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First Posted: 5/18/2013
Our weekly look at the work of RailRiders president Rob Crain, who has given us back our baseball — with a side order of promotions and entertainment.
Have any ideas, or feedback on a recent promotion, share it with us at [email protected].
BEST OF THE WEEK: Flowers for mom, or a buck for a hot dog? The Riders had just two home games this week, leaving a battle between the heart and the stomach. This one goes to the heart.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY: With Curtis Granderson and Jason Heyward in the house, there was a different buzz around PNC Field. So why not make rehab assignments a fixture for the team? Just keep the last roster spot for a big name.
With Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Kevin Youkilis among the Yankees’ injured, there a great chance we’ll have some All-Star entertainment throughout the summer on rehab assignments. How about in between we see if some other former major leaguers can work their way back to the bigs?
Sign Bobby Abreu for a couple of weeks and see what he has left in the tank. Bring in Jim Thome and see if he can still crush a ball to the ski lifts.
Put Chipper Jones in a Riders cap and … well, the fans won’t care if he can still hit. It’ll be 10,000 in the house every night just to yell, “Larry! Larry!” every time Jones steps to the plate.
COMING UP: The team is back home Thursday and the fun is set to begin again. If you enjoyed “The Office” night, the team has an out-of-the-world experience coming up just for you. Saturday is Star Wars Night, complete with a BBQ Grill Set Giveaway.
Surely some classic scenes will be reenacted — Darth Vader flipping burgers on the landing deck of the Death Star, Han Solo and a case of soda being frozen in carbonite to make awesome slushies, the Ewoks roasting people over an open pit. We can’t wait.