TRENTON- On "Hockey Night" at ARM & HAMMER, when Trenton hosted one of the New Jersey Devils' greats in Ken Daneyko, it was a former Thunder pitcher on rehab from the Yankees that was the talk before the game. Bryan Mitchell, who has been out all season after surgery on his left big toe to correct a Grade 3 turf toe and...
TRENTON- On "Hockey Night" at ARM & HAMMER, when Trenton hosted one of the New Jersey Devils' greats in Ken Daneyko, it was a former Thunder pitcher on rehab from the Yankees that was the talk before the game.
Bryan Mitchell, who has been out all season after surgery on his left big toe to correct a Grade 3 turf toe and a fracture of the sesamoid bone, came to Trenton after two appearances for Advanced A Tampa. He started the final game of the series with Akron, as the Thunder looked to halt their recent slide. Trenton has lost five of six, and three in a row, to lose two straight home series after not losing one prior to this homes stand all season.
Mitchell threw 57 pitches in 2.2 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) and left with the Thunder down four runs. The Rubber Ducks won the game 5-0, to complete the three-game road sweep of Trenton.
But with just 150 pitches on the year under his belt, Mitchell's three rehab appearances amount to his spring training.
"Obviously, I am not crazy about the results, but that is not really what it is about right now," Mitchell said. "I felt comfortable out there, and felt more comfortable in each outing."
"After being out for four months, it is like having in off-season in the middle," Mitchell said. "Spring training is about as good as you can describe it. My mechanics are coming back together. I thought about it a week or so about. It feels weird to be starting at this part of the season. But that is part of it. You just have to take it as it is."
Mitchell is back pain free, and the toe is healed.
"I don't even think about it, to be honest" Mitchell said. "When I covered tonight, I didn't even feel it."
Mitchell could stick around for another start next week, but as of now, everything is up in the air.
"I haven't been told anything yet," Mitchell said. "It could be here."
Graham set to rejoin the Thunder bullpen shortly
It was a night of celebration for an area group that does so much for the community, as the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) was out collecting food, and enjoying a night at the ball park.
Recently retired Executive Director Dennis Micai threw out the first pitch, with new Executive Director Joyce Campbell one of the many in attendance.
While many think that the hunger problem in America has been defeated, that idea could not be further from the truth. What Campbell, and her organization, try to do every day is fight that perception, and help families in need get the help they sometimes desperately need.
"I think it is really important to come out to a game like this," Campbell said. "Because primarily, people don't know that so much hunger still exists. Even here in Trenton, people are probably surprised that in a capital city, there are so many people."
"We feed over 3,800 people a week, and probably over 4000-5000 some weeks," Campbell said. "We also, during the school year, send kids home with stuff for the weekend to make sure they get fed. So to come out here, a lot of people will be aware that hunger still exists, and it is easy to support us."
"We are very blessed to have a lot of support, and a lot of volunteers," Campbell said. "But we can always use food. We only serve so many days, so we also like to have individual food to give out for the weekends so they have something."
Most people that know of the work TASK does are familiar with the group's fantastic campaigns during the holidays. But the issue of hunger is something that exists year-round.
"Hunger doesn't take a vacation, and hunger doesn't take a holiday," Campbell said. "So we always try to tell people to come year-round. We certainly appreciate the stuff at the holidays, because those things we take for granted, getting a holiday meal at home, at least we are able to provide that."
Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean