Mike Green is back with the third and final episode of his travels in the North Eastern US.

We coasted into Auburn on the scenic two lane highway from Interstate 81 in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York .  “Likes sort likes”, the line from the great Dutch film Antonia’s Line, came into my head as we passed through an obviously Republican town with accusingly well-manicured lawns, mandatory American flags in front of the houses and denizens in perfect nautical summer wear. Auburn was not one of those places.

It’s a blue-collar town, our host at the B & B told us upon our arrival.  The Bombardier plant moved on a couple of years ago, but Owens-Illinois still makes glass containers in Auburn and the maximum security facility is still there.  It does have an interesting history as well, being the long-time home of Willard Seward (famous for the controversial purchase of Alaska- Seward’s folly), Harriet Tubman and, of course, Abner Doubleday.

It was Canada Day.  During the day, we circled Cayuga Lake, making stops at a state park, a fine winery for a highly recommended lunch on the patio overlooking the lake and Ithaca.  Our host (we highly recommend the B & B too) advised us to get early to Falcon Park because it was a Dollar Thursday, with general admission, hot dogs, beer and snacks all costing a buck.  We took his advice and ended up sitting in the 2nd row, right behind home plate, as Auburn faced the Batavia Muck Dogs.  It was just as well, as another pitcher’s duel was awaiting us. 

Not so long ago, an Auburn game on July 1 would have almost certainly featured several high draft choices from the draft 3 weeks prior.  Russ Adams, Aaron Hill, Dave Bush, Shaun Marcum, David Purcey, Ricky Romero and Brett Cecil all made their debuts in Auburn.  With the move to more high school drafts in Toronto and the common practice of later signings of first round picks, it is no longer so.  Marcus Knecht (pronounced ke-nect), a 2010 third rounder, was the highest pick from either team. Nonetheless, Doubleday starter Sam Strickland was facing a Muck Dog lineup which featured the league’s then batting leader centerfielder Nicolas Longmire. 

Strickland is a tall 22 year old command and control lefty. He succeeds if he keeps the ball on the ground, and if he gets the call on the black.  On this night, both were happening, and Strickland threw 6 shutout innings and allowed 3 hits while striking out 5.  Jesse Hernandez, a 21 year old fireballing right-handed reliever, came on to strike out 5 in 2 innings of work; he has made 1 appearance since then and was battered about.  Drew Permison came on for the save, and completed the shutout.  The 5’9” 21 year old righty was a 42nd round selection this year. 

The Muck Dogs ran out Charlie Wholestaff to the mound.  It worked until the 7th inning when an undrafted player, a knuckleballer with a hesitation delivery and a pitch that didn’t really knuckle, was battered about by the Doubledays.  Only one run scored courtesy of a runner thrown out on the basepaths, but that was enough.

Carlos Perez, the Doubleday I most wanted to see, was given the day off by Manager Dennis Holmberg.  Oliver Dominguez led off.  He is a short second baseman, with pretty good control of the strike zone and little pop.  He was obviously a fan favourite in Auburn.  Third baseman Andy Fermin was a late-round 2010 draft with a level swing and not much pop.  Left-fielder Steve McQuail is the prototypical minor league power hitter out of Canisius College in Buffalo (for those of us of a certain age from Toronto, Canisius will always be associated with Van Miller, Rocketship Seven, Bob McAdoo and three alarm fires in Cheektowaga).  Knecht, who hails from Toronto and just turned 20, hit the ball hard three times with a noticeable uppercut.  His swing was fluid and I did not see him swing at an obvious ball.  It looks to me that he could develop into a very good all-around hitter.  He was not fast, but also not a base-clogger.  Catcher Jack Murphy wore the golden sombrero (parents, don’t name your children after stadiums, but Rogers might be an acceptable first name, anyways).  Shortstop Gustavo Pierre is 18 years old.  He looked good in the field, and did line a single off the knuckleballer, but looked lost at the plate in his two other appearances.  First baseman Lance Durham, son of Leon “Bull” Durham, was overmatched by the junkballing lefty who came on in the middle innings. Centerfielder Markus Brisker moved well in all directions in the field, but had trouble making contact, as he has throughout his minor league career to date.   

The atmosphere at the park was wonderful.  Those $1 hot dogs were actually coming off a barbeque situated behind the grandstand.  The fans were uniformly friendly, with many questions about our Lugnuts caps and the relationship between the various Jays affiliates.  The attendance of over 2,000 (Auburn’s population is 28,000) is pretty impressive, and speaks to the base in the community for the club, which is owned by a non-profit association in Auburn. 

As we headed off the following morning for Montreal and the Jazz festival, we resolved to go back to Auburn next year.  For those in the Kingston-Gananoque-Brockville area, the Doubledays do play some 6:05 p.m. Sunday home games; a day trip would be possible.

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Thanks Mike.  Auburn does indeed have a pretty little park and I believe it is also a shortish drive from the Niagara area, heading around the lake in the other direction.