‘Firebirds Fire Frogs Frenzy!’

‘Firebirds Fire Frogs Frenzy!’

A ‘Shibe Star Scoop’ Exclusive by Hammer the Homer

June has not been kind to the Philadelphia Firebirds, as their current 4-11 record readily confirms on the heels of their 14-12 April and 18-10 May accomplishments, but they still own a respectable 36-33 First Time Winning Record at This Point of Any Season in their Brief History.

However, the Extraordinary News out of Philadelphia is the ‘Fire Frogs Frenzy’ that has swept the city!

It began early in the season when the Firebirds were jumping around the Rust Belt Division standings in the newly anointed New Millennium League, where they had been Mostly Door Mats in the Previous MBL Seasons.

Vendors began hawking ‘Fire Frogs Hoppers’ and ‘Fire Frogs Jumpers’ plus ‘Fire Frogs Leapers’ as a result of the Firebirds having spent April to May in All 4 Positions of the Rust Belt Division: jumping from 4th place to 3rd place to 2nd place to 1st place.

Currently, they have hopped backwards to 2nd place, while their Rivals in Detroit took advantage of the Firebirds ‘June Swoon’ to secure a current 2.5 game lead over the Firebirds with 12 games remaining for Philly to play, before the All Star Break.

However, this has Not Curtailed the Fire Frogs frenzy!

Petitions have been presented to the Philadelphia Front Office to change the name of the Firebirds to the Fire Frogs; plus Big Bird, who throws out the Ceremonial First Pitch at Shibe Park on each Opening Day, has endorsed his long time friend Kermit The Frog to be the ‘Face of the Franchise’ as it were to replace him as the Celebrity to Throw Out the First Pitch in 2007 on Opening Day!

It is even rumored that the Philly Mascot aka Firebird is willing to retire from his gig in favor of a newly anointed Fire Frog Mascot, should the New Millennium League allow the Philadelphia Front Office to change the Franchise Name from Firebirds to Fire Frogs!

In fact, the Fire Frogs Frenzy has swept throughout the city to such a degree in recent weeks, that chants of “Fire Frogs! Fire Frogs!” can be heard not only outside the stadium, but all over the interior of Shibe Park as Rowdy Philadelphia Fans cheer on their favorite team!

Currently, the Fire Frogs aka the Firebirds have responded with a 20-13 Home Record, but have hopped a bit backwards on the Road with a modest 16-20 Record.

As we head towards the All Star Break, it is this Humble Reporter’s Seasoned Opinion that the Fire Frogs Frenzy is not only Here to Stay for the remainder of the 2006 NML Season, but the possibility of a Name Change in 2007 from Firebirds to Fire Frogs has jumped from a Remote Possibility to a Distinct Probability, because the Philly Fans have Totally Embraced the Fire Frogs Frenzy!

In Other Fire Frogs aka Firebirds News: the Newly Anointed Ace of the Starting Rotation, namely Rookie Phenom Cole Hamels, has seemingly been Snake Bitten by a Lack of Run Support Production when he takes the Pitching Mound for the Philly Firebirds aka Fire Frogs!

Hamels has been saddled with 2 Wins, 4 Losses and 8 No Decisions for his efforts in the first 14 games he has pitched for Philadelphia!

A Victim of Little or No Run Support thus far in the First Half of the 2006 Season!

First Appearance: Hamels gave up 2 Earned Runs in an Opening Day 4-1 Loss!

Second Appearance: Hamels gave up 1 Earned Run in a 2-1 No Decision! A Philly Loss!

Third Appearance: Hamels gave up 1 Earned Run for a No Decision! A 6-5 Philly Win!

Fourth Appearance: Hamels was Brutalized for 12 Earned Runs! A 17-0 Philly Loss!

Fifth Appearance: Hamels gave up 1 Earned Run for a No Decision! A 6-5 Philly Win!

Sixth Appearance: Hamels gave up 1 Earned Run to garner an 11-4 Win! Philly Run Support is Rare!

Seventh Appearance: Hamels gave up 5 Earned Runs (1 Un-Earned Run) and Suffered a 6-Day Injury in another No Decision! An 8-6 Philly Win!

Eighth Appearance: Hamels gave up 1 Earned Run in a No Decision! A 5-2 Philly Win!

Ninth Appearance: Hamels gave up 0 Earned Runs in 6 Innings with the Bull Pen Preserving a 1-0 Win! Again, Not Much Run Support from the Philly Bats!

Tenth Appearance: Hamels gave up 3 Earned Runs for a No Decision! A 6-3 Philly Loss!

Eleventh Appearance: Hamels gave up 1 Earned Run (5 Un-Earned Runs) for an 8-5 Loss!

Twelfth Appearance: Hamels gave up 1 Earned Run in 7 Innings for another No Decision! A 2-1 Philly Win! Again, the Philly Run Support is Rare!

Thirteenth Appearance: Hamels gave up 2 Earned Runs (3 Un-Earned Runs) for a No Decision! A Philly 6-5 Win!

Fourteenth Appearance: Hamels gave up 4 Earned Runs in a 5-4 Loss!

According to the Philadelphia Firebirds aka Fire Frogs Team Stats: Rookie Cole Hamels currently has a 3.97 ERA having given up 44 Runs/35 Earned Runs with 26 BB and 97 SO in 79.1 Innings!

In 14 Games in which Hamels was on the Mound, the Philadelphia Batters Mustered a Mere 59 Runs for an Average of 4.2 Runs Per Game!

When Hamels was on the Mound an Average of 3.1 Runs were Scored by the Opponents!

Yet, the Rookie has Only 2 Wins and 4 Losses to Show for His Efforts!

In Hamels 8 No Decisions, the Fire Frogs aka Firebirds had 6 Wins and 2 Losses! Proving that the Philadelphia Firebirds aka Fire Frogs Bats had Woken Up Enough after Hamels had Left the Game to Secure 6 Wins from Hamels’ 8 No Decisions!

News from the Batter’s Box: Runs Batted In by the Firebirds aka Fire Frogs Batters that produced the Run that Ultimately Won the Game are as Follows:

Ivan Rodriguez (6), Greg Norton (4), Miguel Cabrera (4), Barry Bonds (4), Wily Mo Pena (4), Gerald Laird (4), Ty Wigginton (4), Juan Rivera (2), Brandon Inge (1), Willie Bloomquist (1) and Yuniesky Betancourt (1) for a Total of 35 Game Winners!

In the Other Philly Victory (36 Total Victories), it was Wily Mo Pena who tied the Game in the Bottom of the Ninth Inning and the Firebirds aka Fire Frogs pulled out a Victory in the Bottom of the 11th Inning, when Philly had the Bases Loaded and No Outs. Their Opponent Threw the Runner Out at Home Twice, before a Wild Pitch Secured the Philly Win!

Gerald Laird had Doubles in 2 Extra Inning Games to Claim a Philly Victory! Top of the Tenth for a 6-5 Win and in the Very Next Firebirds aka Fire Frogs Victory in the Bottom of the 11th for a 5-4 Win!

Ivan Rodriguez hit a Game Winning Single for a 6-5 Victory in the Bottom of the Ninth; Barry Bonds hit a 3-Run Homer in the Bottom of the Ninth for an 8-6 Victory; Ty Wigginton hit a 2-Run Homer in the Bottom of the Ninth for a 4-3 Victory; Miguel Cabrera hit a 2-Out Solo Home Run in the Bottom of the Ninth Inning for a Philadelphia 2-1 Victory and Juan Rivera hit a Single in the Bottom of the Ninth for a Firebirds aka Fire Frogs 2-1 Win!

Still Available from Vendors on the Road or at Home: You can still Purchase the Fire Frogs Hoppers, Jumpers or Leapers from Vendors at Home or Away versus the following Opponents prior to the All Star Break Festivities:

Home: St Louis Sliders

Away: San Diego Vipers

Home: San Francisco Quakers

Home: Seattle Lightning

Experience the Firebirds aka Fire Frogs Frenzy in Pursuit of a First Time Ever Winning Season!

Secure Your Tickets Now!

See You at the Stadium!



--- Hammer the Homer aka the Star Reporter for the Shibe Star Scoop