Droppings from the Nest, Last of the Season

With the end of the season now behind us, it’s only fitting to do one final sweep of the droppings.  So without hesitation…

Personally, I’m still in shock that the season is over.  I have yet to collect all of my thoughts and emotions and put them into one final blog post about this fabulous summer.  Stay tuned!

Boise Hawks Top Chef featuring Pitcher Danny Keefe

KeefeDanny.jpgDid you know Danny Keefe was a fantastic cook?  Want to know his signature dish?

Hawks Advanced Media presents Boise Hawks Top
Chef Grill-Out Challenge. Watch Hawks pitcher Danny Keefe go
head-to-head with front office member Greg Marconi to see who is the
master chef.

CHECK IT OUT HERE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kBzRYNJtzc

Droppings from the Nest, September 4th-6th

Well, tonight is the last game of the season–and boy, what a summer it has been.  I can’t wait to sit down and actually reflect on the season…of course tying it in with a blog post as well.

But before I get ahead of myself, let’s get to the droppings I need to catch up on:

Blogs to come…

  • Danny Keefe Top Chef Video
  • Reaction to the End of the Season

Droppings from the Nest, September 3rd

Runey.jpgThe Hawks were able to pull out a win last night in 9th inning, saving fans from extra innings.  Runey Davis hit the game-winning single, leading the Hawks to a 4-3 victory over the Spokane Indians.

Now to the droppings:

DON’T FORGET: The Hawks game starts at 3 p.m. today.  Anybody wearing blue and orange or BSU gear will get a $2 discount on their tickets.

Also, the Hawks are sponsoring a FREE shuttle to
Bronco stadium for the first 47 people that have a Hawks ticket for the
September 3rd game.  You must RSVP in advance with the Hawks office at
322-5000 to get on the shuttle.  The service will take fans to and from
Bronco Stadium, and you can park in the Hawks lot that night.

And
if you can’t catch the game in person, stay after the Hawks game for
the big football post-game party in the Hawks Nest starting at 7 p.m. 
Drink specials and appetizer specials will be available for everyone,
there will be three large televisions broadcasting the game and you
don’t even need a Hawks ticket to get into the party!!

Hope to see you there! 

Boise Hawks Top Chef Preview

Today RHP Danny Keefe and Boise Hawks Group Operations Assistant Greg Marconi went head-to-head in the Boise Hawks Top Chef Grill Out Challenge.  Given basic ingredients to make an awesome steak dinner, the guys put their own spin on their dishes in order to impress our panel of judges.

Here are some pics from today…but in order to find out today’s Top Chef you will have to wait for the video….

Top Chef 1.jpg
Top Chef 2.jpg

Who won it all?  Find out tomorrow….

Droppings from the Nest, September 2nd

The first night back in Boise didn’t turn out as the Hawks had hoped, losing to Spokane 5-1.  The Hawks were only able to record four hits, and scored their run at the very end of the 9th inning. 

As Greg Rohan said in his post-game interview, “That roadtrip was hard on us…that long sleeping in hotels and out of a suitcase, it wears on you.  We’re definitely glad to be back.”  So maybe it just took last night to get them back on their feet.

Autographs.jpgOn to the droppings:

Droppings from the Nest, September 1st

Not much to say today, so let’s get right to the droppings:

The Hawks begin their last homestand of the season tonight and will be in town through Sunday.  So don’t forget to bid farewell to your Boise Hawks!  Call 322-5000 or visit www.boisehawks.com for tickets!

Last Week of the Season and Still Seeing New Faces

Well, technically I haven’t seen their faces yet, but the five newest Hawks are joining us just in the nick of time.  Because of the recent influx of new players, I thought it would be interesting to profile these newbies before they get in tomorrow.  Of course, my info is limited because I have yet to even meet them, but I’ll see what I can dig up.

Guzman.jpg#3 OF Francisco Guzman
Bats: Left          Throws: Left
Height: 6-1        Weight: 160
DOB: 4/12/88
Hometown: Santo Domingo, DR
Acquired: NDFA 2007

After jumping from team to team this season (started with the Daytona Cubs, went to Peoria and then back to the AZL Cubs), Guzman is now making a stop in Boise.  All of 2008, Guzman played in the Dominican Summer League.  He made the jump to Daytona to take the place of former Hawks Tyler Colvin when Colvin went on the DL .  Guzman hit .263 with one RBI and one stolen base before being sent to Peoria.  There he only went 2-21 with a .095 AVG and three stolen bases.  Most recently in Mesa, Guzman has been showing off his speed with 32 stolen bases.  He also hit .264 with three doubles and two triples.

Rhee.jpg#36 RHP Dae-Eun Rhee
Bats: Left          Throws: Right
Height: 6-2        Weight: 190
DOB: 3/23/89
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Acquired: NDFA 2008

Rhee is joining Boise as he rehabs his way back up to Peoria.  After being signed, Rhee received a lot of hype but proved it to be legit when he started 10 games for the Chiefs in 2008 with 4-1 record, 1.80 ERA and 33 strikeouts.  All season, Rhee managed to allow 13 runs and 28 hits, also walking 16.  He was placed on the disabled list April of this year and has been with the AZL Cubs all season.  There he’s pitched 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and four runs with a 7.71 ERA.  He has also walked five and struck out three.

Kirk.jpg#18 LHP Austin Kirk
Bats: Left          Throws: Left
Height: 6-1        Weight: 200
DOB: 5/22/90
Hometown, Owasso, OK
Acquired: 3rd Round 2009 Draft

As this year’s 3rd Round pick, Kirk was the first pitcher selected by the Cubs and was selected out of Owasso HS.  His numbers have been good so far with a 1-0 record and 3.12 ERA, allowing eight hits and three runs.  He walked four and struck out 10.  In high school Kirk led the Owasso Rams with a 9-1 record and 0.45 ERA in his final prep season.  He collected 111 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings, helping is team to State 6A Championship.

Raley.jpg#31 LHP Brooks Raley
Bats: Left          Throws: Left
Height: 6-3         Weight: 180
DOB: 6/29/88
Hometown: Uvalde, TX
Acquired: 6th Round 2009 Draft

Raley was selected in the 6th round of this year’s draft out of Texas A&M. So far with the AZL Cubs, Raley has come out with an 0-1 record and 4.15 ERA in 4.1 innings.  He allowed two hits and four hits while walking two and striking out three.

Grife.jpg#2 RHP Steve Grife
Bats: Right          Throws: Right
Height: 6-0           Weight: 177
DOB 11/4/86
Hometown: Sheffield Lake, OH
Acquired: 26th Round 2009 Draft

Grife joins the Cubs organization from Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania where he led the Lakers with six wins and a 2.50 ERA in 11 starts this past season.  He struck out 78 and walked 19 in 68 1/3 innings.  In Mesa, Grife was 1.1 with a 6.61 ERA in 16.1 innings pitched.  He allowed 19 hits and 13 runs while walking 15 and striking out 22.

DON’T FORGET: The Hawks are playing their LAST homestand of the season starting Tuesday and going through Sunday.  Don’t miss your chance to see these five brand new players and root on your old favorites!!  Call 322-5000 for tickets or visit www.boisehawks.com.

Droppings from the Nest, August 29th-31st

A quick weekend recap to get to, but first I need to go over some new players.  Four pitchers and outfielder Francisco Guzman joined the team on Saturday in Yakima.  Three of the pitchers, Steve Grife (26th Round), Austin Kirk (3rd Round) and Brooks Raley (6th Round) are all out of this year’s draft class while fourth pitcher South Korean Dae-Eun Rhee is rehabbing from the Peoria Chiefs.

On to the droppings:

Boise Hawks Yearbook Madness

To commemorate the soon-to-be-over 2009 season I am resorting back to my high school days and sharing a little Boise Hawks Yearbook Madness with you.  I asked the guys to nominate each other for the Boise Hawks Who’s Who and also vote on the Boise Hawks Top 5 Faves.  Check it out below.

And don’t forget to check out our Boise Hawks Yearbook Madness photo album here!

Boise Hawks Who’s Who

Most likely to star in their own reality show…#20 RHP Robert Hernandez
With his sharp duds and outgoing personality it is hard not to picture Hernandez in front of a camera.  He even gave the front office a taste of his future reality show when he taught us a few a few salsa moves last homestand.

Most likely to break out in song…#7 SS Hak-Ju Lee and #8 OF Jae-Hoon Ha
Known for their stellar rendition of Ruben Studdard’s “Superstar,” Lee and Ha are the karaoke favorites of this year’s squad.  Both guys are big fans of American music and often use their Ipods to learn the lyrics to their favorite songs–and more English.  I think the word “angelic” has even been used to describe their voices.

Most likely to pull off the biggest clubhouse prank…#21 RHP Josh Lansford
Maybe it’s the fact that he is a “vet” so to speak or maybe it’s that Cubs hoodie he always wears (I mean you could hide a lot of prankster stuff in there), but there is no surprise that Lansford would be responsible for pulling off the biggest clubhouse prank.  He’s so stealthy…I haven’t even heard what his “big prank” is.

Most likely to read on the bus…#19 RHP Danny Keefe and #14 2B Logan Watkins
When you walk into the clubhouse, these guys’ lockers look more like library shelves than lockers.  Keefe and Watkins can often be caught reading on the bus or in the clubhouse before the game.  Their favorite books?  Happens to be the same thing–the Harry Potter series.

Most likely to start their own charity…#9 C Matt Williams
Williams has always been drawn to helping those less fortunate and has displayed that sort of attitude several times this year while participating in the Kids Club Baseball Camp and other community events.  If he wasn’t a professional baseball player, Williams has said that he would like to be a youth pastor.

Most likely to offer a pep talk…#24 IF George Matheus
Also coming in second in the “Most likely to talk your ear off” category, it seems that all of Matheus’ chatter is encouraging.  On the field, he combines the right amount of light-heartedness and focus to uplift his teammates.  And as one of the bilingual players on the team, no one misses out on Matheus’ pep talks.

Most likely to learn the steps from a music video…#28 OF DJ Fitzgerald and Pitching Coach David Rosario
Fitzgerald isn’t really a surprise for this title; he constantly has his headphones in before and after games and carries a certain swag that could be busted into some full on dance moves at any minute.  But Coach Rosario?  Most wouldn’t suspect him as a dancer–but–I hear he’s a pretty mean salsa dancer.

Most likely to be caught taking a nap…#27 RHP Dionis Nunez
If there was an award for quietest Hawk, I’m pretty sure Nunez would win that one also…and probably because he would be napping.  Pitchers typically have a lot of time on their hands and the grind of minor league ball can be tough.  I don’t blame the guy for catching Z’s while he can.

Most likely to be lost in la-la land…#8 OF Jae-Hoon Ha
Maybe Ha should consider switching from right field as most of his teammates would describe him as “out in left field.”  The high-energy outfielder often causes quizzical expressions, either from his bunny hops in the batter’s box or his unconventional paths to a fly ball.

Most likely to stare at themselves in the mirror…#43 RHP Jon Nagel and #27 RHP Dionis Nunez
Once again, pitchers have A LOT of time on their hands, and it just so happens that Nagel and Nunez (when he’s not sleeping) spend that time in front of the mirror.  It’s healthy to be conscious of one’s appearance, but, guys, please don’t become Narcissus.  You know how the myth goes…

Most likely to talk your ear off…#6 RHP Tarlandus Mitchell
This title is particularly funny to me because Mitchell was one of the first players I took on an appearance…and it was like pulling teeth to get him to answer my questions.  However, I remember him telling me, “Once I’m out of my shell, I talk a lot.”  Apparently, he’s a man of his word because he still nabbed this award without even being in Boise.

Most likely to get married first…#28 LHP Ryan Sontag
By a unanimous vote, the only married player on the team gets this title.  (Somehow I think they misunderstood my question).  However, Sontag not only holds “Most likely to get married” but should also covet the “Most likely to start a family” title after welcoming his new baby girl Emily in July.

Most likely to laugh at a joke/crack a joke…#30 1B Justin Bour
Whenever you walk into the clubhouse it is easy to spot Bour’s hearty laugh…probably because he is either laughing or making other people laugh all the time.  The good-natured first baseman easily breaks any tension with a little bit of humor…and his cool helmet-spinning trick!

Boise Hawks Faves

Favorite Fast-Food Place…most overwhelming response–“N/A”
Favorite Supermodel…Heidi Klum and Beyonce (I’ll count her even though she’s not really a “supermodel”)
Favorite MLB Team…The Chicago Cubs
Favorite Sport to Watch…baseball (from little league world series to major league)
Favorite Movie Shown on the Bus…Talento de barrio and Bad Boys 2

Team Picture.jpg