MY NEW GIG

[v j stauffer]

I haven't shared much racing opinion with you guys this summer. While I have kept a very close eye on Santa Anita and will at Del Mar for tournaments. ( there's a very big one this weekend). My attention has mostly been on Pittsburgh baseball.

Wait. Before you Pirates fans ban me. I'm speaking of the PITTSBURG DIAMONDS of the Pacific Association here in the Bay Area. Did you notice the different spelling? We don't need no stinkin H!

The Pacific Association is an independent professional baseball league made up of 4 teams.

San Rafael Pacifics
Sonoma Stompers
Vallejo Admirals
Pittsburg Diamonds

We play a 78 game season. Two 39 game halves. If two different teams win a half there's a one game Championship to decide it all.

We've just started the second half of the season. We're 1-2. Sonoma won the 1st half with a record of 23-16.

We'd be 2-1 except for a lovely game on Saturday night. We were up 11-2 going to the top of the 8th and somehow found a way to lose 12-11 in extras.

We are WAY good enough to win the 2nd half and the Championship. In my only slightly biased opinion we have the best starting pitching. All very solid. 5 deep. Our bullpen is excellent. Our day to day line up explosive. Just one VERY big problem. WE CAN'T CATCH THE DAMM BALL.

In the 39 games of the 1st half we committed 50 ERRORS Including one game where we had 9. Five from our third baseman. He now plays outfield.

I became involved by sending an email to all 4 teams asking if they ever needed someone to fill in with PA for a game or two I was available..

Pittsburg got back to me that very day saying last season they had nobody. Players who weren't playing that day or out of the game were forced to volunteer . Didn't go real well.

I was offered the job on the spot. $50 bucks a game for 39 home games. Righteous Bucks Dude! I accepted.

Two days before we opened the owner called and said he had no funds left in the budget for PA. But would I still be willing to come?

I of course said what any profession announcer would say.

Who's pitching opening night?

Since then my duties have expanded to Director of Broadcast Operations. I'm in charge of PA, radio (webcast) and TV (local access). Needless to say I no longer expected this job to be pro-bono. And it's not!

My salary package now includes all the Hot Dogs I can eat. Still no $$$. But little did they know it would have been cheaper to pay me the $50 bucks rather than a free roll at the weenie stand.

Since I feel I've deprived a select few of my closest PA friends the opportunity to rip my calls since Hollywood closed. Here's a new chance. Better yet. This, baseball play by play, I really do suck at.

Consider it a late Independence Day present.

We have a game tonight at Vallejo. 1st pitch 6:35pst.

The broadcast website is www.mixlr.com/pittsburgdiamonds

We have messaging during the games. If you would like to log in and let me know you're listening. Reference PA and I'll give you a shout out.

Here's the team website. www.pittsburgdiamonds.com

BTW we've signed Jose Canseco to play the entire month of August. He'll mostly DH. With some games in the field and the occasional relief appearance. That should be way cool.

Go Diamonds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04KQydlJ-qc

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

I haven't shared much racing opinion with you guys this summer. While I have kept a very close eye on Santa Anita and will at Del Mar for tournaments. ( there's a very big one this weekend). My attention has mostly been on Pittsburgh baseball.

Wait. Before you Pirates fans ban me. I'm speaking of the PITTSBURG DIAMONDS of the Pacific Association here in the Bay Area. Did you notice the different spelling? We don't need no stinkin H!

The Pacific Association is an independent professional baseball league made up of 4 teams.

San Rafael Pacifics
Sonoma Stompers
Vallejo Admirals
Pittsburg Diamonds

We play a 78 game season. Two 39 game halves. If two different teams win a half there's a one game Championship to decide it all.

We've just started the second half of the season. We're 1-2. Sonoma won the 1st half with a record of 23-16.

We'd be 2-1 except for a lovely game on Saturday night. We were up 11-2 going to the top of the 8th and somehow found a way to lose 12-11 in extras.

We are WAY good enough to win the 2nd half and the Championship. In my only slightly biased opinion we have the best starting pitching. All very solid. 5 deep. Our bullpen is excellent. Our day to day line up explosive. Just one VERY big problem. WE CAN'T CATCH THE DAMM BALL.

In the 39 games of the 1st half we committed 50 ERRORS Including one game where we had 9. Five from our third baseman. He now plays outfield.

I became involved by sending an email to all 4 teams asking if they ever needed someone to fill in with PA for a game or two I was available..

Pittsburg got back to me that very day saying last season they had nobody. Players who weren't playing that day or out of the game were forced to volunteer . Didn't go real well.

I was offered the job on the spot. $50 bucks a game for 39 home games. Righteous Bucks Dude! I accepted.

Two days before we opened the owner called and said he had no funds left in the budget for PA. But would I still be willing to come?

I of course said what any profession announcer would say.

Who's pitching opening night?

Since then my duties have expanded to Director of Broadcast Operations. I'm in charge of PA, radio (webcast) and TV (local access). Needless to say I no longer expected this job to be pro-bono. And it's not!

My salary package now includes all the Hot Dogs I can eat. Still no $$$. But little did they know it would have been cheaper to pay me the $50 bucks rather than a free roll at the weenie stand.

Since I feel I've deprived a select few of my closest PA friends the opportunity to rip my calls since Hollywood closed. Here's a new chance. Better yet. This, baseball play by play, I really do suck at.

Consider it a late Independence Day present.

We have a game tonight at Vallejo. 1st pitch 6:35pst.

The broadcast website is www.mixlr.com/pittsburgdiamonds

We have messaging during the games. If you would like to log in and let me know you're listening. Reference PA and I'll give you a shout out.

Here's the team website. www.pittsburgdiamonds.com

BTW we've signed Jose Canseco to play the entire month of August. He'll mostly DH. With some games in the field and the occasional relief appearance. That should be way cool.

Go Diamonds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04KQydlJ-qc

When I had an interest in becoming a broadcaster and before discovering the business is more about who you know rather than what you can do, I was going to Mets games high school games and making tapes. Anyway, baseball requires one to be chatty( fill) without being annoying.
When pitchers work quickly, it's easier. When there is a human rain delay on the mound, OY VEY.....
I will listen in. Should be fun

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by thespaah

When I had an interest in becoming a broadcaster and before discovering the business is more about who you know rather than what you can do, I was going to Mets games high school games and making tapes. Anyway, baseball requires one to be chatty( fill) without being annoying.
When pitchers work quickly, it's easier. When there is a human rain delay on the mound, OY VEY.....
I will listen in. Should be fun

Boy you nailed it. 100 percent correct. Especially when one is solo. Which is they way it almost always shakes out for me. Hoping to grab a player or two tonight to do some color. That's very hit and miss.

Great to hear you'll be listening.

Would greatly appreciate any input. Don't care if it's harsh. I'm a big boy.

See you on the air. 1st pitch 6:35

[Robert Fischer]

Very cool.

Sounds fun and and stimulating.

Hope Canseco lives up to the deal and makes it a big hit.

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

Very cool.

Sounds fun and and stimulating.

Hope Canseco lives up to the deal and makes it a big hit.

Right now I'd be happy with " show's up ". We'll work on " lives up " after that.

[v j stauffer]

Oh. Let me help you with one other thing.

Let's get this out of the way before the game.

DaHoss thinks this is yet another example of me massaging my feeble, or was it fragile, ego.

I'm a no talent, ostracized, burned every bridge in the world, POS, muttonhead grasping at my last days of sunshine. Think Grizabella.

And all of you are dupes for falling into my trap.

Whew. Glad we got that out of the way.

Hey. check out the stats on our player B J Guinn. He's amazing. Haven't got tonight's lineup yet but he'll play. Probably lead off.

Let's go Diamonds!

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

Boy you nailed it. 100 percent correct. Especially when one is solo. Which is they way it almost always shakes out for me. Hoping to grab a player or two tonight to do some color. That's very hit and miss.

Great to hear you'll be listening.

Would greatly appreciate any input. Don't care if it's harsh. I'm a big boy.

See you on the air. 1st pitch 6:35

The guy that does radio for the AHL franchise here usually does the games solo. ON occasion he will use a player who is not dressing to help with analysis. It's hit or miss. He sits next to me while I do stats....Sometimes the player is pretty good. Sometimes its cringe worthy.
I guess you can go to the clubhouse and chat with the guys and feel out who is likely to do the least damage.

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

Oh. Let me help you with one other thing.

Let's get this out of the way before the game.

DaHoss thinks this is yet another example of me massaging my feeble, or was it fragile, ego.

I'm a no talent, ostracized, burned every bridge in the world, POS, muttonhead grasping at my last days of sunshine. Think Grizabella.

And all of you are dupes for falling into my trap.

Whew. Glad we got that out of the way.

Hey. check out the stats on our player B J Guinn. He's amazing. Haven't got tonight's lineup yet but he'll play. Probably lead off.

Let's go Diamonds!

Is this a league that primarily focuses on college players looking for summer playing time and to learn how to hit with wood bats?
There is a HUGE difference. Even with the new BBCOR" bats required. These are less lively bats than those used up until a few years ago.
Some of these guys were hitting balls so hard, it was hazardous to pitchers and infielders. Ball coming off the bats at close to 140 MPH.....So the colleges and other amateur associations all the way down to 13 yrs and up got together and decided to dial down the bats. They took the spring effect out of the barrels. Limited the "drop" ( length to weight) and reduced the maximum diameter of the barrel to 2 5/8"....I had a bat I used in my 30 and over league that was 31 inch and just 23 oz. Thats illegal now. It also had a 2 3/4" barrel. I was never a big home run hitter, but a bat like that in the hands of a power hitter and there would be mothers in the neighborhood surrounding the ball park taking their kids off the streets.
Today the maximum drop is -3....So if a bat is 31" it can weigh no less than 28 oz..
Still, players with these bats do not fear inside pitches because they can hit one off the handle and still drive it into the outfield. Bigger sweet spot than a wood bat....Put a wood bat in the hands of a kid that has never used one and they won't hit their weight. That is until they learn.

[JustRalph]

Sounds like fun, have a ball Vic! 👍

[menifee]

Vic,

Good luck. I loved it when you were on TVG. I thought you were really good as a studio analyst. Hope you make your way back to doing that work as well.

[thespaah]

Listeing in now.....Watching Mets/Cubs on the tube.
Baseball all over the place.

[EMD4ME]

Vic, I always hoped to see you and TLG on "Talking Horses" but as a consolation, I'm glad your back somewhere.

In life, it's important that we all do what makes us happy. Glad you're happy doing something that you actually WANT to do.

I still hope you call races or more selfishly, land on TV with TLG. THAT would be must watch TV

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by EMD4ME

Vic, I always hoped to see you and TLG on "Talking Horses" but as a consolation, I'm glad your back somewhere.

In life, it's important that we all do what makes us happy. Glad you're happy doing something that you actually WANT to do.

I still hope you call races or more selfishly, land on TV with TLG. THAT would be must watch TV

Thanks. Tonight's game turned out to be excellent. A 3-2 win that get's us back to 2-2 in the 2nd half. We're 21-22 overall.

I invite everybody to check out our game in Sonoma this Friday July 22.

Here's a press release that just now came through from the Sonoma Stompers.

MOD NOTE: INCORRECT LINK REMOVED

Should be a fun and interesting game.

If anybody out there is interested in doing play by play for the Saturday and Sunday games in Sonoma you're hired! All 9 innings solo. Just you and legions of fans. No experience needed.

I'll be at Del Mar both days competing in their first big live bankroll tournament of the season.

Last chance to register for the 13th annual Del Mar Handicapping Challenge on Saturday and Sunday, July 23 & 24!

Big Fields: 9 horse field size average last year for both contest days

Big Prizes: Based on an expected 140 entrants, $300,000 in prizes will be awarded, including $100,000 to first place. 100% of the Challenge prize pool is returned in cash plus five Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge full entries. In addition to the 100% return of the prize pool, Del Mar is paying for eight NHC spots to be awarded. How’s that for value and return on investment!

Big Bonus: Opt-in for chance at a $1 million bonus. Details at this link: http://tilt.tc/mj78?s=wb&u=kmcfarland3

California Chrome: Chrome is expected to race in the July 23 San Diego Handicap

TO ENTER: This is a live bankroll contest. Players are required to put up $7,000 to enter. $5,000 is used as the player live bankroll and $2,000 goes to the prize pool.

ENTRY FEE DUE: The entry fee of $7,000 is due by Saturday, July 16. Please send a check made payable to DMTC to:

DMTC

Attn: Chris Bahr

PO Box 700

Del Mar, CA 92014

Click here CHALLENGE DETAILS. For complete rules or questions, please contact me at (858) 792-4294 or chris@dmtc.com.

Chris Bahr

Challenge Director

Game 2 tonight in Vallejo vs. the Admirals. First pitch 6:35pst.

Hear every pitch on www.mixlr.com/pittsburgdiamonds

Go Diamonds!

[JBmadera]

Good luck Vic. Great area to live and work in.

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by JBmadera

Good luck Vic. Great area to live and work in.

Now that's the most accurate statement of the entire day.

Thanks JB