In The System: My experience calling a minor-league game

May 30, 2023 • 4:31 pm

1.1K

SAN FRANCISCO -- I sent Jon Mozes a text to ask if his offer was still on the table. The Altoona Curve's play-by-play broadcaster said it was.

Ok. Give me a headset.

This past Saturday, Mozes was kind enough to make a once-in-a-lifetime offer for me to call the Curve's game against the Hartford YardGoats with him. His usual partner, Preston Shoemaker, was not available that day, so he asked if I wanted to come on and do some color commentary. I had done podcasts and radio hits in the past, but actually calling a game over the airwaves? Oh yeah, that's a big one on the baseball bucket list. I'm absolutely on board.

I'm also going to be in way over my head, but what are the minor leagues here for if not development?

I have talked to many of the Curve's top players for several years now: Henry Davis, Liover Peguero, Matt Fraizer, Matt Gorski, etc. Saturday's starter, Jared Jones, is one of the top pitching prospects in the organization. I've got notes. I've got anecdotes. I can do this.

I get into the Curve's broadcast booth, read over the game notes as Mozes does the pregame and lineups, put on my headset, hear Mozes' baritone cadence say to the 1240 AM WRTA airwaves that he is being joined by Alex Stumpf of DK Pittsburgh Sports...

And my mind goes blank. Remember that scene in A Christmas Story? Baseball? What's a baseball?

The first ball goes into the hole at shortstop, Peguero makes a strong throw and gets the runner out at first. I finally squeak out that, hey, Peguero has been swinging the bat well. Mozes, a pro, asks what is working for the young infielder, knowing I had just talked to him.

I try to give a concise answer, but I ramble. "Don't talk like it's Mound Visit! Don't talk like it's Mound Visit!" I think to myself. I get through the first frame, take off the headset and exhale. Next time, I'm using a broadcasting opener.

Once the game gets into a rhythm, so do I, and not just with baseball. It's gameshow night at People's Natural Gas Field, and I point out that their version of Deal or No Deal is really just Let's Make a Deal. I bring up the Monty Hall problem to explain to the folks at home how they could have won a car in a 1970s game show. ("Don't bring up probability equations! Don't bring up probability equations!") We share our favorite game shows growing up, our choice in chocolate bars, the iconic Skyliner roller coaster out in right field that makes PNG Field one of the most beautiful ballparks in the country. After the entertainment staff gave away 100 Grand (the candy bar) and a dishwasher (a sponge) as the big prizes of the night, I ask if they had a Grogu doll and will pass it off as a Toy-Yoda. (I like to believe every dad in Blair County got a kick out of that one.)

You ever wonder why broadcasters will go on non-baseball tangents? Well, in my experience, it's because these games are long. Thank goodness for the pitch clock and the occasional four-pitch inning. Come on, I don't want to hear myself talk this long!

But I settled into the baseball talk as well. I bring up how Gorski found success using Colin Moran's old baseball bats. Davis goes out to the mound and I bring up how Davis likes to poke the bear with Jones in those situations. Jones came back firing upper-90s fastballs.

And then I do my version of an aggressive swing in the bottom of the fourth.

"Is this guy any good," I ask.

"Henry Davis?" Mozes asks.

"Yeah."

"He's got the highest OPS by a AA player," Mozes answers.

"Ok, so maybe?"

"He's reached base safely in 31 of 34 games played."

"Ok, so probably?"

"His last 30, games he's got 18 extra-base hits, 10 of them are home runs."

"Ok, so yes."

"I can keep going."

Hey, that's the job of the color commentator, right?

A scoreless game continues into the ninth inning. Mozes says that if the Curve don't score I might not be allowed back. I shoot back that Curve pitchers have a 0.00 ERA while I'm here. A grand slam later that inning would make my counterargument moot. Sorry, Nick Dombkowsiki.

Mozes signs off at the end of the game, I thank him for having him on and make my plug for the site and my coverage. After we're clear, I thank him again for letting a greenhorn take some professional swings.

Put it on my journalistic Baseball-Reference page, but I think I'm going to stick to writing. If you'd like to hear the game, it's on milb.tv. Just prepare for some candy bar talk.

WHO IS HOT?

AAA Indianapolis: Right-handed reliever Yerry De Los Santos seems to have rebounded after a disappointing turn this spring training, allowing just one earned run over his last eight appearances this month. I also noticed during my trip to Indianapolis earlier this month that his fastball was consistently in the mid- to upper-90s again, which certainly wasn't the case during spring training.

AA Altoona: Left-handed reliever Cameron Junker has tossed 12 1/3 scoreless innings this month while holding opposing batters to an .098 batting average. The 25-year-old southpaw was a 10th round pick in 2019 and has a 1.56 ERA on the season. I've heard some good things about his offspeed stuff of late, too.

A+ Greensboro: Tsung-Che Cheng has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, batting .361 (13-for-36) in that stretch with two home runs and a 1.078 OPS. Cheng was one of the Pirates' more notable international pick ups during the 2019 signing period, and the 21-year-old infielder ranks seventh in the South Atlantic League in OPS (.950) and first in triples (six).

A- Bradenton: Second baseman Termarr Johnson has heated up after his slow start, which was most likely due to him not having a formal spring training because of his hamstring injury. Over his last 12 games, he has hit .341 (13-for-38) with a .468 on-base percentage, .447 slugging percentage, a home run and five RBIs.

SOMETHING TO WATCH

Peguero didn't have as white-hot a week as he did the week prior, but the quality of his contact has greatly improved, with far more contacts and barrels.

"Being able to recognize pitches a little bit deeper and control the zone a bit better and slow everything down at the plate, that's the biggest thing right now," Peguero was telling me.

Peguero is much more selective at what pitches to swing at, helping him make that better contact. He's not trying to force the issue and isn't making pitchers' lives any easier.

"I was just getting myself out [last season]," Peguero said. "This year, I'm looking for my pitch, something that I can handle."

INJURY NEWS

Outfielder Travis Swaggerty had 14 plate appearances with Bradenton this week as part of his rehab assignment after recovering from a viral illness. Right-handed reliever Colin Selby is dealing with some right-shoulder discomfort, hence his trip to the seven-day injured list last week. Right-hander Max Kranick (Tommy John) is up to two side sessions a week, with the anticipation being that he can start throwing live batting practices by the end of June.

CLIP OF THE WEEK

Aaron Shackelford has been one of the top hitters in Indianapolis this month, which included four home runs this week, the last of which was a pulled shot on an inside fastball: