A Storm In Brooklyn

Yesterday I went to what was supposed to be a day-night doubleheader in Brooklyn between the Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) and Lowell Spinners (BOS).

Now normally I wouldn't go to this kind of matchup in the first place because I don't have any real allegiances to these teams. But there were three reasons for me to go to this one.

The biggest being that former Yankees prospect Jeremy Bleich was rehabbing with the Spinners. Bleich was a former first round pick by the Yankees who pitched to the best of his abilities before being let go a few years ago. Since then he's bounced around affiliated ball, indy ball, and even made it to the big leagues with the Oakland A's last year. This season he's been triple-A relief depth for the Red Sox and my plan was to get his autograph during his rehab stint.

The fact that I wrote all of that here and not in my usual "autos" section should tell you that that was a flop. I never saw Bleich in the dugout and I'm not even sure I saw him when the players lined up for the national anthem.

Oh well. It was a gamble worth making though. Even if his career never panned out like the Yankees brass had hoped, getting another first round Yankees pick's autograph would've been sweet.

But of course that wasn't the only reason I went to yesterday's games. There were two more.

Autos

Amazing. Four years after P-Town Tom sent me this Stripes & Stars set, I'm still finding cards from it to get signed.

Anyway I was fortunate enough to get an autograph from Elih Marrero. Marrero was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the eighth round of the 2018 MLB Player Draft. Marrero is a solid catching prospect who is also a switch hitter. Back in 2015 he was seen as a top college prospect following a really good freshman season. But his later seasons kind of dropped his stock. He's still got the potential to be a really good player for the Red Sox (or at least I think so). Idk, maybe he can at least carve out a really long career ala Mike Ohlman or Cameron Rupp.

Next up is another S&S set alumni, Xavier LeGrant. I actually got LeGrant last season and he signed for me again this year too. As that would suggest, he is repeating the level. He's a defensively sound infielder (either 3B or 2B), but the question is if he can learn to hit. I'm really not trying to be mean here, but he doesn't have much of a track record to work with (like in general, offensive stats or otherwise). All I can do is hope that the Red Sox scouts managed to strike gold with him and he manages to get his bat going at some point.

The Storm

So yesterday's game was supposed to be a double-header. My initial plan was to try to knock out all three of my targets pre-grame, but if Bleich (or Marrero or LeGrant) slipped after game one, I'd try to get them again during the short intermission between the end of game one and the beginning of game two (keep in mind that minor leaguer double-headers are only seven innings each). Unfortunately a rain delay destroyed those plans in a hurry.

As much as I loved the perfect temperature and the look of the clouds, the forecast called for rain. Lots of it. It eventually came in the form of a thunderstorm. Complete with strong gusts of wind that forced the stadium goers inside the bathrooms/gift shop.

The storm was short-lived (maybe like 45 mins tops?) and suddenly the sun was out. But it was also well passed six. That meant that the double-header was scrapped and the game just became one game. The game also started at around 6:50, meaning that doing post-game would've entailed staying until 10 or 11. For a guy who I'm not even sure is with the team? Pass.

I saw the first inning between the Cyclones and Spinners (LeGrant got a hit and later scored a run that inning thanks to signing for me), then left. Considering how the game finally ended at around 10:30, I think I made the right call. For those of you care, the Cyclones won after a six run sixth inning propelled them to a 8-7 come-from-behind victory (BOX SCORE).

So all in all, I spent $16 for two autographs, one inning, and to experience a thunderstorm at a baseball stadium. Eh, I've had worse bangs for my buck I guess. But then again, the payoff was supposed to be a chance to get Bleich. Also to knock off the Marrero from my '15 S&S set.

One Last Note

Got this pic of Kervin Suarez.

As always thanks for stopping by and take care :).

2019 IP Auto Count: 19