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July 19, 2012

Prospects Will Break Your Heart

Baseball is My Stereo: Lakewood v. Hickory

“Baseball is my stereo, and you're our product, and we can't very well have our products turning against us, can we?” – Dick Jones, RoboCop

Twenty-four hours after I arrived back in New York from my amazing journey to the Futures Game, where I witnessed the finest talent the minor leagues had to offer, I found myself in New Jersey watching Low-A baseball. The contrast caused a rash, and I struggled to hold back the tears during the three-day trip, and the talent on the field wasn’t the only source of the sadness. I don’t want this to come across as someone who is overly critical of New Jersey the state, because I’m not familiar with the entire state and I shouldn’t render judgments based on a very small sample of the state, but I’m not a big fan of New Jersey the state.

Not that I’m an alcoholic, but I enjoy an adult beverage after a long day sitting in the stands taking notes and keeping a focus. However, New Jersey the state didn’t want to provide me with easy options. Perhaps the creature comforts of New York City have spoiled me to the realities of other locations, just as my upbringing in Texas has spoiled me to the service of ice-cold beer delivered via a pleasant drive-thru experience in makeshift barns off the highway, so excuse me if I thought buying a chilled adult beverage would be a painless process at 10pm on a Thursday night. Nope. Upon entering the local grocery store with a smile on my face that suggested complete and total ignorance to local laws, I combed the aisles looking an adult snack, one I would be sharing with a fellow minor league prognosticator, most likely as we re-lived the evening’s on-the-field events, perhaps discussing why Jorge Alfaro refuses to take a pitch to start a sequence, or why Jordan Akins is such a beast yet can’t play baseball.

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16 comments have been left for this article.

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ttt

The note "triggered slow" is probably the cause for "struggled to hit inside velocity", correct?

Jul 19, 2012 06:49 AM

rating: 0

jhardman

Mr. Parks - a Texan criticizing another state's goofy alcohol laws? Come on - you know a part of Texas pride is knowing where you can buy that alcoholic beverage of your choice, and more specifically where you can't. Sure, a few things have gotten a bit easier in Texas over the past few years, but it's always been fun to explain why people traveling in Metroplex suburbs had to buy a "membership" to drink or explaining why some municipalities over 100,000 people are totally "dry". I think the foot might be on the other hand now, huh? ("Airplane" joke.) It's just the NJ folks sticking it to the Texan when the opportunity arose. :-)

Jul 19, 2012 06:58 AM

rating: 2

Shaun P.

Its the NYS that has seeped in through Jason's pores. I cannot think of a single grocery store or gas station in the Empire State that does not sell beer. Or perhaps they exist, but I would never patronize them. Transplants to NY get used to the wonderfulness, the simplicity, very quickly.

All with a little of NYS in their souls seethe a bit in other states where you have to go to strange places at strange, limited hours just to purchase delicious, ice cold beer.

Jul 19, 2012 08:57 AM

rating: 1

sportspopery

Cape May and the shore south of Atlantic City are gorgeous, and I have a sneaking admiration for the broadly accented swagger of North Jersey. But, yeah, New Jersey is terrible and the sooner you come to grips with that, the sooner you can appreciate its positive qualities.

Glad to see the notes on #TheLegend, and hoping he stays healthy. Has he always been this aggressive, or is this just a lack of refinement?

Jul 19, 2012 07:00 AM

rating: 0

greshock

If you think getting beer in NJ is tough, come out to PA for a scouting trip....

Jul 19, 2012 09:07 AM

rating: 4

richardkr34

Nice RoboCop quote. I was always partial to "Bitches leave!" Are you going to be seeing the reboot?

Jul 19, 2012 09:12 AM

rating: 0

tweicheld

This person stole my thunder, I was going to ask Jason if he was sure he wasn't in PA trying to buy that beer? Always an enjoyable read, and I enjoy updates on potential future Phillies. Given how this season is going, we fans don't have much to look forward to for the rest of the year, other than spoiling things for the Braves or Nationals in September (sorry Mets fans). And I hope the Phils have some kind of prospect at 3B as the sight of watching Polanco ground out repeatedly becomes tougher and tougher to watch!

Jul 19, 2012 09:43 AM

rating: 0

JPinPhilly

Mitch Walding has been getting some positive reviews at the plate but he's had several errors at third so far. I wouldn't worry about watching Polanco much longer. He won't be back.

Jul 19, 2012 15:15 PM

rating: 0

jfranco77

I would have showed some #want and gone to get the sixer to go.

Jul 19, 2012 10:40 AM

rating: 1

Jason Parks

BP staff

I really like the comments in this thread. This is why I'm a BP loyalist. Fantastic.

Jul 19, 2012 10:46 AM

Drakos

I'm not sure what is worse. States where you can't buy beer in grocery stores or states that only sell fake 3.2% ABV beer in grocery stores. Damn teases. The Texas law prohibiting the sale of beer before noon on Sundays is terrible too. So, if I want to buy beer on my way to a friend's house to watch NFL games I have to either get there after kickoff or plan ahead and buy beer the day before?

Jul 19, 2012 10:48 AM

rating: 1

kddean

I fail to see how that was a problem. You can buy Saturday night until the grocery store closes, I think.
I recall many times hitting the Fiesta after work on Saturdays late to grab some beers. Oddly enough, Fiesta had a great beer selection in 1997.

Jul 20, 2012 06:11 AM

rating: 0

Drakos

It's a problem if you're lazy and are used to living in a state where you can pick it up Sunday morning. So, yeah not a real problem but still annoying. Now that I've got a football season of experience in Texas I should be good to go.

Jul 20, 2012 07:01 AM

rating: 2

Hudson Belinsky

BP staff

The day following the Hickory series, Maikel Franco did unspeakable things to a baseball, crushing it past the scoreboard. 450 feet, I'd estimate. Oh, and it was on the first pitch he saw.

Jul 19, 2012 14:41 PM

apbadogs

@greshock...my son plays travel hockey here in Virginia and we frequently travel to PA for games...I hate trying to find a liquor store for the parent's late night drinking. Makes you appreciate walking into 7-11 and grabbing a case that much more!

Jul 20, 2012 11:23 AM

rating: 0

asstarr1

I've always invisioned a press conference with the GM saying "I had to kill the manager because he made a mistake, now it's time to erase that mistake."

Jul 20, 2012 11:29 AM

rating: 0

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<< Previous Article

In A Pickle: This is Y... (07/19)

<< Previous Column

Prospects Will Break Y... (07/17)

Next Column >>

Prospects Will Break Y... (08/01)

Next Article >>
On the Beat: The Deadl... (07/19)

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