Hello friends! And welcome fans of the old Brandon on the Bus blog.

In 2007, I was the play-by-play broadcaster of the Asheville Tourists. I joined the Tourists in January 2007. Thirteen months later, I helped build the Tourists Baseball Network, including a radio broadcast, internet simulcast, daily media notes available to all fans, a new Baseball Advanced Media website that was one of the highest visited among Single-A teams, and, of course, the oft-visited Brandon on the Bus blog.

I resigned from the Tourists in 2008 and actually have left baseball for good. One day you’ll read about it in “One and Done: My one full season in Minor League Baseball.”

Yes, I have just about every qualification to not be able to speak about Black History Month. I’m a white, heterosexual male who grew up in a middle-class family. Not that that’s bad. But have you ever sat in a school class and wondered, "what gives this person the right to talk to me about (pick a topic)?"

I do, however, work in baseball and will take the approach of using baseball to show my appreciation and gratitude.

Ken Griffey, Jr. was my favorite player growing up. He was the favorite of many. But growing up in Seattle, he was larger-than-life, even in person. I went to the Kingdome many times and saw him roam centerfield in a way nobody else could. He was fast. I also listened on the radio with bated breath to every a single swing he took. I’ll never forget when Dave Niehaus, the Mariners’ broadcaster, spoke of Jackie Robinson and how, had it not been for him, we may have never seen Ken Griffey, Jr. play baseball. Sure, at some point, baseball’s color barrier would have to be broken. But, as a domino effect, what if the color barrier was broken much later? Would Ken Griffey, Sr. have played, and laid the foundation for his son? What if Ken, Sr. had been a factory worker?

What Jackie Robinson did was inspiring. In that moment, he became my new favorite player. More than that, he made me want to know more about African Americans and their history. I wasn’t going to be able to ask anyone at school. My high school had only two black students. So I did a lot of reading, and talked to my dad, who came from a politically left-leaning family that had experienced more dialog and discourse about civil rights than most, and had more interaction with African Americans than I ever had.

What I learned about black history was incredible. The injustice even more so. And Jackie Robinson’s accomplishments became all the nobler. The fights he fought were amazing. The fights he did not fight were even more amazing.

I know Larry Doby usually gets the short end of the stick. He is often called the "Jackie Robinson of the American League," because he came a few months after Robinson. He had to live with just as much racism and pure hatred as his predecessor.

But Robinson still came first. Maybe it was circumstances that allowed him to do that. But to say Doby still would have integrated at the same time is pure speculation. Without Robinson, maybe the next person comes years later.

There’s a lot I could say about Black History Month. But, as I said, I work in baseball. And the events that led me to study the broader topic were inspired by a man who played baseball. The man who wrote the book "I Never Had It Made," and yet still made his life something great. So during this month, I will reflect and appreciate what those on the diamond did, starting with Jackie Robinson. And if those players are a microcosm of the greater race, then they speak volumes for why Black History Month should be studied and celebrated.

Hey everyone!

It’s been a decent off-season. There are lot of good things in store from our communications department.

To highlight:

*    For the first time in the team’s history, all 140 scheduled games will be aired on the radio. In previous years the team has had home games on the radio, but that ceased after the 1985 season. We’ll be on WRES 100.7 FM. For those who listen in from the West Coast, fear not, games will still be online at both MiLB.com and TheAshevilleTourists.com.

*    The club will be selling a team yearbook in 2008. Like a media guide, it will have information on players, coaches, McCormick Field and team history. It will also contain statistics, records and bits of interesting information.

*    We will be doing a weekly talk show. We’ve toiled with the idea of calling it Tourists Talk, but I’m not sure that’s the way we’ll go since we’ll delve into some Major League stuff, as well. Have a good idea for a name? Let me know!

*    General introduction: Our communications coordinator, who reports to me, communications manager, will be Eric Little. You’ll find that Eric is a very capable broadcaster and he’s a great guy. It’ll be nice to share the booth with him this year. Eric will be doing a lot more than just that, though. As we grow our communications department, his job will require a lot of writing, be it news releases, game recaps, specials features/profiles, etc. Eric’s e-mail address will be elittle@theashevilletourists.com.

*   My e-mail address for the upcoming year is bchapman@theashevilletourists.com. If you want to get a hold of me or Eric, another sure way is just send an e-mail to pressbox@theashevilletourists.com.

Thanks for all the support last year. Look forward to hearing from many of you this year. Go Tourists!!!

P.S. If anyone would like to donate money to the Saving Money For Brandon Chapman’s Kid’s College Fund, just let me know .

Hey everyone… time for the updated team power rankings.

Ranking            Player/Pitcher            Pos.           Last week

1.                       Mike Paulk                    1B                   1
2.                        Michael McKenry        C                    4
3.                        Daniel Mayora              2B                  2
4.                        Keith Weiser                SP                   5
5.                        Hector Gomez             SS                  NR

Well, Paulk still maintains the lead as he still has good season power numbers, leads the league in RBIs and also has kept his average in the .3teens.

Michael McKenry has risen his stock quite a bit. He continues to have a high OBP and a good idea of how to handle a pitching staff. But now he has an average pushing close to .300.

Daniel Mayora dipped all the way to a .302 average, which is up a bit now. Why? McCormick Field. He’s been terribly inconsistent however, by not learning how to adapt on the road. Plus, he passed his teammate on the base paths. A base runner passing another base runner never looks good.

Keith Weiser keeps throwing well. Enough said.

Hector Gomez. His overall numbers are good and he’s done well in the two-hole. He’s still inconsistent but season stats are decent.

Even though this place is only 11 years old, it feels about 40 years old. A shame. Not a bad stadium.

Nothing about Lakewood’s FirstEnergy Park makes it really special. But it is a nice place to watch baseball, if not only for the fact that the concourse goes all the way around the ballpark. You can do a full lap and where ever you’re at, you can see the game.

1. Establishing shot. Notice the Phillies bell that was mowed into the outfield grass. I like that.

2. Here’s what baseball is all about: that first glimpse of the field, when you come into the concourse, and you see the stairs leading to your seat… love it.

3. Most stadiums nowadays have play areas. But the one in Lakewood is on ‘roids.

4. From the concourse, you can walk into right field, just above the berm ("the sod squad")

5. Can you see how high up we are? 20 feet. That’s the distance in left-center to the picnic area. The yellow is for the umps to gage if the ball goes over for a homer.

6. Like many stadiums, the picnic area is really, really nice.

7. There is a putt-putt hole in center field.

8. Yes, a lot of beverages are consumed here.

9. Here’s what it’s all about!!!


10. There are five lifeguard chairs beyond the outfield. I know the beach is close, but… wouldn’t this make more sense in Charleston? I don’t know.

11. I like old-school turnstiles. To bad they screwed it up with the Verizon wraps.

12. The best thing about this ballpark is the fun atmosphere. Yes, the employees always wear the Hawaiian shirts.

13. Every fan receives their game program upon entering the field.

As we head into the last month of the year, I give you my power rankings… at least the top five. It would be kind of like a team MVP award, I guess, without making differential between pitchers and position players.

No.       Player
1.        Mike Paulk, 1B
2.        Daniel Mayora, 2B
3.        James Burok, RP
4.        Michael McKenry, C
5.          Keith Weiser, SP

At the beginning of the year, there’s no doubt Mike Paulk was the MVP of the team and was the one person who should have been on the top of this measly little rankings, which means nothing to anybody I’m sure . Then Mayora, after getting red hot in May and staying hot, would have been on top. But now it’s back to Paulk, who has not only passed Mayora in hitting (after having given up the lead sometime in July), but is catching up in doubles, leads the entire Sally League in RBIs, and even has a decent amount of stolen bases. The fact that he hit seven homers right after the All-Star break helps.

Mayora has struggled, lately. At one time, he led the team in stolen bases, but that has dropped off significantly post All-Star game. Has not shown any power outside of McCormick Field. If you could give a home field MVP, maybe Mayora is on top. But overall, he’s dropped to second.

James Burok headlines a bullpen that has been a big upgrade since last season. At one point, from April 11th until July 4th, did not allow an earned run. This is huge. While the Tourists starting pitchers have a combined 4.26 ERA (not bad, considering where the home field dimensions exist), the bullpen is at 3.06. Burok has almost always been a 1-2-3 inning and he leads the team in holds.

Michael McKenry is a no-brainer. Playing the most demanding position on the diamond, he has worked with the pitching staff very well. He’s always had power numbers. But now he has an average, too. And don’t discredit his team-high OBP and team lead in walks due to his size. It’s not just because he is shorter that he draws walks. He’s shown a good understanding of the strike zone and a lot of plate discipline.

Keith Weiser took his lumps in June and that makes him take a bit of a hit in the power rankings. If he finishes strong, he could make a push to go up a rung or two.