Down on the Farm 2024

[stanford the manford]

See the roster thread. This has been discussed.

Yep.. I always forget about the pinned threads. Strange, eh?

 

[calsnowskier]

Yep.. I always forget about the pinned threads. Strange, eh?

I live in my “watched threads” section. That is the best way to keep up with your existing convos.

 

[Stokes1931]

Really sad news, gents. The Seattle Mariners have not renewed their lease at John Thurman Field here in Modesto, so the Nuts, after a long history in Modesto, appear to have some 30 games left.

I guess I will have to drive all the way to Stockton or San Jose or Sacramento to see minor league games now.

 

[calsnowskier]

Really sad news, gents. The Seattle Mariners have not renewed their lease at John Thurman Field here in Modesto, so the Nuts, after a long history in Modesto, appear to have some 30 games left.

I guess I will have to drive all the way to Stockton or San Jose or Sacramento to see minor league games now.

Affiliation shuffling happens all over the minor leagues every year. Modesto has recently been affiliated with the A’s, and weren’t they a Giants affiliate at one point as well?

 

[tzill]

Affiliation shuffling happens all over the minor leagues every year. Modesto has recently been affiliated with the A’s, and weren’t they a Giants affiliate at one point as well?

Good point. I bet another org puts a team in Modesto.

 

[Stokes1931]

Good point. I bet another org puts a team in Modesto.

I hope so.

MLB has downsized over the last few years. Some small cities are quite proud of their minor league parks. Modesto is one of those. The stadium is pretty old, but is about average for Low-A or A+ leagues. John Thurman Field was built in 1955. Perhaps the Mariners wanted more out of a stadium?

These are the teams that have had a farm team in Modesto
Seattle Mariners (2017–present)
Colorado Rockies (2005–2016)
Oakland Athletics (1975–2004)
St. Louis Cardinals (1967–1974)
Kansas City Athletics (1966)
Houston Colt .45s (1962–1964)
New York Yankees (1954–1961)
Milwaukee Braves (1953)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1949–1952)
St. Louis Browns (1948)
Independent (1946–1947)

 

[tzill]

Jerar Encarnación is slashing .310/.425/.535 (139 wRC+) with 5 home runs, 15 RBI, and 12 runs in 87 plate appearances with Sacramento since joining the Giants organization. This includes a 14.9%% BB rate, 24.1% K rate, and .225 ISO.

 

[calsnowskier]

Jerar Encarnación is slashing .310/.425/.535 (139 wRC+) with 5 home runs, 15 RBI, and 12 runs in 87 plate appearances with Sacramento since joining the Giants organization. This includes a 14.9%% BB rate, 24.1% K rate, and .225 ISO.

Jerar Encarnación Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Jerar Encarnación. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

He was a smart pickup when they got him, and it looks like he is hitting well. No idea about his defense, though. And we all know there is a HUGE difference between AAA pitching and MLB pitching.

 

[stanford the manford]

I hope so.

MLB has downsized over the last few years. Some small cities are quite proud of their minor league parks. Modesto is one of those. The stadium is pretty old, but is about average for Low-A or A+ leagues. John Thurman Field was built in 1955. Perhaps the Mariners wanted more out of a stadium?

These are the teams that have had a farm team in Modesto
Seattle Mariners (2017–present)
Colorado Rockies (2005–2016)
Oakland Athletics (1975–2004)
St. Louis Cardinals (1967–1974)
Kansas City Athletics (1966)
Houston Colt .45s (1962–1964)
New York Yankees (1954–1961)
Milwaukee Braves (1953)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1949–1952)
St. Louis Browns (1948)
Independent (1946–1947)

In the spirit of Bing Russell (Battered Bastards of Baseball) we should start a GoFundMe page and bid for the rights... Just looking at the HooplaCash balances the down payment is already banked. Collective baseball knowledge on this forum obviously exceeds all MLB management. To top it off, we've an apt and available team name - the Nuts!

 

[Brightboat]

Jerar Encarnación Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Jerar Encarnación. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

He was a smart pickup when they got him, and it looks like he is hitting well. No idea about his defense, though. And we all know there is a HUGE difference between AAA pitching and MLB pitching.

DH?

 

[Stokes1931]

Jerar Encarnación Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Jerar Encarnación. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

He was a smart pickup when they got him, and it looks like he is hitting well. No idea about his defense, though. And we all know there is a HUGE difference between AAA pitching and MLB pitching.

Could he hit any worse than Flowers is hitting right now? Or Soler? Or Yaz? Or Estrada?

 

[calsnowskier]

Could he hit any worse than Flowers is hitting right now? Or Soler? Or Yaz? Or Estrada?

Put him at 2B!

 

[LHG]

Really sad news, gents. The Seattle Mariners have not renewed their lease at John Thurman Field here in Modesto, so the Nuts, after a long history in Modesto, appear to have some 30 games left.

I guess I will have to drive all the way to Stockton or San Jose or Sacramento to see minor league games now.

Unless there is a city getting (back) into the minor league baseball scene close to one of the low A leagues (still ticks me off that the Cal League is low A ball), I doubt Modesto is out of the affiliated ranks.
By the way, I used to catch games at that stadium many times in the early and mid 90s. My dad was a firefighter for the city from 90 to 07 and so we’d drive up and catch a game regularly. I believe that they renovated the stands in the late 90s/early 00s so it is not nearly as old in much of the facilities.

 

[Brightboat]

Unless there is a city getting (back) into the minor league baseball scene close to one of the low A leagues (still ticks me off that the Cal League is low A ball), I doubt Modesto is out of the affiliated ranks.
By the way, I used to catch games at that stadium many times in the early and mid 90s. My dad was a firefighter for the city from 90 to 07 and so we’d drive up and catch a game regularly. I believe that they renovated the stands in the late 90s/early 00s so it is not nearly as old in much of the facilities.

Nice!

 

[Stokes1931]

Unless there is a city getting (back) into the minor league baseball scene close to one of the low A leagues (still ticks me off that the Cal League is low A ball), I doubt Modesto is out of the affiliated ranks.
By the way, I used to catch games at that stadium many times in the early and mid 90s. My dad was a firefighter for the city from 90 to 07 and so we’d drive up and catch a game regularly. I believe that they renovated the stands in the late 90s/early 00s so it is not nearly as old in much of the facilities.

Cool, LHG!

There are some worse stadiums in the old Cal League. Visalia is put together in three stages with three different types of architecture. High Desert (Adelanto) was a crappy stadium the day it was built. Am not impressed with the San Jose ballpark. You'd think with all the tech money around, and the parent org just up the road, that it would be more like the Shark Tank than a redo of the Fresno yard.

There are some beauties, though. The Rancho Cucamunga stadium is nice. The Stockton stadium is semi-nice with a terrific location on the water.

Of the AAA stadiums I have been to, my favorite (and newest) is the Reno Aces ballpark. Right downtown by the railyard (aren't they all?). The Rivercats' stadium is decent.

 

[LHG]

Nice!

Cool, LHG!

There are some worse stadiums in the old Cal League. Visalia is put together in three stages with three different types of architecture. High Desert (Adelanto) was a crappy stadium the day it was built. Am not impressed with the San Jose ballpark. You'd think with all the tech money around, and the parent org just up the road, that it would be more like the Shark Tank than a redo of the Fresno yard.

There are some beauties, though. The Rancho Cucamunga stadium is nice. The Stockton stadium is semi-nice with a terrific location on the water.

Of the AAA stadiums I have been to, my favorite (and newest) is the Reno Aces ballpark. Right downtown by the railyard (aren't they all?). The Rivercats' stadium is decent.

Since I used the phrase "the city" I should clarify I meant the city of Modesto.
And Stokes, the other minor league stadium I know well is Visalia's. It was probably the crappiest of all minor league stadiums but, when I was a kid, it gave us easy access to the players for their signatures. And back in the early 90s, it was a small place. We (my younger brother, cousin, who live in Visalia, and me) would often pay the cheapest prices to get in but would be sitting in the "box seats" (which felt like a giant wooden box) by the end of the game, it we weren't roaming around, gloves in hand, hoping for a foul ball to come our way. Oh, and the stairs that led from the entrance straight up the back of the large cement rock on which the grandstands were placed, was an adventure. It wasn't a guarantee that would get up those steep stairs safely.
Visalia renovated their stadium sometime in the late 00s but I didn't get a chance to see the new facilities until about ten years later. They greatly expanded the seating and made the whole place a lot nicer. If you've been there any time in the past 15 years, that gives you an idea how rinky-dink it was before then.
Last time I visited there was in 2019 (I believe). I knew a player in the D-Backs' farm and he just got demoted from AA to Visalia that year. I wanted to say hi and try to encourage him. He was a reliever in college but the D-Backs tried to make him a starter and I think that got him all messed up. He was out of professional baseball by the end of that year.

 

[Stokes1931]

Since I used the phrase "the city" I should clarify I meant the city of Modesto.
And Stokes, the other minor league stadium I know well is Visalia's. It was probably the crappiest of all minor league stadiums but, when I was a kid, it gave us easy access to the players for their signatures. And back in the early 90s, it was a small place. We (my younger brother, cousin, who live in Visalia, and me) would often pay the cheapest prices to get in but would be sitting in the "box seats" (which felt like a giant wooden box) by the end of the game, it we weren't roaming around, gloves in hand, hoping for a foul ball to come our way. Oh, and the stairs that led from the entrance straight up the back of the large cement rock on which the grandstands were placed, was an adventure. It wasn't a guarantee that would get up those steep stairs safely.
Visalia renovated their stadium sometime in the late 00s but I didn't get a chance to see the new facilities until about ten years later. They greatly expanded the seating and made the whole place a lot nicer. If you've been there any time in the past 15 years, that gives you an idea how rinky-dink it was before then.
Last time I visited there was in 2019 (I believe). I knew a player in the D-Backs' farm and he just got demoted from AA to Visalia that year. I wanted to say hi and try to encourage him. He was a reliever in college but the D-Backs tried to make him a starter and I think that got him all messed up. He was out of professional baseball by the end of that year.

Pretty cool, LHG. My brother (RIP) was a firefighter in Orinda-Moraga in Contra Costa County. He died of a brain tumor in 2009. He loved being a fireman. He loved the work. He loved being a rescuer. He loved the camaraderie of being with his band of brothers. He loved driving big red trucks as fast as they would go. At one time, his first marriage, he lived in Modesto and commuted to the Bay Area. A few years ago, a buddy of mine bought a house in Modesto near Downey High. The area looked familiar to me. As I walked around the neighborhood, sure enough, I discovered where my brother had lived, less than a block from my friend. Small world.

One summer my son (at UCLA at the time) and I toured all the minor league parks in SoCal. Lancaster, Ranch Cucamonga, Ontario, High Desert, Lake Elsinore, etc. Once I moved to the Modesto area, I have gone to all the valley stadiums: Bakersfield, Fresno, Visalia, Modesto, Stockton, Sacramento, San Jose. I think I went to the Visalia stadium a couple of years ago when San Jose was in a playoff series with them. I saw some games in Fresno, but man, the area around the park has become pretty rough. Stepped over and around a good share of homeless folks on the way to the ballpark. I may try next summer to take about 10 days or so and tour the NW League. Only six stadiums.

I once interviewed for a job near Louisville, and had lunch at the Louisville Slugger factory, which is right next to where the AAA Cardinals play. That's about the only other minor league park I have been in. Although I also saw a few games in the Cape Cod League back in 1998, but those seemed more like high school ball fields rather than true stadiums. But that was a long time ago.

 

[LHG]

Pretty cool, LHG. My brother (RIP) was a firefighter in Orinda-Moraga in Contra Costa County. He died of a brain tumor in 2009. He loved being a fireman. He loved the work. He loved being a rescuer. He loved the camaraderie of being with his band of brothers. He loved driving big red trucks as fast as they would go. At one time, his first marriage, he lived in Modesto and commuted to the Bay Area. A few years ago, a buddy of mine bought a house in Modesto near Downey High. The area looked familiar to me. As I walked around the neighborhood, sure enough, I discovered where my brother had lived, less than a block from my friend. Small world.

One summer my son (at UCLA at the time) and I toured all the minor league parks in SoCal. Lancaster, Ranch Cucamonga, Ontario, High Desert, Lake Elsinore, etc. Once I moved to the Modesto area, I have gone to all the valley stadiums: Bakersfield, Fresno, Visalia, Modesto, Stockton, Sacramento, San Jose. I think I went to the Visalia stadium a couple of years ago when San Jose was in a playoff series with them. I saw some games in Fresno, but man, the area around the park has become pretty rough. Stepped over and around a good share of homeless folks on the way to the ballpark. I may try next summer to take about 10 days or so and tour the NW League. Only six stadiums.

I once interviewed for a job near Louisville, and had lunch at the Louisville Slugger factory, which is right next to where the AAA Cardinals play. That's about the only other minor league park I have been in. Although I also saw a few games in the Cape Cod League back in 1998, but those seemed more like high school ball fields rather than true stadiums. But that was a long time ago.

Sorry you lost your brother so long ago. How crazy is this - my father probably covered the neighborhood your brother live in. Downey High is about halfway between stations 3 & 5. My dad worked at station 5 quite a bit. I wonder if they ever met.
Fresno put their stadium in a seedy part of town in hopes that it would rejuvenate the area. I think they also sunk some money into the nearby mall to make it more attractive. I don’t think the city fully completed their renovation of the area and it shows. Love going to games there, we used to take my kids to the July 4th game for a few years, but the place is not attractive or safe at all

 

[Stokes1931]

Sorry you lost your brother so long ago. How crazy is this - my father probably covered the neighborhood your brother live in. Downey High is about halfway between stations 3 & 5. My dad worked at station 5 quite a bit. I wonder if they ever met.
Fresno put their stadium in a seedy part of town in hopes that it would rejuvenate the area. I think they also sunk some money into the nearby mall to make it more attractive. I don’t think the city fully completed their renovation of the area and it shows. Love going to games there, we used to take my kids to the July 4th game for a few years, but the place is not attractive or safe at all

Wow! Well, I think firemen know other firemen, so I would not be surprised if Dave didn't at least meet your dad. Heck, he probably knew all the firefighters in Modesto. He did move back to the Bay Area (Danville) when he got remarried back in the mid-90's.

Cancer svcks. He fought a glioblastoma brain tumor for several years before succumbing. I actually got to co-lead his memorial service. Over 1,000 firefighters showed up. It was intimidating, but like the military, they have their own rituals. I still get some comments on FB from firefighters who were there about some of the things I said. Although not a firefighter, I have been adopted into the brotherhood. When I can, especially during wildfire season, if I see a strike team at In 'n' Out somewhere, I try to insist on buying the crew a meal, in honor of Captain Dave.

 

[Brightboat]

Sorry you lost your brother so long ago. How crazy is this - my father probably covered the neighborhood your brother live in. Downey High is about halfway between stations 3 & 5. My dad worked at station 5 quite a bit. I wonder if they ever met.
Fresno put their stadium in a seedy part of town in hopes that it would rejuvenate the area. I think they also sunk some money into the nearby mall to make it more attractive. I don’t think the city fully completed their renovation of the area and it shows. Love going to games there, we used to take my kids to the July 4th game for a few years, but the place is not attractive or safe at all

That’s a shame. My grandfather lived in Los Angles, later in Ojai, and he was a big Dodger fan. He used to take us to Dodger Stadiumwhen they played the Giants and in the mid sixties that place was out in the country, now it’s in an area where you would never walk alone at night. Such a shame