~Stuart Morris, Head Groundskeeper

Are all sandwiches created equal? The existence of Vegemite suggests that the answer is a resounding, and disgusting, no.

 

The sandwich is a staple of lunches everywhere, from the PB&J in the Ghostbusters lunchbox of a child (or socially “special” comic book store employee) to the corned beef sandwich at your local Irish pub. The varieties of sandwiches around the world are endless. Different meats, bread, cheeses, veggies and condiments (bacon is both a meat and a condiment) allow sandwich explorers to roam to whatever combination soothes the savage glutton. Clearly, some are much better than others. Which raises the question of how to rank them.

 

I am not here to tell you the perfect stack – merely to offer some help in judging. The sandwich which all others should be judged by, the tasty combo that has graced us for years (its probably in your child’s lunch box today) is the bologna and cheese on white bread. It’s simple, tasty and readily available.

My favorite version however uses hand sliced bologna seasoned with a quality barbecue dry. You grill it, then before taking it off the grill add sliced Hoop cheddar. When it’s all melted and delicious, serve it on toast with yellow mustard, barbecue and hot sauces (Texas Pete’s hot sauce works well).

 

Although this is one of my favorite sandwiches, it is not the world’s best.  There’s always something better (and usually more fattening) around the corner. Another slightly more sophisticated interpretation of the above-described bologna sandwich follows, but use your imagination. 

Steak Bomb Sandwich

 

1 sirloin steak
1 bell pepper sliced
1/4 onion sliced
1 can croissant dough
1 jar mushroom gravy
Worcestershire sauce
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Season and grill your steak to your desired doneness. Simplicity works best with the seasoning – Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, salt and black pepper.

2. Heat a skillet over medium, then add gravy, bell peppers, and onions

3. When steak is finished resting, slice across the grain of the meat into bite-sized pieces.

4. Put steak chunks into skillet until gravy is thick.

5. Roll out croissant dough, making sure no seams break. Pour gravy steak mix into the center of the dough. Wrap dough around the mixture and bake following the instructions from the can.

Who said a croissant couldn’t be manly?

Stuart Morris is entering his third season as the Crawdads Head Groundskeeper.  In addition to his tireless work on the field, Stuart is an accomplished chef, easily qualifying him for the distinction of Most Cultured Groundskeeper in the South Atlantic League. 

 

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner. Everywhere we look people are getting in the Christmas spirit. Christmas trees are everywhere, decorations are out, and yards are lit with Christmas lights. Before we know it Santa’s sleigh will be packed and he will be coming down our chimneys.

Christmas is a busy time of year. Everyone is trying to get their holiday shopping done, plan and attend Christmas parties, and visit their families. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Crawdads Christmas party on December 12^th from 11-1 p.m. The event is free to attend, and Santa will be here! Also, you can make Christmas crafts, play games, and enjoy tunes spun by Soundstorm DJ.

Kim is entering her third season with the Crawdads and first as Co-Director of Group Sales.  She spent the previous two as a Sales Assistant while completing her education at Gardner-Webb University.

~Andrew Buchbinder, Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations

As the calendar pages flip to the twelfth month of the year, the baseball world is brought out of its fall slumber with the excitement and anticipation of the Winter Meetings, which are being held in Indianapolis next week.  It would not suffice to call the Meetings a three-ring circus — in reality, they’re more like a 16-ring circus (at least).

There really is something going on at all times during the Meetings, not the least of which is the frenzy surrounding the job fair.  The Winter Meetings Job Fair is like the long-saught-after watering hole in the middle of the Sahara for young men and women hoping to commence a career in baseball.

Ambitions abound, to say the least.  While securely employed by a hockey team, I went to the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas last year.  The reason for my trip to Vegas was to test the baseball waters, and see if there were any opportunities out there that would enable me to re-inundate myself in the game I love the most.  Well, since I’m sitting here, clearly it worked out (we’ll get to that in a moment).

But first, let me just say that I have never appreciated, and I mean truly and deeply appreciated, my employment in the world of minor league sports as much as I have after witnessing the hysteria of the job fair.  Due to already having a job at that point, I was able to swing by the fair, keep my eyes and ears open, casually meet people, and not have to fly around in a constant state of panic, trying to run into some perceived person that is going to hire me, which is what the majority of the job fair attendees spend their entire Winter Meetings experience doing.

This is doubly true for radio guys.  They might kick me out of the club for saying this, but I was actually embarrassed by some of the tactics they were implementing in attempts at stealing a little time from GMs.  I actually saw radio guys staking out the lobbies of the meeting halls, waiting for the GM and Board of Governors meetings to let out so that they could pounce.  If you want to experience what it must have felt like to have the plague, try going to the Winter Meetings and telling a GM that you’re a broadcaster.  Whether you’re badgering them or not, it typically brings conversations to quick and awkward conclusions.

That being the case, and again the fact that I had a great job to fall back on, I went through the Winter Meetings experience relaxed.  I let opportunities (or, more realistically, rumors of opportunities) come to me, which they will if you keep your ears open.

Which brings me to how I ended up sitting in this chair in Hickory, NC.  Almost one full year ago, I attended the Texas Rangers reception at the Winter Meetings with the GM of the Bakersfield Blaze (our California League affiliate that I had called games for during the 2008 campaign).  Each team holds receptions for their systems, and Shawn Schoolcraft (Blaze GM) was kind enough to invite me to go with him.

I jumped at the opportunity.  Not because I intended to corner Nolan Ryan or John Daniels and try to badger my way into a job with them, or with any other team in the system for that matter, but just because I wanted to be in the same room as Nolan Ryan.  Extending your network of contacts always helps too.

In the end, I didnt even speak to Nolan Ryan or John Daniels.  However, I did speak to ‘Dads AGM Charlie Downs.  Just out of the blue, Shawn and I went up to Charlie and introduced ourselves, welcoming the Crawdads to the Rangers system.  Charlie and I kept talking, discussed what he does for the Crawdads, what I did for the Blaze and Condors… and it just so happened that the previous Crawdads broadcaster had just informed Charlie and GM Mark Seaman that he would not return for 2009.  Perfect, completely and utterly lucky timing.  Not forced, but natural.

On our way out, Shawn told me he’d meet up with me in a minute and doubled back to tell Charlie that I’d be a good fit.  That remains one of the absolute kindest things anyone has ever done for me, and I remain indebted to Shawn for the kind words.  The next day, I met with Charlie and Mark, then stayed in touch throughout the heart of winter, and wrapped up the talks in late January.  And now, somehow, another great year has passed.  My first with the Crawdads, and third in the fraternity of minor league sports.

The moral of this story is geared towards any and all of those hopefuls that are trying to get their feet in the door.  It is this – be attentive, be proactive, but, most importantly, be patient.  Be willing to let your opportunities play out.  Don’t stalk GMs.  And have fun, it tends to be the best way to get a job in a business centered around having and providing fun.  Just a glimpse into the wide world of the Winter Meetings Job Fair.

Andrew Buchbinder is entering his second season as director of broadcasting/media relations with the Crawdads.  He previously served in similar capacities with the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) and the Bakersfield Blaze, the ‘Dads High-A affiliate in the California League.

~Andrew Buchbinder, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations

First off, let me begin by saying Happy Thanksgiving Eve!  With Turkey Day right around the corner, it’s tough to focus on anything but the delicious feast on the horizon.  Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mushroom cream soup… and PIES!!  As is evident by my use of CAPS lock, the final member of my list is my favorite — I’m a sucker for a good Thanksgiving pie.

When it comes to pie, or desert in general, I really don’t see the need to mess around with fruit.  This being the case, I tend to stay away from the fruit pies.  Instead, I focus all of my remaining stomach capacity on the pies that really stick to your ribs.  Pecan pie and pumpkin pie are far and away my favorites.

And don’t forget the ice cream!  There’s nothing like a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream to compliment a delicious slice of fresh pecan or pumpkin pie.  Man, I can’t wait for Thanksgiving.

It’s interesting, during the past couple of years, Thanksgiving has made a significant climb up my list of favorite holidays.  I’d say Christmas still has it beat (not to mention Square Root Day), but Thanksgiving is getting up there. 

Easter used to rank second for me, but this was largely contingent upon the image of the Easter Bunny.  When the bunny’s true identity came to light (namely my dad begrudgingly walking around the yard at 5 a.m. planting plastic eggs), Easter took a bit of a step back (on a purely superficial note by the way).  I do like peeps though, which helps Easter’s ranking.

If one thing has become clear throughout this stream-of-concsiousness rambling of a blog, it is that I cherish holidays.  Not just for the good food, but also the opportunity to reconnect with family. 

During the past three years or so, including a two-year stint to the left coast and my current residence in North Carolina, I haven’t had the opportunity to spend as much time with my family as I had previously been fortunate enough to.  Spending quality time with them is the real reason I am looking forward to this holiday season, kicking off with Thanksgiving tomorrow.  So, with all that said, enjoy your family (and pies) during the holidays, and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Andrew Buchbinder is entering his second season as director of broadcasting/media relations with the Crawdads.  He previously served in similar capacities with the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) and the Bakersfield Blaze, the ‘Dads High-A affiliate in the California League. 

~Andrew Buchbinder, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations

Hard to believe, but the Arizona Fall League is already coming to a conclusion.  It’s a little scary, but I have the sneaking suspicion that April will be here before any of us know it.  Not to suggest that the anticipation of another season of Crawdads baseball hasn’t already begun to rise, we just have a ton to do before Opening Day 2010 rolls around!

Anyway, back to the AFL.  The big news that is relevant to the Crawdads is the increasingly hot bat of former ‘Dads C Doug Hogan.  Hogan started off a little slow at the plate for the Surprise Rafters (14-16), but has begun to get that signature power back. 

After going homerless in his first seven games as a Rafter, Hogan has belted a bomb in four of his last seven contests, and is now tied for 7th in the top prospect-filled league with four homers overall.  In fact, 40% of Hogan’s hits in the AFL have left the ballpark, which is not too far of a cry from his percentage as a Crawdad – 27% in a much larger sample size.  More than a quarter of the slugger’s hits as a Crawdad were home runs – not too shabby, eh?

The only downside of all of Hogan’s success is that, barring some unexpected turn of events, the Clemson grad will most likely never don Crawdads Red again.  Of course, this is only a downside for some (namely us), not for all (namely Hogan and the teams he plays for in the future).  And, since we try not to be selfish here, we’ll bite the bullet and be happy for his success in the prestigious Arizona Fall League.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

On a totally unrelated note, I just returned to Hickory after a week-long vacation in California, visiting some good friends of mine in Bakersfield.  Actually, since Bakersfield isn’t exactly the garden spot of the scenic state, I only spent a couple days there, mixed in with some sightseeing and time on the beach.

In my two years as a California resident, I had never made it up to see San Francisco.  Determined not to fall to a similar fate during my visit, I strategically booked my flight into San Fran, making it impossible for me to miss it again.  I ended up having a great time wandering the city and being a tourist. 

I explored the Fisherman’s Wharf area, taking in all the sights (and interesting smells) that it has to offer.  In particular, I greatly enjoyed the street performances.  There was an English trio (two brothers and a sister) that were all gymnasts, and were literally standing on each other’s heads on the sidewalk.  Apparently, they go to circus school in San Francisco.  Their humorous banter coupled with the contortionistic (quite possibly not a word) poses made the 20-minute performance incredibly enjoyable – easily one of the highlights of the trip.

Another great aspect was the ferry ride around the bay.  Literally cruising underneath the Golden Gate Bridge before taking a tour around Alcatraz was a great time.  Not to mention the view of San Francisco from the bay.  Speaking of views, if you ever go, check out the World’s Curviest Street.  First walk up it (approx. 235 steps along the side of the street) then turn around and look down the hill.  While your legs throb, you’ll get one of the best views in the city.

After meeting up with my buddies in Bakersfield, we quickly hit the road south for Hermosa Beach.  That was our destination whenever we had some rare time off from the hockey schedule when I worked there, and it was a bit of a surreal feeling to return to our getaway spot now that I no longer work and live with those guys. 

Regardless, it was as close to paradise as I remembered it to be.  And I met Blake Griffin (the Clippers #1 pick out of Oklahoma) at a watering hole.  He’s tall.  And actually not too bad of a guy.

Though it was a great trip to scenic locations (possibly excluding Bakersfield) with some of the best friends I’ve ever had, it is nice to be back in Hickory, despite the rude welcome from the rainy conditions (a drastic difference from the beaches of Southern California).  Besides, anyone who’s been down to L.P. Frans Stadium and has seen the sun take its decline down behind the mountainous backdrop knows that North Carolina knows a thing or two about nice views as well – not a bad place to spend my days!

And of course, some pictures to enjoy:

 

View from the bottom of the World’s Curviest Street

 

 

View from the top.

‘Til next time, Go ‘Dads!

Andrew Buchbinder is entering his second season as director of broadcasting/media relations with the Crawdads.  He previously served in similar capacities with the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) and the Bakersfield Blaze, the ‘Dads High-A affiliate in the California League. 

~Kim Scercy

I never watched baseball growing up or played tee ball as a kid, but somehow I have landed a job in the one sport I didn’t know a thing about, but have learned to appreciate the sport and I’ve even learned a little about it.

Why am I working in baseball if I don’t know a thing about it? Well I have 2 reasons…  #1- I needed an internship to complete my degree and everyone always told me that if you want to learn a little bit about everything, minor league baseball is the way to go. Reason # 2- On of my teammates came across the internship position for the Hickory Crawdads, and we both needed to complete an internship in the summer of ’08 and  so we both applied hoping would both get the internship so we could work and live together for the summer.

Well our plan worked and we completed our internship together in minor league baseball. We only needed 400 hours for our internship; little did I know we would complete them in as little as 2 ½ months. During my interview I was asked if I would be willing to work long hours, wear our mascot, and do anything from selling tickets to cleaning up the stadium.

I learned really quickly that long hours are not what you would expect (10 hours a day instead of 8) but 16 hours a day, seven days straight. I guess that didn’t affect me too much because I returned in ’09 for a second internship and after the season landed my first “real” job in minor league baseball. The mascot… appearances always gives you a chance to get out of the office, but it’s not always the best time. There’s always that one kid that thinks its fun to pull your tail or punch your stomach and of course the after smell of wearing a big red suit in 90 degree weather. Selling tickets can be stressful too!

It’s not easy working in baseball and not knowing a lot about it or the phenomenal athletes that have played the sport.  I always get asked about former players and teams, and have to pull the answer out of thin air, but I have survived two seasons and hopefully a third to come. …

Kim is entering her third season with the Crawdads and first as Co-Director of Group Sales.  She spent the previous two as a Sales Assistant while completing her education at Gardner-Webb University.

 

~Kathryn Bobel, Co-Director of Group Sales

 

In my high school years I had always believed that writing was the path for me.  Not just free-lancing or beat reporting, but sports writing.  I thought, what is better than becoming the first female Rick Reilly?  I would get paid to entertain hundreds of thousands of people with my opinions concerning everything from the sheer pointlessness of a 0-0 tie in soccer to the ever eccentric Ocho Cinco (the NFL calls him that, I guess I have to too) and his on and off the field antics.  Once a week my column would enter homes and be the first article that hungry readers eagerly flip to.  “Who is this amusing, witty writer?” they would ask.  But, somewhere along the line I fell out of love with the written word; perhaps it was the innumerable hours spent composing papers pertaining to the rise of railroad, the Franco Prussian War, or the archetypal references in A Tale of Two Cities–or maybe I realized I wasn’t ever going to provide 1/20^th of the entertainment Reilly consistently does.  Instead, I chose to work 16 hour days at a minor league ballpark 700 miles from home, where for a while, my only benefits included leftover suite food and free Pepsi products. 

           

This summer was my first in the “real world,” that looming, post-graduate place where early twenty-somethings like myself are attempting to establish roots and make a name for ourselves.  Unfortunately, a good number of us moved back in with Mom and Dad, seeing as the job market is tighter than Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh’s bikinis.  However, I was lucky enough to enter the sport and entertainment industry, where the fast-paced, unforgiving environment isn’t necessarily for everyone. There are others, though, who embrace it whole-heartedly; I consider myself to be the latter.  I moved to a place I had never been before and shared an apartment with someone I had never met before, all to work for a team that I knew only through its website (www.hickorycrawds.com to any of you wondering–check it out for the latest Crawdad happenings).  As terrifying as that seemed, any fear was canceled out because I was so excited to do what I had prepared myself for. 

 

After getting a tad bit of distance from the collegiate scene, I’ve learned that your most rewarding experiences won’t necessarily come during a lecture, that my professors were telling the truth when they said get ready to work long hours for little pay, and that despite my early trepidations about leaving the familiarity of the classroom, the real world is actually a pretty cool place.  So to all you kiddies out there, just know that it’s after you don your cap and gown that the real fun begins. What I learned this past summer, who I have come to know, and who I have become will stay with me for a lifetime.

 

Henry David Thoreau once said, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.”  After ten months of going confidently in the direction of my dreams, I can honestly say I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else than right here, working 16 hour days at a minor league ballpark 700 miles from home.  However, my benefits are now considerably (and thankfully) better than leftover nachos.

 

Kathryn Bobel is entering her second season with the Crawdads and first as Co-Director of Group Sales.  She served as Sales Assistant with the ‘Dads throughout the 2009 campaign, after stints with the Indianapolis Indians (AAA) and US Track and Field.

There have been a ton of blunders throughout the 2009 MLB Playoffs, most of which have been committed not by the players, but by the supporting cast.  And, there’s been even more attention paid to these blunders than the typical scrutiny that comes with October baseball.  I’d be remiss, I think, to not mention the fact that the umpiring in general and certain broadcasting have been brutal.  However, this horse is dead, metaphorically speaking, and I don’t feel like beating it further.  So, instead, I’m going to focus on a major bright spot that has shone even clearer during these playoffs — Joe Buck.

A lot has been made about the job Buck has done during this postseason — how he has, on numerous occasions, guided the oft side-tracked, albeit really quite good, Tim McCarver and typically inarticulate, though informative, Ken Rosenthal back to relevance.  He has tactfully fulfilled his responsibility to note when the umpires err, which has been a lot, without crossing the line of ragging on them in my opinion. 

He has brought story lines of varying public attention, not only within the game but also within the past couple of years, back to light.  A great example of this is when, with Alex Rodriguez at the plate in the 5th inning, Buck noted that, although it can be dangerous to read body language, A-Rod is clearly confident in his game right now. 

He brought up the antics that Rodriguez employed in past postseasons to try to mask the fact that he was desperately trying to figure out how in the world to get on base, and astutely commented that those painful antics are no longer on display.  While he was discussing the difference in Rodriguez’s body language, A-Rod stepped back into the batter’s box with no wasted nervous movement, intensely peered out to the mound with lips pursed in concentration, and promptly hit the ball 400 sum-odd feet into the left field stands. 

As a broadcaster, that is a moment we pray for.  When you bring up a story line, make an observation or profer a possible scenario, strategic or otherwise, and in the blink of an eye, or in this case the swing of a bat, the situation or story line you referenced (or guessed at) actually occurs, as if on cue. 

It’s funny, SI.com writer Tom Verducci advised that everyone realize that they’re watching one of the game’s best in A-Rod at the very top of his game and to appreciate that, but in that moment when A-Rod hit that home run in the 5th inning on Tuesday, it became evident that we’re also listening to one of the game’s best (if not the best) at the top of his game in Joe Buck, something we should also realize and appreciate greatly.

Andrew Buchbinder is entering his second season as director of broadcasting/media relations with the Crawdads.  He previously served in similar capacities with the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) and the Bakersfield Blaze, the ‘Dads High-A affiliate in the California League.

Well, it’s rainy… and cold… and dreary… and far from baseball weather here in Hickory, NC.  However, such is not the case in Arizona — the wild west, the land of cacti, cowboys and Arizona Fall League baseball.

As previously mentioned, the Crawdads have an alumn suiting up in the prestigious fall league, reserved for baseball’s top prospects.  Doug Hogan, the ‘Dads starting catcher for the majority of the 2009 season, is one of five Rangers prospects on the Surprise Rafters.

The Rafters commenced their season an evening ago with a match-up against the Peoria Javelinas.  To say that the Rafters got off to a good start may very well be the understatement of all understatements, as the team cruised to a 17-4 victory.  Hogan had one at-bat in the game and was retired, but, as all ‘Dads fans know, despite his excellent power at the plate, it is what Hogan does behind the plate that makes him so valuable.

The Rafters and Javelinas are in the midst of a rematch this afternoon, with Peoria up, 4-1, in the bottom of the second currently.  Hogan, along with the rest of the Rangers prospects on the team, have the day off to begin the game.

Next on the docket for the Rafters are the Mesa Solar Sox, who are 1-0 after a 10-6 victory over the Phoenix Desert Dogs last night.  Solar Sox vs. Desert Dogs round 2 is tonight.  One of my favorite parts about the AFL are the teamnames, with Desert Dogs and Solar Sox ranking as my personal favorites.

In other news, the ‘Dads have been well-represented in the community of late, with appearances at Oktoberfest all weekend long and at the Business Expo all day today.  Conrad the Crawdad and the Speed Pitch have entertained a lot of fans throughout the past couple of days, and we certainly appreciate everyone having us out.

In fact, look for Conrad out and about a lot this offseason, as the Crawdads are starting up a Community Care program.  Details will be released next week, so definitely check Hickorycrawdads.com for those.

And now, a couple completely random photos to fulfill my picture-in-blog requirement.  Enjoy…

 

One that makes you think (it’s a globe):

 

And one that doesn’t:

 

Andrew Buchbinder is entering his second season as director of broadcasting/media relations with the Crawdads.  He previously served in similar capacities with the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) and the Bakersfield Blaze, the ‘Dads High-A affiliate in the California League.

 

 

On behalf of the entire Crawdads staff, let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year!  We are not going crazy at L.P. Frans Stadium — we do realize there are still 3 fun-filled months left in 2009.  After all, we still have Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas to look forward to.  However, in the baseball the world, we have closed the books on 2009 and are starting to plan for 2010.  

 

Thanks to everyone that made the Crawdads 2009 season a great one.  Fans, sponsors, players, coaches, game day staff and front office staff all play a vital role in bringing excitement and energy to the ballpark every night.   While the record on the field was not what we all hoped for, we were able to see a number of talented players that we can now watch work their way through the Rangers farm system on their way to Arlington.  The 2009 season ushered in a number of changes — a new affiliate, new uniforms and a new infield, just to name a few.  There were a number of fun events throughout the year, such as fireworks, the Sonic Flood concert, Bark at the Park, giveaways, etc., but as we said before, it is now time to say goodbye to 2009.  

 

Hello 2010.  April 16^th is only 190 days away and will be here before we know it.  (I know the clock moves at the same pace it always has, but it sure seems like time moves faster these days.)  We are in the process of planning for an exciting 2010 season.  We will have many of your favorite promotions like the ones listed above, but we will also implement a number of new promotions this year.  We are still in the planning stages so it’s too early to say what all will be in store for this year, but we promise it will be a year filled with excitement both on and off the field. 

 

Happy New Year!

 

Mark Seaman

General Manager

 

P.S.  We want to know what you would like to see next year.  Whether it’s a promotional idea or something else, email us at crawdad@hickorycrawdads.com with your thoughts and suggestions.  We may not be able to implement all of your ideas, but we promise to discuss them all!