TRENTON- In their 23rd year of professional Eastern League baseball, the Thunder have become only the second EL team to pass nine million fans. Saturday night, as Trenton hosted Binghamton in the second of a three-game set, Lisa Ford was the lucky fan to come through the turnstiles at the opportune moment. Ford, who was at the game with...
TRENTON- In their 23rd year of professional Eastern League baseball, the Thunder have become only the second EL team to pass nine million fans.
Saturday night, as Trenton hosted Binghamton in the second of a three-game set, Lisa Ford was the lucky fan to come through the turnstiles at the opportune moment.
Ford, who was at the game with four children, walked through the gates at 6:48 p.m., and into the Thunder history books. Including the two and a half seasons of the Trenton Senators in the 1936-1938 season, it is the 26th season of Eastern League baseball in the city, which has always been supportive.
"It has been amazing," Ford said. "We actually came because my kids earned free tickets as an award from their church group, for their participation completing a book. We all got to come with a group of people from the church."
"My son got to throw out one of the first pitches today, and then I was the nine millionth fan to walk through the gates," Ford said. "It has been exciting, and pretty overwhelming, in a good way. We have been coming for seven years. It is such a great stadium, and it is so family friendly too."
"The view is beautiful," Ford said. "It is just a great park to come to. We live just down in Burlington, so it is easy to get to."
Thunder manager Bobby Mitchell spoke highly of the fans of this organization, who have shown up in droves over the years to support the team. They are currently averaging 4,861 fans in 2016, but that number should rise close to 5,000 with the summer crowds in the next two months.
"I think it is really good here, compared to other areas I have been," Mitchell said. "Not just in this league, but in other leagues. I think Jeff (Hurley, Thunder General Manager) does a great job here getting people in the ballpark.'
"We love to play in front of people," Mitchell said. "It is huge. It really is big. You can get up for games easier with people in the stands. And these fans are great. I enjoy the atmosphere, and I enjoy the crowds. They have been really supportive, and they help us out a lot."
"It is fun to see the military represented, and it is fun to see all the kids come out and sing," Mitchell said. "It seems like there is a class, or school every time. It is pretty cool. I have never seen that before. I think we do a great job here getting people out, and like I said, it makes our job easier."
5 (or so) THUNDER PLAYERS THAT SOULD GO TO ALL-STAR GAME
Mitchell has coached some very good players in his time in the minor leagues. As a former Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins outfielder as well, he has some experience with players who can play on the big league level.
So who was the best player that Mitchell has seen in his time in the minors, after the number one prospect in the minor leagues, Lucas Giolito, was in town Wednesday night with Harrisburg
"I saw Mike Trout," Mitchell said. "I had him in Double A, when I took over a managing job for a guy who quit. I was just a roving guy. I could see it then."
"It was kind of funny," Mitchell said. "I made the comment to him that he would be a 30/30 guy in the big leagues. Well, like a year later he was like 30/50, and I was like wow. He was that kind of talent."
"I have seen a lot of guys over the years that have been really good, but he is probably the top guy," Mitchell said. "You kind of knew right away. He has so much stuff going for him. He can really run. He has all the tools. He was doing it at an early age."
"But I saw Cliff Floyd, and Rondell White, when I first started coaching with the Montreal Expos," Mitchell said. "Those guys you could tell were going to be big leaguers. Just how good, who knows? Sometimes, you just get those special players. This guy (Giolito) might be one."
THUNDER MATCH WITS WITH TOP PROSPECT GIOLITO
Saturday night saw just the third ejection in a Thunder game.
Jayce Boyd, the Binghamton left fielder and three-hole hitter, was tossed in the top of the first for arguing a third strike call. He thought he had worked a walk on a 3-1 count, but saw two straight pitches on the outside corner from Dietrich Enns called as strikes.
The other two ejections this season were from the two managers in the dugouts Saturday, Mitchell and Pedro Lopez, for calls on the base paths.
Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean