Coop Scoop

Leyland, Turner headline Tigers at Fandemonium Jan. 18

The Mud Hens will host their annual Fandemonium Hot Stove event on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at Fifth Third Field

Among those scheduled to appear at the event, which will take place in The Roost from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., are Tigers manager Jim Leyland, coaches Gene Lamont, Lloyd McClendon and Jeff Jones, pitchers Jacob Turner and Duane Below, and infielder Don Kelly.

Events for fans include:

• Mascots Muddy & Muddonna will be available for photos and autographs throughout the park.
• Self-guided ballpark tours, including access to the visitor’s clubhouse and lockerroom, the Mud Hens clubhouse, the batting tunnel, and the Hens dugout.
• Interactive events, including an opportunity to have your photo taken with the Governors’ Cup in the lockerroom, take part in a post-game interview in the clubhouse, and take some swings in the batting cages.

Starting at 7 p.m., Tigers personnel will participate in a question & answer session on the fourth floor Roost, giving fans a preview of the 2012 season in Detroit and Toledo.

There will be a raffle drawing after the question-and-answer session.  The raffle will include Detroit Tigers autographed photos, Mud Hens experience packages and merchandise.  Fans will receive a free raffle ticket when they enter the fourth floor Roost.

There will not be an autograph session at Fandemonium.

Tickets for the event will go on sale on Friday, December 23 at 9 a.m. and are priced at $10.  Fans can purchase tickets in person at the Fifth Third Field box office, by phone at (419) 725-HENS (4367) or online at www.mudhens.com.

 

Mud Hen Mindbender – Dec. 21

Back by popular demand ... In an effort to have a little fun with the Coop Scoop blog, I am producing a (mostly) daily trivia quiz called "Mud Hen Mindbender." No prize; this is just a way to get your morning moving. Ready? Here we go ...

We are close to the end of the year, so let's tackle some "last" questions, OK? Here's an easy one: who was the last Mud Hen to hit two home runs in one inning?

The answer to Monday's question? Who was the last Mud Hen to hit four home runs in a game? Alexis Gomez hit four home runs against Columbus on Aug. 7, 2008; the only other Mud Hen to turn that trick since the Hens joined the International League was Bubba Trammell, who hit four against Richmond in a 13-inning game at Skeldon Stadium on Aug. 9, 1997. No other IL team has had a four-homer game since 1977.

Do you think you know the answer to today’s question? Click on the "comments" link below and let's find out! I'll post the answer tomorrow along with another trivia question. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Mud Hens field staff -- Nevin, Durham, Sager & Rankin -- returns in '12

The Mud Hens and Tigers announced Tuesday that Toledo's on-field coaching staff from last season — manager Phil Nevin, hitting coach Leon "Bull" Durham, pitching coach A.J. Sager and trainer Matt Rankin — all will return in 2012.

Nevin returns after leading the Hens to a 67-77 (.465) record in 2011 campaign, his first as a Triple-A manager. Both Durham and Rankin will be back in Toledo for the 12th consecutive season while Sager, a former UT football and baseball standout, returns for his fifth year.

The 40-year-old Nevin, who played briefly for the Mud Hens in 1995 and '97, led the Erie SeaWolves (Detroit’s Double-A affiliate) to a 66-76 (.465) mark during the 2010 season.  The 12-year major league veteran also has served as the manager of the Orange County Flyers in the Golden Baseball League, an independent league, in 2009 and compiled a record of 37-39 (.487).

Durham, who is 54, began his coaching career with five season as a hitting coach in the Los Angeles Angels organization.  He played 19 seasons of professional baseball and was named to the National League All-Star team in 1982 and 1983.

Sager, who will turn 47 in March, will enter his 11th season as a coach in the Detroit organization.  Sager was the pitching coach with Double-A Erie in 2007 and Lo-A West Michigan from 2002-06.  As a pro, Sager pitched for 12 seasons in the majors and spent time with the Hens in 1996 and '98.

The 40-year-old Rankin, who lives in Toledo, has spent 17 seasons in the Tigers organization.  

The Mud Hens will open the 2012 season with an exhibition game against the parent Tigers on Wednesday, April 4, then start the International League season against Indianapolis on Friday, April 6.

Mud Hen Mindbender – Dec. 19

Back by popular demand ... In an effort to have a little fun with the Coop Scoop blog, I am producing a (mostly) daily trivia quiz called "Mud Hen Mindbender." No prize; this is just a way to get your morning moving. Ready? Here we go ...

We are close to the end of the year, so let's tackle some "last" questions, OK? Here's an easy one: who was the last Mud Hen to hit four home runs in a game?

The answer to Friday's question? The Mud Hens and Tigers announced on Thursday that Detroit would play an exhibition game at Fifth Third Field before next season. When is the last time the Tigers played an exhibition game in Toledo? That took place on June 1, 2000 at Skeldon Stadium, a game the Tigers won 6-3.

Do you think you know the answer to today’s question? Click on the "comments" link below and let's find out! I'll post the answer tomorrow along with another trivia question. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Mud Hen Mindbender – Dec. 16

Back by popular demand ... In an effort to have a little fun with the Coop Scoop blog, I am producing a (mostly) daily trivia quiz called "Mud Hen Mindbender." No prize; this is just a way to get your morning moving. Ready? Here we go ...

The Mud Hens and Tigers announced on Thursday that Detroit would play an exhibition game at Fifth Third Field before next season. When is the last time the Tigers played an exhibition game in Toledo?

The answer to Tuesday's question? The Mud Hens just finished their tenth season at Fifth Third Field. Of those 10 season, in which season did the Hens win the most games? The Hens' best season was 2005, when Toledo won 89 games and eventually claimed the International League's Governors' Cup as playoff champs.

Do you think you know the answer to today’s question? Click on the "comments" link below and let's find out! I'll post the answer tomorrow along with another trivia question. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Tigers to play exhibition game at Fifth Third Field

The Detroit Tigers will play an exhibition game against the Mud Hens at Fifth Third Field on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 starting at noon.

The game will mark the first exhibition game between the Tigers and Mud Hens since June 1, 2000, when the two clubs met at Ned Skeldon Stadium. The Mud Hens moved into Fifth Third Field for the 2002 season.

“We announce this event with great pride and excitement as it has been more than a decade since we have hosted a game like this and the first time at Fifth Third Field,” Hens president & general manager Joe Napoli said in a release. “We would also like to thank [Tigers general manager] Dave Dombrowski, [minor-league coordinator] Dan Lunetta and the rest of the Detroit front office who worked hard to make this event a reality.  Our fans certainly will enjoy seeing the Tigers play here in Toledo.

"For many of the Tigers players, it will be a homecoming as so many of them have worn the Mud Hens uniform over the past decade.”

The Tigers plan to take batting practice prior to the game, and the gates at Fifth Third Field will be open for batting practice.

All Toledo season ticket holders and will have an opportunity to purchase tickets for the game, which will be priced at $20 for field level and $25 for club level. There also will be 1,000 individual tickets made available to the general public on Saturday, January 7 at 11 a.m., with a maximum of four tickets per person.

“We have a tremendous long-standing relationship with the Toledo Mud Hens,” Dombrowski said. “This exhibition game gives Mud Hens fans an opportunity to see the Tigers at Fifth Third Field, which is one of the finest ballparks in all of minor league baseball.”

All proceeds from the game will be split evenly between the Helping Hens Charitable Fund and the Detroit Tigers Foundation. Helping Hens is the official charitable fund of the Toledo Mud Hens baseball club and is administered through the Toledo Community Foundation.  The fund provides game tickets & meals to local underserved youth as well as financial support to local non-profit organizations.

Toledo will begin its season on Friday, April 6 at 5 p.m. at Fifth Third Field against Indianapolis.  Detroit will begin its season on Thursday, April 5 at 1:05 p.m. at Comerica Park versus the Boston Red Sox.

Where are they now? Gabe Alvarez

THE PRESENT: Former Mud Hen 3B Gabe Alvarez is an assistant baseball coach at his alma mater, the University of Southern California (USC).

THE PAST: After an All-American career at USC, Alvarez was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the second round of the 1995 draft. Then Alvarez was selected by Arizona as the fifth pick in the 1997 expansion draft, then traded to Detroit (along with former Hens RHP Matt Drews and 3B Joe Randa) for 3B Travis Fryman. Alvarez played for the Mud Hens in 1998, and in 67 games batted .273 with 20 home runs and 58 RBIs to earn a promotion to Detroit, where he hit .231 with five homers and 29 RBIs in 58 games at age 24. But in 1999 he began to experience throwing problems, and 25 errors in just 86 games at third base for Toledo offset a .285-21-67 line. Alvarez hit .207 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 69 games for the Hens in 2000 and in mid-July was traded to San Diego for 1B Dusty Allen. Alvarez played in 11 games for the Padres that year and eventually left the professional ranks after the 2003 season.

THE FUTURE: Alvarez was hired as an assistant coach by the Trojans in September of 2010, taking the job on an interim basis before earning a full-time position this past summer. Alvarez works primarily with USC's infielders as well as serving as recruiting coordinator. A recent issue of Baseball America ranked this year's recruiting class as the 11th-best in the country.

Mud Hen Mindbender – Dec. 13

Back by popular demand ... In an effort to have a little fun with the Coop Scoop blog, I am producing a (mostly) daily trivia quiz called "Mud Hen Mindbender." No prize; this is just a way to get your morning moving. Ready? Here we go ...

The Mud Hens just finished their tenth season at Fifth Third Field. Of those 10 season, in which season did the Hens win the most games?

The answer to Monday's question? Of those 10 season the Mud Hens have played at Fifth Third Field, how many times did Toledo have a winning record? The Hens had a winning record in six of the ten seasons: 2002 (division champs), 2005 (Governors' Cup champs), 2006 (Governors' Cup champs), 2007 (division champs), 2008 and 2009.

Do you think you know the answer to today’s question? Click on the "comments" link below and let's find out! I'll post the answer tomorrow along with another trivia question. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Rhymes will not return to Mud Hens

The Tigers did not tender a contract to second baseman Will Rhymes for the 2012 season, making the former Mud Hen a free agent Monday.

Rhymes began last season  with Detroit but was optioned to Toledo on May 3. Rhymes batted .306 with 17 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 24 RBIs in 104 games with the Mud Hens and was a mid-season International League All-Star.

In 29 games with Detroit, Rhymes hit .235 with three doubles and two RBIs.

The Tigers also have reportedly signed RHP Chris Bootcheck as a minor-league free agent. The Indiana native, who turned 33 in October, was 3-2 with a 3.57 ERA in 16 appearances for Durham last season.

Click here to look at some other comings and goings in the Tigers organization this off-season.

Mud Hen Mindbender – Dec. 12

Back by popular demand ... In an effort to have a little fun with the Coop Scoop blog, I am producing a (mostly) daily trivia quiz called "Mud Hen Mindbender." No prize; this is just a way to get your morning moving. Ready? Here we go ...

The Mud Hens just finished their tenth season at Fifth Third Field. Of those 10 season, how many times did Toledo have a winning record?

The answer to Thursday's question? I recently finished a player-by-player look at last year's Mud Hens as we begin the off-season, so I asked this question: Who led the Mud Hens in triples last season? Will Rhymes and Danny Worth each had four, one more than Ben Guez.

Do you think you know the answer to today’s question? Click on the "comments" link below and let's find out! I'll post the answer tomorrow along with another trivia question. Looking forward to hearing from you!