Happy Birthday to ~
LHP Chris Lee (22)
Drafted by Houston in the fourth round in 2011 and originally from Tampa, Florida, Lee has spent the 2014 season with the Quad Cities team. In 25 appearances (14 starts), he is 6-6 with a 4.04 ERA and a 1.545 WHIP.
RHP Chad Qualls (36)
A second round pick by Houston in 2000, Qualls pitched for Houston from 2004 to 2007. In 262 games, he was 24-12 with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.236 WHIP. He appeared in 3 games in the 2005 World Series with a 1.69 ERA and a 0.938 WHIP. In December 2007 he was included in a trade with Arizona for Jose Valverde. After pitching for seven different teams in the ensuing years, he came full circle, signing with Houston as a free agent in December 2013. In 46 appearances this season, he is 1-3 with 13 saves, a 3.29 ERA and a 1.220 WHIP.
Three former Astros mark the day as well ~
RHP John Buzhardt (died June 15, 2008 at age 71)
Buzhardt came to Houston from the Orioles in September of 1967 and pitched in only one game in 1967 and an additional 39 games in 1968 at the end of his career. Buzhardt compiled a 4-4 record with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.281 WHIP.
RHP Brett Myers (34)
A first round pick by the Phillies in 1999, Meyers came to Houston as a free agent in January 2010 and pitched for the Astros until the July 2012 trade that sent him to the White Sox. In 102 games (66 starts), he was 21-26 with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.280 WHIP with 19 saves.
2B/SS Tyler Greene (30)
Greene was a first round draft pick by the Cardinals in 2005 and came to Houston in August 2012 in a trade with St. Louis for a PTBNL or cash. In 39 games for Houston in 2012, Greene hit .246/.278/.460. He was released by the Astros in March 2013 and signed as a free agent with the White Sox in April. He is currently playing for the AAA affiliate of the Padres.
A LOOK AT THE ASTROS MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM
Showing posts with label Chris Lee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chris Lee. Show all posts
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Thursday, October 31, 2013
It Was a Very Big Year For ...
Back in March, I wrote a piece about a few pitchers for whom I declared, "This is going to be a very big year." I would like to revisit what I said back in March and what ultimately happened with each of them. The article, in full, follows with updates.
A couple weeks ago, I wrote this piece about a few position players for whom THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG YEAR. This is something I heard time and again in my recent conversations with John Manuel of Baseball America, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com and others. With the Astros depth increasing, players will need to step up to keep up. For some, it may be a matter of staying healthy. For some, it will be recapturing earlier promise. For some, it will be taking that next step developmentally. Today, let's look at a few pitchers whose ultimate fate in the organization may be either helped or hindered by the year they have.
RHP Paul Clemens
Going into the 2012 season, Paul Clemens was ranked as the number 5 prospect in the Astros system by Baseball America. Coming into the 2013 season, he is ranked at number 27. What happened? Clemens struggled in 20 starts at AAA Oklahoma City (6.73 ERA and 1.741 WHIP) before being demoted to Corpus Christi at the end of the season. Clemens has a great deal of talent and I don't think the 25-year old will be going anywhere even if he has another subpar year in 2013. However, after seeing him pitch extremely effectively out of the bullpen in Kissimmee during Spring Training, I am convinced that he may eventually get moved in that direction unless he can start showing a more consistent and effective approach in his starts at the higher level.
UPDATE: Clemens made one appearance in Oklahoma City before making his major league debut on April 9th. He was used out of the bullpen with mixed results until struggles in July sent him back to Oklahoma City for a few games. When he got back to Houston, he was used as a starter in his final five appearances compiling a 3.71 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP in those games. As a reliever in Houston, his overall ERA was 6.32 with a 1.447 WHIP. When you back out his six appearances in July (when he was less than effective), that is lowered substantially to a 4.46 ERA and a 1.264 WHIP. None of those numbers are overwhelming one way or the other, but overall it was a decent season for a rookie. One thing I like about Clemens is that he always pitches like he's totally po'd at the world. Somehow, it works for him. Overall, though, I'm still a bit baffled by Clemens and I'm not sure where things will ultimately shake out for him, so I think it is safe to say that 2014 will be another big year for Paul.
RHP Josh Zeid
Josh Zeid is one of those guys that you cannot help but pull for. He is extremely nice and genuine, and he was probably one of the best teammates and biggest cheerleaders on the Hooks team last season. He also has excellent "stuff." What he doesn't have is consistency, but it is my sincerest belief that Zeid's lack of consistency is 99% mental. He needs to master the mental part of the game to get to the next level.
UPDATE: What a difference a season makes! After a solid season with Oklahoma City in which Zeid had a 3.50 ERA and a 1.443 WHIP, he was promoted to Houston where he made his major league debut on July 30th. After a couple of dicey outings early on, Zeid settled in very nicely and allowed only five earned runs in his last 18 appearances (and only one in his last nine outings) to end up with a 3.90 ERA and a 1.373 WHIP after the promotion. More importantly, he wasn't quite as prone to the BIG inning as he had been in 2012 and lowered his batting average allowed from .263 in 2012 to .238 in 2013. I would still like to see him cut back on his walks, but overall it was a good major league debut. When I posited my theory about Zeid's issues being primarily mental, a source told me that I was on to something and that he had seen a huge change in Zeid after his 2012 off-season marriage in that he seemed more relaxed and focused.
LHP Kyle Hallock
Hallock, the 10th round pick in 2011, had a very good freshman season with Tri-City that year but was largely ineffective in his seven appearances at Lexington. He ultimately had surgery to clean out loose bodies in his pitching elbow and was healthy enough to make five rehab appearances at the end of the season. If Hallock proves to be healthy and can recreate his excellent 2011 numbers, the 24-year old could open some eyes this season.
UPDATE: Hallock had a bit of an odd season and was moved five times among four levels. Overall, he did very well early in the season, but suffered in the latter couple of months. I'm only speculating, but I wonder if he was suffering from arm fatigue later in the season since his innings went from 30+ in 2012 (due to the surgery) to 96+ in 2013. Early in the season, Hallock pitched extremely well in Oklahoma City in nine appearances (3.72 ERA and 1.293 WHIP) and he pitched the first five innings of a combined no-hitter in Lancaster in May. But in 12 appearances in July and August at Lancaster and Corpus Christi, he had a whopping 13.35 ERA and a 2.629 WHIP. Whether this was due to fatigue or injury, I don't know, but the vast difference in the halves of the season seem to suggest something of the sort.
RHP Tanner Bushue
Drafted in the second round in 2009, Bushue took a giant step backward in his development in 2012 as he struggled badly at Lexington at the start of the season and was subsequently sent back to extended Spring Training. He ended up back in Greeneville where he made 16 appearances, all but one out of the bullpen, and ended with a 5.65 ERA, a 1.849 WHIP and 10.7 SO/9 at the level. He finished the season very strongly, however, with a 0.57 ERA, 0.894 WHIP and 13.2 SO/9 in August in seven long relief outings. There is still time for Bushue to get back on track as he will only be 22 in June, but coming into his fifth season in the system, he has a lot to prove and he will need to do so quickly and emphatically.
UPDATE: Bushue started off the season well in Tri-City, but did not dominate as he should have playing A-level ball in his fifth professional season. He ended the season with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.082 WHIP in 13 games (seven starts). In a footnote to a story about the Tri-City playoffs, the Albany Times Union reported that Bushue was retiring. And thus appears to end the professional career of the Astros second round pick from 2009 at the ripe old age of 22.
LHP Chris Lee
There are two reasons that the fourth round 2011 pick is probably not in danger of being released if he doesn't have a good season. He won't turn 21 until August and he's a lefty. Lefties always get extra looks. But with the infusion of left-handed pitching into the system by Jeff Luhnow and another draft imminent, he could find himself stuck back in Greeneville for his third season. If he can't find his way out of Greeneville and competing effectively at a higher level by the end of the season, all bets are off. Lee only pitched eight and two-thirds innings in five games in 2012 and had very poor results. He was never officially placed on the disabled list, but did not pitch again after July 26th.
UPDATE: This is my favorite story of the five pitchers profiled. Yes, he was back at Greeneville, but he dominated there. There is no reason to believe that he won't get a shot to play for full season Quad Cities in 2014. And if he pitches anything like he did this season, he should be successful. In 11 games (10 starts), he had a 3.10 ERA and a 1.095 WHIP. I had the opportunity to watch him pitch when I was in Greeneville and I can tell you that he really is an exciting player to watch. He is officially on my radar screen now. My interview with Lee (with copious quotes from Manager Josh Bonifay about Lee) can be found here.
Undoubtedly, 2013 will prove to be a BIG YEAR for many players in the Astros organization. These are just a few that I'm keeping my eye on.
A couple weeks ago, I wrote this piece about a few position players for whom THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG YEAR. This is something I heard time and again in my recent conversations with John Manuel of Baseball America, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com and others. With the Astros depth increasing, players will need to step up to keep up. For some, it may be a matter of staying healthy. For some, it will be recapturing earlier promise. For some, it will be taking that next step developmentally. Today, let's look at a few pitchers whose ultimate fate in the organization may be either helped or hindered by the year they have.
RHP Paul Clemens
Going into the 2012 season, Paul Clemens was ranked as the number 5 prospect in the Astros system by Baseball America. Coming into the 2013 season, he is ranked at number 27. What happened? Clemens struggled in 20 starts at AAA Oklahoma City (6.73 ERA and 1.741 WHIP) before being demoted to Corpus Christi at the end of the season. Clemens has a great deal of talent and I don't think the 25-year old will be going anywhere even if he has another subpar year in 2013. However, after seeing him pitch extremely effectively out of the bullpen in Kissimmee during Spring Training, I am convinced that he may eventually get moved in that direction unless he can start showing a more consistent and effective approach in his starts at the higher level.
UPDATE: Clemens made one appearance in Oklahoma City before making his major league debut on April 9th. He was used out of the bullpen with mixed results until struggles in July sent him back to Oklahoma City for a few games. When he got back to Houston, he was used as a starter in his final five appearances compiling a 3.71 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP in those games. As a reliever in Houston, his overall ERA was 6.32 with a 1.447 WHIP. When you back out his six appearances in July (when he was less than effective), that is lowered substantially to a 4.46 ERA and a 1.264 WHIP. None of those numbers are overwhelming one way or the other, but overall it was a decent season for a rookie. One thing I like about Clemens is that he always pitches like he's totally po'd at the world. Somehow, it works for him. Overall, though, I'm still a bit baffled by Clemens and I'm not sure where things will ultimately shake out for him, so I think it is safe to say that 2014 will be another big year for Paul.
RHP Josh Zeid
Josh Zeid is one of those guys that you cannot help but pull for. He is extremely nice and genuine, and he was probably one of the best teammates and biggest cheerleaders on the Hooks team last season. He also has excellent "stuff." What he doesn't have is consistency, but it is my sincerest belief that Zeid's lack of consistency is 99% mental. He needs to master the mental part of the game to get to the next level.
UPDATE: What a difference a season makes! After a solid season with Oklahoma City in which Zeid had a 3.50 ERA and a 1.443 WHIP, he was promoted to Houston where he made his major league debut on July 30th. After a couple of dicey outings early on, Zeid settled in very nicely and allowed only five earned runs in his last 18 appearances (and only one in his last nine outings) to end up with a 3.90 ERA and a 1.373 WHIP after the promotion. More importantly, he wasn't quite as prone to the BIG inning as he had been in 2012 and lowered his batting average allowed from .263 in 2012 to .238 in 2013. I would still like to see him cut back on his walks, but overall it was a good major league debut. When I posited my theory about Zeid's issues being primarily mental, a source told me that I was on to something and that he had seen a huge change in Zeid after his 2012 off-season marriage in that he seemed more relaxed and focused.
LHP Kyle Hallock
Hallock, the 10th round pick in 2011, had a very good freshman season with Tri-City that year but was largely ineffective in his seven appearances at Lexington. He ultimately had surgery to clean out loose bodies in his pitching elbow and was healthy enough to make five rehab appearances at the end of the season. If Hallock proves to be healthy and can recreate his excellent 2011 numbers, the 24-year old could open some eyes this season.
UPDATE: Hallock had a bit of an odd season and was moved five times among four levels. Overall, he did very well early in the season, but suffered in the latter couple of months. I'm only speculating, but I wonder if he was suffering from arm fatigue later in the season since his innings went from 30+ in 2012 (due to the surgery) to 96+ in 2013. Early in the season, Hallock pitched extremely well in Oklahoma City in nine appearances (3.72 ERA and 1.293 WHIP) and he pitched the first five innings of a combined no-hitter in Lancaster in May. But in 12 appearances in July and August at Lancaster and Corpus Christi, he had a whopping 13.35 ERA and a 2.629 WHIP. Whether this was due to fatigue or injury, I don't know, but the vast difference in the halves of the season seem to suggest something of the sort.
RHP Tanner Bushue
Drafted in the second round in 2009, Bushue took a giant step backward in his development in 2012 as he struggled badly at Lexington at the start of the season and was subsequently sent back to extended Spring Training. He ended up back in Greeneville where he made 16 appearances, all but one out of the bullpen, and ended with a 5.65 ERA, a 1.849 WHIP and 10.7 SO/9 at the level. He finished the season very strongly, however, with a 0.57 ERA, 0.894 WHIP and 13.2 SO/9 in August in seven long relief outings. There is still time for Bushue to get back on track as he will only be 22 in June, but coming into his fifth season in the system, he has a lot to prove and he will need to do so quickly and emphatically.
UPDATE: Bushue started off the season well in Tri-City, but did not dominate as he should have playing A-level ball in his fifth professional season. He ended the season with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.082 WHIP in 13 games (seven starts). In a footnote to a story about the Tri-City playoffs, the Albany Times Union reported that Bushue was retiring. And thus appears to end the professional career of the Astros second round pick from 2009 at the ripe old age of 22.
LHP Chris Lee
There are two reasons that the fourth round 2011 pick is probably not in danger of being released if he doesn't have a good season. He won't turn 21 until August and he's a lefty. Lefties always get extra looks. But with the infusion of left-handed pitching into the system by Jeff Luhnow and another draft imminent, he could find himself stuck back in Greeneville for his third season. If he can't find his way out of Greeneville and competing effectively at a higher level by the end of the season, all bets are off. Lee only pitched eight and two-thirds innings in five games in 2012 and had very poor results. He was never officially placed on the disabled list, but did not pitch again after July 26th.
UPDATE: This is my favorite story of the five pitchers profiled. Yes, he was back at Greeneville, but he dominated there. There is no reason to believe that he won't get a shot to play for full season Quad Cities in 2014. And if he pitches anything like he did this season, he should be successful. In 11 games (10 starts), he had a 3.10 ERA and a 1.095 WHIP. I had the opportunity to watch him pitch when I was in Greeneville and I can tell you that he really is an exciting player to watch. He is officially on my radar screen now. My interview with Lee (with copious quotes from Manager Josh Bonifay about Lee) can be found here.
Undoubtedly, 2013 will prove to be a BIG YEAR for many players in the Astros organization. These are just a few that I'm keeping my eye on.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
An Interview with LHP Chris Lee
I was very impressed with what I saw from Lee earlier this month and I talked with Greeneville Manager Josh Bonifay about the young lefty. Bonifay became rather animated when discussing Lee, "Oh, that’s an amazing arm. It really is. He’s got a very live arm, a very live fastball. He’s still working on command of all of his pitches. Once all of that comes into play, I think you’re going to see one heck of a big leaguer. That’s just my own personal opinion. It’s just live. It’s live. Hitters have a tough time. It’s a quick little arm stroke. Poof. And it gets on you so fast. He’s got to learn to slow the game down a little bit. There’s some things that he has to learn how to do. Holding runners and making sure he’s doing all the fundamentals, where he supposed to be on cutoffs and relays, where he’s supposed to be on bunt plays, and just slow the game down. He’s still a very young kid, but he’s just got a very bright future in my mind. A real bright future. Once he pitches more, more experience on the mound, more experience with everything taking place, how fast the game is, he’ll slow it down and then once he slows it down, then you’re really going to see him take off. He’s got an amazing arm."
Chris Lee - August 2013
Photo by Jayne Hansen
I sat down and talked with Lee when I was in Greeneville earlier this month and this is what he had to say (edited for brevity and clarity) ~
WTH: You got shut down after only a few innings in 2012. What was the issue?
CL: I ran into a little tightness in my shoulder which I was working out, and the manager and I decided that it was better for the team for me to go down to rehab it and get it stronger and come back the next year.
WTH: Can you tell me a little about your pitch repertoire?
CL: I think my best pitch is my fastball. I sit between 93-94 and run up to 96. My other pitches that I like to throw are a hard slider, curveball and change up.
WTH: What do you feel like you've accomplished so far this season and what do you still need to work on?
CL: I accomplished getting more innings in, throwing more strikes and not as many walks like I did my first two years. I’m just adjusting better to the game and everything is coming together piece by piece. Just keep focusing, training hard, pounding the strike zone.
WTH: What do you bring to the game?
CL: I’m really competitive. I can be in a situation, trying to get out of it and I just try to pound the fastball in or out. I’ll try to beat you with my fastball and then go to my off-speed. I have a lot of confidence in my pitches.
WTH: What Astros pitcher has a pitch you'd like to steal?
CL: I don’t know that there’s any I’d like to steal really, just try to be my own person. [I pressed Lee further on the question.] Jarred Cosart is a great pitcher, has a great fastball. Anyone would want to throw 100 miles an hour.
WTH: What Astros hitter would you least like to face?
CL: I’ll face anyone, actually. It doesn’t matter. It’s all about hitting your locations. If you have a good location when you pitch, you’re unhittable. Pitching is a numbers game.
WTH: Is there anyone who you particularly like to have behind you in the field when you're playing?
CL: I trust all my fielders. I have all the confidence in the world in my fielders. Once I get a ground ball, I know they’re going to make the play, and if they can’t make the play, the ball was hit too hard. I need to make a better pitch.
WTH: Who on the team makes you laugh?
CL: I’d say Chase McDonald. He’s a funny dude. He gets mad. If you see him hit a home run, he gets mad at that ball. But once he’s in the dugout, he’ll pick you up when you’re down. Good man to be around.
WTH: Can you tell me something about yourself that most people don't know and might be surprised to hear?
CL: I really love video games. To get my mind off baseball, relax, I’ll be on video games all day. [What's your favorite game?] Madden '13 Football.
WTH: What would you do if you couldn't play baseball?
CL: I probably would have kept playing football back in high school, just kept on grinding at it. I played my junior year and I was on Blue Chip. I was a prospect. I had a few small D2 schools looking at me for full scholarship, but then I decided to quit that and focus on baseball. I figured I’d have a way better chance of making it in baseball than football. [What did you play?] Safety.
WTH: What do you think about the changes to the Astros system in the three years you've been in the system?
CL: I believe that they’ve changed for the better. We got new colors, new people upstairs, new coaches, everyone in the right spot. Everything’s coming together and were going to be up there in a few years, one of the top teams.
WTH: How do you feel about the increased competition with the influx of lefty pitchers into the system?
CL: I think of myself as one of the best people in the organization, so I just keep grinding. Train hard off-season, come back spring training pounding the fastball, throwing harder, doing all the little things right.
WTH: What Astros hitter would you least like to face?
CL: I’ll face anyone, actually. It doesn’t matter. It’s all about hitting your locations. If you have a good location when you pitch, you’re unhittable. Pitching is a numbers game.
WTH: Is there anyone who you particularly like to have behind you in the field when you're playing?
CL: I trust all my fielders. I have all the confidence in the world in my fielders. Once I get a ground ball, I know they’re going to make the play, and if they can’t make the play, the ball was hit too hard. I need to make a better pitch.
WTH: Who on the team makes you laugh?
CL: I’d say Chase McDonald. He’s a funny dude. He gets mad. If you see him hit a home run, he gets mad at that ball. But once he’s in the dugout, he’ll pick you up when you’re down. Good man to be around.
WTH: Can you tell me something about yourself that most people don't know and might be surprised to hear?
CL: I really love video games. To get my mind off baseball, relax, I’ll be on video games all day. [What's your favorite game?] Madden '13 Football.
WTH: What would you do if you couldn't play baseball?
CL: I probably would have kept playing football back in high school, just kept on grinding at it. I played my junior year and I was on Blue Chip. I was a prospect. I had a few small D2 schools looking at me for full scholarship, but then I decided to quit that and focus on baseball. I figured I’d have a way better chance of making it in baseball than football. [What did you play?] Safety.
WTH: What do you think about the changes to the Astros system in the three years you've been in the system?
CL: I believe that they’ve changed for the better. We got new colors, new people upstairs, new coaches, everyone in the right spot. Everything’s coming together and were going to be up there in a few years, one of the top teams.
WTH: How do you feel about the increased competition with the influx of lefty pitchers into the system?
CL: I think of myself as one of the best people in the organization, so I just keep grinding. Train hard off-season, come back spring training pounding the fastball, throwing harder, doing all the little things right.
>>>>>>><<<<<<<
As you can see from Lee's answers, he is a very confident young man. But he doesn't come across as the least bit cocky. For him, it's all just a matter of fact. And the fact is that he is a very talented and exciting young pitcher who is having a break-through season. Some of you may have temporarily forgotten about him, but he's doing his best to remedy that.
Thank you for your time, Chris, and the best of luck to you. I really look forward to seeing you on the mound again.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Random Observations on my Greeneville Trip
It will take me a while to transcribe the interviews from my Greeneville trip so let me leave you with a few random observations to tide you over.
As I noted last year, Pioneer Park is simply beautiful. Located on the campus of Tusculum College, the park is first class all the way. One of my favorite things about the park are the concourse banners commemorating the MLB debut of players who have gone through Greeneville. Here you see the banners for Sammy Gervacio, Jose Altuve, Brandon Barnes and, if you look closely, the last one is for Izzy Hinojosa, the groundskeeper who made his Houston debut last September.
And finally, I loved watching Tanner Mathis' great range playing centerfield and I enjoyed talking with him about our mutual college experiences in Mississippi, but the best thing about Mathis is his walk-up ritual. The toe dig, bootie wiggle, side kick and bat toe tap is repeated throughout every game. I particularly enjoyed one ardent female fan who "Wooooo'd" for every bootie wiggle. Highly entertaining.
I would like to thank Josh Bonifay for his time and generosity. I really enjoyed talking with him about his team. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious. And having met his lovely wife Tiffany as well, I can only say this. He done good!
Let me leave you with one of my favorite images from the weekend -- Angel Ibanez engaging in a deep discussion with one of his fans.
As I noted last year, Pioneer Park is simply beautiful. Located on the campus of Tusculum College, the park is first class all the way. One of my favorite things about the park are the concourse banners commemorating the MLB debut of players who have gone through Greeneville. Here you see the banners for Sammy Gervacio, Jose Altuve, Brandon Barnes and, if you look closely, the last one is for Izzy Hinojosa, the groundskeeper who made his Houston debut last September.
Josh Bonifay runs a tight ship in his first year as Manager. Everything is organized and everyone seems to know what is expected of them. There is virtually no wasted time or effort. Most of these players are only starting their careers and need that structure. With that said, the players also seemed relaxed and loose during practices. I liked the field dynamic that I was seeing.
One player who impressed me both on and off the field was Gonzalo Sanudo, the right-handed pitcher from Tabasco, Mexico, who came to the Astros in the Mike Kvasnicka trade. His command was impeccable the night I saw him and he easily worked around two hits over his two innings as he struck out six. And the sound his fastball made when he hit the catcher's glove was music to my ears. Off the field, he is a character with personality plus. His reaction as Kevin Ferguson came into the dugout before the game wearing a bright orange cap (on a day when the uniform called for dark caps) was priceless.
I was also very impressed by Jandel Gustave's and Chris Lee's work on the mound, and I loved watching Juan Santana, a Dominican infielder who won't turn 19 until later this week, who plays with joyful abandon. Santana's easy smile has earned him the nickname Smiley, according to Bonifay. I think it's appropriate that he currently wears Jose Altuve's number 27 because he is destined to be a fan favorite much like Altuve.
Now for a few VERY random observations. Chase McDonald is HUGE. Could there be a better cheer for someone named Parker Hipp than Hip Hip Hooray? Brett Phillips is another larger than life personality, very funny and charismatic. Here he does a deadpan imitation of Hitting Coach Cesar Cedeno.
And finally, I loved watching Tanner Mathis' great range playing centerfield and I enjoyed talking with him about our mutual college experiences in Mississippi, but the best thing about Mathis is his walk-up ritual. The toe dig, bootie wiggle, side kick and bat toe tap is repeated throughout every game. I particularly enjoyed one ardent female fan who "Wooooo'd" for every bootie wiggle. Highly entertaining.
I would like to thank Josh Bonifay for his time and generosity. I really enjoyed talking with him about his team. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious. And having met his lovely wife Tiffany as well, I can only say this. He done good!
Let me leave you with one of my favorite images from the weekend -- Angel Ibanez engaging in a deep discussion with one of his fans.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Appy Astros Eyewitness Report - 7/27/13 - Pulaski Pulls Out Two Wins From G-Stros
In what could be a potential play off preview, the Pulaski Mariners
pulled out two late comebacks to defeat the Greeneville Astros twice
Saturday night. The first game was the conclusion of Friday's suspended
game. The Mariners scored four runs in the in the seventh to take a
5-4 decision. Then in the seven inning night cap, they got a two run
homer in the sixth to secure a 2-1 win. Here is a closer look at what I
observed last night.
Game 1 - Pulaski 5, Greeneville 4
The game picked up with Greeneville up 2-1 in the bottom of the 2nd.
On the Mound
Christian Garcia threw three very effective innings. His fast ball sat in the upper 80's but he mixed speeds well and keep batters guessing. He fanned five in the three innings and retired the first 8 batters he faced. He had a walk and a hit batter but no base hits.
Sidewinder Ryan Connolly came in next and was effective in the 6th before the wheels came off in the 7th. He struck out a batter to start the 7th but then a short hop couldn't be handled by Tyler White at third for an E-5. The next three batters followed with a triple, a single and a triple. An inning that started as a 4-1 lead ended with a 5-4 deficit.
Tyler Brunnemann finished off the game. I was pleased to see that some improvement in his mechanics. When I saw him earlier in the year, he would touch the ground with his glove on his follow through. Now he tucks the glove to his chest as he follows through. He is not repeating the tuck perfectly as it was sometimes at his chest and sometimes at his hip but it shows improvement. He only had one strike out but induced three ground balls and two pop outs to short. He gave up one hit, a double.
At the Plate
Brett Phillips started the third off with a hard ground ball inside the bag at third for a double. It is fun to watch him run. He is fast! He also reached on a walk.
Edwin Gomez reached base three times with a walk and two singles. However he was .500 in getting out of base running goofs. In the third, with the bases loaded, Tyler White hit a fly ball to shallow right field. Phillips was tagging on the play but did not try to advance. However, Gomez took off from second and was almost to third when the throw reached the catcher. The catcher threw to second to try to get Gomez coming back to the bag but the ball ended up in center and both Phillips and Gomez scored.
He wasn't as fortunate in the seventh. He scorched a ball that appeared to be leaving the yard but bounced off the top of the fence. He was nabbed at second with a great throw from the left fielder. Some people sitting around me said Gomez had started his home run trot, I don't know if this is accurate because I was trying to follow the trajectory of the ball. If he was, I am sure the coaching staff will let him hear about it. If not, it was a great play by the Mariners.
Those three were the only players with hits for the continuation portion of the game. Ariel Ovando and Darwin Rivera both took walks but no one else reached base.
In The Field
Other than the error by White on a tough play coming in on a short hop, the defense looked pretty good. Darwin Rivera was at 2nd and looked pretty comfortable there. More so than he has looked at third.
Game 2: Pulaski 2 - Greeneville 1:
This game was a seven inning game due to the completion of the suspended game.
On The Mound
Chris Lee was impressive last night. Lee's fastball was sitting in the 93-95 range (thanks to the scout two rows in front for holding his radar gun in a position so I could peek) and his slider was getting a great many swings and misses. His delivery was smooth and effortless. I had him at 78 pitches when he was pulled with one out in the sixth with 53 being for strikes (68%). I also had him with first pitch strikes to 17 of the 24 batters he faced (71%).
He led off the second striking out the Pulaski clean up hitter on three pitches. The final pitch resulted in the Pulaski hitter winding up on the seat of his pants after an unsuccessful attempt to check his swing. He ended up striking out five batters on the night. All of them swinging.
He was helped by the ground rules in the fourth. After striking out the first two batters, the next batter reached on a hit to short stop. Thomas Lindauer made a nice backhanded play on a sharply hit ball but couldn't recover for the throw. The next batter hit a ball into the right field corner that went under the gate for a ground rule double. If not for the gate being there, it would have been an RBI triple - Pulaski's third of the evening.
In the sixth, Lee had a different kind of luck. After hitting the first batter, he induced a ground ball to second. Marc Wik had to come in to field the ball and made a swipe at the runner going by before throwing to first. The umpire ruled Wik didn't tag the runner going to second. Both Wik and Lindauer were adamant the tag had been made. From my angle, it appeared the umpire made the safe sign before Wik even attempted the tag.
Lee had the next batter in a 1-2 count and left a pitch up in the zone that was sent over the left field wall. After giving up a bunt hit to the next batter, his night was done. He deserved a better fate than taking the loss.
Gonzalo Sanudo came into finish off game getting five straight outs. Four of them were air outs and three went to the outfield.
At The Plate
When you get three hits as a team, there is not too much to write about here.
Thomas Lindauer had the big hit of the night, a RBI double to left that scored Wallace Gonzalez from first.
Marc Wik singled in the first after fouling off five pitches. He was in an 0-2 whole and ended up seeing a total of eight pitches that at bat before reaching on a bouncer up the middle. He was robbed of another single by a nice play by the second baseman to lead off the sixth.
Tyler White had a solid single to left to lead off the fourth but was erased on a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Angel Ibanez hit a ball hard up the middle that the short stop made a nice play on to prevent him from having a hit on the night.
A bit of good news - the Mariners are second in the league in most strike outs by their pitchers. They came into the games just two K's behind the G-Stros pitchers. In the 16 innings played in the series so far, G-Stro batters have just five strike outs. Meanwhile the G-Stro pitchers added 15 to their total.
In The Field
Lindauer also made the play of the game in the field as well. He climbed the ladder and nabbed a line drive to end the fifth inning.
Ibanez made a nice play at third in the sixth. With a runner on third, he fielded a ground ball on a short hop and made a nice throw to catcher Ricky Gingras to get the runner who had been going on contact.
Tyler White made a nice play at first on a hard hit ball in the second inning.
Overall
After being 10-1 in one run games, they lost two last night. Just not enough offense to get the job done.
Game 1 - Pulaski 5, Greeneville 4
The game picked up with Greeneville up 2-1 in the bottom of the 2nd.
On the Mound
Christian Garcia threw three very effective innings. His fast ball sat in the upper 80's but he mixed speeds well and keep batters guessing. He fanned five in the three innings and retired the first 8 batters he faced. He had a walk and a hit batter but no base hits.
Sidewinder Ryan Connolly came in next and was effective in the 6th before the wheels came off in the 7th. He struck out a batter to start the 7th but then a short hop couldn't be handled by Tyler White at third for an E-5. The next three batters followed with a triple, a single and a triple. An inning that started as a 4-1 lead ended with a 5-4 deficit.
Tyler Brunnemann finished off the game. I was pleased to see that some improvement in his mechanics. When I saw him earlier in the year, he would touch the ground with his glove on his follow through. Now he tucks the glove to his chest as he follows through. He is not repeating the tuck perfectly as it was sometimes at his chest and sometimes at his hip but it shows improvement. He only had one strike out but induced three ground balls and two pop outs to short. He gave up one hit, a double.
At the Plate
Brett Phillips started the third off with a hard ground ball inside the bag at third for a double. It is fun to watch him run. He is fast! He also reached on a walk.
Edwin Gomez reached base three times with a walk and two singles. However he was .500 in getting out of base running goofs. In the third, with the bases loaded, Tyler White hit a fly ball to shallow right field. Phillips was tagging on the play but did not try to advance. However, Gomez took off from second and was almost to third when the throw reached the catcher. The catcher threw to second to try to get Gomez coming back to the bag but the ball ended up in center and both Phillips and Gomez scored.
He wasn't as fortunate in the seventh. He scorched a ball that appeared to be leaving the yard but bounced off the top of the fence. He was nabbed at second with a great throw from the left fielder. Some people sitting around me said Gomez had started his home run trot, I don't know if this is accurate because I was trying to follow the trajectory of the ball. If he was, I am sure the coaching staff will let him hear about it. If not, it was a great play by the Mariners.
Those three were the only players with hits for the continuation portion of the game. Ariel Ovando and Darwin Rivera both took walks but no one else reached base.
In The Field
Other than the error by White on a tough play coming in on a short hop, the defense looked pretty good. Darwin Rivera was at 2nd and looked pretty comfortable there. More so than he has looked at third.
Game 2: Pulaski 2 - Greeneville 1:
This game was a seven inning game due to the completion of the suspended game.
On The Mound
Chris Lee was impressive last night. Lee's fastball was sitting in the 93-95 range (thanks to the scout two rows in front for holding his radar gun in a position so I could peek) and his slider was getting a great many swings and misses. His delivery was smooth and effortless. I had him at 78 pitches when he was pulled with one out in the sixth with 53 being for strikes (68%). I also had him with first pitch strikes to 17 of the 24 batters he faced (71%).
He led off the second striking out the Pulaski clean up hitter on three pitches. The final pitch resulted in the Pulaski hitter winding up on the seat of his pants after an unsuccessful attempt to check his swing. He ended up striking out five batters on the night. All of them swinging.
He was helped by the ground rules in the fourth. After striking out the first two batters, the next batter reached on a hit to short stop. Thomas Lindauer made a nice backhanded play on a sharply hit ball but couldn't recover for the throw. The next batter hit a ball into the right field corner that went under the gate for a ground rule double. If not for the gate being there, it would have been an RBI triple - Pulaski's third of the evening.
In the sixth, Lee had a different kind of luck. After hitting the first batter, he induced a ground ball to second. Marc Wik had to come in to field the ball and made a swipe at the runner going by before throwing to first. The umpire ruled Wik didn't tag the runner going to second. Both Wik and Lindauer were adamant the tag had been made. From my angle, it appeared the umpire made the safe sign before Wik even attempted the tag.
Lee had the next batter in a 1-2 count and left a pitch up in the zone that was sent over the left field wall. After giving up a bunt hit to the next batter, his night was done. He deserved a better fate than taking the loss.
Gonzalo Sanudo came into finish off game getting five straight outs. Four of them were air outs and three went to the outfield.
At The Plate
When you get three hits as a team, there is not too much to write about here.
Thomas Lindauer had the big hit of the night, a RBI double to left that scored Wallace Gonzalez from first.
Marc Wik singled in the first after fouling off five pitches. He was in an 0-2 whole and ended up seeing a total of eight pitches that at bat before reaching on a bouncer up the middle. He was robbed of another single by a nice play by the second baseman to lead off the sixth.
Tyler White had a solid single to left to lead off the fourth but was erased on a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Angel Ibanez hit a ball hard up the middle that the short stop made a nice play on to prevent him from having a hit on the night.
A bit of good news - the Mariners are second in the league in most strike outs by their pitchers. They came into the games just two K's behind the G-Stros pitchers. In the 16 innings played in the series so far, G-Stro batters have just five strike outs. Meanwhile the G-Stro pitchers added 15 to their total.
In The Field
Lindauer also made the play of the game in the field as well. He climbed the ladder and nabbed a line drive to end the fifth inning.
Ibanez made a nice play at third in the sixth. With a runner on third, he fielded a ground ball on a short hop and made a nice throw to catcher Ricky Gingras to get the runner who had been going on contact.
Tyler White made a nice play at first on a hard hit ball in the second inning.
Overall
After being 10-1 in one run games, they lost two last night. Just not enough offense to get the job done.
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