Today is the start of the Tacoma Rainiers annual Throwback Weekend, and things are more than a little different this time around.
For years we’ve been doing these Throwback Weekends where we throw it back to one of Tacoma’s previous Triple-A entities. We’ve done ’em all: Tacoma Cubs, Tacoma Giants multiple times, Tacoma Twins once, Tacoma Yankees, Tacoma Tigers several times. We even did the Tacoma Tugs one time despite that fact that, as the late Stan Naccarato once told me, “everyone hated that name!”
Instead of rehashing the old formula and throwing it back to one of these previous names yet again, this year the team did something different: what if we threw it back to an imagination of what the Tacoma Rainiers uniform and logo might have looked like in 1960? It was an experiment, basically throwing down a challenge to our design team.
This is what happened:
https://twitter.com/RainiersLand/status/1517905513920430080
We’re giving away hats to the first 1,000 fans through the gates today, and a pennant with the fish on it for the first 1,000 fans on Sunday. Of course, Casey couldn’t let the fish go nameless. So, he named him Sammy the Slammin’ South Sound Salmon.
I’ve already got the pennant hanging in the booth – I think it’s awesome; we’ll learn what the people think tomorrow.
The Rainiers will be wearing these uniforms today and tomorrow – come check ’em out. If you’re at the games and you have an opinion on this new take on Throwback Weekend, let a Rainiers employee know. It’s a new idea for us, and we’re curious to see if people like it or not.
RAINIERS DAILY
YESTERDAY: The Rainiers had a 5-0 lead and Darren McCaughan was working on a no-hit bid with two outs in the sixth inning, and in retrospect maybe it should have started raining really hard right then. Sugar Land made a big comeback – aided by walks and Tacoma errors – and beat the Rainiers in ten innings, 8-7. Previously silent-for-the-series Pedro Leon hit a two-run homer to get the comeback started, and he doubled in the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth. Zach Green homered twice for Tacoma, driving in four runs, and Forrest Wall also went deep.
TODAY: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (6-10) at Tacoma Rainiers (5-11), 5:05.
OPPONENT AFFILIATION: Houston Astros.
OPPOSING MANAGER: Mickey Storey.
SEASON SERIES: Sugar Land leads, 3-1.
PITCHERS: RHP Peter Solomon (0-1, 3.24) at LHP Nick Margevicius (0-1, 15.63)
ROSTER MOVES: Yesterday the Rainiers added infielder Ben Ramirez from Low-A Modesto.
HOT HITTERS: Joe Odom has hit safely in five of his last six games, going 7-for-23 with five extra-base hits… Sam Haggerty is 8-for-16 during a four-game hitting streak… Marcus Wilson has reached base in five straight games and 11 of his last 22 plate appearances… Erick Mejia has reached base in six straight games.
OPPONENT NEWS: Sugar Land opened the season at Sacramento and went 2-4, then they lost five-of-six at home to Round Rock… catcher Korey Lee is considered one of the Houston Astros top prospects… infielder Pedro Leon received a big signing bonus coming out of Cuba and is considered a solid prospect… Corey Julks has a five-game hitting streak… Sugar Land has no former Rainiers on its roster or coaching staff, and no Washington natives.
BROADCAST: All games will be broadcast free on a live audio stream which is available right here.
Unfortunately, there is no traditional terrestrial radio station carrying the games at this time.
PCL SCOREBOARD: Follow all league games in real-time with links to broadcasts and Gameday screens right here.
Links:
- Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenic had key hits back-to-back in a 4-1 win over the Royals on Friday, giving hope to Mariners fans far and wide.
- The Seattle Times looked into the Julio Rodriguez strikeout situation.
- Former Rainiers outfielder Eric Thames is playing for Las Vegas, and the paper has a fun feature on him.
June 8, 2023