Scoreboard Gourmet

Reno Gingersnaps?

Coming in 2009, the new triple-A Diamondbacks, currently called the Reno Gingersnaps, a name that seems fake, even as a joke, even someone old enough to know what gingersnaps are (me).

Or are they some sort of snake?

I guess no more Tucson Sidewinders.

Anyway, there's a Name the Team contest happening now until June 1st. It's open to residents of California and Nevada who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Boo :(

I have a name: The Reno Snake Eyes. Good for keeping it in the serpent/reptile family, and good for keeping in line with Reno, and good for a cool logo. I bet I'm not the only one to think of that one.

here's the link to the contest entry form.

Pink MLB - not sure I'm into it

Excepted from Mark Newman's MLB.com story MLB to go pink on Sunday

What began two years ago as a bold statement has grown into a full-scale baseball tradition, driving massive proceeds to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation to fight breast cancer. It is now officially and dramatically how Major League Baseball celebrates each Mother's Day, as hundreds of players again will be swinging pink bats this Sunday and giving everyone, including fans, the opportunity to get involved.

Those signed bats will gradually show up in coming weeks at the MLB.com Auction, with all proceeds again going to Komen. In addition to promotional support, Major League Baseball Charities has also committed $50,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure through the "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer" program.

During games played on Mother's Day, players will wear pink wristbands and pink titanium necklaces made by Major League Baseball licensee Phiten. Pink ribbons will be displayed on player uniforms, as well as those of all on-field personnel. The breast cancer awareness theme will be carried throughout the game, including pink ribbon logos on the bases and commemorative home plates, and pink dugout lineup cards.

According to komen.org, an estimated 182,460 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women in 2008 alone. The five-year survival rate for all women diagnosed with breast cancer is 90 percent.
This means that 90 out of every 100 women with breast cancer will survive without a recurrence for at least five years. Most will live a full life and never have a recurrence. The chances of surviving are better if the cancer is detected early, before it spreads to other parts of your body. In fact, when breast cancer is confined to the breast, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent.
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So here are my questions - is breast cancer the biggest threat out there to women's heath or do the breast cancer people just have really good PR? What about obesity? Maybe Mother's Day And Father's Day should be Eat Healthy Days. Isn't heart disease the number one killer of women?

I'm not trying to ignore the women who have breast cancer, obviously I think that's a big deal; just wondering if we shouldn't be expanding the pinkness to include more widespread problems?
There are more than 153-million women in the U.S. Nearly 83-million are mothers.

ze French Open Starts Sunday 25 Mai

At Roland Garros culinary delights are available to suit all appetites, so they say.
Beneath Court no.1, le Passing offers an extensive array of sandwiches.
In the National Training Centre courtyard, les Jardins de Roland-Garros can accommodate 500 seated diners.
There are also five gourmet kiosks, while la Terrasse (200 seats), situated below the Suzanne-Lenglen court is sure to tempt you with its savoury tarts, flavoured pizzas or grilled meats.
Lastly, the stadium boasts a regular sprinkling of snack bars, serving sweet or salty snacks, drinks and also punnets of strawberries.

I'm going to do some more thorough and personal investigation of Roland Garros. Stay tuned.

No Andy No Game

Friday, May 9 postponed -- Tickets good for May 10 at 7:30 p.m.

The New York Mets announced that Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds has been postponed due to inclement weather and the absence of Andy Phillips.
The game has been rescheduled for Saturday May 10 at 7:30p.m.  Tickets for Friday's game will be honored for the 7:30p.m. game only. 

The regularly scheduled, separate admission day game Saturday afternoon against the Reds will begin at 1:10p.m. Upon the conclusion of the day game, all fans will exit Shea in advance of the 7:30p.m. game

Louisville Bats Craft & Specialty Beer Happy Hour

In Louisville at Friday Bats games, with or without Andy Phillips, fans can check out Craft & Specialty Beer Happy Hour which means 16oz Rolling Rocks and "other craft & specialty beer" for $2.
I had no idea Rolling Rock was a craft and/or specialty beer. Anyway, Happy Hour is from 5:30 to 7p. Live music included.

On Thursdays it's "Game Time" Happy Hour. That's $1 Buds plus live music. 5:30 to 7pm on the Overlook Deck (behind the right center field wall just under the scoreboard)

Beer is normally $4-5.

Arizona's Doug Davis is cleared to pitch

This is not usual SG fare, but it's a feel-good story on this rainy Friday morning...

Davis Is Cancer Free, Ready to Pitch Again After thyroid cancer surgery last month, says the Washington Post via Al Behrman of the AP

Diamondbacks LHP Doug Davis said he has been pronounced cancer free after a sophisticated test showed no spread of the disease. Davis said he got the news from surgeon Bob Evani, who removed the pitcher's cancerous thyroid gland on April 10.

"The cancer did not spread and it will not spread from here on out," Davis said yesterday after undergoing a "nuclear CT scan," which would detect any spread of the disease.
"I shook Dr. Evani's hand, told him what a great job he did and what a great doctor he is and just was grateful," Davis said. "I hugged my fiancee and we got out of there, because nobody likes to stay in the doctor's office more than they have to."

The cancer was discovered before the season began but Davis had two starts before undergoing the surgery. He is scheduled to make his first rehab start tomorrow for Class AAA Tucson.

Can we do something about Scott Hatteberg in the next few hours?

The dude is batting 128. Andy Phillips is batting 314.
I know, I know, minor league pitchers...like Ian Kennedy.

Anyway, if it's not raining, I'm going to the Mets game tomorrow and no offense to Mike Pelfrey (who is 2 and 2) or Matt Belisle (1 and 2) but I'm going to watch Andy Phillips, and he'd better be there.

The Bats are playing the Richmond Braves tomorrow, then the SWB Yankees, so it makes sense to send Andy here for the weekend, see how he does, worst case he gets sent back to Louisville for the Yankees series (and he can wonder why he said no to them). I should be a manager.

Mets at the Movies, you can watch the

Last year I went to watch the Yankees on a big screen at Byrant Park. I loved the outsideness and the togetherness and hated the freestufffreakoutness. The Mets are keeping their fans indoors. I have a feeling it's pretty fun - though dark - to watch a game in a theatre.

Mr. Met will be there to watch SNY's live broadcast on the movie screen when the Mets face the Braves on Wednesday May 21st, 7p. Enjoy ballpark style concessions, inning break trivia contests (no commercials!) and more (guessing that means giveaways).

Mets at the Movies locations (Clearview Cinemas):
• Chelsea Cinema (New York, NY)
• Parsippany Cinema (Parsippany, NY)
• Port Washington Cinema (Port Washington, NY)

Click here for tickets.

White Sox special: 2 for 1 hot dogs

Get two Ball Park hot dogs for the price of one at All-Star concession stands for the first hour after gates open every home game.

U.S. Cellular Field gates open 90 minutes prior to game time.

 All-Star concession stands are in Sections 101, 113, 130, 151, 163, 328, 346, 510, 522, 529 and 554

what you can / can't bring into US Cellular Field (Comiskey Park)

Readers are asking about carry-in items so I'm going to get as much info up as I can. Please feel free to comment on your own experiences below.

Guests are welcome to:
• Carry in food in a small, clear (see-through) plastic bag.

• Enter with small, soft-sided bags (no larger than 16" x 16" x 8") that will be searched prior to entering the park.
• Carry in one sealed plastic bottle of water, one liter or less in size, but no other beverages of any kind.
• Fans are welcome to bring cameras into the ballpark. However, video cameras may not be used to reproduce the game and must not interfere with other fans. No large camera bags or tripods/camera supports are allowed into the park.
• Strollers are permitted inside the ballpark, though smaller, umbrella-type Strollers are permitted inside the ballpark, though smaller, umbrella-style strollers are preferred. Fans with larger strollers may check it at the Guest Relations Booths.

-Bottles, cans, hard-sided coolers or other liquid containers may not be brought into the park. No beverage containers, glass or otherwise shall be permitted into U.S. Cellular Field. Only those used for infant feedings will be allowed.
-There is no smoking in U.S. Cellular Field pursuant to the Smoke-Free Illinois Act 95-0017.
-U.S. Cellular Field will be free from foul/abusive language or obscene gestures by guests.
-For the safety of all guests, players and employees, beach balls are not permitted inside the ballpark.

Pet Check!
Guests may check their pets at the Pet Check during each game for a $3 fee, which benefits non-profit organizations that train service animals. Pet check is located between Gates 2 and 3. For reservations and details, call 312-674-1000, ext. 5503. Animals are allowed inside the ballpark only on Dog Days.

23-cent Apology Pizzas for Cavs Fans

From the AP...Papa John's Pizza issued an apology to Cleveland and the Cavaliers for making T-shirts with LeBron James' number and the word "crybaby" under it.

To apologize, Papa John's will sell Cleveland residents a large, one-topping pizza for 23 cents on Thursday. The 23 is an homage to James' jersey number.
The company also will donate $10,000 to the Cavaliers Youth Fund.

The pizza chain's T-shirts were featured during the Cavs' games against the Wizards on Friday in Washington. Wizards fans taunted the Cavs, who won the playoff series that night in Game 6.
The shirts started after James complained about hard fouls, and Wizards center Brendan Haywood called him a crybaby.

Become a member of the MLB Players Alumni Association today

Has anyone else gotten that email from mlb? anyone else find it somewhat confusing? anyone who is not mlb alum, I mean.

if I get the membership card that's suitable for framing can I use it to go to alumni events?
do any actual alumni feel scared about the opportunity for alumni like me to "access former players at alumni sponsored events"
or how about my ability to "forward memorabilia and/or fan mail to alumni members"
what does that mean? I can sign a shirt and send it to Reggie Jackson? he is going to love that.

what you can/can't bring into Dodger Stadium

Food is permitted from outside the stadium provided it is not in bottles, cans, coolers or thermoses. Unbroken, factory sealed plastic bottles of water and other non-alcoholic beverages of 1 liter or less are permitted.

Contraband items not allowed in the stadium include: glass bottles, cans, weapons, poles, umbrellas, backpacks, 14 inch or larger purses or bags, coolers, thermoses, beachballs, inflatables… Contraband items not allowed in the stadium include: banners, signs, flags, use of laser pointers, firecrackers/fireworks, boom boxes, air horns, whistles, musical instruments and pets.

Tailgating and/or the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in the Dodger Stadium parking lot.

Derby Day, sponsored by Yum

Here's the Field:

1 Cool Coal Man
2 Tale of Ekati
3 Anak Nakal
4 Court Vision
5 Eight Belles
6 Z Fortune
7 Big Truck
8 Visionaire
9 Pyro
10 Colonel John
11 Z Humor
12 Smooth Air
13 Bob Black Jack
14 Monba
15 Adriano
16 Denis of Cork
17 Cowboy Cal
18 Recapture the Glory
19 Gayego Paulo Lobo
20 Big Brown

Cracker Jack, buy me some peanuts and

It's impossible for me Not to say "jacks" when referring to Cracker Jack.

The other night, finally back in our good seats at Yankee stadium, TFMJ and I agreed to get some Cracker Jacks. And by 'agreed' I mean - he wanted twizzlers and I wanted peanuts so I convinced him that Cracker Jack were the perfect middle.

This particular bag we bought ($5.75) was amazingly fresh, as if the FritoLay people had popped the popcorn an hour earlier. I'm serious. We were psyched. We ate about half the 7oz bag (120 calories per oz). In that time, we found five peanuts. Halves actually. I must have turned the bag upsidedown 18 times searching for those dang nuts.

How many peanuts are supposed to be in Cracker Jack? They're the 4th item in the ingredients list (after sugar, corn syrup, popcorn). I want more peanuts.
I almost bought some (which makes sense), and TFMJ almost bought twizzlers (which does not because surely he got enough sugar from the caramel coated popcorn) but we both held off.

Who else likes Cracker Jack? tell us.