Tag: Redbirds

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From My Seat Sports

Burly Batter

Alec Burleson (photo by Daniel Scruggs)

The Memphis Redbirds have won four championships since beginning play in 1998. But the franchise has never fielded a batting champion or league MVP. (Dakota Hudson won the 2018 Pitcher of the Year award for the Pacific Coast League.) Which means Alec Burleson could make some significant history here in 2022. Through Thursday’s games, the 23-year-old Redbirds outfielder is hitting .338, 27 points higher than the second-place batter in the International League. While recent teammates Brendan Donovan, Juan Yepez, and Nolan Gorman have made the leap to St. Louis and are now getting regular playing time with the Cardinals, Burleson continues to master the craft of hitting at the Triple-A level. And quite living up to his nickname: “Burly.”

Burleson emphasizes that he’s “not an analytics guy,” so even an old-school stat like batting average isn’t a motivator. But he knows the challenge of hitting a baseball consistently, and has a measured approach — it starts with a simple, gentle stance from the left side of the plate — to making life difficult for Triple-A pitchers. “Every arm we face is a big-league arm,” says Burleson. “Locking in every day on preparation, having a set approach . . . that’s huge. And sticking to [the approach]. If you stick to what you do best in the box, it puts you in the best position for success. I have the same routine, the same cage work. Trusting that — and not trying to do something different — has allowed me to have continued success this year. If something goes wrong, there’s only so much in my swing that could be off. I want to enter the box only worried about the pitch I’m going to hit, and not worried about mechanics.”

Burleson has shown power at the plate (16 home runs), and the kind that translates to big-league success. Tuesday night at AutoZone Park, Burleson drilled a three-run shot over the right-centerfield wall that proved to be the game-winner against Jacksonville. Left-handed batters who can go yard to the opposite field tend to play well into their 30s. Then there’s the homer Burleson hit June 15th against the Nashville Sounds, the first and only inside-the-park job in Redbirds history. “I didn’t know if it was going to go over the fence or not,” he says. “I saw it kick [away], and I was thinking three . . . but [Redbirds manager Ben Johnson] was shouting, ‘You gotta go.’ I thought it was going to be a close play at the plate. I was very winded, catching my breath for a couple of innings.”

Burleson credits Johnson and hitting coach Brandon Allen among a group of influences this season, and he also appreciates some wisdom received recently from big-league veteran Corey Dickerson (with the Redbirds on a rehab assignment). “Talking to him about left-on-left situations helped me a lot,” says Burleson. “He’s been in the big leagues a long time, so it’s good to hear that knowledge.”

A native of Charlotte, Burleson adopted the New York Yankees as his favorite team despite his father pulling for the Atlanta Braves. His favorite players were Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, men who earned their stripes primarily at the plate. Which makes the award Burleson won as a freshman at East Carolina in 2018 all the more surprising: American Athletic Conference Rookie Pitcher of the Year. (Burleson went 5-2 with four saves and a 3.33 ERA on the mound for the Pirates.) He smiles slightly when asked if he ever considered the Shohei Ohtani approach: pitch when you can, and hit when you’re not on the bump. “When I was drafted, it was as an outfielder,” he notes. “The bat was going to carry me to the next level. Everybody around me knew.”

The Redbirds are competing for their first postseason appearance since 2018 and their first International League championship. (Memphis competed in the Pacific Coast League through the 2019 campaign.) Through Thursday, they occupy third place in the IL’s West Division, just 2.5 games behind Nashville. Burleson describes a clubhouse that arrives at the ballpark ready to work, with Johnson’s professionalism in the manager’s office the team standard. “Ben expects a lot out of us,” he says, “to get our work done every day. That’s felt among all the guys. We want to have as much success as we can, and it’s not so much individuals. We pull for each other. It’s fun to come to the park with these guys.”

Burleson will have a hard time cracking the Cardinals’ outfield, so count on his name coming up in trade rumors this month. The 10th-ranked prospect in the St. Louis system is sure to draw attention from trade partners. But for the time being, Burly will take that gentle stance in a Redbirds uniform, and hammer baseballs toward a batting title.

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From My Seat Sports

Redbirds Wrap-Up

Matthew Liberatore (Credit: Memphis Redbirds)

Every baseball season leaves memories. At the Triple-A level, those memories come wrapped with a layer of hope for the future. Here are a few impressions from the 2021 Memphis Redbirds season that may prove lasting.

• A quiet phone. A season’s top highlight for a Triple-A player isn’t a game-winning home run or a complete-game shutout, but “The Call,” a first invitation to the big leagues. There weren’t a lot of these in 2021 here in Memphis. Infielder José Rondón was promoted by the St. Louis Cardinals after only 21 games with the Redbirds, but has seen limited action (primarily as a pinch-hitter) with the big club. Outfielder Lars Nootbaar hit .308 in 35 games for Memphis before his promotion and has become somewhat of a cult hero in St. Louis, chants of “Noooooooot!” rising from Busch Stadium with the rookie’s every appearance. Nootbaar made a sensational catch to prevent a home run in New York against the Mets earlier this month and hit two homers in the Cardinals’ 14th consecutive win last Friday night in Chicago. His impact hasn’t been merely a fun surname.

• Twin prospects. The Cardinals’ top two prospects — pitcher Matthew Liberatore and second-baseman Nolan Gorman — made significant strides toward the majors in 2021. Pitching for the first time above Class A, the 21-year-old Liberatore has posted an 8-9 record with a 4.15 ERA (through Sunday). Not impressive numbers. But Liberatore has hurled 121 innings against Triple-A hitters, many of them with experience in the majors. Expect him to compete for a Cardinals rotation spot next spring, St. Louis having gone through cases of duct tape to keep its starters competitive this season. As for Gorman (also 21 and a childhood pal of Liberatore’s from Arizona), a spot on the Cardinals’ roster in 2022 is all but certain after he hit .276 with 14 home runs in 74 games for Memphis, and after slamming 11 homers in 43 games for Double-A Springfield. With power from the left side and versatility on the infield, Gorman could represent what Matt Carpenter once did on the Cardinals roster.

• Streakers! The Redbirds fell to 21-36 when they lost the first game of a doubleheader at Louisville on July 9th. It would be their last loss for two weeks. After taking the final two games of that series with the Bats, Memphis swept six games against the Norfolk Tides at AutoZone Park, then swept seven games back at Louisville to set a new franchise record with 15 wins in row. The streak shattered the previous mark of 11 set by the 2017 Pacific Coast League champions. “We kept winning ballgames,” reflects Gorman, “so we started saying, ‘Let’s see how far we can take this.’ Every game meant something. We had a lot of fun with it. We’d go down 2-0 or 3-0 in the fifth inning, but we never felt like we were out of it. We knew we’d pull it off in the end. It happened quite a few times. There was a lot of confidence in the clubhouse. It was fun to be a part of.”

• Hidden gem. It’s not all about the prospects. First baseman Juan Yepez was not among the Cardinals’ top 20 prospects at the beginning of the season, but the case could be made he was the 2021 Memphis Redbirds MVP. After a strong start (five homers in 19 games) at Springfield, the Cardinals promoted Yepez to Memphis and he will finish the season as the team’s leader in home runs (currently 21), slugging percentage (.575), and OPS (.790). With Paul Goldschmidt entrenched at first in St. Louis, Yepez may not have a long future with the Cardinals. But the way he’s hit in 2021, the 23-year-old appears to have a future somewhere in the big leagues.

• A bobble and bombs. Now and then, the connection between AutoZone Park and Busch Stadium can feel surreal. Such was the case on September 18th, a Friday night. The Redbirds distributed Dylan Carlson bobbleheads to the first 2,000 fans at the game, one in which Memphis came from behind to beat Louisville. Up the river in St. Louis, Dylan Carlson — the Cardinals’ rookie rightfielder — hit a home run from both sides of the plate, the second one a grand slam, in a victory over the San Diego Padres. Coincidence? Probably. A reminder of the happy baseball marriage between Memphis and St. Louis? Absolutely.

The Redbirds (58-67) host the Charlotte Knights (Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox) Wednesday through Sunday at AutoZone Park to conclude their 2021 season.

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Celebrate Independence Day with the Redbirds

CREDIT: Memphis Redbirds

Every year since the Redbirds were introduced to our city in 2000, the Memphis Redbirds Independence Day games have served as a staple for Memphians looking to celebrate the holiday. After all, how much more of an All-American experience can you get beyond combining baseball, hot dogs, and fireworks? The Redbirds have you covered.

This year, our beloved baseball team will play against the New Orleans Baby Cakes in front of a packed house of 10,000 attendees.

The first 1,000 fans to show up will receive free sunscreen samples from the American Cancer Society as part of Minor League Baseball’s aptly named “Cover Your Bases” initiative.

Memphis Redbirds

Take me out to the ball game.

“We also have a specialty ticket that includes a ticket to the game and an all-you-can-eat hamburger/hot dog buffet, which is always very popular,” says Michael Schroeder, director of media and public relations for the Redbirds and 901FC.

Other food items included in the unlimited buffet: potato chips, cookies, bottled water, and two Coca-Cola beverages per person.

“It’s a good way to let us do the grilling so you can just sit back with family and friends and watch some baseball while eating great food and enjoying post-game fireworks,” says Schroeder.

After the game, Schroeder promises the Minor League Baseball team will deliver AutoZone Park’s biggest fireworks extravaganza in history.

And because the Redbirds’ Independence Day celebrations occur on July 3rd, attendees can get a head start on Fourth of July festivities a day early and/or celebrate two days in a row. “No matter when it is, we create a memorable night at the ballpark,” Schroeder says.

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From My Seat Sports

FROM MY SEAT: Cardinal Baseball, Memphis Style

Busch Stadium in
St. Louis has never looked more like AutoZone Park in Memphis. It’s not so much
the facade, the concourse, or the downtown setting. Rather, it’s the players in
uniform for the Cardinals, a team surprising experts coast to coast by playing
themselves into contention for a wild-card playoff berth, if not the National
League’s Central Division title. And in a time of crisis (read: Albert Pujols on
the disabled list), Memphis Redbird alumni will play a critical role in
determining how long St. Louis remains in contention.

Over the next
month, we’re very likely to see a Cardinal lineup that consists of the
following: Braden Looper at pitcher, Yadier Molina at catcher (or Bryan
Anderson, should Molina end up on the DL, too, after being hurt in a collision
at home plate Sunday), Chris Duncan at first base, Adam Kennedy at second,
Brendan Ryan at shortstop, Troy Glaus at third, Ryan Ludwick in leftfield, Rick
Ankiel in centerfield, and Skip Schumaker in rightfield. With the sole exception
of Glaus, every one of those players spent significant time refining their craft
at Third and Union in downtown Memphis. Add a few pitchers to the mix — rookie
Chris Perez, Randy Flores, and the just-recalled Anthony Reyes, to name three —
and there will be few Cardinal victories that don’t come via the bats and arms
of players we’ve cheered here in the Bluff City.

What can we make
of all this familiarity up I-55? For one thing, it’s a degree of vindication for
the much-criticized Cardinal minor-league system. Having gone 114-174 over 2006
and 2007, the Redbirds have been unsightly, so much so that local ownership has
stubbornly refused to sign the paperwork that will extend the affiliation with
St. Louis beyond 2008. But the cupboard hasn’t been entirely bare, not when
players like Schumaker and Ryan — hardly marquee names during their days in
Memphis — are now helping to win games in the big leagues. (Ryan may prove to be
Kennedy’s ticket out of town, actually. In the second year of a three-year
contract, Kennedy’s production has nose-dived from the level he displayed over
seven years with the Angels, with whom he was the ALCS MVP in 2002. If the
hyper-kinetic Ryan can find a steady approach to playing the Tony LaRussa Way,
he’ll be an everyday middle-infielder in 2009.)=

For most of this
decade, the Cardinals rode a wave of imports to the kind of perennial success
normally reserved for teams with larger payrolls. Edgar Renteria, Jim Edmonds,
Scott Rolen, Jason Isringhausen, Mike Matheny, and Chris Carpenter were all
critical components to the franchise earning five division titles, two pennants,
and a world championship. And they all cut their minor-league teeth for other
franchises. But with the departure of longtime general manager Walt Jocketty
(now in charge at Cincinnati), the Cardinals appear focused on planting seeds
for homegrown stars who can help win now and provide economic flexibility for
the occasional free-agent splash. Looking at the current Memphis roster, Colby
Rasmus (the organization’s top-ranked prospect), Joe Mather (back from two weeks
in the big leagues), and Mike Parisi (back in the Redbird rotation after a stint
with St. Louis) are just three players all but guaranteed to have two cardinals
on their uniform a year from now.

The Cardinals
showed considerable character last weekend, rebounding from a 20-2 drubbing by
Philadelphia Friday night to win the next two games and take the series from the
Phillies. The big blow in Saturday’s win was a two-run homer by Kennedy (alas,
his first of the season). On Sunday, Reyes earned the win in relief when Ankiel
scored with two outs in the 10th inning on a ball hit by Duncan. The location
was St. Louis and the packed stadium was colored the red of Cardinal Nation. But
the faces and flavor of both wins were distinctly Memphis.

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Sports Sports Feature

Horses, ‘Birds, and Hoops

Mark this down, sports fans: On June 7th at Belmont Park in New York, Big Brown will become the 12th Triple Crown winner in horse-racing history and the first in 30 years. If you watched Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, you saw the same dominance I did. At the peak of his game was an undefeated colt having his way with a field of 13 horses and actually gaining ground over the last quarter-mile of a tour de force in Baltimore.

Any concerns about Big Brown handling the longer test that is the Belmont Stakes — a mile-and-a-half, a quarter-mile longer than the Kentucky Derby — are now the equivalent of dirt clods in the path of a horse whose greatness happens to be on display in a year of otherwise less-than-inspiring thoroughbred 3-year-olds.

The one concern Big Brown’s handlers might have is weather. With only five races to his credit, how Big Brown might handle a muddy track is a variable his fans hope doesn’t come into play.

Ten horses have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness only to lose the Belmont since Affirmed edged Alydar in all three in 1978. Big Brown’s destiny belongs with horse racing’s ultimate pantheon. And for some perspective on how long this 30-year drought has been, consider the following:

The longest previous Triple Crown drought was 25 years, between Citation in 1948 and Secretariat in 1973.

In June 1978, Tiger Woods and Tom Brady were 2 years old, Albert Pujols wasn’t born, and LeBron James … well, his mom wasn’t even dating.

In 1978, it had only been 70 years since the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.

• Every baseball player has a mother. Many have sisters and most have wives or girlfriends. Which makes Sunday’s “Paint the Park Pink” the most heartfelt promotion in 11 years of Redbirds baseball in Memphis. Those pink jerseys may have clashed with the red hats and helmets but all for the right cause. If only 10 Mitchell Boggs strikeouts and a Joe Mather home run could beat breast cancer the way they did the Oklahoma Redhawks.

• It’s become clear that Chris Duncan is the odd man out in a three-man battle among former Memphis Redbirds for two corner outfield positions with the St. Louis Cardinals. Ryan Ludwick has clubbed a team-leading 11 home runs and forced Cardinal manager Tony LaRussa to find him a spot in the middle of the batting order. Skip Schumaker has made himself an asset with his speed, defensive skill, and role as a leadoff hitter; he delivered his third walk-off game-winning hit of the season Sunday. All of which leaves Duncan, a natural first-baseman or DH, in a position where his trade value is a larger consideration for the Cardinals than his development as a leftfielder.

How ironic it would be if Duncan ends up being packaged with Anthony Reyes in a deal to bring St. Louis a middle-infielder with pop. Less than two years ago, Duncan and Reyes were unlikely rookie heroes for a world-champion Cardinal team.

• Through Sunday, 11 NBA playoff series had been completed and the higher seed had won all 11. This remains the perennial distinction between pro basketball and the college game, where upsets are the norm come postseason. How ironic that underdog fans were left relying on the defending champion San Antonio Spurs for a “Cinderella story” in the NBA’s big dance.

When third-seeded San Antonio managed to beat second-seeded New Orleans in Game 7 Monday night, it was official: The Spurs(!) are your NBA Cinderella.

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News

PETA Names AutoZone Park In Top 10 List for Vegetarians

Each year, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) ranks major league ball parks according to how much vegetarian fare is offered at the concession stands.

This year, they also surveyed over 130 minor league parks. AutoZone Park came in at number five for most veg-friendly stadium thanks to an abundance of meat-free options.

Redbirds fans can choose between veggie dogs, grilled vegetable panini, roasted corn on the cob, fresh salads, and of course Cracker Jacks and peanuts. And oh and don’t forget those big ass beers — those are vegetarian too.

“When it comes to meeting fans’ demand for healthy, delicious, meat-free food, the Redbirds always have a winning record,” says PETA Assistant Director Dan Shannon. “AutoZone Park’s great vegetarian selection benefits both animals and the health of fans, who will be less likely to keel over from a meat-induced heart attack as they cheer the next Redbirds home run.”

For a list of all veg-friendly parks, go to the PETA website.

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Sports Sports Feature

Summer Sizzlers

You think Major League Baseball is suffering under a cloud of steroid-tinted scandal? Just hop on a bike anywhere near Paris and shout the name, “Floyd Landis!” The latest doping saga to hit the Tour de France — one that appears will cost Landis his 2006 championship — is beyond the scope of anything baseball fans might imagine. (Consider if baseball players were tested — randomly and regularly — right up through and during the World Series. Then after a game-winning homer is hit in Game 7, the hero tests positive for a steroid the very next week!) How does this sport, so extraordinarily popular in Europe, regain its integrity?

It should start by following the money: sponsors. Entities like Phonak (which sponsored Landis’ team this year), the Discovery Channel, even the U.S. Postal Service (the latter two each sponsored Lance Armstrong during his seven-year reign in France) simply must take the condition of their cyclists as seriously as they do the gains they achieve through their “product placement” in the greatest bike race on earth. When the sponsors incorporate their own methods of testing, or at least establish a one-strike-and-you’re-out policy for cheats, the cyclists will have much more to lose by dancing on the edge of substance abuse. And if the sponsors aren’t willing to step up? Cycling’s powers that be should include those sponsors in the bans they’re so willing to hand out to an athlete when a sample comes up positive.

• I had a chat with University of Memphis football coach Tommy West last month, and the most striking impression I came away with is that he is simply not worried. Not about the loss of DeAngelo Williams, not about the question marks at his quarterback position, not about the loss of some standout defensive players from a year ago. Entering his sixth season in charge of the Tiger program, West seems to have the energy of a first-year coach, his perspective significantly impacted by the bypass surgery he underwent last February. “It made me stop and appreciate more,” said West. “It made me realize how much I really do enjoy doing what I’m doing. I really like being where I am.”

• I also interviewed John McEnroe about his upcoming visit to Memphis (October 4th-8th) for the Stanford Championships at the Racquet Club. When I asked McEnroe who would have won a match in their prime between Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, McEnroe claimed the two greats would have different advantages on different surfaces and that their contrasting styles would leave a series of matches fairly even. When I followed with a hypothetical between McEnroe himself and either Sampras or Federer, the seven-time Grand Slam champ humbly said he might win “two or three out of 10” against the sport’s two most recent titans.

• The Redbirds are having their worst season in nine years in Memphis. But their parent club is in a tight race for the National League Central title. Am I the only reader of our beloved daily paper turned off by the overwhelming coverage of college football? Do we need 1,500 words on UCF coach George O’Leary when it’s 102 degrees outside?

• I saw six rather eloquent speeches in Canton’s Fawcett Stadium on August 5th as the latest class was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Highlights were the sentiments of Troy Aikman (a Hall of Famer before his 40th birthday!), John Madden (he believes the busts talk to each other after the Hall closes each night), and Reggie White’s widow, Sara (who mentioned how happy the Whites’ two years in Memphis were, a time when the couple welcomed their son, Jeremy, into the world). But I think my favorite remark was a simple but heartfelt request from Rayfield Wright (the great Dallas offensive lineman of the Seventies): “Parents, teach your children well. Remember, you are the windows through which your children see this world.”