MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL COVERAGE AS DRUNK AS YOU ARE >>>

Here we are, people. The 2011 Triple-A All Star Game. A time to kick back, open a couple brewskis and reflect on the Rainiers' (44-47) first 91 games of the season.  Or, if you're like eighty percent (rough estimate) of Tacomans who don't follow the Rainiers and their exploits intensely, then this is a time to go on with normal life. Really, it's up to you. We don't try to force anything here.

So. How have the Rainiers done in the first chunk (chunk, not half) of the season?

Judging strictly by the team's record, the first portion of the season has gone poorly. Not too bad, but poor nonetheless. Though the Rainiers are only three games back from playing .500 ball, they're also ten games behind the PCL North Division leader, the Reno Aces. With 53 games remaining in the season, the Rainiers would need to make up some serious ground on the Aces to capture the division. Not impossible ground to cover, but definitely hard. And still, out of the 91 games the Rainiers have played this season, they've lost more than they've won.  Certainly not a good route to a second consecutive PCL Championship.

But this is the Rainiers Minute. We can't place too much emphasis on the team's record. The true barometer of a baseball season, at least in our minds, is how fun the first chunk (not half) of the season has been. We're talking about how many beers were consumed on the Tasty Terrace. How many knuckleballs starting pitcher Charlie Haeger threw for strikes. How many fastballs outfielder Mike Carp blasted out of the park. Yeah, record has a lot to do with how the season is going, but there's so much more.

Without further ado, we present the real ups and downs of the first 91 games. Players, other teams, call-ups, hot dog eating, more urinals; what have you. Everything fun and not so fun about the 2011 Tacoma Rainiers season so far. Because as a fan, that's the real crux of a baseball season:

Are you having fun or aren't you.

The Bad (Things that detract from fun)

Starting Pitcher Luke French: Though left-hander Luke French has started to turn it around, it's still safe to say he's having a rough year on the bump. His season ERA stands at 5.90, a full three points higher than last years. Then, there have been a couple of outings like the one on June 4^t, where French pitched four innings, gave up seven runs and walked eight. Yikes. So much for having a reliable ace.

The Reno Aces: The Aces are the PCL Division North leaders. The Rainiers have gone 4-8 against them this season. They're tall, mean and beat up on the Rainiers' pitching staff. Damn those Aces. They're just so smug. 

The Frequent Call-ups: Yeah, we know. This is Minor League baseball and call-ups happen. But jeeze, Mariners, at least give us a second to fill out our lineup card. Greg Halman up, Mike Carp up, Michael Saunders down. Peguero up, Seager up, Wilson down. Bard up, Bard down. It's a revolving door of confusion. We don't even know who to crush on anymore.

*Honorable Mentions

-David Aardsma's four innings

-The month of April

-Cheney Stadium parking bottleneck

The Expected (Things that neither add nor subtract from fun)

Rainiers Minute coverage: We've brought you gems like the Mike Carp blog. We've brought you ho-hum, maybe this could be sorted out posts like the live-blog. We've made some mistakes, we've burned some bridges and we've made readers, on occasion, chuckle. All in all, about what you'd expect from this inaugural run.

The Bullpen: It's normal to hate your team's bullpen. "What, they're putting Cortes in! With no outs? Are they insane?" While the bullpen has blown a game here or there, they've also pitched some nice innings, reliever Josh Lueke in particular. 

Dollar Hotdogs: Don't get us wrong, Rainiers management. It's a great price. But they're a little small.

*Honorable Mentions 

-Matt Tuiasosopo

The Good (Things that add to fun)

Cheney Stadium Renovation: Man. Is everyone in agreement that this puppy was long overdue? Faster urinal access, more concession stands, handicap ramps. An interior that doesn't fill you with a sense of a coming, concrete apocalypse.  Not to mention a press box that's so cushy we could rest our fat butts in there for hours on end. Oh wait, we'll be doing exactly that in the second half. More live blogs!

Mike Carp/Kyle Seager (our crushes): Yeah, they've come and they've gone.  But don't the best lovers always leave at the top, only to come crawling back when you least expect it? Rainiers' outfielder Mike Carp has hit twenty home runs. He also had a 22-game hit streak earlier this season. Third baseman Kyle Seager, now with the Mariners, had a batting average of .455 with Tacoma. All around, these boys are dreamboats.  

The High Scoring Games: Is it us, or have we seen some whoppers on the scoreboard this season? Eighteen run against the Reno Aces on June 3. A two-day stretch against the Tucson Padres on June 5 and 6 where the Rainiers scored forty runs! Whatever the Rainiers were eating in early June we suggest they buy more.

*Honorable Mentions

-Mike Curto call-up

-Matt Mangini

So there it is. All things equally as important as the Rainiers' wins-loss record. Things the Rainiers could improve on, or fix, in the second chunk of the season.

But for now, enjoy the last night of the break. The All Star Game will begin tonight at 6:05 p.m. According to Curto, you can catch the game on the radio dial at 850 AM or on television with the MLB Network.

Tomorrow the Salt Lake City Bees come to town, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. That means it's back to the long, slow grind that is the Minor League baseball regular season. A grind that hopefully sees more winning than losing. And, like we said, more fun, fun, fun.