Alter-ego Mud Hens mascots unveiled at Fifth Third Field

New Mud Hens mascots Muddiva, left, and Muddevious make their debut at Fifth Third Field.

Many of the questions posed by "Weird Watch 2007" were answered at Fifth Third Field yesterday.

Early in the season the Mud Hens scoreboard began running short video clips that warned fans about the unusual occurrences around Fifth Third Field.

Then the video clips warned about mysterious "eggs" that were found at the ballpark.

The eggs officially "hatched" yesterday, and out popped two new mascots named Muddiva and Muddevious. The mascots, which are inflatables similar to the Zooperstars that have visited the ballpark in years past, took the field for the first time in the eighth inning and made another on-field appearance late in the contest.

"They are alien alter-egos of Muddy and Muddonna," explained JaMay Edwards, the Mud Hens' manager of promotions. "Like their names imply, they are different from Muddy and Muddonna - they are a little more mischievous."

For those who missed yesterday's unveiling, the event will be repeated today and tomorrow. Edwards also said Muddevious and Muddiva will return on occasion this season.

"They won't be at every game, but they will be at selected weekend games," Edwards said. "You'll see them popping up again - they'll always be up to something around the ballpark.

"We hope people enjoy following their antics and find them entertaining."

COMING AND GOING: Two Detroit players, catcher Vance Wilson and pitcher Kenny Rogers, may eventually switch places in Toledo.

Wilson, who was expected to continue a rehab assignment here by catching five innings yesterday, instead returned to Detroit. Wilson may have reinjured the arm while warming up before Thursday's contest.

Reports from Detroit are that he may need surgery to repair the arm.

Meanwhile, Rogers may come to Toledo for a rehab start tomorrow against Norfolk.

The left-hander threw a bullpen session in Detroit yesterday and, barring any setbacks, is expected to make a rehab start for the Hens.

THREE-DOT DATA: Last night's crowd of 10,300 was the Mud Hens' eighth sellout this season and the 148th full house in the six-year history of Fifth Third Field. Ryan Raburn's pinch-hitting appearance yesterday, which saw him hit into an inning-ending double play in the eighth, ended an eight-game hit streak. Even with last night's loss the Mud Hens are 9-3 versus Syracuse at Fifth Third Field over the last three seasons and 16-8 at home against Syracuse since the ballpark opened in 2002. Toledo did not commit any errors last night, meaning the team has committed just three errors in its last 13 contests and none in 11 of those 13 games.