Our 2007 season baseball season, which started off in Spring Training and includes stops in Memphis, Cleveland and Albuquerque, ended with the 2007 Arizona Fall League Championship. The game featured the Surprise Rafters against the Phoenix Desert Dogs, perennial league champs. The game was close until the late innings when the Dogs pulled away and won 7-2. The crowd was a very disappointing 1,200 or so which, I think, is the lowest attendance for the finals in recent memory. There were no Diamondbacks or Giants on either of the teams, and that's generally a crowd-drawing factor.
Among the future stars who truly shined were: from the Dogs, Andrew McCutchen (Pirates); Pirate teammate Nyjer Morgan; Ryan Sweeny (White Sox); pitchers Nick Blackburn (starter, Twins) and bullet-throwing reliever Bob McCrory. From the Rafters, John Mayberry Jr. (Rangers), whose father was in the stands; Elvis Andrus (Rangers) and Sean Rodriguez (Angels), who homered for one of the two Rafter runs.
It was a great AFL season. I just wish more fans knew about the league and came to the games. It's truly more fun that Spring Training. If only they had decent souvenirs.
I'm going to be in Scout School this year in Mesa, and I'm looking forward to catching some of these games. Maybe they'll at least have some shirts and hats this year.
kf8295 3 years ago
i went to this game
mlbladtodamax 3 years ago
my buddy nick.... went to high school with him and knocked back a crap load of brews together.
dickie808 3 years ago
You must be a Broadcaster,,,if not should be!...NICE VIDEO!
BoDonsky 4 years ago