2024 Utah Knobblers Season

The **2024 Utah Knobblers** **season** was the 1st season in Utah Knobblers history. The team was led by first-year GM/manager Charner Niebart. The Knobblers began the season April 1 at home against the Boston Red Sox.

## Offseason

### 2023 Yankees Tampering Scandal

Before the season could start, the team was embroiled in controversy surrounding the 2023 Yankees Tampering Scandal. They would eventually make a splash by signing marquee free agent Shohei Ohtani to a 10 year/$508 million deal, among others.

### Coaching Changes

The Knobblers fired a bunch of guys and hired a bunch of new, better guys.

## Opening Day Bomb Threat

The Knobblers' Opening Day game, played at The Knobblehouse, was delayed by three hours when NY resident and Yankees fan, Jimmy DePlanko, called in a bomb threat to the stadium. Ultimately no harm was done as DePlanko called in the threat at 1pm Eastern Time thinking it was the start of the game in Utah, despite it actually only being 11am as Utah is in Mountain Time AND the game not starting until 7pm MT.

When asked for comment, DePlanko's attorneys urged their client not to speak, but DePlanko cut in claiming, "Dat man should be in pinstripes!". When reporters pointed out that Ohtani is, in fact, wearing baby blue pinstripes with the Knobblers DePlanko responded, "Da wrong color! Dat's why I called in the bomb threat ya jamokes!" before he was ushered away by his attorneys.

## Regular Season

### Season Summary

#### **April**

* **April 4 -** In the first game of the season, the Knobblers faced the Boston Red Sox at The Knobblehouse. Ohtani pitched five innings for the win in a 4-2 game over the Red Sox. Roberto Perez hit the first home run of Knobbler history in the 5th inning off Garrett Whitlock. Wallner would hit another solo shot later in the inning as well.
* **April 9 -** News broke that Guardians owner Larry Dolan passed away and the team held "Larry Dolan Memorial Night", but the night took a sour turn as the Knobblers beat them 4-3.
* **April 14 -** Big game vs Tampa Bay. 10-9 comeback (were down 3-9). Joey Wiemer hits a game tying homer in the top of the 9th. Ohtani goes 1-for-6, but hit a solo shot in the 8th to put the Knobblers within 1.

#### **May**

* **May 3 -** Parker Meadows was sent down to AAA following a 2-hit, 2-RBI game and Nelson Velazquez, who'd been raking in 7 games for Portland, was called up to take his place. Matt "Mash" Mervis was also called up and veteran 1B Edwin Rios was sent down in his place.
* **May 4 -** The Knobblers took on fellow Expansion team, the Montreal Nexpos, for the first time, winning 9-4. Edwin Arroyo went 3-4 with a double and hit his first career home run. Velazquez also hit his first home run for the Knobblers.
* **May 8 -** Matt Wallner was suspended for 5 games following a brawl with the White Sox's Taylor Broadway. The fight began as a grapple and when the players fell to the ground the benches cleared. Broadway only received a 3-game suspension for his part in the brawl.

#### June

* **June 4 -** Wallner was suspended again for another 5 games. This time for brawling with the New York Yankees' Jake Odirizzi.
* **June 10 -** The Knobblers shutout the Yankees 6-0 in their first shutout since their April 6 game against the Texas Rangers, where they won 3-0.
* **June 14 -** Ohtani pitched an 8-inning shutout against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels. He allowed only 2 hits and struck out 10. Oswaldo Peraza led off the game with a solo shot, setting the tone.
* **June 21 -** Nelson Velazquez hits the first walk off homer in Knobbler history when he hits a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 9th against the Montreal Nexpos. Velazquez also hit a solo shot in the 7th to bring the Knobblers within 1 run.

## Promotions

### Landon Marceaux

The team built promotions around rookie pitcher Landon Marceaux, from Destrehan, Louisiana, that included Gumbo Night on days he pitched and slogans on the outfield video board that said "Let's Geaux Marceaux" and "Oh Neaux Marceaux" when the pitcher did good or bad things, respectively.