A few weeks ago, I mentioned Chase the Bat Dog was retiring from active duty for Double-A Trenton. Chase, a 13-year-old golden retriever, has been fetching bats and bringing umpires water bottles since 2002. The retirement ceremony was held Friday night and the plan was to have him retrieve one final bat from the field, but he wasn’t physically up to it. Chase has been battling a form of blood cancer since January.
There has not been a better minor league promotion the last decade than Chase. Fans flocked to the ballpark to see him and everyone who came into contact with him — fans, players, staff, everyone — loved him. I highly recommend this Howard Megdal piece on what Chase meant to people and the team itself. It’s both a happy and heart-breaking story given the recent diagnosis. Chase’s son Derby will assume bat-fetching duties now, but Thunder games won’t be the same without him.
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Here is your open thread for the evening. The ESPN Sunday Night Game is relevant to the Yankees, it’s the Red Sox at the Angels (Lackey vs. Weaver). Talk about that game or anything else right here. Have at it.