Link Report for Wed. 6/15 -- Stars & Rattlers both sweep DHs; Peralta, Thornburg, and Fiers all pitch well

[Mass Haas]

Manatees to express thanks to Melbourne Bravesby Mark DeCotis, Florida Today

If there was one common emotion among the Brevard County Manatees' black players when it came to the Melbourne Braves, it was "thank you."

And that's what they plan to express when surviving members of the Braves, who played baseball in the Negro Leagues in the 1950s, visit with the Manatees before their game tonight against the Daytona Cubs.

The Braves will participate in the throwing of the first pitch and also take the field for the National Anthem.

They will be welcomed.

"It's just nice to give thanks to those guys who paid the price for players like me and Kentrail (Davis)," said outfielder and Florida State League All-Star Khris Davis.

"I can't thank them enough and I'll make sure I shake their hand and look them in the eye and say, 'thank you.' "

In honor of the Braves, the Manatees will wear replica jerseys that will be auctioned after the game. That resonates with the Manatees hitting coach Dwayne Hosey, who also is black.

"I have all the collections of all of them, I have baseball cards of them," Hosey said of the black players who paved the way for the modern-day athletes.

"It means a lot to me. All the stuff they went through, I think that this is a good thing for them, the platform. I think they should be recognized."

For outfielder D'Vontrey Richardson, the night has a special meaning.

"It means a lot," he said. "A lot of players over there were good enough to play (in the big leagues) but they couldn't. I'm glad to be supporting them and wearing their jerseys. I can't wait to meet them.

"They went through a lot and I thank them for what they did. They had to battle on the field and off the field. I'm going to thank them for the opportunity they opened for us."

Kentrail Davis, also an outfielder, summed it up best.

"It's exciting and it's a big honor to meet those guys," he said. "Without them I don't think we'd be here today as African-American players. I think it's exciting and it should be fun.

"(I'll tell them) thank you for everything they've done and for showing us the way and pretty much making baseball possible for us to play."

Khris Davis photo by Tim Shortt, Florida Today

http://cmsimg.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=A9&Date=20110616&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=106160311&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0

[Mass Haas]

The outfield kill was Romero's seventh and the team's 27th.

 

***

 

Congrats to Franklin Romero on his continued fine defensive efforts, but he's passed another milestone (over 150 AB's -- 157, to be exact) without drawing a walk. Unfortunately, while he was hitting earlier in the seaon to some extent, he's 3-for-37 in his last ten games and now has a stat line of .217 / .215 / .306.

 

We'll check in again at the 200 at-bat mark, although Franklin can end all our notations by just taking that one free pass.

[Mass Haas]

Must be a smoke-theme here --

Chiefs wiped out of the wild card

Wisconsin wins two in Peoria; Quad Cities beats Clinton

by Kevin Capie, Peoria (IL) Journal-Star

The smoke that hung over O’Brien Field for much of the second game of the Peoria Chiefs’ doubleheader with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Wednesday very well could have held the home club’s playoff hopes.

 

Wisconsin’s sweep of the twinbill — winning 2-1 and 6-2 — coupled with a Quad Cities win at Clinton, eliminated Peoria from contention for the Midwest League’s Western Division wild card.

 

“(We have to approach the end of the half the) same way we have,” Chiefs manager Casey Kopitzke said. “We’ll just keep playing hard, fighting and clawing for everything.”

 

The Chiefs had few answers for either Wisconsin starter, Tyler Thornburg or Dan Britt.

 

Thornburg held the Chiefs to just two hits while striking out nine in working the complete seven-inning game. Britt went six innings in a spot start in Game 2 and gave up two runs and four hits.

 

In the first three games of the four-game series the Chiefs have fanned 32 times, almost eight percent of the Chiefs’ strikeouts this season.

 

“We’re struggling a little bit to put the ball in play,” Chiefs center fielder Matt Szczur, the only Chief with a hit in both games, said. “Everybody goes through those ruts and we just have to come out tomorrow ready to play.”

 

Thornburg, a Midwest League all-star, kept the Chiefs off balance with his change-up and 67 of his 104 pitches were for strikes.

 

“That’s what he does,” Wisconsin manager Matt Erickson said. “He’s become a steady believer in that change-up and it makes his fastball even better.”

 

Wisconsin won the opener in the sixth with a single by T.J. Mittelstaedt, a balk by Brett Ebinger and an RBI single by Tyler Roberts.

 

Ebinger made his Chiefs debut after joining the team from high-A Daytona on Tuesday. He worked five innings in relief of Angel Guzman, who allowed a run on two hits in two innings.

 

“Ebinger came in and we didn’t know what to expect,” Kopitzke said. “But he gave us five good innings and we can’t ask for anything else, especially with (the bullpen) situation we were in. He picked us up big time.”

 

The Chiefs never were in Game 2 after Wisconsin scored five runs in the first inning, with only two hits, off Peoria starter Cam Greathouse.

 

The lefty struggled again walking two of the first three batters of the game, and hitting the other. Mike Walker then singled in two runs and Chris Dennis homered.

 

Greathouse walked four in four innings and allowed three hits. In three of his last four starts Greathouse has allowed more walks than hits.

 

“We faced him before, so we had an idea of what he’s about,” Erickson said. “Our philosophy is to try and be as patient as possible and shrink the zone, especially the first time through, and make sure he has some command.”

[Mass Haas]

Chris' postgame Timber Rattler thoughts -- and a Brewerfan reference if you follow his links.

[LouisEly]

I assume they're keeping Thornburg in Appleton because they want him to finish the first half of the season/playoff push with the Rattlers. They do that on a pretty regular basis.

 

 

If I'm reading the standings correctly Wisconsin is 7.5 games out. Don't know that there is much of a playoff push to be had.

[And That]

As noted in the thread, they're a game and a half out of the first half Wild Card spot.

[CheezWizHed]

Huntsville Bottom of the 1st

 

That had to be an entertaining half inning (for us that is).