Link Report for Thurs. April 3rd -- Play Ball! LaPorta with a Granny!

[Mass Haas]

More details here...

 

Daytona Web Site:

 

Cubs Drop Season Opener

Bullpen Loses 5-run Lead

By Brian Chapman

 

[DAYTONA BEACH, FL] There's nothing quite like opening day at a ballpark and the same went for Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Thursday during the Florida State League opener for the Daytona Cubs and the Brevard County Manatees. Though fans were treated to pre-game music, post-game fireworks and tons of in-game suspense, Cubs faithful found their squad on the losing end of a thrilling home-opener, 8-6 against the Manatees.

 

The Manatees struck first at "The Jack" when Stephen Chapman led off the 2nd inning with a triple and scored on a Chuckie Caufield single. The 2nd inning, however, turned out to be Cubs starter Esmailin Caridad's only blip on a solid opening night performance. Caridad, set down the last 10 Manatee batters he faced in order before leaving after five innings of work. Caridad finished with three strikeouts and zero walks on the evening.

 

Meanwhile, the Cubs offense began to prey upon Brevard County SP Mike McClendon in the middle innings. In the top of the 4th inning Jonathan Wyatt and Ty Wright lead off with back-to-back singles. Later, Josh Lansford singled in Wyatt to put the Cubs on board. Two batters later Yusuf Carter broke the game open for a moment with a three-run blast over the left field fence to put the Cubs up 4-1.

 

In the 5th inning the Cubs continued their proficiency at the plate when Tony Thomas revved up the fans with his beautiful base running. After Thomas reached first on a bunt single, Jonathan Wyatt hit a grounder to third baseman Taylor Green. As Green fired over to first base Thomas turned around second base and cranked up the after burners to reach third before the relay could come back across the diamond. He would late score on a Ty Wright double and the Cubs left the 5th inning with 6-1 lead.

 

The Manatees, though, were not done and began to chip away in their next at bat. Chapman knocked in an RBI in the 6th to bring Brevard County to within four and the Manatees scored twice more in the 7th on a two-run shot by the ninth hitter, Andy Bouchie.

 

The Cubs looked to be in control with their 6-4 lead as the top of the 9th inning approached, but by the end of the inning, it was clear that the bullpen had lost its composure. Three Daytona relievers (Jayson Rhulman, Ryan Meyers, Jeremy Papelbon) combined to give up four runs on three walks and a hit batsman. Brevard County held on to their 8-6 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game.

 

Shawn Ferguson earned the win for Brevard County while Omar Aguilar got the save in the 9th inning. Meyers was credited with the loss for Daytona.

 

In Daytona Beach, Brevard County scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the Daytona Cubs 8-6 in Thursday night's regular-season opener.

***

 

Florida Today:

Chuckie Caufield went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs in the win. Andy Bouchie homered, Stephen Chapman tripled, and Darren Ford and Taylor Green had two hits apiece.

Shawn Ferguson pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn the win. Omar Aguilar picked up the save, striking out two batters in a perfect ninth inning.

 

***

 

Brevard Site:

Manatees Open Season in Dramatic Fashion

By Tyler Stover / Brevard County Manatees

The Brevard County Manatees opened the 2008 season with a bang Thursday night, storming back from a five-run deficit to beat the Daytona Cubs, 8-6. The Opening Night crowd of 4,313 looked like they would be treated to a Daytona victory early on, as the Cubs built a 6-1 lead through five innings. However, the Manatees offense sprung to life against the Daytona bullpen, hammering the Cubs relievers for seven runs in the final four frames.

The Manatees managed to trim the lead to 6-4 entering the 9th inning, then erupted for four runs in the final inning to steal a victory. Cubs relievers Ryan Meyers and Jeremy Papelbon were both unsuccessful in their efforts to stop the Manatees charge in the ninth. After a hit batter and two walks loaded the bases, the Manatees tied the game when third baseman Taylor Green lined a single to left, driving in two runs. A walk and a flyout left the bases loaded with two outs for Manatees DH Chuckie Caufield. Caufield responded with a bloop double just inside the rightfield foul line, driving in two more runs to put the Manatees ahead for good.

Shawn Ferguson (1-0) earned the win for the Manatees after pitching a scoreless eighth, and Omar Aguilar pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his first save of the season. Andy Bouchie also helped lead the comeback by slugging his first home run of the season in the 7th inning. Meyers (0-1) was saddled with the loss for Daytona, allowing three runs in 2/3 of an inning.

The two rivals will battle again Friday night in Daytona, as Rafael Lluberes takes the hill for the Manatees, facing off against Jose Ceda.

 

Brevard County Box Score

Darren Ford on base four times, stole two bases; Lorenzo Cain walked twice and had two outfield assists; Matt Cline, who skipped a level, started over Yohannis Perez at shortstop; lefty Bobby Bramhall with two strong innings...

 

Brevard County Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 8, Mississippi (Braves) 2

 

Where have our beloved detailed Huntsville site game recaps gone? Blast that darn MiLB.com umbrella of websites, hopefully Buck and Brett will get them back for us! Thankfully, we have David Weiser this morning...

 

http://www.starsboxscore.com/

 

LaBomb

 

You were instantly hit with the Buck Rogers touch...... Bubbles from an automatic machine assault you as you go through the front turnstile. The machine is on the ground in front of the tall chain-link fence that separates the outside world from the baseball world of Buck Rogers, so you don't spot it right away until you wonder where all those bubbles are coming from as you hand over your ticket........ A step or two inside, and white T-shirts are laid out on a table. A Starlette asks you what your size is, and if it's your desire, Guilder Rodrigez is there to sign it for you.

 

Now you're inside and you see change. The souvenir booth is freshly painted and new Stars logo merchandise is everywhere. But my eye caught the fresh appearance of the lineup board and the standings board. A professional looking sign, rather than one mostly handwritten...... In fact, signs everywhere have that professional appearance, and the one in front of the stadium, has the stamp of Buck's playful humor. It's a list of rules to follow at the stadium, that informs you that "no nuclear weapons will be allowed inside" and "no grumpy people allowed"...... The concession signs are re-done, giving them, once again, that fresh look.

 

The only negative pointed out to me is that you could not step inside to see batting practice. I don't know if this will be a permanent thing.

But despite the cool night (it was a windy 63°), it was a happy one....... For the third year in a row, the Stars won their season opener, and for the third year in a row, the Mississippi Braves played the foil........ The Stars are now 4-0 vs. the Braves in season openers (they beat Greenville 3-1 in the 1989 opener in which Will Schock took a no-hitter into the 9th)......

Steve Hammond rested any concern over his bad winter season (1-3, 5.87 in seven starts), allowing just two hits over six innings. Hammond (7-9 last year with a 4.69 ERA) was sharp, threw confidently, got his pitches over the plate, and avoided going deep to hitters. By my account, he went no further than 2-and-2 on a pair of hitters -- Carl Loadenthal in the 3rd and pitcher Dan Smith in the 2nd...... You might say Hammond picked up where he left off last season, when he allowed four hits over seven innings, striking out out nine in Game 5 of the Southern League Championship to tie a personal high as a Huntsville Star. (He also struck out nine vs. Birmingham, July 25, 2006, in a 4-2 victory.)...... Robert Hinton, who had a strong finish to his 2007 season, gave up just one hit in three innings, that one being an RBI triple by big Greg Creek, who lumbered his 6'3", 240 frame around the bases to drive in former Stars catcher J.C. Boscan. Another former Star, Jerome Gamble, pitched a pair of scoreless innings for the M'Braves, scattering three line drive hits....... Hinton picked up the cheap save. He had two last season, both in August.

 

Hammond got support from up and down the Stars lineup, featuring five fresh faces making their debut. The star, to no surprise, was #1 prospect Matt LaPorta, who hit the first Opening Day grand-slam home run in Stars history....... Carlos Corporan's solo homer to leadoff the 2nd, just clearing the fence in left, gave the Stars a 3-1 cushion. LaPorta's homer put it out of reach....... It capped a five-run inning that got started when Michael Bell lined a double through a gap in the infield that carried all the way to the left field wall. Bell (13, 71, .257) hit 17 doubles last year, but only three in his last 21 games of the season....... Dan Smith, the Braves' #21 prospect two years ago, according to Baseball America, fanned Corporan on a 2-2 pitch and got Hammond to pop out to 2nd baseman Javier Guzman on the outfield grass, so it appeared that Smith would get out of the inning trailing only by two runs........ The next four batters decided this game otherwise.

After Smith walked a patient Michael Brantley. he was done. Five hits over the first three innings. Now it was up to the Braves' Brad Nelson to get that final out. But returning shortstop Alcides Escobar hit a line drive single on a hop to center and Mat Gamel walked on four pitches......... With the bases loaded, the one person given his reputation, you didn't want to face is Matt LaPorta....... LaPorta showed off his power early in his at-bat, driving Nelson's pitch high and deep to left. It had "no doubt" written all over it. All it had to do is avoid hooking foul, unlike a 3rd inning try by Gamel that rattled the aluminum seats in left....... LaPorta, the player to watch here in Huntsville -- made history with the first Opening Day grand-slam home run in Stars history.

 

The Stars had just three hits after that, all coming in the 7th or 8th innings. They had already settled the issue and Hammond and Hinton made sure of it, retiring the side in the 5th, 8th, and 9th and allowing just one hit.

 

There were some defensive gems worth noting........ LaPorta made a sliding catch in right off Van Pope in the 7th........ Gamel, who committed 53 errors at third to lead the minors last year, made an Adam Heether-esque play near the line in the 4th off Javier Guzman, making an instinctive stop of a solidly hit grounder, then wheeling around to make an accurate throw to first....... And Alcides Escobar made us forget about J.J. Hardy with a stop deep in the hole in the 8th off Kala Ka'aihue. Any other shortstop may have conceded the hit, but Escobar, with his momentum taking him the other way, threw against his body, showing what a missile of an arm he has, and threw out the hitter.

 

A crowd of 1,471 was reported. I think they must be counting heads this year, because it seemed like a bigger crowd. Last year, creative accounting would have reported close to 3,000....... A little league team was invited to participate in something new called a "rocket race" in which three tykes all dressed like "The Flash" ran a semi-circle race from the 3rd base side to the first....... I also noticed former major league pitcher Scipio Spinks in the crowd behind home plate, scouting......... Expect a washout tomorrow. The chance for rain is 90% and the forecasters are talking an inch or two of rain. The bad weather is supposed to clear out early Saturday, but it will be much cooler for gametime. Then Sunday will be a beautiful 75° for a 2:05 game.

 

Pitcher Ben Hendrickson, who had one of the best curve balls in the league years ago, has been released by the Kansas City Royals........ Former Stars catcher Nestor Corredor has also been released, according to brewerfan.net......... Callix Crabbe made his major league debut Thursday night, with the San Diego Padres. He flied out in a pinch-hit role in the 7th inning of a 3-2 victory for the Padres. Crabbe is the 173rd former Star to graduate to the majors........ The Stars wore their blue jerseys tonight, Hammond's personal favorite....... The numbers on the back of those jerseys, by the way, are very stylish looking, and are meant, in fact, to resemble the style used by the Brewers used on their major league uniforms.

 

The Stars are now 14-9 on Opening Day. They have won four of their last five openers and are 7-3 on Opening Day since they became a Milwaukee farm club. The eight runs was the most for the Stars on Opening Day since a 9-7 win over Chattanooga in 2000.

 

Huntsville Box Score

Steve Hammond super-impressive, wonderful to see -- we (no, make that myself in the latest Power 50 rankings) had underestimated his future value; Michael Brantley on base three times -- just Michael being Michael; love the Carlos Corporan HR, but looking forward to Angel Salome in this stacked lineup -- Huntsville could be a "beast" this season...

 

Huntsville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Normally we'll link you to the archive of the Huntsville pre-game interview (Don Money last night), but the new MiLB.com link didn't pick up until late in the game Thursday. I'm sure they will get that worked out.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Manager Frank Kremblas

 

Final: New Orleans (Mets) 5, Nashville 2

 

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Zach Jackson photo, text follows --

 

METAIRIE, La. - The Nashville Sounds opened their 2008 season with a 5-2 loss to the New Orleans Zephyrs on Thursday evening at Zephyr Field.

 

Every Sounds starting position player recorded a hit in the contest except shortstop Ozzie Chavez (0-for-4). Adam Heether (2-for-4) and Abraham Nunez (2-for-3) collected multiple-hit efforts for Nashville.

 

Four of the Zephyrs' five runs came plateward with two outs in an inning on the evening.

 

The Z's grabbed a 3-0 lead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the second inning against Sounds starter Zach Jackson. With one out, Chris Aguila (3-for-4) doubled and Jesus Feliciano was hit by a pitch. After both runners were sacrificed up a base by pitcher Adam Bostick, Anderson Hernandez drilled a 2-2 Jackson offering to center for a two-run double to put New Orleans on the board. Argenis Reyes (3-for-4) followed with an RBI single to center to complete the frame's scoring.

 

Fernando Tatis increased the home club's advantage to 4-0 in the third with a one-out solo homer to center off Jackson.

 

The Sounds got on the board with a run in the fourth against Bostick but missed an opportunity for a bigger inning by failing to plate runners from second and third with only one out. Vinny Rottino opened the frame with a walk and moved to third on an Eric Munson double before Brendan Katin plated Nashville's first run of the year with an RBI double to center as Rottino scored to make it a 4-1 contest.

 

AUDIO: Brendan Katin RBI Double

 

Bostick worked out of the jam without further damage by inducing a groundout from Ozzie Chavez, walking Abraham Nunez to load the bags, then retiring Jackson on an inning-ending groundout.

 

New Orleans added another two-out run in the seventh against Sounds reliever Tim Dillard when catcher Gustavo Molina ripped an RBI single back up the middle to bring home Reyes.

 

Nashville tacked on the game's final tally in the top of the ninth against New Orleans reliever Willie Collazo. Heether led off the frame with a double off the wall in left. Three batters later, Nunez delivered an RBI single to right to make the score 5-2. After Russell Branyan smacked a pinch-hit single to chase Collazo, Z's reliever Carlos Muniz retired Hernan Iribarren on a game-ending fielder's choice grounder to notch the save.

 

Bostick (1-0) struck out seven batters while allowing only one run on six hits over five innings of work to earn the victory. Jackson (0-1) suffered an Opening Day loss to the Zephyrs for the second straight year. He gave up four runs on eight hits over six frames of action.

 

The teams meet again at 7 p.m. on Friday evening. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo makes a rehab start for the Sounds. New Orleans will counter with right-hander Tony Armas, Jr.

 

Nashville Box Score

Catcher interference on Vinny Rottino...

 

Nashville Game Log

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Stars open with a bang

LaPorta's grand slam helps earn opening-day win

By BRAD SHEPARD

For The Huntsville Times

New Huntsville Stars general manager Buck Rogers talked all offseason about throwing a party at Joe Davis Stadium.

On Thursday's opening night, top prospect Matt LaPorta provided the punch.

After the Stars built an early three-run lead, the touted right fielder blasted a Brad Nelson pitch for a towering, two-out grand slam in the fourth to help Huntsville to an 8-2 win over Mississippi.

As soon as LaPorta connected, the 1,471 fans stood and screamed, many of them raising both arms in the air. It took the seventh-overall pick from last year's draft a little longer to trust its destination.

"I thought the left fielder had it to be honest," said LaPorta, who finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs. "But it snuck out of here.

"I give a lot of credit to the guys who got on base in front of me. He threw me a first-pitch breaking ball, and the second pitch was another breaking ball, and I just put a good swing on it."

After he signed last season, LaPorta hit his first minor league homer in his first at-bat for rookie league Helena. The top power hitter in the draft needed all of three trips to the plate to connect in his Double-A debut.

When Mississippi manager Phillip Wellman pulled starting pitcher Dan Smith with two outs in the fourth, Nelson immediately struggled. He allowed an RBI single to Alcides Escobar, and after walking Mat Gamel, surrendered LaPorta's shot.

"He's a No. 1 pick, what can you say?" Stars manager Don Money said of LaPorta. "I'm happy for him, but it's over now. He had a good night."

Though the offense predictably lived up to its billing, the Stars got great defensive plays by Escobar and LaPorta and strong pitching from starter Steve Hammond as well. The left-hander looked every bit the prospect he was before an up-and-down 2007.

"That's the kind of guy you like to play behind," LaPorta said. "Pitched well and kept the game going quickly."

Hammond pitched six innings of two-hit baseball, allowing only an unearned run and striking out nine. Robert Hinton finished it off with a three-inning save, allowing just one hit and one run.

"Couldn't have asked for much better than that," said Hammond, who stood at the clubhouse door giving fist-pumps to his teammates. "I just didn't try to do too much, stayed loose and did my thing. That's what I wanted to do; get started off on the right foot."

LaPorta did the same. His blast was prodigious, but it was far from the first sign of life from a potentially potent Stars lineup. Michael Brantley (2-for-4) started the game against one of the Southern League's best pitchers from last year with an opposite-field double.

Gamel - who went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored - knocked him in with a bleeder single through the hole between first and second, and he later came home on Cole Gillespie's sacrifice fly for a 2-1 lead.

Carlos Corporan led off the third with the Stars' first home run, and the fourth-inning fireworks made for a sweat-free night.

"That sure takes the pressure off of the pitching staff," Hammond said.

Huntsville's new management brought out plenty of bells and whistles for the season opener. A cloud of bubbles drifted out of the opening gate, and strobe lights spun in the darkened concourse prior to the opening pitch.

Infielder Guilder Rodriguez stood at the gate, handing out complimentary T-shirts to the smiling fans filtering in. Thanks to LaPorta, they were beaming on their way out, too.

"I think they enjoyed themselves," Money said. "I think it was an entertaining game because we came out on the right end. You got to see a little bit of everything."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Lots to love on this night

Fun to be found at Joe Davis

Contact Mark McCarter at markcolumn@aol.com or visit his al.com blog at http://blog.al.com/mccarter Huntsville Times

There was the sound of horns, like elephant mating calls, fading into the distance in the dark parking lot, 20 minutes after the Stars' opening-night victory.

Apparently, ballpark rule No. 10 had been diligently obeyed: "Have Fun & Enjoy The Game."

Three hours earlier, fans to Joe Davis Stadium had been greeted with a soft artillery attack from bubble machines. It may be the silliest thing you ever saw at a baseball park. It may be the most ingenious thing you ever saw. Try not to grin, even at the goofiness of it all, when soap bubbles are being blown your way.

Sandwiched between bubbles and horns, what wasn't to enjoy at this game for Huntsville fans?

A nifty pitching performance for the Stars, especially starter Steve Hammond.

A grand slam from the uber-prospect, Matt LaPorta. Two or three more of those, he'll be forgiven for the sin of once being a Florida Gator. Or, once a Florida Gator, are you always a Gator?

A defensive play by shortstop Alcides Escobar, the big-leaguer-in-waiting, who ranged deep in the hole to field a bouncing ball, then leapt, turned and threw a perfect strike to first base. It was Ozzie-esque.

"A little bit of everything tonight," said manager Don Money.

A lot of everything for the 1,471 who sat through the chilly night in what truly did have some "new era of Stars" written all over it.

General manager Buck Rogers and his staff presented a clean ballpark. They implemented some fresh ideas. From the exquisite rendering of the national anthem by the Huntsville Police Department's "Blue Notes" to a sprint by youngster in red-and-yellow "rocketman" outfits to, well, those joyously obnoxious horns, it was a nicely done package.

One night is not a cure-all for this franchise. But it's a step in the right direction. It left one Stars fan especially buoyant, and promising frequent returns to the ballpark.

Man by the name of Miles Prentice. He owns the team.

Except on Thursday, the team owned him.

As it did a lot of horn-blowing, bubble-blasted, curious fans.

It is a team with few familiar faces from a year ago.

One of them is Hammond, the left-handed pitcher.

Hammond finished the 2007 season and started the 2008 season. Both times were models of efficiency. It's just that the start to '08 turned out better than the end to '07.

Hammond started the decisive game of the Southern League championship series last year. He was magnificent. He allowed only four hits in seven innings. Then the bullpen assumed the load, yielded an epic ninth-inning homer and the championship trophy went south to Montgomery.

"I had a little bitter taste from the last time I was on this mound," he said.

Hammond was the starter Thursday as well. His line: seven innings, two hits, zero earned runs and nine strikeouts.

He thought about the championship game "pretty often" in the off-season.

"It came up a lot, just in random conversation with people," he said. "It was always kind of the same answer: 'What could have been.'"

OK, now what could be, as far as the 2008 Stars?

"As you can see tonight, if we can play some defense, we're definitely going to score some runs," Hammond said. "If we stay consistent on the mound, we've been in the playoffs the last two years and definitely we have the team to do it this year."

Now, wouldn't that be fun?

[wvpowerblkwel]

You guys keep your eyes on Bobby Bramhall down in Brevard. He really had the hitters off balance here in WV at the end of last year, and it looks like two strong innings tonite!

[Mass Haas]

Nice -- we've been given access to the game recaps from Huntsville each night --

 

LaPorta Makes Instant Impact in Stars Win

 

Matt LaPorta belted a grand slam to cap a five-run fourth inning and Steve Hammond spun six solid innings to lead Huntsville to a resounding 8-2 Opening Day victory over Mississippi Thursday night at Joe Davis Stadium. The Stars have defeated the Braves in the season opener in each of the last three years, with the last two wins coming at home.

The visitors struck first against Hammond in the first inning when Carl Loadenthal singled, stole second base and scored on a fielding error by Chris Errecart at first base. The Stars answered back in their half of the inning with a run-scoring single by Mat Gamel and a sacrifice fly by Cole Gillespie. A second inning home run by Carlos Corporan, who hit only two last season in 179 at-bats, extended the home team's lead to 3-1.

Braves' starter Dan Smith was taken out of the game with runners at first and third base and two outs in the fourth. Alcides Escobar then greeted Brad Nelson with a single to plate Mike Bell to make it 4-1 before Gamel walked to load the bases. LaPorta then launched his long ball to left field to break the game open. The Brewers' number one draft choice last year has now gone deep in the first game he has played in at each of his three stops (Helena, West Virginia) since becoming a professional.

Hammond kept the Braves hitless after a one-out double in the second inning and finished with nine strikeouts. He punched out the side in each of the first two frames and fanned at least one batter in five of his six innings to match his single game high with the Stars, which was set on July 25, 2006 against Birmingham. Smith suffered the loss after allowing five runs, four earned on six hits and a walk. He had held Huntsville to a lone run over 15 innings in three starts against them over the last two seasons.

LaPorta, Gamel and Michael Brantley each collected a pair of hits, while Gamel and Brantley each scored twice.

The series continues Friday night with Stars' left-hander Derek Miller taking the hill against Braves right-hander James Parr. Coverage of the game gets underway at 6:50 with the pre-game show and can be heard locally on SportsRadio 730 WUMP and through the internet at www.huntsvillestars.com.

[igor67]

If Gamel figures out how to field and Alciedes can hit .300 it really solves a number of long term questions about how many years we can sustain the big league team. No doubt Huntsville is the team to watch right now.

[bork]

It's going to be strange to actually have some offense in Huntsville. And I think that pitching staff could surprise.

[brewers4eric]

Ah yes, the first Link Report of the year. Never start the day without it. Thank you to all of you for putting it together each day, it has made me a better educated fan of the Brewers.

[gregmag]

Huntsville is just going to be so much fun this year . . .

 

Is it too early to label Steve Hammond's performance a statement game? He has a lot to prove and a lot to gain by doing so, and you can't start the climb much better than he did.

 

Mike Brantley led off, played CF, got on base three times, and hit a double. One game proves nothing, but it's a perfect illustration of what he needs to do. He's still 20.

 

Greg.

[homer]

Agreed on H'Ville. That lineup is really solid 1 - 6.

[DrWood]

I suspect at least a couple of the guys at Huntsville will be elsewhere after the break. Good outing by Hammond. I had him pegged to closely follow Yo to the majors, but last year squelched that.