Every once in the while, something with a national flavor comes to the Mahoning Valley.  This year, sports fans will have the opportunity to catch the New York Penn League All-Star Game, which will be held at Eastwood Field.

The game will be played for the first time in the Mahoning Valley Scrappers team history on Tuesday, August 14, 2012.  The general public will have its first chance to purchase All-Star Game tickets beginning Monday, January 23, 2012 at 8:30 am.

Tickets will be available at the Eastwood Field Box Office, online at www.mvscrappers.com or by calling 330-505-0000. Ticket prices range from $10 to $18.

All-Star event tickets will also be available for Monday, August 13 for the All-Star Valley Gala and for the All-Star Luncheon and Post-Game Party on Tuesday, August 14.

Having a heart and being a wrestling fan are seldom linked.  On Sunday August 28, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers had it all.  Luke Holko, pictured above with his parents (Chad and Nicole), was in attendance.  Luke was hit by a foul ball a couple of seasons ago and has been battling back ferociously ever since.

The Scrappers held a mystery ball sale where people could buy a baseball for $20.  Each bag contained a baseball signed by a different person and the proceeds were donated to the Holko’s.  I bought a bag, not caring who signed the ball, because I believe in the cause.  After opening the bag, I pulled out a Jason Donald signed ball.  The bag sold after mine contained an Al Kaline ball and many people got some great memorabilia through the event.

I talked briefly with Chad and Nicole, who were also busy showing off their new daughter, and learned that Luke is still making progress in the right direction.  Luke himself smiled a few times and seemed to be having plenty of fun at the game.  He also threw out a pretty good first pitch before the game started.

Before Luke through out his pitch, a video of Ben Carlson was played on the videoboard addressing the honoree. “Luke, I really wanted to be there with you today but I was unable to come.  I hope you are having fun and I will see you soon.  I love you”, said Carlson.

There was wrestling after the game, to which Chad claimed Luke is taking a liking to.  Luke got to meet Mick Foley, Al Snow, and Jimmy Hart, as well as Scrapper season ticket holder, the Necro Butcher.

Jordan Taylor and staff rolled a strike with the whole wrestling thing, but to me, the exclamation point was seeing a happy Luke Holko being a kid and having fun.

Jake Lowery went 3-for-5 with a home run and three runs batted in and the Mahoning Valley Scrappers defeated the Williamsport Crosscutters, 8-3, in the last home game of the 2011 campaign.

The win ended the Scrappers three-game losing streak.

Lowery singled in a run in the first inning to put the Scrappers ahead 1-0. In the third, he hit a two-run home run off reliever Casey Barnes to make it 3-0. Barnes relieved Williamsport starter Mike Nesseth, who pitched 2.1 innings. The Scrappers added a run later in the inning on Jerrud Sabourin’s single.

Mahoning Valley scored two in the sixth and two in the seventh. Lowery’s single in the seventh was his third hit of the night.

The Crosscutters scored a run in the eighth but were held scoreless in the ninth.

Danny Jimenez pitched six innings and allowed two runs. He picked up the win to improve to 4-3. Nesseth took the loss to fall to 3-6.

The Scrappers begin a three-game series on the road against the Jamestown Jammers on Friday night at 7:05 pm.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers coaches will tell you that development is the key to being a successful Low-A short season franchise in the New York-Penn League. The players, who have played to win for several years, feel as though if they are winning, they are developing in some way.  Both schools of thought are correct.  2011 saw some pretty good talent blow through Eastwood Field.  The only favorites to return each season are the coaches because this is a make or break level.  The players are question marks.  Many will find their way to Lake County, some will go back to Arizona, and some will be working 9-5 jobs back home.

The postseason was a goal that will not be reached this season.  If management had to play these games to win, the Scrappers would be in the playoffs, and that is not criticism, it is a statement that they are doing their jobs the right way.  When guys get sent to Mahoning Valley games for rehab assignments, or the #1 Draft Pick, Francisco Lindor, signs with a week left, David Wallace has to shuffle his cards at the last minute.  Developmental or not, it throws a wrench into the chemistry.  Staten Island had many second year players, they are in the playoffs.

Why am I spewing all of this out?  Because the Scrappers were in it until the end and that says a lot about the values of Wallace and his staff.  There are no second year players on the current roster, not one.  These guys were still learning each others names into June and showed the promise that the Indians front office would have hoped for.  Greg Hibbard and Tony Mansolino are a part of a great staff with Wallace leading the way.  It didn’t matter if the Scrappers won by ten or lost by six, Wallace always gave a cordial and precise interview after the game, with a smile on his face.

On Wednesday, Mahoning Valley played their next to last home game of the regular season against Williamsport and fell 6-2.  Hector Rondon (above) was brought in to make a start.  Rondon had Tommy John surgery and was making his first start of the year.  Last season, the rightie threw a no-hitter at Akron and was on the fast-track before falling prey to injury. He threw one inning before giving way to Will Roberts.

The Scrappers tied the game in the bottom of the second on a Cody Elliott single that plated Alex Lavisky.

Williamsport opened the offense with a pair of runs in the the fourth to take a 3-1 lead with RBI’s from Cody Asche and Brock Stassi. Todd Hankins pulled the Scrappers to a one-run deficit with a blast to left in the bottom of the fourth.

The Crosscutters chased Roberts in the top of the sixth with a couple more runs to take a 5-2 lead.  Roberts was tagged with the loss after his 59 pitch effort.  Ethan Stewart picked up the win for Williamsport.

So as the curtain drops on another successful season in Niles, recognition must be given to people who have gone over and above.  Jordan Taylor and his staff worked hard around the year to make these game nights special for those in attendance.  The vendors, Grant Tunkel, the grounds crew, and the suite crews all worked very hard.  The Scrapper Backers are an unselfish group of people who make things happen.  Their tireless efforts go by unrecognized far too often.

Players to watch from this class are Tony Wolters, Todd Hankins, Jake Lowery and Will Roberts.  Jordan Smith can be fantastic but he didn’t hit a home run all season (yet) and he is too big not too.  Bryson Myles also showed flashes of brilliance when healthy but either needs to be a leadoff hitter, where he can work on his bunt, or swing away and continue to develop as a hitter.

The players who have to be disappointed with the 2011 season are Jerrud Sabourin, Alex Lavisky, and KC Serna.  Lavisky came in hyped up and probably would be at Lake County if he put up some consistent numbers.  Sabourin is a terrific defensive first baseman who could not catch a break with the stick all year.  He can turn the corner if he sticks with it.  Serna was Wallace’s biggest surprise through the All-Star Break but has played sparingly since.  I believe that Serna has a good future in baseball, but just got frazzled in August and was a non-factor.

On what has become an annual gathering at Eastwood Field, Baseball Brawl, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers rose to the challenge and body slammed the Jamestown Jammers.  The opportunistic Scrappers racked up nine hits and outscored the Jammers 9-2 in front of a great Sunday crowd of 3,550.

Jamestown got on the scoreboard in their first at-bat.  Elvis Araujo (below) made his first start for Mahoning Valley.  Araujo was 9-1 at Arizona before being promoted by the Scrappers.  Eddie Rodriguez drove home a pair of runners with a two-out single.

Mahoning Valley took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the inning.  Francisco Lindor, the #1 Draft Pick of the Cleveland Indians, made his professional debut Sunday.  The 17-year old prospect got his first hit, an infield bleeder that was good for a single.  Jake Lowery then doubled and Jordan Smith walked to load the bases.  Todd Hankins doubled home Linder and Lowery to tie the game.  Alex Lavisky grounded out to third but got an RBI when Smith trotted home for a 3-2 Scrappers lead.

Mahoning Valley added two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-2 lead.  Lavisky singled and would score from first on a Jerrud Sabourin triple.  John Barr knocked in Sabourin from third with a clean single to give the Scrappers the three-run lead.

Will Krasne picked up the win in relief of Araujo, who threw four complete innings before exiting.  Krasne was relieved by Drew Rucinski and Ramon Cespedes. Thomas Peale took the loss for the Jammers, giving up  5 runs in five innings.

The Scrappers added two more runs in the seventh to take a 7-2 lead.  Bryson Myles walked and Tony Wolters singled.  Lowery plated Myles with a single and Hankins hit a sac fly to bring in the hustling Wolters from third.

Lindor (above) went 1-3 in his pro debut.  The highly-touted youngster played confidently and may have been trying to do too much, but was focused during his five innings.

The Scrappers added insurance in the bottom of the eighth. Cody Elliott was hit by a pitch and Sabourin walked.  John Barr doubled home Elliott on a bloop double that found a home just inside the right field line.  Then the wild pitching exhibit took place when Jamestown reliever, Blake Brewer, walked a couple and hit another to give the Scrappers a 9-2 lead

Jordan Taylor is in his first season as the General Manager of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.  The very quiet and reserved Taylor is someone I have gotten to know better over the past three years.  If intelligence counts for anything, he is winning big.  Probably one of the smartest minds I have met in the world of sports, Taylor has done a great job in his rookie season at the helm.  I recently spoke with him about everything from his love of professional wrestling to trusting those working around him.

Paneech: Year one, first shot at being the head honcho, how are things going so far?

Taylor: It has been going real well so far.  The team is playing well and things have been falling into place in my first year.

Paneech: You worked under Dave Smith for a few years, and those are big shoes to fill.  What kind of experience did you get as Assistant General Manager?

Taylor: Dave was here when I got hired a little over ten years ago.  I learned under him for ten seasons as I worked my way up the ranks.  It was great to learn from someone who is a real professional in this industry.  He was very good in letting me in on the runnings of the business over the last few years.  That kind of activity really prepared me for where I am now.

Paneech: What has been the biggest challenge in managing people?

Taylor: It is about being able to manage such a diverse group of people.  We currently have nine full-time people on staff, and then we bring in 30 interns and over 100 game day employees.  It is a challenge managing all of the different personalities that are brought in.  I am pretty even-tempered, so I can tolerate and handle many of the situations that arise.  It has been pretty smooth so far.

Paneech: It seems like you and the other nine full-time employees are a very close-knit group.  Describe how cohesively you all function as a unit.

Taylor: I think we have the best staff in the New York-Penn League. In terms of years of experience from the top down, most of the front office personnel have been here for a long time.  Everybody likes each other, and that is important, because this is not a normal work environment.  Over the Summers, we have spent more time with each other than we have with our families.  This becomes your family for the Summer and you get very close and care about each other.

Paneech: The season ends in September and starts back up in June, what do you do in the time in between seasons?

Taylor: It is busier in the off-season for some than it is during the season.  In September, we get the stadium ready to be shut down.  After that is done we start focusing on the next season.  We start selling season tickets, mini-plans, groups, promotions, and really getting everything moving.  It is not the same hours as we put in during the season, but we are working hard to make sure when the season eventually starts, that we are ready for everything.  People take time off in October and September.

Paneech: How has the support been from the Cleveland Indians?

Taylor:  Our relationship with the Indians has been very strong and I feel very comfortable working with them. Working with this coaching staff has also been great this season.  I couldn’t ask for a better manager than David Wallace and his coaching staff.  They make things easier for me and have been very accommodating.

Paneech: Like myself, you enjoy professional wrestling.  How do you set that kind of promotion up?

Taylor: The system is kind of two-tiered.  When we bring a wrestler in for just an autograph signing, we will go through a promoter who specializes in minor league sports and used to work for the WWE.  He recommends a group of four or five wrestlers that would be accessible to us and we pick who we think will generate the most interest.  The second phase is the actual post-game wrestling card.  It is more involved.  We work with a promotion that does events all over the country based out of Ohio.  He [promoter] has a lot of contacts of current and former stars.  He will give us a list and we offer suggestions.  In this case, Mick Foley coming this year is a real step up.  The last show had Scott Steiner, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine.  This year we were not only able to get Foley, but also Jimmy Hart and Al Snow.

Paneech: Who is your all-time favorite wrestler?

Taylor: I have two.  Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels are my all-time favorites.  Both of them are really good with cutting promos and have good matches in the ring.  I also like ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin.

Paneech: What would you be doing if not this?

Taylor: The sports industry is something I wanted to get into at a very young age.  I would still be involved with sports at some capacity.  I could see myself teaching and coaching baseball or basketball.  If I wasn’t doing this, that would have been the way I would have gone.

Paneech: How tricky is it to balance family entertainment from kid-related promotions?  You go from dollar beers and Lisa Neeld to Boy Scout Night.

Taylor: We try to offer something for everybody.  The Thursday dollar beer night promotion has a younger adult demographic.  That’s great, but those who drink hang out in the picnic area and that kind of leaves the rest of the stadium for everyone else.   It keeps the crowd a little compartmentalized.  You have to remember, there are dollar tickets, pop, and hot dogs, so we can draw families to the same game.  We also have mascot nights and giveaway nights, but our biggest demo is geared toward families, parents and kids, or grandparents and grandchildren.  It is a great family atmosphere.

One Word Answers

Favorite Movie: Bull Durham.

Favorite Non-Sports Movie: Animal House.

Best Subject In College: American History.

Fast Food Order: Chipotle – Burrito with chicken rice and all of the salsas.

Favorite Meal: Dinner because even when I am here, my wife is nice enough to cook for me.

Favorite TV Show: The Office.

Favorite Music: Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.

Favorite Cartoon Character: Bart Simpson.

Player You Got Closest To: Kevin Kouzmanoff.

Biggest Phobia: Flying.

Worst Habit:  (laughs)  I can sleep a lot.

Who Is Next If You Go? Honestly?  I would be confident with about six people that are on staff right now.  I’m not ducking the question, but any number of people can take over.

“My hope is that we can continue the level of success that has been laid out here.  We want to always continue the tradition of providing the area great entertainment on and off of the field.  I am fortunate because I get to come to a baseball field to work.” –  Jordan Taylor

The 2012 New York Penn League All-Star Game will be head at Eastwood Field.  The game will take place sometime in mid-August once the NYPL sets its official schedules in the Fall of 2011.

The format of the game is the same as the Major League Baseball level, pitting a team of American League All-Stars against a team of National League All-Stars.  This will mark the first time that the All-Star game will be played in the greater Youngstown-Warren area.

Managers, trainers, players, and scouts have all ranted about the facilities.  Last season Asdrubal Cabrera did a rehab stint in Niles and was very complimentary of the park, saying it was ‘a beautiful place to play’.  This is really a nice coupe for the Scrappers.  Congratulations Jordan Taylor and staff on the great news!

For more information, please contact the Mahoning Valley Scrappers front offices at (330) 505-0000.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers welcomed a tough Brooklyn Cyclones team to Eastwood Field.  Unfortunately for the Scrappers, they came out on the wrong side of a 10-6 verdict.  The Scrappers were hurt by some very good Brooklyn hitting in the early innings and never gained enough footing in the loss, surrendering four of the runs on wild pitches that went to the backstop.

In the first inning, the Scrappers raced out to a 1-0 lead.  Bryson Myles and Tony Wolters hit identical singles up the middle.  Coach David Wallace, always a risk taker on the bags, pulled off a double steal.  Jake Lowery then hit a fielders choice that got Wolters home for the early lead, which marked the only time the Scrappers would be ahead.

Brooklyn rebounded and rattled off six unanswered runs and took a 6-1 lead by the time they were done batting in the sixth.  The Cyclones got two of the runs when runners on third base advanced home on wild pitches.  Richard Lucas had the big shot in the fifth with a two-run double.  Brooklyn would also score their eighth run on a wild pitch.

The Scrappers clawed back into the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Alex Lavisky had a two-run double that broke the offensive struggles for the home team.  Todd Hankins also knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly.  Brooklyn avoided further damage and held a 6-4 lead going into the last third of the game.

The fun stuff started happening in the sixth inning.  Celebrating my birthday at Eastwood Field doesn’t bother me one bit, in fact, I welcome the atmosphere. Scott Hansen, someone who I can call a friend, runs the line portion of the scoreboard and knew it was my birthday.  Hansen told the people doing the birthday stuff and they put Paneech from Paneech dot com on the scoreboard, wishing me a Happy Birthday.  Hansen and I always buy $5 worth of 50/50 tickets every home game.  Going into Friday, we were 0-114.  We happened to hit.  1-115.  Rob Schmidt was sick of saying my name.

Scrappers starter Mason Radeke only went two innings throwing just under 50 pitches.  Harold Guerrero took the loss in relief.  Nate Striz uncorked four wild pitches and didn’t finish the eighth inning.  Will Krasne relieved Striz to finish things up for Mahoning Valley.

Brooklyn got a decent start out of Carlos Vazquez, who picked up the win for the Cyclones.  Frank Viola, a World Series MVP for the Twins in 1987, is the Cyclones pitching coach.

Hankins (above) finished the game 1-3 with two RBI’s and a stolen base.  Tony Wolters chipped in with a pair of hits, as did Bryson Myles and Lavisky.  Jerrud Sabourin also collected a pair of knocks for the Scrappers.

The Scrappers (32-23) and Cyclones (31-24) go at it again for two more games on Saturday and Sunday.  On Monday, the league takes two days off for the annual All-Star Break.  The All-Star Game will be played in Lowell, home of the Spinners.  Wolters and Myles join Jordan Smith and Danny Jimenez as NY Penn League All-Stars.

“I was really happy with Bryson Myles tonight”, said Wallace.  ”He continues to find ways to get on base and has had some really good at-bats.  I am also happy with Jerrud Sabourin, he had a couple of big hits but worked deep into the count a couple of times and put the bat on the ball.”