Unreal....Defs lose 4-3 to the Senators....

I'll say this for CT, they lose games in the most mind bending, frustrating ways. Defs jump out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first on a one out single by Bobby Felmy (who I think has batted in every possible spot so far this season), a RBI double by Brett Pill who then scored on a RBI single by EME. Mike Mooney then grounded out into an inning ending double play.
CT starter Henry Sosa scuffed around for another 4.1 innings as CT hung onto to it's 2-0 lead. Sosa didn't have much tonight and he walked off the mound after 1 out in the sixth with an injury (right tricep, per team website). Enter Dan Griffin, who had to come in cold and did his warmups on the mound. Griffin retired the batter he inherited for the second out of the inning. He then gave up a single, a walk and a three run homer to the next three batters. Of course he hits the next batter on the very first pitch and is ejected. Enter Geivy Garcia who gets the third out as CT falls behind 3-2.
In the seventh, the Senators mount another two out rally. Garcia gets the first two batters on strikes and then walks the next two batters. Steve Decker then brings in Ben Synder who has had no time to warm up in the bullpen, and I mean maybe a couple of warm up tosses. If I have Garcia (5.04 ERA) or Griffin (5-5, 5.80 ERA) out there, you'd better have someone ready. Synder gives up a single to the first batter he sees to make it 4-2.
CT gets a run back in the 8th on a Brock Bond double and a Pill RBI single. Decker then pinch runs for Pill (who is 3 for 4 with a double, triple and two RBIs game to date) with AR who is in to steal second, and has Adam Witter, a left handed batter, pinch hit for Sndyer. Harrisburg counters by bringing in a lefty pitcher who is looking right at AR over at first. Of course AR (who plays once a week at best, and now with newcomer Ramon Castro playing OF, will see his time reduced more) is picked from here to there and Pill's bat is out of the game as well.
Not to put this all on the pitchers, CT batters had plenty of chances in this game to drive in runs but went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position--a lot of wasted doubles in this game. Also Decker had Bond try to score with one out in the third on a medium fly ball by Pill to left and was thrown out a home with EME who had already singled in a run on deck. Bond is not THAT fast--he has 10 steals and has been caught stealing 11 times.
Just a very frustrating loss to snap a five game winning streak. On the other hand if you told me CT would be in first place by 4.5 at the end of June at the beginning of the season I would have been pretty happy.

Misc fan notes: For the first time this season marquee entrance sign works! Almost hit the car brakes when I saw that! Next: the bottom half of the scoreboard please!
Washington Senators first baseman Dmiti Young went 0 for three against Sosa in his rehab start tonight.
I guess the reason Ramon Castro is here is because Mike McBryde's groin injury from last week is lingering but why not just play AR more?

This season's bullpen is real shaky, The only one I trust out there is Synder. God only knows who the closer is. They need some help out there and that means a couple of new faces and a coaching plan because:
Bob Stanley spoiled me because you basically knew from one game to then next who was coming out of that pen and with these guys this season I don't have a clue and that extends to a degree to the starting rotation as well--I thought McNiven was staring Sunday?

See the below from today's Richmond Times-Dispatch in the latest twist in the relocation saga.

"The ownership group moving a Class AA baseball franchise to Richmond next season will commit more than $1 million for short-term improvements to The Diamond, the Eastern League president said yesterday.

"We want to bring a first-class product to Richmond," Joe McEacharn said. "We are going to show our good faith not only by coming with a team, but we are going to substantially upgrade the product for the short term."

The Eastern League has not determined which of its 12 franchises will relocate to Richmond, or the composition of its ownership/management team, according to McEacharn.

The Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns and operates The Diamond, will contribute a maximum of $75,000 to short-term facility improvements, said Mike Berry, the RMA's general manager.

More than $1 million of additional upgrades will be "a cost borne entirely by the franchise," McEacharn said. He added that some of the expected upgrades will go beyond those "absolutely necessary" for the stadium to be functional. The Diamond needs painting, probably a new scoreboard, furniture for the executive offices, clubhouse furnishings and other necessities, Berry said.

Generally, improvements at The Diamond would involve fans' amenities, player-development facilities and front office structure, McEacharn said. Funding for upgrades would not be available until an ownership group is determined.

"We will make a significant investment to further our commitment to the folks in Richmond," he said. "We want them to know how committed we are going to be to Richmond for the long haul."

The new team will play at The Diamond until a new ballpark is built, or the club could stay at The Diamond if area officials determine that a transformation of facility on the Boulevard is the preferred alternative.

Discussion of what franchise is coming to Richmond and its ownership/management group is expected to be the agenda-topper at tomorrow's Eastern League board of directors meeting. McEacharn said the process has moved from the "exploratory" phase to the "decision-making" stage.

Berry said RMA representatives "have been meeting with various groups that have been brought here by the Eastern League to look at The Diamond. . . . We've shown the facility to quite a few teams, and we made sure they understand exactly what we have to offer right now."

The Connecticut franchise relocating to Richmond remains the most likely scenario, sources said.

That franchise -- contractually bound to the San Francisco Giants through next season -- in Richmond could feature a management team that includes executives from two of the Eastern League's most successful operations, Reading, Pa., and Trenton, N.J.

That move would allow the Eastern League to vacate Norwich, Conn., which many in the baseball industry believe is too small for a Class AA franchise, and occupy Richmond, which would be one of the league's top markets.

The Eastern League will identify a franchise for relocation to Richmond in July, according to McEacharn. Then, the league, Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball will study the plan and be required to formally approve the relocation before it is announced, according to McEacharn.

A long-term ballpark solution is necessary, McEacharn has said repeatedly.

The Shockoe Center proposal, with its $60 million ballpark, was withdrawn last week. Opening Day Partners in early June submitted to area officials a $28 million proposal to transform The Diamond. Removal of the roof and upper deck are part of the plan.

Peter Kirk, ODP's chairman, said yesterday he hasn't been contacted by city officials or officials from neighboring counties. "

A management team from Reading and Reading?!?! What's that? Is Lou hiring a new front office for Richmond?

Pics are Sosa and Ramon Castro

Defs win 6-3 to sweep the RockCats....

three straight games in NB. Tim Alderson gets the win to improve to 4-1 and Joe Paterson gets his 9th save of the season.
EME was the star again going 3 for 4 with a pair of RBIs. Brock Bond also had three hits and scored twice.
Brett Pill, Ramon Castro (double, RBI) and Brandon Crawford (2 RBIs) all had two hits each in the game.
I'll be back at Dodd Tuesday, Wednesday and maybe Thursday as the Defs take on the Senators in NL style baseball. Need my Ramon Castro pic!
june 08--2548

EL All-Star voting--

you can vote at milb.com. You can type in one position player and one pitcher only. Who would you vote for?

I went with Brett Pill and Henry Sosa...

EME and Mike Mooney squeeze by the RockCats..

today 4-3 in NB. Mooney, who totally screwed up a sac bunt attempt last week, squeezes in EME for the winning run in the top of the 8th. EME was the star today going 2 for 3 with that double and a solo homer (#4) in the 6th.
Matt Yourkin gets the win in relief of starter Daryl Maday. Youkin improves to 4-1 with a 2.19 ERA. Dan Otero threw the 8th innings and Joe Paterson (maybe he's the closer now) gets his 8th save.
Tyler LaTorre went 2 for 2 with a pair of walks, a run scored and a RBI. Note to Mr. Decker--play him more PLEASE!!! Sharlon Schoop knocked in a run with an infield hit.

Congrats Ryan Sadowski!!............

As he throws 6 IP of 4 hit shutout ball and wins in his MLBB debut today in a 7-0 SF Giants victory over the Brewers. Rtan also picked up up his first MLBB base hit as well!

And belated congrats to Jason Waddell...

who after nine seasons in the minors made his MLBB debut in May with the Cubs. Jason is currently on the DL after seeing action in three games throwing a total of 1.2 IP with no won/loss record. Get well Jason!
Thanks for the call out batboymeister....

Ryan Sadowski will make his MLBB debut today....

against the Brewers. Ryan appeared in 35 games with the 2007 Defenders going 4-2 with a 3.04 ERA with 32 games in relief. In '08 he was with the team for 9 games, all in relief, posting a 1-0 record and 3.27 ERA.
This season in Fresno he has started 13 games going 5-2 with a 4.11 ERA over 72.1 IP.
Good Luck Ryan!

Jesse English and Ben Synder 4 hit the...

RockCats tonight in New Britain. English (5-4, 3.14 ERA) went 6 IP allowing 3 hits and Snyder pitched the final three innings giving up jsut one hit toearn his first save of the season.
Brett Pill hot his 8th homer of the year to put CT up 1-0 in the first. In the 7th EME doubled and came home on a Tyler LaTorre single to make it 2-0. CT added an insurance run in the 8th on Pill's RBI double to close out the scoring.

Pic of the day.....

as I'll be gone most of the rest of the day and away from my computer....Doubles machine Brett Pill.

Rainout in NB tonight with a DH....

to be schedule at a later date.
The "mid-term" grades drew some attention over the last day or so. A lot of B grades were handed out. And while Connecticut is a first place team, baseball is a game, for the most part, that focuses on individual stats and efforts.
If you ask me who is getting promoted from this team this season, I'd think it would be Madison Bumgarner straight to SF (I don't agree with that) and it wouldn't surprise me to see Tim Alderson follow him (also don't agree there). I really would hate to see that happen from a CT Defender fan point of view as the starting rotation is pretty good.

Ben Synder and Henry Sosa to Fresno I can see. So far the team hasn't really promoted anyone-- Adam Witter came back and Tyler Graham ended up in SJ.

EME to Fresno? No, but if it happens I can think of a couple of CT fans who might sneak a bottle of champagne into Dodd.
I actually like this team with the exception of the bullpen, which is the weak link. I'd like a spark in the outfield. If they continue to play well on the road and manage to get to .500 at Dodd...

Defs win 7-2 behind Madison Bumgarner's...

8 IP of 4 hit ball. Madison gave up a run in the first on two hits and settled down the rest of the way giving up just two more hits, no runs with 5 Ks. His record is now 5-1 with a 1.96 ERA. His effort gave the bullpen some much needed rest after last night's 13 inning game.
CT scored all 7 runs in the first three innings with four runs in the first inning. CT had 11 hits in the game and seven were for doubles--that's the way hitting in Dodd should be!
Bobby Felmy (double, RBI) Brett Pill (two doubles, RBI) and Brandon Crawford (double 2 RBIs) all had two hits each. Ramon Castro in his Defender debut went 1 for 2, a double of course, and also walked and was HBP.
Defs take 2 out of three from the Seadogs. Nice crowd tonight--3900.

Mid term grades....last night was the mid point game (#71)

of the 142 game EL season. Defs are 40-31 and in first place in the Northern Division by 2.5 games. I have never done this before and I'm going with my gut on these ratings, first instinct, without explanation after watching 30+ games so far. So here we go in alphabetical order:

Tim Alderson--B
Brock Bond--B+
Brad Boyer--C
Madison Bumgarner--B
Brandon Crawford--C
Jesse English--C+
Bobby Felmy--C
Geivy Garcia--D
Dan Griffin--D
Waldis Joaquin--C-
Tyler LaTorre--B
Darly Maday--B+
EME--B (God help me)
Mike McBryde--B-
Brooks McNiven--C
Mike Mooney--C
Mike Musgrave--C-
Dan Otero--B
Joe Paterson--B+
Brett Pill--B+
AR--Incomplete
Sharlon Schoop--B
Ben Snyder--A-
Henry Sosa--A-/B+ (I can't make up my mind, he's 6-0 after all)
Jackson Williams--C-
Adam Witter--Incomplete
Matt Yourkin--B

One guy who is trending south fast is Crawford. One guy who I'd like to see play everyday is Schoop and guys I'd like to see more often are LaTorre (especially), AR and Witter (who seems lost here).

Tim and Madison should stay here the full season.

Next point of business is why they need Ramon Castro, another infielder who wears #40?

Defs driving me crazy...we're tied at 2-2

I pulled the plug on myself at Dodd again tonight at 9 PM as it was another slow moving game tied at 1-1 after 7 innings. Of course by the time I got home, CT had coughed up a cheapo run featuring at dropped infield pop up, EME tying throw out a runner going from first to third from right field allowing the second runner to advance to second. CT almost gets out of the inning but a Waldis Joaquin wild pitch pushes across the go ahead run.
CT tied in it the bottom of the 9th as Bobby Felmy doubled and EME laid down a sac bunt as the SeaDogs tried to get Felmy at third but was safe on the play. Brandon Crawford stuck out (he needs a game or two off as he is slumping big time 7 for 38 in his last ten games) but Sharlon Schoop brought home Felmy with a sac fly to send it into extra innings.
Defs not taking advantage of their chances through out the game....Dan Otero now pitching......Defs have a new player on the roster--Ramon Castro who is listed as a second baseman. No idea where he came from as there is no info on milb.com on him. Neither team seems to want this game....

You score, I score, you score, I score.....

and whoever scores last or puts up a crooked number will win tonight up at Dodd as I pulled the plug on myself after 6 slow moving innings and listened to the 7th on the way home and am now tethered to the computer.
SeaDogs and Defs are trading single runs all game as Portland scored in the first (a leadoff homer off an ineffective Tim Alderson tonight), second, fourth and sixth innings. CT answered with single runs in the first four innings and added a go ahead run in the 7th on a Brett Pill double (his 21 st double of the season) and an EME single (EME 2 for 4 with a double to right and a pair of RBIs so far).
Alderson went 5 IP allowing six hits (the first four hits he gave up were for the cycle) three runs all earned, 3 Ks and 3 BBs with a WP and a HBP as well.
Mike McBryde left the game in the second with what the radio guys said was a groin pull.
Brock Bond continued his hot hitting going 3 for 5. Pill has a couple of hits, the double and a single. Bobby Felmy, who replaced McBryde, and Jackson Williams both have RBIs.

***Jon Still just went deep on Joe Paterson, a three run bomb, after Dan Otero put a pair of runners on in the top of the 9th and Portland takes a 8-5 lead.
Who's the closer again part 2?

Wonderful......time for bed.

From the New London Day:

"Norwich - The Connecticut Defenders will pay their entire back bill and rent payments through the end of May on Wednesday, a team official said.
John Cunningham, Defenders financial officer, will deliver a check totaling $222,783, said team General Manager Charlie Dowd.

Dowd said part of the payment comes from the release of a forfeited deposit from the failed deal to sell the Defenders to a group in Richmond, Va. Officials from the Eastern League are still working on a new deal that would move the Defenders to Richmond next year. "

AND...the Richmond Times-Dispatch is reporting that plans for a new downtown ballpark have fallen apart...same tuned...

Trey Webb's stats are:

1-0 with a 1.44 ERA in 21 games with Augusta. 25 IP, 24 hits 33Ks 15 BBs BA is .250
Portland in town for three games starting Tuesday!

Defs take rubber game 6-4 as the Curve...

make three more errors today. Daryl Maday gets the win to improve to 3-2. Dan Otero gets save #14.
Brad Boyer, Brett Pill (HR #7), Bobby Felmy and Brandon Crawford all have two hits each as CT wraps up the road trip taking 4 out of 6 games.
Ct jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first on a two run single by EME and a two run double by Mike Mooney. The Curve would make it close trailing 5-4 but Pill's solo homer in the top of the 9th gave CT a big insurance run. Joe Paterson flirted with diaster in the bottom of the 9th as Altoona got a pair of two out singles but Otero came on to get the last out.

Defs lose 4-0 to the Curve tonight in PA...

as Jesse English takes the loss to even his record at 4-4. English went 4.2 IP giving up 2 runs, 4 hits and 7 BBs. CT could only manage 4 singles, 2 by Bobby Felmy. Rubber game Sunday.

sign her up!!........

keep your eye on the ball...



totally unclear about this White Sox deal...



two seam fastball???....

This might be what I'm looking at next season without baseball at Dodd as my granddaughter's T-ball season wrapped up today.

And the beat goes on.....

from today's Richmond Times-Dispatch by John O'Connor:

A move by the Class AA Connecticut Defenders to Richmond under their current president/managing partner appears to be the most likely scenario for baseball at The Diamond next spring, sources involved with the situation say.

Connecticut's Lou DiBella earlier this month requested from Minor League Baseball permission to explore the Richmond market for the purpose of potentially relocating his franchise here. With members of his potential management team, DiBella visited Richmond this week and met with community leaders.

The Eastern League could reach a resolution regarding franchise relocation to Richmond and that operation's ownership by July 1.

There are other alternatives, such as an ownership group purchasing the franchise from DiBella, and another Eastern League franchise relocating here. But allowing DiBella to move his franchise to Richmond, with local investors as partners, would accomplish three Eastern League goals:



Vacate Norwich, Conn., which many in the baseball industry believe is a market too small to support a Class AA franchise. Norwich has been the Eastern League's lowest-drawing team, or next-to-last, in each of the past six years. Connecticut (2,672) so far this season ranks ahead of only Erie (2,548). Also, speculation since January that the Defenders were headed to Richmond cut into community support and a return to Norwich probably would not reverse the damage.


Occupy Richmond, which Eastern League owners project as the league's top market.


Establish Richmond's future franchise. That is expected to draw out additional local investors, and more local investors could emerge as the ballpark solution becomes clearer. Minor League Baseball favors ownership groups with local partners.
"It's not inconceivable that we get our decisions made, we get up and running, and then there are changes to that," Eastern League President Joe McEacharn said of the ownership situation. Others involved in the process have been prohibited from speaking publicly by Minor League Baseball.

Richmond Baseball Club LC's bid to buy the Connecticut franchise last month for $15.4 million failed due to lack of funds. McEacharn pledged that an Eastern League franchise will be in Richmond next season. Earlier this week, he added that there had been no determination of which of the 12 franchises would move.

Negotiations regarding Connecticut's relocation to Richmond under DiBella are ongoing. Other owner/operators remain interested in becoming part of the process. McEacharn said finalization of a franchise move and ownership need to be happen "on or before August 1."

Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233 or joconnor@timesdispatch.com.

Lou has what they want so I hope things work out for him. I womder what happened last night in the season openers of the NY-Penn league?
Another side note is something that Hondo mentioned a couple of weeks ago--who from the Southern Division takes the place of Connecticut in the Northern Division. Hope they really like bus trips....

Defs beat the Curve in Altoona 9-5...

as Brock Bond (.323 BA) goes 5 for 5 with a triple and three runs scored and Brad Boyer goes a very productive 0-4 with 3 RBIs via a sac fly and two run producing gound outs. Curve helped CT along by making three errors in the game.
Madison Bumgarner (2.13 ERA) started and went 4 IP giving up a pair of unearned runs. Dan Griffin (5-4 5.29 ERA) gets the win despite allowing the Curve back into the ballgame by giving up three runs to tie the game at 5-5. Matt Yourkin who should be credited with the win throws two scoreless innings and Dan Otero pitches the 9th.
Mike McBryde went 2 for 4 with a tripe and two RBIs and EME (.299 BA) also had a pair of hits and a RBI.

Our (my) future....

"The Class A Short-Season New York-Penn League kicks off on June 19 and MiLB.com takes a close look at what 2009 could bring for each league. Here's a team-by-team analysis of what you might find.
The New York-Penn League has long offered the chance to catch high-round Draft picks and newly signed college standouts trying to make good in their first year in the pros. In many cases, this is where players truly begin to blossom.

With the possibility that talent like the Mets' Sam Honeck, Toronto's Jonathan Fernandez and Boston's Alex Wilson will be headed to New York-Penn League teams, this season should be no exception.

Here's a team-by-team look at what you can expect in the New York-Penn League in 2009:"

If you want to read the rest go to milb.com where this is posted.

I've seen 30 Defenders games so far this season; next season this time I could be working on game one (MAYBE)...sigh...I guess something will be better than nothing....

In other misc stuff, Dave Maroul is alive and well in playing in SJ. With Adam Witter returning to Dodd last week from Fresno and the return of Ben Copeland from the A's causing Tyler Graham to go from Fresno to SJ no one that was promoted out of Norwich has stuck so far this season in a higher level.
Good Luck Jesse Foppert ( pictured, 0-3 6.27 ERA in 33 IP) we hardly knew you...

It's also Juneteeth Day that commemorates the end of slavery. Defs worn special jerseys in '07 to mark the day as Simon Klink is fondly remembered. Plenty of these are for sale in Cutter's Corner for $50 (note: time for a markdown).

RIP Dusty Rhodes....

From today's LA Times:

"Dusty Rhodes, a light-hitting, hard-drinking outfielder who was at his best on baseball's biggest stage, died of cardiopulmonary arrest Wednesday at a Las Vegas hospital. He was 82.

Rhodes, whose left-handed swing was tailor-made for the short right-field porch at the New York Giants' home in the Polo Grounds, never batted more than 244 times in seven big-league seasons and had a career average of just .253.

But in his only World Series, in 1954, he delivered a game-winning pinch-hit home run in the 10th inning of Game 1, a game-tying pinch-hit single in Game 2 and a two-run pinch single in Game 3 to help the Giants win their last championship by sweeping the heavily favored Cleveland Indians.

Rhodes also hit a solo home run later in Game 2, remaining in the game after his pinch-hit single. His two home runs were the only ones hit by the Giants in the series.

Although that World Series is best remembered for "The Catch," Willie Mays' great running grab of a Vic Wertz drive in the opening game, it was Rhodes' bat that proved the difference. Yet, earlier that season, Giants manager Leo Durocher promised to quit unless the team traded Rhodes.


The Giants tried, but no other team wanted Rhodes.

"I decided Rhodes couldn't run or field a ball and I decided I didn't want him around," the late Durocher, a Hall of Fame manager who won his only title that year, said after the series. "Get rid of him. He can't do nothing. He convinced me now how wrong I was."

But the World Series wasn't Rhodes' only brush with baseball history. In both the 1953 and '54 seasons, he homered in three consecutive at-bats in the same game.

The '54 season was his best; he hit a career-high .341 with 15 home runs and 50 runs batted in in only 164 at-bats.

In his autobiography, "Nice Guys Finish Last," Durocher called the fun-loving Rhodes "the worst fielder who ever played in a big-league game." But he also wrote that Rhodes' personality kept the team "confident and happy."

"He was a lovable guy. He was a party guy. He was just a good old boy," Frank Turco, a cousin of Rhodes' wife, Gloria, said Thursday. "Did he live a hard life? Did he go out at night? Yes. But he was a good man. He was a Southern gentleman."

James Lamar Rhodes was born May 13, 1927, in Mathews, Ala., and grew up "dirt poor," according to Turco.

He joined the Navy shortly after his 17th birthday, seeing action on a warship in the Pacific theater during World War II, then signed his first baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs in 1947. But he spent his entire big-league career with the Giants, following the team from New York to San Francisco, where he played his final season in 1959.

A product of the segregationist South who played his first professional game the year that Jackie Robinson became the first African American player in the major leagues, Rhodes was "color blind," former teammate Monte Irvin said.

"He was like a brother to all the black players," Irvin told the New York Daily News. "He sure did like the good life, though, which would drive Leo crazy."

After his baseball career ended, Rhodes returned to New York, where he worked on a tugboat in New York Harbor. Tugs there flew their flags at half mast in his memory Thursday, his family said.

Rhodes retired to Boca Raton, Fla., then to Henderson, Nev., with Gloria, his wife of 30 years.

"He loved baseball. He loved his kids. He loved his wife," Turco said. "I don't know in what order. But he was a funny guy. He would tell you a story and you'd fall on the floor."

Over the last two years, Rhodes battled heart problems, diabetes and emphysema, which resulted in frequent visits to hospital emergency rooms, Turco said.

He was on his way to a regular medical check-up when he went into cardiopulmonary arrest, dying a few hours later at Valley Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas, according to a spokeswoman for the Clark County coroner's office.

In addition to his wife, Rhodes' survivors include three children from a previous marriage; a sister; and 11 grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held today at the Davis Funeral Home in Las Vegas, to be followed by a funeral and military burial Saturday.

"he hit a career-high .341 with 15 home runs and 50 runs batted in in only 164 at-bats" in the '54 season....are you kidding!...that's PRODUCTION!

Thunder shut out Defs 2-0 tonight...

as CT manages just five hits in the game. Ben Snyder (3-2) gives up a both runs in relief of Brooks McNiven. CT still takes two of three from the Thunder.
When does summer arrive?

Sosa stays perfect at 6-0 and Mike Mooney..

goes yard with a three run homer, his fourth of the season as CT beats Trenton 7-4 in NJ. Brett Pill stays hot for the second game in a row going 3 for 5 with a pair of RBIs.
Matt Yourkin and Dan Griffin combine for three innings of one hit ball in relief of Sosa (5 IP, 6 hits 4 earned runs ERA is now 2.61) and Joe Paterson notches save #7.
Defs go for the sweep with Brooks McNiven on the mound Thursday.

A bitter Pill for the Thunder to swallow tonight..

in Trenton as CT takes Game 1 of a three game set against the Thunder 4-0. Brett Pill goes 3 for 4 and knocks in three runs as Tim Alderson and Ben Snyder combine on a 2 hit shout out.
Check out Mike Ashmore's blog for an on site game recap and videos

Off day pic......

Madison Bumgarner from Saturday's game.

That's a shame...Curve win 3-2 in 10 innings as..

the team with the worst record in the league takes 2 of 3 from the first place team in the Northern Division. Dan Otero (0-2) gives up a run in the 10th as the Defs waste a good pitching performance from Daryl Maday (1-2, RBI single). Defs had 10 hits in the game but not when they counted, as Bond, McBryde and Witter (a pair of doubles) all had two hits each.
Defs with a day off Monday and then visit Trenton for the first time this season.

Defs drop a tough one 4-3 tonight to the Curve...

as Madison Bumgarner suffers his first CT loss with a lot of help from Geivy Garcia.
Madison gave up a pair of doubles in the the second as the Curve took a 1-0 lead. Ct came back in the third as AR tripled and Jackson Williams knocked him in with a RBI ground out.
Bumgarner was almost lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fifth but came out for the sixth. He gave up a bunt single, walked the next batter and was lifted for reliever Geivy Garcia. Garcia got the first out on a sac bunt that was popped up. Garcia then gave up an infield single to load the bases and then another single to break the tie as the Curve went up 2-1. Garcia then walked in one run and uncorked a wild pitch to plate another as the Curve had a 4-1 lead.
CT fought back with single runs in the sixth as Brock Bond singled went to third on two straight wild pitches and came home on Brad Boyer's RBI single. Boyer stole second but Brett Pill grounded out to end the rally.
In the bottom of the 7th, Brandon Crawford singled, stole second and came home on AR's RBI single as CT now trailed 4-3.
CT would put runners in scoring position in the 8th and 9th but culdn't come up with a hit to win or tie the game.
AR goes 3 for 4 in a rare start for him. Crawford goes 2 for 4. Altoona had 5, count them 5 wild pitches in the game but CT's one wild pitch is the one that kills them, plus a lack of clutch hitting.
Bumgarner takes the loss and is now 4-1. Garcia's ERA is now 5.31. Daryl Maday goes Sunday in the rubber match.

Misc fan notes: The Curve's infield defense is like watching a Little League team. Another nice crowd on hand--5000+.

Defs beat Curve 5-1 tonight for CT's...

third win a row. Jesse English pitched 5.2 scoreless IP giving up three hits and 4 Ks to improve his record to 4-3 as his ERA now stands at 3.51.
the Defenders scored in the first as Brock Bond doubled and moved to third on a Mike McBryde sac bunt. Brad Boyer then walked to set up a double steal as Bond's steal of home put CT up 1-0 as the Curve didn't have a plan for the double steal attempt.
In the second with one out Bobby Felmy and Tyler LaTorre singled. English laid down a sac bunt on the third base side of the mound that Curve starter Brad Lincoln wanted to field and go to third for the force but he lifted his glove before fielding the ball and English ends up with a infield single. Brock Bond then singled sharply to left to score Felmy. McBryde then ended the inning on a double play and CT lead 2-0.
In the third, Boyer hit his second homer of the season a solo job to right center to make it 3-0.
CT pushed across two more runs as the Curve played threw the ball away twice with a wild pitch added to the mix as one run scored on an error and EME doubled in the other run with a double.
Dan Griffin and Mike Musgrave finished up for CT with Musgrave giving up a scratch run in the 9th.
Bond went 3 for 4 with a double and Boyer went 2 for 3 with his homer.

Misc fan notes: Nice Friday Fireworks crowd with an announced crowd of 5030. Also in attendance was our fav writer Joe Perez of the Bulletin. Good to see Joe at the park!
Pics are Griffin, English and Boyer's HR.

Rainy day post...from idle conversion in the stands..

as night. Giants farmhands, other than EME, and from that aside you can probably get a sense of the conversion, who have played here as a Navigator/Defender four (or more!) seasons.
And those players are:


Julio played here in '04, '05, '07 and in 13 games in '08.



TVS played here in '04, ,05, '06 and, '07 (61 games--more than I thought)



Our fav Jake, played here in '04, '05, '07 and '08.



Matt Palmer, who in the bigs today as we speak, and is 5-0 with the Angels was here for five seasons due to a one game appearance in '07 when he was flown cross country from Fresno to throw 5 innings in New Britain. Matt played here in '03, '04, '05, '06 and that one game in '07.



And another fave, Chris Begg makes the list as a five season player. Chris appeared in 4 games in '03 and also played in '04, '05, '06, and '07.

Palmer and Begg are the only players to have been Navigators the three seasons the Giants played under that name (2003-2005) and EME is the only Defender to play the four seasons the team has played using that name (2006-2009).

For more roster fun go to: www.thebaseballcube.com


Raining now in SE CT, hope it clears up by tonight.

Well that was quick..as Defs take the rubber game..

of the series and beat the BaySox 2-1 in a quick game that took just 1 hour 49 minutes to complete. Wonder where the party is?
Brooks McNiven pitched great to get his first win of the season. McNiven went 7 IP, giving up a first inning run and scattering seven hits. Joe Paterson throws a 1-2-3 8th inning and Dan Otero does the same in the 9th to earn his 13th save.
Trailing 1-0 the Defs scratched out their only two runs as Sharlon Schoop singled and moved to second as Bobby Felmy walked. Jackson Williams sac bunted over both runners. Schoop then scored on a wild pitch to tie the game a 1-1. Brock Bond walked to put runners on first and third with one out. Mike McBryde grounded to short beat out the potential double play ball to plate Felmy with the go ahead run. Brett Pill then singled but the BaySox threw behind McBryde and he was tagged out at second. Defs managed just 4 hits in the game.
Meanwhile CT's defense turned 4 double plays behind McNiven as he was ahead of the batters all night. McNiven was inserted into tonight's game as the scheduled starter Madison Bumgarner is ill and couldn't go.

Misc fan notes: This weather stinks!!!

Pic is McNiven.

Defs, BaySox split DH tonight as Bowie...

won the first game 4-3 as Waldis Joaquin gave up a run in the top of the 7th that broke a 3-3 tie. Joaquin (1-4) relieved a hittable Tim Alderson (5.2 IP, 8 hits 3 runs, two earned 5 Ks). Mike McBryde and EME both went 2-4 in the game as CT batted 1 for 9 with runners is scoring position and left nine men on base.
In the nightcap Henry Sosa improves his record to 5-0 as CT took the nightcap 3-2. Defs took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth as Brandon Crawford singled, Adam Witter (he's back) doubled down the right field line to score Crawford. EME then singled to right to knock in Witter as EME was cut down going first to second as CT's base running follies continue this season.
In the top of the fifth Sosa got two quick outs but put runners on first and second before the next batter Jonathan Tucker just missed a three run homer to left and ended up with a two run triple to tie the score.
CT answered right back in the bottom half of the inning and scored on three straight singles by McBryde, Brad Boyer and Brett Pill to pull ahead 3-2. Pill's single came with runers on first and second as Decker put the runners in motion with one out and Pill delivered the winning run.
Dan Otero came on in the 7th to close it out with a 1-2-3 inning to earn his 12th save.
Misc fan notes: No idea why Witter is back and the team has three catchers now.

Pics top to bottom: Witter, Sosa, Joaquin, Sharlon Schoop and Alderson.

Zach Wheeler is the Giants first round...

draft and 6th overall player taken in the baseball draft today. Given the Giants knack for rushing prospects thru the system he'll be a Sept. call up. he is a high school senior who plays for East Paulding (GA) high school.

Defs and BaySox rained out...they'll play two

tomorrow starting at 5:05. Pic is from 2006 as I was going thru the photo archives today and this one was handy.

Off day poll...we're at the 40% mark of games...

played in 2009. If you had to name a MVP season to date who is it? My choice is Brett Pill but I can see folks saying Dan Otero or Joe Paterson or Madison Bumgarner or maybe even Brock Bond.
Any thoughts?

Mike McBryde slams the B-Mets as...

CT rallies again with six two out runs in the top of the 9th, with the last 4 runs coming in on McBryde's second homer of the game a grand slam as CT wins 10-6 to take three out of four games from the Mets. I think McBryde is the first Defender to hit more than one in a game this season.
Brett Pill (6) and and Brandon Crawford (2) also went deep in the game. Dan Griffin improves to 4-4 with his second win in this series. Ct is now in sole possession again of first place in the Northern Diversion.

Defs earn split by winning the nightcap 5-3...

in 10 innings as Brett Pill's RBI double and Sharlon Schoop's RBI single knocking in Pill are the game winning hits in the top of the 10th. Joe Paterson (2-2) gets the win. Pill goes 4 for 5 with a homer (#5, solo shot).

Defs drop DH opener to the B-Mets 1-0...

as Dan Otero's dropped ball covering first lead to the only run of the game as the next batter doubled in the winner in the bottom of the 8th. Daryl Maday started for Ct and went 5IP giving up 5 hits and recording 4 Ks. Matt Yourkin threw two scoreless innings in relief of Maday until Otero (0-1) lost the game in the 8th.
Defs could muster only 6 hits and once again ran themselves out of a couple of innings as EME doubled and then was thrown out a third on a grounder to short--has to be the third time they've done that this season. And Felmy and McBryde were both caught stealing. McBryde was later ejected for arguing balls and strikes.
Ben Sndyer gets the spot start in Game 2 and I see we're already down a run in the early going.

Defs rally, beat B-Mets 7-4 in NY...

with a four run 8th inning tonight. Dan Griffin gets the win in relief and improves to 3-4 on the season. Joe Paterson throws two innings, notching 4 Ks, to record his 6th save.
Trailing 4-3, CT scored on a wild pitch, a suicide squeeze laid down by Brandon Crawford, an EME single and a Bobby Felmy double.
Felmy went 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles and a RBI. Brandon Crawford knocks in a pair of runs going 1 for 2 with a walk.

Defs break 4 game slide, win 8-4 at Dodd...

this morning/afternoon. Had to work tonight so I only saw the first four innings with the Defs up 3-2. Madison Bumgarner didn't really have it today falling behind on most batters and was pretty hittable. He gave up a two run homer that tied the game at four each. His line on the day was 6 IP, 7 hits, 2 BBs all four runs earned 5 Ks and a pick off.
Defs broke the game open with a four run seventh, as Brett Pill hit his team leading fourth homer to open the frame and make it 5-4. EME would plate two runs with a double and Brock Bond would double in EME to make it 8-4.
Waldis Joaquin (1-3) gets his first win of the season throwing two scoreless innings and Dan Otero throws a 1-2-3 ninth as the Defs take just one game out of four from the RockCats.
CT banged out 12 hits today with Bond (double, 2 RBIs), Pill, Brandon Crawford (double), EME (double, 2 RBIs) and Mike Mooney all getting two hits each.

Misc fan notes: CT hits the road and plays the B-Mets for a three game weekend set--let's hope whatever Decker said to them after the last night's game travels to NY with them.

WHO'S YOUR CLOSER...!!!!!!!!!??????!!!!!!

and because we don't know, the Defs lose in spectacular fashion tonight 2-1. Nursing a 1-0 lead from the second inning on we waste a good outing from Henry Sosa and an even better one from Ben Snyder because we don't know who our closer is.
Decker brings in Joe Paterson in the top of the 9th to close it out. Paterson, a lefty, is greeted by what turn out to be three straight righty pitch hitters. First batter singles on Paterson's first pitch. It was only the RockCat's second hit of the game and they didn't need anymore. Next batter sac bunts to Paterson who has all day to throw to first but throws it wild down the right field line instead to put runners on second and third with no outs.
NOTE: the real closer, Dan Otero, is warming up. Paterson gets a K on a righty then we intentionally walk (why?) a righty to load the bases.
NOTE: Otero's ready.
Paterson walks in the tying run on a 3-2 count to a righty, who batting next to nothing on the season. Paterson then strikes out a lefty for the second out.
Paterson then hits the next batter, a lefty, with two strikes to force in the winning run.
NOW we bring in Otero, who is the closer, to get the third out.

Pick a closer and go with him Mr. Decker. You have a chance the snap a three game losing streak at home--where you not even playing .500 and you get cute and over manage. And a nice vote of confidence (not) to Otero as well in the process--who has had one bad outing so far this season and the defense hurt him in that.

Fair is fair and the other part of this is the team has scored 2 runs in three games. No margin of error for the pitching staff. A total of just 5 hits tonight as Crawford and EME are just killing them now. Crawford is batting .158 (6 for 38) in his last ten games. EME is 1-17 for the five games he's played in on this home stand.

Sosa who was wild at times (4 BBs) threw 6 IP allowing 1 hit and had 7 Ks. Ben throws 2 IP and K's 4.

Misc fan notes: A couple of hundred of the faithful on hand as there was a light rain for most of the game.
Great turkey and bacon panni up in Lou's tonight.
Channel 61 in the house tonight--how did that happen?....
God does even things up as I got a rare foul ball (it landed at my feet--no effort required) and of course I HAD to give it to the nearest kid. So when I got to my car, after EME had stuck out for the final out, there was a foul ball nearby my car and in pretty good condition--second time that's happened this season.
Tonight's loss has almost sucked the life out of me for the morning game tomorrow plus I have to be at work for 1:00 PM but I'll soldier on...hey as Joe Perez points out in today's Bulletin the sale's going to happen anyway so let's see as much as possible.

Kyle Haines, who we all liked last season, and was lost to the Phillies in the offseason Rule 5 draft and then cut by Philly, has ended up with the Akron Aeros after spending some time with the Camden Riversharks of the indy Atlantic League.

Pic is Henry Sosa

Defs drop third game in a row 2-1 tonight at

Dodd as the RockCats won game 2 of the four game set. Tim Alderson (2-1, 2.00 ERA) went the longest of any CT starter this season going 8 IP but suffers his first Double A loss. He gave up six hits, no walks and had three Ks.
RockCats scored in the as Brandon Roberts bunted and 3B Brad Boyer's throw ended up in the stands with Roberts going to second. He came home on a long double by Danny Valencia to make it 1-0. Alderson had some long fly ball outs tonight.
The score stayed that way until the 7th when Alderson came up a solo homer to Eric Lis to make it 2-0.
CT came back in the top of the 7th on Boyer's single and Brett Pill's second double of the game to make it 2-1.
CT had chances but the bottom of the order from EME down couldn't come up with a key hit and CT drops another to NB. That's just one run scored in the last 19 innings.
Brad Boyer had three of CT's 7 hits and Pill (lord of the doubles) had those two doubles.

Misc fan notes: Not a lot of folks in the house on a very nice night at Dodd. Game played in a very tidy 2:12.
Former Twins manager Tom Kelly was in the stands tonight.
Pic is of Alderson with Pill at first.

Glad I worked tonight...Defs lose 9-0 as...

Jesse Foppert (0-3) walked 7 in 3 innings along with 4 hits, one a homer, and six runs--five earned as the RockCats romped at Dodd. CT could muster only 6 hits--Brock Bond and Brandon Crawford with two hits each in the game.

Misc fan notes: Notice that Tyler Latorre was at third? What's with that? Brad Boyer was back in the lineup as DH coming off his injurt. Poor crowd tonight--jsu 1400--come on folks!

Erie weights in...

from GoErie.com today written by John Dudley:

"Don't believe for a second there is no money to be made in a bad economy.


Had you bought an Eastern League baseball franchise five or six years ago for the then going rate of about $8.5 million you might find yourself in position to turn a tidy profit today.

Somewhere in the neighborhood of $6 million to $7 million, by most estimates.

That is, of course, if you could find a qualified buyer.

And that, apparently, is easier said than done.

It's for that reason that Erie's own SeaWolves once again popped up in news reports last week out of the Richmond, Va., area, where folks are trying to replace their longtime Triple-A affiliate, which bolted last season for the upscale, densely populated Atlanta suburbs.

Everyone's first choice seems to be the EL's Connecticut Defenders, a forgotten franchise that has failed to draw and failed just as miserably to make money in the crowded metropolitan New York corridor.

A deal appeared to be struck in which a Richmond ownership group would pony up $15.4 million to buy the Defenders and move them into an existing ballpark until financing for a new facility could be found.

Now that group appears to be short on money, and that's where the SeaWolves come in.

In an article last week, the Richmond Times-Dispatch cited unnamed sources who suggested the SeaWolves could be part of a backup plan to move an EL franchise to Virginia.

The Times-Dispatch offers no rationale for such a move, beyond reporting that EL officials have assured Richmond that the league will field a team there by next season.

A quick scan of the league attendance report shows the SeaWolves rank ahead of only Connecticut, drawing 2,280 fans per game entering their weekend series against Akron.

But attendance tells only part of the story when it comes to measuring a minor-league baseball team's financial success.

And while no one outright denies that Mandalay Baseball Properties, the SeaWolves' parent company, has flirted with other markets in the past, the SeaWolves also don't appear to be strong candidates for a move right now.

General manager John Frey has mostly distanced himself from the Richmond reports beyond saying that he is aware of no ongoing negotiations to move the team. Corporate Mandalay remains consistently mum on the subject.

At this point, all indications are that the EL will do whatever it can to help those prospective buyers in Richmond raise the cash to complete the Connecticut purchase, if for no other reason than because dangling a franchise publicly to another market -- as the EL has with the Defenders -- can make it awfully tough to sell tickets and sponsorships after the deal falls through.

This isn't to say that the SeaWolves are in Erie for the long haul.

Mandalay has shown it's not shy about making deals, and clearly the company hasn't exactly been raking in truckloads of cash at Jerry Uht Park.

For all anyone knows, the SeaWolves could be on the market as we speak, available to the right buyer with the right backing for a sum somewhere in the vicinity of $15 million, or about $6.5 million more than Mandalay paid for the team back in 2003.

And in this economy, that's not a bad return at all."

JOHN DUDLEY can be reached at 870-1677 or by e-mail at john.dudley@timesnews.com.