The Batavia Muckdogs Booster Club held its annual Hot Stove Dinner and auction at Terry Hills on Friday night.
Above Todd Jantzi, of Bontrager's, auctions off a painting being held by Joe Gerace. Below, Gerace receives a donation for Genesee Cancer Assistance from Brian Paris, president of Genesee County Baseball Club, Inc. And in the bottom photo, the Board of Directors of the Genesee County Baseball Club.
Individual game tickets for the seven Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees games will go on sale for the first time on Monday, March 5, when the Dwyer Stadium Box Office opens at 9 a.m.
These seven Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees games will be the first time Dwyer Stadium will host Triple-A baseball.
The Yankees will play at Dwyer Stadium on the following dates and game times:
Friday, April 20, vs. Norfolk (Baltimore Orioles Affiliate) at 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, April 21, vs. Norfolk at 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, April 22, vs. Norfolk at 1:05 p.m.
Monday, April 23, vs. Norfolk at 12:05 p.m.
Saturday, May 5, vs. Pawtucket (Boston Red Sox Affiliate) at 7:05 p.m.
Sunday, May 6, vs. Pawtucket at 1:05 p.m.
Tuesday, June 12, vs. Louisville (Cincinnati Reds Affiliate) at 11:05 a.m.
Individual game ticket prices for those games will be as follows:
Box Seats -- $9
General Admission (Adult) -- $8
General Admission (JR/SR) -- $7
The Muckdogs are also offering a ticket package that will allow fans to see all seven Yankees games at Dwyer Stadium this coming season. Those prices are as follows:
Yankees Ticket Package Box Seats -- $50
General Admission Package Seats -- $43
Currently, box seats for the Yankees are becoming very limited so fans are encouraged to call or stop into the box office as early as possible.
Season tickets, coupon books, and ticket packages for Muckdogs games are also on sale. Muckdogs coupon books will not be redeemable for the seven Yankees games at Dwyer Stadium.
All packages are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling 343-5454, or in person at Dwyer Stadium from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Press release:
The Genesee County Baseball Club will hold its annual Batavia Muckdogs Hot Stove dinner and auction on Friday, March 2 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Terry Hills at 5122 Clinton Street Road in Batavia. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under.
The evening will begin with a cocktail hour followed immediately by dinner. The Hot Stove Dinner is a time for good food, friendship, baseball talk, and silent and live auctions of baseball-related memorabilia (including signed bats and balls), work by local artists, and gift certificates from a variety of local businesses.
Tickets may be purchased in Batavia at Dwyer Stadium, Gerace’s Hair Care, the Williams Law Firm, and the offices of Dr. Ross Fanara and Dr. Alan Barcomb.
From Ritchie Kirkum:
Chris Manes of Oakfield, last years MVP and 4 year varsity player at Oakfeild-Alabama recently committed to Hilbert College in Hamburg NY to further his education and play Baseball for Coach Jim Pernick and the Hawks. “We are so excited to have Chris. He is a bull dog and will be in the starting rotation as a Freshman. I have been looking for a strong lefty and now I got one. The assistant coaches and team has already met Chris and everyone is so happy to have him aboard. His 4 years experience on varsity and numerous travel teams gives him such an edge. He has played for both excellent high school and travel coaches. “
Dann Bilardello will return in 2012 for his third season as manager of the Batavia Muckdogs. The 52-year-old Bilardello has compiled a record of 82-67 during his two years in Batavia and led the Muckdogs to the Pinckney Division title in 2010.
Prior to managing the Muckdogs, Bilardello was the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League catching coordinator for three seasons. The former Major League catcher also has four years of minor league managing experience in the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations.
Bilardello managed the Wilmington Blue Rocks in the Carolina League during the 2005 season. Before that, he spent three years managing for the Dodgers in Great Falls of the Pioneer League starting in 2002 and the following two years with Columbus in the South Atlantic League. He led Great Falls to a Pioneer League Championship in 2002 with a record of 47-28 and 4-1 in the playoffs.
The Vero Beach, Fla., resident played all or part of eight Major League seasons as a catcher with Cincinnati (1983-85), Montreal (1986), Pittsburgh (1989-90) and San Diego (1991-92). He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being chosen in the first round of the secondary phase of the 1978 amateur draft. In 382 Major League games, he batted .204 with 18 home runs and 91 RBI.
Joining Bilardello in the dugout will be Hitting Coach Roger LaFrancois and Pitching Coach Dernier Orozco.
Roger LaFrancois, 55, will return for his third season as the Muckdogs hitting coach and has more than 20 years of coaching experience. LaFrancois has coached or managed at all levels of the minor leagues with several different Major League organizations.
A catcher in the Boston Red Sox organization, he spent eight years with the Sox, and saw action in the Major Leagues during the 1982 season. The Old Saybrook, Conn., resident has been a partner and director of the World Baseball Coaches Convention since 2003.
Dernier Orozco, 29, will begin his first season as the Muckdogs pitching coach, after serving as the pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Cardinals in 2011. This will be Orozco’s seventh season as a pitching coach in the Cardinals system.
Before his stint in the Gulf Coast League, Orozco spent four years coaching in the Venezuelan League from 2006-2008 and again in 2010. Orozco played six professional seasons as a right-handed pitcher in the Boston Red Sox organization. He went 4-2 with a 6.09 ERA in 14 games (29.2 IP) for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox in 2003, his final season.
Mike Petrarca will serve as the trainer for the 2012 season, his second with the Muckdogs. Petrarca will be entering his fifth season in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
Press release:
Dann Bilardello will return in 2012 for his third season as manager of the Batavia Muckdogs. The 52-year-old Bilardello has compiled a record of 82-67 during his two years in Batavia and led the Muckdogs to the Pinckney Division title in 2010.
Prior to managing the Muckdogs, Bilardello was the St. Louis Cardinals minor league catching coordinator for three seasons. The former Major League catcher also has four years of minor league managing experience in the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations.
Bilardello managed the Wilmington Blue Rocks in the Carolina League during the 2005 season. Before that, he spent three years managing for the Dodgers in Great Falls of the Pioneer League starting in 2002 and the following two years with Columbus in the South Atlantic League. He led Great Falls to a Pioneer League Championship in 2002 with a record of 47-28 and 4-1 in the playoffs.
The Vero Beach, FL resident played all or part of eight Major League seasons as a catcher with Cincinnati (1983-85), Montreal (1986), Pittsburgh (1989-90) and San Diego (1991-92). He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being chosen in the first round of the secondary phase of the 1978 amateur draft. In 382 Major League games, he batted .204 with 18 home runs and 91 RBI.
Joining Bilardello in the dugout will be Hitting Coach Roger LaFrancois and Pitching Coach Dernier Orozco.
Roger LaFrancois, 55, will return for his third season as the Muckdogs hitting coach and has over 20 years of coaching experience. LaFrancois has coached or managed at all levels of the minor leagues with several different Major League organizations. A catcher in the Boston Red Sox organization, he spent eight years with the Sox, and saw action in the Major Leagues during the 1982 season. The Old Saybrook, CT resident has been a partner and director of the World Baseball Coaches Convention since 2003.
Dernier Orozco, 29, will begin his first season as the Muckdogs pitching coach, after serving as the pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Cardinals in 2011. This will be Orozco’s seventh season as a pitching coach in the Cardinals system. Before his stint in the Gulf Coast League, Orozco spent four years coaching in the Venezuelan League from 2006-2008 and again in 2010. Orozco played sex professional seasons as a right-handed pitcher in the Boston Red Sox organization. He went 4-2 with a 6.09 ERA in 14 games (29.2 IP) for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox in 2003, his final season.
Mike Petrarca will serve as the trainer for the 2012 season, his second with the Muckdogs. Petrarca will be entering his fifth season in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
The Batavia Muckdogs will open their 2012 season at Dwyer Stadium on June 18 versus the Auburn Doubledays.
For fireworks fans, the Muckdogs will be home on July 4.
Popular teams visiting this year are farm clubs for the Yankees (Staten Island), New York Mets (Brooklyn) and the Red Sox (Lowell).
The team will play 38 home games in 2012. Six will be on a Friday.
In addition to the 38 home games the Muckdogs will play at Dwyer Stadium next season, they will also host seven Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankee games in 2012. Those dates and times are as follows:
Friday, April 20, vs. Norfolk (Baltimore Orioles Affiliate) at 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, April 21, vs. Norfolk at 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, April 22, vs. Norfolk at 1:05 p.m.
Monday, April 23, vs. Norfolk at 12:05 p.m.
Saturday, May 5, vs. Pawtucket (Boston Red Sox Affiliate) at 7:05 p.m.
Sunday, May 6, vs. Pawtucket at 1:05 p.m.
Tuesday, June 12, vs. Louisville (Cincinnati Reds Affiliate) at 11:05 a.m.
Ticket packages for the Muckdogs and Yankees games, coupon books and season tickets for the 2012 season are all currently on sale. Holiday Packs are also on sale. For just $25, fans can purchase four undated general admission tickets, a T-shirt and a voucher for a 2012 program. They can be purchased by calling 343-5454, or in person at Dwyer Stadium from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Press release:
Batavia, NY – The Batavia Muckdogs, Class A affiliate of the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals, today announced ticket prices, packages and game times for the seven Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees games that will be played at Dwyer Stadium in 2012.
The Yankees will play at Dwyer Stadium on the following dates and game times:
Individual game ticket prices for those games will be as follows:
Box Seats $9
General Admission (Adult) $8
General Admission (JR/SR) $7
The Muckdogs will also be offering a ticket package that will allow fans to see all seven Yankees games at Dwyer Stadium next season. Those prices are as follows:
Yankees Ticket Package
Box Seats $50
General Admission $43
Current Muckdogs season seat holders will have the opportunity to reserve their seats for the Yankees games at $50 for box seats and $43 for General Admission. Seat holders will have until Jan. 1 to reserve their seats for the Yankees games before they will be released to the general public. Individual seats for Yankees games will go on sale March 5.
Season tickets, coupon books, ticket packages and individual game ticket prices for Muckdogs games will remain unchanged for 2012. Muckdogs coupon books will not be redeemable for the seven Yankees games at Dwyer Stadium.
All packages are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling 585-343-5454, or in person at Dwyer Stadium from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The second seeded Genesee Community College Men’s Baseball team came back after trailing 3-0 to win the Western New York Athletic Conference Championship, 7-3 over the number one seed Mercyhurst North East on Saturday evening at Dwyer Stadium.
Cougars starting pitcher Dan Sharpe (Youngstown, NY) allowed two runs in the first inning after giving up two hits and walking two. He allowed another run on two hits in the second inning before settling down.
Trailing 3-0 in the home half of the second inning, the Cougars responded by scoring two runs on RBI singles from Brandon Collins (Toronto, Canada) and Bryan Depew (Wellsville, NY). Zach Ranta (Stoney Creek, Ontario) tied the game at 3 in the very next inning when he scored on an errant throw after a base hit from Brian Nieves.
With a tie score, Sharpe settled in and did not allow a single hit after the second inning. He finished the game throwing 8 and 2/3 innings, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits, struck out 5 and earned the win.
(Fauchedre Celestijn celebrates after hitting a three-run homerun in WNYAC Championship game)
GCC took the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh inning with an RBI single from Ramon Vega (San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico) that scored Ranta to give the Cougars a 4-3 advantage. Fauchedre Celestijn (Willemstad, Curacao) followed with a three-run homerun to give Genesee a 7-3 lead, a lead they would hold on to for the win.
(The GCC fall championship baseball team)
The Cougars finish the fall season with 13 wins and 2 losses in conference play and earn their first fall title since 2009.
In the WNYAC semi finals, the GCC Men’s Baseball team defeated Erie Community College 5-1 to advance to the championship game.
Cougars starter Adam Pratt (Batavia, NY) threw 8 and 1/3 innings, allowing a run on 5 hits, struck out 7 and walked 3.
(Batavia High School graduate Adam Pratt pitches GCC into the WNYAC Championship game with a 5-1 win over Erie Community College)
GCC jumped out to an early lead when Tyler Koronas (Naples, FL) delivered an RBI singled that scored the lead off hitter Shakeel Newton (Christiansted, Virgin Islands) who reached on an error in the bottom of the first. Koronas would later scored on an RBI ground out by Brian Nieves (San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico) to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.
The Cougars added a run in the 3rd, 5th and 7th innings and finished with 11 hits in the game. Fauchedre Celestijn went 2-4 with 2 RBI’s and Koronas finished the game going 2-4 with a run batted in and a run scored.
Press release:
The Rochester Red Wings announced today that the New York Yankees Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, will play 37 of their home games at Frontier Field in 2012 while their ballpark in Scranton (PNC Field) undergoes a $40-million renovation.
Batavia’s Dwyer Stadium, home of the New York-Penn League short-season Single-A Batavia Muckdogs, who are managed and operated by Rochester Community Baseball, Inc., will host seven games.
“We are delighted to be able to bring these additional Triple-A baseball games to the fans of the Rochester and Batavia areas," said Red Wings President/CEO/COO Naomi Silver. "This expanded schedule will provide lots more opportunities for our fans to enjoy additional games during the upcoming season. We’ve put a considerable amount of time and effort into working with the Scranton ballclub to make this a reality.
“We very much appreciate the franchises in Rochester, Batavia, Syracuse, Buffalo, Lehigh Valley and Pawtucket welcoming us into their stadiums and hosting our SWB Triple-A team’s games next season. We will establish our base of operations in Rochester with more than half our home games played right there in Rochester.
New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said: "This will be a very interesting experience for our players and we’re looking forward to having our highest-level prospects playing in front of the legions of Yankees fans all across Upstate New york and into Allentown and Pawtucket. In 2013, we will return to Scranton Wilkes-Barre to a dramatically rebuilt stadium which will be our Triple-A home for a very long time."
“We are all excited about this opportunity, but we are also aware of the challenges that are ahead of us as an organization. Without a staff like we currently have in place, we wouldn’t have been able to consider this opportunity. We feel there is no better place than Frontier Field for Scranton to play,” Silver added.
The International League has approved the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees plan to play all 72 of their 2012 home games at alternate locations while renovations to PNC Field take place this off-season.
International League President Randy Mobley said: "As the title of a current article in 'Baseball America' states 'Passion Runs Deep in Rochester.' There are many baseball-loving communities in Minor League Baseball, but there is none that has supported the game for a longer period of time or loves the game any greater than in Rochester. There may not be another community or organization in Minor League Baseball that could tackle this challenge in this manner.
"The International League is grateful to both the Red Wings and Muckdogs organizations for being the cornerstone elements in establishing a home base for the Scranton/W-B Yankees games in 2012."
For the last several weeks, SWB Yankees LLC and the International League have been working diligently on a final proposal to have Scranton/Wilkes-Barre play all their home games at alternate locations in 2012.
“From an economic development standpoint it will also be a home run for our community because it will create more jobs, fill more hotel rooms, and spur on more business in our community thanks to the Yankees and visiting teams being here for those additional 37 dates," said Red Wings General Manager Dan Mason.
"This should also be an economic boom for Batavia as well as a great opportunity for Muckdogs fans to see Triple-A baseball in their own backyard for the first time ever."
Scranton, for the most part, will make Upstate NY their home away from home in 2012. In addition to the 37 home games at Frontier Field, Scranton will play six home games in Buffalo, seven in Batavia, and 10 in Syracuse.
Scranton will also play eight games in Lehigh Valley and four games in Pawtucket.
“The International league has always prided itself in helping each other out when needed," Mason said. "The Scranton/W-B club needed a place to play and we were happy to come to their assistance along with our North Division partners in Buffalo, Syracuse, Pawtucket and Lehigh Valley. This is a shining example of the spirit of cooperation within the International League."
At the top of the ninth inning, the Dwyer Stadium PA announcer played a song by The Doors.
This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I'll never look into your eyes...again
For the Auburn Doubledays, it could have been a sign that the Muckdog's 4-1 lead could withstand any offensive assault. It could have been a reference to the final game of the season.
Or, perhaps, a dirge for the final game of the Batavia Muckdogs. Ever.
It's too soon to say, and nobody really knows, whether there will be a 2012 campaign of professional baseball in Batavia, but at least the Muckdogs gave the faithful something to cheer about on a cloudy Sunday in September.
The Muckdogs close out 2011 with a record 37-38, good enough for fourth place in the Pickney Division of the NYPL (a storied baseball league founded in Batavia), but leaving them eight games out of first place.
Vance Albitz, scrappy shortstop who played his college ball in San Diego but went undrafted despite twice being named defensive player of the year, helped lead the Muckdogs to victory with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI.
DH Jeremy Lee Patton, another first-year player, finished out the season with a .293 average after banging out two hits.
The win went to Javier Enrique Avendano (1-2) and Danny Miranda picked up his 15th save even though he surrendered two hits and run.
Miranda was helped out by two crucial Doubleday base running blunders.
Bryce Ortega, who should have been out at second except for a throwing error by second baseman Garrett Wittels, tried to advance to third. Ortega's decision to race for third was questionable with his team down by three runs. But with third baseman Daniel Stienstra busy retrieving Wittels' errant throw, maybe worth the gamble.
Stienstra grabbed the ball and was able to flip it to Miranda, charging toward the bag, and Miranda applied a tag with Ortega still two feet from the base (though some fans on the third-base side said the tag was never made).
When Russell Moldenhauer doubled to center, Matthew Skole scored and Moldenhauer, perhaps feeling greedy, tried to stretch his double into a triple. He was, as the say, out by a mile.
And that, my friend, was the end.
If you have trouble viewing the slide show below, click here.
The Lions Club of Batavia gave out more than 100 tickets to kids attending the Muckdogs game Monday night for a bike raffle and giveaway. Two bikes were given away, one to a girl and one to a boy.
Lions Club President John Murray throws out the first pitch at Monday night's second game of the Muckdogs double-header.
Lions Club President John Murray with drawing winners, 11-year-old Joe Biaselli, of Lyndonville, and 8-year-old Olivia Costley, of Batavia.
Press release from the Lions:
On Monday, Aug. 22, members of the Batavia Lions Club gathered at Dwyer Stadium in Batavia for its 36th annual Lions Night at the Ballpark as the hometown Muckdogs played the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
The evening featured several highlights including a free raffle for two brand-new bikes to two lucky local kids holding the winning tickets and an opportunity for several seniors and veterans to attend the game and be treated to hotdogs and refreshments -- all free of charge and paid for by the Batavia Lions Club.
The Lions Club invited several senior citizens from local area nursing homes, which included the federal and New York state veterans facilities located in Batavia. Each attendee was treated to a hot dog or hamburger, fries and a soda. They also had the special treat of watching a double-header on a beautiful summer evening.
Lion Gerry Maley was again responsible for all arrangements with the ball club and, along with Lions Dave Cutitta and Dom Lovria, for the bike raffle. Lion Dr. Ross Fanara and his wife, Shirley, made all arrangements with the five nursing homes/veterans’ facilities to bring more than 50 seniors to the ballpark.
The Batavia Lions Club would like to thank all of the Muckdog staff, especially General Manager Travis Sick and Ticket Manager Mike Ewing along with the activities directors from the Batavia VA Medical Center, New York State VA Nursing Home, Genesee County Nursing Home, Batavia Nursing Home, and the Le Roy Village Green Nursing Home for helping make this a very enjoyable evening for all.
See you next year at the ballpark!
Bob Matthews, who has always hated the idea of pro baseball in Batavia (I have no idea why), has a column in the D&C today lamenting the new rankings by Street & Smith of minor league cities.
Rochester has fallen to #20.
But also bad in Matthews' mind is that Batavia came in fairly high among 241 cities ranked.
Batavia was No. 36. I have no idea why.
The baseball Muckdogs are the only pro team, they're operated by the Red Wings and they could be on shaky ground. Batavia ranked 42nd in tenure (for how long?), 81st in attendance (no way) and 98th in economy.
The full rankings can be viewed here.
Unfortunately, Street & Smith doesn't explain its attendance ranking, but it's probably based on a percentage of the host city's population, and with less than 16,000 people in the City of Batavia, the percentage for the Muckdogs is pretty good.
There are a handful of cities ranked above Batavia with only one sports franchise.
Press release:
BATAVIA, NY – Today’s game between the Batavia Muckdogs and Vermont Lake Monsters has been canceled due to rain. This game will not be made up. Anyone with a ticket to today’s game can exchange it for a ticket of equal or lesser value to any remaining home game.
The Muckdogs return home on Saturday, Aug. 20, to take on the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at 7:05 p.m.
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