Battle lines
You can designate July 8 as "Circle the Wagons Day" for the Wild Things.
After falling into last place in the Frontier League's East Division, though only a half dozen games out of first place, the Wild Things made three roster moves Friday they hope will pump some life into their offense and deepen their bullpen for the season's second half. Traverse City had a significant roster shakeup last week. This week, it was Washington's turn.
The Wild Things signed a pair of outfielders, Tim Battle and Estee Harris, who were high draft picks and once highly regarded prospects in the New York Yankees system. Also signed was Michael Cotter, the relief pitcher we noticed on another independent league's website as being traded to the Wild Things several days ago.
Here's a little background on the new outfielders:
Harris and Battle were the Yankees' 2nd- and 3rd-round draft picks, respectively, in 2003. Harris out of a high school in New York, and Battle out of high school in Georgia. It's interesting to note that in that same draft, the Yankees selected a pitcher named T.J. Beam in the 10th round. Beam played for the Pirates in 2008. In the 19th round, the Yankees drafted pitcher Jeff Karstens, and in the 47th round the Bronx Bombers drafted but did not sign pitcher Daniel McCutchen.
Harris and Battle each had their careers fizzle out in high-Class A but not before some good seasons. Harris, at one time, cracked Baseball America's top-10 Yankees prospects, and Battle was among the top dozen. Harris' last season in affiliated ball was 2006, while Battle stuck around a while longer, playing through 2008.
At one time, Battle was rated the fastest baserunner and best athlete in the Yankees' system. He had a 16-homer, 40-stolen base season in low-Class A and spent 2 1/2 seasons, playing 274 games, in high-A before the Yankees released him. Battle's strikeout totals were high and on-base percentage low in the minors, but you could tell in only one game with the Wild Things that he has the look of a "toolsy" kind of player that scouts like.
Harris and Battle have been bouncing around the independent leagues. Harris had a good year in 2009 against older players in the Atlantic League, then played for Evansville last year (hitting .270) before going back to the Atlantic League last July.
Battle played last year in Edmonton and Hawaii.
To make room for the new guys, Washington released designated hitter Bryan Fogle, outfielder Derek Perren and pitcher Ryan Thomas. Fogle hit .241 with no extra-base hits in 29 at-bats; Perren batted .245 in 31 games and Thomas, a Beaver County native, pitched in only four games. Perren was probably the most disappointing of the three. He batted. 362 his senior year at Southern California (the first former USC guy to play for the Wild Things) and had a pair of .300 seasons in indy leagues before being picked up by Washington last offseason.
The newcomers didn't exactly change much for the Wild Things' offense Friday as Washington beat Gateway 1-0, getting its second two-hit shutout in three games. Casey Barnes threw a complete-game gem. It was the league-best sixth shutout for Washington.
Will these moves be the spark for a second-half surge or just another failed series of changes? Only time will tell, but give the Wild Things credit for going with a couple of players with interesting and higher-profile backgrounds instead of guys fresh out of small colleges.
After falling into last place in the Frontier League's East Division, though only a half dozen games out of first place, the Wild Things made three roster moves Friday they hope will pump some life into their offense and deepen their bullpen for the season's second half. Traverse City had a significant roster shakeup last week. This week, it was Washington's turn.
The Wild Things signed a pair of outfielders, Tim Battle and Estee Harris, who were high draft picks and once highly regarded prospects in the New York Yankees system. Also signed was Michael Cotter, the relief pitcher we noticed on another independent league's website as being traded to the Wild Things several days ago.
Here's a little background on the new outfielders:
Harris and Battle were the Yankees' 2nd- and 3rd-round draft picks, respectively, in 2003. Harris out of a high school in New York, and Battle out of high school in Georgia. It's interesting to note that in that same draft, the Yankees selected a pitcher named T.J. Beam in the 10th round. Beam played for the Pirates in 2008. In the 19th round, the Yankees drafted pitcher Jeff Karstens, and in the 47th round the Bronx Bombers drafted but did not sign pitcher Daniel McCutchen.
Harris and Battle each had their careers fizzle out in high-Class A but not before some good seasons. Harris, at one time, cracked Baseball America's top-10 Yankees prospects, and Battle was among the top dozen. Harris' last season in affiliated ball was 2006, while Battle stuck around a while longer, playing through 2008.
At one time, Battle was rated the fastest baserunner and best athlete in the Yankees' system. He had a 16-homer, 40-stolen base season in low-Class A and spent 2 1/2 seasons, playing 274 games, in high-A before the Yankees released him. Battle's strikeout totals were high and on-base percentage low in the minors, but you could tell in only one game with the Wild Things that he has the look of a "toolsy" kind of player that scouts like.
Harris and Battle have been bouncing around the independent leagues. Harris had a good year in 2009 against older players in the Atlantic League, then played for Evansville last year (hitting .270) before going back to the Atlantic League last July.
Battle played last year in Edmonton and Hawaii.
To make room for the new guys, Washington released designated hitter Bryan Fogle, outfielder Derek Perren and pitcher Ryan Thomas. Fogle hit .241 with no extra-base hits in 29 at-bats; Perren batted .245 in 31 games and Thomas, a Beaver County native, pitched in only four games. Perren was probably the most disappointing of the three. He batted. 362 his senior year at Southern California (the first former USC guy to play for the Wild Things) and had a pair of .300 seasons in indy leagues before being picked up by Washington last offseason.
The newcomers didn't exactly change much for the Wild Things' offense Friday as Washington beat Gateway 1-0, getting its second two-hit shutout in three games. Casey Barnes threw a complete-game gem. It was the league-best sixth shutout for Washington.
Will these moves be the spark for a second-half surge or just another failed series of changes? Only time will tell, but give the Wild Things credit for going with a couple of players with interesting and higher-profile backgrounds instead of guys fresh out of small colleges.
Labels: Bryan Fogle, Derek Perren, Estee Harris, Ryan Thomas, Tim Battle
posted by Chris Dugan at
10:01 PM
15 Comments:
Chris Dugan said:
“Only time will tell, but give the Wild Things credit for going with a couple of players with interesting and higher-profile backgrounds”,
Chris, I’ll give YOU credit for doing all this research on players coming onto the Wild Things roster. I don’t know how you can maintain the interest level that it takes to continue to write about a hopeless organization, and it’s motley collection of so-called baseball players. The Wild Things have a manager
that is in way over his head even in the lowly Frontier League. He makes the same bad decisions game after game, keeps deadwood on the team far too long, and lets players go that haven’t been given much opportunity to show what they can do. Last year it was Jacob Dempsey, a man so injured that Ray Charles could see it. Now, this year’s version of stupidity is Ernie Banks. Ernie has had ample opportunity to display that he has nothing to contribute and he has succeeded beyond anybody’s wildest expectations. Yet, he remains on a team that desperately needs players that can produce something of value. I strongly suspect that there is an underlying reason why Banks remains on the roster. I guess Everson does not feel he owes us an explanation and, I’m also convinced that he never will explain. One can only hope the Wild Things management is already looking for Mr. Everson’s replacement for the 2012 season, if not before that!
wish bob gregg worked more often on the radio. he just tells it the way it is, no sugar coating, no pulling punches. nothing against mark or randy--but really enjoy bob's view of the game of baseball.
post-game comments tonight were right on the money--if the bats don't show up within a week, it's over, and a fourth straight no-playoff season will be accomplished.
When I saw the helicopter circling the field just as the game started last night, I held out some faint hope that it was going to land with some players who could jump start the Wild Things pathetic offense. Not to be.
Yes, you have to give credit to the Wild Things for making changes. Battle and Harris didn't show anything at the plate in the first 2 games, but let's see what, if anything, they can do. Battle made a nice running catch last night to turn what surely would have been a RBI double into an inning ending double play. I would guess that they were only giving Sidick a rest and that this is not permanent. Sidick is not having a great year at the plate and seems to be especially struggling recently, but he remains one of the best defensive players in the league. Hopefully, Battle and Harris work out and Rivera becomes the 4th outfielder. Rivera has a cannon for an arm but is only hitting .236, and struck out in his last 3 at-bats last night. If I recall correctly, didn't he come on strong in the 2nd half last year after returning from an injury?
Everson sent Doug Thennis to pinch hit for Eric Stephens in the 8th last night, with the score still 5-3. This speaks volumes of his confidence in Ernie Banks (zero). Thennis has a higher average, but a long ball would have tied it, and of course Ernie has yet to homer this season. He's not played at all in 10 games. One would surely think he's gone during the all-star break? (And with the Wild Things luck, he'll sign with a team that employs a hitting coach, made an adjustment in his swing, and return to the old form....or maybe not) Anyway, Thennis promptly swung at the first pitch and grounded out.
One last thought. Gateway's Chris Enourato, the reliever who closed out the game last night, is from Morgantown. He has a ridiculously good 0.81 ERA is 22 innings of work this season, with 21 strikeouts. How does a local guy like this NOT get signed by the Wild Things?
Gateway has two former WVU players on its roster. Joe Agreste, who played right field last night and first base Friday, also played at WVU. He's batting .316 and headed to the all-star game this week. Gateway actually began the season with three ex-WVU players.
For those of us the were wondering about how Blake Ochoa dropped down though the ranks of baseball
so fast in one season. .I think we now know the answer. He can’t play that well. Simple as that!
Did you see that AWFUL throw to second base last night? NOBODY could have caught that ball! THIS is an all-star catcher? Lord help us! His “agent” aka hie wife, sure sold the Wild Things a real bill of goods. They went for it hook, line, and sinker! Can’t hit, can’t throw, can strike out and, on occasion, can catch a pitched ball.
Anonymous said: "wish bob gregg worked more often on the radio. he just tells it the way it is, no sugar coating, no pulling punches. nothing against mark or randy--but really enjoy bob's view of the game of baseball."
If you enjoy Bob Gregg's view of baseball, you're entitled to your opinion. I just like my broadcasters to be able to get excited every once in a while. Sure, you can tell it like it is, but would it kill you to have some excitement every once in a while? If I was a broadcaster I would be enjoying myself much more on the air, and hopefully that infectiousness would pay off towards the fan base. If I want to listen to an emotionless broadcast I'll just turn on the weather channel when they run through my local forecast.
Of course, if Bob Gregg really is preaching to the choir of Washington, then negative comments and a doom and gloom attitude will win over the Wild Things' "fan base" that loves nothing more than to find a reason to be miserable.
No, conspiracy theorists. Randy and/or Mark had nothing to do with this posting.
Signed,
Shoeless Joe Jackson
shoeless joe, after the leadoff homerun, exactly what would there have been to get excited about? when there's something exciting, bob's been excited alot. when there's gloom on the horizon, he's not talking about the coming sunshine though. that's all. "I just like my broadcasters to be able to get excited every once in a while." in this context, this is much more a statement about the team's performance tahn it is about the broadcaster.
I guess the guy who likes his broadcasters to be excited just loves GREG BROWN!
Well, time for the mid-season break the Frontier League likes to call “The All-Star Break”
In some of the previous years that was an apt description of the event. Not so much this year. The Wild Things are sending five players to the event. The three pitchers have shown they deserve to be there. However, two of these players have shown they definitely do NOT belong there. During the Wild Things comedy act last night in the fifth inning Scott Lawson displayed his inability, or unwillingness, to execute even the most basic fundamentals of the game. Don’t just stand there Scott – cover the bag. Geez! Ochoa? Nothing in this guy’s play even hints that he deserves the honor of being named to the all-star team. His selection, IMHO, diminishes the honor for those that have shown at least a little promise.
Since the managers select these players, what does that say about them when this sort of travesty happens?
You don’t think that maybe just a tiny bit of it involves politics, do ya?
Now somebody is carping about Bob Gregg telling it like it is? Give me a break! It about time somebody with knowledge says something. I have no problem with Radio Randy trying to cover up the horrible performance by the Wild Things these past few seasons. But, sometimes he just almost makes himself sound silly. It’s like horse manure on a tennis court – it’s there for all to see so, there is no use in trying to deny it! Somebody, preferably in a position to be heard and with creditability, had to say it. My hats off to Bob for having the guts to do it. There are so many people that are afraid to say anything negative about this organization that it’s almost sickening. If we settle for less than the best than that is exactly what we will get! No Excuses – Just results. Don’t tell me about the rest of your problems.
Even though the players land up taking most of the blame, the people that put them on the field in the first place are the real culprits. THEY are the ones that should be embarrassed. THEY are the ones that chose these people. Listening to the radio interview with Darin Everson last evening was better than any listening to the world’s greatest stand up comedians. If Mr. Everson actually believes even half of what he said, well……………………………. What a snow job that was! Is this man even on the same planet with the rest of us?
Lest we forget, GREAT job last night Ernie! I hope that’s the last we see of you in a Wild Things uniform.
Once again, kudos to Bob Gregg for speaking out!
Ima Fraid
Chris:
Are you comming out with a first half report card on the Wild Things.
I would give the management an F
What ever happened to "Natural Grass"?
I miss your post.
I'm waiting for the return of Ron Wilson.
PS:I was too busy replacing my natural grass with turf (my own expense, not taxpayers) to post.
Besides, its been to not to cut grass this week.
I give the turf a grade of F-.
The Florence Freedom released righthander Preston Vancil today. You may remember he threw a no-hitter against Traverse City just 2 seasons ago. This year he had a whopping 6.91 ERA with 62 hits allowed and 20 walks in just 42 innings. Wow, what happened to this guy? It's as if he's the pitching version of Banks. But with those numbers, he'd be in the Wild Things rotation if this were 2009...LOL. No further moves announced by the Wild Things yet.
"wish bob gregg worked more often on the radio. he just tells it the way it is, no sugar coating, no pulling punches. nothing against mark or randy--but really enjoy bob's view of the game of baseball."
Well, you get your wish tonight. Mr. Grim Reaper will be working with Radio Randy...at least, that's what the guys said last night on the braodcast. Hitting hasn't shown up since he said that stuff the last time he was on.
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