Link Report for Tue. 5/29 - Jeffress' Debut, Parra, Capellan

[TheCrew07]

Pogo,

As always you are the man, I love your summaries, and very good news about some of the young pitchers. I'll look for the video links in the AM.

[Mass Haas]

Closest you'll find in the majors:

 

In 1992, Greg Harris had arguably the best season of his entire career. He would pitch 70 games, starting two, with an ERA+ of 169. Harris, seemingly, had found a home with the Red Sox and a spot to call his own. As we all know, however, relievers are a fungible and unpredictable commodity. After setting the Red Sox record for appearances with 80 (later broken by Mike Timlin in 2005) in 1993, his 1994 season was a nightmare. His ERA jumped to 7.99 (league-average ERA in 1994 was an even 5, and his BABIP was a significantly unlucky .367), he was released and only able to find work with the Yankees in July.

 

You might be thinking, hey, numbers are great, but why should I care about this guy? I'll tell you. But first, take another look at the picture I've chosen for Greg Harris's bio. See the hand he's shown pitching with?

 

See link

 

Greg Harris spent 99.9% of his career as a right-handed pitcher. Greg Harris was actually ambidexterous. For reference, the last pitcher in the ML to pitch with both his right and left hands was Tony Mullane in 1893.

 

This may seem like a huge advantage (provided the pitcher is skilled with both hands), but it was an advantage Lou Gorman was unwilling to use in his tenure as GM. Gorman believed it would "make a mockery of the game". Harris disagreed. In protest, he still wore an ambidexterous six-finger glove when pitching. He also, obviously, would pose for pictures (as in the '91 Score card) as a left-handed pitcher. Greg Harris never got the chance to use his ability with the Red Sox.

 

However, in his final season and next-to-last game with the Montreal Expos, maverick visionary manager Felipe Alou allowed Greg Harris to realize his dream. From the online Baseball Library:

 

The Reds defeat the Expos by a score of 9-7, with Expos reliever Greg Harris pitching the 9th ambidexterously. The Reds don't score against him as he faces two with his (normal) right arm and two with his left. After Harris (right-handed) retires Reggie Sanders on a grounder, manager Felipe Alou permits him to do what he had wanted to try for 10 years. Following a wild lefty toss to the backstop, he walks Hal Morris. Remaining as a southpaw, though, he gets Eddy Taubensee to ground out. Finally, returning the ball to his right hand, he retires Bret Boone on a ground out.

Greg Harris was a useful pitcher for the Red Sox during his tenure. The righty/lefty setup combo he and Tony Fossas provided in those years was a forerunner to the successful duo of Mike Timlin and Alan Embree.

 

By the way, the earlier "find" is courtesy of:

 

TopProspectAlert.com

[Mass Haas]

As long as there's plenty of videotape left for when the baby pogokat arrives later this week, then thanks, pogo (and Mrs. Pogo!).

 

I wanted to see what a "pogokat" looked like, but it's funny if you google image the word pogokat, all you get is Brewerfan stuff http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif !

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Pre-Game Audio Coaches Chat with Roving Infield Instructor Garth Iorg:

High praise for Alcides Escobar...

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...205-29.mp3

[Mass Haas]

Final: Las Vegas (Dodgers) 4, Nashville 3

Details from Sounds' site shortly...

 

Nashville Box Score:

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

 

Nashville Game Log:

Must be a misprint -- back-to-back doubles cost "Super" Joe Thatcher and the Sounds the game...

 

web.minorleaguebaseball.c...a_nasaaa_1

[DHonks]

I just read about this ambidextrous pitcher the other day, so it's a fun story. One question...there was an ambidextrous pitcher drafted 2 or 3 years ago (according to the BA draft blog at the time), yet I haven't heard anything since. I love the idea, because if a guy blows out one way, he can still be considered a prospect. I mean, a guy would need to injure both arms in order to need to go on the DL. Or he could be a starter as a righty (since he throws 94) and relieve on other days as a lefty.

[pogokat]

oh yeah, i forgot:

 

Jeffress mainly struck guys out with a curveball...he had really great control tonight as well...i was hugely impressed...i saw mark rogers pitch a couple times, and things were totally different with JJ...he really does look effortless when he fires the ball...

[colbyjack]

Pogo, thanks a ton. I know the draw to see Jeffress pitch was huge for you, and a special thanks to your dedication knowing you have a special, and future P50 member (boy or girl), on the way.

 

I especially appreciate the fact that you asked Periard what Jeffress was throwing, knowing the Stalker in the hands of almost anyone is always more reliable than the stadium gun.

 

And of course, I'm just exicted to hear about Jeffress in his season debut.

[pogokat]

yeah, i don't want any more "but does he really throw that hard questions?

 

i also asked the royals scout, he had him at 97 as well....

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Game Summary:

Link for Chris Barnwell photo, text follows --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=2352

 

Sounds Drop Homestand Opener To 51s, 4-3

 

NASHVILLE ? The Nashville Sounds opened their homestand on the short end of a 4-3 loss to the Las Vegas 51s on Tuesday evening at Greer Stadium.

 

Las Vegas plated the winning score in the top of the ninth inning. Nashville?s opponent has scored the game-winner in its final turn at the plate in each of the Sounds? last four losses and in seven of the club?s last nine defeats.

 

Sounds second baseman Chris Barnwell put the home team on the board in the bottom of the first inning with his first home run in 124 at-bats, a well-struck shot to left off Las Vegas starter D.J. Houlton. The blast, his third of the year, extended Barnwell?s longest hit streak of the season to six games.

 

AUDIO: Chris Barnwell's Home Run --

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/a...205-29.mp3

 

Las Vegas tied the contest in the top of the second when Mitch Jones opened the frame with a walk and later scored on a Larry Bigbie groundout.

 

Nashville jumped right back in front in the bottom of the frame when Vinny Rottino (2-for-4) scored on a Charles Thomas RBI single, making it a 2-1 contest.

 

The 51s took a 3-2 lead in the sixth with a pair of runs against Sounds starter Jose Capellan. Wilson Valdez and Sergio Garcia opened the frame with singles before James Loney delivered a game-tying RBI single to right, which chased Capellan. Mitch Jones greeted Nashville reliever Grant Balfour with an RBI groundout, plating Garcia with the go-ahead run.

 

Capellan, who took a no-decision, allowed three runs on five hits over five innings of work, the longest of his three outings since joining the rotation. The right-hander threw 77 pitches, 46 for strikes.

 

Nashville shortstop Ozzie Chavez brought the game to its third tie with a flare RBI single to right with one out in the bottom of the seventh to bring home Thomas.

 

Las Vegas used back-to-back one-out doubles off Joe Thatcher to grab a 4-3 lead. Bigbie ripped a two-bagger to center before coming home when Choo Freeman followed with a double of his own, also to center.

 

51s reliever Matt Riley (1-0) earned his first victory of the year by working 2 2/3 frames of scoreless relief for the visitors. He allowed one hit and struck out a pair of batters.

 

Thatcher (0-1) took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in his two innings of work.

 

Sounds catcher Mike Rivera went 0-for-4 to snap his season-best six-game hitting streak as Nashville (27-25) suffered its Pacific Coast League-leading 14th one-run loss.

 

The teams continue the series with a noon matinee on Wednesday at Greer. Nashville right-hander Tim Dillard (2-3, 3.56) will man the bump to face 51s right-hander Spike Lundberg (2-3, 5.72).

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillecitypaper.co...s_id=56409

 

Something special brewing in Milwaukee

By Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper Sports Correspondent

 

It?s a golden year to be a Milwaukee Brewers fan. Even after enduring a 4-12 slide, the Brewers have a five game lead in the National League Central.

 

What?s more, lodged firmly in Green Bay Packer country, the Brewers have already topped two million in ticket sales. And it?s not even June.

 

Milwaukee is winning on the field and at the box office thanks to a roster developed largely through its own farm system, featuring an infield of the future that?s the envy of everyone in baseball.

 

And it isn?t just the big league holding up its end of the bargain. Entering Tuesday?s games, Brewers affiliates were in first or second at every level from major league Milwaukee to Class A Brevard County and West Virginia.

 

Brewers affiliates are a combined 40 games over .500.

The baseball world is noticing, too. National media like USA Today, ESPN and Yahoo Sports have been singing the Brewers? praises. Credit goes first to Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin.

 

During Melvin?s first four seasons on the job, the Brewers went a combined 33 games under 500 with their best season coming in 2005 when they went 81-81. Melvin?s Brewers took their lumps because his philosophy for winning was centered around the scouting department and replenishing the franchise?s talent in the minor leagues.

 

Nashville has seen that philosophy pay off first hand. The Sounds have won the Pacific Coast League American North title the last two seasons and the entire league in 2005.

 

The winning has come not with veteran retreads, but with a slew of talented prospects like Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, Carlos Villanueva, Tony Gwynn and most recently, Yovani Gallardo and Ryan Braun, among others.

 

?Most of the credit should go to our scouting department and the job they?ve done,? said Melvin while he was in Nashville last week.

 

Melvin isn?t just deflecting credit ? the Brewers scouting department has done a stellar job. In an age when even first round picks are hit-or-miss, the Brewers have excelled in the early rounds of the amateur draft. Fielder, Weeks and Braun were all first round picks. Along with J.J. Hardy, a second rounder, they form Milwaukee?s infield of the future, which has taken over the starting duties in Milwaukee despite the fact none is older than 24-years-old.

 

So far this season Nashville (27-24) is off to a so-so start and currently sits in second place, 2.5 games behind Iowa. With Braun having been promoted last week and Gallardo likely soon to follow, other prospects will have to hold down the fort. That responsibility will fall to the likes of Vinny Rottino, Laynce Nix and Tim Dillard to name a few.

 

?Particularly pitching, we feel like we have a nice mix of players,? said Melvin, who noted that Gallardo likely would have been called up by now if the team weren?t so strong in the pitching department.

 

And while the franchise is winning from top to bottom, it bears mentioning the Brewers are doing so without sacrificing character in the process. Besides being top-flight prospects, the likes of Fielder, Weeks, Hart, Gwynn, Braun and Gallardo have been gentlemen off the field and with the media while in Music City.

 

?We want to win and we value character just as much as potential,? Melvin said. ?We want good people. Milwaukee is getting behind this team. We?ve already sold two million tickets and anything after that is gravy for us.?

 

It Sounds Good

 

Former Nashville Sounds starring with the Milwaukee Brewers:

 

1B ? Prince Fielder .282, 15 home runs, 38 RBIs

2B ? Rickie Weeks, .248, five home runs, 16 RBIs, eight stolen bases

OF ? Corey Hart, .269, one home run, nine RBIs

OF ? Tony Gwynn, .324, eight RBIs, six stolen bases

3B ? Ryan Braun, one home run, three RBIs (15 at-bats)

P ? Carlos Villanueva, 3-0, 3.00 ERA.

[Mass Haas]

Link for Jose Capellan photo while active, text follows:

 

tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....328/SPORTS

 

51s arrive late, score late to win 4-3 over Sounds

Cancelled flight can't stop Vegas

By MIKE ORGAN

Tennessean Staff Writer

 

The Las Vegas 51s didn't exactly hit the ground running Tuesday.

 

But they managed to generate enough offense late to claim a 4-3 victory after arriving just an hour before the scheduled start of Tuesday's game against the Nashville Sounds at Greer Stadium.

 

Las Vegas' original flight to Nashville was cancelled, so the 51s were forced to fly to Denver then Chicago and finally Nashville. They landed at 6 p.m. and the start of the game was moved from 7 to 8 p.m.

 

A Greer Stadium crowd of 3,195 saw Las Vegas snap a 3-3 tie in the ninth inning when Choo Freeman's double scored Larry Bigbie from second base.

 

Another close loss

 

The narrow loss was nothing new for Nashville. The Sounds lead the Pacific Coast League with 14 one-run losses.

 

In each of Nashville's last four losses, and seven of the last eight, the opponent has scored the winning run in their final turn at the plate.

 

"The delay had no effect really,'' Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas said. "Their starter (D.J. Houlton) got some pitches up early and we hit them well. And then he started mixing his breaking ball and was able to throw for strikes to get ahead. And then he threw it just out of the zone and made some really nice pitches with his curveball later in the game."

 

Nashville jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Chris Barnwell's home run in the first inning. It was Barnwell's first home run in 124 at-bats and his third this year.

 

The Sounds took a 2-1 lead in the second on an RBI single by Charles Thomas.

 

Las Vegas recovers

 

After three scoreless innings Las Vegas' offense finally got into a groove. Wilson Valdez walked, Sergio Garcia singled and James Loney's single scored Valdez. Garcia scored off a sacrifice fly by Mitch Jones, giving the 51s their first lead at 3-2.

 

Nashville tied it in the seventh Ozzie Chavez's single, which scored Thomas from third.

 

After Las Vegas reliever Matt Riley retired the side in the eighth, the 51s pulled back in front in the ninth. Riley retired the side again in the ninth and picked up the win.

 

"They just kind of plucked back at us,'' said Barnwell, who extended his hitting streak to six games. "Then we scored again. It was a good game. Really both pitchers did a pretty good job keeping the score down."

 

What they said: "It was just a fastball, a good pitch to hit.'' ? Barnwell on his first-inning home run.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

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

 

Mason hits Stars' mute button

Huntsville can't solve Biscuits starter in 3-0 loss

By MARK McCARTER

Huntsville Times Sports Staff, markcolumn@aol.com

 

From a dozen runs one night to zero the next, there's a one-word explanation:

 

"Pitching," said Stars manager Don Money. Then, for emphasis, "pitching," he repeated.

 

The Montgomery Biscuits skunked the Stars 3-0 Tuesday night, holding Huntsville to only six hits. It was the fourth time this year the Stars (26-24) have been shut out.

 

Starter Chris Mason earned his league-leading seventh win, pitching seven innings and striking out seven Stars. He allowed only five hits, and got 10 of his other 11 outs on ground balls.

 

Then, to tidy things up in the ninth was reliever Dale Thayer, who has more saves than eight years of "Baywatch."

 

He set down the Stars 1-2-3 in the ninth to give him his 11th on the season, putting him in his customary spot as league leader in that category. While with Mobile the previous two seasons, before being swapped to the Tampa Bay organization last August, Thayer topped all relievers with 27 saves each year. Said Money, "He's a workhorse."

 

Huntsville starter Manny Parra struck out nine in six innings, but suffered his third loss against five wins.

 

With a tough act to follow today are the Biscuits' James Houser Jr. and the Stars' Adam Pettyjohn, the scheduled starters in the 12:05 Businessperson's Special. Night games Thursday and Friday will complete the homestand.

 

"You know the saying: On any given day, good pitching will stop good hitting," Money said.

 

But almost no kind of pitching can stop Evan Longoria, who is batting .349 for his career against Huntsville pitching.

 

With the Biscuits holding a precarious 1-0 lead, he erased potential drama with a two-run homer in the eighth off Robert Hinton.

 

It was Longoria's second homer this year against the Stars; last year, he ripped a three-run, third-inning homer to break apart the final game of the Southern League championship game between Huntsville and Montgomery.

 

"He impressed me from Day One," said Huntsville pitching coach Rich Sauveur. "He's going to have a nice career. He got two knocks off Manny on good pitches, and we made a mistake and he killed it. That's the sign of a good hitter."

 

The Stars did at least stop one good hitter. John Jaso went 0-for-4, ending a 31-game streak of reaching base.

 

Parra avoided trouble in the second when he put runners on first and second only to strike out back-to-back batters.

 

However, Patrick Breen's leadoff triple in the fifth was followed by a Josh Asanovich single and a 1-0 Biscuit lead.

 

Mason faced the minimum through four innings, then loaded the bases in the fifth with one out, aided by a Reid Brignac error on a coulda/shoulda double play ball.

 

However, Adam Heether, one of Monday's heroes, tapped to the mound on a check-swing for a pitcher-to-catcher-to-first rally dousing double play.

 

Ruben Mateo singled off Mason in the seventh, then moved around to third on a bunt and a fly, but Steve Moss whiffed to end the inning.

 

"We had one good chance," said Money. "When you face a good pitcher, you have to take advantage of mistakes."

[Mass Haas]

David Weiser's

 

www.starsboxscore.com/

 

HEETHER'S HITS A HIGH -- AND A LOW

Who was it that did that song, "You Can't Touch This"?...... M.C. Hammer, wasn't it?....... I think that could have been Chris Mason's refrain tonight......... Mason became the Southern League's first seven-game winner tonight, scattering five hits over seven innings. He was constantly ahead on hitters and went full to only one hitter -- Mel Stocker -- on his at-bat in the 6th....... Despite chances to get into scoring position in the 2nd and 3rd innings, the Stars didn't get their big chance until the 5th inning........ Adam Heether, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single to left in the 3rd, came up with the bases loaded in the 5th, and the Stars down 1-0 -- and hit into a 1-2-3 double play, tapping out to Mason on a checked swing with a 1-1 count on him to end the inning. After that, the Stars could only get one runner in scoring position the rest of the way.......

 

Ruben Mateo, with his first two-hit game since hitting two HRs and driving in five runs May 19, lined a two-hopper to right field to lead off the 7th. Drew Anderson sacrificed him to 2nd, then Mateo went to third on a deep fly ball to center by Carlos Corporan, but Steve Moss fanned on a breaking ball -- Mason's 9th strikeout -- to end the inning.

 

Mason stretched his voodoo spell to 13 innings without allowing an earned run against the Stars this season........ The Devil Rays' 23rd-ranked prospect by Baseball America, held the Stars scoreless in his last start on April 24 until Jeff Eure scored on a throwing error by Reid Brignac in the 5th inning. Montgomery won that game for Mason, 13-6....... Interestingly, of the 12 players in that game for the Stars that night, five have since been released (Eure, Ron Davenport, Mike Carlin, Luis Villareal, and Max St. Pierre, who was re-signed as a pitcher).

 

Evan Longoria, 3-for-22 on the road going into this game, singled, doubled, and lined a two-run home run off reliever Robert Hinton as the Biscuits silenced the Stars on a beautiful 84° night at the Joe before a modest Tuesday crowd....... Longoria had a chance to give Montgomery an early lead with a leadoff double to right-center in the 2nd inning, but was stranded there as Manny Parra struck out Shaun Cumberland and Patrick Breen to end the inning........ Parra, who had trouble controlling his fast ball his last time out, was splendid tonight, even buzzing a 96-mph strikeout pitch to Cumberland in the 6th, but the Stars, hitting .280 against Montgomery coming in, could not crack Mason and the Biscuit bullpen........

 

In the top of the 5th, the Biscuits got the help of their #8 hitter,.169-hitting Breen, to take the lead. On Parra's first pitch, Patrick Breen cracked a triple to left-center field. Josh Asanovich, 6-for-36 with runners in scoring position, then bounced a 1-1 pitch up the middle for a single to drive in Breen........ Longoria's home run came in the 8th after Carlos Corporan picked off Brooks Badeaux, who led off the inning with a single. Hinton then walked Reid Brignac on five pitches before Longoria lined a 1-2 pitch over the 2nd wall in left field. Drew Anderson looked back. Taking one or two steps, he knew it was gone.

 

Mason is the first pitcher I've ever seen to wear #1 on his uniform....... There are 19 games left in the first half, but the Stars were able to stay one back of the Smokies, who lost on a 9th inning home run by WT's Charlton Jimerson....... Scott Childers (brother of former Stars pitcher Matt and Jason) was missing from the umpiring crew for the 2nd straight day with back trouble. His replacement, Matt Schaufert, was the home plate ump tonight. Ria Cortesio, the only woman umpire in organized baseball, now in her 5th year in the league, will be behind the plate tomorrow. Cortesio, a native of Davenport, Iowa, told me she's next in line to go for the trip to Triple-A. This is her 9th year as a minor league ump.

 

Adam Pettyjohn (1-1, 4.81 this month) will start for the Stars in tomorrow's day game. He's coming off an eight-inning, four-hit performance against Mobile. The Stars are 12-4 in the daytime....... James Houser, a 2nd rounder who is ranked 21st among Tampa Bay's top prospects, will go for Montgomery. He has given up just one earned run in 16 1/3 innings over his last three starts....... Montgomery's bullpen is ranked 8th in ERA in the league with a 3.87 ERA. That is the result of research I've done going over all of MILB's box scores for the past week. They are near the bottom of the "STANDINGS" link to this site.

 

www.starsboxscore.com/standing.htm

 

Former Star Jeff Eure is struggling with his new club, the Wichita Wranglers of the Texas League. He's hitting .227 for them, and just .190 in his last 10 games, although he recently had a six-game hitting streak.

 

Manny Parra, who started six games this month, finished May with a 3-2 record and 3.41 ERA. He's currently 7th among Southern League ERA leaders with a 3.07 ERA and 2nd in strikeouts (60) to Birmingham's Gio Gonzalez....... The Stars are now 5th in the league in batting (.254) after finishing the first month with a .229 average. Tonight ended a streak of four straight games with 10 or more hits, which hadn't happened since the end of the 2005 season........ Can you believe Drew Anderson's torrid start? He's hit safely in eight straight games, and he even hiked his average from .464 tonight, and had a streak of five consecutive games with a double stopped Monday night........ Brendan Katin got a rest tonight after going 3-for-4, Monday, to raise his average to .263. Katin hit .210 in April.........Steve Sollmann, who went hitless tonight, has not had two hitless games in a row this season........

 

The Camden Riversharks of the independent Atlantic League have signed former Huntsville Stars infielder Milko Jaramillo. Jaramillo made his Huntsville Stars debut almost a year ago today (May 31)....... Ron Acuna, the Southern League's leading outfielder last year (flawless in 198 total chances), was released by the Long Island Ducks, also of the Atlantic League, last Thursday. Acuna hit .222 in eight games, but made no errors in the outfield....... Last year, he set a Stars record in the outfield with 19 assists.

 

Friday, the Stars will don pink jerseys which will be auctioned off with a starting bid of $25 in honor of breast cancer awareness. Fans with winning bids can choose to have the shirt of the player's back or have it washed, and for an additional $10, have it autographed......... All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.

[TheCrew07]

I searched youtube this morning and came up empty, did you have a chance to finish it Pogo?

[brewmann04]

Pogo Great update and much appreciated .

great news on Braddock.

[pogokat]

yeah, i uploaded to youtube, but the videos havent appeared yet...i may have dne something wrong...i'm working on getting them on google...the videos are huge, o it's taken all night with the desktop uploader for google video...check back later in the day...