tri-city valleycats

Mark Appel was a can't-miss prospect when he was drafted by Houston, and when he pitched for the ValleyCats, but didn't make his MLB Debut until this Wednesday.

He was selected with the No. 10 overall pick in last summer's MLB amateur draft. However, the Vanderbilt star was unable to sign with the team that chose him, the New York Mets. The front office for the Mets allegedly saw something they didn't like in Rocker's physical and subsequently reduced their bonus offer. When your representative is Super Agent, Scott Boras, you don't sign reduced contracts.

Memorial Day weekend and baseball is an American tradition. It is a time where family members get can together for an extra weekend day and enjoy a ballgame. We put together 4 cool baseball road trips that are about 2 hours or less away but unique enough that it is worth the ride, especially given the price of gas. The Tri City ValleyCats are on the road or that would have been #1!

One year after not signing a rookie contract with the New York Mets, Kumar Rocker will head to the Capital Region to get ready for the 2022 MLB Draft.

The Tri City ValleyCats open up their 2022 Frontier League season on the road Thursday against the Florence Y'Alls. The Y'Alls are from Kentucky and one of 8 new teams, for a total of 16, that will travel to Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy this summer. The Frontier League is one of the premier independent professional baseball leagues and is a partner with Major League Baseball.

As kids, my father would tell us not to fight but if we did, choose your battles wisely. On Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis, as the New York Mets were taking on the Cardinals in the final game of a three game series, a former manager of the Tri City ValleyCats decided he was going to pick the guy they nicknamed the 'Polar Bear.'

In honor of Valentine's Day, let's all be curmudgeons for a moment. Here are five of the most unforgettable Capital Region sports heartbreaks.

I laugh when people say that 'the Capital Region is a bad sports town.' Really? When people say that I sometimes feel that they are trying to find something wrong with everything. If you feel like I do, it's time to look at the facts. This is actually a pretty good sports 'town.'

The Capital Region has a rich history when it comes to the sport of baseball. Minor league baseball has been weaved in the fabric of this area for decades. From the Albany Senators, to the Albany-Colonie A's, to the A-C Yankees, then Diamond Dogs and now the Tri City ValleyCats, this community has witnessed greatness in many stages on local diamonds.

Fans of the ValleyCats and Red Sox have known that Kike Hernandez was a good baseball player. What we didn't realize, was that he was about to make history.

It may be one year too late to benefit the Tri-City ValleyCats, but for MiLB teams that still hold Major League affiliation, a major problem will be solved.

It's blanket statement time: the 2021 ALCS, about to be played between the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros, would not be happening without the Capital Region.