Questions for Nathan Baliva, Peoria Chiefs Broadcaster

[Laura]

Nathan Baliva, Peoria Chiefs Broadcast & Media Manager, has graciously agreed to take questions from NSBB posters through the end of the Peoria Chiefs regular season.

 

The Chiefs play two more home series -- over the next two weekends -- a one-game match vs the Swing on August 24, and a 4-game series at Beloit August 29 - Sept. 1. His internet access may be limited in Beloit, so please be patient if there's a delay in answers during the Beloit series.

 

Nathan has a wealth of knowledge regarding the Chiefs players and Midwest League as a whole. Ask away in this thread!

Edited August 22, 2005 by Laura

[Laura]

I'll go first ...

 

Is Jonathon Douillard still on the roster? What happened to him?

 

Is there any update on Ryan Norwood? He's obviously likely to miss the remainder of the season, but I was wondering if there was any word on what's happening with his ankle injury.

[Chris]

Do you ever feel strange when you're calling games on the road, especially if you're in a room with people that you know are pulling for the home team? I would think that being the visiting broadcaster could have some awkward moments.

[imb]

Hey Nate, thanks for checking in.

 

Couple of questions.

 

1a-I've heard things about Grant Johnson having some wonky mechanics. I haven't been able to travel the approximately 1000 miles to Peoria to check for myself, but in your opinion, are his mechanics troublesome enough that they may be something that holds him back?

 

1b-I've also heard things about Grant Johnson's mother being a little....enthusiastic...have you had any run ins with her this season?

 

2-How is Ryan Harvery's knee holding up? Does he look 100% to you?

[Tim]

Nate,

 

As always, thanks for stopping by here at NSBB and answering our silly questions!

 

1) Which road park do you like best in the MWL and why?

 

2) Do you ever get to find out how many people are listening to the broadcast?

 

3) What's the funniest thing you've seen happen with the Chiefs this year?

 

4) With the season winding down, what players in the MWL should we make sure we check out while we still have the chance?

 

Thanks again!

[ChiefsVoice]

I'll go first ...

 

Is Jonathon Douillard still on the roster? What happened to him?

 

Is there any update on Ryan Norwood? He's obviously likely to miss the remainder of the season, but I was wondering if there was any word on what's happening with his ankle injury.

 

Technically Douillard is still on the roster but he is not with the team. He injured his knee in Fort Wayne when he took a throw from Harvey, planted and spun to try to tag a runner at the plate. He planted his leg and twisted and his knee didnt go with the rest of the body. When we went to Kane County at the beginning of August he went to a doctor in Chicago for season ending surgery. I believe (but am not 100 percent positive) that it was a MCL and meniscus injury.

 

As for Norwood, he suffered setback after setback in Arizona. We hear All-Star Break, then we heard July 1, then we heard July 15 and we havent heard anything since then. All I have heard recently was from our trainer that Ryan was on the Mesa report as Hitting of a Tee and throwing and doing drills. That was about a week ago. Ill try to get an update from Matt Johnson (trainer) this week

[ChiefsVoice]

Do you ever feel strange when you're calling games on the road, especially if you're in a room with people that you know are pulling for the home team? I would think that being the visiting broadcaster could have some awkward moments.

 

Yeah it can be strange, especially toward the end of games if you get too excited and look through the window to the rest of the place and see other people rooting against you! Really it all depends on how friendly and welcoming the front office staffs of the other teams are. Im in my third year so I have made some "friends" around the league and there are some places (Wisconsin, Kane County, Dayton, Clinton surprisingly) where I look forward to going because I know the beat writer or the scoredboard guy or a front office worker or the official scorer and have nice chats and a after-game beer, etc. But there are times where you feel like a place is out to get you or the official scorer is screwing your players or making unfair rulings. But really I am just spoiled at home and like to be able to have high speed internet and a refrigerator at my disposal and an intern to work hard for me, but that is just me being spoiled!

[UK1679666180]

I'll reverse one of Tim's questions...

 

Which city do you least like going to?

 

Of the MWL cities I've been to, Clinton, Burlington, or Beloit are at the top of my list of my least favorite, I like the QC ballpark the best, I haven't been to Dayton's though. Although, I go to more Beloit games than any other affiliate.

[ChiefsVoice]

Hey Nate, thanks for checking in.

 

Couple of questions.

 

1a-I've heard things about Grant Johnson having some wonky mechanics. I haven't been able to travel the approximately 1000 miles to Peoria to check for myself, but in your opinion, are his mechanics troublesome enough that they may be something that holds him back?

 

1b-I've also heard things about Grant Johnson's mother being a little....enthusiastic...have you had any run ins with her this season?

 

2-How is Ryan Harvery's knee holding up? Does he look 100% to you?

 

Thanks for the questions!

 

1a- There doesn't appear to me to be anything about Grant's motion or mechanics that are going to hold him back. Cubs fans shouldn't be worried about his numbers at all. If you do a close examination of them you see a 2-0 road loss (1 earned run) a game he left down 2-1 (1 earned run) and lost, a game he left up 5-0 (no-decision in a 7-6 10 inning loss and in his 1st start he left up 4-1 and took a no-decision in a 11 inning win. Plus most of the damage to his ERA came in the flukish 21-2 loss on July 4. As for his spring injuries, I have no idea if his mechanics caused those since I wasn't out there and he said it was just a fluke hamstring injury.

 

1b - I haven't. I have not met Grant's mother or any of his family for that matter nor have I received emails from them. I do meet some families, friends etc when they are in town but I have not had the pleasure of meeting Johnson's family nor do I even know where they are at games.

 

2- Ryan's knees are not the problem, his hamstrings are. His right hamstring is what held him back earlier in the season and is now too. He has a huge bruise (think grapefruit size) at the bottom of his hamstring where all the blood is pooling up and it is too painful for him to run. He did pinch hit last night (8/15) and they hope he will be ready for full activities by the Quad Cities series which starts Friday (8/19). As far as I know, the hammys are Ryan's only health concern right now

[ChiefsVoice]

Nate,

 

As always, thanks for stopping by here at NSBB and answering our silly questions!

 

1) Which road park do you like best in the MWL and why?

 

2) Do you ever get to find out how many people are listening to the broadcast?

 

3) What's the funniest thing you've seen happen with the Chiefs this year?

 

4) With the season winding down, what players in the MWL should we make sure we check out while we still have the chance?

 

Thanks again!

 

Tim - Thanks a bunch for the questions! I love the ones that really make me think back!

 

1. Well the easy answers are Dayton and West Michgan because they are alwyas full and the staffs are huge and they just seem to do EVERYTHING right and they are what the rest of us as a staff aspire to be. However, my favorite is Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin home to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The stadium is 10 years old and all one level. If feels intimate and can get really loud. They have a huge parking lot and since it is the Official State Sport, all fans tailgate hours before and after each game! at a Minor League Baseball game! awesome. Anyway, the press box is right on top of the action, the fans are great, the staff is great and they dont have one of those annoying on-field emcees but still keep the fans in the game with good between inning activities, hot dog tosses, strikeout contests, etc. Unfortunately we only went there once this year and it was the first four games and Northern Wisconsin is about 30 degrees in April!

 

2. I can check the online numbers and I usually do so in the 5th inning or so if I remember. So I have an idea of how many people listen on Live365.com. I havent seen any numbers from the radio station yet this year. Their signal isn't the strongest in the world so I dont know how many people listen on radio though I am surprised occasionally around town by people talking about listening.

 

3. Oh man, with this bunch of characters I could write a book. No one real thing stands out in my mind but these guys have so many inside jokes and one-liners that the whole season has just been so funny and so much fun. They ride everyone: each other, the coaches, me, the bus driver, the bat boys, the trainer. It all trickles down from Julio Garcia the manager who is hilarious. Of the moments I can remember and that are clean enough to discuss, Id have to go with either the imitations of Julio tossing the umpire from the game after he had been tossed, or when we saw Patterson and Alberto Garcia sitting in my pre-game chairs talking on the microphones and doing a mock interview mixed in emglish and spanish and in the press box we turned the volume up on the stadium speakers and busted them.

 

4. Well a bunch have already gone up. I think you should check out Quad Cities OF Nick Stavinoha he really impressed me last weekend in two games. Alexi Casilla of Cedar Rapids just hit over .400 in July and is a burner on the basepaths. The third baseman here in South Bend Agustin Murillo is good. Pitching wise, Mike Ekstrom and Ft Wayne, Matt Elliott the closer in So. Bend (who hopefully we wont see again!), definitely Eric Hurley in Clinton and Mark McCormick in Quad Cities. Though I'm biased, personally I'd pay to watch Patterson, Harvey and Gallagher. I think we have the best trio in the MWL and I cant wait to see how my fellow front office staffers and the players vote for the Chiefs MVP, Prospect of the Year and other awards which we will hand out in the final game on Labor Day. Last season it was a no-brainer with Daric Barton taking everything, but I think the votes are gonna go down to the wire this season.

 

Thanks for the questions, keep them coming, I'm happy to answer anything to give more of an insight to the players, me, or minor league baseball in general!

[ChiefsVoice]

I'll reverse one of Tim's questions...

 

Which city do you least like going to?

 

Of the MWL cities I've been to, Clinton, Burlington, or Beloit are at the top of my list of my least favorite, I like the QC ballpark the best, I haven't been to Dayton's though. Although, I go to more Beloit games than any other affiliate.

 

Thanks for the question. While I dont like being negative about places in our league because I wouldn't want them to be negative about us, this one is easy: Battle Creek.

 

Clinton and Beloit are old, but they do have thier own charms and Clinton is renovating for next year. Battle Creek is bad from a media point of view. Their press box is way up (50 stairs straight up). The windows are tiny and there is obstructed view from the press box (from my window without moving on each pitch I can't see the second baseman or third baseman). Also the radio rooms are like little dungeons. Concrete brick walls that echo and there isnt a second phone line for dial up or a high speed internet connection. There is also no in-game communication between official scorer and broadcaster and they dont do a good job of posting on the board so you kind of have to guess for a while what the ruling was. Plus they have virtually no fans in attendance but the speaker system is really really loud and there is a speaker right outside the radio window which tends to drown out the broadcast. I have been there three times for 12 games, and never had a good experience.

 

Quad Cities new stadium really annoys all broadcasters (including there own) because while there are five windows in both radio rooms, NONE OF THEM OPEN!!!! This might be the most idiotic function of any of the league's stadiums. You get no crowd noise in QC and no real atmosphere. Other than that, I really like what they did to John O'Donnell and it is a fun place to watch a game from what I hear, but a tough place to work one!

 

And I hope you have been to Peoria, and like it best!! :lol:

[Laura]

Sweet! Thanks for taking the questions, Nathan -- this is cool!

 

I'm going to pass along some questions that Craig asked me after Billek's last start; I think you can do them more justice than I can.

 

Have you seen Billek before, and how did he look? How fast was he? Did he throw many breaking balls and changes, and how did they look? Odd to have an almost no-hitter with almost no K's; were they just htting everything at people, or was he somehow pitching to contact but getting a lot of weak contact?

 

Does he look like he'll be a control pitcher, and hopefully his stuff will be good enough? Or like a guy who might have pretty excellent stuff, and if his control can be solid he might be good?

 

Did he look like he was in pretty good shape, or does he look like he could easily get fat and be a David Wells/Ruben Quevedo type?

 

Thanks in advance. Would be cool if he has a good major-league arm with big-league stuff.

 

 

And I hope you have been to Peoria, and like it best!! :lol:

 

O'Brien Field rocks! There's some talk of pulling together an NSBB get-together in Peoria before the end of the regular season.

[rawaction]

What do you think about the situation in South Bend? That is my hometown, and I'm saddened to see them go.

[Tim]

Nate,

 

As always, thanks for stopping by here at NSBB and answering our silly questions!

 

1) Which road park do you like best in the MWL and why?

 

2) Do you ever get to find out how many people are listening to the broadcast?

 

3) What's the funniest thing you've seen happen with the Chiefs this year?

 

4) With the season winding down, what players in the MWL should we make sure we check out while we still have the chance?

 

Thanks again!

 

Tim - Thanks a bunch for the questions! I love the ones that really make me think back!

 

1. Well the easy answers are Dayton and West Michgan because they are alwyas full and the staffs are huge and they just seem to do EVERYTHING right and they are what the rest of us as a staff aspire to be. However, my favorite is Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin home to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The stadium is 10 years old and all one level. If feels intimate and can get really loud. They have a huge parking lot and since it is the Official State Sport, all fans tailgate hours before and after each game! at a Minor League Baseball game! awesome. Anyway, the press box is right on top of the action, the fans are great, the staff is great and they dont have one of those annoying on-field emcees but still keep the fans in the game with good between inning activities, hot dog tosses, strikeout contests, etc. Unfortunately we only went there once this year and it was the first four games and Northern Wisconsin is about 30 degrees in April!

 

2. I can check the online numbers and I usually do so in the 5th inning or so if I remember. So I have an idea of how many people listen on Live365.com. I havent seen any numbers from the radio station yet this year. Their signal isn't the strongest in the world so I dont know how many people listen on radio though I am surprised occasionally around town by people talking about listening.

 

3. Oh man, with this bunch of characters I could write a book. No one real thing stands out in my mind but these guys have so many inside jokes and one-liners that the whole season has just been so funny and so much fun. They ride everyone: each other, the coaches, me, the bus driver, the bat boys, the trainer. It all trickles down from Julio Garcia the manager who is hilarious. Of the moments I can remember and that are clean enough to discuss, Id have to go with either the imitations of Julio tossing the umpire from the game after he had been tossed, or when we saw Patterson and Alberto Garcia sitting in my pre-game chairs talking on the microphones and doing a mock interview mixed in emglish and spanish and in the press box we turned the volume up on the stadium speakers and busted them.

 

4. Well a bunch have already gone up. I think you should check out Quad Cities OF Nick Stavinoha he really impressed me last weekend in two games. Alexi Casilla of Cedar Rapids just hit over .400 in July and is a burner on the basepaths. The third baseman here in South Bend Agustin Murillo is good. Pitching wise, Mike Ekstrom and Ft Wayne, Matt Elliott the closer in So. Bend (who hopefully we wont see again!), definitely Eric Hurley in Clinton and Mark McCormick in Quad Cities. Though I'm biased, personally I'd pay to watch Patterson, Harvey and Gallagher. I think we have the best trio in the MWL and I cant wait to see how my fellow front office staffers and the players vote for the Chiefs MVP, Prospect of the Year and other awards which we will hand out in the final game on Labor Day. Last season it was a no-brainer with Daric Barton taking everything, but I think the votes are gonna go down to the wire this season.

 

Thanks for the questions, keep them coming, I'm happy to answer anything to give more of an insight to the players, me, or minor league baseball in general!

Thanks, that was great!

[Chris]

Do you ever feel strange when you're calling games on the road, especially if you're in a room with people that you know are pulling for the home team? I would think that being the visiting broadcaster could have some awkward moments.

 

Yeah it can be strange, especially toward the end of games if you get too excited and look through the window to the rest of the place and see other people rooting against you! Really it all depends on how friendly and welcoming the front office staffs of the other teams are. Im in my third year so I have made some "friends" around the league and there are some places (Wisconsin, Kane County, Dayton, Clinton surprisingly) where I look forward to going because I know the beat writer or the scoredboard guy or a front office worker or the official scorer and have nice chats and a after-game beer, etc. But there are times where you feel like a place is out to get you or the official scorer is screwing your players or making unfair rulings. But really I am just spoiled at home and like to be able to have high speed internet and a refrigerator at my disposal and an intern to work hard for me, but that is just me being spoiled!

 

I would think that it is tough at times being the visiting broadcaster but I guess you get used to it. At the same time it can probably be pretty amusing when you're screaming in excitement when Peoria does something good or going off when Peoria is ripped off. Thanks for hte response!

[NCCubFan]

Does it ever feel strange being a Cardinals fan yet broadcasting games for their biggest rival's affiliate and contributing to their biggest rival's best web site? :D

[Chris]

Next Friday night I will be Ron Potesta's sidekick in the broadcast booth for the Jaxx game. Tips? Advice? What to do? What not to do?

[ChiefsVoice]

What do you think about the situation in South Bend? That is my hometown, and I'm saddened to see them go.

 

I dont have all the facts on what is going on here in South Bend though I know it has been a mess for a few years now. From my understanding, it will be a formality that this team will move to Southern Illinois to Sauget Park outside Marion right off I-57 by Carbondale. Now no one I talk to seems to know if that will happen for 2006 or 2007 or 2008 (when the lease ends). If it is 2007 or 2008 it will be a joke here next year with a lame duck franchise.

 

Its sad cause everytime I have been here over the last three years they have had nice crowds for the most part. However with no radio broadcasts and very little local coverage, I do wonder if anyone will really notice??

 

I really like coming here. Notre Dame (even though Im not a fan) is fun to walk around, the hotel is nice, the bars are good and the College Football Hall of Fame is phenomenal...

[ChiefsVoice]

Does it ever feel strange being a Cardinals fan yet broadcasting games for their biggest rival's affiliate and contributing to their biggest rival's best web site? :D

 

I thought it would be strange. My brother (Huge Cubs fan) loved it from day one while it drove my father (Cards fan) huts. But no matter where I work or who i work for even at the MLB level, I will always be a Cards fan and live and die by them.

 

Honestly I thought it would be weird, but it isnt. I wear Cardinals geaar all the time and its fun cause the guys give me crap for it. Having guys from all over the place, we have Red Sox fans, Braves fans, Mariners fans, Padres fans, a few other Cardinals fans, and of course Cubs fans so a lot of people talk trash all the time. The coaches get on me the most for wearing Cardinals shirts or hats and Eric and I have a lot of good back and forth about it too but its all in good fun.

 

I actually love having the Cubs now. The people I have encountered have been awesome. i can't say enough about Oneri Fleita and all the Rovers that have been here from Vince Coleman to Dave Keller and Grady Little and Jeff Huson and Lester Strode. The Cubs personnel has been great and so were the Cubs workers when they were here with Nomar anr Wood.

 

And as for being on this site, its been great and I love the enthusiasm and knowledge and I'm honored that you guys care enough to ask questions and want to know what is going on, so as long as I'm in the Cubs family, I'll be here at NSBB as well.

[ChiefsVoice]

Next Friday night I will be Ron Potesta's sidekick in the broadcast booth for the Jaxx game. Tips? Advice? What to do? What not to do?

 

ha! good luck. Well you definitely know the game and the players so no problem there. My pet peeve with any guests is if they step on the plays. Talk to Ron about it and see what he wants you to do if you are in as a Color Man, but I would want you to stop talking once the pitcher comes set, unless you are also doing play by play, I hate having to go back and say, well the last two pitches were strikes and the new batter is so and so. But that may not be a concern for Ron.

 

Other than that my top piece of advice is: Dont be afraid to talk, Enjoy yourself and Have fun!!!!

[ChiefsVoice]

Sweet! Thanks for taking the questions, Nathan -- this is cool!

 

I'm going to pass along some questions that Craig asked me after Billek's last start; I think you can do them more justice than I can.

 

Have you seen Billek before, and how did he look? How fast was he? Did he throw many breaking balls and changes, and how did they look? Odd to have an almost no-hitter with almost no K's; were they just htting everything at people, or was he somehow pitching to contact but getting a lot of weak contact?

 

Does he look like he'll be a control pitcher, and hopefully his stuff will be good enough? Or like a guy who might have pretty excellent stuff, and if his control can be solid he might be good?

 

Did he look like he was in pretty good shape, or does he look like he could easily get fat and be a David Wells/Ruben Quevedo type?

 

Thanks in advance. Would be cool if he has a good major-league arm with big-league stuff.

 

 

And I hope you have been to Peoria, and like it best!! :lol:

 

O'Brien Field rocks! There's some talk of pulling together an NSBB get-together in Peoria before the end of the regular season.

 

Craig-

 

Billek has looked great in all of his starts except for one so far. Last time out he was spectacular allowing just one hit and two base runners through six. He tossed 91 innings in college this year so he is on a 70-75 pitch count to make sure his young arm can handle the work. Therefore, to answer one of your questions, it is to his advantage to pitch to contact and not go deep in counts and end up with walks or strikeouts so he can stay in games longer. In his second start he walked 3 and K'd 3 and was done after 3 innings.

 

He will be a control pitcher I think but he does touch 91-92. He threw mostly fastballs the other night though he does have a nice curveball. He could end up like a David Wells type but he is on the same program as the other pitchers and if he works hard as he has so far, then his body shape shouldnt be an issue. He and Gallagher both have that issue and the Cubs are working on both of them.

 

Hope that helps get you caught up on Billek who has looked great in a Chiefs uniform and is a great kid and fun to hang out with and talk to off the field as well. Tune in tonight (Aug 17) at 7:00 as he takes on South Bend (shamless plug!!!) :lol:

[reggiemiller rules]

The Cardinals have one of the lowest rated farm systems in baseball, especially in terms of position players. Who have you seen in their system have you seen that can be big league ready within the next few years?

[ChiefsVoice]

The Cardinals have one of the lowest rated farm systems in baseball, especially in terms of position players. Who have you seen in their system have you seen that can be big league ready within the next few years?

 

Well #1 is Daric Barton who is very close to being Major League ready with the A's. That trade was a neccessity for St. Louis to get a top pitcher and especially since Barton wasn't going to play in Busch anytime soon with Pujols at first base and I dont think he can be an outfielder.

 

After that I saw some really good players the last two years who I think can make an impact in St. Louis.

 

IF Travis Hanson (played 3b in Peoria, might play 2B in MLB can flat out hit)

OF Cody Haerther (great left-handed bat who just seems to hit everyday)

SS Brendan Ryan (good bat, low power, too many errors)

SP Chris Lambert (very solid, impressed me in a half season)

SP Jordan Pals (tall, 6'8, great control)

RP Justin Garza (hurt this season)

OF Reid Gorecki (good speed, some power, best defensive CF I've seen in Peoria, struggled in AA this season, on the 40-man)

RP Mark Worrell (funky deliver, colser mentality...having a great year at High A)

 

And Rick Ankiel doesn't count as someone I saw in Peoria, but I saw him this year in QC and he has impressively made the tranisition to OF. He is at .297 since his recall to AA and don't be surprised to see him in September. And current Swing OF Nick Stavinoha has been lights out in 6 weeks since being drafted out of LSU.

 

And the system is only ranked low because the Cardinals brass trades away all the top guys to make the MLB team better and win division titles, and I for one have no problem with that strategy...It has worked for STL, Boston, Houston, and NYY though it has backfired for the Mets, Dodgers and Phillies the last few years.

[Tram66]

What number did Maddux wear when we was with the Chiefs?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Do you still pay attention to former Peoria pitchers like Lee Gwaltney, Chris Shaver and Victor Ramos now that they have moved on to Daytona or West Tennessee? Could you also give a scouting report for these three pitchers - how hard they throw and what types of pitches they throw?

 

Thanks, Nathan!