tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12838633165384268832024-03-12T20:43:35.680-04:00The 2-2 Pitch...Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.comBlogger469125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-41202471784175157692017-12-07T14:32:00.003-05:002017-12-07T14:32:34.603-05:00Keeping busy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My latest work:<br />
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<li><a href="https://arenadigest.com/2017/12/06/new-era-venerable-keyarena/">The history of KeyArena in Seattle</a>, from the 1962 World's Fair to the recent City Council vote on an MOU approving a $600 million upgrade.</li>
<li><a href="https://arenadigest.com/2017/11/29/capital-one-arena-20/">The history of Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.</a>; Abe Pollin's privately-financed arena turns 20 years old.</li>
<li><a href="https://footballstadiumdigest.com/2017/11/the-history-of-football-at-fenway-park/">A history of football at Fenway Park</a>, which happens to involve a young Vin Scully.</li>
<li><a href="https://footballstadiumdigest.com/2017/11/nfl-stadiums-and-thanksgiving-games/">Which NFL stadium has hosted the most Thanksgiving games?</a> (There are two stadiums known more for baseball than football who are in the top five!)</li>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-27611703987958054722015-10-27T00:48:00.002-04:002015-10-27T00:51:35.257-04:00How to Jinx a No-Hitter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There is no stronger force in all of baseball than the no-hitter jinx, exceeding even such traditional powers as Clubhouse Chemistry and The Will To Win. Follow these steps closely if you wish to use the power of the jinx to halt a pitcher's no-hit bid:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Be in the vicinity of a no-hitter.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Mention it aloud within the hearing of true believers. Social media works, too.</li>
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That no-no won't stand a chance.</div>
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And now, a Devil's Advocate position.</div>
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If you believe in no-hitter jinxes, ask yourself these questions:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Can anyone jinx a no-hitter? </strong>Example: You're at the office. Max Scherzer's throwing a no-hitter in the eighth inning. You call up your brother and tell him, "Quick, turn on the Nats game -- Max Scherzer's got a no-hitter going in the eighth." Scherzer immediately gives up a hit. Did you jinx it or did someone else? <em style="line-height: 1.7;">(Note: Max Scherzer threw two no-hitters this year, on June 20th and October 3rd. During each one, I told everyone I knew to start watching. Discussion questions: Was Scherzer unjinxable? Also, now that the Mets are in the World Series, does that make the Nats' disappointing season more palatable?)</em></li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Can a broadcaster jinx a no-hitter? </strong><span style="font-style: inherit;">Example: A broadcaster is calling a game. He/she says something foolish, like "Clayton Kershaw has a no-hitter in progress." Kershaw promptly allows a hit. Did the broadcaster jinx him? </span><em style="line-height: 1.7;">(Note: In 2013, I called three no-hitters and mentioned the word "no-hitter" each time. It had no effect. Vin Scully has called three perfect games and 20 no-hitters and liberally told his audience that they were listening to a no-hitter in progress in each one, including four no-nos by Sandy Koufax and a <a data-mce-href="http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/6/19/5824546/vin-scully-no-hitter-jinx" href="http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/6/19/5824546/vin-scully-no-hitter-jinx" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Kershaw no-hitter in 2014</a>. Discussion questions: Can a broadcaster gain karmic immunity from jinxes? What would Vin Scully's karma even look like<em style="line-height: 1.7;">?)</em></em></li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Can a fan present at the ballpark jinx a no-hitter? </strong>Example: You're sitting with your family, enjoying a fine performance by Hisashi Iwakuma against the Baltimore Orioles. You're all well versed in baseball tradition, and so you're staying particularly mum on one aspect of the game. Then, for heaven's sake, your dad points up at the scoreboard and says, "Whoa, he's throwing a no-hitter!" The second the words leave his mouth, Iwakuma gives up a bomb to Chris Davis. Did your dad jinx the bid? <em style="line-height: 1.7;">(Note: Iwakuma, on the trading block throughout the middle of the season, no-hit the Orioles on August 12th. He finished the season allowing three runs or fewer in eight of his final nine starts. Discussion questions: Are we to believe that not a single fan at that game said one word to his/her companions about a no-hitter? And judging by how thin the Cubs', Blue Jays', Cardinals' and Rangers' starting rotations have looked this postseason, someone really should have tried to trade for Iwakuma, don't you think?)</em></li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Can a no-hitter be jinxed on Twitter? </strong>Example: You're the beat writer for the Houston Astros. Mike Fiers, acquired from Milwaukee is on the mound and looking strong. After he finishes a hitless sixth, you send out a tweet mentioning that Fiers has a no-hitter in progress. In the seventh inning, the leadoff batter lines a single to left field. How much responsibility should you take in ending the no-no? <em style="line-height: 1.7;">(Note: Yes, Mike Fiers no-hit the Dodgers on August 21st this summer. No, he wasn't really a factor in the postseason. Eh, it happens. Discussion questions: During every successful no-hitter, do you believe that not a single jinx-worthy tweet was sent out using the word "no-hitter"? Do amount of followers matter from the Tweeter in question? If you had a rather sizable Twitter following, do you possess the same power, more power, or less power to jinx a no-hitter than, say, someone with an egg as their profile pic?</em></li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">For extra credit, answer the following: What percent of responsibility do you ascribe the Mets' combination of excellent pitching and Daniel Murphy's hot hitting in their four-game NLCS sweep of the Chicago Cubs, and what percent do you give to the Cubs' dreaded Billy Goat Curse?</li>
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Bring on Game 1.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-56684365797962580312015-10-23T03:15:00.001-04:002015-10-23T03:18:18.726-04:00Against the concept of "Unwritten Rules"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The funny thing about the notion about baseball's Unwritten Rules is that because people (usually media pundits) talk about them so frequently, they've now been written down. <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=unwritten+rules+baseball&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aunwritten+rules+baseball" href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=unwritten+rules+baseball&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aunwritten+rules+baseball" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Four different books cataloguing baseball's Unwritten Rules</a> have been published, released to the public in 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011.</div>
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What's an Unwritten Rule?</div>
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Off the top of my head:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Don't steal a base in a blowout, whether you're leading by a ton of runs or trailing by a ton of runs.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Similarly, don't swing at a 3-0 pitch in a blowout.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Don't bunt to break up a no-hitter.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Don't show up the other team.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Give effort (not to be confused with false hustle).</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">If the other team hits one of your players on purpose, hit one of theirs in response.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">If you purposefully hit one of the opposition's players, make sure to aim for their back. By all means, don't throw around head level.</li>
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Restaurants really don't have to tell you not to eat the silverware; such a thing is understood. Is it an Unwritten Rule? Yes, but it's also common sense. Calling such a thing an Unwritten Rule is rather insulting to your intelligence. In an office setting, there are plenty of regulations and expectations to go around, and then there are also certain expectations that must be learned -- far subtler than "Don't eat your fork." One office setting differs from another in culture, dress, and what can and can't be said.</div>
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Each baseball team is its own workplace, with its own dress code, facial hair code, and its own office culture. Moreover, every employee arrives having gathered his training (and expectations) from different stops along the way. If an employee learned from his apprenticeship to keep his emotions tamped and under wraps and then he sees a new co-worker who conducts himself in the opposite manner, he understandably may judge that co-worker based upon the office culture he was groomed in.</div>
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Consider this for an example: One employee has learned, through his prior baseball nurturing and mentorship, that one must never<i style="line-height: 1.7;"> </i>bunt to break up a no-hitter. Another employee has learned, through his own upbringing, that bunting to reach base is always a weapon, particularly in a close game. The former is upset by the act of the bunt and declares it contrary to the baseball he knows. The latter is upset that his bunting was called into question, for it is an essential part of the baseball he knows. Outsiders see the former's outrage and attempt to understand it. There is no rule in the rulebook specifically barring bunting to break up a no-hitter; therefore, it must be an Unwritten Rule of Baseball!</div>
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It isn't.</div>
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In my first job, I would never dream of entering work without wearing a tie. In my current job, should I wear a tie to work, I would be the sole person one wearing a tie. That's all Unwritten Rules are: cultural expectations of the game. If I sat at my desk in a nice suit and tie, looking askance at a co-worker clad in sweatpants and a hoodie, it wouldn't be because he broke an Unwritten Rule of All Minor League Baseball Offices -- he only crossed my own cultural expectations for the office environment. </div>
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That said, certain Unwritten Rules really are similar to "Don't eat your fork." If you're a base runner at first base, your team is leading 18-0, and the other team is utterly ignoring you -- for heaven's sake, don't steal second base. What could possibly be your reasoning? Is your end goal to pad your stats, is it <i style="line-height: 1.7;">that </i>important to stay out of the double play, or do you simply think that 19th run is going to make all of the difference?</div>
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As far as throwing at batters' heads goes, purposeful head-hunting is as clear and present a danger as line drives into the stands. It is usually (and properly) punished swiftly by both the home plate umpire and the league office. In older days, it carried around an aura of machismo. Now, it marks a pitcher as a maniac and puts a black mark on his character.</div>
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"Don't show up the other team"? That's the Golden Rule, at its core. Treat opponents with the respect you yourself wish to be shown. If a player disrespects the other team, take a flat guess how they'll feel toward him.</div>
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But disrespect is a fine line, and that brings us right back into cultural expectations. As was pointed out following <a data-mce-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNi2wSIYLNM" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNi2wSIYLNM" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Jose Bautista's bat flip</a>, the best bat flips in the world come from the <a data-mce-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJDCKcF6sTI" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJDCKcF6sTI" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Korean Baseball Organization</a> which carries a reputation of class and respect. Unwritten Rule? No, only perspective.</div>
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Baseball players and coaches don't often use the phrase "Unwritten Rule." They'll talk in code -- "That's not the right way to play the game," they may say, or supply a blunt "Respect the game." Perhaps they'll follow pitcher Sam Dyson, rankled by Bautista's bat flip, and mention how players need to see themselves as role models and <a data-mce-href="http://nesn.com/2015/10/sam-dyson-not-happy-with-jose-bautista-bat-flip-respect-the-game-a-little-more/" href="http://nesn.com/2015/10/sam-dyson-not-happy-with-jose-bautista-bat-flip-respect-the-game-a-little-more/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">set a better example for kids to follow</a>. (What he's really saying is that young ballplayers should learn to play the game within the same culture that I learned. He isn't alone. The majority of us feel that how we were raised is the proper way to be raised. I bet Bautista would love to see kids playing baseball within <i style="line-height: 1.7;">his </i>cultural expectations.)</div>
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Unwritten Rules, then, are utilized to describe personal guidelines to playing the game "right," a learned definition. I'm certain there are specific painters who know the "right" way to paint, magicians who know the "right" way to perform, and so on. I'm certainly learning the "right" way (and the "wrong" way) to broadcast a baseball game -- although there are plenty of folks in my field who do it "wrong" and still are doing quite well for themselves.</div>
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More troubling, I hear that label of Unwritten Rules used disparagingly, as if the speaker is so irritated by a ballplayer's outrage that an honest to goodness Unwritten Rulebook is needed. "Stealing a base with a big lead?" someone scoffs. "How big is a big enough lead?" If it's a true Rule, you see, that number would be fixed. Five-run lead or less? Steal away. Six runs or more? Too big! That fine line, determining what gets one person's goat while barely lifting another's eyebrow, is disparaged, and baseball is disparaged in the bargain. "How ridiculous these players are, disagreeing about their own Unwritten Rules!"</div>
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They aren't ridiculous, though. They all play baseball, but they come at it from different backgrounds and teachings. The basics remain the same -- throw the ball, hit the ball, catch the ball -- but the etiquette is as varied as accents and dialects in a country. In this clubhouse, a bat flip is celebrated. In that one, it's punished with a beanball. That's the natural order of things, each team (and each league, to extrapolate further) developing its own baseball etiquette and code. In one league, across the world, it may be seen as unmanly to throw anything but a fastball; in another, prepare for change-ups and curveballs in any count.</div>
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Someone who does not understand this, who seeks to pin down specific Unwritten Rules of Baseball down upon every player, from the Dominican Republic to Canada, and upon every team, from sandlot to American League, is at best shortsighted in the same way as the players, governed by their own personal code of cultural expectations.</div>
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But I'm more inclined, when I hear those scoffing words of "Unwritten Rules," to write them off as someone who does not understand the true scope of baseball.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-30054969858462792332015-09-28T15:11:00.002-04:002015-09-28T15:11:12.392-04:00A review: PITCH Talks Toronto, live from Rogers Centre!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/right-field-horizontal.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/right-field-horizontal.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="right field horizontal" class="wp-image-2561 aligncenter" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/right-field-horizontal.jpg?w=300" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/right-field-horizontal.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></div>
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My final day in the Lugnuts office this calendar year was Thursday. On Friday, I grabbed my passport, converted to Canadian currency, and drove due East until I arrived north of the border.</div>
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I had been invited to take part in PITCH Talks, an event featuring baseball people talking with baseball people in a series of panels. Such notables as Alex Anthopoulos, Dan Shulman, Jonah Keri, and Arturo Marcano have spoken at PITCH Talks in the past -- and so had I, taking part in a Minor League Q&A with Triple-A voice Ben Wagner last season.</div>
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A major difference between this PITCH Talks and prior events was in the setting: This was no longer in a basement, or a rented space, or a club: This was at Rogers Centre, in the former Hard Rock Cafe beyond the right field wall, occurring at the same time that tens of thousands of Blue Jays fans were waiting to be allowed into the ballpark. Big congratulations to <b style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Kevin Kennedy </b>and his crew for putting this together.</div>
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Our view from PITCH:</div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/view-from-cafe.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/view-from-cafe.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="view from cafe" class="wp-image-2563 aligncenter" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/view-from-cafe.jpg?w=300" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/view-from-cafe.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="551" /></a></div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitchposterseptember25.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitchposterseptember25.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="pitchnewyorkposter_sept17_aug4.pdf" class="wp-image-2554" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitchposterseptember25.jpg?w=192" height="468" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitchposterseptember25.jpg?w=192" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 6px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.7;">That's a darn good starting lineup, eh?</em></dd></dl>
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I had no difficulties passing through Customs before running directly into Toronto rush hour traffic. Hooray! (Living in Lansing causes me to forget about the idea of traffic from time to time.) By the time I was parked and walked toward Rogers Centre, time was running short -- and then I proceeded to walk nearly the entire way around the stadium in search of the gate we were told to enter.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitch-talks-entrance.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitch-talks-entrance.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Pitch talks entrance" class="wp-image-2565" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitch-talks-entrance.jpg?w=300" height="413" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitch-talks-entrance.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative;">This gate, courtesy <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/PitchTalksTOR" href="https://twitter.com/PitchTalksTOR" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">@PitchTalksTOR</a></dd></dl>
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By the time I had arrived and was allowed admission by <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/matttomic" href="https://twitter.com/matttomic" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">@Mattomic</a>, a gentleman distinguished by having the only starting initial delivered via calligraphy in all of the TwitterVerse, I was rather sweaty and the first panel was already in progress.</div>
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I give you... Sportsnet Magazine's <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Kristina Rutherford </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Arden Zwelling.</strong></div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/kristina-and-arden.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/kristina-and-arden.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Kristina and Arden" class="wp-image-2564" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/kristina-and-arden.jpg?w=300" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/kristina-and-arden.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.7;">My view of Kristina and Arden.</em></dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/angle-2.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/angle-2.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Angle 2" class="wp-image-2567" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/angle-2.jpg?w=300" height="413" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/angle-2.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.7;">Courtesy of <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/pitchtalks" href="https://twitter.com/pitchtalks" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">@PitchTalks</a></em></dd></dl>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Kristina Rutherford</strong> has written a good many articles, though using the word "good" is selling her short. (<a data-mce-href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/author/kristina-rutherford/" href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/author/kristina-rutherford/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">A link to her archive.</a>) In this setting, she and Arden had a blast. I'd compare it in a sense to Pardon the Interruption, a show sold on the recommendation that Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon's arguments in the newsroom were so entertaining, it was worth watching them argue on TV. Coworkers Kristina and Arden, meanwhile, played a game of "Can You Top This?" with stories and side notes gleaned from their reporting and interviewing -- I could picture them finishing off another story, or talking to another source, and receiving something so golden in response that they couldn't wait to share it. In his role as moderator, Arden set up his questions for Kristina with a bit of glee, the better to watch her spike them down. A query from an audience member about her toughest interview set her down the path of remarkable Jose Canseco inappropriateness and caused Arden to rollick.</div>
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This was where the panel hit its stride -- a rapid-fire series of candies in anecdote form, tossed here and there by the two of them, which I scrambled to pick up and remember while not missing the next one to come around. Come for the David Price analysis, but don't miss the story of Roberto Osuna, growing up in the most dangerous area in Mexico, or LaTroy Hawkins, emerging from lethal Gary, Indiana, with a huge heart and a love of collecting old jokes.</div>
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When they were done, it was entirely too soon.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/shi-davidi.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/shi-davidi.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="shi davidi" class="wp-image-2569" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/shi-davidi.jpg?w=150" height="413" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/shi-davidi.jpg?w=150" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.7;">Via <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/pitchtalks" href="https://twitter.com/pitchtalks" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">@PitchTalks</a></em></dd></dl>
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(It's funny, I tried to take a pic of the next panel, and it turned out blurry. So I turned to the PITCH Talks Twitter handle -- and theirs is also blurry, haha. So we'll go with it, and you can Google up what <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Shi Davidi, Bill Chastain, </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Marc Topkin </strong>look like in person.)</div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/ShiDavidi" href="https://twitter.com/ShiDavidi" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Shi </a>writes for Sportsnet as a columnist; I happen to own the book he co-wrote with John Lott, "Great Expectations: The Lost Toronto Blue Jays Season" about the 2013 campaign. (The 2015 season might deserve its own book soon.) <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/wwchastain" href="https://twitter.com/wwchastain" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Bill</a> is the Tampa Bay Rays' MLB.com writer. <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/TBTimes_Rays" href="https://twitter.com/TBTimes_Rays" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Marc</a> writes for the <em style="line-height: 1.7;">Tampa Bay Times.</em></div>
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As much as I could listen to Kristina and Arden telling stories all day long, this was the main course. This was meat-and-potatoes discussion about:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Would David Price return to Toronto after this year?</strong> Kristina answered the same question, but this was bigger -- this was the guys in Tampa who've known him since 2008 or so answering directly about what he was going to do?I believe that Marc said flatly that David was leaving, and received a nice bit of good-natured boos from the crowd (which was a very good-humoured, well-read group of fans). And I believe that two reasonable hypotheticals offered was that Price was either likely to return to the south with the Atlanta Braves or reunite with Joe Maddon with the Chicago Cubs.<div style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 0.825em;">
They went back and forth on Price's psyche and his motivations, and it was all great. Cut it, stock it away, listen back to it (via iTunes, etc.) come the offseason.</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">What is the future of the Rays?</strong> Tampa Bay can't continue to play in Tropicana Field, even though the lease extends through 2027. It can't (even if Shi likes the Trop more than most everyone else). The contact needs to be released, the team needs to reach a better area. MLB is flush, but that's unhealthy for the sport. (It is also unhealthy to have a team in the current Oakland facility, I believe. Fix each of those spots and you move the entire league forward.)Marc and Bill bandied this about -- what can be done, what has to be done, and all of the potential factors they foresee. Would Stuart Sternberg sell the team and purchase the New York Mets? <a data-mce-href="http://www.tbo.com/pinellas-county/major-league-baseball-new-stadium-for-rays-is-priority-20150925/" href="http://www.tbo.com/pinellas-county/major-league-baseball-new-stadium-for-rays-is-priority-20150925/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Does this news throw a monkey wrench into anything</a>?</li>
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There were other matters that came up, including the differences between former manager Maddon and current skipper Kevin Cash and the realization that much of Maddon's unorthodox bullpen maneuvering and lineup jockeying were more a part of the Rays' organizational philosophies than they were Joe Maddon idiosyncrasies.</div>
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All things considered, this was an excellent supplement to the first panel, providing a counterbalance to personal anecdotes with nuts-and-bolts breakdown and analytical opinions.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-a-ways-away.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-a-ways-away.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="me from a ways away" class="aligncenter wp-image-2571" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-a-ways-away.jpg?w=150" height="413" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-a-ways-away.jpg?w=150" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="551" /></a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-behind.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-behind.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="me from behind" class="aligncenter wp-image-2572" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-behind.jpg?w=113" height="733" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-behind.jpg?w=113" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-in-front.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-in-front.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="me from in front" class="aligncenter wp-image-2573" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-in-front.jpg?w=113" height="733" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/me-from-in-front.jpg?w=113" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></div>
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And then there was me, photos courtesy of <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/pitchtalks" href="https://twitter.com/pitchtalks" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">@PitchTalks</a>.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Arden Zwelling </strong>was my moderator, setting me up to tell stories to a legion of Blue Jays fans who were interested in hearing them. Looking back on it, it was rather a whirlwind. I think now of all of the stories that I could have told -- Kevin Pillar and proper haircare, for instance.</div>
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I talked:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ryan "Go-Go" Goins, and his terrific energy</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Kevin Pillar, his Canadian bandanna, and finding an MiLB routine that rubbed off on everyone</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">The legend of Anthony Alford</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Rowdy Tellez, in response to Arden asking me about the other Jays' Minor Leaguers</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Sean Reid-Foley, in response to a question about the young fireballer</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Marcus Stroman's work ethic, in response to a questioner wondering what impact Marcus had made in Lansing during his rehab start</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A rushed story of a West Michigan Whitecaps prank (darn it, I knew we were running out of time, so I panicked and hustled to fit this one in there, answering a question about MiLB pranks from 2014)</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">The Blue Jays' MiLB development, in response to a questioner wondering which organizations did well to develop their young talent. This was the last question that was fit in.</li>
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I may be forgetting things. I'm not forgetting that I definitely talked over Arden, and also talked way too much -- but it's an exciting thing to do a PITCH Talks, and I was honoured to be a part of it.</div>
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If you have any questions for me, particularly any questions that I'd be well-positioned to answer, ask away!</div>
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Let's finish with some images from the rest of the night, a 5-3 Blue Jays victory over Tampa Bay.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/bautista-unis.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/bautista-unis.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="right field horizontal" class="aligncenter wp-image-2576" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/right-field-horizontal1.jpg?w=150" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/right-field-horizontal1.jpg?w=150" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /><img alt="bautista unis" class="aligncenter wp-image-2574" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/bautista-unis.jpg?w=150" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/bautista-unis.jpg?w=150" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a><img alt="robbie alomar" class="aligncenter wp-image-2577" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/robbie-alomar.jpg?w=84" height="488" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/robbie-alomar.jpg?w=84" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; display: block; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="275" /><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/behind-the-outfielder.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/behind-the-outfielder.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="behind the outfielder" class="wp-image-2575 aligncenter" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/behind-the-outfielder.jpg?w=150" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/behind-the-outfielder.jpg?w=150" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a> </div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-752436774054431012015-09-24T10:42:00.001-04:002015-09-24T10:42:25.928-04:00The 2015 Lugnuts pitching corps in 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">On Tuesday,</strong> <a data-mce-href="http://lansinglugnuts.mlblogs.com/2015/09/22/where-do-we-go-from-here-the-2015-lugnuts-position-players/" href="http://lansinglugnuts.mlblogs.com/2015/09/22/where-do-we-go-from-here-the-2015-lugnuts-position-players/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">I looked ahead to next year for the Lugnuts' position players</a>. Today, it's time to talk pitching.</div>
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As a bonus -- I'll look ahead to what could be a pretty darn great starting rotation.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/strikeout.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/strikeout.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="strikeout" class="wp-image-2557 size-full" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/strikeout.jpg" height="890" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/strikeout.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 6px;" width="660" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative;">I made this at midseason, starring Sean Reid-Foley. (Photo: Kyle Castle)</dd></dl>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Mark Biggs: </strong>The next step, it seems to me, is a trip up to Dunedin for the sinkerballer. His 4.28 ERA indicated that he didn't dominate the MWL, so I wouldn't be hugely surprised if Biggs came back to Lansing -- but I would be a <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">little </em>surprised.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Andrew Case: </strong>Heck, why not? Case began last year in Lansing, thanks to a surprise showing at the end of Spring Training, struggled, and then met with better success in Vancouver. He certainly could pop up again in the Lugnuts bullpen next year.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Shane Dawson: </strong>Dunedin Blue Jays starter, with a chance at Double-A by midseason. Keep on keepin' on.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chase De Jong: </strong>Double-A starting pitcher in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and a reasonable chance at a Major League debut next summer.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jose Fernandez: </strong>A-Advanced Dunedin reliever, moving right up the ladder. I'd love to see if his fastball velocity can maintain in the 90s (and perhaps increase a touch).<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Conor Fisk: </strong>A-Advanced Dunedin, likely as a starting pitcher. Good solid 2015 for Fisk!<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Alonzo Gonzalez: </strong>Alonzo made his way from Lansing to Dunedin this summer. On August 8, his ERA was a pretty darn good 2.86, but he was roughed up in four of his final five outings. It would not be out of the question to see him reach Double-A early next year, but I suspect he returns to Dunedin.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Conner Greene: </strong>Double-A New Hampshire starting pitcher, with a potential Major League debut in his future.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Clinton Hollon: </strong>Step 1 - serve the remainder of 50-game suspension. Step 2 - return to Lansing.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Dusty Isaacs: </strong>A-Advanced Dunedin reliever; if he gets in great shape and continues to hone his 90s fastball / slider / change combination, there could be something great in store for the former Georgia Tech Yellowjacket.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Phil Kish: </strong>Ernst and Young this offseason, then back in the A-Advanced Dunedin bullpen.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Michael Kraft: </strong>Like Andrew Case, he started in Lansing and scuffled before moving down to Vancouver. Unlike Case, he wasn't all that great with the Canadians. Still, the path would seem to lead him back to the Lugnuts.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chase Mallard: </strong>Chase actually led the Lugnuts in innings pitched in 2015, posting 123 frames. I'd expect him to pitch in Dunedin next season.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Tim Mayza: </strong>A-Advanced Dunedin reliever, with a chance to go to the Arizona Fall League at season's end.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Carlos Ramirez: </strong>A-Advanced Dunedin reliever; the velocity is great, but he's still learning.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Sean Reid-Foley: </strong>A-Advanced Dunedin starting pitcher is my guess -- and if he excels, he could jump. He started last year so raw and inconsistent with killer stuff. By the end of the year, I loved what we were seeing. The work ethic/fight is there for a big 2016.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Tom Robson: </strong>A-Advanced Dunedin starting pitcher and a sleeper prospect for great things.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Shafer: </strong>Justin is heading to the Arizona Fall League this Fall in a relief role. Do the Blue Jays keep him as a reliever next year? Whatever is the case, he'll be in Dunedin.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Starlyn Suriel: </strong>After a year and a half in Lansing, Starlyn gets his first chance at A-Advanced Dunedin.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jesus Tinoco: </strong>A-Advanced starting pitcher in the Colorado Rockies' organization.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Colton Turner: </strong>A-Advanced Dunedin reliever.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jon Wandling: </strong>It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for Jon, who made only three starts for Lansing, to return to the Midwest League. I wouldn't mind it, he's a heck of an engaging guy. Otherwise, ship him up to Dunedin!</div>
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A rather blind but educated guess at the 2016 Lansing Lugnuts starting rotation, best-case scenario:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jon Harris</strong>, 2015 1st-round draft pick, Blue Jays #2 prospect</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ryan Borucki</strong>, 2012 15th-round draft pick, Blue Jays' #11 prospect</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Clinton Hollon </strong>(following suspension), 2013 2nd-round draft pick, Blue Jays' #13 prospect</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Angel Perdomo</strong>, international free agent, Blue Jays' #28 prospect</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Tayler Saucedo</strong>, 2015 21st-round draft pick, 4-2 / 2.48 in pro debut between Bluefield/Vancouver</li>
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Honorable mentions: a returning Chase Mallard and Jon Wandling; an ascending <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Francisco Rios </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Evan Smith </strong>(Jays' #27 prospect) from Vancouver; a super-ascending <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Juliandry Higuera, Miguel Burgos </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Geno Encina </strong>from Bluefield.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-58698996608844792762015-09-24T09:27:00.001-04:002015-09-24T09:27:08.612-04:00PITCH Talks, tomorrow night in Toronto!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">If you happen to be in Toronto tomorrow, come see me at Rogers Centre!</strong></div>
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(Use the code "RBI" and get $5 off your ticket purchase!)</div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitchposterseptember25.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitchposterseptember25.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="pitchnewyorkposter_sept17_aug4.pdf" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2554" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitchposterseptember25.jpg" height="1030" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pitchposterseptember25.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #222222; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="660" /></a></div>
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Our schedule:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">5:30 - Arden Zwelling & Kristina Rutherford on David Price</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">5:45 - Jays & Rays Panel with Shi Davidi, Marc Topkin, and Bill Chastain, moderated by Arden Zwelling</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">6:15 - Report from the Farm with <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jesse Goldberg-Strassler</strong>, moderated by Arden Zwelling</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">6:45 - Wrap Up</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">7:00 - Blue Jays baseball!</li>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-63785228369827069402015-09-22T16:05:00.000-04:002015-09-22T16:04:59.907-04:00Blue Jays prospecting, looking toward 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pregame.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pregame.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Pregame" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2547" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pregame.jpg" height="924" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/pregame.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #222222; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="660" /></a></div>
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This beautiful photograph was taken by Kyle Castle. From left to right: D.J. Davis, Boomer Collins and Ryan McBroom.</div>
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Consider that trio sitting in the dugout, looking out to the field and their future:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">D.J. Davis </strong>was a first-round draft pick in 2012. He's grinding his way forward, his talent intact, working to live up to the high expectations that were placed upon him by his selection and signing bonus. He's 21. He's considered a prospect.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Boomer Collins </strong>was a nondrafted free agent in 2013. He's married. He's worked in refrigerator repair, and he's worked as a milkman. Baseball is his dream, but he's now 25. He's considered a non-prospect.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ryan McBroom </strong>was a 15th-round draft pick in 2014. He was a non-prospect, I'd argue, and then this year happened, and he showed his skills as the best hitter in the Midwest League from Opening Day through the postseason, earning league MVP. (Let it not be forgotten that he batted .400, 8-for-20, in the playoffs.) (Let it also not be forgotten that D.J. Davis batted .474, 9-for-19, in his own right.) McBroom is 23. He is now considered a borderline prospect.</li>
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Dating back to a deal for Josh Donaldson during the 2014-15 offseason, the Blue Jays have made five significant trades of Minor League talent for Major League talent:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">On November 28, 2014, they traded infielders Brett Lawrie and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Franklin Barreto</strong> and pitchers <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Sean Nolin </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Kendall Graveman </strong>to Oakland for Donaldson.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">On July 28, 2015, they traded pitchers <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jeff Hoffman, Miguel Castro </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jesus Tinoco </strong>to Colorado for Troy Tulowitzki and LaTroy Hawkins.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">On July 30, 2015, they traded pitchers <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jairo Labourt </strong>to Detroit for David Price.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">On July 31, 2015, they traded pitchers <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jacob Brentz, Nick Wells </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Rob Rasmussen </strong>to Seattle for Mark Lowe.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">That same day, they traded pitchers <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Alberto Tirado </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jimmy Cordero </strong>to Philadelphia for Ben Revere.</li>
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Let me also add a pair of not-as-significant deals: shortstop <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Dawel Lugo </strong>for Arizona utility infielder Cliff Pennington, and pitcher <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chase De Jong </strong>and infielder <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Tim Locastro </strong>to the L.A. Dodgers for international free agent signing slots in order to ink 16-year-old Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., the top hitter on the market.</div>
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17 Minor Leaguers traded. If they had all been kept, there is no doubt in my mind that Barreto, Graveman, Hoffman, Castro, Tinoco, Norris, Labourt, Tirado and De Jong would all have made the 2016 Toronto Blue Jays' top prospect list (with Lugo close, Brentz and Wells also serving as possibilities, and Cordero continuing to throw 100 mph while Locastro proves magical wherever he goes).</div>
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The current <a data-mce-href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=tor" href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=tor" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">MLB.com prospect list</a> (source: <a data-mce-href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=tor" href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=tor" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=tor</a>) looks a little like this:</div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/30-prospects.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/30-prospects.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="30 PROSPECTS" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2550" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/30-prospects.jpg" height="1702" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/30-prospects.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #222222; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="660" /></a></div>
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Rolling our way through the 30:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Dalton Pompey - He'll be in the Major Leagues to stay next year as starting OF for Toronto.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jonathan Harris - The pressure will be on, the spotlight bright, as the Jays' 2015 first-rounder hits full-season ball. I wouldn't be surprised if he skipped right to Dunedin and ended the season in New Hampshire.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Anthony Alford - YOUR New Hampshire Fisher Cats starting center fielder.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Sean Reid-Foley - The biggest arm in the system heads back to Dunedin. (If he excels, here's your top trade-bait bargaining chip.)</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Max Pentecost - 2015 was lost because of injury. The first-round catcher aims to get back on the horse in 2016, but expectations should be tempered in the first half.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. - Let's just agree to ignore young Vlad in the early-going. In 2017-2018, we'll check back in and see how he's progressing.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Richard Ureña - YOUR Dunedin Blue Jays switch-hitting starting shortstop.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Rowdy Tellez - YOUR New Hampshire Fisher Cats starting first baseman.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Conner Greene - A surprising 2015 saw the 20-year-old Greene catch helium, improve his mph to 96, and jump up to Double-A. His learning curve can't continue, can it?</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Mitch Nay - The last two years have seen Nay disappoint compared to what was expected of him. He's only 22, he'll be moving up to Double-A, and he's now moving firmly below the radar.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><hr style="background-color: #cccccc; border: 0px; cursor: default; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 1px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1.625em;" />
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ryan Borucki - Just like with Max Pentecost, 2015 was a lost season for the talented Borucki. He'll likely head to Lansing in 2016 and try to get things going again.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">D.J. Davis - He's fast, he's strong, he's toolsy, and he's done with the Midwest League after two full seasons in Lansing. It's time to see what the 2012 first-rounder can offer at the A-Advanced level, and he'll get his shot.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Clinton Hollon - A 50-game suspension prematurely ended Hollon's return from Tommy John. Questions persist, as well they should, but the talent is there. Back to Lansing when the suspension ends.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Dwight Smith, Jr. - Smith continues to just play ball, neither overwhelming nor underwhelming. 2016 should see him in Triple-A, with a chance at a Big League debut coming soon enough.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Danny Jansen - An injury held Jansen to only 46 games in the Midwest League, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him back in Lansing. I also wouldn't be surprised if he was labeled the best defensive catcher in the system before long.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Maese - The GCL Blue Jays' R. Howard Webster Award winner moves forward. Is Lansing too big of a jump? Send the 19-year-old third-rounder to Vancouver and see how he does.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Matt Smoral - A cursed season for Smoral, after struggles with command ended in a wicked line drive. Get well soon, Matt.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Matt Dean - Heading off to the Arizona Fall League is always a good sign for an aspiring prospect. He'll move up to Double-A and continue his re-conversion to third base, allowing Tellez to take first base on a full-time basis.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Tom Robson - Though 2015 saw Robson looking uncomfortable and uncertain at times in recapturing his mechanics, he's back now from Tommy John and his velocity is better than ever. Put him in the Dunedin starting rotation, and see how he does. If the mechanics are there and the stuff is there, he'll be back on track for a 2017 MLB debut.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Lane Thomas - The coaches love Thomas's swing and ability. He transitioned from center field to third base to second base and dealt with a wrist injury by the end of the season. Relax, recooperate, and then write his name in directly in the middle of the Lugnuts' starting lineup. This is a hitter who bears watching</li>
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Carl Wise - The 2015 fourth-rounder wasn't so great in Vancouver, but I'm chalking that up to the exhausting schedule of a long summer stretching from college through the pros. Give him an offseason to rest and then work out, followed by a ton of hard work with the Blue Jays' hitting instructors, and I'm intrigued to see how Carl performs in Lansing in 2016.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Andy Burns - Andy succeeded beyond expectations with Buffalo this year. If he keeps this up, he'll be wearing Blue Jays blue and white at some point next year.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Roemon Fields - The 2016 season will open with Roemon leading off in Triple-A, and will finish with him in Rogers Centre.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Juan Meza - He'll be 18 years old next February. He was pretty darn terrible this year, stats-wise, in limited action. Let's agree to let Juan pitch without scrutiny for a while and catch up with him, like young Vlad, in 2017-2018.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Reggie Pruitt - Another talented teenager without much of an eye-catching portfolio yet. Whether it's back to the Gulf Coast League or up to the Appalachian League in 2016, Reggie is a bit of a ways away. Don't rush him.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jose Espada - The Jays' fifth-round pick in June, Jose will be 19 next year. He's a six-foot right-hander who throws hard. Bluefield, ahoy!</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Evan Smith - I could've sworn entering the year that we were going to see Smith in Lansing in 2015, but nope. So we'll just have to get him in 2016. He was drafted in the third round in 2013 out of Semmes, Alabama, and he struck out not so many guys this year in Vancouver while giving up a chunk of hits. Then again, he's a 6'5 lefty and there aren't all that many of those.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Angel Perdomo - From all of the raves I had heard about Perdomo, I expected him to be a much harder thrower. Apparently, he isn't at the moment. What he <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">is </em>is a 6'6 lefty who breezed into Vancouver and struck out 31 batters in 21 1/3 innings after a promotion from Bluefield. The opposition batted .231 against him in the Appy League, and then hit only .152 in the NWL. At age 22 (next May), his 2016 stop is in the Midwest League.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Travis Bergen - The Jays' seventh-rounder last June, he struck out 11 Northwest Leaguers in just 5 1/3 innings, and then was sidelined for the rest of the year. Once he's healthy again, he's coming to Lansing.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Shane Dawson, Jr. - Yes, sir, <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">that's </em>how you fill out a top prospect list! Shane was the top defensive pitcher on the Lugnuts' last year and he pretty much led the league in competitiveness. The man is going to will his way to the Major Leagues, continuing with Dunedin/New Hampshire next season.</li>
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Who's missing?</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"></strong>Relievers who deserve a second look...</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Sidearming lefty <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chad Girodo,</strong> a college teammate of Kendall Graveman,<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </strong>zoomed from Dunedin through New Hampshire and up to Buffalo this year. He's going to Arizona Fall League this autumn, and -- write it down -- he'll be in the Major Leagues next year.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Brady Dragmire </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Shafer</strong> are also going to the prospect-laden AFL. Dragmire was a shortstop when he was drafted out of high school (where he grew up down the street from Rowdy Tellez). His stuff is quick and it <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">moves</em>. Next year, he'll be 23 years old in Double-A with a chance to jump even higher. Shafer is actually a bit older by a handful of months, but was drafted in 2014 and spent 2015 in Lansing (excluding a series of games in Dunedin). He's being tried in the bullpen, where his velocity and stuff plays much bigger.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Wil Browning </strong>is a sidewinder who won the R. Howard Webster Award as A-Adv. Dunedin's team MVP. Put him in New Hampshire's pen next year and let's see what he can do. His equivalents at the upper levels were <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"></strong>friends <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Blake McFarland </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Danny Barnes</strong>, both right-handers, both quirky, and both with track records that push them up to Triple-A to start next year. And if you start the year in Triple-A, you just might be getting a certain call at some point...</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Tim Mayza </strong>is a cult favorite of mine. He's a left-hander, which helps, he throws in the mid-90s, which helps, and he was throwing multiple innings by the end of the year, which also helps. By the end of 2015, I fancied him the top Lugnuts' top relief prospect. We'll see how he does in Dunedin in 2016.</li>
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Diminutive position players who don't deserve short shrift...</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">5'10 <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jon Berti </strong>is everything that is ever loved about the archetypal grind-it-out, work-harder-than-you, get-the-uniform-dirty ballplayer. He's a dirtbag: he'll walk, run, he'll steal, he'll make huge defensive plays, he'll supply huge base hits. He's getting to the Major Leagues at some point in 2016 and fans are going to fall in love with him. At the Single-A level, 5'9 <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chris Carlson </strong>did the same for the Lugnuts, and I'm interested to see if he can keep things going for the D-Jays.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jorge Flores </strong>is listed on <a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=flores003jor" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=flores003jor" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Baseball-Reference.com as being 5'5</a>, though I'm sure he'd rather that they added an inch or three. Typing as someone who is proudly 5'6 and a quarter, Jorge and I are right around the same height -- but he's one heck of a ballplayer. He slashed .276/.360/.347 in Double-A New Hampshire, which puts him right in line for a trip to Triple-A Buffalo next year at the ripe old age of 24. I could see Jorge in the bigs by 2017 or 2018, if not sooner.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ryan Schimpf </strong>is going to be 28 next year, I know, but he's only 5'9 and he tied for the Eastern League lead with 20 home runs last year. It's always worth mentioning Ryan Schimpf, and a blast to watch him hit blasts.</li>
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Who did I miss?</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-76685613717277043552015-09-16T14:57:00.001-04:002015-09-16T14:57:06.522-04:002015 MWL Championship Series Preview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">The Western Division Champion Cedar Rapids</strong> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Kernels</strong>, affiliated with the Minnesota Twins,<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </strong>advanced to the MWL Championship Series in four games, driving out the Quad Cities River Bandits and the Peoria Chiefs in quick succession.</div>
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Kernels pitchers allowed only four walks and five earned runs (nine runs total) in 38 innings, an ERA of 1.18. The starts were magnificent: <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Felix Jorge </strong>struck out seven batters while giving up just two runs in 7 1/3 innings; <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Sam Gibbons </strong>allowed one run in eight innings; <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Randy Rosario </strong>was reached for four unearned runs in six innings; and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Keaton </strong>"Man of" <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Steele </strong>struck out nine in eight innings of two-hit, one-run baseball.</div>
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That didn't leave too much work required of the bullpen, but <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Yorman Landa </strong>(4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 7 K) and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Nick Anderson </strong>(3 appearances, 3 saves) took care of most everything else. Game, set, match.</div>
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As for the offense, <a data-mce-href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=min" href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=min" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Twins #5 prospect</a> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Nick Gordon </strong>batted .412 (7-17); <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chris Paul </strong>hit .400 (6-15), and the Kernels blasted 12 extra-base hits and drew 10 walks. (They also struck out 34 times, which, hey, it happens.)</div>
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In general, this Kernels team is ready to play -- and win -- low-scoring battles.</div>
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In the first round, the <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Eastern Division Champion West Michigan Whitecaps</strong>, affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, shut down the favored, pitching-heavy Fort Wayne TinCaps thanks to their own amazing pitching, 5-2 and 2-1. In the second round, they took on a far better offensive team in the Lansing Lugnuts -- and, after losing the opener 5-4, advanced thanks to a barrage of hitting, 8-3 and 14-5 (with 22 hits in the finale).</div>
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Even better, as far as West Michigan is concerned, is that star starting pitchers <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Spencer Turnbull </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A.J. Ladwig </strong>were allowed to rest during the division finals, letting them line up in Games 1 and 2 against Cedar Rapids.</div>
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The offense appeared top-heavy during the regular season, but now stalwarts <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ross Kivett</strong>, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Mike Gerber</strong>,<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> Will Kengor </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Joey Pankake</strong> are receiving terrific production from 2015 draftees <b style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A.J. Simcox</b>, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Christin Stewart </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Kade Scivicque</strong>, not to mention a suddenly resurgent <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Francisco Contreras</strong>. The only hole in the West Michigan lineup is likely switch-hitting second baseman <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">David Gonzalez</strong>, but he's in the lineup for his stellar defense more than anything else.</div>
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The Whitecaps host the first two games of the series at pitcher-friendly Fifth Third Ballpark, sending <a data-mce-href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=det" href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=det" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Tigers' #5 prospect</a> Turnbull and dart-throwing Ladwig against Jorge and Gibbons.</div>
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To my mind, West Michigan has to fare well in these two games, because afterward their pitching effectiveness decreases as they head out to Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Lugnuts had slim pitching depth; the Kernels bring the opposite. The Man of Steele waits for the Whitecaps in Game 3, followed likely by Rosario.</div>
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(Should a Game 5 be in the offing, I'd expect West Michigan veteran <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ross Seaton</strong> to pitch far better than his short-lived Game 3 outing against the Lugnuts on Tuesday night... but I'd be more comfortable with Turnbull on the mound.)</div>
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My bias naturally favors the Eastern Division's Whitecaps.</div>
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Hey, the division's due. The last team from the East to capture a Midwest League pennant was the 2010 Lake County Captains.</div>
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It all starts tonight at Fifth Third Ballpark.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-20383877895344669262015-09-16T09:50:00.000-04:002015-09-16T09:50:21.141-04:00Last (Jewish) year, the Lugs were up 1-0! A memoir<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/tesobe.jpeg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/tesobe.jpeg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Honey" class="wp-image-2528" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/tesobe.jpeg" height="366" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/tesobe.jpeg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative;">(Source: <a data-mce-href="http://www.tesobe.org/rosh-hashanah-dinner-tickets.html" href="http://www.tesobe.org/rosh-hashanah-dinner-tickets.html" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">tesobe.org</a>)</dd></dl>
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From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, I called the Lugnuts' <a data-mce-href="https://soundcloud.com/jesse-goldberg-strassler-1/highlights-game-1-vs-west-michigan-sept-12-2015" href="https://soundcloud.com/jesse-goldberg-strassler-1/highlights-game-1-vs-west-michigan-sept-12-2015" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">5-4 win</a> over the West Michigan Whitecaps. It was on the road, it was a slim win, and it put the Lugs within one victory of advancing to the Midwest League Championship Series. It improved Lansing's record to 3-0 in the postseason. It was pretty awesome.</div>
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At 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, I drove in to Cooley Law School Stadium to get a head-start on the day's media needs: statpacks were compiled, credentials were created, game notes were updated, and rosters were copied for the benefit of fans and coaches alike. 3 p.m. marked the arrival of <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chris Vosters</strong>, the Voice of the Great Lakes Loons. I showed him how to work the equipment and gave him a brief orientation. At 5 p.m., I left the ballpark, two hours before the scheduled Lugnuts/Whitecaps first pitch for Game 2.</div>
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Sunday night was the start of <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Rosh HaShanah</strong>, the two-day observation of the Jewish New Year. There's no working on the New Year -- although there <i style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">is </i>a lot of eating. (The dinner I was invited to on Sunday night in West Bloomfield featured these courses: gefilte fish, matzoh ball soup, salad, kugel, pickles and roast beef, fruit, cookies and cherry cobbler. I may be forgetting four or five dishes.)</div>
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Before sundown, I received a pair of text messages from the ballpark -- metaphorical fires that needed to be put out. West Michigan's excellent team photographer, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Emily Jones</strong>, needed a place to set up, allayed by a referral to the Lugnuts' head groundskeeper. West Michigan's excellent broadcaster, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Dan Hasty</strong>, needed a working phone line. Of all days in the entire season, suddenly the visiting phone line had gone dead! I hurriedly messaged a Plan B shortly before dinner began.</div>
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Departing the dinner at about 9:30 p.m., I <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">might </em>have turned the broadcast on while driving back to Lansing... and in the interests of fairness, I might have switched back and forth between Chris's call and Dan's call. But the true might on this night belonged to West Michigan's wonderfully-named <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Joey Pankake, </strong>who went 4-for-5 with a double and a two-run homer in an 8-3 Lugnuts Game 2 loss.</div>
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A decisive Game 3 would be necessary to decide the Eastern Division champion.</div>
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I did not listen at all to Game 3. I attended synagogue services in the morning and napped through the afternoon, taking a break to read <a data-mce-href="http://www.brooklyn.net/classes/y371/texts_371/the_search.html" href="http://www.brooklyn.net/classes/y371/texts_371/the_search.html" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">this story</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://www.galun.com/misc/ifNotHigher.php" href="http://www.galun.com/misc/ifNotHigher.php" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">this story</a>. The evening was spent over a lovely spaghetti and meatballs dinner -- some people prefer Chinese food, but my vote for Jewish holiday cuisine nearly always tilts toward Italian. And that was that, with all talk of baseball absent and unnoticed.</div>
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...</div>
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That might not be entirely true.</div>
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As I was dutifully about to prepare this dinner, my family called me up from back home in Maryland to share with my oblivious ears, "The Lugnuts are up, 1-0!" And when my significant other made her arrival, ready to share the dinner with me, she came bearing the news, "Someone is leading, 3-2, but I don't know who." And then later my family called up again to say, with doom in their voices, "They're down 6-4!"</div>
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About an hour afterward, my baseball season was over.</div>
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(I subsequently learned that final score was 14-5, and that the Whitecaps had collected 22 hits. What happened?!)</div>
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The Lansing Lugnuts are all heading home now, except for the ones who have instructional league ball in their future, or the Arizona Fall League -- I'm looking at <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">you</em>, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Shafer</strong>. The next steps for all of them are also the next steps for me. Decompress. Sleep. Reconnect with family. Eat favorite foods. Sleep. Watch a little football. Hang out with people you haven't spoken to since last winter. Get away from baseball for a little bit. </div>
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And then dive right back into baseball, because it's pennant-chase time and the national pastime is <i style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">awesome.</i></div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-29528506915681479252015-09-12T13:49:00.001-04:002015-09-12T13:49:01.810-04:002nd Round, Game 1 preview: Tom Robson vs. Jeff Thompson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Midwest League Eastern Division Championship Series -- a mouthful! -- gets underway this afternoon from Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, Michigan. The starting matchups are set: Tom Robson vs. Jeff Thompson today; Starlyn Suriel vs. Artie Lewicki tomorrow; and Shane Dawson vs. Ross Seaton on Monday (if necessary).</div>
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Returning from Tommy John surgery, former 2011 4th-rounder<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> Tom Robson </strong>has the ability to throw an effortless sinking 93-97 mph, complementing that heat with a curve and a change-up. At his best, he is untouchable: the epitome of a groundout, strikeout machine. When he is off, he becomes wild and/or hittable.</div>
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In short, the Lugnuts are hoping for the best from Tom and are giving him 85 pitches to work some magic today. If he shows command trouble, however, expect to see <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Conor Fisk </strong>(or perhaps<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Tim Mayza</strong></strong>)<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </strong>ready to bail the Lugs out with some long relief.</div>
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The Whitecaps are largely unfamiliar with Robson who made one start against them in 2014 (5 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 4 walks and 2 strikeouts on May 10th) and has not faced them this year. The hope is that that unfamiliarity plays to his advantage.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"></strong>Drafted in the 3rd round in 2013 out of Louisville, the 6'6 <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jeff Thompson </strong>has the ability to dominate today. On August 22nd, he struck out 10 Lake County Captains in seven two-hit scoreless innings. On September 3rd, he held the Fort Wayne TinCaps hitless over six innings, striking out four more.</div>
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But in between those gems, Thompson faced the Lansing Lugnuts. He served up five runs on eight <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">hard </em>base hits in a 7-5 Lugnuts win at Fifth Third Ballpark on August 28th. Thompson was also knocked around by the Lugnuts in his first start against them, giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits in just three innings on May 6th.</div>
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Hey, let's go back even earlier, to 2014. There was Thompson, ready to take on the Lugs on May 2nd -- and departing due to injury after only one inning, allowing one hit, two walks and two runs.</div>
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Those are your two starting pitchers today, both of them prospects, both of them with dominant stuff, and both of them utter mysteries as to whether they'll fire a masterpiece today or get knocked around.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Notable Matchups vs. Thompson</strong></div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Atkinson: 0-for-2 with two strikeouts</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chris Carlson: 1-for-3 with a run scored</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">D.J. Davis: 1-for-2 with a run scored</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">David Harris: 1-for-2 with an RBI double and a run scored.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Gunnar Heidt: 1-for-2 with an RBI single</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Danny Jansen: 1-for-2 with an RBI single, a run scored and a walk.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jason Leblebijian: 0-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ryan McBroom: 1-for-2 with an RBI double and a run scored</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Richard Urena: 0-for-2 with a walk</li>
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Why did the Lugnuts defeat Great Lakes in the first round? The offense, which was so great all season long, maintained its excellence. Lansing batted .338 as a team, collecting 10 of its 24 hits with runners in scoring position.</div>
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Notching the club's first walk-off win all year in the series-clinching Game 2 doesn't hurt at all either.</div>
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Veteran <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jason Leblebijian </strong>came to the plate 10 times, reaching base six of those times thanks to five hits and a walk. And 9th-place hitter <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Gunnar Heidt</strong>, who batted 3-for-19 against the Loons in the regular season, was simply marvelous in the two playoff games: four hits (three doubles) in seven at-bats, not including a huge sacrifice fly in the seventh inning of Game 2.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/heidt-2-640.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/heidt-2-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Heidt 2 640" class="wp-image-2523" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/heidt-2-640.jpg" height="309" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/heidt-2-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 6px;" width="549" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative;">Gunnar Heidt (image courtesy: Kyle Castle)</dd></dl>
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In the first round against Fort Wayne, West Michigan received absolutely nothing from its postseason All-Star, outfielder <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Michael Gerber</strong>, who went 0-for-8 with two strikeouts and the team's only error. The slack was picked up by fellow outfielder <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ross Kivett</strong>, who went 5-for-8 with three runs scored, a double, a walk, a steal and two RBIs. </div>
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The Whitecaps did especially well at getting to TinCaps starters Ernesto Montas and Dinelson Lamet early; Montas only pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits, and Lamet fared even worse, giving up four hits, three walks and five runs in a mere 3 2/3 innings.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A textbook Lugnuts win looks a little like this… </strong></div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">The offense keeps on rolling, sending Thompson to the showers with a barrage of early extra-base hits. Robson gives the Lugnuts five innings, allowing no more than two runs, and things go well from there. Lugnuts 7, Whitecaps 4.</li>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A textbook Whitecaps win looks a little like this…</strong></div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Robson gets discombobulated and West Michigan's gang of polished college hitters make matters worse, nickle-and-diming the Lugnuts for a run here and two runs there throughout the early innings. Thompson shows the Lugnuts what he's done to everyone else in the league, authoring six impressive strikeout-filled innings. West Michigan rolls, 8-1.</li>
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That said... Get ready for another heart pounder.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-40405152409889451692015-09-10T15:16:00.000-04:002015-09-10T15:16:31.161-04:00Game 2 preview: Justin Shafer vs. Andrew Sopko<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last night: <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Victory.</strong></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23.8px;">Tonight, the series shifts to Cooley Law School Stadium with the Lugnuts needing just one win to move on to the Eastern Division Finals. (A potential Game 3 would also be held in Lansing, scheduled for tomorrow night.) The Lugnuts start Florida Gator </span><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Shafer</strong><span style="line-height: 23.8px;">, the Loons counter with Gonzaga Bulldog </span><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Andrew Sopko</strong><span style="line-height: 23.8px;">, and the first pitch is at 7:05 p.m.</span></div>
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Before we dive too deep, let's talk managers.</div>
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Great Lakes manager <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Luis Matos </strong>is managing his heart out. He concocted absurdly uncharacteristic lineups last week during a three-game series between the clubs (starting regular leadoff man <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Michael Ahmed </strong>in the eighth slot and putting bottom of the order bat <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Federico Celli </strong>right into the heart of the order) in order to confuse the Lugnuts as to his intentions during this series. He's got his bullpen ready at all times, with three pitching changes yesterday, including yanking top prospect <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Grant Holmes </strong>after just 4 2/3 innings. He's putting men in motion, sending big <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Chigbogu </strong>rumbling to second yesterday in order to avoid a potential double play. The move worked beautifully, as it happened.</div>
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Lansing manager <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ken Huckaby </strong>didn't do much, but it all worked out. He ordered a sacrifice bunt from <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Richard Urena</strong>, which paid off in a <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jason Leblebijian</strong> RBI single on the very next pitch. He received six innings from starter Dawson, and then used <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Dusty Isaacs </strong>for four outs and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jose Fernandez </strong>for the final five outs. Relievers <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Phil Kish </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Carlos Ramirez </strong>are thus fresh for tonight.</div>
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Between the two, we're going to see moves made tonight. These are not the types of managers to sit back and let their players go, especially Matos.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Shafer </strong>wants outs, he wants them in a hurry, and he wants them on the ground. On July 8th, he unveiled a new cut fastball and blew away the Loons with seven three-hit shutout innings, but that cutter has mostly been pushed aside now. In his other two starts against Great Lakes, he left early due to injury on July 19th (2.1 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs) and dominated on September 4th (6 innings, 2 hits, 1 run).</div>
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His stuff: a sinking fastball from 88-94 that has touched 97 mph, the cutter, a slider and a change.</div>
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The worry is his slider. When it's on, he's got a money strikeout pitch. When it's not, he becomes sinker heavy. Last start, I'd argue, came with a heck of a lot of luck -- Shafer pitched to contact with only two strikeouts, but only gave up two hits. He'll need more swings and misses tonight. Can the Lugnuts get six innings out of him again? If they can, so much the better.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Notable Matchups:</strong></div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Michael Ahmed is 1-for-4 with a strikeout.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jimmy Allen is 2-4 with a hit-by-pitch.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Matt Beaty is 1-6 with a walk and a strikeout.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Chigbogu is 0-7 with a strikeout.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Julian Leon is 2-5 with two singles, an RBI and a walk.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jordan Tarsovich is 2-3 with two singles and an RBI.</li>
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It would be a stunner if<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> Andrew Sopko </strong>pitched more than five innings for the Loons. He's a pretty darn good right-hander, drafted in the 7th round in June, with a fastball at 87-92, a slider and a change-up. He pitched six games for Ogden in his pro debut, stretching out from one to four innings, walking one and striking out 18 in 14 innings. Then he moved to the Loons, made five starts (working as many as five innings in three of them), and continued to not walk anyone (18 K / 4 BB) while only getting roughed up once.</div>
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There are no notable matchups. Lansing has never faced Sopko until tonight.</div>
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Andrew Sopko has been a fly ball pitcher in Great Lakes (0.43 ground out/air out ratio), and this brings up the biggest key of the night: The Loons' outfield defense. Lansing's outfield dimensions are <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">enormous</em>, and Loons 20-year-old right fielder <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jordan Paroubeck </strong>was a black hole last night in the routine garden that is Dow Diamond. Beyond this, Great Lakes lost center fielder <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Logan Landon </strong>to a wrist injury against Lansing on September 2nd, and then lost center fielder <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Gage Green </strong>to a concussion last night. The Loons have zero outfield depth, forcing manager Matos to figure things out with <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Nick Sell</strong>, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Federico Celli</strong>, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Brian Wolfe </strong>and Paroubeck. I don't expect Paroubeck to go 0-for-4 with 3 strikeouts again like last night, but if he and his teammates run into more trouble defensively, that could the spell the end for their season.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A textbook Lugnuts win looks a little like this… </strong></div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Shafer works six solid innings, getting grounders and strikeouts. The Loons' defense has more issues, Jordan Paroubeck's promotion turns out to be a disaster, and the self-proclaimed Thunder From Down Under (7-8-9 hitters <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Gunnar</strong> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Heidt</strong>, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Danny Jansen</strong><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </strong>and <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Atkinson</strong>) causes more trouble, taking the air out of Great Lakes. Lansing 9, Great Lakes 1, and the Lugnuts move on to the second round.</li>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A textbook Loons win looks a little like this…</strong></div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Sopko pitches zeroes for five innings, Shafer gets eaten up by luck turning against him, Paroubeck marches back with a big-time blow, and the Loons bullpen slams the door. All of the momentum heads Great Lakes' way with a convincing 6-0 win.</li>
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That said -- get ready for more drama!</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-27720328011062405632015-09-09T12:46:00.001-04:002015-09-09T12:46:08.035-04:00Game 1 Preview: Shane Dawson vs. Grant Holmes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/dawson-2-640.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/dawson-2-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="(Photo credit: Kyle Castle)" class="wp-image-2505" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/dawson-2-640.jpg" height="309" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/dawson-2-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 6px;" width="549" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">(Photo credit: Kyle Castle)</em></dd></dl>
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The Game 1 starting matchup is Lansing's <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Shane Dawson</strong> vs. Great Lakes'<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> Grant Holmes</strong>. It's<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </strong>going to be about a lot more than that, naturally, but that's where we'll start. (I doubt Holmes pitches more than six innings -- he hasn't pitched more than six innings all year, and has been increasingly limited by pitch count.)</div>
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The 19-year-old Holmes was the Dodgers' first-round draft choice in 2014 and is considered the #5 prospect in the organization and the top pitching prospect on the Loons. He faced the Lugnuts first on July 8th and pitched four scoreless innings despite walking a season-high five. On July 19th, he gave up solely a <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Christian Vazquez </strong>solo home run in six strong innings. On September 2nd, pitching opposite of <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Marcus Stroman</strong>, he worked three perfect innings and then allowed three quick runs in the fourth thanks to a <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Richard Urena </strong>two-run homer and a <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ryan McBroom </strong>RBI double.</div>
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I expect Holmes to get off to a nice quick start tonight, with middle relief up and ready to tag in for him in the 4th/5th innings. If he makes it six, that's a huge plus for Great Lakes.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Notable Matchups:</strong></div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">D.J. Davis is 1-for-7 with three strikeouts against Holmes.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chris Carlson is 0-3 with three walks.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jason Leblebijian is 1-5 with a double and two walks.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ryan McBroom is 1-6 with a double, a walk and two strikeouts.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">David Harris is 0-6 with three strikeouts.</li>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Shane Dawson </strong>is the Lugnuts' closest thing to an ace. The Pan Am gold medalist is the most competitive pitcher on the staff, as well as perhaps its top strikeout artist going right now with Sean Reid-Foley on the DL. Could he go six innings? Heck, he could go seven or eight innings depending on how well he commands his stuff. (In his longest start of the year/his career, he pitched eight innings in a huge win at Bowling Green.) In a key game like this, where winning is heavily weighted, Lansing couldn't ask for a better fighter in its corner.</div>
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Dawson pitched five innings in relief against the Loons on April 16th, allowing only one run. He took the Loons on again in a starting assignment on June 20th, stopping them on two runs in six innings in a Lugs victory that sewed up the first-half Eastern Division title.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Notable Matchups:</strong></div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Michael Ahmed is 2-for-3 with a single, double, two walks and two runs scored.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jimmy Allen is 0-5 with a strikeout.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Federico Celli is 1-3 with an RBI double.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Chigbogu is 0-3.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Julian Leon is 2-3 with two doubles, a run, an RBI and a strikeout.</li>
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Those Dawson vs. Ahmed/Leon matchups should prove significant tonight. Don't sleep on Chigbogu, who slugged three-run homers in back-to-back games last week in Lansing.</div>
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The Great Lakes Loons just added a potential X-Factor to their starting lineup: <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jordan Paroubeck</strong>, rated the <a data-mce-href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=la" href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=la" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">#25 prospect in the Dodgers' organization</a>, a former Padres second-rounder acquired from the Atlanta Braves on July 2nd. According to <a data-mce-href="http://www.truebluela.com/2015/7/2/8888207/caleb-dirks-jordan-paroubeck-trade-dodgers-braves-international-slot" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2015/7/2/8888207/caleb-dirks-jordan-paroubeck-trade-dodgers-braves-international-slot" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">this SB Nation piece</a>, Paroubeck received hitting lessons from a family friend named <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Barry Bonds</strong>. Those lessons sure paid off, as the 20-year-old batted .379 with a 1.075 OPS in 22 games with the Ogden Raptors. He's a switch-hitting outfielder, he draws walks, he hits, and he hits for power. The Loons lineup just got better.</div>
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The Lugnuts' overall lineup has been 70% settled for a little while: Chris Carlson, D.J. Davis and David Harris are in the outfield; Jason Leblebijian, Richard Urena and Ryan McBroom are in the infield; and Danny Jansen<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </strong>is the starting catcher.</div>
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The top of the lineup will start with Carlson, Urena, Leblebijian, McBroom, Davis, Harris, and onward.</div>
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Lansing manager <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ken Huckaby</strong> thus has two slots to play around with, at third base and at designated hitter. He can go with gloveman <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Gunnar Heidt </strong>at third, or perhaps <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Atkinson</strong>, or <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Alex Maldonado</strong>. He can DH one of the three. He can roll the dice and DH backup catcher <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Michael De La Cruz</strong>, who is batting .311 with a .356 on-base percentage in the second half after hitting only .118 in the first half.</div>
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Put me on the spot, and I have a suspicion that we'll see Atkinson in the order. Put me in the manager's chair, and I'd use De La Cruz somehow, someway.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/de-la-cruz-640.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/de-la-cruz-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Michael De La Cruz (photo credit: Kyle Castle)" class="wp-image-2506" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/de-la-cruz-640.jpg" height="309" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/de-la-cruz-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative;">Michael De La Cruz <em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">(photo credit: Kyle Castle)</em></dd></dl>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A textbook Lugnuts win looks a little like this... </strong></div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Shane Dawson pitches 6-7 innings, allowing 1-3 runs. The veteran offense wears away at Holmes, scoring a run here and a run there, Danny Jansen bashing a home run, tacking on a few more against the Loons bullpen, and cruises to a relatively stress-free victory. Lansing 7, Great Lakes 3.</li>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A textbook Loons win looks a little like this...</strong></div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Holmes matches Dawson zero for zero, then hands the ball over to the sturdy Great Lakes pen. The Lugnuts' bullpen/defense unravels in the late going. Great Lakes 4, Lansing 1, as Dow Diamond goes crazy.</li>
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But of course it's the playoffs, so throw out that textbook and be prepared for weirdness.</div>
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Here we go.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-30096563066389746732015-08-02T23:14:00.001-04:002015-08-02T23:14:20.841-04:00Thoughts on August 2nd: Starlyn Suriel and Dawel Lugo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://aroundthenestmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/suriel-640.jpg" href="https://aroundthenestmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/suriel-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Suriel 640" class="wp-image-399" data-mce-src="https://aroundthenestmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/suriel-640.jpg" height="309" src="https://aroundthenestmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/suriel-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Pitcher Starlyn Suriel, photograph by Kyle Castle</em></dd></dl>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Starlyn Suriel </strong>has not had a consistent season. In three of his starts, he has not made it through the fifth inning. In three other starts, he's pitched seven innings. In the first game of this road trip, last Tuesday at Lake County, he walked six Captains. In the final game of the road trip, today, he gave up a run following back-to-back walks to open the game, and then didn't give up any more walks or runs the rest of the day.</div>
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Perhaps you'd like to credit the Bowling Green Hot Rods for Starlyn's success. He's had a peculiar hold over their terrific lineup recently: six scoreless innings on June 16th; seven innings, two runs (one earned), on July 22nd; seven innings, one run, today, August 2nd.</div>
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Instead, I'd like to credit something more specific than the charm of a particular opposing uniform. On July 22nd, Starlyn Suriel had his swing-and-miss stuff working, whiffing six Hot Rods. He didn't do that today; he struck out only one batter. He also coaxed 12 ground outs, highly unlike his usual self, entering the game generating far more fly balls than ground balls. If Suriel keeps getting grounders, he'll keep meeting success -- especially if he rediscovers that swing-and-miss stuff, too.</div>
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*</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://aroundthenestmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/lugo-640.jpg" href="https://aroundthenestmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/lugo-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Lugo 640" class="wp-image-400" data-mce-src="https://aroundthenestmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/lugo-640.jpg" height="309" src="https://aroundthenestmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/lugo-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="549" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Shortstop Dawel Lugo, courtesy of Kyle Castle</em></dd></dl>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Dawel Lugo </strong>started this season in Dunedin. He batted .219 in 67 games while Richard Ureña was simultaneously scaring Midwest League pitchers with 12 home runs. Up went Ureña, down came Lugo. Everyone adjusted their prospect rankings accordingly.</div>
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Dawel got off to a fine start with Lansing: three hits in his first game, two hits in his second. But then he started slipping back down again, going hitless in three of his next four games. A 14-game hitting streak followed, but it was not the most inspiring stretch -- exactly one hit in eight straight games during the streak, and only two extra-base hits.</div>
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Things have now changed, thanks to an adjustment in approach (changing Lugo's stride and how he uses his lower body). The results:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">7/28 at Lake County: 5 at-bats, 2 singles, .292 batting average</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">7/29 at Lake County: 5 at-bats, 1 double, .287 average</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">7/30 at Lake County: 3 at-bats, 1 single, 1 home run, .299 average</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">7/31 at Bowling Green: 4 at-bats, 3 singles, .317 average</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">8/1 at Bowling Green: 4 at-bats, 1 single, 1 double, .324 average</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">8/2 at Bowling Green: 4 at-bats, 1 single, 1 double, .330 average</li>
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All told, Lugo went 12-for-25 with four extra-base hits and seven runs batted in during the trip, lifting his batting average 44 points and his slugging percentage 120 points.</div>
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Adjust accordingly.</div>
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<b style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Fun to know: </b>Lugnuts reliever Dusty Isaacs is an Uber driver around the Lansing/East Lansing/Okemos area.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-10773476653566903602015-05-13T12:55:00.002-04:002015-05-13T12:55:07.558-04:00The Lansing 3 (+1), a retrospective<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last night, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Noah Syndergaard</strong> made his <a data-mce-href="http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/102762/cubs-noah-syndergaard-as-good-as-advertised" href="http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/102762/cubs-noah-syndergaard-as-good-as-advertised" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">MLB debut with the New York Mets</a>.</div>
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In 2012, Syndergaard, Justin Nicolino<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </strong>and Aaron Sanchez<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </strong>were the Lansing 3.</div>
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They first arrived in Lansing during the 2011 postseason, a remarkable run that saw the Lugs (led by Jake Marisnick, Carlos Perez and the fabled Matt Nuzzo) bounce the favored Dayton Dragons (with Billy Hamilton) out of the playoffs, knock off the Fort Wayne TinCaps when closer Kevin Quackenbush walked in the series-clinching run (a pitch he purposefully threw high because he thought that the count was 2-2, not 3-2), and fell in three games to the Quad Cities River Bandits in the championship, a team that included Kolten Wong, Trevor Rosenthal and the late Oscar Taveras.</div>
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When they returned in 2012, they were placed in piggybacking tandems: BFFs Sanchez and Nicolino were paired in a combo coined "Sanchelino" by Marcus Walden. Syndergaard was teamed with Anthony "Disco" DeSclafani, receiving the lesser moniker of "Synderfani."</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/sanch.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/sanch.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="sanch" class="wp-image-2440 size-full" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/sanch.jpg" height="246" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/sanch.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
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They were quickly placed into boxes: DeSclafani was the afterthought, a guy with control and a fine fastball (and also a really great cook). Nicolino was the Maddux of the group, polished, smart, coming off a ridiculously dominating season in Vancouver in 2011, and by far the closest to the Major Leagues. Sanchez and Syndergaard were the disputed icons, one a Californian with raw potential, unhittable stuff and an unremarkable pro career to date; the other an intimidating Texan fireballer in the tradition of Kerry Wood and Nolan Ryan. Each scout ranked Nicolino 3rd and DeSclafani 4th; no one agreed with Sanchez or Syndergaard deserved to be 1st.</div>
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They worked three innings each in April, leaving the bullpen only three innings to complete. The Lugnuts went 18-6 in the month -- and it could have been better, had the pen not blown 8 of 18 save opportunities. In May, they went four innings each, and the Lugnuts went 20-9 (blowing 4 of 16 save opportunities). In June, the tandems separated and they went five innings each. The team's record fell to 13-12. They stretched into six innings, battling midseason hiccups before righting themselves by the end: the Lugs were 19-9 in July, before the offense -- doomed by the promotion of key players -- fell apart in an 11-17 August.</div>
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The Lugs finished 82-57 overall, the best regular season in team history.</div>
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As for the Lansing 3:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Nicolino went 10-4, 2.46, 124.1 IP, 21 BB, 119 K, leading the league in ERA and voted the MWL's top left-handed starter at season's end.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Aaron Sanchez posted an 8-5, 2.49, 90.1 IP, 51 BB, 97 K, with command issues limiting his outings, though he allowed only 3 home runs and a .204 average.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Noah Syndergaard finished 8-5, 2.60, 103.2 IP, 31 BB, 122 K, allowing a mere 3 home runs and a .212 average against.</li>
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At that time, you could be fairly certain: Justin Nicolino and Noah Syndergaard were going to the Majors, and Aaron Sanchez was on the right track -- though, with how raw he was, he was likely still quite a few seasons away from making a Major League impact.</div>
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The afterthought, Anthony DeSclafani, went 11-3 with a 3.37 ERA, ranking behind only Nicolino with 123.0 innings pitched. He did allow 145 hits, though he gave up 3 home runs, walked just 25 and struck out 92.</div>
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The winter following the season, three of the four were gone from the Blue Jays' system.</div>
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On November 19th, DeSclafani and Nicolino, along fellow former Lugnut Marisnick, were packaged in a massive deal to the Marlins, with such notables as Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, and Josh Johnson heading to Toronto.</div>
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On December 17th, Syndergaard was dealt to the New York Mets (along with top prospect catcher Travis d'Arnaud) for reigning Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey.</div>
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Anthony DeSclafani, familiarly known as "Disco"</em></dd></dl>
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As life has it, the opposite of our expectations often occurs. In this case, it was the sequence of Major League debuts.</div>
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The Marlins called up <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Anthony DeSclafani </strong>to the Major Leagues on May 14th, 2014. He made 13 appearances with Miami, five starts. In the offseason, he was traded to Cincinnati for Mat Latos; this year, he has a 2-3 record with a 2.79 ERA in seven starts for the Reds. He is no longer an afterthought.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Aaron Sanchez </strong>made his MLB debut two months later, on July 23rd, 2014, joining the Blue Jays' bullpen and going 2-2 with a 1.09 ERA in 24 valuable appearances. In 2015, he is 3-2 with a 3.62 ERA in six starts for the Jays. As it turned out, he wasn't so far away from the Majors after all.</div>
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The quiet <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Noah</strong> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Syndergaard</strong>, the most introverted of all of the pitchers, found himself caught up in a sequence of silly moments that spurred Big Apple sports talk radio to gleeful heights. Given an oversized nickname, Thor, that matched his height and ability -- if not his personality -- he arrived in the Bigs last night to great fanfare. And then his outing promptly caused more Big Apple sports blather: Was he left in the game too long? What went wrong? Sheesh.</div>
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Nicolino, smarter than the average pitcher</em></dd></dl>
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That leaves one member of the Lansing 3 (plus 1) without an MLB locker.</div>
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The polished, close-to-Major-League-ready <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Nicolino </strong>has kept on keepin' on. In 2013, he pitched well enough at A-Adv. Jupiter to earn a mid-season promotion to Double-A Jacksonville. In 2014, he pitched well enough at Jacksonville to be named the Southern League's Left-Handed Pitcher of the Year. In 2015, he is 3-0 with a 1.55 ERA for Triple-A New Orleans. It has been just three years since he pitched in Michigan's state capital. He is only 23 years old. Barring injury, he'll make his MLB debut this summer.</div>
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And then four Major League teams will sport 2012 Lansing Lugnuts starting pitchers.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-11204558328566930462015-04-15T11:36:00.000-04:002015-04-15T11:36:00.434-04:00One week in<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is my return from hiatus, and I'll do my best to give you a reason to visit more often as the season goes onward.</div>
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I'm someone who gets singlemindedly focused on tasks. In March, this means writing the team magazine articles, preparing press passes, and getting everything set for Opening Day. In early April, this means getting into the rhythm of the season. Time can run short, things can be taxing.</div>
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Ah, but now we're a full week in, and it's time to go forward.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/de-jong-4-10-15-640.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/de-jong-4-10-15-640.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="De Jong 4-10-15 640" class="wp-image-2402" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/de-jong-4-10-15-640.jpg?w=300" height="309" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/de-jong-4-10-15-640.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Starting pitcher Chase De Jong. <em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">(Photo credit: Kyle Castle.)</em></dd></dl>
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The Lugnuts have begun the season 5-1, thanks in large part to pitching, pitching, pitching. The Lugs' team ERA is 1.94 -- they've allowed 2, 2, 2, 3, 1, and 1 earned run in their six games played. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chase De Jong </strong>struck out nine batters in 4 2/3 innings, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Starlyn Suriel </strong>struck out eight in 5 innings, <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Sean Reid-Foley </strong>struck out six in 3 innings, and onward.</div>
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I do not know how things will continue with the pitching corps, but it seems to me that they're going to start receiving a heck of a lot more offensive support as things go forward. The lineup has key parts scuffling, from <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Danny Jansen </strong>(0-for-10, albeit with four walks) to <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Rowdy Tellez </strong>(4-for-23) to <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Tim Locastro </strong>(3-for-16) to <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Richard Urena </strong>(3-for-19) to <b style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Josh Almonte </b>(2-for-18). Get those guys going, and this team starts scoring runs in bunches.</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">On the bright side, </em>outfielder <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chris Carlson </strong>has six hits, three walks, and four steals, making things happen from the bottom part of the order. As a team, Lansing has 11 stolen bases.</div>
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From the current Lugnuts to the recent past, two alumni put in superb outings last night.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Kendall Graveman '14 </strong>pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings for the Athletics, <a data-mce-href="http://scores.nbcsports.msnbc.com/mlb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=350414118&final=true" href="http://scores.nbcsports.msnbc.com/mlb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=350414118&final=true" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">combining with four relievers on a shutout</a>. (Jake Marisnick '11 did collect one of the Astros' eight hits in the game, and is now batting .318.)</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Anthony "Disco" DeSclafani '12 </strong>pitched 7 scoreless innings, <a data-mce-href="http://scores.nbcsports.msnbc.com/mlb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=350414116&final=true" href="http://scores.nbcsports.msnbc.com/mlb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=350414116&final=true" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">helping the Reds beat the Cubs at Wrigley</a>.</div>
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I'm watching Daredevil on Netflix. It's superb.</div>
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*</div>
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Lastly, hear from Lugnuts manager<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> Ken Huckaby.</strong></div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-25514162733714586522015-03-12T13:11:00.001-04:002015-03-12T13:11:44.029-04:00Whoa there, Miguel Castro<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/41-miguel-castro1.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/41-miguel-castro1.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="41 - Miguel Castro" class=" wp-image-2394 aligncenter" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/41-miguel-castro1.jpg?w=300" height="365" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/41-miguel-castro1.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></div>
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Listen to<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> <a data-mce-href="https://soundcloud.com/jesse-goldberg-strassler-1/pitcher-miguel-castro-8-19-14" href="https://soundcloud.com/jesse-goldberg-strassler-1/pitcher-miguel-castro-8-19-14" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">my interview with Miguel Castro</a> </strong>while he was in Lansing.</div>
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/164025631&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Miguel Castro </strong>began his professional career in the Dominican Summer League in 2012, and then returned to the DSL to start 2013. He finished that 2013 season at age 18 in Advanced-Rookie Bluefield, a long ways away from the Majors.</div>
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Or was he?</div>
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In 2014, Miguel opened with an impressive stint in Short-A Vancouver, knocked socks off in Single-A Lansing (including back-to-back dominant showings against Eastern Division leaders South Bend and West Michigan), and finished with a pair of outings in A-Advanced Dunedin. His name was becoming known.</div>
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Yesterday: talking with Vince Horsman about such talented arms as Aaron Sanchez, Kendall Graveman and Miguel Castro: <a href="https://t.co/G3E99GIX6E">https://t.co/G3E99GIX6E</a><br />
— Jesse G-S (@jgoldstrass) <a href="https://twitter.com/jgoldstrass/status/497789423086764032">August 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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To this extent, only a few sorts of folks knew about Miguel Castro: Blue Jays staff members, instructors and players; opposing batters; and us broadcasters in Vancouver, Lansing and Dunedin. After watching Miguel twirl seven three-hit shutout innings, West Michigan broadcaster Ben Chiswick asked me rhetorically, "He's got to be a Top-20 prospect in the Minor Leagues next year, doesn't he?"</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">We also all knew his nickname/comparison to Kevin Durant, as this Vancouver Canadians graphic explains:</em></div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/castro-durant0.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/castro-durant0.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Castro Durant0" class="aligncenter wp-image-2395" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/castro-durant0.jpg?w=300" height="309" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/castro-durant0.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></div>
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Beyond us, though, I dare say that Miguel Castro was an unknown commodity.</div>
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That brings us to this spring training, where Miguel -- with only six appearances above the short-season level and zero experience above A-Advanced -- was invited to Blue Jays Major League camp.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">February 25th: </strong><a data-mce-href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baseball/miguel-castro-is-hard-to-miss-at-blue-jays-spring-training/article23206103/" href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baseball/miguel-castro-is-hard-to-miss-at-blue-jays-spring-training/article23206103/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">A Neil Davidson article</a> for the <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Globe and Mail </em>on February 25th introduces Blue Jays' fans to the slender phenom:</div>
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The first time Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos saw him pitch, for Class-A Vancouver, he thought the speed gun was broken because it kept showing 98 miles per hour.</div>
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“I literally said ‘Hey, is something wrong with the gun? Is it frozen?“’ Anthopoulos said.</div>
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That same day, <a data-mce-href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-notebook-barton-make-team/" href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-notebook-barton-make-team/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">SportsNet's Shi Davidi brings out the Kevin Durant comparison</a>, given to him by a Blue Jays' official:</div>
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Looking at Castro’s six-foot-five, 190-pound frame, I asked a Blue Jays official for a physical comparison and he threw out NBA star Kevin Durant. Asked how it looks from behind the plate, Thole said: “It’s an effortless mid-90’s for sure. The ball is on you because he’s got the long arms, so essentially, he’s handing the ball to the catcher and it explodes, aside from it being 100 or whatever it is.”</div>
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Both Davidi and Davidson quote Alex Anthopoulos as saying, “if we were to start the season today, he’d be down here in the Florida State League, but that’s not to say he can’t come quick."</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">March 3rd: </strong>Miguel Castro makes his spring debut in Blue Jays' first Grapefruit League game, working a scoreless eighth against the Pirates.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">March 7th: </strong>In his second outing of spring, he delivers a six-pitch perfect fifth inning against the Phillies <a data-mce-href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=350307122" href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=350307122" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">in the Jays' fifth game</a>. </div>
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Tweets SportsNet's Jamie Campbell:</div>
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Asked AA who might rise fast and be in MLB this season. Two names: Miguel Castro and Roberto Osuna. Castro possibly by "opening day".<br />
— Jamie Campbell (@SNETCampbell) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNETCampbell/status/574252824797712384">March 7, 2015</a></blockquote>
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SportsNet's <a data-mce-href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-get-relief-castro-estrada-impress/" href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-get-relief-castro-estrada-impress/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Ben Nicholson-Smith writes</a>:</div>
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The 20-year-old Castro entered camp as a longshot to make the club given that he has yet to pitch in the upper minors. But his lanky frame and big velocity are hard to miss. By retiring big league hitters, he earned more looks from the Blue Jays decision makers who have already been impressed by his fastball-change-up combination.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">March 8th: </strong>TSN's <a data-mce-href="http://www.tsn.ca/two-kids-have-legitimate-shot-at-bullpen-1.225630" href="http://www.tsn.ca/two-kids-have-legitimate-shot-at-bullpen-1.225630" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Scott MacArthur builds off of Kennedy's suggestion</a>:</div>
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As of this moment, March 8, both [Roberto Osuna and Miguel Castro] have a chance to break camp with the big league team....</div>
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Castro, a 20-year-old Dominican, is a beanpole who hurls peas. Listed at 6’5”, 190 pounds, he’s likely taller and lighter than his billing. But the radar gun tells no lies - he can throw a fastball 100 miles per hour. More importantly, he throws the pitch for strikes and complements it with a changeup nicely developed for a kid his age. Castro also features a slider.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">March 9th: </strong>Tweets Campbell:</div>
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On Saturday, Miguel Castro had easy 1-2-3 inning vs PHI. Castro was first signed by PHI, but they voided contract. <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays">@BlueJays</a> are grateful.<br />
— Jamie Campbell (@SNETCampbell) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNETCampbell/status/574993406663000064">March 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">March 10th: </strong>The Blue Jays lose Marcus Stroman for the season due to a torn ACL. Everyone starts looking around for possible replacements; the loss of Stroman would likely move Aaron Sanchez from the bullpen to the rotation, which meant a new opening in the bullpen.</div>
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Jamie Campbell:</div>
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Suddenly, Sanchez in the rotation seems likely. And so does Miguel Castro in the bullpen.<br />
— Jamie Campbell (@SNETCampbell) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNETCampbell/status/575380870598537216">March 10, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">March 11th: </strong>Miguel makes his third appearance of the spring, <a data-mce-href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=350311101" href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=350311101" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">dazzling the Baltimore Orioles</a> with two shutout innings. Mike Wilner is on the scene:</div>
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Castro looks terrific again, blowing away <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Orioles?src=hash">#Orioles</a> in a perfect bot5 - struck out Wieters and Machado, both on sliders. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bluejays?src=hash">#Bluejays</a> up 3-0 t6.<br />
— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness590) <a href="https://twitter.com/Wilnerness590/status/575722575390703617">March 11, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bluejays?src=hash">#Bluejays</a> had different readings on their radar guns for Castro. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jays?src=hash">#Jays</a> say <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Orioles?src=hash">#Orioles</a> stadium gun is slow - Castro hit 99, sat 96-97. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wowz?src=hash">#Wowz</a><br />
— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness590) <a href="https://twitter.com/Wilnerness590/status/575746551244587008">March 11, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Miguel Castro was in the Dominican Summer League two years ago. He is currently 20 years old.</div>
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You couldn't blame the Blue Jays' brain trust if they sat back, took off their caps, wiped their foreheads, and said to each other, "Hey, let's slow down. Send the kid to Dunedin in April. No rush." But -- aside from his inexperience -- he hasn't given them any reason not to sit back, wipe their foreheads, and say instead, "Hey, he's special. Let's stick with the kid."</div>
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Either way, Miguel Castro will be well worth watching.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-49518657990012591322015-03-06T17:33:00.002-05:002015-03-06T17:33:55.960-05:00Stadium Construction, a photographic tour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I'm not sure if you've heard, but Cooley Law School Stadium is in the midst of a massive offseason renovation. My pics from earlier this week:</div>
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<img alt="card pic 8" class=" wp-image-2371 alignright" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/card-pic-8.jpg?w=300" height="141" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/card-pic-8.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); display: inline; float: right; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 1.225em; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="250" /><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/card-pic-8.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/card-pic-8.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="pic 9" class=" wp-image-2378 alignright" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-9.jpg?w=300" height="141" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-9.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #222222; display: inline; float: right; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 1.225em; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="250" /></a></div>
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Well, at the least, that shows how you gray it's been in Lansing. It doesn't show you too much about the construction that's been going on, though.</div>
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With this in mind, members of the Lugnuts front office staff were taken for a tour around all of the construction taking place beyond the fence. They're constructing several different areas: 1) the Tailgate Terrace, a group venue for parties to watch the game from beyond the right-field wall; 2) The View, a banquet hall area beyond the center-field wall; and 3) The Outfield, a real estate development through the Gillespie Group - an honest-to-goodness apartment complex beyond the outfield wall.</div>
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Here we go, time to walk inside:</div>
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<img alt="pic 3" class=" wp-image-2374 aligncenter" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-3.jpg?w=300" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-3.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /><img alt="pic 4" class="aligncenter wp-image-2375" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-4.jpg?w=300" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-4.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/cement.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/cement.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="pic 5" class="aligncenter wp-image-2376" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-5.jpg?w=300" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-5.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /></a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/cement.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/cement.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="pic 6" class="aligncenter wp-image-2377" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-6.jpg?w=300" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-6.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /><img alt="pic7" class=" wp-image-2379 aligncenter" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic7.jpg?w=300" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic7.jpg?w=300" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="550" /><img alt="pic 2" class=" wp-image-2373 alignleft" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-2.jpg?w=169" height="462" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pic-2.jpg?w=169" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #222222; display: inline; float: left; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-right: 1.225em; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="260" /><img alt="cement" class=" wp-image-2372 alignleft" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/cement.jpg?w=169" height="462" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/cement.jpg?w=169" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #222222; display: inline; float: left; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-right: 1.225em; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="260" /></a></div>
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And lastly, from my co-worker Ben, they've started putting up the new videoboard:<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /> <a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/scoreboard-shell.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/scoreboard-shell.jpg" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><img alt="scoreboard shell" class="aligncenter wp-image-2380" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/scoreboard-shell.jpg?w=225" height="320" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/scoreboard-shell.jpg?w=225" style="background: rgb(238, 238, 238); border: 1px solid rgb(187, 187, 187); clear: both; color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="239" /></a></div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-32022576737043421282015-03-05T10:43:00.000-05:002015-03-05T10:43:50.429-05:00Vernon Wells and Dalton Pompey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Dalton "Pony" Pompey, 2013. (Credit: Scott Mapes, Lansing Lugnuts)" class="size-full wp-image-2356" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey.jpg" height="372" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
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Former All-Star center fielder Vernon Wells talks about returning to the Jays and working with projected future center fielder Dalton Pompey, who played for the Lugnuts in 2012 and 2013. When asked about his own mentors, he said:</div>
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"It's amazing. In my Minor League career, there was a lot of teaching that went on. And it seems kids are getting to the big leagues a little quicker now. Some of the teaching is not as in depth as it was, so they're having to learn once they get to the big leagues. And it's tough. There's an adjustment period that happens and you're still trying to learn. It's asking a lot of a kid. For him, it's going to be a matter of relax, absorb the information that's coming to you, and try to make it work as quick as possible."</div>
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Did Dalton Pompey ascend to the big leagues quicker than Vernon Wells, giving him less MiLB education?</div>
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An examination.</div>
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We begin with<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> Vernon Wells</strong>. His sterling Major League numbers, from Baseball-Reference:</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/wells-mlb.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/wells-mlb.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="wells mlb" class="wp-image-2357 size-full" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/wells-mlb.jpg" height="246" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/wells-mlb.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Link: <a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wellsve01.shtml" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wellsve01.shtml" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Baseball-Reference.com</a></dd></dl>
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Vernon reached the Major Leagues in 1999 at age 20, played sparingly in the bigs in 2000, came up for a bit longer in 2001, and broke through as a regular in 2002 when he was 23. The next season, he was an All-Star, a Silver Slugger, and received MVP votes.</div>
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Here was his Minor League path:</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/wells-milb.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/wells-milb.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Link: Baseball-Reference.com" class="wp-image-2358 size-full" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/wells-milb.jpg" height="234" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/wells-milb.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Link: <a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=wells-001ver" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=wells-001ver" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Baseball-Reference.com</a></dd></dl>
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He spent 1997 in Short-A, 1998 in Single-A, and then zipped up the ladder in 1999 (at age 20) from A-Advanced to Double-A to Triple-A to the Majors. Things stagnated a bit from there, however, with Vernon spending the majority of 2000 and 2001 in Triple-A. 2000 was rather disappointing likely for everyone concerned, but he was only 21 and playing against much older competition in the International League. At age 22, repeating the league, all was well again, sending him forth to a 15-year career.</div>
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Now to <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Dalton Pompey</strong>. First, Dalton's Major League stats:</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey-mlb.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey-mlb.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="pompey mlb" class="wp-image-2359 size-full" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey-mlb.jpg" height="92" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey-mlb.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Link: <a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pompeda01.shtml" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pompeda01.shtml" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Baseball-Reference.com</a></dd></dl>
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Not a bad MLB debut, especially considering that the <a data-mce-href="http://m.mlb.com/tor/video/topic/69808956/v36527035/seator-pompey-sends-a-nodoubter-to-the-second-deck" href="http://m.mlb.com/tor/video/topic/69808956/v36527035/seator-pompey-sends-a-nodoubter-to-the-second-deck" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">home run was slugged off of King Felix Hernandez</a>.</div>
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The Minor League path:</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey-milb.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey-milb.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="pompey milb" class="wp-image-2360 size-full" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey-milb.jpg" height="237" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/pompey-milb.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Link: <a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=pompey001dal" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=pompey001dal" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Baseball-Reference.com</a></dd></dl>
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Pompey debuted at age 17 in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2010, played 42 more games in the GCL in 2011 before moving up for 18 games in Rookie-advanced Bluefield. He was back in Bluefield for 4 games in 2012, followed by 11 games in Short-A and 5 games in Single-A, though the year was severely hampered by injury. In 2013, at age 20, he played 115 games in Single-A and won a Gold Glove as the best defensive center fielder in the Minor Leagues. That led to 2014, when, at age 21, Pompey broke through. He aced A-Advanced, cruised through Double-A, and surprised with a dominant showing in Triple-A, leading to his Major League callup.</div>
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A side-by-side comparison:</div>
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<tr style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><th class="tg-yrsx" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 10px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 2.6em; text-transform: uppercase;"></th><th class="tg-yrsx" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 10px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 2.6em; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;"> WELLS</th><th class="tg-yrsx" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 10px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 2.6em; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;">POMPEY</th></tr>
<tr style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><td class="tg-yrsx" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px;"> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Age making MLB debut</strong></td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 20 years old</td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;">21 years old</td></tr>
<tr style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><td class="tg-yrsx" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px;"> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Games in Rookie ball</strong></td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> -</td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 75</td></tr>
<tr style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><td class="tg-yrsx" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px;"> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Games in Short-A</strong></td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 66</td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 11</td></tr>
<tr style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><td class="tg-yrsx" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px;"> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Games in Single-A</strong></td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 134</td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 120</td></tr>
<tr style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><td class="tg-yrsx" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px;"> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Games in A-Advanced</strong></td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 74</td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 70</td></tr>
<tr style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><td class="tg-yrsx" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px;"> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Games in Double-A</strong></td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 26</td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 31</td></tr>
<tr style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><td class="tg-yrsx" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px;"> <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Games in Triple-A</strong></td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 276</td><td class="tg-031e" data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; text-align: center;"> 12</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 23.7999992370605px;">Really, Dalton wasn't pushed forward quicker any than Vernon was, both of them traveling similar paths. Vernon's idea of more MiLB teaching in his day seems to signify increased Triple-A time (which clearly proved valuable).</span></div>
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In Dalton Pompey, we can rationally say that Vernon Wells is meeting the 2000 spring training version of himself, coming off of a tremendous climb to the Majors and ready to build on it. 2000 was where Wells ran into his first obstacle, keeping him in Triple-A for nearly the whole season. Pompey, in contrast, is being looked on to start in center field for Toronto on Opening Day. Here's hoping that working with Wells helps prepare Dalton all the more for big-league success to come.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-46930594367214652112015-03-04T11:57:00.000-05:002015-03-12T11:27:24.910-04:00The Voices of the Lansing Lugnuts, 1996-Present<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Blue Jays spring training action began yesterday in a game against Pittsburgh. Kevin Pillar homered early and <span style="line-height: 23.7999992370605px;">Mitch Nay brought the Jays within a run late with an RBI single, but the Blue Jays left the bases loaded in an 8-7 loss. No worries, back at it today!</span></div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/lineup.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/lineup.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="lineup" class="wp-image-2351" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/lineup.jpg?w=293" height="564" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/lineup.jpg?w=293" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Courtesy: <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/Wilnerness590/status/573154417534492672" href="https://twitter.com/Wilnerness590/status/573154417534492672" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Mike Wilner's twitter feed</a></dd></dl>
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The Voices of the Lansing Lugnuts</h1>
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I'd like to simply put this on the record, honoring my predecessors in the Lugnuts' radio booth.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Mike Vander Woude, 1996-1997. </strong>Mike would later go on to become the first broadcaster of the Dayton Dragons as well as the voice of Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He can still be found broadcasting Dayton games in a pinch-hitting role from time to time.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jeff Walker, 1998-1999. </strong>Jeff left for Triple-A Sacramento in 2000 before becoming the <a data-mce-href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/features/trip11.html" href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/features/trip11.html" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">general manager of the Boise Hawks</a>.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Scott Moore, 2000-2002. </strong>Scott is the longtime voice of Michigan State University hockey and an <a data-mce-href="http://www.spartansportsnetwork.com/modules.php?name=Pages&sp_id=219&m1=5&m2=16&mr=t" href="http://www.spartansportsnetwork.com/modules.php?name=Pages&sp_id=219&m1=5&m2=16&mr=t" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">original member of the Spartan Sports Network</a>. During the winter, it's easy to find his voice delivering the latest Spartan action from the ice.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jim Tocco, 2003. </strong>Jim came to Lansing from Charleston (WV), called a no-hitter and an unassisted triple, won a Midwest League Championship and received a ring, and then moved to serve as the voice of Montgomery from 2004-2008. (I interned under him with the Biscuits in 2006-2007.) He now lives in Atlanta, working in graphic design.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Seth Van Hoven, 2004-2005. </strong>Seth has worked diligently for the Lugnuts for years, predating and postdating his broadcast position with press box responsibilities. He currently works for the American Red Cross by day and handles the official scoring for the Lugs at night.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Brad Tillery, 2006-2008. </strong>Brad now lives in Austin, Texas, where he remains as awesome as ever, cheering on his Auburn Tigers.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jesse Goldberg-Strassler, 2009-present. </strong>Me! Joining the Lugnuts six years ago, I've become known for my <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=baseball%20thesaurus&sprefix=baseball+thes%2Caps" href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=baseball%20thesaurus&sprefix=baseball+thes%2Caps" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Baseball Thesaurus</a> and my <a data-mce-href="http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2014/9/22/6828947/guest-post-jesse-goldberg-strassler-on-doing-re-creation-broadcasts" href="http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2014/9/22/6828947/guest-post-jesse-goldberg-strassler-on-doing-re-creation-broadcasts" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">throwback re-creation broadcasts</a>.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-65245960134557543922015-03-03T12:34:00.001-05:002015-03-03T12:46:44.785-05:0015 ex-Lugnuts who could make the Majors in 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Reading Material:</strong><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">* </strong>From the <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Hardball Times</em>, Jack Moore writes about "<a data-mce-href="http://www.hardballtimes.com/baseball-writers-big-business-and-big-sport/" href="http://www.hardballtimes.com/baseball-writers-big-business-and-big-sport/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Baseball Writers, Big Business and Big Sports</a>." He has his head and thoughts in the right place, but there's a lot going on with the piece.<br />
* Blue Jays From Away takes an educated guess about the <a data-mce-href="http://www.bluejaysfromaway.com/projected-2015-rosters-2-lansing-lugnuts-hitters/" href="http://www.bluejaysfromaway.com/projected-2015-rosters-2-lansing-lugnuts-hitters/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Lansing Lugnuts' 2015 position players</a>. There's no Anthony Alford or D.J. Davis in his projected Lugs outfield, which I mildly disagree with. I expect we'll get one of the two.<br />
* And, lastly, SportsLogos.net reported a story (in which I was extensively interviewed) <a data-mce-href="http://news.sportslogos.net/2015/01/25/dizzy-in-michigan-the-story-behind-the-lansing-lugnuts/" href="http://news.sportslogos.net/2015/01/25/dizzy-in-michigan-the-story-behind-the-lansing-lugnuts/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">on the origin and appeal of the Lansing Lugnuts name</a>.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">So...</strong> Lansing looks like this</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/snow.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/snow.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="snow" class="wp-image-2342" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/snow.jpg?w=300" height="310" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/snow.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Photo attribute: Me, a few minutes ago.</dd></dl>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">On the bright side</strong>, welcome back, Grapefruit League baseball! The Blue Jays play their first exhibition game of 2015 against the Pirates at 1:07 p.m. The starting lineup:</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/shi-lineup.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/shi-lineup.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="shi lineup" class="wp-image-2343 size-full" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/shi-lineup.jpg" height="553" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/shi-lineup.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="531" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Courtesy: <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/ShiDavidi/status/572756916809691136" href="https://twitter.com/ShiDavidi/status/572756916809691136" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">@ShiDavidi</a></em></dd></dl>
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There are a number of former Lugnuts on that lineup card: starting outfielders Kevin Pillar and Dalton Pompey, starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez, reserves Anthony Alford, Ryan Goins, A.J. Jimenez, Mitch Nay, Sean Ochinko, and Dwight Smith, and relief pitcher Miguel Castro. Pillar, Pompey, Sanchez, and Goins have all made the Majors already. The others have yet to debut in the Bigs.</div>
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Who will be the next Lugs to reach the Majors?</div>
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Let's discuss.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/carlosperez2.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/carlosperez2.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="CarlosPerez2" class="wp-image-2344 size-full" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/carlosperez2.jpg" height="272" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/carlosperez2.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Carlos Perez, 2011-2012 Lugnuts catcher</dd></dl>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Did you know? </em><a data-mce-href="http://www.milb.com/content/page.jsp?ymd=20130723&content_id=54478424&sid=t499&vkey=roster" href="http://www.milb.com/content/page.jsp?ymd=20130723&content_id=54478424&sid=t499&vkey=roster" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">103 former Lugnuts have made the Majors</a> since the club's 1996 inception, six last year.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Likeliest Suspects</strong></div>
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1.<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> Noah Syndergaard, class of '11-'12. </strong>He's the New York Mets' #1 prospect, one of the top pitching talents in the sport. Noah won't start the season in the Bigs, but he'll be in the Mets' rotation sometime mid-season.</div>
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2. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Carlos Perez, class of '11-'12. </strong>The Los Angeles Angels delightedly traded Hank Conger for him in the offseason and plan to slate Carlos as their #2 catcher on Opening Day. By the way: <a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?results=&search=Carlos+Perez" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?results=&search=Carlos+Perez" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">there have been 19 Carlos Perezes in pro baseball history</a>.</div>
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3. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Justin Nicolino, class of '11-'12. </strong>Comprised the "Lansing 3" with Syndergaard and Aaron Sanchez in 2012 and now rates as the Miami Marlins' #3 prospect. Like Noah Syndergaard, likely to arrive around June or July.</div>
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4. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">David Rollins, class of '12. </strong>Selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the Seattle Mariners in December. If he sticks in Spring Training, he'll be on the M's Opening Day roster. With Rollins, Syndergaard, Sanchez, Nicolino and Anthony DeSclafani (a MLBer last year in Miami), the 2012 Lugnuts starting rotation might retrospectively have featured five Major League starters. Nice.</div>
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5. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ryan Tepera, class of '10. </strong>Tep has patiently worked his way up the ladder, spending all of last season in Triple-A Buffalo. He's now a member of the Blue Jays' 40-man roster, which allows Toronto to call him up at any time.</div>
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6. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A.J. Jimenez, class of '09-'10. </strong>Also on the Blue Jays' 40-man. Injuries have hampered the catcher's career, but he waits in the wings if Toronto needs a reserve backstop. If he stays healthy, he'll be looking at a second-string Major League role for the next 5-10 years or so.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Hey, They Could Make it</strong></div>
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7. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jon Berti '12. </strong>The Blue Jays need second basemen, a need so deep that they traded for Devon Travis and are converting Dwight Smith, Jr. to the position. Jon plays above-average defense, hits line drives, and run the bases with speed and intelligence. He'll start the season in Triple-A and could well earn his way forward.</div>
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8. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Andy Burns '12. </strong>Andy has a ton of tools and plays a range of infield positions. He'll be challenged in Triple-A, but like Berti is a perfect candidate to come up to the Bigs in a utility infield role.</div>
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9. and 10. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jack Murphy '10-'11 / Sean Ochinko '10. </strong>Both are catchers, both are in Major League camp, both have Triple-A experience... heck, why not? A catcher <i style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">always </i>has a shot at an MLB call-up. Stay healthy and earn trust from pitchers, that's the key for any catcher.</div>
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11. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Marcus Walden '11-'12. </strong>He reached the MLB 40-man last year and was called up, but never served time in a game. He's now in the Cincinnati Reds' organization and likely ticketed for Triple-A. A solid performance and a Major League need punches his ticket.</div>
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12. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Tyler Ybarra '12. </strong>Tyler is big, left-handed and throws hard. He was traded to the Rockies in the offseason, which bodes well for his future that Colorado asked specifically for him. It's not too much of a stretch to see him pop into the Rox bullpen sometime during the year.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Hey, Why Not?</strong></div>
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13. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Dwight Smith, Jr., '13.</strong> Transitioning to second base, possessing average to above-average skills in all areas, Dwight gets his first taste of Double-A this year. September call-up potential?</div>
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14. and 15. <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Roberto Osuna '13 / Miguel Castro '14. </strong>Two 20-year-olds with big time arms, both of them already invited to Major League camp. The Blue Jays are high on the young right-handers. If they prosper, Osuna in Double-A and Castro in A-Advanced, one or both could catch some helium.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-29955118737732860752015-03-02T10:49:00.001-05:002015-03-02T10:49:24.014-05:00The 2015 Lugnuts Visual Schedule<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Links:</strong>* The Lugnuts' Job Fair was held on Saturday! Here's WILX's Joy Wang, <a data-mce-href="http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/Lugnuts-Hire-Game-Day-Staff-294527601.html" href="http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/Lugnuts-Hire-Game-Day-Staff-294527601.html" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">on the scene</a>.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" />* Indiana Pacers broadcaster Mark Boyle will be broadcasting <a data-mce-href="http://capecodbaseball.org/news/league/?article_id=2014" href="http://capecodbaseball.org/news/league/?article_id=2014" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Cape Cod Baseball this summer</a>.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" />* The <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">National Post</em>'s John Lott profiles outfielder (and likely 2015 Lugnut) <a data-mce-href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/03/01/toronto-blue-jays-prospect-anthony-alford-who-aspired-to-be-two-sport-star-now-happy-to-focus-on-just-baseball/" href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/03/01/toronto-blue-jays-prospect-anthony-alford-who-aspired-to-be-two-sport-star-now-happy-to-focus-on-just-baseball/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Anthony Alford</a>.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" />* And Blue Jays From Away takes an educated guess at the <a data-mce-href="http://www.bluejaysfromaway.com/projected-2015-rosters-1-lansing-lugnuts-pitchers/" href="http://www.bluejaysfromaway.com/projected-2015-rosters-1-lansing-lugnuts-pitchers/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Lugnuts' 2015 pitching corps</a>.</div>
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Baseball is back! In a way... the Toronto Blue Jays' first intrasquad game is today at 11 a.m., followed by their first exhibition game tomorrow. (Also, the <a data-mce-href="http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/Phillies_shut_down_by_University_of_Tampa_in_Clearwater_6-2.html" href="http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/Phillies_shut_down_by_University_of_Tampa_in_Clearwater_6-2.html" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Phillies have already lost</a>.) The Blue Jays' Spring Training roster, split in half:</div>
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Courtesy: <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/Wilnerness590/status/572123180275523584" href="https://twitter.com/Wilnerness590/status/572123180275523584" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Mike Wilner's Twitter feed</a></dd></dl>
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I'll be paying close attention to the following players:</div>
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<li data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-align: left;">P Aaron Sanchez, 2011-2012 Lug, potential starter/back-end reliever</li>
<li data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-align: left;">P Daniel Norris, 2013 Lug, Blue Jays' #1 prospect</li>
<li data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-align: left;">OF Kevin Pillar, 2012 Lug, 2012 Midwest League MVP, potential starting outfielder</li>
<li data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-align: left;">OF Dalton Pompey, 2012-2013 Lug, potential starting center fielder<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /></li>
<li data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-align: left;">OF Anthony Alford, 2014 Lug, likely starting in Single-A</li>
<li data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-align: left;">P Miguel Castro, 2014 Lug, likely starting in A-Advanced</li>
<li data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-align: left;">3B Mitch Nay, 2014 Lug, likely starting in A-Advanced</li>
<li data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-align: left;">P Roberto Osuna, 2013 Lug, likely starting in Double-A</li>
<li data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-align: left;">OF Dwight Smith, Jr., 2013 Lug, likely starting in Double-A</li>
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The 2015 Lugnuts Visual Schedule</h1>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/2015-visual-schedule1.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/2015-visual-schedule1.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="2015 Visual Schedule" class="wp-image-2335" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/2015-visual-schedule1.jpg?w=300" height="440" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/2015-visual-schedule1.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Guide</strong><em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> -- BEL: Beloit; BG: Bowling Green; BUR: Burlington; CLI: Clinton; CR: Cedar Rapids; DAY: Dayton; FW: Fort Wayne; GL: Great Lakes; KC: Kane County; LC: Lake County; PEO: Peoria; QC: Quad Cities; SB: South Bend; WIS: Wisconsin; WM: West Michigan.</em></div>
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I put this together to see a different perspective of the schedule -- you never know if something jumps out at you. In this case, certain things certainly do:</div>
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<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">12 games against the Fort Wayne TinCaps in the first two months. If either the Lugnuts or the TinCaps is dominant in the first half, the other team is buried.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Eight games against South Bend in the month of May... heck, eight games in the span of 11 days, from May 11-21! We'll be well acquainted by the time things are done.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">I'm used to not seeing a team for months at a time, like playing Lake County six times in April, avoiding them in May and June, and getting back together for seven meetings in July. It's much more unusual to have a Bowling Green situation, where we see the Hot Rods for exactly one series in each of the first five months. (Three road trips to Bowling Green, Kentucky -- that's a long drive. Worse, though, is the drive back from Cedar Rapids in mid-June, take my word for it.)</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">June features nine different opponents.</li>
<li style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">July is chock-full of Great Lakes Loons and Lake County Captains games: fully half of the 28 contests are against Lake-based opposition. That said, there are five home series in July, each one against a different MWL Eastern division foe.</li>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-6317769373827095142015-02-27T10:24:00.000-05:002015-02-27T10:24:12.203-05:00Syndergaard, Graveman, and the top Lugnuts prospects who are elsewhere<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With regards to "<a data-mce-href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/26/us/blue-black-white-gold-dress/" href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/26/us/blue-black-white-gold-dress/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">the dress</a>," here's <a data-mce-href="http://xkcd.com/1492/" href="http://xkcd.com/1492/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">XKCD</a>:</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><img data-mce-src="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/dress_color.png" height="354" src="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/dress_color.png" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="411" /></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Source: <a data-mce-href="http://xkcd.com/1492/" href="http://xkcd.com/1492/" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">XKCD</a></em></dd></dl>
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<a data-mce-href="http://lansinglugnuts.mlblogs.com/2015/02/26/evaluating-baseball-americas-evaluations/" href="http://lansinglugnuts.mlblogs.com/2015/02/26/evaluating-baseball-americas-evaluations/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Yesterday's post</strong></a> was about the Toronto Blue Jays' Top 30 prospects according to <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Baseball America</em> (a list that included 18 former Lansing Lugnuts).</div>
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Today, we'll focus on those former Lugnuts who are top prospects in other organization:</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">RHP Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets' #1 prospect: </strong>8-5, 2.60 ERA with 122 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings for the Lugs in 2012, dealt with Travis d'Arnaud for R.A. Dickey in the offseason, and now on the cusp of the Majors after spending all of last year in Triple-A. He won't begin the season in New York, but he'll get there sooner rather than later. Reading material: "<a data-mce-href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/26/sports/baseball/mets-noah-syndergaard-looks-to-build-on-disappointing-season.html?_r=0" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/26/sports/baseball/mets-noah-syndergaard-looks-to-build-on-disappointing-season.html?_r=0" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Mets' Noah Syndergaard looks to build on disappointing season</a>."</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">LHP Justin Nicolino, Miami Marlins' #3 prospect: </strong>10-4, 2.46 ERA with the Lugnuts as part of that terrific 2012 rotation, traded to Miami in the offseason as part of the Jays' massive deal for Mark Buerhle, Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and others. Last year, he was named the Double-A Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher. Projected by BA's Juan Rodriguez to start the season in Triple-A with a likely 2015 MLB debut. Reading material: "<a data-mce-href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-marlins/fl-miami-marlins-news-0223-20150222-story.html" href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-marlins/fl-miami-marlins-news-0223-20150222-story.html" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Marlins prospect Nicolino excelling in spite of modest strikeout numbers</a>."</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">RHP Kendall Graveman, Oakland Athletics' #7 prospect: </strong>Cinderella story, went from Lansing on Opening Day 2014 to the Major Leagues by September; traded in the offseason for All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson. At the least, he's a starter for the Nashville Sounds on Opening Day this year, with a ticket to the Majors not far away from his grasp. At the most, he's an Athletic in April. Reading material (including the key, correct description of Kendall as a "Southern gentleman"): "<a data-mce-href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/athletics/article/A-s-newcomer-Kendall-Graveman-has-team-intrigued-6102024.php#/0" href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/athletics/article/A-s-newcomer-Kendall-Graveman-has-team-intrigued-6102024.php#/0" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">A's newcomer Kendall Graveman has team intrigued</a>."</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">LHP Sean Nolin, Oakland Athletics' #8 prospect: </strong>After joining the Blue Jays' organization out of shape, worked hard to improve his conditioning and stuff, earning a (disastrous, unfortunately) Major League start in 2013. Traded with Graveman to the A's and much better suited for pitcher-friendly Oakland rather than hitter-friendly Toronto. Reading material: "<a data-mce-href="http://www.sfgate.com/athletics/article/Sean-Nolin-eager-to-help-new-team-after-surgery-6099593.php" href="http://www.sfgate.com/athletics/article/Sean-Nolin-eager-to-help-new-team-after-surgery-6099593.php" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Sean Nolin eager to help new team after surgery</a>."</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">C Carlos Perez, Los Angeles Angels' #25 prospect: </strong>Played for Lansing in 2011 and 2012, whereupon he was traded to Houston in midseason; traded from the Astros to the Angels in November 2014 and now has the chance to be L.A.'s #2 catcher on Opening Day. No pertinent reading material yet.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Others, unranked but not forgotten: </strong>SS Gustavo Pierre, traded to the Philadelphia Phillies; LHP David Rollins, Rule 5 draftee of the Seattle Mariners; LHP Tyler Ybarra, traded to the Colorado Rockies.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-36487096350870172322015-02-27T09:31:00.000-05:002015-02-27T13:48:41.036-05:00Categorizing Baseball America's Top 30 Jays Prospects<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Worth reading:</strong></div>
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* The Toronto Blue Jays, who have been hamstrung by injury troubles in the past, just saw another key player suffer a significant ailment - <a data-mce-href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b3ac3054cb9d42a78d5c9dbbd7e9b189/jays-michael-saunders-injures-knee-injury-out-until-july" href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b3ac3054cb9d42a78d5c9dbbd7e9b189/jays-michael-saunders-injures-knee-injury-out-until-july" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">outfielder Michael Saunders was done in by a sprinkler</a> and is expected to be out till July at least. Brendan Kennedy <a data-mce-href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/bluejays/2015/02/26/michael-saunders-injury-leaves-toronto-blue-jays-with-outfield-dilemma.html" href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/bluejays/2015/02/26/michael-saunders-injury-leaves-toronto-blue-jays-with-outfield-dilemma.html" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">offers a list of possible candidates</a> to replace Saunders, including 2012 Lugnut <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Kevin Pillar</strong>.<br />
* The Frisco RoughRiders <a data-mce-href="https://ballparkbiz.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/roughriders-unveil-new-branding/" href="https://ballparkbiz.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/roughriders-unveil-new-branding/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">have a new Teddy Roosevelt-ian image</a>, and it's Minor League Baseball at its MiLBiest.</div>
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This arrived in the mail today:</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/ba.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/ba.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="BA" class="wp-image-2322" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/ba.jpg?w=210" height="587" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/ba.jpg?w=210" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="410" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><em style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">What, they didn't think Daniel Norris was a worthy cover model?</em></dd></dl>
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The BA Prospect Handbook is a bible during the season, ranking and profiling every prospect that we'll see. My copy, pictured above, just arrived in the mail. Let's break down the Blue Jays' Top 30 rankings, numbered by Clint Longenecker and divided into categories of my choosing.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Major League Impacts This Season</strong><br />
1. Daniel Norris, LHP<br />
2. Aaron Sanchez, RHP<br />
4. Dalton Pompey, CF<br />
6. Devon Travis, 2B/OF<br />
23. A.J. Jimenez, C</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Commentary: </em>Norris, Sanchez and Pompey all made their MLB debuts this year. Sanchez is the likeliest to open the season on the Opening Day roster (whether in the rotation or the bullpen), followed by Pompey (starting in center field). Barring unforeseen events, Norris opens the season in the Buffalo starting rotation and gets a call-up to Toronto in May or June. Travis was acquired from Detroit for Anthony Gose in the offseason. He too likely starts in Buffalo before receiving a midseason promotion. Catcher Jimenez, who beat me with ease in ping pong in 2010, has long been on the verge of the Bigs before getting felled by a slew of injuries. Surely 2015 will at last see him in Toronto.</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Keep an eye on:</em><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </strong>Unranked second baseman Jon Berti, who probably makes his MLB debut this year. He's a sensational defender with a way about getting on base and making things happen. Also, his brother used to work in the Lugnuts' box office.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">A Year or Two Away... Or Less?</strong><br />
7. Roberto Osuna, RHP<br />
9. Miguel Castro, RHP<br />
14. Dwight Smith, Jr., OF<br />
24. Andy Burns, 3B<br />
29. Matt Boyd, LHP</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Commentary: </em>Andy Burns is the closest from this group, playing 133 games in Double-A New Hampshire last year. That tickets him for Triple-A Buffalo this year; a successful campaign earns him a promotion upward, where he'll provide pop, speed and defense at whatever position the Jays need him. The consistently productive Smith moves up to the New Hampshire outfield. If he keeps on keeping on, he'll be a Big Leaguer by 2016. Boyd dominated Dunedin last year but ran into a wall in Double-A; this year challenges him to break through that wall. (Keep an eye out for his rotation mate Taylor Cole, a big-time strikeout artist in 2014.) 20-year-olds Castro and Osuna have brilliant amounts of talent, but their experience is wanting. ETA for both is likely 2016.</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Keep an eye on:</em><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </strong>Unranked infielder Christian Lopes, who batted .371 in the Australian Baseball League. The 22-year-old will likely be tested in Double-A New Hampshire.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Lansing Dropped Their Stock</strong><br />
15. Dawel Lugo, SS<br />
16. Mitch Nay, 3B<br />
17. Chase De Jong (not DeJong), RHP<br />
21. D.J. Davis, OF<br />
22. Alberto Tirado, RHP<br />
25. Tom Robson, RHP</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Commentary: </em>Davis was #3 last year, Nay was #4, Tirado was #8, Lugo was #9, De Jong was #11 and Robson was #16. Additionally, #25 prospect Matt Dean fell out of the Top 30 this year entirely. What happened? Well, injury (Robson); discovering flaws that needed to be ironed out (Davis, Nay, De Jong, Dean); and playing against better/older players in a tough league (Davis, Lugo and Tirado). Combine that with a tremendously deep farm system, and down they fell in the rankings. Davis, Tirado and Robson likely return to Lansing, while Lugo, Nay and De Jong likely move to Dunedin. On the bright side, the talent remains as bright as ever for this group. Going about their business under the radar could well lead to another startling Daniel Norris-esque breakthrough for one or more.</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Keep an eye on: </em>Outfielder Derrick Loveless. He has speed, plate discipline and power, and his confidence is increasing by the year. Perhaps starting pitcher Jeremy Gabryszwski, too, who wouldn't surprise me if he increased his velocity while continuing to coax grounder after grounder.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Providing Lower-Level Intrigue</strong><br />
5. Max Pentecost, C<br />
8. Richard Urena, SS<br />
10. Sean Reid-Foley, RHP<br />
11. Matt Smoral, LHP<br />
12. Ryan Borucki, LHP<br />
13. Jairo Labourt, LHP<br />
18. Anthony Alford, OF<br />
19. Lane Thomas, 3B/OF<br />
20. Dan Jansen, C<br />
26. Jesus Tinoco, RHP<br />
28. Nick Wells, LHP<br />
30. Rowdy Tellez, 1B</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Commentary: </em>It's likeliest that this list is the longest each year, with a probability of 3-5 guys distancing themselves, 3-5 guys remaining stagnant, and the rest falling off entirely. These are the high draft picks and the touted international signees, each with terrific talent but a lack of games for us to draw any true conclusions from. (Jairo Labourt stopped by Lansing briefly at the start of last season before getting reassigned to Vancouver.) Heck, who knows? Anthony Alford might be a superstar outfielder, Dan Jansen might be an impact catcher, Jesus Tinoco might be a future ace. It's all up in the air -- and it's glorious to dream about. As the Jays' top pick last year, Max Pentecost has the spotlight shining brightest upon him. I'm hoping we see at least nine of these prospects in Lansing in 2015.</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Keep an eye on: </em>Unranked 19-year-old lefty Evan Smith, a 4th-round draft pick who stands 6'5. He'll probably spend the season with Vancouver.</div>
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<b style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Rehabbing</b><br />
3. Jeff Hoffman, RHP</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Commentary: </em>Recovering from Tommy John surgery, blessed with great ability, projected to return to action around July. He's a huge question mark with a sky-high ceiling. Works for me.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Really Young</strong><br />
27. Juan Meza, RHP</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Commentary: </em>Signed for $1.6 million, 17 years of age (birthday - 2/4/98). He's a long way away, but heck, we might as well learn his name sooner rather than later.</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-81150304165171488202015-02-25T12:20:00.001-05:002015-02-25T12:20:43.057-05:00What do you want from a spring training article?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Reading Material:</strong></div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">* </strong>Andrew Stoeten's storylines of Blue Jays spring training, Vol. 1,<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> <a data-mce-href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/22/toronto-blue-jays-kick-off-spring-training-with-team-at-a-crossroads-from-a-to-z-a-look-at-this-seasons-major-story-lines/" href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/22/toronto-blue-jays-kick-off-spring-training-with-team-at-a-crossroads-from-a-to-z-a-look-at-this-seasons-major-story-lines/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">from AA through L</a></strong>.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" />* John Lott <strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/24/toronto-blue-jays-pitching-prospect-miguel-castro-is-lean-lanky-and-can-bring-the-heat/" href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/24/toronto-blue-jays-pitching-prospect-miguel-castro-is-lean-lanky-and-can-bring-the-heat/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">takes a closer look at Miguel Castro</a></strong>, who impressed last year.<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" />* Alexis Brudnicki <a data-mce-href="http://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/articles/lopes-has-goals-heading-into-dunedin/" href="http://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/articles/lopes-has-goals-heading-into-dunedin/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">profiles former Lugnut Christian Lopes</strong></a>, who had a terrific winter.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/castro_pen_59935.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/castro_pen_59935.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Miguel Castro" class="wp-image-2315" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/castro_pen_59935.jpg?w=300" height="413" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/castro_pen_59935.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Credit <a data-mce-href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/24/toronto-blue-jays-pitching-prospect-miguel-castro-is-lean-lanky-and-can-bring-the-heat/" href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/24/toronto-blue-jays-pitching-prospect-miguel-castro-is-lean-lanky-and-can-bring-the-heat/" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">John Lott, National Post</a></dd></dl>
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On this same subject, I asked Alexis Brudnicki, who covers Canadian baseball players like no one's business and also happens to be my good friend, the following question:</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">What are the most helpful stories or angles that a media member can report on from Spring Training?</strong></div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Alexis: </em></div>
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From Spring Training, most often fans, insiders, media members, and even some of the players themselves are looking to get caught up. The most important stories often revolve around what people have missed out on over the last several months. More important than which player got married, or who got a selfie stick for Christmas, or how many deer Chad Jenkins managed to take down during his hunting expeditions over the course of the winter should be storylines revolving around players traded to the organization, injury updates, what holes are being filled, where there are still voids, what the team is doing to address them, and other similar housekeeping issues.</div>
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Once those issues are hanging out on the clothesline to air out - because more often than not they won't be completely resolved until much later than the updates are first reported - introductions to new players are at the forefront. Everyone wants to know who the new faces are, how they can help, and what makes them likeable. Why should the organization rally around them? Obviously every player is at spring training for a reason - they've done something along the way to impress someone, or perhaps several someones - so what is the reason.</div>
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My personal interest in this category lies more with the 'fringe' players. I know that there will be no shortage of stories on Josh Donaldson and Russell Martin and Michael Saunders, but I want to know more about guys like Chris Colabello and Liam Hendricks, and of course other Canadian players like Andrew Albers and Jeff Francis. Often times the focus is on the players who are projected to be on the Opening Day roster, but how often are those players the ones who stay with the squad over all 162 games? I want to know more about the guys who might not start in Toronto, but will be up there at some point. It's never too early to get a beat on them. And chances are that at least one of those guys considered to be on the outside looking in will have a fantastic spring and earn a surprising spot on the roster that heads to Yankee Stadium to open the season.</div>
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<em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">My response:</em></div>
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I agree about focusing attention on the role/fringe players and giving fans a reason to care. Once the exhibition games start, I love having guys to look forward to. A fine piece on Chris Colabello, relating his story and telling what he has to accomplish in Spring Training in order to make the team, helps me to appreciate his March at-bats with more insight and significance. I want to know about who has a chance to make the team and why; what are they like and why are they in camp? Position competitions don’t get old for me. Figure out which spots are up for grabs and which spots are locked down, and let’s go from there – but keep me updated if a spot that <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">seemed </em>to be locked down suddenly looks iffy, or presents an opening to an aspiring player.</div>
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Lastly, give me the joy of spring. It’s bitterly cold where I am. The more I hear about how much fun everyone is having, the more it brings me warmth and anticipation for the coming spring.</div>
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*<br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" />And now, let me ask you: What is it that <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">you're</em> looking for to learn from spring training stories?</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1283863316538426883.post-9799313428526227462015-02-24T12:22:00.003-05:002015-02-24T12:22:38.582-05:002014 Lugnuts pitchers, looking ahead<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Worth reading:</strong></div>
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* My most recent column for <em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Ballpark Digest:</em><em style="font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"> </em><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">"<a data-mce-href="http://ballparkdigest.com/2015/02/24/managers-the-face-of-minor-league-baseball/" href="http://ballparkdigest.com/2015/02/24/managers-the-face-of-minor-league-baseball/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Managers</a><a data-mce-href="http://ballparkdigest.com/2015/02/24/managers-the-face-of-minor-league-baseball/" href="http://ballparkdigest.com/2015/02/24/managers-the-face-of-minor-league-baseball/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"> are the faces of MiLB</a>"</strong>* This <a data-mce-href="https://storify.com/lanaberry/the-longest-best-twitter-convo-ever" href="https://storify.com/lanaberry/the-longest-best-twitter-convo-ever" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Twitter conversation</strong></a> between reporter Molly Knight and pitcher Brandon McCarthy, simultaneously interviewing each other.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.7;"><a data-mce-href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/lugnuts-vs-msu_36w.jpg" href="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/lugnuts-vs-msu_36w.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Lugnuts vs MSU_36w" class="wp-image-2158" data-mce-src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/lugnuts-vs-msu_36w.jpg?w=300" height="406" src="https://lansinglugnutsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/lugnuts-vs-msu_36w.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none rgb(238, 238, 238); color: #222222; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 5px auto 0px !important; max-width: 98%; padding: 0px;" width="550" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif !important; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em !important; padding: 0px 0px 5px 40px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Tom Robson. He wasn't healthy last year. When he is, watch out.</dd></dl>
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Yesterday I worked through the 2014 Lugnuts position players, all 21 of them, <a data-mce-href="http://lansinglugnuts.mlblogs.com/2015/02/23/2014-lugnuts-hitters-looking-ahead/" href="http://lansinglugnuts.mlblogs.com/2015/02/23/2014-lugnuts-hitters-looking-ahead/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">with their likely 2015 destinations</strong></a>. Today, let's go through the 27 Lugs pitchers from last season.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Brad Allen: </strong>bulldog right-hander <a data-mce-href="http://www.baseballessential.com/news/2015/02/08/toronto-blue-jays-pick-up-brad-allens-option/" href="http://www.baseballessential.com/news/2015/02/08/toronto-blue-jays-pick-up-brad-allens-option/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">resigned by the Blue Jays in the offseason</a> and a terrific teammate for any ballclub, move him up to Dunedin (and hopefully New Hampshire down the road)<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Adonys Cardona: </strong>required rehab after broken elbow last year, could be back in Lansing when healthy<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Miguel Castro: </strong>young phenom with helium invited to Blue Jays spring training, ready to soar up the system, should cautiously start in Dunedin with potential to end the season in Double-A... or beyond.<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jimmy Cordero: </strong>fireballer should be in the Dunedin bullpen<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Shane Dawson: </strong>last two seasons abbreviated by injury; chance he'll be in Lansing again, but ready for Dunedin<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chase De Jong: </strong>Dunedin Blue Jays starting pitcher<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Yeyfry Del Rosario: </strong>could very well be a part of the Lugnuts' bullpen after making nine appearances in Lansing last year<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Matt Dermody: </strong>Dunedin bound<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Roberto Espinosa: </strong>I believe he has been traded to a Mexican League team, but I'm not finding corroboration<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jeremy Gabryszwski: </strong>Dunedin Blue Jays starting pitcher<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Alonzo Gonzalez: </strong>Dunedin Blue Jays relief pitcher and sleeper prospect<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Francisco Gracesqui: </strong>Dunedin Blue Jays relief pitcher and sleeper prospect<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Kendall Graveman: </strong><a data-mce-href="http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20141128&content_id=102689986&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb" href="http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20141128&content_id=102689986&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Oakland Athletics</a>! Perhaps <a data-mce-href="http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t556" href="http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t556" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: none;">Triple-A</a> to start off, but the Majors shouldn't be too far away. What a story!<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Adaric Kelly: </strong>released by the Blue Jays in the offseason; superb person from a great family whom I wish nothing but the best<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Phil Kish: </strong>reliable with the Lugnuts and lights out with Vancouver last year, moving up to Dunedin this year<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Jairo Labourt: </strong>big southpaw prospect only lasted six games with Lansing at the start of last year, but regained his form in Vancouver; Lugnuts starting pitcher in 2015<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" />Jason Leblebijian: </strong>Yes, the beloved position player made two appearances on the mound; Hopefully Dunedin won't require any more mop-up spots from him this year.<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;"><br style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" />Joe Lovecchio: </strong>released by the Blue Jays in the offseason; another fascinating guy and a terrific musician whom I wish only the best<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Griffin Murphy: </strong>All-Star Lugnuts closer was promoted to Dunedin last year and could well return there, but I'm hoping that he'll be in New Hampshire sooner rather than later.<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Brent Powers: </strong>I am uncertain if the Blue Jays picked up his option; another top-notch human being. This is a continuing theme with the Jays' organization.<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Scott Silverstein: </strong>Dunedin Blue Jays relief pitcher<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Starlyn Suriel: </strong>Lansing Lugnuts starting pitcher? He's young, he's inexperienced, and he's entirely under the radar -- very much a sleeper prospect.<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Alberto Tirado: </strong>like Jairo Labourt, began last season with Lugnuts, was transferred to Vancouver, should be back with Lansing this season. I'm hoping for great things.<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Frank Viola III: </strong>I'll never forget you, you idiosyncratic knuckleballer. Vaya con Dios.<br />
<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Chase Wellbrock: </strong>The only 2014 draft pick to make it to the Lugnuts roster, could well return to the Lugs' bullpen this Spring.</div>
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Nonroster invitees to Blue Jays spring training this year include Lugnuts alumni Anthony Alford, Miguel Castro, Mitch Nay, Sean Ochinko, and this man, who could well be the next big Blue Jays sensation:</div>
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Jesse Goldberg-Strasslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318544761692965043noreply@blogger.com0