Link Report for Sat. 6/9 -- Did Jeffress hit 103 tonight?

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Huntsville Stars notebook

Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times

 

Covering the bases

 

The Stars bullpen has been frighteningly unable to hold a lead. But in a weird coincidence, the Stars have been able to hold onto first place. On May 30, the Tennessee Smokies lost to West Tenn and the Stars shelled Montgomery 19-4. The next nine days, going into Saturday night's play, it was a game of me-and-my shadow. If the Stars won, the Smokies won. If the Smokies lost, the Stars lost. Both teams went 6-3, all their wins coming the same day, the losses coming the same day. (Note: both teams lost Sunday as well -- Mass)

 

Had it not been for shaky bullpen work, that trend might not have happened. It was a maddening five-game stretch in Chattanooga for the Stars.

 

Game one: up 5-2 after three innings, then yield four runs in the eighth (with two hit batsmen) to lose. Game two: up 5-1, hold on to win the tying and winning run in scoring position. Game three: up 6-0, the bullpen gives up five runs, but holds on to win. Game four: up 4-3 in the seventh, give up six runs in the bottom half. Game five: up 6-0, have to hang on to win 8-4. "It's a concern," said manager Don Money. "We haven't been able to stop the bleeding. The pen was outstanding until this week." ...

 

As feared, pitcher Mike Jones has undergone Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and will be lost for the season and likely 2008 as well. He also missed the 2005 season after surgery and has pitched in only 85 games in a star-crossed pro career that began in 2001, when he was the Brewers' No. 1 pick. ...

 

"Making adjustments" is a key phrase at the Double-A level, and much of that has to be through self-discipline. That some players haven't been able to do so, whether through making delivery changes on the mound or taking a different approach at the plate - especially, say, against a sinkerballer like West Tenn's Justin Thomas, who had six strikeouts and 10 groundouts - has cost dearly. ...

 

Outfielder Ruben Mateo could be ready to return from his hamstring pull when the Birmingham series opens Wednesday. ... As in the five games at West Tenn, the final five will use designated hitters, since the Stars are playing American League affiliates. While Manny Parra is an exceptional hitter, the rest of the staff is batting .138. ... The Stars continue to trail the league in home runs, with 29. Birmingham is in ninth place, at 35. Jacksonville leads the league with 55 ... The Stars raised $4,415 for the American Cancer Society with their jersey auction.

 

Around the league

 

Gotta love Mississippi manager Phillip Wellman's quote that was in Sports Illustrated after his huge outburst last week: "Once again, my mother is very proud of me, and my wife and kids are creeping around in disguise." ... Wellman was suspended three games by the Braves and Southern League President Don Mincher said he'd been fined "an unspecified amount" for the tantrum, which was hardly his first. ... Lost in the shuffle, there were four other ejections in that game and Wellman claimed he was defending his players. ... According to The Birmingham News, Mississippi players weren't allowed to discuss Wellman's escapades. ... As funny as it may have been to watch the first couple of times, it was blatant disrespect for the game and the umpires. The Southern League umps, for the most part, are good. They need to merely become consistently good - ironically the same thing that can be said for the players whose games they officiate. ... Though Tennessee lost starter Sean Gallagher (7-2) to a promotion to the Cubs' bullpen, his roster spot was taken by a pitcher with Triple-A experience, Paul Schappert.

 

Brewings

 

Triple-A Nashville Sounds (34-27 before Saturday's play, second place in Pacific Coast League American Division): P Luther Hackman 2.45 ERA, 9 saves

 

Single-A Brevard County Manatees (34-27, first in Florida State East Division): P Will Inman, SS Alcides Escobar, OF Cole Gillespie selected for Florida State League All-Star game

 

Single-A West Virginia Power (42-16 first in South Atlantic League Northern Division this half): Team clinched first-half title on Thursday, with 11 games remaining in the half.

 

On deck

 

The Stars continue at West Tenn today and Monday, then open a five-game homestand Wednesday against Birmingham that closes out the first half. Friday will be "Bat Night."

 

***

Lou Palmisano in the photo here:

 

www.jacksonsun.com/apps/p...006/SPORTS

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.omaha.com/index.php?u...id=2399726

 

PCL: Nashville pitcher tough on Royals

BY ROB WHITE

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

 

Adam Pettyjohn has been through scarier things than a little five-run rally the Omaha Royals put together in the eighth inning on Saturday night.

 

Five years ago the Nashville left-hander didn't have the energy to talk and didn't have the strength to walk without a walker.

 

In six weeks the 6-foot-3 former Fresno State star had dropped from 200 pounds to 135 because of ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory condition of the bowel. The former second-round draft choice had it under control in 2001, but his medication ran out about the time he got his first major league callup, and he didn't follow up on it. He didn't worry about it as his symptoms got worse during the offseason.

 

Sure, Pettyjohn survived to get the win in an 8-5 victory before 5,294 at Rosenblatt Stadium. But he had to survive a long ordeal just to get healthy first.

 

"I was hoping my body would heal itself naturally," Pettyjohn said. "I didn't know how serious it was. I was 24 years old. I figured I could kick it."

 

He was thinking he could get back by spring training, but his condition had gotten too bad. He said he went from going to the bathroom six to 10 times a day to going every 45 minutes all day and all night. Eventually he had his colon removed.

 

"The doctor said he's been doing this for 20 years, and that was by far the worst colon he'd ever seen," Pettyjohn said. "The nurses said my body was literally days away from just shutting down. It was at that point it dawned on me how serious it was."

 

Pettyjohn was back pitching again the following season, but it took until the end of last season before he felt like his arm strength had fully returned.

 

Even last season had its adventures, though they weren't health related.

 

He opened the year with San Antonio, Seattle's Class AA affiliate, and was third in the Texas League with a 2.91 ERA when he was called in for a June 21 meeting. He was released.

 

"I would have been less shocked if they told me I was going to the big leagues at that point," Pettyjohn said. "I thought maybe they were going to send me to the bullpen and wanted to explain themselves, or that maybe I was going to go up and help out in Triple A for a while. It's one thing to get released, but when you don't deserve it . . . I felt betrayed."

 

He said his age (29), and velocity (83 to 85 mph fastball), and making way for younger prospects, were given as reasons to get packing.

 

"From day one, you know how hard I throw and you know my age," Pettyjohn said. "Just release me in spring training."

 

He spent time in independent ball and filled in with Class AAA Sacramento before signing with the Milwaukee organization in the offseason. After going 4-2 with a 4.45 ERA for Class AA Huntsville he was promoted to Nashville and is now 1-0 with a 5.54 ERA in two starts.

 

"It's been a long road, but I'm a lot better off than I was a few years ago," Pettyjohn said.

 

For the second straight night, Omaha trailed 8-0 before coming to life in the eighth. Jorge Padilla got the Royals on the board with a two-run homer, then Billy Butler hit a disputed three-run shot to make it 8-5.

 

It led to the ejection of Nashville manager Frank Kremblas, who argued that the ball hit the top of the outfield wall - not the bleachers - before bouncing back onto the field. After being tossed, Kremblas jogged nearly all the way to the warning track to take a look at where the ball had hit before heading to the clubhouse.

 

"He (Pettyjohn) got ahead in the count, made them swing the bat and had some movement on his pitches," Kremblas said. "He got a ball up to Mr. Butler, but Mr. Butler is a good hitter and if you get it up he's going to hammer it."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

kentucky.com/271/story/93644.html

 

Too much power, mound finesse 'ruffs' up Lexington

BREWERS' NO. 1 PICK SHUTS DOWN LEGENDS

By Mark Maloney

MMALONEY@HERALD-LEADER.COM

 

The Lexington Legends have gone to the dogs.

 

The aptly named West Virginia Power spanked the Legends for the third straight game, 10-0 on "Bark at the Park Night" at Applebee's Park.

 

If only Jake the Diamond Dog had been allowed to help the busy Legends fielders.

 

Jeremy Jeffress pitched five innings of four-hit ball. J.T. King and Jared Sutton mopped up in a combined six-hitter.

 

Jeffress "made some pretty good pitches," Legends Manager Gregg Langbehn said. "It became pretty obvious to us why he was drafted No. 1 in their (Brewers) organization. He's young, he's got an explosive arm, a quiet delivery. The ball comes out of his hand good. He's gonna have a pretty promising future."

 

Including Friday's seven-run eruption in the last two innings, the Power scored 17 in a span of nine innings.

 

The first five in the Power order scored the 10 runs. West Virginia finished with 12 hits.

 

Jimmy Mojica and Chuckie Caufield each went 3-for-4 and walked. Mojica scored twice and stole two bases. Caufield scored three runs and drove in one.

 

West Virginia has won six in a row and 12 of 13 games, with no signs of coasting after clinching the division title Thursday.

 

"We've still got work to do," Caufield said. "We're still trying to get better. Hopefully it rolls over to the second half and on down the road."

 

Chris Johnson had two of Lexington's six hits.

 

The Legends' best opportunity came in the second. Two singles and an error filled the bases with one out.

 

Jeffress (2-0) struck out Drew Holder and Nick Moresi with mid-70 mph breaking balls after a steady diet of fastballs that topped out at 97 mph.

 

"When he has his control, he's about as tough to hit as anybody," Caufield said of the 19-year-old from South Boston, Va. "He's a pretty relaxed kid. Even though he let those guys get on base, he was still calm and relaxed. You could tell by his body language, and he was able to keep control of himself and get the job done."

 

West Virginia scored all it needed with two in the first.

 

Mojica singled and Brent Brewer walked. On a double steal, catcher Ralphie Henriquez threw the ball into left, allowing Mojica to score.

 

Brewer came home on Andy Lefave's groundout.

 

Things could have been worse, but the Legends turned double plays in the first, fifth, sixth and ninth innings.

 

West Virginia added four runs in the third, one in the fifth and three in the seventh.

 

Legends starter Sergio Severino (1-4) lasted only 21/3 innings, giving up six runs, five earned.

[Team Canada]

Jeffress (2-0) struck out Drew Holder and Nick Moresi with mid-70 mph breaking balls after a steady diet of fastballs that topped out at 97 mph.

 

 

That's an Oswalt-like difference, and is almost unfair to batters.

[pogokat]

Quote:

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Jeffress (2-0) struck out Drew Holder and Nick Moresi with mid-70 mph breaking balls after a steady diet of fastballs that topped out at 97 mph.

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yeah...with the control he's showing, i think all we'll have to worry about is injury...his ability and ceiling are off the charts...

[TheCrew07]

His SO to BB ration is just barely above 1, but much like Brewer, the early returns are very encouraging.

[Thwarted By the Thracians]

Hey, I'm not really an expert on Minor League baseball. How do you project rotations, especially after the all-star break? WV plays at Augusta, GA (where I live) at the end of the month and if you ignore the break, it would appear that Jeffress would miss that 4 game series. Is it possible that the rotation could be juggled to keep people on the normal 5 days rest, or are they usually strict about getting people regular cyclical work? With a 4-game series, you'd think I'd have an 80% chance to see him. Any slight rotation adjustment would work in my favor . . .