IronPigs To Get Phillies’ Minor Leaguers Ready To Play For A Team With A Stupid Nickname

Alas (and alack!), Star Trek fans. The Phillies’ AAA affiliate in Allentown won’t be named the Vulcans, as I campaigned for last month despite never having seen an episode of Star Trek all the way through.

The team also won’t be named the Crushers, Gobblers, Keystones, Phantastics, Phillies or Woodchucks. That’s right, sports fans. The Phillies’ new AAA affiliate is none other than the IronPigs. And if it’s not going to be Vulcans, I suppose IronPigs will do.

Yes, it’s written just like that, instead of the traditional way of having spaces inbetween words. But, hey, if Pennsylvania can become a blue state and two men can get married (er, sorry, “civil unioned”) in New Jersey, then, hey, who cares about tradition anyway!

It will be the Allentown Lehigh Valley IronPigs taking the field as the Phils’ AAA affiliate in 2008. While the Lehigh Valley stadium is being built, next year the Phillies’ highest minor league affiliate will be the Ottawa Lynx. Although there was a fan voting contest to determine the “winner” for the team’s name, it appears the name was selected for other purposes:

”This is all going to evolve into a dynamite team logo and concept that people will rally around,” [IronPigs co-owner Joe Finley] said. ”There really is a science behind this. We made a $14 million dollar investment in the team, so it’s not a bunch of guys sitting around picking something out of the air. A lot of research and analysis went into this. It’s going to be wonderful.”

Ha, you stupid fans, thinking you had a say in it. You’ll be cheering for the effing Lehigh Valley IronPigs, dammit, and you’re gonna love cheering for a team that honors the process of making steel. Let’s go pigs!

They’re called what?! Prepare to see ‘IronPigs’ fly [Allentown Morning Call]
Oct. 19: Live Long And Prosper, AAA Affiliate