IronPigs Today: “The Weather Outside Is Frightful” 7/25/25

The “weird” continued at the park last night.  They wouldn’t let me sign the ball.  Painter started to look like a real boy.  They were wearing the wrong uniforms?  The Orioles keep sending rehab players.  There’s a lot to go over, and oh yeah, “Merry Christmas.”

About Last Night

The ‘Pigs won in another walk-off, this time on Cal Stevenson’s pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the ninth.  The first pinch-hit, walk-off, HR in IronPigs history?  I think it was.  I mistakenly thought it was Stubbs at first because I saw a short lefty at the plate.  I should have known from the walk-up.

The Uniforms:  I think they have so many special uniforms scheduled for Fridays that they realized that these fresh new “faux-back” threads were not going to get worn hardly at all.  So, we’ve seen some Thursday night usage.  Is “Faux Back Thursday” a thing?

The Ball:  I was later getting to the park than I wanted, and I didn’t want to miss any of Andrew Painter’s start.  Painter and the “phantom rehab” Povich were working quickly.  By the time I got down there the ball folks were taking the opportunity to leave early.  They said it had nothing to do with the two beers and red sharpie I was carrying.  So the ball doesn’t get a big ol’ KRAM written on it.

The Rules:  I know when it’s an Ump rehab we turn the challenge system off.  I thought I remembered the same for when there’s an MLB player rehabbing?  Perhaps they changed that part for this season or for the second half.  It does make sense, though.  These cats had to learn it during Spring Training and they’re going to have it next season in the big leagues, it seems, so let’s go!

The Rehabs:  I never saw anything announced or official, but last night’s starter LHP Cade Povich was officially on a rehab, dated back to 7/19.  C Adley Rutschman is here on rehab as well; we touched on it before and he didn’t play last night. Then, 1B Ryan Mountcastle was added on rehab from the Orioles.  I do appreciate getting to see these guys play and that their parent club would send them for rehab on the road.  However, at some point this seems a bit–as the kids would say–“Sus.”

The Development of Andrew Painter:  He looked as good as I’ve seen him last night.  It was a more “major league” approach with 4-sm and sliders to open, and a couple changes dropped in for strikes when he needed them.  He pitched forwards and backwards.  The cutter was de-emphasized.  The sinker was used later in the outing.  I liked it and for the most part it was effective.  I railed on social about Painter not being “bored” or “not trying hard because it’s too easy”–which have been uttered by some Phillies pundits who wouldn’t be caught dead watching a minor league game.  He hasn’t been great, and that’s mostly been down to execution, by my observation.  In the outing last night, the two runs came in the fourth when he walked the lead-off hitter then gave up a home run to the rehabbing Ryan Mouncastle.  Then two more walks, but he buckled down and got out of it.  The lesson is, things can spin away from you in a hurry.  You can put it down to concentration but also to just minding the details and executing the pitches.  Just ask Jesus Luzardo about how quickly things can go sideways.  There were a couple four-seams that got away from him.  I’d like to see him repeat this performance with even more detail at least one more time, but we’re at the point that a call-up wouldn’t be out of the question any longer.  Pending tonight’s start, I still have Mick Abel ahead of him, though.  Also pending:  Taijuan Walker’s start tonight at Yankee Stadium.

So Where Are We?

OK, so we’ve taken the first three games of the Tides series to rise to 12-11 in the second half, sixth place in the International League East and 6.0 games behind first-place Scranton, whom along with Syracuse have been on an absolute tear.

I won’t update often.  Winning only means a late-September trip to Jacksonville and I’m not going.  I do like to see them winning the games and the series, though.  Just less worried about what the other teams are doing at this juncture.

Let’s get through this “weird” feeling week, and then the trade deadline, and we’ll see then how it’s gonna look for the last two months of the season.

Game Day!

First Pitch: 7:05PM

Gates: 5:30PM Club/West; 5:45PM East/Center Field

Tickets:  Widely Available

Promotions:

• Christmas In July:  Jersey Auction?
• Snow globe Giveaway (Adults)
• Fireworks

Weather:  In the 90’s later this afternoon, there is the chance of a thunderstorm around game time, which would cool things off a bit.  Clear, unopened water bottles will be allowed today, due to the heat.

Pitching:

IronPigs:  RHP Mick Abel (7-2, 1.83)

Tides:  RHP Kyle Brnovich (2-3, 6.19).   Notes:  Just off rehab with the FCL Orioles he returns to Triple-A where he has not been terribly successful.  He did go five scoreless versus the ‘Pigs back on 5/29 though.  

See you at the park,

@Kram207

PS:  Featured Image and follow-up image above were mine.  But, here’s Jack Mitroka’s sequence on the walk off.  It’s really good: