Results tagged ‘ Tulsa Drillers ’
Blogging Bouillabaisse
What should I write about today?
I’ve spilled way too much virtual ink about Valentine’s Day already, and not too much is shaking on the 2010 promotional front. So my only option is this: to systematically exhaust my supply of topics that for some reason or another my moderately-addled mind has deemed “blogworthy.” Topics such as these:
– In Bowie, communications manager Tom Sedlacek dove into a kiddie-pool filled with frigid water. There was a reason for this. Click HERE if you are interested in what motivated such a ridiculous action. Otherwise, just watch:
In Tulsa, the Drillers are having some fun with their brand-new high-powered t-shirt cannon:
The 2010 Triple-A All-Star Game marks the first time that
league-specific uniforms will be worn by respective All-Stars in either
Triple-A or the Major Leagues.
– Finally, the Bowling Green Hot Rods’ website currently features an interview with me. As in Benjamin Hill, the guy typing this sentence right now. Check it out HERE.
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
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Expressions of Grief, Longing, and Expectation
A lot of great Valentine’s Day promotions have been coming down the pike as of late, and I am tempted to put together a post on the subject.
But then I remind myself that it is not yet February, and that Valentine’s Day can wait. But what cannot wait are the following objects of interest, all of which must be dealt with in an expedient manner.
So let the ruthless efficiency begin.
The Minor League Baseball world was rocked (or at least gently nudged) by last week’s news that Myrtle Beach Pelicans GM North Johnson had been hired by the Gwinnett Braves. The Pelicans will not let North go gently into that good night, however, as evidenced by the farewell video that they put together in his honor. This is some serious staff loyalty:
My favorite part of the video occurs at 2:03, as that has to be the least convincing pantomimed phone conversation that I have ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot.
Following North’s lead, let us now move in a southwesterly direction. Our destination is Tulsa, where the Drillers continue to woo Conan O’Brien. Yesterday, hard-hat wearing team president Chuck Lamson got in on the act. Check it out HERE.
I made reference to Conan’s farewell speech at the end of yesterday’s post, namely the following line: Please do not be cynical…Nobody in life gets exactly what they
thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard, and you’re
kind, amazing things will happen.
This attitude is personified by Julio Osegueda, the young Floridian who attained celebrity as a
result of his enthusiastic questioning of President Obama at a town hall meeting last February. This led the Fort Myers Miracle to offer him a broadcasting gig, a development I covered HERE and HERE. I spoke with Julio before I wrote both articles, and was struck by his positivity and earnestness. That’s why I was glad to see THIS, in which Julio reflects on Obama’s first year in office as well as the changes in his own life.
One thing that Julio and his fellow Fort Myersinians don’t need to worry about is wintry weather, which the Iowa Cubs have experienced in abundance this month. You may recall last week’s pictures of Principal Park covered in ice. Well, now the club has made a commercial that juxtaposes winter woes with springtime bliss:
In conclusion, let me point out that the Richmond Flying Squirrels released their 2010 giveaway schedule today. It is highlighted by a Flying Squirrel Cape, so that you too may look like this.
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I'm Right Here Waiting For You
I am writing this on Friday evening, well aware that most of you won’t be reading it until Monday morning.
So, how was your weekend? Those football games were awesome, weren’t they? A Saints-Jets Colts Super Bowl is really something to look forward to! And how about Conan’s last show? I thought the funniest best part was when Neil Young did a song parody called “The Network and the Damage Done” his farewell speech.
And speaking of Conan, in yesterday’s (I mean, Thursday’s) post I gave credit to the Round Rock Express for being the first Minor League team to offer Conan a job. Well, the Tulsa Drillers made an offer of their own:
“[The Drillers] will make Conan O’Brien our official MC for every
Drillers game for as long as
he and you all live. The Tonight Show
Band? They can play every game — even LaBamba. Andy Richter, Pierre
Bernard, Preparation H Raymond, The [self-pleasuring] Bear, and PimpBot 5000
can all join our full-time staff. Bring them all.
We are fully prepared to offer you all your very own suite at ONEOK
Field to enjoy each Drillers game. Come on, guys, “The CoCo Cabana”.
Seriously. we can make it happen.”
The full letter can be read HERE, in all its resplendent red-haired glory.
Speaking of resplendent glory, the city of Charleston, SC is positively aglow with the news that a male Statue of Liberty may be erected in the city. Of course, the RiverDogs can not let news of such magnitude go by unnoticed. Behold, the “Be Your Own Statue” contest:
As part of their new Be Your Own Fan
marketing initiative, the RiverDogs are asking all fans to help determine the
face, shape and size of the new statue. The Be Your Own Statue promotion
invites fans to submit a drawing, photograph or video letting the club know who
should be the face of this new national monument.
The winner will be revealed as part of the All
Things Male promotional night, set for Saturday, July 17, when
Charleston hosts the Augusta GreenJackets for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.
“All Things Male” promotional night? I hope that’s better than last year’s “All Things Mail” Night, which didn’t deliver despite my stamp of approval.
And speaking of approval, the Trenton Thunder get mine for a new Twitter contest (or
“Twitest”) announced today: Project 2010 in 2010. Here’s the scoop:
The Thunder’s goal is to have 2,010
Twitter followers by Opening Night (April 8, 2010). When we reach that
number, the Thunder will conduct a random drawing among their Twitter
followers, and give away a Grand Prize to one lucky fan. All of our
followers will also be winners because we’ll release an exclusive
ticket special just for them.
Grand prize is a jersey signed by the 2010 team.
And speaking of 2010, that’s what year it is. But right now it’s winter, and therefore cold, and therefore our nation’s baseball stadiums are not exactly in optimal condition. Check out these pictures of Principal Park I received today from the Iowa Cubs, who stole the joke I would inevitably have made by writing “Ice Cubs” in the subject line:
But if thoughts of Spring are more your thing, then take solace in this: The Reading Phillies announced today that their first “Gluttony Night” of the season will be held on April 9. They also announced that the evening will double as “Crazy About Reading Night” and I was like “Duh guys, every team is crazy about themselves.”
Finally, MiLB.com has a brand-new message board feature. If someone could take it upon his or herself to start a thread on how Benjamin Hill is the greatest and most overlooked writer in the entire world I’d really appreciate it. I’m too modest to do it myself, you see.
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
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Raise A Toast to Tulsa
When I tell people what it is that I do professionally, the most common follow-up question I receive is “So, is your eventual goal to write about the Major Leagues?”
To that query, the answer is a most emphatic “NO!”. If I was writing about the Major Leagues, then I’d be required to be today’s 4,872nd talking head to weigh in about Manny Ramirez. I’d have to have an opinion on pitch-tipping. And, most depressingly, I’d be just one more dude in a locker room of (mostly) dudes, decked out in business casual attire and getting cliche responses to my cliche questions. No thanks! If I wanted to have the joy sucked out of something I love, I’d just get married (again).
It’s a Minor League life for me. I’m glad to be writing this stuff, and happy to have my niche. The occupational hazards, as many as there have been, have thus far been worth it (but for how long? NYC’s not cheap!).
I’m not sure what prompted the above soliloquy. Perhaps I’m feeling a little introspective upon realizing that this is Ben’s Biz Blog post #300. At any rate, I am, as usual, feeling the need for a drink. For that, let’s take a trip to Texas.
The Tulsa Drillers have announced something that, so far as I know, is one of a kind: The $1
Beer Bullpen Ticket Plan. Take it away, press release:
The ticket package gives you a discounted ticket to all 10 Thirsty Thursdays during the 2009 season. For $45 you get 10 general admission tickets (a $60 value) and membership in the $1 Beer Bullpen! That’s right — $1 off every ticket and your own VIP drink line! You’ll never have to wait in line again!
I don’t know about you, but nothing makes me feel like more like a VIP than not waiting in line for a plastic cup of domestic draft beer (I’m not being sarcastic). And that’s a pretty phenomenal deal — $4.50 a ticket, and cheap, speedy beer all evening long.
The Drillers’ first “Thirsty Thursday” of the season was a week ago today. Let’s go to the visual evidence (thanks to Drillers promotions manager Michael Taranto for the pictures):
First, a shot that conveys the general atmosphere in the Beer Bullpen (I wonder if they call it that because there are so many people in there who need to relieve themselves):
The gentleman in the middle of the following shot apparently feels it is necessary to carry around 15 cups at a time. What is he, an equipment manager?
I wish there was a blonde woman in this next photo, because then I could title it “Goldilocks and the Three Bros”:
At any rate, this is the closest I can get to enjoying a drink at work, so thanks to the Drillers for that.
If you have any info for me, domestic draft-related or otherwise, then you know the drill:
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
Minors Mustache Epidemic Spreads to Tulsa
Between an article, blog post, and an MiLB.com poll, the South Bend Silver Hawks‘ Josh Collmenter Mustache Awareness Night received a hefty amount of coverage from yours truly.
But the Silver Hawks’ promotion was merely representative of a larger trend, as mustache celebrations were all the rage in the Minor Leagues this season. And, like mustaches themselves, each of these promotions was unique in its own way.
On August 22nd, the Tulsa Drillers held their own Mustache Awareness Night, and it was a doozy. There was a lot of build-up prior to this extravaganza. The entire front office staff grew mustaches, and the club conducted a poll on its web site, asking fans to vote on the best celebrity mustache of all time.
And then the big day arrived. Drillers promotions assistant Michael Taranto (who also provided the following pictures) reports that “this night coincided with Margaritaville Weekend, so as you can imagine it was funny to see people’s faces as they came to the game and received a fake mustache along with a Hawaiian lei.”
Of course, any mustache promotion worth its salt gets the players involved. Here’s an exclusive dugout shot of some uberstylish Drillers:
Keep the photos coming! Send pictures from Minor League promotions to benjamin.hill@mlb.com.
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