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grittys457

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Pirates win two games in a row to tie up the series 3-3. Still think that a successful team here can only aid in the new arena process.

Sox are now 1-3 in the games I've gone to this year.
 
I'm going to the sox game on saturday, they better win since they will be playing tampa bay.
 
i juest heard there are preliminary plans to build a 12,000 seat arena in portland in the next five years.
 
that was a lie. portland will never ditch the CCCC. i would say i was just joking, but there is nothing funny about it at all. this is a terrible city with backwards views, and as soon as i can i am joining the city council, for real.
 
honestly, im not joking. i majored in politics, and if i ever put it to use, it will be on the city planning board or the city council. this city needs to get its act together. and that means:

1. first and foremost, like you have always said, we need more city pride. people in maine hate portland, its like they envy it so they decide to hate on it and live in scarborough or something. they dred coming into the city, and they look down their noses at anyone from there. in vermont, people love burlington and everyone wants to live there and if a 20 story building were proposed, it would go up within the year (the burlington square apartments incident not withstanding).

2. we need more height for the sake of the city's attractiveness. do we absolutely need to build tall out of necessity? nope. but does a decent looking girl need to wear eye liner? nope. she still does, so why cant the city of portland put a little makeup on and build a 200 footer?

3. we need to separate the tourist and the nightlife sections, thus ending the need to police the nightlife (cause we all know the city wants to protect people out enjoying a night at the cccc or a restaurant and could care less about the headliners allstars).

4. we need a more agressive marketing campaign to out of staters

5. we need to install more city and public art on a large scale.

6. we need to expand USM like whoa.

7. we need to hire gritty's as the little birdy in my ear who gives me all of my ideas.
 
Patrick said:
i juest heard there are preliminary plans to build a 12,000 seat arena in portland in the next five years.
Click to expand...

And where is the money coming from? 9,999 seats would sell better to the public. Ya get into 5 digits and it's hard for most Mainers to comprehend. Kinda like going over 18 stories high w/ a building.
 
it was a total fabrication of mine, did you read the subsequent post I made? I agree totally with you..I mean, I am reluctant to blame it one them being 'mainers' but now we have come so close twice to having an arena built that i dont know what else to resort to. i remember when my father said they were building a new civic center i was in 8th grade! 1998! now im going to law school!!!
 
yeah those thunder claps today were somethin else huh. i got some of the downpoor on video with my new camera, and the sound is so loud it couldnt be recorded properly. sounded like a gunshot. my street turned into a river in under 3 minutes.
por6010.jpg






on an unrelated note, my father works in the construction products industry and said two days ago the CCCC put out an add to see who could provide a new roof for the arena at the lowest bid. meaning they are RENNOVATING. sorry PNNA.
 
If you're wondering why Manch wants to snag the Red Sox affiliate title from Portland, it might have something to do with the fact that every time the Sea Dogs come to town, the Fisher Cats set attendance records...

On Baseball: Big crowds, clear skies
School's out and the Portland Sea Dogs are coming

By KEVIN GRAY
Staff Sports Writer


BEFORE THE FISHER CATS received word major leaguer A.J. Burnett would be pitching in Manchester this weekend, they already had a hunch attendance records would be broken.

School?s out and the Portland Sea Dogs are coming.

That combination has been spinning the turnstiles at record numbers the past three seasons. Last year, the Fisher Cats welcomed a franchise-best 7,309 fans when the Sea Dogs made a visit on July 23. Tomorrow?s single-admission doubleheader, featuring Burnett of the Blue Jays on his final rehabilitation start, is expected to draw even more fans.

Only standing-room tickets are available for tomorrow, while some seating is available for tonight and Sunday. Overall, three days of Fisher Cats and Sea Dogs will likely break the club?s three-date attendance record of 20,647 ? set last August against, you guessed it, the Sea Dogs.

In preparation for the sellouts, the Fisher Cats have hired extra police and an extra emergency medical technician for each game at Merchantsauto.com Stadium. With such large crowds expected, gates will be opened 90 minutes prior to each game rather than the usual 60 minutes before game time.

Weather-wise, the Fisher Cats may finally catch a break and enjoy some 80-degree, summer-like conditions. Tonight?s forecast calls for zero percent chance of rain.

The Fisher Cats and Sea Dogs were rained out on May 13 and 14 in Manchester after pregame ticket sales exceeded 6,000 for each game. Fisher Cats President Shawn Smith said his staff will be prepared for a record-setting weekend ? but his approach to the Portland games won?t be any different.

?Basically, we have to continue to work as hard as we can every game. It?s just another day for us,? Smith said. ?Our food service operation certainly will have to be running on all cylinders and ready to go.?

While much attention will be focused on Burnett?s start tomorrow afternoon, the series begins with a terrific matchup between New Hampshire?s Mike MacDonald (6-3, 3.45 ERA) and Portland?s Chris Smith (6-3, 2.49 ERA) ? a pair of right-handers with pinpoint control.

MacDonald, a native of Camden, Maine, grew up watching the Sea Dogs and dreaming of becoming a pro pitcher. Drafted in the 15th round of 2004, MacDonald made the jump to Double-A this season and earned his way onto the list of Toronto?s top minor-league prospects.

Smith, who pitched the only complete-game shutout for Portland this season, leads the team with 12 starts and 72? innings. He flirted with a no-hitter against New Britain before yielding a single in the seventh.

Game one of tomorrow?s doubleheader will be the main event at The Merch as Burnett wears a Fisher Cats jersey and makes his final tune-up before rejoining the Blue Jays. The 29-year-old joined Toronto as a free agent in December, signing a five-year, $55-million contract.

Burnett didn?t allow a hit through five innings on Monday while pitching for Triple-A Syracuse. Elbow discomfort has twice landed him on the disabled list this season. He is not expected to be in uniform for tonight?s series opener. Following tomorrow?s start, he?ll rejoin the Blue Jays and likely pitch against the Braves next week.

?It?s a thrill to be a part of (his rehab). They?ve made a major investment in him for their future,? Smith said. ?For Toronto to be only two games back in the standings and to get a pitcher like A.J. back into the rotation, that?s a nice addition to the staff.?

Portland counters with one of its hottest pitchers, Phil Seibel, in game one tomorrow. The lefty hasn?t allowed a run in 22? innings, which broke the previous club record held by Craig Hansen.

The Sea Dogs? game two starter will be Devern Hansack (2-2, 3.97 ERA); New Hampshire has not announced its starter for the nightcap. On Sunday, lefty Kurt Isenberg (2-7, 5.21 ERA) takes the mound for New Hampshire, while righty Matt Goodson (1-0, 1.50 ERA) is scheduled for the Sea Dogs.

The New Hampshire Food Bank will be collecting non-perishable donations at the park tomorrow. Any adult who donates will be entered in a contest for the chance to take batting practice with the Fisher Cats. Kids will be entered in a contest to join the Fisher Cats in a future baseball clinic at the park.

A fireworks show following the game will be part of tonight?s entertainment. Baseball caps will be given away at the gate tomorrow and Sunday.
 
GO sea doggs! woo hoo! haha! merchantsauto.com stadium needs a name makeover!
 
Patrick said:
GO sea doggs! woo hoo! haha! merchantsauto.com stadium needs a name makeover!
Click to expand...

Seriously, wouldn't Merchants Stadium do the trick, I could handle that.
 
The Fisher Cats are probably wishing Portland never left town, as the team welcomed a franchise record 21,069 fans to the stadium during last weekend's 3-day homestand.
 
wow I wasn't aware that rivalries existed for monor league baseball teams, at least not at that level, but now that you mention it, id much rather watch a fishercats match up in portland than, say, the connecticut team which handed our asses to us tonight on television....after they kicked them....channel 8 was a doggs game tonight.


the dot-com part kills it.
 
Sea Dogs lose ground to Thunder

Trenton wins its second straight at Hadlock and moves within five games of division-leading Portland.

Portland Sea Dogs Manager Todd Claus will hand the baseball to Chris Smith today with one simple command: Stop them.

The Trenton Thunder had 11 hits Saturday night, including three home runs, in a 10-4 rout of the Sea Dogs before a sellout crowd of 7,368 at Hadlock Field.

Trenton (44-37) pulled within five games of the first-place Sea Dogs (47-30) in the Eastern League's North Division.

"We realize we still have a long season to go, but any time you play the team that's in first place and make up some ground, obviously the games are a little more important," said Thunder first baseman Eric Duncan, who hit his second home run in two nights.

The Thunder rank third in the league with 65 home runs. Portland has 51.

The Sea Dogs, who gave up nine hits in a 7-6 loss to Trenton on Friday, will try to slow the Thunder today by starting Smith, their ace, who is 9-3 with a 2.27 ERA.

On Saturday, the Sea Dogs turned to Frank Brooks, a 27-year-old left-hander acquired on waivers from the Kansas City Royals organization. Normally a reliever, Brooks (0-1) made his second start as Portland waits for Phil Seibel to return from the disabled list.

Brooks gave up five runs, four earned, over five innings. He allowed home runs by Duncan, Justin Christian and Vince Faison, whose drive to right landed in Fitzpatrick Stadium.

Trenton put away the game in the sixth inning with five runs off reliever Jon Searles on three hits, two walks and a hit batsman.

Portland also put together 11 hits, but not enough of the clutch variety. Jeremy West tripled and homered, and Alberto Concepcion went 3 for 4, but the Sea Dogs never led and left eight base runners.

"We can hit," Claus said, "but they controlled the damage. They made the pitches when they had to. They pitched better and they came up with the timely hits."

Rusty Tucker, a former University of Maine pitcher, made his Hadlock Field debut Saturday night, pitching a perfect ninth.

Tucker, who was with the San Diego and Chicago White Sox organizations before signing with the Boston Red Sox, was helped by second baseman David Bacani's slick play, charging a slow grounder and flipping it with his glove to first base.

NOTES: The Sea Dogs have received highly regarded reliever Kyle Jackson from Class A Wilmington. Jackson, 23, was 6-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings. He replaces Victor Ramos, who went on the disabled list. . . . Seibel, with tendinitis in his arm, has yet to throw off a mound. . . . The Red Sox released former Sea Dogs catcher Jim Buckley, who was with Triple-A Pawtucket. Buckley played in only nine games, batting .222. He had been on the disabled list with a right-calf strain. . . . The father and child catch at Hadlock Field, postponed three weeks ago because of wet grounds, will take place this morning from 10:30 to 11:30. . . . The Eastern League Baseball Writers Association picked its midseason all-star team, but no Sea Dogs made it. Trenton's only representative, first baseman Shelley Duncan, has been promoted to Triple-A.
 
hey..

is Trenton the Sea Dog's biggest rival? It would make sense in the scheme of the whole sox-yanks thing, but if not who is?
 
Im not sure. I have always looked at the sea doggs as a joke, more for entertainment than actually competitive sporting event, but now that they are affiliated with the sox it seems to have taken on a bit more popularity around here. However, I think the true rivalry, at least from what I can sense, is between portland and manchester, not so much because of the sport, but because of each city competing with the other for the spotlight north of boston. but I could be wrong, anyone know for sure? whos our big rival?
 
Portland fans in NH? The teams talk

By KEVIN GRAY

709a1kids.jpg

When the Portland Sea Dogs come to town, loyalties can get divided ? even within families. New Hampshire Fisher Cats fan Cody Newey, 10, of Manchester, and his brother, Sea Dogs fan Jeffrey, 11, wait to get autographs before Friday night?s game at Merchantsauto.com Stadium in Manchester. (MARK BOLTON)

Manchester ? Red Sox fans have been known to overtake stadiums in Baltimore, Toronto, Oakland and St. Petersburg, Fla.

The home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats also has thousands cheering for the visiting team when the Portland Sea Dogs take the field at Merchantsauto.com Stadium.

What to think of all these fans in Manchester rooting for a team from Portland?

That all depends on your point of view.

Front-office perspective
Red Sox propects are good for business. Sox prospects facing rehabilitating Blue Jays are even better business.

Attendance jumps an average of 1,500 fans per game when Portland comes to town. On June 16, attendance jumped higher still.

Not only were the Sea Dogs in town for a Saturday doubleheader, but A.J. Burnett, Toronto?s prize off-season free-agent signing, was making a rehab start in Manchester ? and it was a beautiful day for baseball.

The Fisher Cats kept selling standing-room tickets (about 400) yesterday until they capped attendance at a Merchantsauto.com Stadium record 7,575.

?Every phone line was going like crazy. There were lines outside the ticket window,? said Erik Lesniak, Fisher Cats director of groups and ticket sales. ?That?s the stuff that drives us to work in this field.?

New Hampshire?s front office builds ticket packages around the 14 Portland home games, essentially parlaying the Northern Division rivalry into more ticket sales.

?In the offseason, you can almost count on a sellout for Portland games and concentrate on selling the other games,? Lesniak said.

On any given night, the the Boston hats in the ballpark may outnumber Fisher Cats hats at the stadium.

?There?s a lot of fans wearing Red Sox gear and cheering for the Fisher Cats. That?s the best of both worlds,? added Lesniak.

The Managers
Portland manager Todd Claus takes pride in the fact his team helped break attendance records for New Hampshire. All those fans watching games add to the minor-league development process, according to Claus.

?I think it?s a reminder of the organization we play for. There?s a great following and a passion,? he said. ?I think it?s good because it sort of reminds guys of Red Sox Nation and the high expectations. We get the same sort of deal in New Britain (Conn.). We definitely get a hefty following throughout the league.?

And a little cheering for the visiting team is good for baseball.

?I don?t think there?s anything wrong with coming to see the Red Sox of the future and rooting for the home team, as well,? said Claus. ?Buying a ticket and coming to the park is enough support alone.?

New Hampshire manager Doug Davis may as well have been speaking on behalf of Fisher Cats owner Art Solomon in discussing the lively crowds.

?It would be great if we could play (Portland) half the season,? Davis said after his team?s 8-4 victory Friday night. ?It?s great when there?s a game like this. I think you saw a lot of good baseball fans out there tonight.?

The Players
Sitting in the Fisher Cats bullpen right next to the bleachers in right field, Tracy Thorpe hears a noticeable difference in the applause this weekend.

On the mound, he could strike out the side, but the crowd might cheer louder for a Sea Dogs home run.

?It?s definitely noticeable. Of course, the Sea Dogs are going to get their applause,? Thorpe, an imposing 6-foot 4-inch, 250-pounder, said. ?Actually, it?s good when they come to town because you?re still playing in front of your home crowd but there?s a team coming in who?s affiliated with the Boston Red Sox. It?s good to be able to play in front of the crowd.?

In the past, some Fisher Cats players have been peeved by all the media coverage given to the Sea Dogs in Manchester.

A day after Zach Jackson tossed eight shutout innings last season, the main story and photo on the front of the New Hampshire Union Leader Sports section focused on then-Red Sox prospect Hanley Ramirez. Some of the Fishers Cats let it be known they weren?t happy.

Do the Fishers feel slighted when the Sea Dogs are in town?

?There might be a couple guys who do, but as far as I?m concerned, I don?t care about it,? said Thorpe. ?If you?re going to let that get to you, you?re in the wrong sport. Hey, (reporters have) got to write about what they?ve got to write about.?

Today and tomorrow ? and three more times next week ? the Sea Dogs will be a popular topic.
 
Smuttynose said:
Portland fans in NH? The teams talk

By KEVIN GRAY

Manchester ? Red Sox fans have been known to overtake stadiums in Baltimore, Toronto, Oakland and St. Petersburg, Fla.

....
Click to expand...

Damn right!
:twisted:

And I've (we've) lived to tell you all about it.
 
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