Strasburg Rehab: Yes, Yes, Yes
Does anyone remember The Beatles’ second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show? That’s kind of how it felt this past Saturday night at Alliance Bank Stadium, where phenom pitcher/rock star Stephen Strasburg returned to the Syracuse Chiefs for the third stop on his minor-league injury rehabilitation tour.
Sure, Strasburg was fantastic—he didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning—and he’ll likely return to the major leagues with the Washington Nationals later this month. But there’s nothing quite like the first time, and “Strasburg 2.0” in the ’Cuse Saturday, Aug. 27, lacked the incredible excitement of his first go-round in May 2010.
Back then, Strasburg was hailed as the next (take your pick): A. Nolan Ryan; B. Cy Young; C. Roger Clemens; D. All of the above. In six starts for the Triple-A Chiefs, he was all of the above as he posted a 4-1 record with a minuscule 1.08 earned run average and 38 strikeouts in 33¼ 3 innings.
Chiefs fans loved watching Strasburg dominate hitters with his 98-mph fastball and “12-to-6” curveball (it dips at the last second from 12 on the clock to six). In his four starts at Alliance Bank Stadium in May 2010, the Chiefs attracted 47,203 fans, an average of 11,800 per game. When Strasburg didn’t start, the Chiefs averaged 5,768 fans per game last season. Strasburg’s Syracuse debut in 2010 drew a franchise-record crowd of 14,098 to a ballpark that seats 11,071.
This past Saturday, Strasburg’s onenight-only appearance—along with a post-game fireworks show and ideal weather—attracted an announced crowd of 9,678 to ABS. Not bad, considering the Chiefs were averaging 5,779 fans per game before Saturday, and the Fair is open for business. But it was well short of last year’s Strasburg games and Syracuse’s 2011 season-high of 12,716 on Aug. 12.
Unlike last year, when tickets to a Strasburg start were a tough get, fans were able to walk up and buy tickets Saturday. Mike Shelmidine, of Central Square, bought his ducats Saturday and sat in section 302 in the upper deck, which was mostly empty.
Shelmidine took his daughter, 8-yearold Breanna, who was wearing a Strasburg T-shirt with his uniform No. 37 on the back. She was one of many Chiefs fans wearing Strasburg No. 37 shirts or “He’s Back’’ T-shirts. “He was excellent last year and the games were sold out,” said Shelmidine, who said he couldn’t get tickets to any of Strasburg’s games in 2010.
“We didn’t want to miss it this year.”
Bill Ryan, of Westvale, bought his ticket in section 105 on Aug. 19, soon after hearing that Strasburg might make a start in Syracuse. Ryan, 70, a lifelong New York Mets fan, said he attended all four of Strasburg’s starts in Syracuse last year. “I wanted to get a good seat, and if he wasn’t here, I’d go to the game anyway,” Ryan said. “When I was coming in {Saturday}, you could see people lining up at Will Call to pick up tickets because they all ordered them after hearing for sure that he was going to be here.”
After four so-so injury rehab starts in Single-A, Strasburg looked like his old self Saturday. The 23-year-old right-hander, who had the “Tommy John” elbow surgery one year ago, retired the first 15 Rochester Red Wings batters he faced. He struck out seven of them, and only one hit the ball to the outfield. “I wasn’t surprised. I’ve done it before,” Strasburg shrugged. “It’s all about going out there and if it feels good, that’s the bottom the line.”
The fans cheered when Strasburg had two strikes on a batter and erupted when he did notch a strikeout. The loudest cheers came after Strasburg’s fourthinning strikeout of the Taco Bell “K Man,” Rochester’s Dustin Martin; since Martin struck out, fans could redeem their ticket stub for a free taco.
When asked about the fans’ interest in Strasburg, Chiefs manager Randy Knorr said, “I think it’s awesome. He’s going to pitch in the big leagues for a long time.
Last year was an exciting time for the fans, and they get to see him again.
I’m hoping that they don’t see him again after this because that means he’s injured again.”
Strasburg faced two batters in the sixth inning and gave up back-to-back singles—the first hits he had allowed all game. With Strasburg at 64 pitches, Knorr removed the pitcher and he exited to a standing ovation.
“It just felt like I never left, really,” Strasburg said of returning to Syracuse.
“I come back here and not much has changed in Syracuse. It didn’t feel like I’ve been out of this town for over a year.”
Saturday’s start was the only one Strasburg will make in Syracuse this year. If he pitches again for the Chiefs, it will have to be on the road, either Thursday at Buffalo or Friday at Rochester. It’s more likely the Nationals will ship Strasburg to Double-A Harrisburg, Pa., for a start Thursday, Sept. 1, before he goes back to Washington.
As long as Strasburg stays healthy, we’ve probably seen the last of him in Syracuse. Perhaps the next time we’ll see him in upstate New York will be for his Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown.
“It was a great experience,” Strasburg said when asked what he’ll remember most about Syracuse. “The guys on this team make the game a lot more fun. The organization here is just a class-act organization and I was really looking forward to coming here on my rehab assignment. It’s just like last year; they made it special for me.’’
—Matt Michael
Fair Survives Hurricane!
Although the 2011 New York State Fair opened Aug. 25 with the usual excitement on a generally nice day, many loyal fairgoers probably experienced a melancholy moment the first time they heard the voice of Bob Gibbons announce the time. Gibbons died Dec. 16 after providing his voice to 15 Fairs, leaving fond memories and recordings of his perfectly enunciated quarterhour time announcements.
WNTQ-FM 93.1 morning team Ted Long and Amy Robbins handled the microphone chores ably, but it was nice to have a “Voice of the Fair” whose voice was heard only there.
The new wine village, behind the Horticulture Building, is bigger than it had been when it was located near the Coliseum. The new spot is also more conveniently placed, near the Chevy Court stage, major buildings and many food stands. The new tent is more than serviceable for the nine wineries on hand. On opening day, there were several cabaret tables, but no chairs. Many customers carried
their glasses out to the metal benches set up just outside the tent, near the relocated entertainment stage.
Longtime Italian food joint PZO’s became the sixth stand to be rebuilt along restaurant row. The updated version matches the other new sheds with a green metallic roof and a fresh, clean look, and there’s ample space for customers to sit atop a brick-paved picnic area. Three of the 18 tables in the dining area had umbrellas for shade, so there’s still room for improvement. Overall, there’s more seating, particularly shaded spots suitable for enjoying some of that fabulous Fair cuisine. Still, there seems to be plenty of space for more.
The Heroes and Legends Café is gone, and a new Grand Central Café has taken its place in the south end of the Center of Progress. It looks great and the interior balcony provides a nice touch as do the vintage New York prints that decorate the maroon and black walls. Such specialty items as the Buffalo/Pittsburgh cheesesteak wrap and the MTA Metro North corned beef sandwich highlight the menu.
The Iroquois Village experienced its version of a housing boom with the opening of a handsome replica of the building that led New York’s Native Americans to call themselves Haudenosaunee, meaning People of the Longhouse. Elm bark siding covers the outside of the tunnel-shaped dwelling, representing those that housed Six Nations families 400 years ago. The inside wasn’t furnished on opening day, but a young man in Iroquois garb was on hand to answer visitors’ questions.
Missing is the Raptor Project with its magnificent feathered predators and professional presentation. There is another program, Westy’s Birds of Prey, in an unmarked white tent between the State Park area and the International Pavilion, but it pales by comparison, smaller and more low-key, and the crowds show it.
The spot long occupied by the Raptor Project near the south end of the reflecting pool is where a Sept. 11 tribute stands. While such a momentous event in our nation’s history deserves recognition and remembrance, we already have a 9- 11 memorial in front of the Horticulture Building that serves the purpose very nicely, so possibly causing the loss of one of the Fair’s most popular attractions and completely blocking a walkway in a heavily traveled spot seems unnecessary.
On the midway, new rides were getting a test drive by youthful thrill-seekers. The debut of the Sky Flyer seemed to be wellreceived as the multicolored tower swing twirled riders high off the ground in the center of the newly arranged X-shaped midway. Daring riders will recognize the “new” Ali Baba ride as a reincarnation of the Rainbow of years gone by. Both rides run no longer than two minutes. The Sky Flyer requires five tickets or credits, the Ali Baba four. The math is simple this year as five tickets cost $5.
The new design of the midway is a major change. There’s no real flow to strolling among the rides and games, but it’s definitely easier to cross the lot or to dash from ride to ride. Let’s see how it handles a crowded day.
Nearby the Caboodlestoppers is an act featuring a singing and dancing family from Missouri for what’s billed as a “Branson-style show for the whole family.” But it’s way too silly for anyone beyond the SpongeBob generation. The little ones may love it, though, as they’re invited onstage to join the shenanigans.
Visiting the restroom seems to be a new experience as no individual attendants are on hand under a new arrangement, made through the New York State Industry for the Disabled, to bring in cleaning teams on a rotating basis. So there is no cleaning staff and no need for users to tip anyone. Unfortunately three of five men’s restrooms visited on opening day had no soap and the others were running low. Since then reviews have been mixed with some restrooms found spotless while others were messy and lacking in supplies.
Sparkling clean bathrooms are high on the priority list for any good host and the Fair is no different. The downside for dedicated Fair visitors is that the attendants they’ve come to know over the years aren’t on hand. Knowing where to go to find a veteran custodian who keeps his or her lavatory spotless and makes sure the users’ needs are consistently met is probably worth a tip of a quarter or two.
Having someone responsible for each facility also prevents careless or malicious users from trashing them. The contracted agency, Human Technologies Corporation, apparently caught on and had uniformed staff increasingly present in restrooms as the Fair progressed.
Fairgoers missing those cherished kernels of roasted corn between their teeth may know that a mix-up led to the absence of Shukkers this year, but it sure looks like there are several spots where they could have set up.
Again this year, Grandstand patrons are prohibited from bringing in bottles of water. Before last year’s Fair, water was allowed, although sometimes the caps had to be removed.
We tried to ascertain what the policy would be from Fair officials in time to publish that information in our Aug. 24 issue, but were unable to pin them down. Huge signs are now posted at Grandstand entrances prompting scores of fans to dump—or perhaps hide—their bottles.
Fair Director Dan O’Hara and assistant director Troy Waffner both cited safety concerns for the hesitancy to permit plastic bottles, but that argument doesn’t really hold water. We don’t recall having seen any issue related to misuse of water bottles there, so it’s likely the motivation is not so much about safety as it is about profits. If you want water inside, you can have a bottle poured into a plastic cup for $ 2.50, although there are probably a hundred spots on the grounds where you can buy one for a buck without standing in a long line.
Concert fans deserve better treatment.
Tickets aren’t cheap and vendors can make plenty of money selling food and beer. When you think about it, if bottles of water are so dangerous, Chevrolet Court, where such lawlessness is rampant, must be as deadly as downtown Kabul.
Exiting this year’s State Fair is a lot easier, thanks to the state Department of Transportation kicking in some temporary stoplights at Gates 3 and 4 to help facilitate traffic flow while patrons cross the busy State Fair Boulevard to reach the parking lots. When fairgoers start crowding on the boulevard’s shoulders, a state Trooper simply pushes a button to initiate the red lights. As one beaming Trooper remarked, “It sure cuts down on my whistle-blowing.”
—Kevin Corbett
Down Under dish: Curtis Stone, Australia’s dashing answer to the current chef-as-TV-celebrity phenomenon, entertained with his recipes and repartee during his Aug. 27 afternoon stop at Chevy Court. The ladies in the audience found Stone mighty easy on their eyes (Amy Robbins was nearly drooling during her introduction of the Ozzie), and he knew enough to play along with the crowd. When he asked “How do you know a good melon?” one randy lady shouted, “I look down my shirt!” Stone started off with the creation of a frothy cantaloupe libation (featuring “just a drop” of liberally poured rum and Grand Marnier) that also triggered an audience-participation segment as nine fairgoers took the stage for a cocktail-shaker contest. A quick salad followed (“Nothing wrong with using your hands in food,” he chirped while mooshing the ingredients), then some linguini and meatballs accompanied by a single guy and gal dragged onto the stage for some matchmaking encouragement from Stone, and a simple dessert with frozen berries and white chocolate sauce to top the menu. Things weren’t so simple regarding Stone’s trio of sous chefs, who supplied inadvertent comic relief with their inept prep. “Guys, you’re killin’ me,” the kitchen magician said with a tight smile as he attempted to boil spaghetti without a pot of hot water.
Fair Skies Under Cuomo
The era when New York state governors would routinely blow off a visit to the New York State Fair on Governor’s Day—like when Nelson “Rocky” Rockefeller would often stay away, thus triggering disdain from the local dailies—has come to an end during an age of 24-hour TV news channels and news cycles. So Andrew Cuomo barnstormed the Fair on a sunny Aug. 25 for a quick sprint, just a few days ahead of his busy weekend monitoring the Hurricane Irene situation, for a medley of sound bites and authoritative reassurance.
Accompanied by his three daughters, Cara, Mariah and Michaela, the Cuomo conga line commenced around 3 p.m. just after the Pointer Sisters left the Chevy Court stage, as a platoon of onlookers, politicians and the media witnessed the guv gladhanding his way from the hot tubs to the Horticulture Building. There were plenty of M-listers amid the entourage, everyone from Matt Mulcahy to Marty Masterpole, along with Salt City power pols named Mahoney (who was wearing impossibly high heels, as if she needed them) and Miner (who stands tall on so many other levels). Conspicuously missing from the parade trailing Cuomo was Fair director Dan O’Hara, who, curiously, was not on hand to welcome his boss.
People carried “No Frack” protest signs, Bill Carey—Central New York’s very own Walter Cronkite—was clutching a tripod and everyone knew who was on the Cuomo security team, because they were the gents wearing business suits, earpieces and talking into their wrists Dick Tracy-style.
Dodging the possibility of another Rick Lazio faux pas, Cuomo and his kids happily marched to the Gianelli/Dinosaur Bar-B- Que tent to sample the traditional sausage sandwich loaded with peppers and onions. Cuomo wolfed down several bites, which was more than could be said about his daughters; it’s safe to say there wasn’t much Gianelli in their bellies. The Cuomo family soon found their way to the Sept. 11 monument for some somber reflection and an intimate teachable moment with his girls— or about as intimate as one can get when every move is observed by a 100-member posse close behind. A brief press conference under a shade tree included comments about the 9-11 displays (“New York does remember and will never forget”) and the then-impending hurricane dilemma, and then the Albany bunch retreated to the Empire Room and, presumably, a quick exit out the back door and into a motorcade.
There’s bound to be a few jokers during such an event, like the guy who yelled “Hold onto your wallets!” to nearby taxpayers and another fella who inquired, “Is his girlfriend with him? That’s all I wanna know.” A worker from an Italian food stand got a handshake (“Great job, guv!”), while a teen lad sporting a knit cap and Venetian-blind sunglasses and sitting on the sidewalk in front of the Horticulture Building seemed confused when the entourage invaded his space. “What’s our governor’s name?” he asked with a touch of genuine innocence. But leave it to the Cuomo ladies to have the last word. When a reporter asked which one of them would be the next Gov. Cuomo, the trio giddily announced, “We all will!”
—Bill DeLapp
