(This post was written by Tyler Stovall, one of Redleg Nation‘s Spotlight Players.)
Hey everyone,
Thought I’d give everyone an update on my season in Billings.
Since I last posted, we have started the second half of the season and are currently sitting in first place again with a 12-3 record. I’m very happy to see our team not let down at all having all ready clinched a playoff spot in September.
We are currently at the end of a 7 game homestand against the Idaho Falls Chuckers (Royals) and the Casper Ghosts (Rockies), and we follow it up with a 7 game road trip against the same two teams. Our team continues to perform well and we added a few players from the GCL Reds. Cody Puckett (2B), Andrew Bowman (RHP) and Mike Bohana (RHP) have all helped add additional depth in some areas where we have lost players to promotions.
My second half has been productive, as I have seen time in right field and a couple spot starts in center. Center has definitely been fun to play, since I have never held down that spot in my career. I have moved out of the leadoff spot with the addition of Puckett, but have felt pretty comfortable wherever our manager puts me.
I also had a nice surprise this homestand when I found out that a poster on this board, Jim from Seattle, was in town visiting Biliings on an RV trip with his grandson Cody. Jim knows my dad from about 8 years ago, when they met at a Big Red Machine reunion in Cincinnati. My dad was selling baseball cards as a hobby at the time, and was able to help track down old Reds cards for Jim both in Cincinnati and across the United States on his business travels. It was really nice spending some time with both Jim and Cody, and just shows that you never know who you will run into on your ride through the minors.
I also wanted to describe the brand new ball park in Billings a little bit for those who have been curious. It is a beautiful setting with a plateau known as the rim rocks in the left field back ground. There is a concourse level around the entire park, allowing fans to stand around the outfield if they choose. Left field gets crowded and is known as the 329 club because it is 329 feet down the left field line. The two concession stands on the concourse serve famous Stang Burgers, which are burgers topped with fresh beef brisquet, and they are just as delicious as they sound. The stadium is equipped with a state of the art scoreboard with jumbotron screen. The locker room is great, with a training room, coaches offices, plasma TV and equipment rooms. Overall it is a great place to call home, and the players couldn’t have asked for any more.
Well that about does it for this update, hopefully we can keep our pace throughout the second half, and make a solid run in the playoffs. Feel free to ask any questions you have about myself or the team, and I will do my best to answer them as quickly as I can.