to bat, and reached on an error by the Keith Lund shortstop. Pasisz then walked to load the bases with two out. Zapien stepped up to the plate, and launched a towering shot, which landed among the trees past the center field fence for a grand slam. It was the first home run by a Ports Softball player this season. Watts popped out to the pitcher to end the inning.
The Ports ran out onto the field for the top of the seventh with a 17-15 lead. But the 12th batter for Keith Lund launched his second home run of the game to make it 18-17 with one out. The Ports collected their second out, and then gave up a pair of singles. With runners on first and second, the third batter in the Keith Lund lineup singled to center field. The leadoff runner broke for home, but the Ports made a tremendous play at the plate. Watts threw the ball into Osgood, who caught the runner in his attempt to take home. The crucial out kept the Ports within one run as they headed into the bottom of the seventh.
Bagen singled to lead off the seventh for the Ports. Reiff followed with his own single to put two on. DeWitt hit into a fielder's choice which put out Bagen as he advanced to third. With runners on first and second and one out, Mendes hit into a fielder's choice which put out DeWitt at second. Runners stood at the corners for Sharkey. Sharkey launched the ball to deep left field, and the outfielder dove to try to get the ball as it dropped just inside the foul line. He misjudged the dive, and the ball got past him. Reiff came racing toward home, and Mendes followed suit to score the winning run.
The Ports will look to extend their winning streak on October 6 at Louis Park against Under the Influence at 7:05 p.m.
In honor of the Ports Softball team's win last night and moving to a 3-0 record, the Team Store is offering a 19 % off sale through Friday, October 2 (as Ports Softball squad scored 19 runs on Tuesday night). Enter the promotion code 'SOFTBALL' during checkout.
STOCKTON, Calif.--With another late-inning surge, the Ports Softball (2-0) squad put the Faith Assembly of God (0-4) on their knees en route to an 11-7 victory on Tuesday night at Louis Park.
The Ports showed marked improvement in the field, committing just one error. The seven runs allowed were the fewest surrendered this season by the Ports. The combination of quality defense and timely hitting helped propel the Ports to their second straight victory.
The Ports surged ahead to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Outfielder John Watts walked to start the game. Zack Mennie, in his final game with the Ports, then reached on a fielder's choice. The Faith Assembly shortstop tried to put out Watts at second, but committed an error, which allowed Watts to reach second and advance to third safely. Outfielder Luke Reiff singled to bring home both runners. Team player/manager Mark Mendes singled to second to score Reiff. Ethan Bagen singled to put runners on first and second with one out, but the next two batters hit into fielder's choice plays to end the frame.
In the bottom of the first, Faith Assembly made it 3-2 on two RBI singles. The Ports collected the third out on a play at the plate. Catcher Kyle Osgood caught a good throw from Watts, squared up in front of the plate and tagged the advancing runner.
Faith Assembly silenced the Ports bats from the second through fourth innings, holding them hitless. But while the Ports offense was quiet, Faith Assembly's offense roared to life. Faith Assembly pulled ahead, 4-3, in the second off a two-run home run to center field, and another solo shot off a tree in left field made it 5-3.
The Ports cut the lead in half by adding a run in the fifth. Stockton regained the lead for good in the sixth inning, adding four runs. Reiff led off the inning with a single to left-center field. Shortstop Kyle DeWitt then doubled to right field to put two runners in scoring position with no out. Mendes grounded out to the pitcher, but Reiff scored on the play. Bagen knocked an RBI single to make it 6-5. After right fielder Sam Harold struck out, first baseman Tim Pasisz singled. Third baseman Zach Sharkey added to the hit parade with his second single of the evening, allowing Bagen to score. Osgood followed with his own RBI single to score Pasisz for the eighth Ports run. Pitcher Justin Gray hit into a fielder's choice which put out Osgood at second to end the frame.
With two outs in the sixth, Faith Assembly walked in a run in the sixth. But they left the bases loaded as a great catch by Mennie in center-right field ended the inning.
The Ports added three more runs in the top of the seventh to subjugate Faith Assembly. Watts led off the final inning with a single, and moved to second as Mennie reached on an error by the first baseman. Reiff collected his third single and third RBI of the game next. DeWitt and Mendes followed with a pair of singles to bring home the runners.
Faith Assembly collected their last run of the game in the seventh, but the Ports strong defense kept them from scoring further.
The Ports will take on Keith Lund at 6:00 p.m. at Louis Park on Tuesday, September 29.
STOCKTON, Calif.-After a rocky start, the Ports Softball team staged a tremendous 14-13 come-from-behind victory against No Good at Louis Park on Tuesday night in their fall softball season opener.
Mark Mendes finished the game 4x4 with a double and four RBI, including the game-winning RBI in the seventh inning. Zack Mennie and Luke Reiff each had three hits in the contest, in which the Ports totaled 18 hits.
No Good scored four runs in the first inning to take an early lead. The Ports made it 4-2 with two runs in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Mennie singled to jumpstart the Ports offense. He was put out at second in the next at-bat, as No Good tried to turn a double play, but Reiff was safe at first as the second baseman overthrew the ball. Mendes then doubled to drive home both runs.
No Good pulled ahead, 8-2, in the top of the second. After issuing a walk, a hit and a walk to load the bases, Ports pitcher Justin Gray gave up a two-RBI double. The next batter reached on a fielder's choice, as the Ports tried to make a play at the plate. The run scored as catcher Kyle Osgood had to move in front of the plate to catch the ball. The following batter hit into a fielder's choice for the first out of the frame, which allowed the eighth No Good run to score. After issuing another walk, the Ports retired the next two batters.
The Ports piled on four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Osgood reached on an error by the second baseman. Vic Zapien, who played in place of Ben Carr, popped out for the second out of the inning. John Watts and Mennie hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. Reiff then stepped up to the plate and knocked home two runs on a double. Shortstop Kyle DeWitt brought home two more runs on a single. Mendes followed with a single to put runners on first and second with two out. Second baseman Ethan Bagen then flew out to right field to end the inning.
No Good made it 9-6 in the fourth, on an RBI single, and went ahead 10-6 in the top of the fifth.
The Ports got their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Osgood led off with a single, and moved to third on a double by Zapien. Watts flew out for the first out of the inning. Mennie got on base on a fielder's choice, as the opponents tried to putout a runner. With the bases loaded, Reiff drove home a run with a single. DeWitt brought home a run with a walk. Mendes picked up his third RBI of the game on a single. Bagen made it 11-10 with a two-RBI single. Right fielder Sam Harold was called out on a dead ball, and Bagen was put out at second to end the inning.
No Good added three more runs to regain the lead in the top of the sixth. The Ports made it 13-12 in the bottom of the sixth. First baseman Tim Pasisz walked to lead off the inning, and was replaced on the basepaths by Sam Harold. After third baseman Zach Sharkey fouled out to the No Good catcher, Justin Gray doubled. With runners on first and third and one out, Osgood brought home another Ports run on a groundout.
The Ports retired the No Good offense in order in the seventh, to keep the Ports within two runs. The Ports came right back to battle in the bottom of the seventh. The first three batters singled to load the bases. DeWitt hit a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield, allowing Watts to score the tying run. Mendes then stepped up to the plate and drove a deep single, allowing Mennie to cross the plate as the winning fourteenth run.
The walk-off victory gave the Ports their first win in the season, setting them on the winning path for the season.
The Ports will be taking on the Faith Assembly of God on Tuesday, September 22 at 8:10 p.m. at the southwest field at Louis Park.
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We have been fielding fan mail and an abundance of inquiries wondering what Greatness will be doing in the offseason. Well, our lovable San Joaquinians, inquire no more! Today we will celebrate the dark/morbid/sadness that is known as the offseason... no Ports baseball. However, closing the books on 2009 Ports baseball funnels The Kyle's into the opening of the book of life! So without further ado...
The Top 5 Offseason Klye's Endeavors and Contributions to the World.....BOOM GO!
Kyle Osgood's Top 5
1. DVR'n it - You may ask, "Kyle, what is this?" Well, it's the new sport I invented. Here is how you play. The game is separated into two half's (Afternoon and Evening). The first half tends to consist of comedies and sporting related shows, while the second half is mostly dramas. In the middle there is a 30 minute halftime, which consists of ordering pizza, because as we know, "You got thirty minutes!"
2. Work on my "athletic skills" - I was not blessed with what "main-stream society" would consider a body made for sports, but my love for the game(s) is there. Call me Rudy if you must!...No, seriously, please call me Rudy--I love that movie!
3. Watch the Championship runs - During the offseason, I expect championships from all of my favorite teams - Atlanta Braves (Wild Card to Champion), Kansas City Chiefs (Yeah, Raiders, you wanna fight about it?!), Nebraska Cornhuskers (Because we know the Big 12 will be dominating the realm of college football) and Wichita State Basketball (The miracle run begins in November). All other offseason sports teams pale in comparison.
4. Enjoy my nights - Contrary to popular belief, my best nights were not spent in the box office. I expect to frolic in the rain with a wonderfully smelling DeWitt and play Ping-Pong on our soon-to-be-acquired Ping-Pong table (Ethan, it's happening!)
5. Serve the people - Our fans are the lifeblood of our universe. My offseason will consist of shaking hands and kissing babies. Whatever I have to do to increase the fan base, I will do it. Need your car washed...Done! Need a back massage...Done! Need someone to clean up after your pet....DeWitt is all yours!
Kyle DeWitt's Top 5
1. Sleep - I have a scheduled make-out session with my pillow and sheets (it's not as strange as it sounds). I know what you may be thinking, "Hey Kyle's, don't you do nothing while the team is on the road anyway?" Short and simple response: Yes, we leave the ballpark to rot and turn into an unidentifiable wasteland until the team graces us with their presence from a road trip. No! We keep this ship sailing year round bucko (maybe you heard about a little thing called the Bob Dylan concert?)! The glamour of working in baseball is a fraud! Fifteen hour days get somewhat redundant and greatness and hotitude runs a little thin following an eight-game homestand, despite our deep, gold-plated and flex-fitted reserve tanks. So, I will sleep immediately following season's end... Deborah, hold all my calls til October!
2. Do Fun Stuff - I got some tennis to play with Watts, Madden with Bagen, FIFA with the Attack, Golden Tee with Osgood, Rock-em Sock-em Robots with Sharkey, fetch & tug-o-war with my dogs, Bed, Bath and Beyond and Home Depot with the lady if I have enough time, and so on. Also, the Ports front office softball team will bring the pain and make it rain on softball fields Stockton-wide! So stay up on the Ports Post blog to maintain awesomeness-awareness! I'm gonna go yard on some poor and unsuspecting Stocktonian... just a heads-up.
3. Get In Shape - A moment of humble honesty: The Kyle's are getting soft. However, don't let that admission fool you...we are still the most perfect and awesome duo to come at you since Peanut and Butter! Mmmm, peanut butter... this getting in shape thing may be an uphill battle. Don't judge and drop support--we are committed to a common goal!
4. FOOTBALL!!! - Yeah, duders it is time for some football! I will be avidly following and monitoring the 2009 Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl season as well as my Ports fantasy football championship run. If you have a problem with my stone-cold-lock predictions you can go cry about it. Just keep in mind there is no room for babies in football.
5. Charity - I will be donating my salary to the development of greener fuel emissions testing, my time to freeing Tibet, my love to feeding the dwindling gazelle populations in Sudan, my thoughts to cleansing the world of disease, and my soul to extending life expectancy--all without stepping on the toes of world leaders, such as President Obama and Brett Favre (did you really think you could escape him at a Ports game!? Hahahaha you should know better!!!!)
If you are worried about the discontinuation of The Kyle's, don't worry, we already inked our deal for 2010. Next year we are planning on branching out to hardcover, but our publisher "Big Deal Industries" doesn't know if the world can handle this much hotitude in hardback form.
Make sure to keep up with the blog and Ports softball team in the offseason!
Until next year, stay hot Stocktonians!
We write for the people!
Cheers!
As we bring another exciting season of California League competition to a close, I'd like to thank you for your continuing support of the Stockton Ports and reflect with you on all of the terrific things that have been accomplished on and off the field this season.
We opened the season on April 16 with a California League Championship ring ceremony and celebration of the franchise's record-setting 11th league crown, and we were truly honored by the support and excitement of our fans that night. That support has not wavered once this season, in spite of the adversity that the team faced in the first half of the season. Our fans clearly demonstrated their high level of dedication and commitment this season, showing why they are the best fans of any team in the California League. I am joined by all of our front office, on-field personnel, and game day staff when I say thank you for your support this season.
The atmosphere at any ballpark comes to life with its fans, and you have made Banner Island Ballpark the ideal place to be on any spring or summer night here in Stockton. One only had to look at the 6,075 fans here on July 3 to see that Stocktonians really enjoy the affordable and fun family entertainment we provide here at the ballpark.
The Ports were also very proud to welcome the one millionth fan in Banner Island Ballpark history this summer, in its fifth season. It was a pleasure to welcome Randy Friend of Manteca, Calif. as our one millionth fan in Banner Island Ballpark history.
This accomplishment definitively shows the loyalty of Ports fans and reflects the family-fun atmosphere we produce here at Banner Island Ballpark. We were truly excited to celebrate this accomplishment as we headed into the final stretch of the season. We look forward to welcoming the two millionth fan to the ballpark in the future, and to continue to be a part of the lives of so many San Joaquin County residents.
In addition to the successes on the field, like Jemile Week's 22-game hitting streak, Ben Hornbeck's 12 strikeouts in his debut, Matt Spencer's walk-off home run, and much more, the Ports have made several achievements off the field.
The Alumni Club grew in membership, and the continued growth of the Everyday Eddie's Kids Club and Medcore HP Silver Sluggers Club are signs that the additional programs put in place by our staff are effective. The Ports Anchor Fund generated about $25,000 so far this season, from the generous support of fans at various events. Every cent of those funds will go to support child-based community outreach programs in Stockton and San Joaquin County. The Ports have also teamed with Jackson Rancheria and Casino to support the Dameron Hospital Sweet Success Diabetes program this year, along with the Go Foundation to support area charitable programs. The Ports also hosted a school supply drive and food drive, doing the organization's part to give back to the community.
One of the other off-field highlights was that the Ports were the final stop on the Bob Dylan Show Concert tour, welcoming more than 8,400 fans to Banner Island Ballpark for a concert featuring legendary musicians Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Bob Dylan. The August 15 concert was the first concert in stadium history. It was a tremendous success, and we look forward to hosting many more special events of that caliber at Banner Island Ballpark in the future.
This has been an exciting and fun-filled season, both on and off the field for the Stockton Ports. It's been pleasure to serve our fans and to bring them the best of family entertainment here at Banner Island Ballpark this season!
Thanks for coming to the ballpark this year, and I look forward to seeing you back here in 2010!
Go Ports!
Sincerely,
Pat Filippone
President and General Manager
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Go Ports!
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The Bob Dylan Show starring Dylan, John Mellencamp, and Willie Nelson was the first event of its kind at the downtown ballpark. Scheduled to appear in Stockton on Saturday, August 15th (Also the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock), we were tabbed as the finale of the 29 city tour. Given the trio of headliners associated with this show we anticipated an amazing event, but what we experienced Saturday evening was well beyond our expectations. To begin with the staging and concert setup in centerfield took on the look of a small village on our outfield grass. Then imagine a sellout Independence Day baseball crowd of 6,000, and add another 2,500 enthusiastic and well behaved concert fanatics, and finish it off with "Pink Houses" at sunset and you've got the all of the necessary components for an ideal summer experience on the banks of the California Delta! This IS what the City of Stockton had in mind when it built these facilities!
Admittedly I am not a music aficionado; I like music and have my favorites, but I would never expect anyone to take my opinion as the final word. However, I was here on Saturday night, I did get a chance to listen, I'm the one writing this blog entry, and I lied...I am opinionated and I'm going to tell you what I think. Willie Nelson...he's still got it! While you'll never convince me that the golden vocals chords sent straight from the heavens were bestowed upon Willie and only Willie, I do think the guy has aged as well as any singer I've heard. On Saturday night, as Willie began his set with "Whiskey River" I distinctly remember thinking, "Wow, Willie sounds the same now as he did when I first heard him". Simply put, I was impressed with the guy and he's gained a fan.
Mellencamp is clearly at home on the stage. He was by far the most entertaining of the 3, and gave the crowed a great show from start to finish. Now I'm obviously biased because Mellencamp is from the Hoosier state and I'm myself am a Hoosier, but ask anyone who was in attendance and I think they'll agree that he is a great American performer and someone that most anyone can relate with.
And finally, Dylan is Dylan. You're always going to hear the "I can't understand what he's saying" complaints, but the guy is an absolute legend. He's been covered more than Oakland Raiders wide receivers on any given Sunday, and his songwriting helped an entire generation learn to think and speak for themselves. While he may not be the best "entertainer" in the business, he is certainly one of the most influential and unique personalities remaining in a growingly commercial business. The facts are in the numbers, and I can tell you first hand that Bob Dylan is still a headliner. The majority of our 8,500 tickets were sold because Bob Dylan was appearing in Stockton.
At this point it is clear that I'm a Downtown Stockton advocate and believe that the best is yet to come. While there are certainly critics out there, I think that the advocates for downtown grew in numbers last Saturday night. Right or wrong, Banner Island Ballpark, Stockton Arena, the new marina, etc. are here to stay, and it is up to organizations like the Ports to make this work. And I'm here to bang the drum, that's right the Stockton Ports Baseball Club hosted the biggest concert in the history of Stockton and got it right! Let's take a look at the scoreboard:
Stockton residents - Entertained
Downtown Stockton businesses - Winners
City of Stockton - Received revenue from ticket sales and parking with no direct investment in the concert, not to mention any tax benefits resulting from businesses affected by the concert.
JAM Productions (Concert Promoter) - Turned a profit, excited about the possibility of shows in the future
Stockton Ports Baseball Club - Turned a profit, increased visibility of ballpark as a concert venue
The bottom line here is with all of the naysayers piling on Downtown Stockton over the years, this is a situation where everyone got it right. So to those of you that incessantly focus on all that is wrong with our city, please, write your letters to the editor and make your comments. This time you are off base, and it is time to focus on a positive byproduct of our situation. Not only did the City of Stockton generate revenue, but the Stockton Ports operating as a private business in Downtown Stockton are thriving and looking to invest in more events and bring first class entertainment to Stockton in the near future.
Stockton Ports Sports and Entertainment? Nah, not just yet. We're always going to be Stockton Ports Baseball, that's what we know. However, given the opportunity and the support of the community we'll work with the City of Stockton and other downtown advocates to move this thing forward! Thanks again for all of the support Stockton, and I'll see you at the ballpark!
Since we are men of the people, we live to serve!
Today we want to wish Splash a happy birthday and honor his kind; we also take this opportunity to acknowledge DeWitt's love/"problem" for anything furry...
Without further ado, we present to you our Top 5 Mascots!
Kyle Osgood's Top 5
1. Of course No. 1 on my mascot list is going to be the best mascot there is. DeWitt is probably going to say the Michigan Wolverines, but have you ever seen a mascot at one of their games--NO! Wu Shock is the mascot for Wichita State University (my alma mater). You may ask what he is; well he is a real live stock of wheat, get over it! Aside from being an awesome mascot, he got ejected from a basketball game in 1987 for impersonating a "blind ref." Very edgy move!
2. Next on my tour of Mascots is the UC-Santa Cruz Banana Slug. Aside from being a Banana Slug he is....no that's pretty much it, he is an awesome Banana Slug. Originally the University wanted to be the Sea Lions (much better), but when the student body heard about this, they voted Banana Slug to be the much better choice. Wise move. The sea lions would have been laughed out of any field of play.
3. My next mascot definitely helps to get your daily dose of Vitamin C. The Delta State Fighting Okra in Cleveland, Mississippi. From the picture alone, you can tell he is the fiercest of all the vegetables. If your mascot is also referred to as "Lady Fingers," I give you mad props for getting pumped up for the game.
4. The next mascot showed up at my house the other night while DeWitt was doing dishes. DeWitt then made me go outside and take care of it because it scared him. The Money you could be saving with Geico is a brilliant mascot. Whoever thought to put googley eyes on a stack of money either had an accident during arts and crafts or just knows what the people want!
5. I can't mention a Top 5 Mascots without mentioning my buddy Splash. This homestand we are celebrating his 5th Birthday. At our fifth birthday, DeWitt and I were busy taking our cootie shots and eating paste! Splash is already a mascot for the League Champs, which poses the question, what am I doing with my life?
Kyle DeWitt's Top 5
1. Henry the Taco and Ballapeno - yup, a taco and a jalapeno. A baseballing jalapeno dude!!! The San Antonio Missions figured it out... nothing says family fun like a giant taco running the bases with children. Funny stuff, if not kinda inappropriate, considering the ballapeno is always beating up on the taco. Thank goodness this is intended to be fun, because we all know ballapenos can't fight... and without accurate depictions of ballapeno capabilities in the octagon what are we doing with our lives?!
2. Bennie and Biff, The Michigan Wolverines - U of M never needed a big furry mascot to get across their superior academic and athletic prowess for which the maize and blue proudly stands for. Actually, they brought in real wolverines to the stadium beginning in 1927! Unfortunately, that was also the last year of doing so, as the live wolverines clearly had it out for their handlers, and death by wolverine was imminent. Death by wolverine is up there with drowning and burning alive for the worst ways to leave this beautiful earth. True story.
3. Fatso the Fat Arsed Wombat: "The Battlers' Prince" - Awesome, just flat out awesome. Fatso was the unofficial mascot of the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics. Originally created as a spoof of the 3 Olympic mascots Sid, Ollie and Millie, Fatso generated a cult following and easily became more popular among the Aussies than the other mascots. Sir Mix-A-Lot was undoubtedly an avid supporter. The caboose is loose!
4. The Houston Astros Mascots - The series began in 1977 with Chester Charge, a 45 lbs. cartoon costume of a confederate soldier on a horse who ran around the bases following Astro victories. I get the impression that confederate soldier mascots would be a smidgen politically incorrect these days. Chester Charge was followed by General Admission, a man in a Calvary uniform who unexpectedly fired off cannons within the stadium following Astro events. This woulda been scary. The General was killed off with a ray gun by the Astros third mascot, an alien named Orbit. Somehow, Orbit was taken over by the arrival of a giant 7-foot rabbit dressed as a railroad engineer, name Junction Jack. Now, I did my research and discovered that Houston's front office was dealing with a three-decade-long acid-trip which resulted in these characters... don't be alarmed Kyle fans, we are not condoning drug usage, it just happens to be the only explanation.
5. H'Angus the Monkey, Hartlepool United F.C. - This European soccer monkey is notorious in Europe for getting kicked out of games for all sorts of reasons, from tame to terrible. Nobody cares about the tame, but the terrible includes simulating an "explicit act" on an usher as well as playing with inflatable dolls as props... while at away games! Shockingly, it was discovered that H'Angus was frequently "drunk." My dog's name is Angus, and he likes Newcastle Brown Ale, have we discovered a trend?
So there you have it beautiful and happy San Joaquinians... the Top 5 mascots according to the pleasantly warm, freshly showered and lightly Axe-sprayed Kyle's. Be sure to be here for Mascot Mania/Splash's birthday party to celebrate all that the world of mascots has to offer. And remember, mascots have feelings to... so do not judge them, pull on their limbs/tentacles/hair and allow your children to perform violent acts because they look soft, cartoon-like and smile on a permanent basis!
The Kyle's will again be on hiatus for a couple weeks to work with federal agents on cracking down organized crime syndicates as well as planting flowers in the Adironback mountains with the hopes and aspirations of making this world a better place for our children, animals, micro-organisms and micro-brewpubs.
We write for the people!
Cheers!
It's a day you mark on your calendars--weeks in advance--and then mark off each day with excitement until it's time. Today is the day; the next Team Perfection article is here!
Hello faithful readers! We are back, a little bit wiser, a little bit buffer, and a whole lot hotter...
Today we honor the self-proclaimed "greatest of all-time," our boy, Rickey Henderson. In honor of the fastest mammal on two feet, we wanted to spread the wealth with our Top 5 Favorite Hall of Fame Members.
Kyle Osgood's Top 5
I am about to drop some knowledge on all of you. If you think the Hall of Fame inductions are based off of stats, you are crazy. I know what truly makes the Hall what it is--funny names and interesting side notes.
1. The "Iron Man"--Cal Ripken Jr. - This one is pretty self explanatory. Imagine you're the employer. Who wouldn't want an employee who goes 16 years without taking a sick day. If Ripken was a Wal-Mart employee, that would all have assured him a spot of the Wal-Mart walk of fame!
2. Home Run Baker - His name is HOME RUN Baker. He was given this title after he belted 111 home runs in one year, which is an impressive feat that has yet to.......oh wait, there was a smudge on my stat sheet, I mean 11 home runs. Eleven homeruns and they make that his name, really?!?!?! His ******** 11 homeruns in 1911 was enough to squeak by Tris Speaker and Ty Cobb who each tallied eight that year. In his career HOME RUN Baker had 96 dingers and managed 103 triples. Today I start the petition to change the legend of Home Run Baker to Triple Baker. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?
3. Red Ruffing - Not sure who this guy is but I do have a couple of interesting facts about him (one is made up the other isn't, you choose which is which). Red Ruffing is the inspiration for a known hotel chain today--figure it out! Also he is the only ball player I know of to play with only 6 toes--impressive balance!
4. Turkey Stearnes - Turkey is the all-time homer un king in the Negro leagues with 183 homeruns, more 50 homeruns ahead of second place Mule Suttles. You think American Gladiators have great names, look at these two fine specimens, MULE and Turkey. Don't forget about the Thanksgiving confusion of 1954, when someone said "I am bringing Turkey," and then they had none. Food for thought, no pun intended.
5. Nolan Ryan - I'm not here to focus on his massive win total, or his many strikeouts. What I plan to focus on today is the career he could have had if it wasn't for the pesky game of baseball. Nolan Ryan would have been a perfect candidate for.......the WWF! Ask Robin Ventura, I'm sure he will agree. Imagine the tag team combo of Hulk Hogan and Nolan Ryan....priceless! "Whatca gonna do brother, when Hulkamania and the Express run wild on you!"
Kyle DeWitt's Top 5
We are well aware that our opinion on this matter is going to be the primary source of your baseball knowledge and Hall of Fame awareness. With this in mind, we keep our clothes on, burn the midnight oil and toil in our quest to provide you with perfection...
1. Babe Ruth - THE REAL HOME RUN KING! Did you hear that Giants fans?! Not Barroid Bonds! The Babe hit 714 bombs on alcohol and tobacco, not horse hormone muscle inflators or whatever Barroid was tappin' into. The Babe was winning home run titles by doubling and sometimes tripling the dinger totals of his nearest competitor. But beyond that, if he lived today he... would be in jail or dead by 26. But, man, he would be a blast to party with.
2. Candy Cummings - This adult film star was the first to... hold up, my bad, wrong column... Candy was the inventor of the curveball and the originator of awesome baseball names. This dude was old school, he pitched during the 19th century before and during the transition from amateur to professional baseball. He once pitched and won two complete games during a doubleheader... so much for pitch counts.
3. Umpires! Umpire Cal Hubbard also won foure NFL championships in his day and is enshrined in three Halls of Fame (baseball, pro football and college football). Bill Klem was an abrasive psycho who wasn't afraid to mix it up with the players and Bill McGowan was an ironman, he didn't miss an inning in 16 years (2,541 games)... didn't miss an inning! Umps have a tough gig so it's good to know that a handful are enshrined in the hall... even though they still blow a lot of calls.
4. Don Drysdale - "Batting against Don Drysdale is the same as making a date with a dentist." As a Dodger fan, it doesn't get any better than Drysdale. Not only did he have 167 complete games, 47 shutouts, and a then record 58 consecutive scoreless innings, but he also hit 29 dingers and led the 1965 Dodgers in batting average while guiding them to a World Series Title. Big D holds the record for hit batters with 154, he was quoted as saying, "I hate all hitters. I start a game mad and stay that why until it's over." Don Drysdale is one of the few human beings who is clearly cooler than The Kyle's.
5. Branch Rickey - His name is fitting, as we honor the Hall of Fame induction of Rickey Henderson, and Osgood's strange and uncomfortable affinity for tree branches. Rickey broke the baseball color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson in 1947. He also signed the first Hispanic superstar in Roberto Clemente (much better ballplayer than I), established the structure of the minor league system as we know it today (Go Ports!), created the batting helmet (Go Heads!), and pioneered the utilization of statistics (Go Ports fantasy league!). The greatest executive of all time, and a certified Big Deal.
So there you have it our Ports peeps--the Top 5 favorite Baseball Hall-of-Famers through the scintillating eyes of the well groomed and properly attired Kyle's. Keep your ears to the ground for the next edition of The Kyle's blog on the Ports Post as well as the next Game Day Magazine.
We will be in DC all next week meeting with President Barack Obama to discuss everything from how we will be applying our strength in love-sharing via genuine and logical writings to settling the on-going turmoil in the Middle East. We will be checking our email intermittently while doing so. We write for the People!
Cheers!
The Kyle's