Just two days left to bid on this press box suite (click here) for Friday night’s game and fireworks show.

The press box suite includes the following:

• Four tickets to your own private room in the BlueClaws press box
• Indoor seating
• Your copies of game notes and statistics for the media
• Wait service
• A $100 food credit
• The best seat in the house

Good luck and happy bidding. Just over two days left to bid.

The BlueClaws will host their second beer tasting festival/picnic on Wednesday night at FirstEnergy Park.

Come and sample classic Retro Beers such as Pabst, Ballantine,& Schaefer. As well as premium beers like Sam Adams, Cricket Hill, Spaten, Yuengling, Magic Hat, Brooklyn Lager and many more!

The event also includes a 90-minute all-you-can-eat buffet running from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm.

Call our buddy Dave Marshall at 732-901-7000 ext 170 or email dmarshall@blueclaws.com. Tickets are $34.95 for adults and $27.95 for season ticket holders.

One of the coolest promotions we have every year is the post-game father/child Catch on the Field on Father’s Day, which happens on Sunday after the 1:05 BlueClaws game. Fathers and children will line up and then come onto the field to play catch after the Father’s Day game.

Baseball, after all, is a father/child type of game, and it’s a great day to spend at the park. Early forecast is 89 degrees and clear so it will be a gorgeous afternoon, and who knows, perhaps the BlueClaws could wrap up the first half title on Sunday? One up, three to play!

Further, the BlueClaws have picnic tables available (groups of six). The picnic runs from 12:30 - 2:00 and includes unlimited BBQ chicken breast, sausage and peppers, BlueClaws hot dogs, grilled sirloin burgers with condiments, potato salad, pasta salad, baked beans, potato chips, watermelon, cookies, soft drinks and bottled water.

To reserve a spot, call the group sales office at 732-901-7000, option 3. Space for the picnic is limited, and the $24.95 picnic ticket includes admission to the park.

Enjoy. See you at the park on Monday. Tonight’s game blog is in the post below this one.

A busy, busy week coming up at FirstEnergy Park, let’s get to the promo rundown…

• Monday: Kids Eat Free plus an appearance by the ZOOperstars.
• Tuesday: Troop Supply Drive (details here), plus BlueClaws players and coaches will be decked in camoflouge jerseys on Military Appreciation Night / Seniors Eat Free
• Wednesday: Very busy. Webkinz Giveaway / Law Enforcement Night (with $2 per ticket donated to Warriors for Wilson to benefit Lakewood police officer Jonathan Wilson, details here) / Ticket Amnesty (bring your unused 2010 BlueClaws tickets to the box office to exchange for a ticket to this game)
• Thursday: Soccer Night (details here) / Thirsty Thursday (details here)
• Friday: Fireworks
• Saturday: Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase (entrance music here)
• Sunday: Kids Eat Free, Kids Character Sunday and a Father/Child Post-Game Catch on the Field.

Enjoy.

Are you ready for the World Cup? The BlueClaws are. One week from tonight the BlueClaws will host their annual Soccer Night, featuring an appearance from members of the New York Red Bulls and Sky Blue FC.

BlueClaws players will be wearing special World Cup soccer jerseys which will be auctioned off and there will be an autograph signing from the soccer players.

Plus, it’s a Thirsty Thursday, with a ticket giveaway from PNC Bank Arts Center in the WRAT Trap (two pairs: Weird Al Yankovic and Lynard Skynyrd).

More information on Soccer Night here.

The BlueClaws, Shore Point Distributors, and Jersey Shore Metromix will host a Beer Tasting at the June 16th BlueClaws game at FirstEnergy Park. Essentially, as follows:

You will be able to sample over 15 types of beer over a 90 period (6:30 to 8 pm) and, at the same time, enjoy an all-you-can eat BlueClaws picnic at the same time.

The BlueClaws host three of these events throughout the course of the season (July 21 and August 18).

Each is $34.95 and includes the unlimited beer and food plus the best view in the house, from the CF picnic area.

More info here.

Some quick hitters before tonight’s first pitch in Hagerstown. The BlueClaws return on Saturday to FirstEnergy Park for a four-game series with Greensboro…

• Saturday: Fire Fighter Night with post-game fireworks, because, as someone told us on Twitter…just in case
• Sunday: 1:05 first pitch with a Kids Expo, featuring a pre-game concert from Mr. Scott the Music Man, the Silliest One in the Land! As always, Kids Eat Free (every Sunday/Monday)
• Monday: Get a BlueClaws Rally Towel (thanks to Investors Savings Bank) to cheer the BlueClaws on during the final push towards a first-half championship (first 5,000 fans)…and Kids Eat Free.
• Tuesday: Pre-game autograph night…be sure to arrive early as the autograph session begins at 5:45…Seniors Eat Free…and most importantly, the Shore Sports Switcheroo.

See you then.

–

BlueClaws RHP Jonathan Pettibone (2-1, 4.69) returns from the DL to start Sunday…That was Jarred Cosart’s “day,” so Cosart and everyone else will slide back and get an extra day of rest.

We have put a SkyBox for June 6th up on eBay (click here to bid).

The private SkyBox includes the following:

• 20 tickets
• Climate Control
• Indoor/Outdoor Seating
• Wait Service
• Cable Television
• Access to the Upstairs Club

A $795 value with the opening bid at $250. Good luck.

While you always root for the BlueClaws, those of you that enjoy the game from the Sod Squad now have a bigger reason to cheer.

If the BlueClaws score seven or more runs and win, then anyone with a Sod Squad ticket can exchange the ticket for a free taco within one week at a local Surf Taco location.

They will sell tacos at Thirsty Thursdays. On top of that, Surf Taco will now also sell tacos to those enjoying Thirsty Thursday in the Coors Light WRAT Trap. That’s in addition to the $1 beer, $1 soda, and 50-cent wings.

From Surf Taco’s website: After years of living in and traveling to exotic lands, we have compiled the freshest and healthiest recipes to give your taste buds the ultimate experience. Guaranteed to have something for everyone, our coastal cuisine menu features our unique blend of Surf Mex Tacos, burritos, wraps and salads.

Locations: Long Branch, Lacey, Silverton, Seaside Park, Manasquan, Belmar, Jackson, Point Pleasant.

Some quick hitters on the BlueClaws, on and off the field.

• Yankees and Mets affiliates will be in town next week. Charleston, the Yankees affiliate, is in Monday through Thursday and Savannah, the Mets affiliate, is in Friday through Monday.
• Next Sunday, we’ll have the post-game pink jerseys, auctioned off live after the game. Anyone remember who brought in the most money in last year’s pink jersey auction?
• Click here to see the full list of special jerseys the BlueClaws will auction off in 2010.
• Next Thursday is Thirsty Thursday (and there will be a Toby Keith ticket raffle (June 19th at PNC Bank Arts Center).
• Then next Friday, the first Friday Happy Hour of the year, with 1/2 price drinks and live music from 6 - 7 pm in the WRAT Trap. Details on the music here.

And some baseball stuff…

• We mentioned the hitting streaks in the last post.
• Looking forward to seeing Colby Shreve pitch tonight. It’s the first pro start for the 2008 6th round pick. He had Tommy John Surgery in May of that year, and didn’t make his pro debut until Monday, when he gave up a home run to the first batter he faced. He was considered a 2nd round guy until he had the surgery, and the Phillies obviously were impressed enough to take him and wait two years.
• How about those Clearwater Threshers? In first place in the Florida State League. Here are their stats. Justin De Fratus, with Lakewood last year, has been closing for them.
• With Brad Lidge returning tomorrow night (he leads Clearwater in starts by the way), 2007 BlueClaws LHP Antonio Bastardo has been optioned to Lehigh Valley.

Attention music fans…we have a couple of things on BlueClaws.com that we think you’ll like.

First, May 22nd is our annual Concert Ticket Extravaganza, where you can win tickets to area music shows for this summer. Included in this year’s listing, which will grow, are Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, and Jimmy Buffett.

Click here to see the list of what we have so far (it will grow).

Second, this summer in the WRAT Trap, we’ll have a number of different performers who earn their spot through competitions at the Local Shack, a Lakewood restaurant whose mission is to discover and develop young musical artists.

Click here to see that list and for information on how you can be a part.

That’s right folks. The BlueClaws will reenact the 136th Kentucky Derby at our May 4th game. It will be between innings, and we’ll have silks on the “riders” plus pre-race festivities in the paddock (Kids Zone).

This will be awesome. You will not want to miss it. More information here.

It will also be the first time the BlueClaws have ever reenacted a sporting event.

Because of this, you will want to keep up with the latest Kentucky Derby news and notes, and you can do so here. Note today that Eskenderya, the horse who would have been a substantial favorite in the race, has been withdrawn.

Finally, at that game, Tuesday May 4th, the first 2,000 kids 17 & under receive a Horse Webkinz thanks to Monmouth Park. Hope to see you there.

Put this up on the site yesterday, but in case you missed it, our 2010 jersey auctions.

First, on Mother’s Day, May 9th, the BlueClaws will wear special pink jerseys which will be auctioned off live after the game.

With the World Cup this summer, the BlueClaws will auction off jerseys modeled after the United States World Cup Soccer jerseys. This auction takes place on June 17th, Soccer Night.

The BruceClaws return on July 10th. The BlueClaws are transformed for one evening, Bruce Springsteen Appreciation Night, and will wear BruceClaws jerseys.

On July 29th, the BlueClaws will wear Goonies jerseys as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the hit 1985 movie. Jeff Cohen, who played “Chunk,” will be in attendance to sign autographs, throw out a ceremonial first pitch, and judge a “Truffle Shuffle” contest.

Proceeds for these four auctions will benefit BlueClaws Charities.

Finally, the BlueClaws will auction off jerseys for the American Cancer Society and their “Strides Against Breast Cancer” after the game on August 15th.