Mariner Minors: 09/11/2005

Mariner Minors

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Game Recaps (9/17/05)

South Bend 4 (ARI), Wisconsin 0
Just like that, they’re gone. RHP Cibney Bello (L) pitched one hell of a game though, the end notwithstanding. Though his line of three runs on five hits (2 HR!) and a walk in six and two-thirds innings isn’t all that impressive, he did retire thirteen straight before a bunt base hit (followed by back-to-back HR, the first of which just barely cleared the wall) and struck out eight, a career high. I’ve dogged on Bello off and on, but his control has gotten considerably better in the transition to the rotation. He still gets flyouts like it’s going out of style, but one step at time. RHP Jon Lockwood went the next two and a third and gave up one more run on four hits, a wild pitch, and a walk while striking out three. LF Josh Womack (SB) had a couple of hits, but there wasn’t much else going on.

As long as I’m here, I’m going to note a couple of transactions that popped up on ESPN not long ago. With the PCL playoffs over, it looks like Choo and Rivera are headed up, and Bucky’s been outrighted (moved off the 40-man) to Tacoma.

Tacoma: Season Over (0-3 against Nashville, 3-2 against Sacramento in playoffs)
San Antonio: Season Over (2-3 in playoffs against Midland)
Inland Empire: Season Over
Wisconsin: Season Over (2-3 against South Bend, 2-0 against Clinton, 2-1 against Beloit)
Everett: Season Over
Peoria: Season Over
Aguirre: Season Over (0-2 in playoffs against Venoco #1)

Tacoma Rainiers: 80-64, .556, 1st (1 GA) in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 38-32 (76-64), .543 (.543), 1 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 30-40 (58-81), .429 (.417), 9 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 37-32 (76-63), .536 (.547), 1st (1.5 GA) in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 42-35, .553, 4.5 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 17-11 (26-29), .607 (.472), 1.5 GB in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 37-23-3, .617, 1st (1 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 39-30-1, .565, 4 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 434-388-4, .528

posted by Jay Y. @ 4:16 PM

Game Recaps (9/16/05)

Nashville 5 (MIL) Tacoma 2 (thirteen innings)
Sad way to end it, particularly considering I was going to head down tomorrow, had they won. LHP Damian Moss (PO) was solid through the first six innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits (HR), a hit batter, two walks, and two Ks. RHP Emiliano Fruto went the next two innings, walking one and striking out two, then RHP Jeff Heaverlo filled in for two after that, giving up a hit and a free pass. RHP Sean Green pitched two and a third after that, walking one and striking out three, before he got the hook and was replaced by LHP Andrew Lorraine (L). That’s where the troubles began, as an error and a walk with two outs brought in RHP Cha Seung Baek, who gave up a three-run bomb before recording the third out. C Rene Rivera (2B) had two hits and a walk, and CF T.J. Bohn (2B, 2 RBI) doubled as well. 3B Justin Leone had a hit in the bottom of the thirteenth, but DH Bucky Jacobsen struck out in a pinch-hit appearance to end the season.

South Bend 6 (ARI), Wisconsin 11
T-Rats force a deciding game five! LHP Shawn Nottingham (W) gave up four runs on eleven hits and three walks against four Ks in six and two-thirds innings of work. RHP Ivan Blanco followed up with an inning and a third, walking two and striking out one, then LHP Donny Langdon gave up two runs on a hit and two walks against a K in a third of an inning. RHP Justin Jordan gave up a hit to score two of Langdon’s runs and struck out one in the final two-thirds. The big second inning five-run rally went like this…

· Matt Tuiasosopo singles on a line drive to center fielder Jereme Milons.
· Brandon Green walks. Matt Tuiasosopo to 2nd.
· Josh Womack strikes out swinging.
· Brent Johnson singles on a line drive to right fielder Carlos Gonzales. Matt Tuiasosopo scores. Brandon Green to 3rd. Brent Johnson to 2nd on the throw.
· Oswaldo Navarro walks.
· Jeff Clement out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Carlos Gonzales. Brandon Green scores. Oswaldo Navarro to 2nd. Brent Johnson advances to 3rd, on throwing error by right fielder Carlos Gonzales.
· Michael Wilson homers (1) on a fly ball to left field. Brent Johnson scores. Oswaldo Navarro scores.
· Thomas Hubbard strikes out swinging.

Wilson (2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI) had three hits total, while Tui (2B, R, 2 RBI) and Johnson (R, 2 RBI) added two. Navarro (2B, 2 R), Clement (2B, 2 RBI), and 1B Brandon Green (2B, R, RBI) all had doubles. Navarro also walked twice, as did Hubbard (2 R).

Today’s Games:
Tacoma: Season over (0-3 against Nashville, 3-2 against Sacramento in playoffs)
San Antonio: Season Over (2-3 in playoffs against Midland)
Inland Empire: Season Over
Wisconsin: RHP Cibney Bello, at Appleton, @ 11:05 am PT (2-2 against South Bend, 2-0 against Clinton, 2-1 against Beloit)
Everett: Season Over
Peoria: Season Over
Aguirre: Season Over (0-2 in playoffs against Venoco #1)

Tacoma Rainiers: 80-64, .556, 1st (1 GA) in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 38-32 (76-64), .543 (.543), 1 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 30-40 (58-81), .429 (.417), 9 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 37-32 (76-63), .536 (.547), 1st (1.5 GA) in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 42-35, .553, 4.5 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 17-11 (26-29), .607 (.472), 1.5 GB in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 37-23-3, .617, 1st (1 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 39-30-1, .565, 4 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 434-388-4, .528

posted by Jay Y. @ 1:18 AM

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Game Recaps (9/15/05)

South Bend 0 (ARI), Wisconsin 1
Well, there was a game today, and LHP Robert Rohrbaugh (W) was excellent, going eight innings and giving up three hits and two walks while striking out seven to hand South Bend what I believe is their first loss in this year’s playoffs. RHP Stephen Kahn (S) had a hit and a strikeout in the ninth to get the save. The one run the T-Rats managed to score looked like this…

· Pitcher Change: Chris Thompson replaces Hipolito Guerrero.
· Brent Johnson walks.
· Oswaldo Navarro out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Chris Thompson to second baseman Emilio Bonifacio. Brent Johnson to 2nd.
· Chris Thompson intentionally walks Jeff Clement.
· Michael Wilson strikes out swinging.
· Pitcher Change: Todd Stein replaces Chris Thompson.
· Thomas Hubbard walks. Brent Johnson to 3rd. Jeff Clement to 2nd.
· Pitcher Change: Josh Perrault replaces Todd Stein.
· Chris Colton walks. Brent Johnson scores. Jeff Clement to 3rd. Thomas Hubbard to 2nd.
· Matt Tuiasosopo flies out to right fielder Carlos Gonzales.

Not particularly dramatic, but I’ll take it, considering it kept them alive for another game.

Tomorrow’s Games:
Tacoma: LHP Damian Moss, at Tacoma, @ 7:05 pm PT (0-2 against Nashville, 3-2 against Sacramento)
San Antonio: Season Over (2-3 in playoffs against Midland)
Inland Empire: Season Over
Wisconsin: LHP Shawn Nottingham, at Appleton, @ 4:35 pm PT (1-2 against South Bend, 2-0 against Clinton, 2-1 against Beloit)
Everett: Season Over
Peoria: Season Over
Aguirre: Season Over (0-2 in playoffs against Venoco #1)

Tacoma Rainiers: 80-64, .556, 1st (1 GA) in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 38-32 (76-64), .543 (.543), 1 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 30-40 (58-81), .429 (.417), 9 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 37-32 (76-63), .536 (.547), 1st (1.5 GA) in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 42-35, .553, 4.5 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 17-11 (26-29), .607 (.472), 1.5 GB in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 37-23-3, .617, 1st (1 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 39-30-1, .565, 4 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 434-388-4, .528

posted by Jay Y. @ 9:48 PM

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Game Recaps (9/14/05)

Errors were the name of the game for both teams, as six of those and a passed ball led to seven unearned runs scoring. The Rainiers at the T-Rats are out to a 0-2 start to the five game series.

Tacoma 5, Nashville 11 (MIL)
RHP Jesse Foppert (E, L) gave up seven runs (five earned) on six hits, a wild pitch, a hit batter, and two walks against three strikeouts in two and two-thirds innings of work. RHP Sean Green (E) took over for an inning and a third after that, giving up another two unearned runs on two hits against a K. RHP Mike Bumstead went two frames after that, with a hit, a wild pitch, and three strikeouts to show for it, then RHP Jeff Heaverlo gave up a hit in the seventh. RHP Masao Kida allowed two runs to score in the ninth on three hits (HR), a hit batter, a walk, and a couple of strikeouts. RF Abraham Nunez (2B, HR) and CF T.J. Bohn (HR, 2 RBI) had a couple of hits, 3B Justin Leone (HR, 2 R, E) hit his second home run of the series (Bohn too), and 2B Hunter Brown (R, E) was 1-for-2 with a couple of walks.

Wisconsin 1, South Bend 4 (ARI)
Well, the ! in the schedule last night was well-deserved, as RHP Aaron Jensen (PO, L), defense aside, pitched a solid game. Unfortunately, the other guy outpitched him by a good margin. Anyway, Jensen went six and two-thirds innings and gave up four runs (one earned) on four hits (HR), a hit batter, and four walks against three Ks. RHP Stephen Grasley walked one over the last inning and a third. 2B Oswaldo Navarro (2B, R) and LF Josh Womack (2B) both had extra-base hits, but the T-rats were held to just four hits and a walk total, while striking out eight times.

Friday’s Games:
Tacoma: LHP Damian Moss, at Tacoma, @ 7:05 pm PT (0-2 against Nashville, 3-2 against Sacramento)
San Antonio: Season Over (2-3 in playoffs against Midland)
Inland Empire: Season Over
Wisconsin: LHP Robert Rohrbaugh, at Appleton, @ 4:30 pm PT (0-2 against South Bend, 2-0 against Clinton, 2-1 against Beloit)
Everett: Season Over
Peoria: Season Over
Aguirre: Season Over (0-2 in playoffs against Venoco #1)

Tacoma Rainiers: 80-64, .556, 1st (1 GA) in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 38-32 (76-64), .543 (.543), 1 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 30-40 (58-81), .429 (.417), 9 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 37-32 (76-63), .536 (.547), 1st (1.5 GA) in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 42-35, .553, 4.5 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 17-11 (26-29), .607 (.472), 1.5 GB in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 37-23-3, .617, 1st (1 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 39-30-1, .565, 4 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 434-388-4, .528

posted by Jay Y. @ 8:40 PM

Brunadage and Bubela Up

Yesterday, Jaime Bubela got his call to the 40-man with the injury to Jamal Strong, and today, his manager, Dave Brundage, got to join the coaching staff for the upcoming road trip.

Bubela, I've refered to as sort of a poor man's Scott Podsednik, with a litte more power and a little less speed, though it's still more than enough to make an impact on the game. The org loved him for many years but he was sidetracked for quite a while by various maladies. Good guy, toolsy, fan favorite, but not exactly a prospect. Whether this is a Mickey Lopez type call-up or something more, it's kind of hard to tell, but the M's are heading to Texas soon, and he is from the Houston, so it's a nice little favor to get him some MLB playing time in his home state.

Brundage, I'm a lot more excited about. They lost about as many players to Tacoma as Tacoma did to Seattle, but Brundy kept them in it 'til the end, though they didn't experience the second-half surge that they usually do. I'd love to see the guy get a position on the MLB coaching staff soon, but I'll save that for another post.

And if you haven't already checked out John Sickels' recent comments on Felix Hernandez and Adam Jones, do so.

posted by Jay Y. @ 2:52 PM

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Game Recaps (9/13/05)

Tacoma 6, Nashville 8 (MIL)
What? All right, so LHP Bobby Livingston (L), who had only given up a home run every 16.5 innings for his minor league career, served up five meatballs out of eight hits total. That translated to six runs against five strikeouts in five innings of work. RHP Cha Seung Baek didn’t fare so well relieving him either, though he kept them inside the park while giving up two runs on four hits against two Ks in the final three innings of work. For the offense, LF-Shin-soo Choo (2B, 2 R) and 1B Aaron Rifkin both had three hits, while RF Abraham Nunez (SB, RBI), DH Wiki Gonzalez (HR), and CF T.J. Bohn (HR, SB) had two apiece. 3B Justin Leone (HR, 2 RBI) also hit a home run, which makes it eight in the game between the two teams. But despite outhitting Nashville 15-12, the Rainiers couldn’t get it done.

Wisconsin 4, South Bend 6 (ARI)
Another two-run loss. RHP Mark Lowe (L) gave up six runs on eleven hits (2 HR!), two wild pitches, and two walks against seven Ks over six+ innings of work. RHP Jon Lockwood gave up a hit and a walk while punching out three over the final two frames. 3B Brent Johnson (2 R) and RF Mike Wilson (RBI, A) both had three hits, and DH Matt Tuiasosopo (HR) hit a home run in the fourth, but there wasn’t much else going on for the offense.

Tomorrow’s Games:
Tacoma: RHP Jesse Foppert, at Nashville, @ 5:00 pm PT (0-1 against Nashville, 3-2 against Sacramento)
San Antonio: Season Over (2-3 in playoffs against Midland)
Inland Empire: Season Over
Wisconsin: RHP Aaron Jensen (!), at South Bend, @ 5:00 pm PT (0-1 against South Bend, 2-0 against Clinton, 2-1 against Beloit)
Everett: Season Over
Peoria: Season Over
Aguirre: Season Over (0-2 in playoffs against Venoco #1)

Tacoma Rainiers: 80-64, .556, 1st (1 GA) in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 38-32 (76-64), .543 (.543), 1 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 30-40 (58-81), .429 (.417), 9 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 37-32 (76-63), .536 (.547), 1st (1.5 GA) in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 42-35, .553, 4.5 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 17-11 (26-29), .607 (.472), 1.5 GB in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 37-23-3, .617, 1st (1 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 39-30-1, .565, 4 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 434-388-4, .528

posted by Jay Y. @ 9:49 PM

Outfield Shuffle

Depending on your source, either Jaime Bubela, Wladimir Balentien, or Shin-soo Choo will be called up now that Jamal Strong is on the DL (what, no Bohn?). I'd say Choo is the strongest possibility, but how soon depends on how the Rainiers do in the playoffs.

Also, because I haven't mentioned it anywhere else (transactions are officially done for the year), I'd like to point out the LHP Robert Rohrbaugh and RHP Stephen Kahn are in Wisconsin at the expense of LHP Julio Santiago and LHP Eric O'Flaherty, respectively. As both were coming along towards the end, this is a disappointment, but how bad the injuries really are, I don't know. With O'Flaherty, it's been some minor elbow tendonitis, but I haven't heard anything on Santiago, which has generally been the trend for him. When he's healthy, he can be a force, but he comes and goes without warning.

posted by Jay Y. @ 12:28 AM

Sunday, September 11, 2005

Game Recaps (9/11/05)

Tacoma and Wisconsin are both going to their league’s playoffs!

Tacoma 5, Sacramento 3 (OAK) (eleven innings)
Another intense game, but coming back from a 0-2 series deficit is unbelievable to begin with. RHP Chris Buglovsky was solid for seven and one-third innings, giving up nine hits and two walks without allowing a runner to score. Bugs also struck out four. RHP Emiliano Fruto, despite being solid in the playoffs thus far, blew the save opp, giving up two runs on two hits (HR) against four Ks in the next inning and a third. LHP Andrew Lorraine got the first out of the tenth, and then RHP Jeff Heaverlo (W) pitched the next inning and a third, giving up three hits and two walks while striking out two. RHP Sean Green (S) struck out Jack Cust with the bases loaded to get the tough save. The whole reason Heaverlo got the win was a Rainiers rally in the top of the eleventh that looked something like this…

· Wiki Gonzalez hit by pitch.
· Hunter Brown reaches on force attempt, throwing error by pitcher Jairo Garcia. Wiki Gonzalez to 3rd.
· With Aaron Rifkin batting, Hunter Brown advances to 2nd on defensive indifference.
· Aaron Rifkin grounds out to first baseman Shawn Garrett.
· Ryan Christianson singles on a ground ball to left fielder Jack Cust. Wiki Gonzalez scores. Hunter Brown to 3rd.
· T. J. BohnJr. walks. Ryan Christianson to 2nd.
· Pitcher Change: Andy Shibilo replaces Jairo Garcia.
· Asdrubal Cabrera singles on a line drive to center fielder Charles Thomas. Hunter Brown scores. Ryan Christianson scores. J. BohnJr. out at 3rd on the throw, center fielder Charles Thomas to third baseman Andrew Beattie.
· Shin-Soo Choo singles on a line drive to left fielder Jack Cust. Asdrubal Cabrera to 2nd.
· Justin Leone singles on a ground ball to third baseman Andrew Beattie. Asdrubal Cabrera to 3rd. Shin-Soo Choo to 2nd.
· Abraham Nunez strikes out swinging.

Leone (HR) and Cabrera (2 RBI) had two hits overall, with Asdrubal walking twice as well. Nunez (2B, R) also doubled and scored earlier in the game.

Clinton 0 (TEX), Wisconsin 16
Clinton got bombed. Extending that thought to a full recap, RHP Cibney Bello (W) held them to two hits, a wild pitch, and three walks with six Ks in six innings of work, and RHP Stephen Kahn, RHP Jason Snyder, and RHP Ivan Blanco shut them down the rest of the way. Kahn, up from Everett, struck out one, and Snyder and Blanco both had a hit and two strikeouts, though Snyder had a wild pitch as well. It’s hard to pick out just one offensive producer who stood out, and it’s a close tie between SS Oswaldo Navarro (2 2B, 2 R, 5 RBI), who was 4-for-5 with a walk, and RF Mike Wilson (2B, HR, 6 RBI), who was 2-for-4 with a walk and hit a grand slam in the third. Also with two hits were 3B Brent Johnson (2B, 3 R, RBI) and DH Matt Tuiasosopo (HR, 3 R, 2 RBI), and PH-3B-1B Brandon Green (R) and PH-LF Luis Soto (R) both had pinch-hit singles.

Tuesday’s Games:
Tacoma: TBA, at Nashville, @ 5:00 pm PT (3-2 against Sacramento)
San Antonio: Season Over (2-3 in playoffs against Midland)
Inland Empire: Season Over
Wisconsin: RHP Mark Lowe, at South Bend, @ 5:00 pm PT (2-0 against Clinton, 2-1 against Beloit)
Everett: Season Over
Peoria: Season Over
Aguirre: Season Over (0-2 in playoffs against Venoco #1)

Tacoma Rainiers: 80-64, .556, 1st (1 GA) in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 38-32 (76-64), .543 (.543), 1 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 30-40 (58-81), .429 (.417), 9 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 37-32 (76-63), .536 (.547), 1st (1.5 GA) in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 42-35, .553, 4.5 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 17-11 (26-29), .607 (.472), 1.5 GB in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 37-23-3, .617, 1st (1 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 39-30-1, .565, 4 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 434-388-4, .528

posted by Jay Y. @ 11:36 PM