SCRAPPERS NOTES From Eastwood Field

Name game: Ever wonder how the Muckdogs got their nickname? The “muck” is a reference to the type of soil which helps produce the fertile farmlands just north of Batavia. The nickname was suggested by a fan when the team held a naming contest in 1998. Prior to 1998, Batavia was home to the Clippers — a nickname inspired by a farm combine which was manufactured in Batavia through the 1950s. Though the second smallest market in the New York Penn League, Batavia ranks fourth in souvenir sales (behind Staten Island, Brooklyn and Aberdeen) and 48th in the nation among the 160 minor league teams.

Summer drought: Thursday’s game featured the two least productive teams in the NYPL in terms of home runs. The Scrappers rank next-to-last in the league with 18 round trippers. Batavia is dead last with 17. By comparison, Auburn has gone deep 16 times in August alone. The Doubledays lead the league with 47 home runs.

Late summer repeat? If the Scrappers are looking for inspiration as they head toward the home stretch, they can look back to the Scrappers of ’04. Three years ago, the Scrappers owned a 22-27 record before they went on to win 20 of their final 27 regular-season games. The team then went on to sweep Auburn and Tri-City in a pair of best-of-three series en route to a New York-Penn League title. Earlier this season, the Scrappers were three games under .500 (17-20), but have since gone 15-7.

Injury update: Scrappers outfielder Juan Valdez will not play again in 2007. Valdez suffered a sprained ligament in his left thumb July 27 while making a diving catch in a game at Williamsport. After Valdez’s injury was re-evaluated last week, it was determined he would not return to the Scrappers’ lineup. The Puerto Rican native was batting .319 with four home runs and 26 RBI. Todd Martin, who leads the Scrappers batting average (.360), home runs (8) and RBI (40) sat out Wednesday’s game with a sprained knee. He is listed as day-to-day.

Steve Ruman