Cleaning out the notebook
* Aaron Ledbetter will be the Wild Things' starting pitcher in Game 1 of the playoffs. No surprise there. Manager John Massarelli, however, was not willing Saturday night to name a starter for Game 2.
* When Washington had Jarod Rine on first base with no outs and the score tied 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night against Gateway, Nathan Messner was given the bunt sign. Messner stepped into the batter's box having only one sacrifice bunt in 791 career at-bats. So it wasn't surprising that he fouled one bunt attempt backward over the pressbox roof and out of the ballpark. I've seen home runs in the youth leagues travel shorter distances than that bunt. Messner also fouled another bunt backward off the screen.
So, with an 0-2 count, the Wild Things took off the bunt sign. Messner, however, was so upset with himself for failing to drop down a bunt on the first two pitches of the at-bat that he decided to bunt the third one on his own. The pitch from Justin Staatz wasn't any easy one to bunt. It was inside and almost hit Messner, but the first baseman was able to get the ball on the ground. Staatz fielded it cleanly but his throw to second base sailed into center field. The 0-2 bunt triggered a series of plays that eventually led to the Wild Things' division-title-clinching 6-5 win.
* Center fielder Chris Sidick was given Saturday night off after playing in the Wild Things' first 86 games. However, the game against Gateway was rained out in the fifth inning and the statistics do not count. That means Sidick has played in every Wild Things game since Sept. 3, 2005, a span of 183 consecutive regular-season games (192 if you count playoff games).
* When Washington had Jarod Rine on first base with no outs and the score tied 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night against Gateway, Nathan Messner was given the bunt sign. Messner stepped into the batter's box having only one sacrifice bunt in 791 career at-bats. So it wasn't surprising that he fouled one bunt attempt backward over the pressbox roof and out of the ballpark. I've seen home runs in the youth leagues travel shorter distances than that bunt. Messner also fouled another bunt backward off the screen.
So, with an 0-2 count, the Wild Things took off the bunt sign. Messner, however, was so upset with himself for failing to drop down a bunt on the first two pitches of the at-bat that he decided to bunt the third one on his own. The pitch from Justin Staatz wasn't any easy one to bunt. It was inside and almost hit Messner, but the first baseman was able to get the ball on the ground. Staatz fielded it cleanly but his throw to second base sailed into center field. The 0-2 bunt triggered a series of plays that eventually led to the Wild Things' division-title-clinching 6-5 win.
* Center fielder Chris Sidick was given Saturday night off after playing in the Wild Things' first 86 games. However, the game against Gateway was rained out in the fifth inning and the statistics do not count. That means Sidick has played in every Wild Things game since Sept. 3, 2005, a span of 183 consecutive regular-season games (192 if you count playoff games).
posted by Chris Dugan at
9:47 AM
3 Comments:
Here's some help for the manager (he needs it):
J.J. Hollenbeck is the team's second-best starting pitcher, and has been for quite some time.
He SHOULD be the #2 starter in the playoffs!
1st Round:
Ledbetter, Hollenbeck, Cochran (if you must), Ledbetter. And if that's not good enough to win the series, we weren't going to win it anyway.
It's probably going to be Cochran who starts Game 2. If Hollenbeck starts Game 2, and makes one more start in the regular season, then both would be on three days rest.
Unless Cory Hahn is replaced on the roster by another pitcher who can start one of the five games in four days against Slippery Rock, or Alex Scharick makes a start and leaves only three relievers in the bullpen, Washington will likely have to start two pitchers on three days rest against the Sliders. Short-resting your starters is not what you want to do in the final series before the playoffs.
As much as I like the work JJ has done, I'm not sure he's the right guy for pitching against Gateway at their place.
He's now given up four homeruns in two games. He's a power pitcher and the Grizzlies are power hitters.
Cochran, or Stidfole, might be the tonic that tames Grizzlies.
Pitch Hollenbeck in the first home game...
Just my thoughts.
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