Watch Felix’s Tacoma home debut with USSM!
If you’re reading this, you’re aware of the phenomenon that is King Felix Hernandez.
Currently, Felix’s first home start for Tacoma is scheduled for Monday, April 18. As you can see from this fine schedule, that game is slated to begin at 6:05 p.m.
We’re planning a USS Mariner meetup to eat, drink and make merry as we watch Felix (hopefully) mow down Fresno. Join us, won’t you?
As we all know, in this wild game called baseball, things can change as quickly as Chris Snelling can hurt himself. So please note that this date may change, too. Watch the ‘blog for updates in case our gathering is OTBE’d (OverTaken By Events). I think all of us would like to coordinate the meetup around Felix’s debut, so to the extent that’s possible, we’ll do it. Details inside …
But wait, as they say! There’s much more!
We will be gathering at Engine House 9 for dinner beforehand. We should be there by 4 p.m. For directions and such, here is Engine House 9’s website, with unfortunate embedded sound.
There is a fairly good chance that, after Derek is finished contributing to the Rainiers’ revenue stream via the beer vendor, we will return to said establishment for post-game merriment.
But wait! There’s even more!
Fine fellow and highly recommended Rainers broadcaster Mike Curto has agreed to hook us up right and proper. Mike will generously supply us with five pairs of tickets to distribute to USS Mariner readers.
How do you become one of the lucky five who will get two free ducats? Easy. You email me (jeffmshaw at this place called hotmail). We’ll put all the names we get before noon on Monday in a hat and do a random drawing. I’ll reply to the winners and place a note here when the fortunate fivesome has been selected. If you’re among them, you email me back with the name of the friend you’re bringing, and it’s on.
Now, aren’t you glad you read this until the end? And won’t you be still happier if, surrounded by your fellow fans, you get to see the M’s top prospect this month?
Hope to see you there.
Comments
24 Responses to “Watch Felix’s Tacoma home debut with USSM!”
Living 2000 miles from Seattle sucks. Have fun, lucky Washingtonians.
For a bonus prize, I am looking for an intermediate level Japanese class that I can take somewhere between Seattle and Bellingham in the evenings or a tutor that can accomodate said schedule. I usually take classes at UBC, which are great, but the border these days …
If you can help me out, I’ll buy you a beer at the Rainiers game. Just shoot me an email.
#1 – Couldn’t agree more. At least mlb.com has been a saving grace.
Felix Hernandez makes his Triple-A debut on Friday at 7:05 pm, facing Fresno’s Jesse Foppert.
according to the front page on the rainiers site, felix is getting his first start on friday the 15th. I don’t know which one is true.
He si starting tonight in fresno.I have a friend that went to the game last night he said campillo topped out at 86 mph.He goes to alot of fresno games he said there club is a little weak as usual he put it.He said campillo is a junk ball king this guy throws everthing but fastballs and the kitchen sink….lol he is a funny guy i thought until i read more and more about this guy he sounds like a poor mans gaylord perry ..yes my buddy said there could be a spitter in there tooo ahhh you got to love those mexican leaguers but 400 k ouch….
You’re looking at two different Fridays on the Rainiers’ site.
The Friday it mentions for Felix is tonight, for his first road start. That’s right above the “Rainiers open on Friday the 15th” bit, so I can see how that would be confusing — but the 15th is the Rainiers’ home opener.
We have it on very good authority that the tentative date for Felix’s first home start is the 18th.
Mmmm. E-9 Belgian White! Anyone in the Puyallup area know if its sister restaraunt the PowerHouse is still around?
Does E-9 have a family-friendly section (it’s been awhile since I’ve been there), so if I bring my 3-yr-old mini-me Tacoma Rainiers fan along it’s an OK thing?
E-9? What about Harmon? Their porter is spectacular.
Jeff’s right on the date. Felix debuts tonight (his 19th birthday), fifth day after that will be 4/13 @ Sacramento, and 5th day after that is 4/18 at home vs. Fresno. This early in the season, that would seem pretty firm (though one never knows . . .).
If you try to project further — a precarious undertaking, I know — here are some more pre-AAA All-star game dates you might be able to catch King Felix (after that, I am guessing you’ll need tickets to the M’s):
* His sixth start will probably be at home on May 4 vs. Colorado Springs — good for those of us without M’s-Angels tix. Whether it is 5/3 or 5/4 depends on whether the Rainiers decide to skip Campillo’s turn on their first off-day on 4/27. I’m guessing they won’t, and that this early in the season everybody will be pushed back a day, which leaves Felix’s next (home) start the 5/4 game.
* His seventh start will be either 5/8 or 5/9 (see above), I would guess 5/9, at home vs Salt Lake.
* His ninth start will follow a 5/18 off-day (his day in the rotation), and I am sure they won’t skip Felix, so it should be home 5/19 vs. Nashville. Unfortunately, this is the first of his starts I can’t make on my Rainiers Flex Plan because of Little League coaching obligations/conflicts. I can and will make Bat Day on 5/22 though, with several Little Leaguers in tow.
* His tenth start should be home on 5/24 vs. Memphis.
* His thirteenth start should be at home vs. Las Vegas on 6/9.
* His fourteenth start should be at home vs. Portland on Tuesday, 6/14. This is a 12:35 DAY GAME. Good day to call in sick, and double-up Rainiers and then M’s-Phillies that night.
* His sixteenth start should be at home vs. Tucson (sp?) on 6/24.
* His seventeenth start should be at home vs. Colorado Springs on 6/30 if they skip Campillo’s start on the 6/29 off day, or 7/1 vs Colorado Springs if they don’t. I’d still bet on the latter.
* Assuming the 7/1 start (which is also more likely because it would put his 5th day on the first day of the All-Star Break, which would make him a candidate to start if he does as we all expect), his eighteenth start will be at home against Portland on 7/6. If they skip somebody on 6/29 to keep Felix on a 5-day rotation, his turn would come up on 7/5.
It’s pointless to project past the ASB (some would say projecting this far is folly), but for the planners among us, there you go. Just don’t etch it in stone.
Re: Positive Paul (#7): The E9 *does* have a family section — it is the larger, front portion of the place.
Re: Knuckles (#8): it has been a while since I was there, but as somebody with close ties to the craft brewing industry, I wasn’t too impressed with the Harmon’s beers (not to cast doubt on the Porter, or denigrate anybody’s personal preferences). It is also right downtown, much further from Cheney than the E9. If we’re going downtown, I would suggest the plethora of beer choices at The Swiss first, and if we want to stray further than the E9 but not as far as downtown, I would suggest Mike Curto’s fave, The Spar, in Old Town. Mike loves it ’cause it’s close to the Poker tables where he can take those T-towners, ya know.
While y’all are enjoying King Felix that night I’ll be enjoying my first Mariner game of the year in Los Angeles of Anaheim. I can’t wait to see Beltre again, and in a Mariner uni!
All my true blue Dodger fan friends thought I was insane all last year when I predicted the Mariners would sign him in the offseason. I’m buying them tickets so they can sit right next to me.
I’m debating between 3rd baseline seats or outfield bleachers. Do I wanna watch Adrian pick or catch one of his homeruns?
Enjoy Felix.
I will be there Monday scoring the game…paid and get a free ticket to go see King Felix, what a (side) job! 🙂
I’ve been begging my wife to go down to tacoma with me for the past two years… she loves safeco, but complains that the drive simply isn’t worth it – given that ‘tude, you can probably see why I don’t bother arguing with her… don’t get me wrong – she likes baseball (we’re going to the game tonight), but just isn’t nearly as into it as i (and you) am (are?) [now even i’m confused as to what the brackets mean?]
anyway, on to who I’d be taking with…
I love talking baseball, but invariably whenever I start talking to someone who ‘knows’ baseball the first time I say PECOTA they’re like “is that where you got your cat?”… yeah, it’s bad. Anyway, I met this guy a couple of weeks ago at a going away party for a co-worker who just completely blew me away with how much he was into the M’s. Turns out he is my wife’s best friend’s cousin (confused again? thought so…) He is a soldier (but he’s straight from australia – so i’m not sure how that came about) who just got back from Iraq three weeks ago and just got out of the army last night; serious – no joke. Basically the whole time he was over there he just became engrossed with the M’s and read anything and everything he could about them over the internet. And yes, he always reads USSM (but only post occasionallly – kinda like me).
Long and the short of it – he’s a great guy who I know would love to go that game – as would I, so throw our names in the hat and wish us luck!
btw – just in case demographics matter, we’re both 23.
me – Eli
him – Peter
I live near Sacamento. Tacoma plays Sacramento Monday-Thursday, April 11-14. Does anyone know Felix when pitches in this series? thanks
I’ll also be enjoying the Mariners in Anaheim that night, probably along the first base side. Let’s hope for a Felix shutout and a couple Beltre bombs on the same night! I’m also pissed that the M’s-Angels matchup is only a two game set, and the second game is during the day. It’s not the fact that I hate day games, it’s just that I’d have to leave the South Bay at 9 AM to get there on time! Screw it.
Positive Paul,
I’m not absolutely sure about E9, but it’s sister restaurant/bar out in west tacoma the Ale House certainly does have a family section. They also have e9 beers on tap, including belgian white and hoegaarden, for those who prefer to bypass the middle man and go straight to the original. It’s closer to the stadium too, off 19th and mildred.
Anyone else know the story on the Rainiers new 1b? Minor league free agent I presume, but does he have AJ Zapp potential, or is he a poor man’s Ron Wright?
The Powerhouse is still around. The owner sold it, but one of the guys who was brewing for both still brews there and helps at the E9. The head brewer stayed at the E9.
13 I WOULD GUESS GAME 3 OF THE SERIES 5 STARTERS AND SECOND TIME AROUND GAME 7.
You may have to re-do that schedule, Pete… it’s raining in Fresno. Hard.
Looks like I’ll be down in Oakland on April 29. From the As schedule, looks like they’re going to play the Mariners that night. Anyone in teh Bay Area interested in going to the game?
And as of 5:43PM Pacific Time, the are removing the tarp in Fresno, as the rain has subsided enough to get the pre-game festivities going.
Ah, damn, I’ll be out of town that week until the 20th. On the 18th, I’ll be at the Cardinals-Pirates game.
It’s really awesome that you’re organizing it like this, though. Sounds like everyone will have a blast.
Jeff, I wish I could help you find a Japanese class, but I’ve been really lazy on that myself since passing the JLPT3 a couple years ago. Listening to the Lions-Marines game broadcasts this past week have made me realize how rusty I’m getting, so if you find a reasonable place, let the rest of us too!
the king is in the bullpen, warming up…
mike (#19) wrote:
“You may have to re-do that schedule, Pete … it’s raining in
Fresno. Hard.”
I did say something about projecting Felix’s starts to be a Fool’s Errand, didn’t I? What am I thinking, assuming there won’t be rainouts in Tacoma in the spring.
But at least it appears they got the game in down in Fresno, despite the rain. Still looks like the 18th for the home debut (so far . . .).