Link Report for Games of Sunday, June 5th

[shelmark]

I can't quite get a read on the reason for Rickie's poor defense. Some say he has trouble throwing, others say he has poor instincts, and others seem to think he is lazy on defense. If this can't be fixed where does he play?

[Mass Haas]

Amazingly, huntsvillefan, when the mid-season point comes around and the teams below AAA all begin anew at 0-0, I'd give the Manatees and even the Power better chances of having winning second halves than the Stars. That group just isn't clicking at all, and shows little signs of doing so any time soon...

[DHonks]

and they really are so much better than this, but their whole approach can be described by a word DHonks used recently to describe Rickie's D - nonchalant

 

aka, piss poor. Rickie has the talent to be a great defensive 2b. But it's the age old question. Which would you rather have, a JJ Hardy at SS, a Craig Counsell, or a Jose Valentin? Some would take Valentin for superior range and arm strength. I'd take either of the other two. When it comes down to it, groundballs to short in the bottom of 9th become outs with Counsell and Hardy.

 

I've seen Rickie a few times, and he's like watching Spivey, Belliard, Valentin, Hall, etc. The mistakes are stupid. Guys like this are the reason Steve Scarborough is in AAA, just a call away from the big leagues

[huntsvillefan]

Sadly Mass, though I hate to admit it, I'm starting to agree with you. It just goes to show that a great starting rotation isn't enough on its own.

I feel sorry for Sarfate, Eveland & Parra, in most teams they'd have superb Win / Loss records, instead they're saddled with this lot and open to criticism from the Joe Morgan's of this world.

I haven't crunched any numbers, but my gut feeling is that one of the biggest problems is that the bullpen has proven to be a bit of an illusion. Stetter fooled everybody first time around, but now they're getting a second look at him, he doesn't seem to be able to cast the same spell over them. Gamble is of course injured, but even before that teams had worked out that they just had to sit and wait for his fastball. I actually think that we miss having Matt Ford, he'd had some very mixed performances, but he still felt like a real pitcher. Its great to have Khalid to pitch long relief and I hope he gets another shot at starting, but really the cupboard feels a bit bare at times, especially for want of a closer type .

Teams that have had a good look at some of the players are starting to set their D for them. The best or worst example is probably Callix they're really bringing the outfield in for him and shifting too.

They're a tough team to watch right now and if it wasn't for Sarfate, Eveland & Parra, I'd be very tempted to stay home most nights and do something entertaining like watching paint dry.

I think its one of the main reasons I really hope Sarfate makes it. Of all the guys on that team, he is the one that really looks like he is busting his gut to try and get a win. I really do hope he gets promoted soon.

One thing I should say as I'm very prone to knock Rickie's D, I don't usually repeat overheard conversations here, but at least two of the players think his D will be fine in the majors at 2B. And as I thought it would be at least another year before he was hitting like this, I could very well be wrong about his D too.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Game Summary:

 

NASHVILLE ? The Nashville Sounds were held to a season-low three hits in a 4-0 shutout loss to the Omaha Royals on Sunday evening at Greer Stadium in the second game of a four-game series.

 

The shutout was Omaha?s first goose egg victory and the Sounds? second shutout loss of the season. Despite the loss, Nashville (30-28) retains a half-game lead over Memphis in the PCL American Conference Northern Division.

 

The visitors jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with a two-out rally against Sounds starter Jeff Housman in the top of the first inning. With two down and runners on first and second, Omaha designated hitter Calvin Pickering put the Royals on the board with an opposite-field RBI double to left to bring home Denny Hocking. Justin Gemoll followed with a two-run single to center to score Aaron Guiel and Pickering.

 

Omaha starter Dennis Tankersley was on cruise control through the first half of the game, holding the Sounds hitless over the first five innings of action. Prince Fielder led off the bottom of the sixth with a single to right to break up the no-hit bid.

 

The Sounds left the bases loaded twice, in the third and in the sixth. Nashville had the bags full with only one down in the sixth against Tankersley, but former Sound Shawn Camp came on to record two outs to end the frame and escape any damage.

 

The Royals tacked on an unearned run in the top of the ninth to advance the score to its final 4-0.

 

Tankersley (3-5) allowed two hits over 5 1/3 scoreless innings to notch his third victory. He walked five and struck out five. Housman (2-5) surrendered three runs on eight hits over five frames to absorb a loss for his fourth consecutive start. Camp earned his first save of the year with 3 2/3 scoreless frames to close out the contest. It was Omaha?s second consecutive three-inning save this series.

 

The teams continue the series with a 7 p.m. meeting on Monday evening at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Rick Helling (4-2, 4.50) will take the hill for the Sounds to face Omaha southpaw J.P. Howell, who will make his career Triple-A debut for the Royals after joining the club from Double-A Wichita.

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....1/SPORTS04

 

Sounds avoid no-hitter, but still lose

Fielder breaks up bid with sixth-inning single

By MAURICE PATTON

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

Prince Fielder's single to lead off the sixth inning last night was a welcome sight ? and not just because his Nashville Sounds were trailing by three runs.

 

Fielder's base hit broke up a no-hit bid by Omaha starter Dennis Tankersley, who had worked around five walks to take a shutout into the sixth.

 

While the Sounds avoided the no-hitter, they couldn't avoid their second consecutive loss as they committed a season-high four errors in a 4-0 defeat.

 

"If we'd gotten 10 hits and no runs, it's still a loss," Fielder said after the Sounds ? who lead the Pacific Coast League American Northern Division ? fell to 4-6 against their third-place divisional rival. "(Last night) he dealt. Sometimes, you've just got to tip your cap. He had us no-hit."

 

Fielder's single was followed by a Kevin Orie infield base hit, and Nashville went on to load the bases before a Chris Barnwell strikeout and a Ryan Knox fielder's choice to end the threat.

 

"We had chances. We just didn't get the job done," Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas said. "When (Tankersley) is on, he's a pretty good pitcher. His fastball is in the low 90s and he was able to throw some sliders for strikes, which makes his fastball a little faster.

 

"We got runners in scoring position, but he made pitches to get us out. It was just one of those nights, I hope."

 

On the night, the Sounds managed just three hits.

 

"I think we've got some guys taking every at-bat like, 'If I don't get a hit, I'm gonna die'," Kremblas said. "If you start taking it like that, then guess what? You don't get a hit. So we've got to relax, play our game, and away we go."

 

Struggles at the top: A roster spot wasn't all that Dave Krynzel vacated when he was promoted to Milwaukee last week.

 

Since his departure, the leadoff position in the Sounds batting order ? filled by Trent Durrington in three games and Knox in one ? has accounted for just two hits in 18 at-bats.

 

Game at a glance

 

?Losing pitcher: Jeff Housman (2-5).

 

?Big stick: Prince Fielder, 1-for-3.

 

?How they lost: The Royals scored three first-inning runs against Housman on a walk and three hits ? including a Calvin Pickering opposite-field two-out RBI double ? and starter Dennis Tankersley allowed just two hits and struck out five in 5+ innings.

 

?What they said: "It seems like we don't match up well with them." ? Nashville Manager Frank Kremblas, after sixth loss in 10 games vs. Omaha.

 

?Today's pitchers: Sounds ? RHP Rick Helling (4-2, 4.50 ERA). Royals ? RHP J.P. Howell (Class AAA debut; 2-0, 2.50 at Wichita).

 

Maurice Patton covers the Nashville Sounds for The Tennessean. He can be reached at mopatton@tennessean.com.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.al.com/stars/huntsvil...amp;coll=1

 

Mississippi leaves Stars stranded

Huntsville pays price for leaving men onbase in 8-5 loss

By SKIP VAUGHN

For The Times skipv@htimes.com

 

Mississippi Braves left-hander Chuck James almost had his career end before it started in 2002.

 

He and his buddies were jumping off a roof into a swimming pool at Chattahoochee Valley Junior College in Phenix City. They'd made the jump before, but this time James broke both wrists.

 

The Atlanta Braves were planning to draft him in the third round, but everything changed with that mishap. James thought his pitching career had ended.

 

"I hoped it didn't but the thought definitely crossed my mind," he said. The Braves ended up drafting him in the 20th round.

 

And here he was Sunday, starting for Mississippi against the Huntsville Stars. He entered with a 2-0 record and 1.99 ERA.

 

He got a no decision but pitched six innings and had seven strikeouts and no walks while allowing three runs and seven hits.

 

"I felt pretty good, other than giving up three runs," James said. "Overall I'm pretty happy about it. I got my first hit."

 

The Braves trailed 5-3 entering the ninth but rallied for five runs against Stars closer Matt DeWitt for an 8-5 win before an announced crowd of 1,774 at Joe Davis Stadium.

 

"DeWitt has been throwing the ball very well for the last four or five outings," Stars manager Don Money said. "We had plenty of opportunities to be leading by more than two."

 

Indeed, the Stars stranded eight base runners. Mississippi stranded nine.

 

"As much as we shot ourselves in the foot all day, I feel fortunate we came back and won it," Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

 

Pinch-hitter Jon Schuerholz set the tone in the ninth with his leadoff homer, his second of the year. But the big blow was Scott Thorman's three-run shot, his ninth.

 

"It was a fastball," Thorman said. "I think it was a bit away. I was just looking for something I could really drive."

 

Stars starter Dennis Sarfate allowed two runs in the first but settled down and lasted seven innings. He only gave up one more run and finished with four strikeouts.

 

"The first inning's been a struggle all year," he said. "Once I got past that first inning, the guys played defense all day. Some things happened in that ninth inning you can't control. I'm proud of the way the guys played all day."

 

Blaine Boyer (2-4) got the win with two innings in relief for the Braves and Jorge Vasquez earned his eighth save with a perfect ninth.

 

DeWitt (1-3) allowed five runs, four earned, with four hits, one walk and two strikeouts in the ninth. But the Stars collectively felt they should have had a bigger lead.

 

"You get people on base you've got to take advantage of them," Huntsville hitting coach Sandy Guerrero said. "Now we're not."

 

Huntsville did get two hits apiece from Tony Gwynn Jr., Nelson Cruz - who hit his 12th homer - Vinny Rottino, Jeff Winchester and Enrique Cruz. Winchester had three RBIs.

 

Wes Timmons hit his third homer of the season for Mississippi in the seventh.

 

The Stars (23-34) and Braves (29-28) play the third of their four-game series tonight at 7:05 at Joe Davis Stadium. The probable starters are left-hander Manny Parra (2-4, 3.86) for Huntsville and right-hander Anthony Lerew (4-2, 4.69) for Mississippi.