Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - D-Jays Rock The Party

David Eckstein makes a rehab start in Dunedin and the D-Jays go crazy with the bats.

Rochester 0 at Syracuse 5 (game 1)

This game was the completion of the Cooperstown game that only went two innings the prior day. Mike MacDonald got the re-start and went 5 scoreless innings. Mike Gosling finished off the shutout with two innings of one hit relief.

At the plate Pedro Lopez, Lind, and Coats each had two hits, with Lind driving in 4.

Rochester 7 at Syracuse 6 (8 innings)

John Parrish had a tough start giving up 5 runs in the first two innings. At the plate, Curtis Thigpen had one of his better days this season going 3-4 with a double. His average is currently at .216. Matt Watson and Wayne Lydon had two hits, and Chip Cannon hit a HR for the Chiefs.

New Hampshire - scheduled day off.

Kevin Gray of the Union Leader has part II of his series today on life the minors. Give it a look.

St Lucie 2 at Dunedin 15

And now you can see the David Eckstein veteran leadership at work. First rehab game and he inspired his team to 15 runs. Eckstein was 1-3, including a double and a walk. Jesus Gonzalez continued his hot streak with 2 HRs and 5 RBIs as he went 3-4 on the night. Cory Patton also had a big night going 4-4 with a HR. JP Arencibia was 1-5, but that 1 was a HR. Sean Shoffit had three hits on the night and Matt Lane had two hits.

Kenny Rodriguez was the lucky recipient of the run support. He pitched 7 solid innings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits (1 HR). He walked none and struck out 6.

Lansing 1 at Dayton 5

A quiet night for the Nuts' bats. Just 5 hits on the night. Ahrens and Eiland each had a double. It's just been 5 games but Eiland is hitting .500/.588/.786 right now and has 2 SBs.

Chi-Hung Cheng started and pitched just 3.1 innings giving up 4 runs (2 earned). He's not pitching as well as you would hope coming off his arm injury last year.

3 Stars!
3 - Mike MacDonald
2 - Cory Patton
1 - Jesus Gonzalez

Posted by Pistol on Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 10:00 AM EDT.

D-Jays Rock The Party | 20 comments | Create New Account

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

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 10:29 AM EDT (#185589) #

Nate Starner made his FSL debut last night, pitching a scoreless inning of relief.

ramone - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 11:04 AM EDT (#185591) #

I had recently posted that I was quite surprised that Chip Cannon was playing third, well he one upped that and is playing short stop for the chiefs in their morning game.

Also of interest is the pitching match up is Liriano against Purcey.

FisherCat - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 11:10 AM EDT (#185592) #

Below are some interesting tidbits I found regarding the FisherCats in their game notes for tonight's game.

INJURY NOTES: RHP Jean Machi on DL (arm) since April 25. INF Brant Colamarino (rotator

cuff) on DL expected to miss entire season. C Brian Jeroloman (thumb) not in line-up last two

games (Sat/Sun). DH Travis Snider (elbow) expected to play outfield first time Memorial Day

weekend.

Romero going tonight, and the last time I was in attendance for one of his starts, he went 8 strong on April 12th. So here's hoping I bring him some luck tonight!

ayjackson - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 12:08 PM EDT (#185597) #

With the loss of Valendia and Thorpe, the resumption of OF duties for Snider and the "Chip Cannon - utility infielder" development, I am anticipating another round of promotions and reassignments.

ramone - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 12:17 PM EDT (#185598) #

So who comes up out of Smith, Mattews and Patterson?

Listening to the Chiefs game, and Cannon has turned two double plays so far.

ramone - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 12:26 PM EDT (#185599) #

I'm guessing that an outfielder gets called up assuming Lopez is not hurt and Inglett may be on his way back down when Eckstein is back.

smcs - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 12:28 PM EDT (#185600) #

Could the Velandia departure lead to a Scott Campbell call-up? Or will Eckstein get some rehab appearances with the Chiefs and then be exchanged for Joe Inglett on Thursday?

ayjackson - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 12:54 PM EDT (#185602) #

I thin Eckstein's ready to go but has to stay in Dunedin until his DL trip expires.

Maldoff - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 12:54 PM EDT (#185603) #

David Purcey pitched a solid 6 innings today, giving up 5 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 5.

Heard John Gibbons on the radio this morning, and he made an interesting point about Purcey. He said that right now he is a 2-pitch pitcher (fastball and curveball), but hitters know they can lay off the curveball because it ends up mostly out of the zone. Gibbons suggested that in order to succeed at the major league level, Purcey would need to develop another pitch that he can throw for strikes. Can anyone who has seen Purcey pitch live offer any insight into this?

Dez - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 01:15 PM EDT (#185605) #

I don't really buy into what Gibbons was saying about Purcey. In his first start against Detroit, he was throwing the curveball consistently for strikes - it was the fastball that was giving him trouble. He seemed to be overthrowing it. In the start against Cleveland, he had control of neither pitch so, he ended up serving up some fat 3-1 pitches. Purcey has three pitches, fastball, curve, change. If he can control those 3, he'll be alright. Since control has always been his issue, that's a big IF.

Marc Hulet - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 01:48 PM EDT (#185607) #

The lack of a third pitch has been the knock on Purcey since before he was drafted. Last year he resorted to being a one-pitch pitcher (fastball) and got demoted from Triple-A to Double-A. That is why many have viewed Purcey as a future closer... He just does not have the pitches necessary to succeed in the majors as a starter. And at 26, it's a little late to be developing a reliable change-up...

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 02:41 PM EDT (#185608) #

Personally, I don't think that any judgment can be made about Purcey. In his two outings in the major leagues, he has obviously been very, very nervous and his control has suffered. I am pretty sure that the best spot for him developmentally is in a low-leverage long relief role in the majors. Whether he will be a closer or starter ultimately can be worked out later.

Magpie - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 02:58 PM EDT (#185609) #

I am pretty sure that the best spot for him developmentally is in a low-leverage long relief role in the majors.

Agreed, and was that Weaver's Fourth Law or the Fifth? One of them, anyway.

Mike Green - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 03:27 PM EDT (#185610) #

The Chiefs had Cannon at short and Thigpen at third today. Adams came in late and was back at second. Ch-ch-ch-anges.

If Cannon can play third respectably well, he may yet have a major league career. Tim Wallach made the first-to-third transition successfully. It is probably easier than right-to-third.

John Northey - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 03:29 PM EDT (#185611) #

Chip Cannon is definitely getting more interesting by the day. If he can play third and not look silly at short his odds of becoming a major leaguer skyrockets. The Jays defense, with Rolen at third and Hill at second, is fairly solid and mixing in a bat at short once in awhile with McDonald available for late innings could be a really nice development. Or doing Cannon/Inglett with McDonald for the 8th/9th innings.

Cannon hasn't hit well enough to be a first baseman/DH outside of '05 in A ball thus was doomed to never see a ML paycheque unless something odd like this happened. Of course, given Cannon has never played outside of 1B/DH and one game in the outfield before this one wonders if it is ala the old Cecil Fielder as a third baseman experiment (trust me, it was even uglier than it sounds). Still, one can't help but hope to hear 'Now batting for the Blue Jays Chip Cannon'. Makes one smile just imagining it. Gotta remember that for any kids I have - give them a name that makes one smile and deal with the curses from the kid later :)

ayjackson - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 04:23 PM EDT (#185614) #

Gotta remember that for any kids I have - give them a name that makes one smile and deal with the curses from the kid later

"Now batting for the Blue Jays, Wes Northey."

scottt - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 04:34 PM EDT (#185616) #

AJ has also been a 2-pitch pitcher and he's had a lot of ups and down. He's still working on his change. Is he using it more now?

It certainly looked like Werth was sitting on the fastball, but it's really the walks that have hurt him in that game.

#2JBrumfield - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 05:12 PM EDT (#185617) #

Eckstein was 1-3, including a double and a walk.

That's one more hit than Scott Rolen, a.k.a. the "Greatest Blue Jay Ever", managed in Dunedin. I'm sure it was a gritty double and walk.

westcoast dude - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 10:05 PM EDT (#185634) #

He's still working on his change. Is he using it more now?

On Saturday, at first A.J. was missing with his change, but the Captain kept calling for it. Voila! It started working and was still working when Gibbons came out for the ball.

HollywoodHartman - Tuesday, May 20 2008 @ 11:48 PM EDT (#185637) #

Not the place I know, but damn tonight's game was frustrating. But a tip to the rest of you, all the out of market games are on Rogers Preview channel. (399 in Vaughan)

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