Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Rivals Rumble For NL Southern Division

GARY, Ind. - Tonight as the Gary RailCats play against the Saint Paul Saints they take on their immediate rival for the NL Southern Division second half. Lincoln currently leads the Southern Division by one game ahead of both Saint Paul and Gary, but play against the most solid team in the NL this season the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks for the next series of games.

Tonight will be a lefty duel with the RailCats LHP Jamie Bennett against Saints LHP Luis Villarreal. Either one of these teams could take the second half away from Lincoln. It will be fantastic to follow the NL games this week. Will Saint Paul take the dreams of a division second half win away from Gary, or will the under-cats for the past few years win the division. All remains to be seen either way the next 6 days will bring about an incredible time at the ball park. Good luck everyone!

Monday, August 29, 2005

RailCats Infielder Ben Risinger


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind. - RailCats Infielder Ben Risinger greeted at home after hitting a grand slam against the JackHammers bringing in RailCats Anthony Iapoce, Fehlandt Lentinni and John Schmitz at the U.S. Steel Yard on August 28, 2005.

Grand Slam By RailCat Ben Risinger


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind. - Infielder Ben Risinger hit's a grand slam for the RailCats against the JackHammers at the U.S. Steel Yard in Gary on August 28, 2005.

Joliet JackHammers SS Chad Ehrnsberger


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- Former Saint Paul Saints SS now Joliet JackHammers
SS Chad Ehrnsberger at bat in the U.S. Steel Yard against
the RailCats on August 28, 2005.

RailCats Outfielder John Schmitz


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- The newest RailCats outfielder John Schmitz
at the U.S. Steel Yard on August 28, 2005.

Pitching Coach Brendan Sagara


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- Pitching Coach Brendan Sagara works in the bull pen with starting LHP Cody Fisher before Sundays game verses the Joliet JackHammers at the U.S. Steel Yard on August 28, 2005.

Individual Commitment To A Group Effort...

“Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
-Vince Lombardi


GARY, Ind.- This season there have been plenty of players and teams doing just that. Everyone wants to be in first place. Teams have struggled and survived through tough losses, player injuries, transactions and everything else that makes up this incredible, unpredictable game. All the time making an incredible individual and group effort. We’re almost to the point of no return with the second half of this season however; the season will continue beyond September 4, 2005 for four incredible teams.

Based on the current win-loss records in the North Division, Fargo is the most probable candidate to clench that division for the second half creating a Wild Card position for another deserving team. Fargo has been phenomenal this season and no doubt can almost taste the Northern League Championship for 2005. There is still a lot of baseball to be played and undoubtedly a few teams out there who feel the Championship within their reach as well. Don’t count anyone out as the next week progresses, magic numbers could be met and goals reached to make the championship combinations in the Northern League very interesting including bringing the Northern Leagues under-cats into a position they’ve never been in their short history with the Northern League.

There is no doubt about the way this season has or continues to keep us on the edge of our seats, biting our nails in anticipation awaiting the Division Champions and the few weeks to follow with the Northern League 2005 Championship show down.

Friday, August 26, 2005

RailCats Win 7-0 Over JackHammers


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- Incredible pitching tonight for the RailCats as starter LHP Cody Fisher pitched his first complete game of the season to shut out the JackHammers 7-0 at the U.S. Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana. RailCats Infielder Ben Risinger recently off the DL covered 1st tonight at the U.S. Steel Yard.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

The race is on baseball fans...

The race is on baseball fans toward the end of the 2005 Northern League season. It seems like just yesterday exhibition games were beginning and players were working on a fresh new season. Now we're embarking on a race for the final division winners and wild card teams. We've watched as many players have come and gone from teams throughout the league, all the while wondering which team would improve from last season and have a chance at an exciting winning 2005 season.

This season one team everyone should have kept an eye on is the Gary SouthShore RailCats. With Greg Tagert as their manager and the enormous talent, spirit and camaraderie this team has enjoyed this season they have proven to be contenders for the Southern Division with a chance at the playoffs. Who would have thought that this season could be such an incredible one for the RailCats, but they have proven themselves a worthy foe in the Northern League.

Other teams to take note of this season include Saint Paul, Lincoln and Fargo. Fargo has had an incredibly solid season leading the Northern Leagues Northern Division in the first and second half of the season. Saint Paul, while making an incredible run for the playoffs at the beginning of the season has been coming up short the second half. For Saint Paul this could prove dangerous in the play offs if the final showdown is between Fargo and Saint Paul. Lincoln has proven a major player in the Southern Divisions second half. Whatever the outcomes this season all the teams and their players can be proud of the work they've done. Everyone has played hard and produced another exciting Northern League season. There are still a few weeks of baseball left. Good luck in the race to the playoffs everyone!

Monday, August 15, 2005

RailCats Infielder Curt Lee


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- RailCats infielder Curt Lee gets Winnipeg GoldEyes SS Max Poulin
out at second at the US Steel Yard on August 14, 2005.

RailCats Outfielder Fehlandt Lentini


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- RailCats outfielder Fehlandt Lentini gets a hit off
Winnipeg GoldEyes at the U.S. Steel Yard on August 14, 2005.

Winnipeg GoldEyes LHP P. J. Connelly


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- Winnipeg GoldEyes LHP P. J. Connelly throws against the Gary SouthShore RailCats at the U S Steel Yard on August 14, 2005.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

RailCats SS Jay Pecci


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- RailCats SS Jay Pecci is tagged out at home by Winnipeg GoldEyes catcher Al Corbeil on August 12, 2005. The RailCats went on to win 2-1 Friday night with an incredible showing from the pitching staff of Bennett, Bruso and Lopez. Friday nights game earned LHP Jamie Bennett his 9th win of the season and RHP Derek Lopez his 14th save.

Friday, August 12, 2005

RailCats RHP Travis Kerber


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- RailCats RHP Travis Kerber prepares with a few warm up pitches on the mound to face the Fargo-Moorehead RedHawks on August 11, 2005. (What's different with this photo?)

RailCats LHP Tim Alvarez


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- RailCats LHP Tim Alvarez warms up in the Gary bull pen to face the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at the U.S. Steel Yard on August 11, 2005.

RailCats Catcher Matt Einspar


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- RailCats Catcher Matt Einspahr breaks a bat on a hit
against Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at the U.S. Steel Yard on August 11, 2005

RailCats Infielder Tanner Townsend


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- RailCats infielder Tanner Townsend makes an out against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at third on August 11, 2005.

RailCats RHP Randy Vanderplow


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- RailCats RHP Randy Vanderplow pitches against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
at the U.S. Steel Yard in Gary on August 11, 2005.

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

RailCats LHP Cody Fisher


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- RailCats LHP Cody Fisher prepares for his first start with the Gary SouthShore RailCats with Pitching Coach Brendan Sagara on August 9, 2005.

RailCats LHP Cody Fisher's First Start For Gary


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind.- RailCats LHP Cody Fisher prepares for his first start with the Gary SouthShore RailCats against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks after RHP Q. Oldenburg and infielder Jason Colson were traded to the Calgary Vipers for outfielder Fehlandt Lintini on August 9, 2005.

Saturday, August 06, 2005

RailCats Infielder Tanner Townsend


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.- RailCats Infielder Tanner Townsend makes an out on third against the Schaumburg Flyers at Alexian Field on August 6, 2005.

RailCats RHP Willie Glen


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.- Gary SouthShore RailCats RHP Willie Glen pitches against the Schaumburg Flyers at Alexian Field on August 6, 2005.

Friday, August 05, 2005

RailCats RHP Mike Schaefer


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.- RailCats RHP Mike Schaefer pitches against the Schaumburg Flyers at Alexian Field on August 5, 2005.

Chicago Skyline


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

CHICAGO- A portion of the Chicago skyline amongst the bustling city traffic on the way to Schaumburg, Illinois to see the Gary SouthShore RailCats play the Schaumburg Flyers at Alexian Field on August 5, 2005.

Thursday, August 04, 2005

America's Two Favorite Past Times Combine


Niki Paton / Baseball Notions

GARY, Ind. - America's two favorite past times, Baseball and NASCAR combined for the first time tonight when NASCAR Busch Series driver Tim Sauter had one chance at bat in the first inning against T-Bones RHP Greg Bicknell after being signed to a one day contract with the Northern League Gary SouthShore RailCats on August 4, 2005.