Deandome

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Aaron Rowand has gotten several other Phillies hooked on nitro MT racing. Apparantly they have races before every home game...ON THE OUTFIELD!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/12/sp...=1&oref=slogin

Guess he'll have some extra time to fine tune his Revo after last night's amazing, nose-breaking catch!

Dean

Deandome

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I forget if you have to enroll in the NY Times to see stories (if you do, it's free). but to save hassles, here's the article (sans the cool pic of him and his Revo):

Rowand Intends to Keep on Truckin'
By LEE JENKINS
PHILADELPHIA, May 11 — Aaron Rowand held an impromptu meeting with some of his teammates this week to discuss the race.

The season is only a month old, but Rowand was talking about refueling the tank, revving the engine, finding a higher gear in anticipation of the finish line.

The Phillies had to listen, considering that Rowand won the World Series last year with the Chicago White Sox. But they did not have to take him too seriously. As Rowand spoke, an oversize remote-control truck lay near his feet.

"Soon, everybody on our team is going to be racing these," Rowand said Wednesday. "Flipping them, jumping them, crashing them — it's just another thing we can do together."

The Phillies traded Jim Thome and $22 million to the White Sox for Rowand, not simply because they wanted a heat-seeking center fielder, but also because they needed some energy in their clubhouse. Before games, Rowand races remote-control trucks with his teammates on the outfield grass. Then he throws on his glove and speeds around like a crash-test dummy.

Rowand broke his nose and sustained lacerations to his cheek Thursday night against the Mets when he ran face first into the center-field wall chasing a deep drive. After making the improbable catch and saving three runs for the Phillies, Rowand, blood dripping from his chin, was taken to a nearby hospital.

Rowand survives accidents almost every day. The Phillies have made their remote-control truck races almost as competitive as their games. As long as the trucks keep off the infield dirt, the grounds crew lets them be. "We're going to build a racetrack soon," reliever Arthur Rhodes said. "And we're going to have a trophy for the winner."

The Phillies need Rowand back, not just to snag flies and race trucks. During spring training, he was the player who organized laser tag games and set up bowling nights. The field trips, like the races, might have seemed cheesy if Rowand were not coming off a World Series championship.

"I heard that there had been cliques here, not a lot of enthusiasm," Rowand said. "I just tried to be myself. Basically, I tried to be a clown. I really think that's part of the reason they wanted me."

The Phillies have tried more serious acquisitions and failed. In recent off-seasons, they picked Thome to be their slugger, Kevin Millwood to be their ace and Billy Wagner to be their closer. But none of those high-priced, high-profile players are here anymore, cast aside for younger and scruffier alternatives. Pat Gillick, Philadelphia's new general manager, must appreciate the title sewn on Rowan's wristbands: Beer Pong Champ.

The last time the Phillies made the playoffs, in 1993, they were led by beer guzzlers like Lenny Dykstra, John Kruk and Darren Daulton. This year's group is not as rambunctious, but the Phillies are beginning to develop their own work-hard, play-hard personality. When Rowand was hit Tuesday night with a Pedro MartÃ*nez fastball, he stayed in the game despite a left hand that was purple and puffy. "It's what an anti-inflammatory is made for," Rowand said.

The Phillies cannot pitch as well as the White Sox, but they hit like a contender and are starting to act like one. Although Thome has bashed 14 home runs for the White Sox, Rowand has batted over .300 and patrolled the sharp angles at Citizens Bank Park. By playing with a purple hand, he is also responding to critics like Wagner, who said that the Phillies used to be overly concerned with their hairstyles and their postgame plans. "The guy is tough," first baseman Ryan Howard said. "From what I know of Aaron, you can't keep him out."

He has doubles to rob and races to win. Although many believe the Phillies' recent nine-game winning streak began with a dugout lecture from Manager Charlie Manuel on May 1 in Florida, some players have a different theory.

Weeks ago, they started envying Rhodes's collection of remote-control vehicles. On a trip to the hobby shop near his home, Rhodes finally placed an order for his jealous teammates. After the shipment arrived, the Phillies could not lose.

These are not the kinds of remote-control cars sold at toy stores. They have gasoline motors and tires with tread. They are painted with players' jersey numbers: Pat Burrell is No. 5, Rowand is No. 33. When No. 5 and No. 33 collide in left-center field, no one has to call for the trainer. "This is what you need sometimes," Rhodes said. "Get out there, waste time, play around and wreck some trucks."

Six players have joined the club. Five more have vehicles on the way. When the Phillies' top pitching prospect, Cole Hamels, was promoted Wednesday, he took a leisurely jog alongside Rhodes and Rowand.

They were preparing him for the race.

redfox03

that is too cool! i wish i could go out on the field and race a few laps with em. was that a revo 3.3?

Deandome

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What's so cool is A) It's the NY Times...the third biggest newspaper in the US (and a huge website audience, too). B) They race in their own ballpark before games. C) It's Aaron-fricken' Rowand...a world series champ who today is one of the most high-profile players in baseball (I mean specifically TODAY...cuzza the huge catch that was shown on every national/local sports show in the US last night).

I see a clique of fans developing who'll start showing up early just to watch/cheer/bet on the truck races! ESPN/other people are gonna see this story and I know we'll be seeing some actual racing on shows soon. It's just a fun, media-friendly baseball sideline-story that'll get bigger as the season goes on ('specially if the Phillies keep winning!).

My god...can you imagine the celebration at Traxxas today??

Dean

redfox03

yeah, i seen that catch! i seen it on espn and the local news here in milwaukee. yeah, i bet traxxas team was going nuts when they seen that. if i lived in phillie, i'd for sure go early to catch the rc races. this could be something big for rc. hmmmm, now if only the brewers would race rc's on their field.....

Industry

Whats next a tv station dedicated to rc cars!!!!

marshon50

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That's just what RC'ers need, some high-profile people to show how cool these things are!!! I'm building a track in Jersey not too far from Philly and I'm gonna see if I can get those guys to come!!