Hitting .240 as a team for most of the season and coughing up a handful of leads over the past week on the mound, the Brooklyn Cyclones knew something had to be done to get their season back on track.

In a move more expected of a veteran hockey team, the Baby Bums, a team full of clean-shaved and fresh faced 21-year-olds, decided that the only way to change their fortunes this season was by growing mustaches.

Coming off of a 7-4 win on Monday, the move seems to be working in their favor.

“A few days ago, the whole team came to the conclusion that we needed to change something,” said outfielder John Servidio, who had a hit and two RBI with a few sprinkles of blossoming black upper-lip hair on Monday. “So all of us decided to grow mustaches.”

While the young and now more mature-looking Clones believe they are be setting new ground in their current cosmetic endeavor, using facial hair as a way to induce victories at Keyspan Park has been done in Brooklyn before.

In 2006, Brooklyn hitting coach Scott Hunter held a “best porno-star mustache” competition that alongside “clucky” a rubber chicken [Don't Ask], brought the team together in time for a surprise playoff run after a miserable start. French Canadian third baseman Ivan “Oppo Pop” Naccarata took the crown in the competition that season in a landslide that turned the Keanu Reeves lookalike into a young Captain Jack Sparrow.

Like the team of two years ago, these Baby Bums have also gotten off on the right foot with their new looks. With their bristled upper lips, these Brooklyn Cyclones are 1-0 since they threw out their razors.

As a result, the team’s confidence has seemingly gone through the roof.

However, while players like Servidio, Ike Davis and Jimmy Johnson currently have the seedlings of what may eventually turn out to be mustaches of Ron Burgundy-esque proportions, backup first baseman Jeffries Tatford is setting the bar pretty high with what looks to be the beginning of a killer ’stache.

“I’m enjoying this,” said Tatford, who already looked like a young Ringo Star with his flowing jet black locks and now looks like he’s on the CD cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band with the rest of the ‘fab four.’ “The first couple of days have been good, but I think it’ll show better in a few days. I’m prepared to take this as far as I have to. My girlfriend isn’t here and I’m not out to impress anyone.”

Tatford isn’t the only one on the team that has met this new challenge with some resistance however.

“I called my girlfriend up and told her I was growing a mustache,” said lefty reliever Jimmy Johnson with a smirk on his face not seen since the first week of the season when the Cyclones were challenging for first place. “She said, ‘No you’re not.’ I then told her that I was because she’s not here and it’s staying, so we’ll see how long it lasts. I’m going to keep it until we start going bad. When we do, it’ll be off before I get here.”

Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo, while admitting he knew nothing about the team’s scheme, was elated with the team’s performance on Monday and sees it as a new beginning for his team.

If it was because of the added weight to their upper-lips, that’s of no difference to him.

“Hey, what ever works for them,” said Alfonzo with a laugh. “I didn’t know anything about this.”

Link:

Box Score to Last Night’s 4-1 Cyclones win

Breaking News:  5:00 P.M.

On my way to Keyspan Park today, I stumbled across one Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, who was on his way out and into a nearby car. When I got into the press box, I checked today’s roster and he wasn’t on it. I’ll try and find out anything I can, as soon as I can.

Breaking News: 7:00 P.M.

Chatting with DemBrooklynBums.com before tonight’s game with the Vermont Lake Monsters, Zach Lutz told the media that he will be out for at least a week, recovering from a hematoma on his right quad he had drained in Manhattan today.

“I’m kind of in the dumps,” he said. “But I’m trying to stay positive.”

Update 8:30 P.M.

New Podcast is up. A special thanks goes out to Daily News Writer and Wave of Long Island Sports Editor Elio Velez for lending a helping hand this week.

Click Here to Listen!

Photos by Ron Hatcher

Drafted by the Mets in the 22^nd round of this year’s draft, many baseball insiders didn’t know what to expect from right-handed pitcher Chris Schwinden. Despite having great numbers in his last year at Fresno Pacific, going 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA, the Clones staff was so full of talent before the season started that it was impossible to know what the 21-year-old was capable of doing once he reached the pros. Regardless of that notion however, Schwinden has managed to thrive out of the Brooklyn bullpen so far this season, going 0-1 with a 1.88 ERA in four appearances and a start, after a college career that saw him mostly as a starter. Chatting with DemBrooklynBums.com, the youngster talks about his move to the bullpen and his mindset on the mound.

Dem Brooklyn Bums.com: Since the season is still relatively new, some fans may not have seen much of you. Knowing that, can you tell us a little bit about your game?

Chris Schwinden: When I’m out on the mound, I just go after it. I don’t go messing around with hitters. I go right after them. So far, it seems to be working out pretty good for me.

DBB: Can you tell us a little about your arsenal of pitches?

Schwinden: I throw a fastball, changeup, slider and curve ball. So far this season, I been throwing the curve ball mostly. It’s been really effective in 1-2 and 0-2 counts. Batters like to chase it, so why not continue to throw it?

DBB: Considering that you throw four pitches, do you see yourself more as a starter, or are you happy with being a long reliever?

Schwinden: What ever the organization wants to do, I’m fine with. I don’t care where they put me. As long as I get a regular opportunity to pitch, I’ll be happy.

DBB: You just finished a full college season. Knowing that, how prepared are you going down the stretch with this team? How are you feeling?

Schwinden: I feel good right now. We all take good care of our bodies and I haven’t had any wear and tear yet, so I’m pretty confident right now.

DBB: How does it feel to be a in a bullpen as deep as the one the Cyclones have this season?

Schwinden: It feels really good when you have pitching like this. There’s far less pressure than there would be otherwise. I think it’s a little tough for Fonzie [Brooklyn manager Edgar Alfonzo] at times to divvy up all the innings, but that’s baseball for you.

DBB: How are all the guys getting along?

Schwinden: Pretty good. I think we’re starting to find that camaraderie and are starting to become one as a team. We’ve been going out there every day trying to win and I think it’s made us all closer. Everyone is trying to play well for themselves, but then they want to do what they have to do for the team too. It’s working out for us right now. We’re a serious group of guys, but we have a lot of fun too. This is what we want to do for the rest of our lives.

Notes-

I am back from my two-game hiatus and refreshed! While I did relax during my break, I did attend the Future Stars All Star game at Yankee Stadium [My first time there since September 1991 mind you ha-ha] yesterday and recorded a few videos for you.

Mets Prospect Fernando Martinez’s RBI Single

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A’s prospect Henry Rodriguez throws three straight 100-mph heaters [sorry for my overt joy during the video btw]

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Link-

Box Score to last night’s 2-0 Cyclones win.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr. Videos by Patrick Hickey Jr.

After penning the successful book “The Code: The Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retaliation in the NHL” in November 2006, author Ross Bernstein took his attention away from the world of professional hockey to focus on a new book. “The Code: Baseball’s Unwritten Rules and Its Ignore-at-Your-Own-Risk Code of Conduct,” Bernstein’s new book, takes readers on a ride through professional baseball, where they learn the etiquette and inside decorum of the game from over 100 former and current MLB stars. Chatting over the phone from his home in Minnesota, Bernstein talks about his inspiration behind the book.

Dem Brooklyn Bums: This is the second book of this nature that you’ve released in the past two years and while the narrative is strong, the best part of the book are the quotes you get from players. How much work went into that kind of reporting?

Ross Bernstein: I interviewed about a hundred players for this book and I’ve always maintained that I’m not going to win a Pulitzer Prize for my work. So far, I’ve written about 40 books and I’ve had a lot of fun doing it, but I’m a fan first and foremost. I just try and have fun when I do this, I’m not going to try and suggest that I’m some sort of investigative journalist curing cancer. A big part of the book is me talking to players to shed light on other people’s thoughts of what goes on during a baseball game. With that being said, I tried to get as many players as I could and the way it worked was one player would usually lead to another. I also have a lot of players from the Minnesota area, where I’m from, which helped because I have a lot of contacts and access there. Nevertheless, it was still hard to get some of the great stories, but it also helps when you can call a guy at his home where he’ll really open up to you. Some guys didn’t want to talk on the record and some poured their hearts out to me. That’s just the way it worked out. I read a lot of books on the subject as well and tried to really do my homework on this one. Plus, I had a lot of insight because I used to play in high school, so I tried to combine what I knew with what these players were telling me.

DBB: After writing the hockey book, what made you want to crossover into the world of baseball?

Bernstein: I think it was always something that fascinated me. With the hockey book, I had really great access. It was during the lockout and I was playing hockey with a lot of them, I was just one of the guys. With baseball, it just made sense because this was one of the only other sports that had a true code. You can’t go out on a baseball field and just do whatever you want. You have to be held accountable for your actions, much like hockey. In hockey, if someone challenges you to a fight after you’ve hit them with a high stick and you don’t “show up,” your teammates won’t want you on the bench. The same kind of thing goes on in baseball. If someone shows you up, you have to respond.

DBB: While the book relies heavily on quotes from players and many of them are the types of things hardcore fans would already know, there are a few quotes that really stand out as special. Was there anyone in particular that really shocked you with what they had to say?

Bernstein: You’d be surprised; there was a lot of that going on. I just never knew what I was going to get. Some guys were really open and went with it while some were guarded and reserved. There is one chapter in book where I discuss sign stealing and the effort that goes into coding signs so they are not stolen. That is where I myself was the most fascinated. In any one game, there can be a thousand signs being passed. Before I talked to a few pitchers and catchers, I had no idea that they always have to change their signs so they aren’t stolen. I then talked to [seven-time MLB All-Star] Paul Molitor, who I’ve known for years, who also wrote a forward for a book I did a few years ago and he is a master decoder of signs. He told me how some pitchers almost had poker tells and that he could tell by the way a pitcher reacted on the mound after the sign was delivered what pitch was going to come. I’m sure it’s because of guys like him that pitchers cover their mouths now when the catcher comes up to the mound. For a guy to be able to do something like that just by watching on the bench, he’s a huge asset to his team and a great baseball mind, but at other times in the sport’s history, there were people with telescopes stealing signs. I was so fascinated by all of this tradition and information.

DBB: You said earlier that you’ve interviewed over 100 players for this book. Was there anyone that you were really itching to talk to?

Bernstein: I refer to those guys as my “white whales,” to make a “Moby-Dick” reference. I really wanted to talk to Nolan Ryan and I tried, tried and tried, but there always seemed to be one degree of separation. I came close though. He’s just one of those guys that don’t like talking about this stuff. I would also have loved to talk to Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax and I tried and tried, but again, these guys didn’t really want to talk about the things that went into this book, so in the end, I had to take what I could get. I am really happy with what I got, though. I loved talking to Rob Dibble and Mike Marshall gave me some great stuff as well. Bert Blyleven was also a guy that was a lot of fun to talk to as well. With a book like this, every author will have a different bunch of guys they’d want to talk to and when it’s all said and done, I’m really proud of the bunch of players I decided to interview.

DBB: You wrote this book during the unveiling of the Mitchell Report and the climax of the whole steroid controversy. Did you find it more difficult to write the book because of this?

Bernstein: Not at all. I think it helped because it was a hot topic and a lot of players wanted to talk about it. For many of them, they feel like it’s a big violation of the code. It was really great to hear from a guy like Dave Winfield, who is outraged at all the steroid abuse in the game today because his records are falling as a result of it. To give someone like that an outlet was very rewarding for me as well.

I got an e-mail a few days ago from the Cyclones stating that they will indeed have another 24-hour long charity game. If last year’s game [or games] were any indication, it’ll be another great time.

I still remember talking to all the writers last year and hearing about how they were preparing was great. I myself was going to batting cages and throwing the ball around with my girlfriend, who used to play a ton of competitive softball on Staten Island and can hit and throw better than most of the men I know. Plus, she’s a million times cuter than anyone I’ve ever played with. Nevertheless, despite playing pretty much everyday throughout my childhood and playing in High School I was a bit worried. I’ve put on some weight after High School, due to a serious car accident I was in and didn’t know if I could still do what I used to. After a month of preparing, my girlfriend too wasn’t too confident either.

Nonetheless, once the game started, I felt invigorated and had a blast. The guys from the Cyclones staff are great people to talk to and they were a lot of fun to play against. Sure, there were a few moments where the game got a little out of hand, such as when former Brooklyn Paper’s intern Nick Pauly was throwing what had to be 75 mph fastballs to the women on the team [I know, I was playing catcher], which of course resulted in a few unfriendly words being thrown out, but overall, it was still great fun.

Aside from that though, there were so many entertaining things that happened during the game that made it really enjoyable. Watching photographer Pete Borriello, who’s not an athlete by any means, bit the bullet and play a great third base was amazing. Seeing Brooklyn Papers columnist Ed Shakespeare behind the bench was pretty cool too. Like I said, it was like all us nerds got a moment to understand why we love our jobs and for that I’ll always be thankful to the Clones for putting the event together.

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In the end, people got the help they needed via our donations and yours truly went 2 for 2 with two doubles and a walk [Enjoy the video by the way of my first double]. I also made a few good plays on defense and felt like a kid again. Calling a game is something I used to love to do when I was younger and I can tell you that hitting is something that I’ve always been good at. Hitting a few one-hoppers to the wall was definitely a great moment that I will remember the rest of my life.

I hope this season the media gets another shot out there.

By the way guys, the interview with Brant Rustich went great, as we spoke on the phone while he was on his way to Savannah, where he was just assigned. The article should be up during the week.

It’s funny how this week turned out. I was so busy that I didn’t have time to set up a few stories that I wanted to work on, but while listening through some old tape, I came across a gem. You see, in August, one of my friends wanted to start a music website and since Jason Jacobs had a few awesome walk-up tunes, I figured I’d interview him for the site. The only problem was the site never really launched and I never got a chance to use this. Nonetheless, it’s a fun piece that shows the softer and human side of the former Cyclones slugger.

Jacobs Has His Own Soundtrack

Playing professional baseball is often deemed as an occupation filled with plenty of glitz and glamour, but it’s not that way for everyone, especially young players trying to work their way up to the big leagues. Unlike players in the major leagues, most minor leaguers make their way across the country to their games by bus rather than plane and have to carry their own bags. During these long journeys, most minor leaguers develop an intimate relationship with their iPods, listening to their favorite tracks to not only pass the time, but to get them ready for work.

Mets prospect Jason Jacobs is no different. As a matter of fact, judging by the music that played every time he stepped up to the plate last season, which ranged from songs by Queens of the Stone Age, Audioslave and Red Hot Chili Peppers, music plays a huge part in his life and career. At times last season it was hard to figure out what was more entertaining, listening to the music that played when Jacobs approached the plate or watching him hit, as he slugged 12 home runs and 46 RBI with the Cyclones last season.

Talking about his musical tastes, Jacobs sat down with DemBrooklynBums.com and talked about what music inspires him while on the job in addition to some of his all-time favorites.

DemBrooklynBums.com You have four great songs that accompany you to the plate and they really get a reaction from the fans. Did you pick all of them and are you a fan of theirs?

Jason Jacobs: I actually only picked two of those songs, the Red Hot Chili Peppers one [“Californication”] and the Audioslave track [“Show Me How to Live”]. The other ones the PA announcers picked for me. I really love the Chili Peppers – I always have and that Audioslave song is really good.

DBB: How long have you liked the Chili Peppers?

Jacobs: Oh, man. Since, like, forever. I’ve been listening to them since “Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik.” It’s one of my all-time favorite CDs. They got pretty complex lyrics, they’re not just stupid rhymes or anything. I really like what they have to say in their songs. The bass is really good, the guitars are great and so are the vocals. They have everything.

DBB: What about Audioslave? Are you a big Chris Cornell fan?

Jacobs: Yeah, I love his stuff. I also like the guitarist in the band, even though I can’t remember his name at the moment [Tom Morello]. I like their lyrics too, and it’s really fun to just relax and jam to their stuff.

DBB: Do you play any instruments?

Jacobs: I played piano when I was younger and my sister Jaime taught me a few songs, but I never really got into it.

DBB: What do you listen to out on the road?

Jacobs: Most of the time, I’ll throw on some Led Zeppelin and just cruise to that. As far as what I listen to from them, it depends on what mood I’m in. “Kashmir” is a great song and “Tangerine” is a good one, kind of reminds me of going to California. Again, like the other artists I’ve mentioned, I love their lyrics and how they go about their business.

DBB: If you could chill out with any musician for a night, who would it be and why?

Jacobs: Considering the way I was raised, with my parents playing a lot of older music, I think it would have to be John Lennon. I really like his stuff. I’d love to hang out with him for a night and just talk music. Jimmy Buffett would be my second choice, just because I think he would be a fun guy to hang out with and you can tell he knows how to have a good time.

DBB: You go through any musical phases growing up that you’re not too fond of now?

Jacobs: I used to listen to listen to a lot of rap, stuff like Master P, but it doesn’t really hold up for me anymore. I listen to Tupac [Shakur] from time to time – he’s still good. But I still look back sometimes and say, “What the heck was I thinking?” It’s totally different from what I listen to now.

DBB: Can you name five songs you have on your iPod right now?

Jacobs: Drive-By Truckers’ “Outfit”, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Hard to Concentrate,” “Can’t Stop,” “Dani California ” and “Otherside.” I also have plenty of Audioslave, Sublime and Rage Against the Machine. I think I’m definitely a rocker.

DBB After a long, hard day of playing baseball, if you had a chance to listen to one song to relax to, what would it be?

Jacobs: Definitely “Outfit” by the Drive-By Truckers. I love that song.

Photos by Daniel Wos  and Conroy Walker