This will be the last season in the American League for the Houston Astros.  The Astros have a new owner.  How will these facts impact the TriCity ValleyCats?  Only time will tell.  Each season unfolds uniquely and ValleyCat seasons later than most.

It’s always fun to see how ex-ValleyCats progress up the pro baseball ladder and the Astro organization has given the most opportunities to young ballplayers in all of pro ball.

As the season warms up, so will this blog.  Perhaps you will satisfy your ValleyCat cravings by checking out past blog entries here.  Enjoy.

The Vermont Lake Monsters won the Stedler Division Championship by defeating the ValleyCats as The Lowell Spinners were beating the Ct. Tigers.  Another close race ends and the playoffs are set…without the defending champion ValleyCats.

Thus another season ends.

MLB pennant races continue.  Will the Yankees or the Red Sox win the AL championship?  How about the Detroit Tigers?   My old Army buddy, Joe Cooney of Flint, MI, is rooting heavily for the Bengals.  We will have quite the time if the Tigers meet the Yankees in the playoffs.  I hope someone beats the Red Sox.  I hope the Yankees beat the Red Sox.  There are too many Red Sox fans in this area.  Many are late-comers…2004  or 2007…front-runners.

Now that we’re not going to THE JOE there is more time to blog and we’ll do so while keeping an eye on all the former ValleyCats in the World Series.  Maybe Hunter Pence will make his first appearance in the Fall Classic with the Phillies?

Today the Cats will complete yesterday’s game which was suspended with the Cats leading 6-2 in the 4th inning.  They will then complete the series in Brooklyn with another game before returning home to host the Cyclones Tuesday night. 

We hope to see some fine baseball played during the Cats last 5 home games.  Last home game is scheduled for one week from today against Lowell.  The Cats may be playing the Spinners to determine who finishes last in the Stedler Division. 

Does anyone have any thoughts on the season ticket holders’ names on their seats?  Ours disappeared a few weeks ago and then only mine re-appeared.  I could not care less but Ryan certainly noticed and cares.

It’s pleasing to see Jacke Healey’s bat has come alive recently.  It’s been a tough season for him at the plate but he hasn’t let that affect his defense.  That ankle injury seemed a factor in his batting long after his return to the lineup.

A recent RECORD feature showed that 4 fans believe Matt Duffy is a good candidate from this years’ Cat team to make THE SHOW.  I have some thoughts on that subject that will wait for the season to end.

Hope to see you all at the ballgame tomorrow night!

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  I waited ten years for this moment. I finally caught a struck ball at THE JOE!

  Well the ‘Cats finally did it last night.  They clawed their way back into the game and the lead.  The most clutch hit was by C Ryan McCurdy, who had been striking the ball well all night.

• Neiko Johnson was kind enough to loft a pop foul our way last night and I was amazed that I made the catch successfully. Something had always gone wrong, whether the ball struck a guide wire or a tall guy behind me snagged it before it entered my glove. Ten years; something always went awry. Not last night. With reassurance from friend Ed Van Buren, all was okay.
• At left, Ryan Davey throws out a first pitch to C Justin Tellam in 2006. 

• Four home runs featured the ValleyCats onslaught of the Spikes’ pitching staff.  Can success continue against the Auburn Doubledays?  Find out tonight, tomorrow at 5 p.m. and Monday at 11 a.m..
• Spikes’ P Stetson Allie, who was knocked out in the first inning by the ValleyCats Thursday night before recording an out, shaved his head after the game.  It’s a Fort Dix basic training cut.  I asked him if I could take a close photo, but he declined. So the best I can show is an unfocused shot from half a dugout away.

• Last night the ValleyCats knocked P Stetson Allie out of the game before he recorded an out.  A most inauspicious event for one of the most highly publicized pitchers to grace the mound at THE JOE.  The Spikes manager pulled him at the right moment.  He had just struck two batters, resulting in two runs and had approached a danger level of wildness.  Allie’s mindset was also vulnerable.  No reason to extend the nightmare he was experiencing.  When C Samuel Gonzalez “threw” his helmet after a close call at first went against him, manager Kimera Bartee was quick to intercede with the base umpire, but not before letting Gonzalez know that his behavior was unacceptable.  Bartee has shown nothing but class to this observer during this series. 
• Let us hope the ValleyCats can keep swinging the bats tonight.  Neiko Johnson played an outstanding game both at shortstop and at bat.  Has he taken over the SS position from Jacke Healey?
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  P Stetson Allie warms up with C Samuel Gonzalez.

   

Gonzalez poses while Allie runs from camera

• There is no mystery here.  The ValleyCats must show a marked improvement in their offensive skills if they are to be a contender this season.  Last night was a good example. Fine pitching and errorless defense marred only by a run scoring on a wild pitch.  Too many runners left in scoring position.  That is baseball.  The team that overcomes weaknesses proves successful.  A turnaround could begin any game, any inning or any AB.  We shall keep rooting for our home team and our hopes may become reality.  Meanwhile the ‘Cats face Stetson Allie tonight.  He was drafted in the 2nd round last year by the Pirates and they say he can hit 100 mph on the radar gun.  We shall see.

State College pitcher Stetson Allie scouts the ValleyCats.

Cat fan Ricky Miller waves the white fan during dance contest.