Travelerocity

Elvis sighting

Elvis is indeed here, and in the building. The Dickey-Stephens building that is. 19 year old, #1 Texas Ranger shortstop prospect Elvis Andrus is back in town with the Frisco Roughriders for a three game set.

  

Of the four writers who rate and compile the Top 50 prospects overall for Baseball America, the Maracay, Venezuela native's rating comes out at an average of  22.

There was a scary moment for Andrus and the whole Ranger organization collectively in the top of the fourth of Sunday's contest when Traveler starting pitcher Fernado Rodriguez hit Elvis on the hand a moment after the picture of his at-bat was taken above. It hit him on his right throwing hand and reminded me of almost exactly how Alfonso Soriano got put on the D.L. for the Cubs.

After the game he showed me his hand, which had a knot on it the size of a golf ball. But he said he was fine, and wouldn't need X-rays. Apparently so because he could still sign an autograph with the sore right hand, and trust me his signature is that bad good hand or not.

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Speaking of the fourth inning of Sunday's game, to say the Travs had a meltdown would be putting it mildly. Frisco's at bat in the top of the inning by my estimation was at leat thirty minutes long, possibly longer. 14 men went to the plate. 7 runs were scored on 6 hits(1 double); 1 error; 1 hit batsman; 3 walks; 1 wild pitch; 1 sac. fly; and 3 were left on base. Both starter Rodriguez and reliever Aaron Cook contributed to the carnage.

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No matter how many times you look down there the unbelievable circumstance of Frisco hitting coach, Scott Coolbaugh standing in almost the exact spot of the first base box where his brother Mike got killed almost a year ago, is chilling.

Because of Coolbaugh's death all baseline coaches throughout professional baseball are now required to wear helmets while in the box.

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It was strange to see the Trav's top hitter and normally an outfielder, Brian Stavisky at first for Sunday's contest.

Normal 1st baseman Michael Collins is on the D.L. causing the re-shuffling. Maybe it's time to consider bringing up Rancho 1st baseman Mark Trumbo, who is having a spectacular season in the California League, and who also has been on a home run tear.

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Speaking of the California League, I was speaking with a Rancho Cucamonga front office staff member earlier this afternoon while checking out something, and he told me he had just gotten an email reporting Traveler replacement shortstop, Wil Ortiz was being returned to the Quakes. That would coincide with regular shortstop and #11 Angel prospect Hainley Statia telling me yesterday before the first game of the Frisco series, he would be coming off the D.L. today. So look for Statia back in the starting lineup tonight.

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And fianally, what's the deal with Texas League teams like Midland and Frisco not having #'s of the front of the player's uniforms?

It makes it impossible to pick out who they are for autographs and impossible for fans to know who they are on the field, unless their back is turned.

The League ought to seriously consider instituting a rule making it mandatory for teams to have player's #'s on both sides of the uniform.

Post by Lonesome Traveler

Random thoughts

In the just completed series with the Midland RockHounds, the Travelers had a daunting task. How many minor league clubs can say they had to face their opponents top two ranked pitchers back-to-back? But that's exactly what the Hounds served up for Araknsas.

Getting just his second start since being called up to AA, 20 year old # 2 overall Oakland Athletics' prospect Trevor Cahill took the mound Friday night. Then on Saturday, the organization's # 3 overall prospect, James Simmons was on the hill.

 

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There was a robbery that occurred to one of the Midland players last week. Pure and simple. Outfielder Jon Zeringue was the victim. No it wasn't his wallet. It was an honor taken away from him he truly deserved.

Selected for the Texas League All-Star Game, all Zeringue did was go 4 for 5 at the plate; hit two doubles; score three runs; and make one outfield assist. Are you kidding me? And he was not voted the game's MVP. That honor went to Frisco's Steve Murphy, who had only one hit, but it was a home run to lead off the 10th when the game was tied, which proved to be the winning run. OK that's a nice job, but come on, that homer couldn't possibly override an outstanding overall performance by Zenringue.

What could the media and others who selected the award have been thinking? I asked him that after Friday night's contest and told him I felt there was no way any one else but him should have won the MVP. He found it hard to believe also and although he didn't come right out and say it, I will. Jon you were robbed of a very important career milestone.

  

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More All-Star Game.......

Listening to the All-Star game on MiLB.com I once again was reminded of how fortunate we are in Central Ark. to have the best radio announcer in the Texas League, Phil Elson doing the Traveler boradcasts. The crew from Sprinfield, Jock 98.7/KWTO were well, awful.

At one point their play-by-play guy(Mike) predicted Tulsa's speedy infielder Corey Wimberly, who was on base, would steal on the next pitch. He actually said this corny old expression from the 70's Laugh-In show.

"You can bet your sweet bippy he will steal!"  Oh please..........

Corey didn't.

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More All-Star game.......

Kudos to Little Rock's Ch. 4 sports department for sending a crew to do live cut-ins of the game during its six and ten sportscast. Reporter Derik Ruscin set up on the left field berm with the action going on behind him and at ten pitched to a beautiful package on former Razorback Jess Todd's masterful two inning performance.

All of the Texas League's team mascots were at the game and at one point they all did a choreographed routine down on the field. Derik had a shot of that in his piece with Shelly jiving away with his fellow cronies. Here's an image of it captured from TV. It's not great, but it's funny. You go Shell.

And it was a nice gesture by the Astro's organization to let infielder Tommy Manzella, who had been selected as a Texas League All-Star but promoted from Corpus Christi to AAA Round Rock several days before the game, to go ahead and travel to Springfield and play. Round Rock was off the day of the 72nd Texas League classic, so it worked out #15 prospect Manzella could be there after all.

 

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WHOOPS!!  Surprise......

Look what happened in the top of the 4th of Friday night's game against Midland.

After a short delay, the mal-functioning sprinklers were turned off and the game continued.

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It's good to see the Angel's #19 prospect outfielder Chris Pettit back in the line-up after coming off the DL because of a broken foot suffered on opening night at D.S. He must be feeling fine, since he attempted to steal after walking in his first at bat.

Pettit, infielder Adam Morrissey, and catcher Tim Duff all returned to the team on Friday, but that's not the way it was supposed to go. Morrissey and Duff just returning from AAA Salt Lake and Pettit were all supposed to be at the park on Thursday but due to a travel nightmare they didn't make it.

Pettit said the trip took "21 hours to get in." Stranded in Houston, they eventually caught a flight to Fayetteville and drove in from there.

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Ain't he cute? And why are all those people staring?

That's one of the Traveler's newest players, 6' 5" rhp Aaron Cook toting the purse, uh backpack out of the team's clubhouse before the start of a game.

"What the hey?" you say. Well this is a time honored tradition one of the new guys must endure from the Kangaroo Court as part of his orientation to the team.

Aaron, sorry but your colors don't match.

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During Saturday night's George Kell celebration a keen observer pointed out Brooks Robinson was signing autographs left handed. "No way," I said, thinking about all those marvelous moments of the Little Rock native going deep in the hole to make a circus catch at third and then coming across his body righty to make the throw. "Yes, for sure he is," the observer insisted. So I went back to see if the Hall of Famer and  best third baseman that ever lived was indeed signing leftty.

He was.

So I asked him what was up with that. "I'm ambidextrous," he said. "I eat and write left, but played ball right." Boy did he ever.

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Those of you who guessed "Clam" from the quiz on my last post as Bill Valentine's nickname growing up, were correct. Never has there ever been more of a tongue-in-cheek nickname for some one, shall we say as talkative as the audacious Valentine.

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Finally, here's one for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.

Post by Lonesome Traveler

George Kell night at Dickey-Stephens

On a rainy Saturday night thousands of baseball fans saw a ceremony honoring Swifton's own George Kell where his good friends and fellow Hall of Famers, Brooks Robinson and Al Kaline came to help pay tribute. Later they all signed autographs for an hour. Here's what it looked like prior to to the Traveler's victory over Midland.

  

 

Post by Lonesome Traveler

Roster changes going into home stand

News release from the Travs...

Over the course of two days, the roster of the Arkansas Travelers has been overhauled by nine transactions.  The Travs have lost 1B Mike Collins and LHP Doug Brandt to injury while Jordan Czarniecki was sent to Salt Lake City.  However the Travs get back outfielder Chris Pettit after he missed the first half of the season with a broken foot.  Two relievers come to the Arkansas bullpen from Rancho Cucamonga; right-hander Aaron Cook and lefty Barret Browning.  Catcher Tim Duff and infielder Adam Morrissey rejoined the Travs from Salt Lake and outfielder Drew Toussaint was sent back to Rancho Cucamonga. 

Collins has been placed on the 7-day disabled list retroactive to June 19.  Tests taken during the all-star break revealed a bulging disc in his lower back.
 
Brandt also goes to the 7-day DL diagnosed with a strain in his left elbow.  Brandt's stint in the disabled list is retroactive to June 23.

Czarniecki leaves the Travs as one of the club's steadiest players during their stretch drive to the first half division pennant.  Since joining the Travs in mid-April, Czarniecki batted .296 with 6 homers, 23 RBI and 35 runs scored in 62 games.  His .402 on-base percentage is the highest for any Trav that's played over 30 games.  A promotion to the Angels' AAA club brings the season full-circle for Czarniecki, as he was released by the Rockies in April due to a shortage of roster spots at their AAA affiliate.

Pettit will take over Czarniecki's role as an everyday corner outfielder for the Travs.  It's the same role Pettit was assigned before breaking a bone in his right foot in the 4th inning of the Travs' opening day game.  Pettit had been rehabbing his injury at the Angels' minor league spring training complex in Tempe, and had played three games for the Arizona League Angels going 3-for-13 with two RBI.

Morrissey returns for his third stint with the 2008 Travs.  He joined the club in mid-April before a three-day trial at Salt Lake in May.  After returning to Salt Lake, Morrissey was batting a torrid .345 with 4 home runs and 9 RBI during June.

Duff had played 17 games at Salt Lake while Ryan Budde and Bobby Wilson healed on the DL.  He batted .231 with three RBI and had thrown out 35 percent of opposing base stealers.

Toussaint heads back to Rancho Cucamonga after playing 33 games with the Travs.  He batted .222 with 4 home runs and 13 RBI while playing outfield and DH for Arkansas.

Cook, a submarining right-hander, comes to the Travs after serving as a late-inning reliever for Rancho Cucamonga.  In 23 appearances, the 24-year old from Rockledge, Florida, posted a 2-0 record plus 3 saves in 4 chances and a 3.49 ERA.

Browning joins Daniel Davidson as the only lefties available out of the Travs' pen.  In 30 appearances for the Quakes, the 23-year old from Jessup, Georgia, had a 2-1 record and a 4.01 ERA to go along with 6 saves in 9 chances.  Browning held Cal League left-handed hitters to a .203 average and whiffed 39 batters in 33.2 innings.

Red hatted Champs

As the Traveler players staggered out of the clubhouse for Wednesday's game after a night of celebrating, there was something noticeably different about them. No, it wasn't the hangovers. It was the new red caps the players were wearing instead of the traditional blue.

General Manager Pete Lavin said the players had been wanting them, and so what a better time to reward the players with the new bonnets than the day after clinching the first-half title in one of the most thrilling ball games this observer has seen in a long time.

In fact when asked the next day Trav skipper Bobby Mags exuberantly called it, "the best game ever!"

I will long remember Bobby sprinting down the third base line to join his team for the victory celebration even before pinch runner Anderson Rosario crossed home plate with the winning run. 

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There's an old saying "Nothing is constant but change," and in professional baseball that expression was never more true. Players come and go, especially in the minor leagues and the fans and teams get used to it. But it will be sad to see Traveler reliever Bill Edwards go. Edwards, who has been with the team for parts of three seasons now and who is a heck of a nice guy, has asked the Angels for his release and it was granted.

We say good luck to Bill, who it's reported plans to catch on with another team in hopes of advancing.

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Traveler first baseman and native Australian Michael Collins called his two out shot over the right field wall with two outs in the bottom of the ninth against Springfield that tied the championship game and forced it to extras, the biggest hit of his career. I call it the biggest hit of the first-half in the Texas League.

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Look for more changes, especially in the outfield as Angel #19 prospect Chris Pettit returns to the Trav line-up after the Texas League All-Star break.

Pettit out of Loyola Marymount broke his foot on opening night at Dickey-Stephens. He is described by Baseball America "with a makeup off the charts."

So it will be interesting to see what kind shuffling will have to occur in the outfield to make room.

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Here's one for the Traveler interns, who work endless hours during the season. You may not know, but as part of ultra-modern Dickey-Stephens, the interns have their own dormitory complex to live in during the season.

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Most interesting autograph of the first-half goes to former Razorback and #12 Cardinal pitching prospect, Jess Todd.

 

Todd has "Big League" written all over him and entered Tuesday night's championship game with a minuscule 0.83 ERA as a Springfield starter. He  was pulled after the 7th with a 4-2 lead because of a pitch count limit.

 

If he had stayed in the ballgame for one more inning, would it have made the difference? We'll never know.

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Speaking of autographs, here's a tip getting cards signed. Ditch the Sharpie and go with the Staedtler Lumocolor permanent medium. The marker pens are made in Germany and work so much better than Sarpies, especially on chrome or glossy cards. You can order them on-line at www.imageshoponline.com.

 

WARNING:  NEVER use a Staedtler or any other type of marker on a ball because it could possibly smear. Always use a ballpoint on a baseball. 

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Have you tried listening to the live Traveler broadcast on KWBF-FM, 101.1 while at Dickey-Stephens park? It's impossible. That's because the radio station has a six second delay on all its programming thanks to the station's morning show where listeners call in. So if you are listening live to Phil Elson describe the action while in your seat at the game, everything is six seconds behind and its maddening.

Keep in mind it's certainly not Elson's fault, but he says he's received "lots of complaints."

I have a solution RTN Radio. When the team is home, teach someone to turn it off at night during Traveler broadcasts so fans at the park can listen and enjoy as they should.

Can you imagine the uproar that would occur if a similar situation happened during a Razorback football broadcast? Why should loyal Traveler fans have to put up with it?

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Player notes...... Trav center fielder Adam Greenberg said before the first-half championship game he was"about 80%," with his knee after returning to the team for the DL. Greenberg says he had a cyst rupture and there was no structural damage.

And catcher/DH Brian Walker, who has really come around at the plate especially with power via long-balls, attributes it to work in the cage with hitting instructor Eric Owens. He said they had corrected a "shoulder rotation" approach and the results have been obvious.

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Care to guess what Bill Valentine's nickname was growing up? One of these choices is correct. See if you can guess.

A. Poor boy

B. Sharkey

C. Clam

D. Jar Head

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And finally.....did you ever wonder how the BULLPEN got its name. No it's not for the obvious, shall we say chatter that occurs out there among pitchers during games.

But rather according to historians the term bullpen came from advertising of "Bull Durham" tobacco on billboards in the outfield corners where relievers warmed up, and was said to have been first used in 1888.

 

Post by Lonesome Traveler

 

   

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When Pettit comes back next week, what becomes of Greenberg, Czarniecki, and Stavisky?

So Chris Pettit, rated as the Los Angeles Angels No. 19 prospect and the organization's Minor League player of the year last season, is expected to rejoin the Travelers in time for the home series against Midland next week at Dickey-Stephens Park after last seeing the park on opening day when he broke his foot in center field. That's good news for those who wonder about the complete void of Angels prospects on the Travs roster this season (we are down to one, Stephen Marek, who other than being able to throw the ball really fast certainly hasn't looked like much of a prospect so far).

But when Pettit rejoins the team, what will become of the other outfielders-- you know, the ones plucked in desperation by the Angels from independent ball who turned the team's fortunes around and led the Travs to the coveted first-half pennant and a spot in the playoffs? I wonder specifically about center fielder Adam Greenberg, whose magic at the plate and in the field has delivered time and again since mid-May after the Angels swiped Coby Smith and deemed him ready for Triple-A (his batting average is up to .204 since the transfer).

I think it's safe to say outfielder Anderson Rosario, who was batting .146 after 35 games at Rancho when the Angels said he was ready to be promoted instead of prospect Peter Bourjous, will be sent back down to the Cal League. So that leaves Greenberg (age 27), Jordan Czarniecki (27), Brian Stavisky (on the verge of 28), and Drew Toussaint (25)to fight for playing time in right and left field. I can only assume Pettit (25) will be given priority since he means more to the Angels than the three indy ballers, whose ages are getting to the point where teams give up on them, hence such talented players having nowhere to start this season.

It will be a real shame Greenberg, Czarniecki, or Stavisky are released or relegated to sitting on the benchafter what they've done for the Travs this season. Especially Greenberg.

All that said, the Angels will probably screw us by promoting one or more of these guysand leave the roster either not full or dependent on more players who aren't ready for Double-A or have been picked up off the scrap heap Jocketty style with hopes that the Angels will get lucky one more time and stave off complaints from the Arkansas affiliate.

September baseball coming to DSP after Travs' improbable comeback!

Who would have believed the Travs would win the first half much less this game? I know a lot of fans in the stands were frustrated after the Travs went down 4-0 and Springfield pitcher Jess Todd's 87 mph throws were consistently getting everyone out. But then Cardinals manager "Pop" Warner made the dumb move of the game -- he took Todd out after the seventh inning. This was a time to throw pitch counts out the window, regardless of what is dictated by the parent club. So what happened next? Springfield reliever Fernando Salas gave up home runs to Nate Sutton and Michael Collins. Boom. New ballgame.

I was really disappointed in the crowd that showed up for perhaps the biggest home game of the regular season. The reported attendance was 6,556, but I would be very surprised if the number of tickets scanned topped 5,000. Thanks, Drive Time Sports, for all your great promotion of this event. You would think any sports talk show worth anything might have invited Elson, Valentine, Mags, or a player on to talk about this championship game in the hours before the first pitch.

But the baseball-loving fans who showed up and stuck around on this Tuesday night were rewarded with high dramatics, a home team actually showing emotion on the field as if winning this game was personally important to each of them, and as a bonus entertainingly bad '80s music played before each Springfield batter came to the plate. Kudos to Tommy and the staff for all their creativity with the music and the dancing woman on the video screen.

I wonder, however, if this had been a Major League team playing one important game to reach the playoffs if the manager would have started the worst pitcher in the rotation (ERA-wise, at least). I think not. Moving up to Dan Denham or at least Brok Butcher might have made it an easier win. But, hey, who would trade in that game for an easier win, so it all worked out.

An extended season beyond Labor Day will be fantastic. But the best thing about winning the first-half pennant? Suck it, NWA.

Predictions for Tuesday's game: Tough task faces Travs for title

Depending on how things go in the second half of the season, Tuesday's game against the Springfield Cardinals may turn out to be the biggest game the Travelers will play all year.

While I'm not exactly comforted to read in the paper that Travs manager Bobby Magallanes plans to approach this game by doing it "the Angels way" and treating it like any other game, I'm even less comforted about the prospects of this game considering that Jess Todd is the starting pitcher for Springfield (thanks to the rotation getting pushed back from St. Louis rehab assignments). Todd, the Arkansas Razorbacks all-time strike-out leader, currently has a 0.83 ERA. The Travs will send out Fernando Rodriguez, whose 5.26 ERA is the highest in the Travs starting rotation.

My prediction is that it's going to take some heavy hitting and no mistakes from the Travs to win this game. I hope Magallanes will send out a line-up that maximizes the team's strengths and not adhere to the standard Scioscia way of taking chances with runners who have little chance of stealing successfully. It should be interesting. What's your prediction?

Images from first-half title series versus Springfield -- game one

Pictures tell the story........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Post by Lonesome Traveler





 

 

 

Father's Day baseball

It was quite a spectacle for Father's day at Dickey-Stephens Sunday. Kids playing catch with their dads on the field before the game and home runs flying out during the game for the Travs.

If you were a dad and you got there early enough you even got a free Father's Day baseball to go along with a Travler victory that kept the team's hopes alive for a first half championship.

Dads and everybody else in attendance on a beautiful, breezy afternoon saw the Travs hit some major shots and Anthony Ortega pitch a three hit shut out in a lopsided victory over Tulsa.

 

In the bottom of the 4th, Traveler right fielder Drew Toussaint #5 hit a massive shot that cleared the iron fence past the berm in left field and was last seen bouncing on to the street outside the park. His three run bomb off Tulsa pitcher Ching-Lung Lo was possibly the longest homer at D.S. this year, and it was more impressive because he hit it into a stiff breeze that was blowing in.

Toussaint, who struggled at the plate early on, has really improved his stroke and there's no question now the power is there when he connects. The skyrocket type blast was his 4th round tripper of the year.

Toussaint's home run was follwed by another in the next inning by 3rd baseman Corey Smith #15, who has hit three home runs in two days. Although Smith's solo job didn't travel quite as far, it took almost the same path over the left field wall, landing deep on the berm and the rout was on.

Another Trav, who really found his stroke today was catcher/DH Brian Walker #35. Walker started the contest hitting a meager .175, but in the Traveler 6th he hit another huge solo shot down the right field line into the picnic area and followed that later with a laser line drive double to right. 

It wouldn't have surprised me if Shelly had come out of the stands on this Father's Day to get a piece of the action during one of the Traveler's best performances of the year. Let's hope the momentum carries over to the Springfield series, which begins tomorrow.

Here's one more look at Dickey-Stephens Father's Day baseball 6/15/08.

Post by Lonesome Traveler

 

Timely hitting...

Even though the Travelers lost a marathon 16 inning game on Friday night against Tulsa, it was timely hitting once again that got them back in it, and it was 1st baseman Michael Collins' shot to right-center that won it in extras Thursday night. When interviewed on RTN radio after the game Collins #18 credited the Traveler surge toward the first half title to, "timely hitting, good pitching, and good defense."

And the Travs have been doing a lot of those things lately led by veterans like Collins and catcher Ben Johnson, along with outfielders Brian Stavisky #29, who had three doubles in Thursday night's contest. 

Throw in the "Angel way" of aggressive base running, which has been very successful in the first half and you have a team playing the best baseball fans have seen at Dickey-Stephens.

                                                                   

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Look who had the best and most comfortable seat in the house for Friday night's game. Travs broadcaster Phil Elson decided to call the game from the box seat level near home plate lounging in a recliner.

It was a good thing he was comfortable because he was there for almost six hours due to the length of the extra inning game, although near the end the Zero Gravity chair was yanked from him as storm clouds rumbled in.

Hey Phil I was wondering though, why you didn't sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" again for the 14th inning stretch?

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Speaking of rumbling...rewind back to the skirmish during Thursday's game between the Drillers and Travelers when both benches and bullpens emptied after Trav catcher Brian Walker and Tulsa base runner Dexter Fowler became tangled up at the plate. Fowler, Colorado's #3 prospect and former Razorback Walker had to be separated after the brief skirmish that had the look of possibly getting real ugly.

Walker called it a "weird deal" before Friday nights game. He said he "couldn't retaliate and get thrown out" after he felt Fowler was holding him down and not allowing him to throw to keep a Driller runner from advancing.

"We would have lost our DH," he said, meaning that night's DH Ben Johnson would have had to come in and catch in his place, forcing manager Bobby Magallanes to come up with another DH.

 

For his part Fowler said, "It happened so fast I couldn't tell you what happened."

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I checked with a spokeswoman with the Angels Low A club, the Kernels in Cedar Rapids, Iowa yesterday regarding the status of the park. A tragic and historic flood has inundated a large part of the city including the downtown area, but she said Veterans Memorial Park although only two blocks away from the surging water, was safe.

In fact she said the National Guard, police, rescue crews, and city officials were using the club's parking lot as a staging area.

The team is on the road and not due back until Thur., 6/19 but it remains to be seen if they will be able to play at all or if games will have to be re-scheduled elsewhere. 

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Iinteresting fact from Friday nights marathon. Way back in the opening inning Traveler starting pitcher Brok Butcher gave up five hits on six pitches as the Driller's scouting report apparently said to come to the plate hacking off the right hander. The strategy paid off for a quick 3-0 lead, which including a raking double by the sweet swinging afore mentioned, Dexter Fowler.

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What a weekend at Hammons Field in Springfield. Two of the Cardinals pitchers on rehab assignment will have started on consecutive nights.

Matt Clement on Friday night and Mark Mulder Saturday night.

This was followed by former St. Louis closer Jason Isringhausen's Springfield pitching assignment a few weeks back.

Must be nice to have the parent club actually allow its big league talent to set foot in its AA park.

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And... uh oh..speaking of Hammons Field. In its Friday sports story regarding the N.West Ark./Springfield game the night before, the Democrat Gazette reporter called it "Hammonds Stadium."  That gaffe was followed by another recent story when stellar Traveler all-star hurler Robert Mosebach was referred to as Brian Mosebach.

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Want to meet player with a refreshing attitude? How about Tulsa infielder Jeff Kindel, seen here at the plate.

While signing a variety of his cards for a young fan before Thursday nights game, he was asked which one he liked best.

"It's just good to be on a card," he replied.

Here's the one he signed for me.

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and FINALLY the Triple Play REVEAL...............

In my last post I mentioned a story I heard ESPN Baseball Tonight analyst and former big league manager Buck Showalter tell about the time when he was managing in the minors and saw a triple play that never touched a glove. I wondered if anyone who hadn't seen that report could figure it out. Did you?

By the way before I reveal it, ironically Showalter's cohort on Baseball Tonight, Eric Young is a former major leaguer and his son Eric Young, Jr, the Rockies #22 prospect was in town this weekend playing infield for Tulsa. The speedy Young led all of the minors in steals in '06 and was second in '07.

Jr., seen below, says his dad, who is now in his second year on the desk at Baseball Tonight, is "Getting the hang of it."

Anyway the triple play reveal!

Here's how Showalter said it went.

Men on first and second when a high pop-up is hit on the left side on the infield.

1st Out........Infield fly rule.

2nd Out.......The trailing runner while gawking up at the ball passes the other runner. Automatic out.

3rd Out.......The lead runner so surprised he was passed stops, and the fly ball comes down and hits him in the head. Runner interferance. Triple play.......thank you and good night. 

 

Post by Lonesome Traveler

                    

On deck: Guide to home series with the Tulsa Drillers on June 12-15

Of all the professional and amateur sports out there, only in Minor League Baseball would the parent club be so oblivious (or maybe could care less) to the Double-A affiliate's run for a first-half playoff spot that it would lift the team's all-star closer as the team enters its final week in a three-way race for first place. Yet that's just what the Los Angeles Angels did when they lifted Kevin Jepsen from the Travelers and sent him to Salt Lake. But that's nothing new for the Angels, so we will just have to live with it, and Minor League fans living with it is one reason MLB teams don't think twice about doing this.

Still, it's been fun watching the Travs, initially perhaps the worst team in the Texas League, turn it around on the backs of three free agents relegated to the independent leagues and an unusually sturdy five-man pitching rotation. Can the Travs take care of the Tulsa Drillers and beat out Springfield as it continues to be bolstered by Cardinals rehab assignments and fast-rising prospects? Like Thursday night's game, it's going to be fun to watch.

Here's a quick guide to the upcoming promotions and the top players to watch...

Thursday, June 12 - 7:10 p.m.
Last 2,000 fans out the door got free copy of Baseball America and fans in bleachers visited by the Little Rock Roller Derby girls.

Friday, June 13 - 7:10 p.m.
Greatest promotion of the year -- first 2,000 adults get a Bill Valentine mask in honor of Friday the 13th. Phil Elson will broadcast game from stands behind home plate. Kids run the bases after the game.

Saturday, June 14 - 7:10 p.m.
First 1,500 kids get a Travs replica jersey and as always I wonder why this is co-sponsored by Bridgeway Hospital. 103.7 "celebrity" softball game starts at 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 15 - 6 p.m.
First 2,000 adults get a free Father's Day baseball. Parents and kids invited on the field sometime before the game (my guess is get there really early) to play catch. $10 family admission with church bulletin, $3 discount coupons available at Arby's, free admission with AARP card.

(The Travs continue the home stand with a series against the Springfield Cardinals beginning on June 16.)

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Tulsa Drillers
(Colorado Rockies, Colorado Springs Sky Sox)
24 Dexter Fowler CF - #74 on Baseball America's Top 100 prospect list, Rockies #3 prospect, signed in '04 after Rockies dumped Larry Walker's salary on the Cardinals, best athlete and defensive outfielder in system, projected starting center fielder for 2011 Rockies, '07 Arizona Fall League All-Prospect team, '07 Arizona Fall League Rising Stars selection, '08 Texas League all-star, leads team with 50 runs and 33 walks
8 Chris Nelson SS - Rockies #7 prospect, $2.15 million signing bonus, bat speed compared to Gary Sheffield, Rockies '04 top draft pick, '07 Topps Class-A all-star, '07 Baseball America High Class-A all-star, '07 California League all-star, on 7-day DL
2 Eric Young Jr. 2B - Rockies #22 prospect, , led the Minor Leagues in steals in '06 and was second in '07, son of former MLB all-star Eric Young, '07 California League all-star
1 Corey Wimberly 2B - Rockies #24 prospect, led NCAA with .461 batting average in '05 at Alcorn State, fastest baserunner in system, '08 Texas League all-star, leads team with 29 walks
14 Matt Miller LF - '07 Texas League all-star, '08 Texas League all-star, leads team with .350 batting average, 83 hits, 51 RBI, and .408 on-base percentage
52 Tony Blanco 3B - '08 Texas League all-star, tied for team lead with 9 home runs, .604 slugging percentage, and .987 OPS
9 Jeffrey Dragicevich 3B - Tied for team lead with 9 home runs
6 Daniel Carte RF - Leads team with 62 strike outs

27 Casey Weathers RP - Rockies #6 prospect, No. 8 overall pick in '07 draft after All-American year at Vanderbilt, $1.8 million signing bonus
22 Brandon Hynick SP - Rockies #8 prospect, '07 California League pitcher of the year, '06 Pioneer League pitcher of the year, led Minor Leagues in '07 with 182 innings, best change-up and control in system, '07 MiLB.com Class-A Advanced starting pitcher of the year, '07 Baseball America High Class-A all-star, '07 California League all-star, has given up team-leading 14 home runs, leads team with 50 strike outs
43 Pedro Strop RP - Rockies #9 prospect, on Rockies 40-man roster, converted shortstop in his third season on the mound, best slider in system, on 7-day DL
13 Chaz Roe SP - Rockies #10 prospect, $1 million signing bonus, recruited as a quarterback at Kentucky, best curveball in organization
47 Ryan Matheus RP - '07 Texas League all-star, '08 Texas League all-star, leads team with 9 saves
11 Adam Bright RP - On 7-day DL, leads team with 1.82 ERA and 1.09 WHIP
31 Ching Lung Lo SP - Has thrown one compete-game shutout

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Arkansas Travelers (Los Angeles Angels, Salt Lake Bees)
14 Hainley Statia SS - Angels #11 prospect, '07 California League all-star, on 7-day DL
32 Jordan Czarniecki RF - '07 Texas League all-star, played college at Tennessee, leads team with 28 walks
15 Corey Smith 3B - Leads team with 12 errors
18 Michael Collins 1B - Leads team with 43 runs
7 Ben Johnson C - '08 Texas Leage all-star, leads team 63 hits, 13 home runs, 54 RBI, 46 strike outs
29 Brian Stavisky LF - Leads team with .370 batting average, played college at Notre Dame, .453 on-base percentage, .739 slugging percentage, and 1.192 OPS

38 Stephen Marek RP - Angels #6 prospect
32 Douglas Brandt RP - '07 Midwest League all-star, leads team with 1.09 WHIP
11 Brok Butcher SP - '07 California League all-star
27 Fernando Rodriguez SP - Has thrown one complete-game shutout, has give up team-leading 9 home runs
17 Dan Denham SP - Indians '01 top draft pick, '08 Texas League all-star
20 Bobby Mosebach SP - '08 Texas League all-star, has thrown two complete games, leads team with 13 hit batters, 29 walks
40 Rafael Rodriguez RP - Leads team with 1.59 ERA
33 Anthony Ortega SP - '08 Texas League all-star, leads team with 44 strike outs
28 Francisco Rodriguez RP - Leads team with 5 holds

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Texas League leaders as of 6/13

Batting average
.367 Shane Robinson, Springfield
.360 Max Ramirez, Frisco
.355 Jesus Guzman, Midland
.350 Matt Miller, Tulsa
.333 Chris Davis, Frisco

Home runs
15 Max Ramirez, Frisco
14 Kila Kaaihue, NWA
13 Chris Davis, Frisco
13 Ben Johnson, Arkansas
13 Tommy Everidge, Midland

Pitching ERA
2.24 Vincent Mazzaro, Midland
2.84 Dan Denham, Arkansas
3.04 Will Inman, San Antonio
3.43 Steve Garrison, San Antonio
3.70 Brad James, Corpus Christi

Pitching strike outs
68 Will Inman, San Antonio
67 Matthew Buschman, San Antonio
61 Andrew Bailey, Midland
60 Gabe DeHoyas, San Antonio
57 Fernando Salas, Springfield
57 Vincent Mazzaro, Midland

Random thoughts on Travs from correspondent Lonesome Traveler

By now, I'm sure most everyone has heard about Travs center fielder Adam Greenberg's incredible story.

Here is the pitch from Florida Marlins left hander Valerio de los Santos that struck Greenberg in the back of the head on that fateful day July 9, 2005. It was Adam's first appearance at the plate for the Chicago Cubs after having been called up a few days earlier along with teammate Matt Murton.

Greenberg had to be helped off the field and the pitch was the first and only one he ever saw in the big leagues, which brings up an interesting and extremely rare statistic.

Greenberg consequently has a major league on-base percentage of 1.000 with no official at-bats, and he never took the field. The only other player with that same stat, at least in the modern era, is Fred Van Dusen, who was playing with the Phillies on Sept. 11, 1955, when he was struck by a pitch.

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The Travs' '08 card set arrived about two weeks ago to mixed reviews from the players. "I don't like them," first baseman Michael Collins said. He wasn't alone. When asked, several players said they would have preferred more action type shots than tight or "goofy" ones. 

Travelers hurler Brok Butcher said there was more than one set of pictures taken. After the more serious ones were shot, he said the players hammed it up and apparently in the end more of those types were chosen for release.

To tell you the truth, I like them although I was puzzled by the sad and forlorn looking shot of outfielder Chris Pettit (#19 Angels prospect) sitting in the dugout with his crutches and broken foot in a cast. An injury that occurred unbelievably on opening night at Dickey-Stephens.

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Card set ADD.........................................

And why doesn't Shelly have a card? Aftershock, his cohort at Rancho Cucamonga, has his own card. What an insult to Shelly that in AA ball he's not allowed to keep up.

Hey, Bill Valentine had his own card. Why not Shelly, and radio announcer Phil Elson for that matter? Elson, '07 Traverlocity MVP, last had a card in '05. The best radio guy in the Texas league certainly deserves one if the trainers have one!

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Has anyone noticed the right side of the diamond near first base tilting a little bit? That's because the biggest man in the Texas League, (nobody could be bigger right... particular not a posistion player?) San Anonio's Kyle Blanks, 6' 6"/270 pounds (and looks bigger) played first over there during the recently completed series with the Missions.

Blanks, the Padres' #10 prospect, took care of business at the plate as well, blasting Travelers pitching throughout the series.

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Speaking of the Missions... rewind to the Sunday (6/1) rain out against San Antonio and the all-time wrestling match with the tarp that took 26 men to subdue in the 60-70 mph wind gusts. One of the last to leave the field, bedraggled and soaked, was Travelers General Manager Pete Lavin, who had rushed in to help his boys fight the monster.

Years from now ten thousand people will be saying they were there for the "tarp game," which Pete said was videotaped by the park's cameras and was going to be posted on YouTube. Haven't ventured to the on-line site to see, since I witnessed the melee in person, but if it is, it's a "can't miss."

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Wouldn't it be nice if the team would invest in a smaller balls/strikes/outs scoreboard somewhere on the right side of the diamond, like up along the edge of the facade over the Traveler's dugout? I know, I know... Dickey-Stephen's is truly a beautiful, modern place, but that certainly would be a nice addition as most parks have at least two for the fans on both sides.

Hey, at least the radar gun has been moved to a better spot and is working this year. Although, does it seem a little fast to anyone but me? 

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Did you know the Travs have two #1 draft picks on the team, who were both taken by the Cleveland Indians in consecutive years?

In 2000, Travelers third baseman Corey Smith was the first choice by the Tribe, followed by pitcher Dan Denham the next year.

By '02, Corey had moved all the way up to the Indian's #1 overall prospect according to Baseball America.

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It has been rumored by more than one source that hurler Robert Mosebach's days are numbered as a Trav. His promotion to Salt Lake is imminent, one source ventured.

I wondered if that was the case, so I asked him.

Not so, says Mosebach, who was one of four Travelers just named to the Texas League All-Star game. He says the rotation at Salt Lake is "solid," and he would not be on the move any time soon.

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More bad news for #4 Angels catching prospect Hank Conger, who signed for $1.35 million in '06 and has battled a quagmire of injuries ever since.

A Rancho Cucamonga spokesman says Conger has been diagnosed with a labral tear and will eventually have to have surgery.

So it could be some time before the highly touted prospect appears as part of the battery at Dickey-Stephens.

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Did any one but me realize that the Twisters and Travelers share the same P.A. announcer? That could explain why things are uh... well, so loud at the park this year. Having to shriek above the din of Arena 2 football is necessary for any public address announcer at the indoor contests where the music blasts contantly, and the noise level inside the dome just about takes the roof off.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to sit in a suite for a recent Twisters game and I was told later the P.A. announcer, who was right below us, is also the Travs' new guy. Except on Twisters home game nights, when the old Travelers announcer comes back to sub at Dickey-Stephens.

The next day (the Tarp Game) during the rain delay I was visiting with an "insider," who mentioned how he missed the old announcer's, shall we say, more graceful and sedate style.

He was right. Shrieking doesn't transfer over to baseball.

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Finally, I heard this from former Texas Ranger manager Buck Showalter during ESPN's Baseball Tonight, where he now works. Showalter explained how when he was a minor league manager, he had witnessed a triple play that never touched a glove.

Any guesses?

If you saw the broadcast please don't tell. The correct answer will be revealed in a later post.

Post by Travelerocity Correspondent Lonesome Traveler

Travs put four in TL All-Star game

Catcher Ben Johnson is the lone offensive player on the Travelers to make the Texas League All-Star team, which pretty much exemplifies the state of the team this season. Three pitchers -- Deserving Dan Denham, Robert Mosebach, and Kevin Jepsen -- selected to the team bring the Travs total up to four, which ties San Antonio for the fewest number of players on the roster.

Team totals
Springfield - 7
NWA - 6
Tulsa - 6
Midland - 6
Frisco - 5
Corpus Christi - 5
Arkansas - 4
San Antonio - 4

Tracking the Angels' picks in the draft

I would like to say that maybe we could hope to see the Los Angeles Angels' top draft pick by next season, a la Springfield pitcher Jess Todd who was pitching for the Arkansas Razorbacks last year, but the Angels' first pick in the draft doesn't come until No. 74 in the second round.

Judging by the lack of Major League prospects with the Travelers this year, combined with the fact that this is the third time in the last four years that the Angels will not have a first-round draft pick, you have to wonder if this once talent-rich system is drying up before our eyes.

Anyway, let's see who might be on the way to Dickey-Stephens Park in the years to come...

Draft pick No. 74
Tyler Chatwood, RHP
Redlands East Valley High School (California)

Draft pick No. 105
Ryan Chaffee, RHP
Chipola Junior College (Florida)

Draft pick No. 112
Zach Cone, CF
Parkview High School (Georgia)

Draft pick No. 139
Jeffrey Boshers, LHP
Calhoun Community College (Alabama)

Draft pick No. 169
Khiry Cooper, CF
Cavalry High School (Louisiana)

Draft pick No. 199
Joshua Blanco, LHP
Franklin High School (Texas)