Link Report for Games of Thursday, April 21st

[Mass Haas]

http://prodtn.cafepress.com/6/14087126_F_tn.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Thursday's Daily Menu: No earlybird specials today...

 

All times Central; pitchers subject to change:

 

Nashville: LHP Andy Pratt at Oklahoma (Rangers), 6:45 PM pre-game, 7:05 gametime

 

Audio link:

www.nashvillesounds.com/listenlive/

 

Huntsville: RHP Glenn Woolard at home vs. Mobile (Padres), 6:50 PM pre-game, 7:05 PM gametime

 

Audio link:

www.espn1450.com/

 

If that link is down for bandwidth, use:

 

specs.eyecentric.com/pres...opup.shtml

 

Brevard County: TBD at Jupiter (Marlins), 6:00 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.live365.com/cgi-bin/m...2747300015

 

West Virginia: RHP Forrest Martin at home vs. Lexington (Astros), 6:05 PM

 

Audio link (opponent's):

www.wlxg.com/WLXG.asx

[DHonks]

this may be the least apetizing menu of the year so far. Hopefully they surprise us

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2005042048

 

Learning to love Our Bums

Mitch Vingle

To contact sports editor Mitch Vingle, send e-mail to mitchvingle@wvgazette.com or call 348-4827.

 

I guess we're going to need an attitude adjustment.

 

We have this beautiful new baseball park in Charleston. Yet the baseball team is anything but pretty.

 

The West Virginia Power?s record is now 2-11. The pitching is bad. And the meat of the batting lineup is more like tofu.

 

We simply can?t let it get to us. Right? The ballpark is pristine. It?s our brand-spanking-new baby Camden Yards.

 

We?re going to enjoy the park, the atmosphere and the crack of the bat whatever the Milwaukee Brewers place in front of us. Daggone it, we will. Just because the team is terrible, we won?t give up. It?s not the end of the world. Over? Did you say over? NOTHING is over until WE decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

 

Sorry. (Shirley Mason?s other personality was Sybil; mine is Animal House?s Bluto.)

 

We?re just going to have to adjust our way of thinking. We?ll have to look at this West Virginia Power team as Chicago fans look at the Cubbies. Loveable losers. Loveable losers we?ll still turn out to see.

 

Because unless we want Appalachian Power Park to draw the old crowds of Watt Powell Park, we have little choice for now.

 

The Brewers promised us a strong club for this level. The fans listened and came out, not only to support the building of the stadium, but the team itself. Before yesterday?s game, Power fans? average attendance was 4,188 through five games, fourth best in the 16-team South Atlantic League.

 

But on the field? So far, not so good.

 

It?s so bad the pre-game press release listed pitcher Simon Beresford under the heading, ?Who?s Hot.??

 

?Simon,?? said the release, ?has now thrown three consecutive scoreless innings in relief.??

 

Three!

 

The only league leaders for the Power? In the category of ?home runs allowed.?? West Virginia has three of the top four pitchers there.

 

?I?d like to apologize for the record we have,?? said Power manager Ramon Aviles after Wednesday?s loss. ?I?m embarrassed. I don?t know about [the players], but I?m embarrassed. In spring training this team played a lot different than it is now.

 

?We played so good in spring training that when we left, everybody was saying, ?With the pitching you have on that team, you?re going to win some ballgames.?

 

?But we?re not pitching good and we?re not hitting in the clutch.??

 

Aviles continued.

 

?All I can tell the fans is this: I will do everything in my power to make sure the players give 100 percent. That?s all I ask. I told them when we first met, ?All I ask is that you?re on time and you give 100 percent.? Today I don?t think they gave 100 percent.??

 

Many of the Power?s supposed leaders have yet to step up. First-round draft pick Mark Rogers is 0-1 with a 6.52 earned run average in three games. Second round pick Yovani Gallardo has been one of the team?s best pitchers. (On Wednesday, though, he took the loss and fell to 0-2.)

 

2002 second-round pick Josh Murray, a third baseman, is hitting .136 as the team?s No. 5 hitter. Third-round pick Josh Wahpepah, a righty, is 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA in seven innings of work. And Josh Baker, a fourth-round pick, is 0-1 with a 12.86 ERA in seven innings.

 

?We cannot do much,?? Avila said of his staff. ?We can come here and work hard every day. We can tell them how to do things. But they have to go between the lines and do them.??

 

At times, the Power is downright frustrating to watch. But there is flavor of the Bad News Bears.

 

On Wednesday, for example, the Power had runners on first and third. With no outs, needing to advance a man, Freddy Parejo hit a pop fly in foul territory ? on the first pitch. Frustrating. Agustin Septimo then struck out ? looking. Frustrating.

 

Finally, Alcides Escobar rapped what looked to be a two-run scoring double ? until he decided to go for third base. The throw from the outfield easily beat Escobar. But the ball trickled out of the Lexington player?s glove. Frustration turned into, hey, kind of charming.

 

Septimo also contributed in the field. Playing center field, he dropped a liner for an error. Frustrating. Immediately after, he caught a high fly ? before dropping his head and jogging toward the dugout. With but two outs and Legends circling the basepaths.

 

Frustrating. But Septimo recovered and gunned down the runner at home. See? Kind of cute.

 

We can do this, right? Love this bunch even in troubled times?

 

Looks like, with the team?s cleanup hitter batting .175, we have little choice.

[Mass Haas]

Here are the links that you'll use tonight to follow the four farm team games as they happen:

 

Nashville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_orhaaa_1

 

Huntsville:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Brevard County:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_jupafx_1

 

West Virginia:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[ILBrewerFan]

Learning to love Our Bums

Mitch Vingle

 

Ouch. Looks like they're as quick with the trigger in WV as some fans in MKE.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/pdf/notes.pdf

[hardytheman]

Ouch. Looks like they're as quick with the trigger in WV as some fans in MKE.

 

 

This repsonse probably should be on the Major league forum, but since this comment was stated here, I wish to respond here.

 

I would categorize myself as one of those "some" fans.

 

Why? Let me put it this way. If the brewers were the yankees, and I was getting panicked, etc. then Id deserve to be called a fool. But they arent. They are the Brewers. A team full of AAAA players with a couple of above average players. They have demostrated NOTHING in terms of heading in the right direction, i.e. winning ballgames.

 

Why shouldnt people be quick with the trigger? If we actually had "talent" on the team, and they were struggling early, then like I said, it would be premature, but we DONT. We have very little talent, so what is it that those who arent part of the "some" comment that says this team will rebound? Thats all I ask? What signs have I missed that says we will rebound and be a competitive, non cellar team come July 1st?

 

Feel free to move this post to the Major leauge forum.

 

And, who is ILbrewerfan, or I should say, who were you before the new name change? Thanks, J.

[hardytheman]

OK, got a question for the minor league gurus.

 

Why is Forrest Martin, a 25 yr old still in A ball guy, making starts every 5th day? Is it because WV wants to piggy back some of our better younger prospects this early in the year, or do some folks think this guy has potential still?

[Brian the Automator]

[ Why is Forrest Martin, a 25 yr old still in A ball guy, making starts every 5th day? Is it because WV wants to piggy back some of our better younger prospects this early in the year, or do some folks think this guy has potential still? ]

 

He's 25 because he was signed as an undrafted free agent, so he got a late jump... They wouldn't have signed someone without prior pro baseball experience if they didn't think he had potential, as compared to some of the organizational soldiers who've bounced around...

[ILBrewerFan]

I would categorize myself as one of those "some" fans.

 

Fine. I'm OK with that and the comment "some" wasn't meant condescending.

 

They have demostrated NOTHING in terms of heading in the right direction, i.e. winning ballgames.

 

I wasn't expecting this team to turn this thing around in a matter of one year, because I agree with you that they don't have the talent ("AAAA players"). However, I feel like they have a GM with a new Owner that, at least I, have confidence in.

 

Why shouldnt people be quick with the trigger?

I personally think it's too early in the season. My opinion. I'm willing to give the new management time and I never expected results to come overnight.

 

And, who is ILbrewerfan, or I should say, who were you before the new name change?

 

I don't know what you mean by that, but I haven't changed my name. I haven't changed my handle. If it's a comment about how I haven't been registered since May 5, 2003, sorry for my tardiness. If it's about helping the site with PR, then I think you've had your say on that stuff in a different thread.

[hardytheman]

IL fan.

 

Just thought it was a new handle. nothing else meant by it.

 

Why shouldnt people be quick with the trigger?

I personally think it's too early in the season. My opinion. I'm willing to give the new management time and I never expected results to come overnight.

 

 

I guess this is what I dont get. I dont expect dramatic results either on one year under a new owner, I expect changes to be made yearly now, instead of sticking with the status quo. But why is it too early to jump off the ".500 season" bandwagon? Again, what has "this team" shown that will convince me we can turn the season around, already, and be competitive through July? Thats what Im getting at.

 

I think its rather reasonable to be trigger happy this soon because we dont have talent. Why should I wait til game 50? Again, if we were the Yankees, and had a 100 million plus payroll and very good talent, then yeah, itd be way premature to lose confidence in the team, but its the brewers, and we have hardly any talent, so being trigger happy this soon is very reasonable, and should be expected.

[hardytheman]

He's 25 because he was signed as an undrafted free agent, so he got a late jump... They wouldn't have signed someone without prior pro baseball experience if they didn't think he had potential, as compared to some of the organizational soldiers who've bounced around...

 

 

 

Just asking a question Brian. Maybe I should have worded it different. do you think they are starting Martin every 5th day because of the youth of the other top prospects currently at WV? Like Yo, Mark, Josh W and Josh B, Hinton, Wooley, and Decarlo?

 

I would think that after a month or so, they would want their "younger top prospects" to be able to stretch out and go 6+ per start. 25 is pretty old for A ball, as someone said in the Cruz thread that 25 is "ancient"

 

Im sure they know he has potential, but enough to take away innings from the younger guys? But like I think, its just because its early and as time goes by, the younger kids will be part of the 5 man rotation?

[ILBrewerFan]

Just thought it was a new handle. nothing else meant by it.

 

No problem.

 

I think its rather reasonable to be trigger happy

 

I'm frustrated too. Maybe I'm just conditioned by the 12-year-losing-machine. The team (players) haven't shown you or I anything to convince us that the corner is turned. But I think Attanasio has shown he's willing to spend if that's what it takes (Sheets, Lee). I hope he doesn't prove me wrong.

 

I expect changes to be made yearly as well or I'll be right with you. Pull away on that trigger. I'll leave my safety on (for now).

[hardytheman]

I expect changes to be made yearly as well or I'll be right with you. Pull away on that trigger. I'll leave my safety on (for now).

 

 

Just to clarify, im only being trigger happy about this year, not next year, not in ten years. I fully expect Mark A to improve this club dramatically.

 

What im getting at is the "spin job" Ned gave everyone during the spring. Like,"now is the time to produce", "and those who dont produce wont play", and "I expect a .500 season at the very least", etc etc. I heard him say those same things on the GO Brewers episodes. It was the common theme of every single comment he made. And a lot of fans bought into it, they expected a "better" season than anything theyve seen in over a decade, look at the pre season ticket sales, seriously, lots of people "bought" into his spin job. I wasnt one of them. This team is doing exactly what I thought they would, they arent playing well, Ned isnt playing the guys who produce, which isnt his fault because no one is. The point is, he promised a lot of fans that this year would be different, and the way its looking, it was a lie. Thus why being trigger happy this soon isnt premature at all, based on the smart fans knowing their isnt the talent to be good.

 

Well, if thats the case, then either A. Ned doesnt know how to evaulate talent, or B. he lied to a lot of fans. I fully believe that its both. I know how the business world works, exaggerating the truth or the untrue happens all the time, and thats exactly what DM and NY, and Mark A did.

[deeswan]

I heard nothing about Krynzel missing the last couple of games, but he is in the starting lineup tonight.

[Mass Haas]

In progress: Jupiter (Marlins) 4, Brevard County 0, after two innings

 

RHP Kenny Durost was your "TBD" Manatee starter tonight. Rocked by a four spot before he could get out of the 2nd inning, he's been relieved by RHP Bo Hall.

[hardytheman]

WEEKS!!!!!

 

4RBI already, another dinger, and a triple.

 

Why does Andy Pratt have a job?

[Mass Haas]

No idea who "Lou Bradley" is -- Brevard County first baseman tonight; how does Josh Brady's name become Lou Bradley?

 

No record of a "Lou Bradley" anywhere in organized baseball...

[EdgarDiazRocks]

I had no idea John Wasdin was still alive.

 

Weeks busy sticking a fork in him to make sure.

 

Would be nice if Prince got in on it.

[DHonks]

Why does Andy Pratt have a job?

 

Gotta figure it's a competition as to who gets released to make room for the first Huntsville starter. Of course, we could just promote two kids, and release both Pratt and Helling

[Mass Haas]

Final: Lexington (Astros) 8, West Virginia 1

 

West Virginia Site Game Summary:

 

The West Virginia Power went into Thursday Night?s game against the Lexington Legends hoping for a victory to end the homestand, but the Legends spoiled the fun with an 8-1 victory at Appalachian Power Park.

 

The Power scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Grant Richardson hit a single into left field, on the throw to the plate, Alcides Escobar knocked the ball out of catcher Lou Santangelo?s hands and the Power took the early 1-0 lead.

 

Lexington scored the next eight runs of the game. The Legends tied the game at 1-1 on Francisco Caraballo?s RBI single in the top of the second inning. Caraballo struck again, this time in the fourth inning on a two-out, three-run double to give Lexington a 4-1 lead. Saul Torres made it a 5-1 ball game when he singled in Hunter Pence in the top of the fifth inning. Pence smacked a solo homerun in the top of the seventh to give the Legends a 6-1 advantage. Mario Garza hit a solo homer of his own in the eighth inning, and Francisco Caraballo scored the final run of the game on a groundball hit by Jonny Ash.

 

Jimmy Barthmaier (1-0) earned the victory for the Legends and Forrest Martin (0-3) obtained the loss for West Virginia. With the victory the Legends improve to 8-6 on the season and the Power drop to 2-12 with the loss.

 

The Power will start an eight game road trip tomorrow night against the Lake County Captains in Eastlake, Ohio. Righthander Josh Baker (0-1, 12.86) will throw for the Power and the Captains will counter with lefthander Aaron Laffey (0-0, 0.00). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM (6:05 Central).

 

West Virginia Box Score:

Did the teams agree to play a "short" game on getaway day? Why play the top of the 7th and not the bottom?

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

 

West Virginia Game Log:

This lineup simply isn't going to strike fear into many pitchers; has the Hurricane been downgraded, at least temporarily?

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_wvaafx_1

[hardytheman]

Gotta figure it's a competition as to who gets released to make room for the first Huntsville starter. Of course, we could just promote two kids, and release both Pratt and Helling

 

 

Thats what Im thinking. Im guessing Sarfate, if he continues to pitch well, Woolard, and Parra all have the best chance to move up, not so much Parra, unless he really dominates starting soon.

 

Does anyone else have the feeling that this is the year that is gonna separate the best from the pretty good?

 

I think Sarfate and Parra have a lot to prove this year, one with control issues, the other with semi severe injury problems. Both have a LOT of upside and if they get consistent could see Milwaukee very soon.

[Mass Haas]

Final: Jupiter (Marlins) 4, Brevard County 2

 

Game Summary from the Hammerheads' Site:

 

The Hammerheads got back on the winning track Thursday, beating the Brevard County Manatees 4-2 at Roger Dean Stadium. The win evens up the season series 2-2, and also gives Hammerheads pitcher Jeff Gogal (1-0) his first decision of the season. Manatees pitcher Ken Durost falls to 0-3 on the year.

The Manatees out-hit the Hammerheads 10 to 4, but it was the ability of Hammerheads pitchers to squeak out of jams that proved to be the decisive factor tonight. Hammerheads pitchers stranded 13 Manatee base runners on the night, including escaping a bases loaded jam in the top of the 3rd, giving up only one run in the inning.

 

Gogal was solid in his first win of the season. He pitched five innings, allowing one run on six hits with two strikeouts. Mike McNutt came on for the 6th and 7th, allowing one earned run on three hits. Ryan Baker and Kevin Cave each pitched one inning, shutting the door on the Manatees late in the game. Cave earned his third save of the year.

 

The Hammerheads did all their scoring in the 2nd inning. Ryan Bear led off the inning with a double to left, followed by a Kevin Randel walk and a Reggie Abercrombie single. Patrick Arlis drove in a run on a fielder?s choice, and Jose Campusano followed with a line single to right, knocking in two. Frank Moore would add an RBI single, subsequently knocking Durost from the game.

 

Not to be overlooked is the Manatee relief pitching, a combination of Jeremy (Bo) Hall and Jeremy Lewis. Both combined for six and two-thirds innings of no-hit ball.

 

The same two teams will play again tomorrow at Roger Dean Stadium. Game time will be 7:05 p.m., with Hammerheads righty Josh Teekel squaring off against Ty Taubenheim.

 

Brevard County Box Score:

3B Adam Heether now 9-for-26 in the early going...

 YTD YTD BREVARD COUNTY AB R H BI AVG JUPITER AB R H BI AVG O.Chavez SS 5 1 2 0 .245 A.De Aza LF 4 0 0 0 .318 L.Palmisano CAT 4 0 2 0 .244 F.Moore DH 3 0 1 1 .360 D.Anderson LF 4 0 0 0 .311 A.Molina RF 4 0 0 0 .288 A.Heether 3B 4 0 3 1 .346 L.Mitchell 3B 4 0 0 0 .306 J.Eure DH 4 0 0 0 .277 R.Bear 1B 4 1 1 0 .273 J.Brady 1B 4 1 0 0 .029 K.Randel 2B 1 1 0 0 .190 S.Sollmann 2B 4 0 1 0 .222 R.Abercrombi CF 3 1 1 0 .163 C.De La Cruz RF 4 0 0 0 .154 P.Arlis CAT 2 0 0 1 .258 R.Deevers CF 4 0 2 1 .211 J.Campusano SS 3 1 1 2 .103 K.Durost PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Gogal PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Hall PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.McNutt PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Lewis PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Baker PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 K.Cave PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 37 2 10 2 TOTALS 28 4 4 4 BREVARD COUNTY 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0- 2 10 2 JUPITER 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 X- 4 4 1 E--O.Chavez, J.Brady, J.Gogal. DP--BREVARD COUNTY 2, JUPITER 0. LOB--BREVARD COUNTY 13, JUPITER 4. 2B--A.Heether (3), R.Bear (3). HBP--L.Palmisano, J.Eure, J.Brady, K.Randel. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA BREVARD COUNTY K.Durost (L,0-3) 1.1 4 4 3 2 2 0 10.38 B.Hall 3.2 0 0 0 1 1 0 3.48 J.Lewis 3.0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1.35 JUPITER J.Gogal (W,1-0) 5.0 6 1 1 1 2 0 3.97 M.McNutt 2.0 3 1 1 0 2 0 2.45 R.Baker 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.08 K.Cave (S,3) 1.0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1.80 HB--B.Hall, J.Gogal, M.McNutt, K.Cave. WP--B.Hall. SO--D.Anderson, J.Eure 3, J.Brady, C.De La Cruz, A.De Aza 3, L.Mitchell 2, P.Arlis. BB--D.Anderson, A.Heether, F.Moore, K.Randel, P.Arlis. T--2:29. A--709

Brevard County Game Log:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_jupafx_1

[Mass Haas]

Final: Huntsville 6, Mobile (Padres) 5

Six in a row evens the Stars' record at 7-7...

 

Huntsville Box Score:

Picked this one up audio-wise in the 7th; nice timing on my part; Stars take advantage of walks to get back into the game...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1

 

Huntsville Game Log:

Tons more on this game in the early AM updates...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...x_hunaax_1