Wednesday, November 13, 2024

The Scoop On The Coop: Mud Hens Pitch Some Stats

The bird is the word. Or so we’ve heard. We had the opportunity to go to a Meet-n-Greet at Hensville with the Mud Hens last week, and although the hen house was full of cackling press, a few of the guys sat down to speak with us.

Here’s the soup on some of our staff-picked questions.

Doug Mientkiewicz, ManagerManager-doug

Years with the Mud Hens?: “This is Year One (1).”
From?: “I was born here, in Toledo, grew up in Miami, FL, and I still live in FL.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “Um, lock myself in my office and not to talk to anybody.” [For how long?] “As long as I possibly can!”
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “No tattoos at all. I’m the blue-striped zebra: they don’t make us anymore.”
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “I haven’t been to one yet. Any suggestions? My living room is usually a good one, because I bring my own booze. BYOB. I can entertain myself.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Football. College football. Florida State. [But I’m a Clemson fan.] “Oh no! It was going so well, too. We were friends for a minute. Well, congratulations. Took you long enough to beat us.”
Sliders/No Sliders?: “Like, pants, shorts underneath? I don’t slide anymore, but sliders. If I slide now, we’re all in deep trouble!”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “Well, since the last time I was here in ’81, I’m gonna say fishing for Walleye on Lake Erie.”

Chad Huffman, Utility PlayerChad-Huffman2

Years with the Mud Hens?: “Two (2). 2016, last year with St. Louis, and now I’m back here.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “I do eat peanut butter before every game. Peanut butter, honey, and banana sandwich. Before every game.”
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “No tattoos, and no bad decisions.”
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “You know, I haven’t really been… I wouldn’t say I’m very experienced in the bar scene, but I guess I would say Tin Can… I like that one. It’s right there. It’s close.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Football. Texans and TCU.”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “Farmer’s Market. All the local produce. They have eggs, the sausages. I like that.”

Pete Kozma, Shortstop (SPete1

Years with the Mud Hens?: “One (1).”
From?: “Tulsa, OK.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “I never touch the white line. I always hop over it. And I shower before every game.”
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “None.”
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “Last night, we went to the Tin Can, so it’s a pretty good spot so far. That’s #1 right now.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Hockey. Watched the Red Wings last night. Red Wings are my team.”
Sliders/No Sliders?: “Have to. Absolutely.”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “I don’t know yet. It’s close to home. I have family in Detroit.”
Anything else interesting we should know about you?: “Nope, I’m pretty simple stuff.” [That’s a pretty solid answer, actually.]

Christin Stewart, Left Field (LF)Christen1

Years with the Mud Hens?: “One (1). I was drafted by the Tigers in 2015.”
From?: “Northville, GA.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “I always put my left sock on before my right.”
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “I have three (3), but they all have meaning. I’ve never gotten drunk one night and got one, if that’s what you mean.”
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “First time here, so I don’t know yet. I haven’t been anywhere yet.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Basketball. I grew up in a basketball family. Right now, I don’t have a team, but I like LeBron.” [Who doesn’t, right?]
Sliders/No Sliders?: “Have to. I’ll tear up my legs if I don’t.”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “It’s a lot different than where I’m from. I’m not from a city, I’m from a suburb just outside of Atlanta, so it’s different. It’s a lot colder here, that’s for sure!”
Anything else interesting we should know about you?: “Nothing really. I’m a very average player. I do like to fish. And I’ve been to Cuba. That’s about it.”

Jeff Mathers, Strength and Conditioning CoachJeff1

Years with the Mud Hens?: “This is my first (1) year.”
From?: “Erie, PA.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “If the guys are on a winning streak, I’ll wear the same apparel through the entire streak. I won’t change.” [Ever?]
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “Nope, no tattoos. No bad decisions.”
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “I haven’t been to any yet. I’ve been to Fricker’s! I ate food at Fricker’s once.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Other than baseball? Basketball.”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “Umm… not the cold weather, that’s for sure! This is my first time in Toledo, but it seems like a cool stadium, cool city, so I’m looking forward to being here to help the team out.”

Erik Ibsen, General Manager (GM)Gen-Man1

Years with the Mud Hens?: “22 years. I’m from Philly, went to University of Arizona, then came to Toledo to do an internship at Skeldon Stadium. And here it is, 22 years later.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “Not really superstitions. I think when I’m at games, it’s really just about walking around the ballpark, greeting people, thanking people for being here, and making sure everything is a go to give fans a good time for any particular game.”
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “I do not.” [He grinned.]
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “I’d better say Holy Toledo Tavern, because we’ve opened that downstairs.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Basketball. 76ers.”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “I think the people. Not being from the town, but having been here a long time and having a family here, it’s just such an under-appreciated area to live. I know other people from larger cities that have settled here, and between all the attractions in town–the Hens, the Walleye, the Toledo Zoo, the TMA and metroparks, it’s really a great place to live. You can still get the big city experience from a number of places that aren’t too far away to get to, as well.”

And there you have it! The scoop on the coop. See? That wasn’t so hard. Play ball!

 

The bird is the word. Or so we’ve heard. We had the opportunity to go to a Meet-n-Greet at Hensville with the Mud Hens last week, and although the hen house was full of cackling press, a few of the guys sat down to speak with us.

Here’s the soup on some of our staff-picked questions.

Doug Mientkiewicz, ManagerManager-doug

Years with the Mud Hens?: “This is Year One (1).”
From?: “I was born here, in Toledo, grew up in Miami, FL, and I still live in FL.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “Um, lock myself in my office and not to talk to anybody.” [For how long?] “As long as I possibly can!”
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “No tattoos at all. I’m the blue-striped zebra: they don’t make us anymore.”
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “I haven’t been to one yet. Any suggestions? My living room is usually a good one, because I bring my own booze. BYOB. I can entertain myself.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Football. College football. Florida State. [But I’m a Clemson fan.] “Oh no! It was going so well, too. We were friends for a minute. Well, congratulations. Took you long enough to beat us.”
Sliders/No Sliders?: “Like, pants, shorts underneath? I don’t slide anymore, but sliders. If I slide now, we’re all in deep trouble!”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “Well, since the last time I was here in ’81, I’m gonna say fishing for Walleye on Lake Erie.”

Chad Huffman, Utility PlayerChad-Huffman2

Years with the Mud Hens?: “Two (2). 2016, last year with St. Louis, and now I’m back here.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “I do eat peanut butter before every game. Peanut butter, honey, and banana sandwich. Before every game.”
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “No tattoos, and no bad decisions.”
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “You know, I haven’t really been… I wouldn’t say I’m very experienced in the bar scene, but I guess I would say Tin Can… I like that one. It’s right there. It’s close.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Football. Texans and TCU.”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “Farmer’s Market. All the local produce. They have eggs, the sausages. I like that.”

Pete Kozma, Shortstop (SPete1

Years with the Mud Hens?: “One (1).”
From?: “Tulsa, OK.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “I never touch the white line. I always hop over it. And I shower before every game.”
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “None.”
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “Last night, we went to the Tin Can, so it’s a pretty good spot so far. That’s #1 right now.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Hockey. Watched the Red Wings last night. Red Wings are my team.”
Sliders/No Sliders?: “Have to. Absolutely.”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “I don’t know yet. It’s close to home. I have family in Detroit.”
Anything else interesting we should know about you?: “Nope, I’m pretty simple stuff.” [That’s a pretty solid answer, actually.]

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Christin Stewart, Left Field (LF)Christen1

Years with the Mud Hens?: “One (1). I was drafted by the Tigers in 2015.”
From?: “Northville, GA.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “I always put my left sock on before my right.”
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “I have three (3), but they all have meaning. I’ve never gotten drunk one night and got one, if that’s what you mean.”
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “First time here, so I don’t know yet. I haven’t been anywhere yet.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Basketball. I grew up in a basketball family. Right now, I don’t have a team, but I like LeBron.” [Who doesn’t, right?]
Sliders/No Sliders?: “Have to. I’ll tear up my legs if I don’t.”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “It’s a lot different than where I’m from. I’m not from a city, I’m from a suburb just outside of Atlanta, so it’s different. It’s a lot colder here, that’s for sure!”
Anything else interesting we should know about you?: “Nothing really. I’m a very average player. I do like to fish. And I’ve been to Cuba. That’s about it.”

Jeff Mathers, Strength and Conditioning CoachJeff1

Years with the Mud Hens?: “This is my first (1) year.”
From?: “Erie, PA.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “If the guys are on a winning streak, I’ll wear the same apparel through the entire streak. I won’t change.” [Ever?]
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “Nope, no tattoos. No bad decisions.”
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “I haven’t been to any yet. I’ve been to Fricker’s! I ate food at Fricker’s once.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Other than baseball? Basketball.”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “Umm… not the cold weather, that’s for sure! This is my first time in Toledo, but it seems like a cool stadium, cool city, so I’m looking forward to being here to help the team out.”

Erik Ibsen, General Manager (GM)Gen-Man1

Years with the Mud Hens?: “22 years. I’m from Philly, went to University of Arizona, then came to Toledo to do an internship at Skeldon Stadium. And here it is, 22 years later.”
Pregame rituals or superstitions?: “Not really superstitions. I think when I’m at games, it’s really just about walking around the ballpark, greeting people, thanking people for being here, and making sure everything is a go to give fans a good time for any particular game.”
Any tattoos you didn’t mean to get?: “I do not.” [He grinned.]
Favorite bar in Toledo?: “I’d better say Holy Toledo Tavern, because we’ve opened that downstairs.”
Favorite sport to watch?: “Basketball. 76ers.”
Favorite thing about Toledo?: “I think the people. Not being from the town, but having been here a long time and having a family here, it’s just such an under-appreciated area to live. I know other people from larger cities that have settled here, and between all the attractions in town–the Hens, the Walleye, the Toledo Zoo, the TMA and metroparks, it’s really a great place to live. You can still get the big city experience from a number of places that aren’t too far away to get to, as well.”

And there you have it! The scoop on the coop. See? That wasn’t so hard. Play ball!

 

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