SCRAPPERS NOTEBOOK From Eastwood Field

Early start: Because of the Business Persons Special and Senior Day, the Scrappers game started at 12:05 p.m. It marked the first day game during the week since the 2000 season. "They're nice. It breaks things up a little bit," Scrappers manager Mike Sarbaugh said. "You get a chance to see your family [more], go out for dinner and break up the routine. It's nice to get up, play a game and sit back and relax a little bit." It does, however, involve more motivation on the players' part. "You have to kick yourself in the butt," third baseman Brett Parker said. The Scrappers are now 5-1 in day games.Ceremony: Warren mayor Mike O'Brien, a John F. Kennedy High graduate, threw out the first pitch.Side game: Fans were handed bingo cards and had the opportunity to play Hardball Bingo, in which they marked random numbers drawn at the end of each inning. The rest of the card was completed when fans matched a player's position with the result of his at-bat.Theft artist: Argenis Reyes entered Wednesday's game tied for third in the league in stolen bases. He swiped two more to increase his season total to 11. "The last week or so he's been getting on base a lot," Sarbaugh said. "He seems to put fire in our club. You can't ask for much more than what he's given us. He makes things happen."Day off: Sarbaugh gave catcher Wyatt Toregas, who entered play ranked fifth in league batting with a .329 average, a break Wednesday. Omar Casillas was behind the plate. "After a night game and an early game the next day, we try to give him a day off to rest up a little bit," Sarbaugh said. "At one point he had played three or four games in a row and I started to see him get a little tired. It's a change for these guys -- playing every day -- so I'm trying to be careful with them and keep them fresh for the rest of the year."Big city boys: The Scrappers have played in New York City venues Brooklyn and Staten Island so far this season. New stadiums there offer a varied perspective from older parks in Auburn, Batavia and Jamestown. "In Staten Island, the background of the city and the Statue of Liberty is out in center field," Sarbaugh said. "The backdrop and the scenery there was unbelievable. Staten Island was similar to our type crowds; Brooklyn was a lot more animated and they had a lot more things going on in the ballpark. That had more of a New York feel." Quite a difference from Jamestown, then? "You know what, that gives you that old-time baseball feel," he said. "There are all these new ballparks, but you go back there [to Jamestown] and you think 'this is baseball.' It's neat for these guys to experience what it used to be like in the minor leagues and how they're reaping some of the benefits of these new ballparks."Moving up: Sarbaugh said Scrappers pitcher Dan Cevette (3-0, 1.25), among the league's ERA leaders, will be promoted to Class A Lake County this weekend. Looking ahead: The Scrappers will conclude their series against Hudson Valley tonight when Chris Niesel (1-0, 1.77) takes the mound. "He has good command of all his pitches and he battles up there," Sarbaugh said. "He's done a great job every time he's gone out, so we expect the same from him [tonight]." Batavia arrives at Eastwood Field for a three-game series beginning Friday. Scott Lewis (0-1, 13.50), the Cleveland Indians' third-round pick in the June draft from Ohio State, is scheduled to start Friday's game against the Muckdogs.
Early start: Because of the Business Persons Special and Senior Day, the Scrappers game started at 12:05 p.m. It marked the first day game during the week since the 2000 season. "They're nice. It breaks things up a little bit," Scrappers manager Mike Sarbaugh said. "You get a chance to see your family [more], go out for dinner and break up the routine. It's nice to get up, play a game and sit back and relax a little bit." It does, however, involve more motivation on the players' part. "You have to kick yourself in the butt," third baseman Brett Parker said. The Scrappers are now 5-1 in day games.Ceremony: Warren mayor Mike O'Brien, a John F. Kennedy High graduate, threw out the first pitch.Side game: Fans were handed bingo cards and had the opportunity to play Hardball Bingo, in which they marked random numbers drawn at the end of each inning. The rest of the card was completed when fans matched a player's position with the result of his at-bat.Theft artist: Argenis Reyes entered Wednesday's game tied for third in the league in stolen bases. He swiped two more to increase his season total to 11. "The last week or so he's been getting on base a lot," Sarbaugh said. "He seems to put fire in our club. You can't ask for much more than what he's given us. He makes things happen."Day off: Sarbaugh gave catcher Wyatt Toregas, who entered play ranked fifth in league batting with a .329 average, a break Wednesday. Omar Casillas was behind the plate. "After a night game and an early game the next day, we try to give him a day off to rest up a little bit," Sarbaugh said. "At one point he had played three or four games in a row and I started to see him get a little tired. It's a change for these guys -- playing every day -- so I'm trying to be careful with them and keep them fresh for the rest of the year."Big city boys: The Scrappers have played in New York City venues Brooklyn and Staten Island so far this season. New stadiums there offer a varied perspective from older parks in Auburn, Batavia and Jamestown. "In Staten Island, the background of the city and the Statue of Liberty is out in center field," Sarbaugh said. "The backdrop and the scenery there was unbelievable. Staten Island was similar to our type crowds; Brooklyn was a lot more animated and they had a lot more things going on in the ballpark. That had more of a New York feel." Quite a difference from Jamestown, then? "You know what, that gives you that old-time baseball feel," he said. "There are all these new ballparks, but you go back there [to Jamestown] and you think 'this is baseball.' It's neat for these guys to experience what it used to be like in the minor leagues and how they're reaping some of the benefits of these new ballparks."Moving up: Sarbaugh said Scrappers pitcher Dan Cevette (3-0, 1.25), among the league's ERA leaders, will be promoted to Class A Lake County this weekend. Looking ahead: The Scrappers will conclude their series against Hudson Valley tonight when Chris Niesel (1-0, 1.77) takes the mound. "He has good command of all his pitches and he battles up there," Sarbaugh said. "He's done a great job every time he's gone out, so we expect the same from him [tonight]." Batavia arrives at Eastwood Field for a three-game series beginning Friday. Scott Lewis (0-1, 13.50), the Cleveland Indians' third-round pick in the June draft from Ohio State, is scheduled to start Friday's game against the Muckdogs.