Play Ball: Baseball Season Is Here And Some Don't Care

Opening day of the baseball season was yesterday although for the Yankees it was delayed a day by rain as they’ll open the season in the Bronx this afternoon against the Red Sox.

I have to admit that I was not all that pumped up for the Mets opener last night and there are probably a variety of reasons. The lockout, not opening at home in the afternoon, no Jacob deGrom or Max Scherzer on the mound. Plus there’s one other factor…let’s call it the Tiger factor. All week I was more interested in the fact that Tiger Woods might return to the golf course in Augusta just 14 months after a horrific auto accident. Then came word that indeed he was playing in the Masters and that took away from my lead up to the baseball season.

Anyway I will be at opening day, actually opening night tonight as the Jersey Shore BlueClaws open their 21^st season at home against the Aberdeen IronBirds who are an Orioles affiliate. Gates open at 6pm with first pitch at 7:05 and it looks like the weather will cooperate although I would suggest you dress for a cool evening. There will also be fireworks after the game, the first of 10 scheduled post-game fireworks shows at ShoreTown Ballpark.

The BlueClaws of course are a Phillies affiliate and will play 66 home games between tonight and September 11^th. They are in the Northern Division of the High “A South Atlantic League and have three home series against both the Yankees (Hudson Valley) and Mets (Brooklyn) affiliates.

Their opening night roster includes 5 of the Phillies top 9 prospects and headlining that group is pitcher Mick Abel who was their first round draft pick in 2020 and is the #2 ranked prospect in the system.

Phillies prospect Mick Abel

For ticket information and more visit www.blueclaws.com.

Play Ball!

LOOK: The story behind every NFL team name

Stacker delved into the story behind every NFL football team name. Overall team records, also included, are reflective of NFL regular-season games. There are some football teams with well-known nicknames—the Jets, for instance, are often referred to as Gang Green—but we also divulge how some teams’ official names are sparingly used (the Jets’ neighbors, the Giants, are actually known as the New York Football Giants). Sometimes a team name can tell you a lot about local history: The Vikings of Minnesota draw upon the area’s strong ties to Scandinavia, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are dripping in local legend related to Florida’s pirate past.

Let’s kick off the countdown with the folks who earned their nickname by buying boxes of used team jerseys.