Giants succumb to Grays rally

Giants lose another one at home. The Giants lead early, but the final score was 18-9. The Giants are now 5-7 in the MINK and 9-9 overall.

C-J article

Next up is the annual mid-season NBC qualifying tourney in Nevada, MO. The Giants are seeded 7th, and will play the hometown Griffons on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Win or lose, they will play again at 7:00 p.m. Saturday night against either the Topeka Badgers or the Lee's Summit Blues.

Giants lose at home

The Topeka Golden Giants lost to the Beatrice Bruins in Topeka, 10 runs to 3.

C-J article

Giants over Grays in 12

The Topeka Golden Giants overcame an early 3 run deficit to win 15 to 7 in a 12 inning marathon. The Giants had 24 hits to the Grays 7. Those 7 Grays hits all occured in the first 3 innings, meaning the Giants pitchers combined for 9 innings of no-hit baseball in the 4th through the 12 innings.

Jason Cooper tied the game in the top of the ninth with a 2 out RBI double.

Ryan Tousley came in from the outfield to pitch the 9th, 10th and 11th innings, keeping the game alive unitl the Giants offense took over in the top of the 12th. Ryan also had a good night at the plate, as did Nick Carlson, Reed Kreiser, and the previously mentioned Cooper.

Hat tip to the Grays for another quality webcast.

Giants are now 5-5 in the MINK, 9-7 overall. Beatrice comes to Topeka on Wednesday night.

Giants in Blue Springs tomorrow

The Giants visit the FCA Grays tomorrow evening. The game is scheduled to be webcast starting at 5 p.m.

Giants-Sluggers suspended by rain

Ok, I was wrong, Topeka and Parkville remain tied for 3rd place in the MINK. I guess I had forgotten the last third of that Bull Durham quote:

"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes... it rains."

Tonight's game was suspended after a cloudburst in the top of the 3rd thoroughly soaked the field. The score was 1-1. Parkville had 2 hits and an error. Topeka had one hit, no errors.

The game will be resumed as part of a doubleheader in Topeka on July 14th.

Giants lose 2 in Clarinda this week

The Giants lost both road games in Clarinda this week. They lost 12-3 on Sunday night and 6-0 on Wednesday.

It looks like our squad is not alone in losing to the A's. At long last the league site has standings and results up. First place Clarinda is 8-1 in the league, Chillicothe is in second place at 5-3 and Topeka and Parkville are tied for third at 4-5.

That tie for third won't last long, Parkville will be facing the Giants in Topeka tomorrow evening. 7 o'clock start.

Golden Giants sweep DH

All of the sudden the Giants are back above .500 in the MINK League. They won both games of tonight's doubleheader against the Ozark Generals. Game 1 was 13-4. Game 2 was 14-1.

Our Giants are now 8-5 overall, 4-3 in the MINK.

Update: C-J article

Giants fall to Chillicothe

Giants lose a league game at Hummer to the Chillicothe Mudcats. Final score 7-5.

The Topeka Golden Giants are now 6-5 overall, 2-3 in the MINK.

Next game is a home doubleheader against the Ozark Generals on Friday, starting at 4 p.m.

Update: Here's the C-J article and 49 News video. The article form the Capital-Journal has this quote regarding the Giants' recent woes:

"The guys need a day off," Esposito said. "I don't feel like they're putting forth the effort needed, and we addressed that with them. They need to go about their business a little better. We have two games Friday we need to win."

It was closer this time...

The Giants fall in Junction City again, but it took extra innings tonight. Final score was 7-6 after 10 innings.

Topeka at Junction City

I was present for the first 7 innings of tonight's game in Junction City, at which point my son was tired and grumpy enough that we needed to head home. When I left Topeka was down 4-1 in the middle of the 8th.

Update: The final score was 5-1. Also, here's the article from the Generals' website. Also video from 49 ABC.

Review: The ballpark and the atmosphere in Junction City was impressive. An old limestone WPA stadium with some new aluminum bleachers down the left field line, and a new beer garden down the right field line. My only minor complaint was that the sound effects were a little over the top. I'm no purist, but a wacky sound effect on every pitch, and a comedic movie line during every little lull in the game is a bit much. The between innings promotions were well run and did not delay the game at all. Not much foul territory, so you are really close to the game even in the cheaper aluminum seats.

Editorial: This is probably my one road trip this year, and I really wanted to see what Junction City was like, since the league has expressed an interest in Topeka. I love the compactness of the MINK, and the tradition of the National Baseball Congress, but I would not be opposed to the Golden Giants moving to the CPBL. It would be tougher for Topeka, since we don't have a classic old municipal ballpark to renovate, but it could be done. The CPBL has the minor league atmosphere of an indepedent professional league, but it represents a more sustainiable business model. Nothing is certain at this level of baseball, but the CPBL has a better chance to last in Topeka than an indy league.

Giants win in North Topeka

Giants defeat the Wichita Gators of the Walter Johnson League, 7 to 3.

Update: C-J article

Defensive woes doom Giants

Topeka lost to Chilicothe tonight, 6 to 3. Both teams had 9 hits. Defense made the difference in this game, and the Giants were in a defensive slump tonight. There were only 4 Giant errors officially, but numerous other non-error miscues were just as costly.

The Giants have a chance to bounce back in a non-league game against the Wichita Gators tomorrow (at Seaman High School, not Hummer), followed by a 2 game series in Junction City.

Update:
article and boxscore from Chillicothe

Giants defeat Sluggers

Giants win 10-7 in Parkville after 10 innings.

Update: WIBW-TV said 10-7, but the paper says 11-7. Still a win, regardless. Golden Giants are now 5-1 overall, 2-1 in the MINK.

Giants outslug Blue Jays

The Topeka Golden Giants defeated the Salina Blue Jays tonight by the score of 10 to 2.

Update:
Capital-Journal article

MLB Draft

2005 Golden Giant Gus Milner was picked in the 14th round by the Phillies.

2006 Golden Giant Chris Carlson was picked in the 29th round by the Tigers.

Update:
2006 Golden Giant Kent Williamson drafted by the Tigers in the 46th round.

Giants win on the road

The Topeka Golden Giants defeated the FCA Grays in Blue Springs by a score of 10-2. Chris Graves picked up the win, and Kyle Knutson earned a save (by pitching more than the final 3 innings).

Hat tip to the Grays broadcaster, whose name I didn't catch, for a quality broadcast (or netcast?). You really never know what to expect at this level of baseball and I was prepared for anything from dead air to an FCA homer. Instead, the play-by-play was both fair and entertaining. Giants fans should consider tuning in (linking in?) on June 25th when the Giants return to Blue Springs.

Giants are now 1-1 in the MINK, 2-1 overall. Non-league home game tomorrow vs. the Salina Blue Jays. MINK road game on Thursday afternoon in Parkville.

Update:
Capital-Journal article

Internet Broadcast availiable

Sorry for the late notice, but apparently you can listen to live audio of tonight's road game in Blue Springs via this website.

Around the MINK

Couple of articles from around the league:

Generals provide chance
Positives in Mudcats opener, but still a loss

Schedule Change

The upcoming road game at Parkville, originally scheduled for Monday the 5th, has been moved to Thursday the 8th.

Next home game is still Wednesday the 7th, vs. the Salina Blue Jays.

Giants fall to Clarinda

Tonight's MINK league opener was a rough one for the Giants. At times it seemed like a lost cause, at other times frustratingly within reach. Final score was 15 runs to 8. Clarinda had 10 hits to the Giants' 7. Errors were a problem for both teams: the A's had 4 miscues and our Giants had 5.

The Giants led early, until a costly top of the 4th. Matt Thompson came in to relieve starter Kent Williamson 2/3s of the way thru the 4th. Thompson's curveball looked impressive from the stands, but the A's batters seemed to be able to handle it.

Highlights for the Golden Giants included: Good base-running in the 1st inning, including Nick Giuliani scoring the first run of the game via a well executed double steal (with Daniel Helfin). Nick Carlson's solo homer in the 3rd. Clint Samuels legging out a single to lead off the bottom of the 4th. Reliever Ross Keeling shutting the A's down in the 7th and 8th. And a great 6-4 play to end the top of the 8th.

Update:
Capital-Journal article
49 News video
box score from Clarinda

Exhibition vs. Junior Giants

For the first several innings, it went about like you would expect a college vs. 18 & under game would go. In the later innings the Junior Giants made it, not just respectable, but interesting.

CJ article
video from 49 News