Midland Rockhounds August 19, 2019 Scorecard

Battle of cross division leaders as Midland Rockhounds take on Northwest Arkansas Naturals. This was last regular season game I attended that year.

I noticed they listed Mitch Moreland as Mitchell. Looking top 10 batters and pitchers half of them made it to the majors. It wasn't Drew Locke, Chad Tracy or Trevor Reckling.

Rockhounds final 20 games of the regular season starts with NO days off. It's the playoff spot grind for them. Graham "G" Godfrey and Blake Johnson starts the game.

What's changed from the last visit? Kyle Farnsworth on the team for rehab assignment. Jeff Bianch, David Lough, and Jarrod Dyson on the team as they would go on play in the majors. Dyson still playing to this day as he's with Diamondbacks. He was part of Royals World Series run in 2014 and 2015. Did you know he was drafted in 50th round? He worked hard get to the Show.

Almost same team. Mike Benacka called up to AAA Sacramento. Rocky Roquet and Angel Garcia off the DL.

Rockhounds shutout Naturals 8-0. Frisco won so 'Hounds are still 3 games up on 'Riders

Reuse, Recycle

My brother was going to comic con in Lubbock with appearance of former WWE wrestler Lita. I was pulling out two of her cards for him to get signed when I notice this.

This is from 2016 Topps WWE Heritage set. The second card I pull of her from 2017 Women set and its.....

the same picture from 2016 set except cropped and bit zoomed. Another case of Topps reusing and recycling a picture for a set. My brother did get the cards signed and it looks like this

She used silver for one and black for the other. Another autograph to my collection.

Midland Rockhounds August 5 2009 Scorecard

It was almost a month til I made to another Rockhounds game that season. Stretch run for Rockhounds as they battle for Texas League playoff spot that year. This is first of last three regular season homestand games. Chris Carter on the cover as he lead the league in homeruns and was second in RBIs to Drew Locke.

On top of the division going a game ahead of Frisco Roughriders

Important series against Frisco. They won the previous night to get top spot in south division. Kyle Middleton goes against Omar Poveda on the mound

Near identical team from last visit (see here) with few new additions of Steve Murphy, John Bannister, Zach Phillips, and Corey Young. Phillips made it to the majors playing 27 games in four season bouncing between majors and Triple A. Bannister got released days later after the series only to be claimed by Royals and stuck on Double-A Northwest Arkansas for remainder of the season. He spent 2010 playing in Golden League final season which happen to be his final year of playing.

Kyle Middleton, Travis Banwart, Tyson Ross, Jermile Weeks, and Shane Peterson are now on the team. Middleton and Banwart peaked in AAA. Banwart spent 6 years in Triple A along trips in independent ball and overseas. Still playing to this day for Fubon Guardians of Chinese Pro Baseball League. Ty Ross (as I call him) still currently playing but is shut down this season for ulnar nerve issues. J-Weeks played 6 seasons in the majors last playing in 2017. Primetime Peterson joined the team when A's traded Matt Holliday for him, Brett Wallace, and Clayton Mortensen at trade deadline. He played 125 games in three seasons and still playing to this day for Dodgers Triple-A team Oklahoma City Dodgers.

Rockhounds lost a tough one to Roughriders 8-7. Both tied on top of south division going to August 6 game.

New York New York

It's been a week since I got back from a trip to New York City. I was up there with my parents for a week. First time any of us gone. Different experience after living in Texas all my life. Didn't bother with rental car and used the subway station get through places. The few times we got in a vehicle when a family friend picked us up on Saturday. During the week we took overhead bus tour around parts of the city and cruise tour going through Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Governor Island, and three bridges connecting to NYC from Brooklyn. Saw the 9-11 Memorial and the new World Trade Center built around. Various places we gone to is the heavily crowded Times Square, Rockefeller Center (NBC Studios, Nintendo NY, and re-opened FAO Schwartz), Chinatown, Little Italy, Empire State Building, online retailer BH Photo store, NBA Store (overpriced and disappointing), Dylan's Candy Shop, and shops around Flushing. Funny thing while on overhead tour bus it stopped in front of Trump International Hotel and Tower that everyone got out their cameras and start taking photos. Ventured to Coney Island getting on one ride and saw the original Nathan's Hot Dog stand. Raided Brooklyn Cyclones team shop plunking down money on team sets (they didn't have this year's out at time), shirts, and various items. Went to Mets game on Saturday (Hawaiian Shirt Night and unadvertised pride night) to near sellout loud crowd beating Nationals 4-3 which included two homeruns from Juan Soto, back-to-back shots from J.D. Davis and Wilson Ramos and Luis Guillimore first career homerun. Found out going from Queens/Flushing/Corona to Brooklyn takes about hour and half on subway. Good thing family friend took us in their vehicle to Brooklyn that Saturday. Going from Queens to NYC takes about half hour at most while riding on the 7. It was fun trip. Would like go back again soon and go through places and museums I miss like Yankees Stadium as the team were on the road that time. Must go and experience NYC at least once in your life.