Mack Ade – 4-11-13 - A Day In Savannah

I spent Wednesday out at Grayson Stadium, in Savannnah, Georgia. There are so few days left when the weather is great, the family commitments are nil, my health is great, and the team is home.

I started with my normal ritual since 2007… sushi at one of the fine restaurants on Broughten Street, then a turn right on Abercorn up to a turn left on Victory Drive (named for World War One soldiers). You then turn a right into the stadium and you’re back in baseball.

Grayson Stadium was established in 1941 but this sacred land goes back far past this. Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb played where this stadium stands so the place is reaked in history. I’m sitting right now down third base where there used to be the ‘colored section’ as late as the 1950s.

I’ve attended Savannah Sand Gnats games since 1984. I sponsored them in the late 1980s when I owned 98.7-FM radio and I later created ‘The Bleacher Bums” ongoing promotion in the early 1990’s for I-95 Radio (can’t tell you what went on under the bleachers in those days). They were torn down a few years ago, but I still think the team lost a big part o their history without them. Cement rows of seats. I loved them.

My routine on days like this is pretty simple. I get out to the park around 2pm for early BP (today, with the Hispanic players/coaches). I then move over to the sides and watch field practice. I work my way down to the bullpen to watch the routines there and wind up back in the dugout around 5pm for interviews.

I’m supposed to interview either/or both Brandon Nimmo and Jayce Boyd today. As of 2pm, that hasn’t been determined by the team yet. The team always askes for 24-hr notice on who you want to interview, but you never find out until the last name yes or no. I always ask for two, hoping for one and I try and compile questions (like I did last night on Twitter) for both players so when or if I’m granted an interview, I’m ready.

I learned this the hard way last year with a Michael Fulmer interview. I had asked for someone else, who turned out unavailable. They brought out Fulmer and I had nothing prepared for him. The time spent was awkward and he even mentioned to me when he was taking stats behind the plate that night during the game that he found I had asked very little questions. Oh well.

Half of the internal staff is new this year including my contact. They are still a little behind the curve and they should be punching out pre and post-game press releases that I will soon add to the site.

At 3pm, most of the players move to the bullpen area for stretching and toss. Specific infielders report to the diamond for extra work in the field (Jeff Reynolds).  

The current roster reflects two changes today. RP Paul Seward went on the DL with ‘contusions’ and he was replaced with RP Beck Wheeler (BTW…Michael Fulmer, Alex Panteliodes, and Carlos Vasquez are still listed on the Gnats roster as part of the DL squad).

The pitchers, my numbers, out in the pen were:

                Actual pitching from around 40-feet – Logan Taylor, Jake Kuebler, Matt Koch, Julian Hilario, Gabriel Ynoa

                Long tossing – Brett Mitchell, Hunter Carnevale

                Long long tossing – Rainy Lara

At 3:15pm, everyday players made their way to the pen area for stretching and tossing.

At 3:30pm, Steven Matz through a bullpen session with Jeff Glenn. I sat there in awe. Lightning speed and hit all the corners. I asked Glenn did he throw where targeted and he said 100%. I also asked Jeff why the hell he was hitting so well and he just smiled and laughed out loud.

Full infield started around 3:45pm. 3B Cole Frenzel, SS Phillip Evans, 1B Jayce Boyd, 2B 2B Yukie De La Cruz, both catcher Kevin Plawecki and Jeff Glenn were up first. It began with fly balls and relay throws. Excellent throws to home by Jeff Reynolds, Plawecki to  second, Evans to second, Yukie to second, Reynolds to first (2x), Evans charge, to first, Reynolds very strong arm.

BP at 4pm – Jayce Boyd gap hitting to right… Plawecki singles, flyouts… #7? – popouts, 1x gap, Boyd – gap right, aiming right… Glenn – heavey gap, triple down left…  Plawecki – deep left, gap right, single right… 7? – gap right, fly outs… Boyd – 2 strong shots to third… almost killed Cole Frenzel… Glenn – fly outs… 7? – 5 deep flyouts… no yard balls.

Pron – fly outs…  single left… single left… pop ups and ground outs

Nimmo – singles up middle… laced down right 2x… gap left… serious gap right…Nimmo's swing is interesting. His bat almost sits on his shoulder until the last second. It looks like he's falling asleep up there. Then it comes off with lightning speed, but I think his strength might be follow-through. Right now, he looks like the real deal.

Sabol – fly outs… pop ups… gap left…

Pina –  single right.. pop up… fly outs… gap right 3x…

Reynolds -  singles, ground outs right… gap right…