Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

David Bush defeated a Snead-less Richmond; New Hampshire gets some revenge on Erie; Lansing start the second half with a win; Auburn records their first win, and Pulaski are still looking for win #1.

Richmond 1 Syracuse 6

The Chiefs had won eight in a row before Richmond won two of the first three games in the series, but the Chiefs rebounded behind David Bush to win and even the series. Bush had another excellent start, beating the team that beat on him last week, before tiring at the end. Through six innings Bush had shutout Richmond on four hits, but he allowed two hits in the seventh and three more, and a run, in the eighth before being pulled. Bush's line was 7.1 IP; 9 H; 5 K's and one run.

Syracuse scored three runs before recording an out, Anton French walked, Bryant Nelson singled, Kevin Barker doubled, and Chad Mottola singled and it was 3-0. The Chiefs added another pair in the sixth French, Nelson and Barker were involved again as they each singled after Julius Matos singled and Justin Singleton walked. Anton French homered in the eighth to make it 6-1. Justin Miller retired the last five hitters in order for the save. French was 2-4 and scored three runs, Barker had three hits to raise his average to .372. Nelson, Mottola and Matos had two hits each.

Game Story

Erie 1 New Hampshire 7

After facing major league heat from Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya the last two nights, the Fisher Cats were happy to face Jeremy Johnson in a day game yesterday. Josh Banks started and pitched five effective innings, allowing one run on seven hits and no walks, with five K's. Jamie Vermilyea pitched 2.1 scoreless innings and Jesse Carlson 1.2 innings, also scoreless.

New Hampshire got on the board in the second, Ron Acuna doubled and Eric Kratz singled to drive him in. Clint Johnston homered in the third and Kratz added another homer in the fifth to make it 3-1. The Fisher Cats scored four in the seventh to put it away, Raul Tablado and Johnston had doubles, Miguel Negron and Ron Davenport had singles.

Clint Johnston had three hits and three RBI's to bump his average back up to .342. Eric Kratz and Miguel Negron had two hits each.

Game Story

Dunedin at Lakeland - rained out

More rain in Florida, it sure seems like there have been a lot of games rained out in the FSL this year.

Lansing 4 West Michigan 2

The first game of the second half and Chi-hung Cheng started and pitched very well, one unearned run in five innings, five hits and eight K's. Jordy Templet followed and allowed a run in two innings putting Lansing down 2-1 but the Lugnuts scored three in the seventh to take the lead. In the seventh Luke Hetherington led off with a double, and Christian Snavely singled him home. Ryan Klosterman followed with a single and a sac fly scored the second run of the inning. Curtis Thigpen singled to score the third run. The same guys were responsible for the first Lansing run, Hetherington and Snavely singled, and Klosterman drove in a run with a ground out. Hetherington, Snavely and Thigpen had two hits each.

Game Story

Auburn 6 Batavia 5 - 12 innings

Randy Dicken started and gave up two runs in 3.1 innings on five hits and one walk. Adrian Martin followed and Batavia tacked on another three to lead 5-2 after four. It looked like another loss for Auburn but they scored a run in the sixth and two more in the eighth to tie, while getting solid relief pitching that kept Batavia off the scoreboard after the fourth. In the twelfth Junior Churio was hit by a pitch, and Josh Celigoy sacrificed him to second. Blue Jays #6 draft pick Josh Bell delivered the big hit, a single, to put Auburn ahead. Earlier Ryan Patterson and Anthony Garibaldi starred for Auburn. In the first inning Matt Cooksey walked and Ryan Patterson doubled the run home. In the third Patterson homered. In the eighth Patterson and Garibaldi singled and both scored on a Batavia error. Patterson was 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI's; Garibaldi and Bell each went 2-6.

The bullpen deserves a lot of the credit for this win. Aaron Tressler pitched three scoreless innings; Sean Stidfole retired all six hitters he faced; and Gabriel Alfaro recorded the win by pitching three scoreless innings.

Danville 6 Pulaski 2

Joe Wice made his first professional start and took the loss. Wice gave up a home run in the first and another run in the second and Pulaski could never catch up. Wice allowed four runs in 4.1 innings; Denis Bigley gave up an unearned run in 3.2 innings; and Eziemir Reinoso allowed a run in the ninth.

Pulaski scored in the second on a single by Al Quintana and a double by Jorge Sandes. In the sixth Jacob Butler walked and Jesus Gonzalez doubled to score the second run. Zachary Kalter had two doubles and Quintana had two hits to lead Pulaski.

Your Three Star Selection

Third star - Anton French, two hits, a homerun, scored three

Second Star - Clint Johnston, three hits, HR, DB, 3 RBI's

First Star - Ryan Patterson, 3-5, HR, DB, BB 2 R, 2 RBI's

Posted by Gerry on Friday, June 24 2005 @ 08:44 AM EDT.

Revenge is Sweet | 17 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

sweat - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 09:46 AM EDT (#120530) #

Any walks for bush? If anything has looked bad down in the minors, its the number of walks he has given up.

Gerry - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 09:58 AM EDT (#120531) #

Bush did not walk anyone, and to me it looks like he is getting back close to the old Bush. If Bush works on the normal four days rest he would start Tuesday and Sunday next week, with Sunday being the day before the all-star break. The Jays could then bring him back up after the break.

big pimpin - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 12:07 PM EDT (#120552) #

Is Brian Grant no longer a starter? Is he even with the team in Auburn?

Gerry - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 01:05 PM EDT (#120570) #

Big pimpin:

Grant is on the Auburn roster but they have only played three games. As of now we know he is not the #1, 2 or 3 starter but he could be #4 or 5.

Patience, Big Pimpin, Patience.

Ducey - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 02:11 PM EDT (#120585) #

This from BA:

"What else does Blue Jays righthander Lee Gronkiewicz have to do to earn a promotion to Triple-A? Sure, he's 26 and in the Eastern League for a second straight season, but Gronkiewicz has been one of the most automatic closers in the minors this year at New Hampshire--in fact, the local Fisher Cat media refers to him as "Game Over Gronk." He's reeled off 21 straight saves this year--32 if you count last year's totals with Akron--and his secondary numbers couldn't be much better. In 31 innings, he's carrying a 0.86 ERA to go along with a 36-8 strikeout-walk ratio. Gronkiewicz came over to the Jays from the Indians in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft last year, and had a stellar winter pitching in both Venezuela and Puerto Rico. If it weren't for 28-year-old closer Edwin Almonte in Erie, Gronkiewicz would be leading the EL in saves. Not bad for a nondrafted free agent out of South Carolina."

Marc Hulet - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 02:24 PM EDT (#120588) #

From the Fisher Cats Media Department:

RHP Dustin McGowan joins the Fisher Cats from Single-A Dunedin today. RHP Tracy Thorpe was also promoted to New Hampshire from Dunedin and RHP Brian Reed was sent down to Dunedin to open up a spot on the Fisher Cats roster.

The 23-year-old McGowan was a 1st round pick (33rd overall) by the Blue Jays in the 2000 draft. He started the year with New Hampshire last year and went 2-0 with a 4.06 ERA in 6 starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery on his elbow and missing the remainder of the season. He joined the Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League on June 1 this year and has gone 0-1 with a 4.29 ERA in 5 starts. He gave up 7 runs on 7 hits in just 1.1 innings in his first start of the year and has given up just 3 earned runs in his last 4 starts, compiling a 1.37 ERA.

Jordan - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 03:22 PM EDT (#120593) #

One year and 13 days after he flew out of New Hamphsire to get his Tommy John surgery, Dustin McGowan returns to Manchester. I'm pleasantly surprised to see him promoted so soon, and I'm delighted at how quickly his recovery has gone (Francisco Rosario, take note).

Double-A will be the test for McGowan -- if his breaking-stuff command comes all the way back, it's not out of the question you could see him in Toronto as a September callup. At any rate, I expect him to be in Arizona this fall and to get a long look in Dunedin next spring. Way cool.

David Purcey is expected in New Hampshire soon, too. Nice starting staff.

Mike Green - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 03:33 PM EDT (#120594) #

There's one more reason to listen to a Fisher Cat game this summer.

Joe - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 03:56 PM EDT (#120604) #

Ok, ever since I read "33rd overall" about McGowan, I've had my curiosity piqued. Given that McGowan was a supplemental 1st round pick, who did the Jays offer arbitration to in 1999? Nobody's jumping to mind.

(By the way, look through Baseball Reference's 1999 transaction record for the Jays. Remember these guys? Brian McRae, Pat Kelly, Patrick Lennon (who swung a sledgehammer in the on-deck circle), Dave Hollins.. Medocrity? Wow! Of course, it also features one of the best Gord Ash trades ever, Plesac for Tony Batista and John Frascatore.)

R Billie - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 05:09 PM EDT (#120614) #

I could be wrong but the name Graeme Lloyd seems to jump to mind when thinking of the supplemental pick that provided McGowan that year.

On another note, as good as Zach Jackson has been, Justin Orenduff has been significantly better. LA took him immediately after the Jays selected Jackson and he has some nasty power stuff. His sin is throwing with the right arm.

Which is why I don't like this recent fetish the Jays seem to have developed for filling the organization with lefties. What really matters in the end is the quality of the pitching, not what arm is used. I really don't like the idea of overdrafting lefthanders and passing on righthanders with better stuff.

R Billie - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 05:14 PM EDT (#120616) #

Justin Miller in 3 starts and 13 relief appearances:
2.16 era, 33.1 ip, 24 h, 2 hr, 7 bb, 32 k, .198 opp avg

He seems like a guy who can help the pen. I'd love to say he could help the rotation but he seems to get hurt every time he tries. His numbers and stuff seem so good I'm tempted to try anyway. He could be a #3 starter in the #5 spot of the rotation.

Paul D - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 05:39 PM EDT (#120619) #

It seems as though Miller and Arnold have both pitched well in relief in AAA. So, I've been wondering two things.
First, could they perform similarly to Frasor and Chulk?
And secondly, do Frasor and Chulk, as young, cheap bullpen members, have any trade value? JP should call Ed Wade. :)

R Billie - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 05:48 PM EDT (#120620) #

I think Chulk and Frasor would hold SOME interest to other teams. It's hard to say how much. Chulk does have good stuff with a decent fastball and slider. Frasor throws hard but his peripherals are ugly.

They're a bit older though so maybe as part of a package they hold some appeal. I think the Jays get better value by hanging on to them for now. The Jays have built themself a competent if unspectacular pen this year. Like other parts of the team it seems to be just good enough to keep them around .500 and on the fringes of the race.

I'm not sure what Arnold's potential is like but having seen Miller and compared numbers I think his stuff is for real. He's getting up there in age but Brendan Donelly was as well.

SparrowOD - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 05:53 PM EDT (#120621) #

Maybe someone can clarify this, but why should we expect Purcey to get a call to AA this season? The guy can barely pitch five innings in Dunedin before he hits the 100 pitch limit. Won't AA batters be more patient (for the most part) than the FSL guys he's walking now? I admit he has great stuff, but he needs to throw more of those pesky strikes.

mendocino - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 06:11 PM EDT (#120623) #

I think you just have to look at SYR & NH rosters to see a need for LH pitching in the organization.

As for over drafting LHPers, if you go by BA's rankings Orenduff was rated behind Purcey and Jackson. And in this past draft the only pitchers rated ahead of Romero were Boras clients (who have yet to sign, and who knows when they will). If these 3 do a Weaver and miss a year how far back does this put them? Look what the rule 5 draft does to some guys. Are they worth what they demand compared to getting a major league free agent?

But if you go by BA rankings again, #3 Clement(rated #15), #4 Zimmerman(#9), #5 Braun (#14) all over drafted. And if it's just the Jays doing it why did Hochevar fall to the supplemental round?

Jim - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 06:46 PM EDT (#120624) #

Did MLB change the transaction language this week?

It looks to me like 'selected' is the new term for 'purchased the contract of'.

Mike Green - Friday, June 24 2005 @ 11:00 PM EDT (#120635) #

Another day, another Cannon blast. The D-Jays swept a doubleheader from Lakeland. Ryan Patterson hit his 2nd homer in as many days, but Auburn lost. Brian Grant pitched for the Doubledays in relief.

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