June 2007
Monthly Archive
Thu 28 Jun 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
NBA DraftNo Comments
Tonight, it all takes place in NYC where hoop dreams are made and legends are born. They’ll be broadcasting it live from the Theatre at the World’s Most Famous Arena as the 2007 NBA Draft gets ready to take place.
The half hour show on ESPN in what should be a chaotic atmosphere has gotten underway with usual suspects Stephen A. Smith, Mark Jackson, Jay Bilas and host Mike Tirico on hand to breakdown what takes place.
Of course, we already are aware that Portland will select Greg Oden No.1 overall. Thanks guys for taking the fun out of that elusive first pick. Yeah. I know the big man from Ohio State would’ve gone first anyway. But did they have to tell ESPN this a night prior? It hurts the build up and makes it anticlimatic.
And already, Stephen A is ranting and raving about something to do with the Celtics. There’s been a rumor that Dumb and Dumber GM Danny Ainge could acquire Ray Allen from Seattle in exchange for Delonte West, their fifth overall pick where Seattle would take Jeff Green and also get something else in return. Would it really matter? It would be a home run for them and another idiotic move by Ainge.
Already the Hawks are looking clueless as they can’t even decide whether to do the three-way deal which would net them Amare Stoudemire from Phoenix in a deal which would send KG to the Suns and ship their two high picks (3 and 11) to Minnesota. Typical Atlanta. Why can’t someone take control of this skitzo franchise already? How can Dominique Wilkins work for them? He must cringe at the lack of direction.
Updating, they already had Dick Vitale make a cameo from his Florida home. I guess he was able to squeeze it in after rushing out of an early bird special. We kid. We love Dickie V. Let the sweating begin! 
We’ll be doing more live blogging when the draft officially gets underway. And if you want more coverage, don’t forget to tune into my Hard Hits show where myself, JPG and others will breakdown the first round and whatever else happens tonight:
http://blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?show_id=34900
7:21 ET: Joakim Noah is interviewed and he’s brought out the bow tie! Are you kidding?!?!?!?!?! 
Oh my god. And The Lurker comments, “And he doesn’t even have his Michael Jackson look.”
What will happen next? Stuart Scott’s glass eye is really revealed as Glass Joe from Tyson’s Punchout?!?!?!?!?!
7:26 ET: Mr. Big Mouth and unreliable source Jim Gray states the obvious that Kobe won’t be going anywhere. Ya don’t say! And Pete Rose isn’t going to Cooperstown either!
7:27 ET: Oh look. It’s Fran Fraschilla. He’s analyzing this Chinese big man. He looks like he needs to put on few pounds. I’d recommend going across the street and having some Nathans!
7:29 ET: Dan da Man from All Sports Radio is feelin’ Amare coming to Charlotte. If that happens, I might just eat my shoe. Why would that happen?
7:30 ET: The time has arrived and David Stern is about to come up and welcome the nutjobs who probably mugged their way into the Theatre for a seat. Let the theatrics begin!
7:31 ET: And there hs is, Mr. Rulebook and he announces MSG as “home of the Knicks and Liberty.” Sadly, the Liberty are the franchise that’s closer to delivering a basketball championship to this proud city. There were only a few boos. So far, this crowd seems subdued. Weird.
7:33 ET: The Blazers are officially on the clock. What’s the point of showing the war room? Look at these idiots clapping and standing at their table. Good god. What if it’s actually revealed what my buddy Sambeze over at his Anti-E$PN show said: “That Greg Oden is actually Greg Olden and is a 35 year-old version of Alonzo Mourning.”
P.S. Before I forget, Bilas is an idiot for saying that Oden is more advanced that Patrick Ewing was as a freshman. I just don’t buy it. You don’t make that comparison yet. We’ll see what happens down the line though.
7:35 ET: Can’t Stephen A. chill out? Where’s Beetle Juice when you need him?
7:36 ET: Stern officially announces Mr. Oden as the first overall selection.
In the background, they showed Durant applauding and all I could think was, ‘How come he looks like a kid compared to Oden.’ Oden seriously looks like he could be his Dad. He’s got the Dikembe Mutombo look going. Yikes.
Stephen A says “You can’t teach 7 feet” but apparently nobody told Yinka Dare or Shawn Bradley.
7:41 ET: Oden sounds a little nervous with Stuart Scott and not too enthused. Why not big man? Man. He really has no personality. That’s something he could use. Especially going to Portland. At least he admitted to Stu that he looked older than LeBron.
That reported deal between the Celtics and Sonics looks like it’s going to happen according to Andy Katz. The Celts will send West, Wally Sczerbiak and draft Jeff Green for Seattle and receive Allen. Look. He still is one of the premiere SG’s in the league but how much better will the former Uconn star be? This is just another brainlock by Ainge unless he knows something we don’t.
7:43 ET: No surprise as Durant goes No.2 to Seattle. The first freshman to ever take home the NCAA player of the year is very talented. He can get to the basket and step back and score from anywhere but needs to bulk up.
7:45 ET: Durant looks extremely focused and doesn’t get upset about not being able to bench 185 at a recent workout last month. He’ll still need to get stronger.
The Hawks are officially on the clock. Will they go for PF Al Horford or address their lack of a PG with Oden’s college mate Mike Conley, Jr?
7:48 ET: The Hawks are predictable as usual and take Horford filling a need. Their best rebounder got like under seven a game this past season. I like him. He really progressed this season with Florida as they repeated. He’s developed well and is a terror on the offensive glass. Very solid post player and can step out and knock it down from 12-15. It’s not a bad move but will they also be able to address their hole at the point? Acie Law IV is expected to slip.
Smith says they should’ve taken a PG and we concur. Wow. Stephen A. says something we agree on and didn’t sound obnoxious. The crowd just doesn’t seem as into it for some reason. Could it be because Isiah doesn’t pick till 24?
Horford had his own cheering section, “The Horford Hotties” according to Stu to which the big man laughs. Let’s see Florida and hotties. Enough said!
Action Jackson calls the pick “a bad decision” but I bet Horford turns into a solid player.
7:52 ET: The Grizzlies scoop up Conley, Jr at fourth overall. No shock. They reel in the most skilled guard. He’s lightning quick and was amazing during OSU’s run to the final. He was better than his teammate during that tournament.
As Stu finishes his interview with a cool Conley, Jr., ESPN breaks out some rare footage from their library of Pop dunking 15 years ago from the free throw line. There’s a reason junior has the speed from the former long jump gold medallist/record holder.
7:56 ET: The Celtics will now select Green from Georgetown for Seattle to complete this trade which makes no sense at all. They’re essentially hooking up the Sonics and have rebuilt them. Congratulations! This franchise truly is in disarray. Maybe my buddy Tim from South River was right last night when he said that they should’ve forfeited the pick.
So now, as Stephen A notes about how they rebuilt themselves thanks to some help, they got Durant, Green and West. And this is without knowing what happens with Rashard Lewis. If he stays, that’s a nice core. If not, they’ll get a solid return.
The Bucks are picking next at No.6. So who will they take? We’ll find out next.
8:02 ET: As the time passes, now we just want to see Noah get selected so we can see that crazy bow tie again and see him do some crazy gesture or something. He is a little out there. So it’s possible.
8:04 ET: Yi Jianlian from China gets selected by the Bucks at No.6. He’s listed as a forward and boy oh boy is he thin for a big guy. My god. They should immediately get this guy about 10 Big Macs. He’s only 19 and Fraschilla claims he loves to dunk on people. He looks athletic but how will he do against much stronger bodies?
According to Katz, Yi’s people didn’t want the Bucks to take him. How nice. Milwaukee doesn’t fit the parameters. What? Not enough egg rolls and hot and sour soup? We love spring rolls and who doesn’t love fried rice.
Well, the good news is he apparently speaks English and explains to Glass Eye why he’s ready by saying he’s played Olympics and other international competitions.
The T-Wolves are now up. Well, KG isn’t going anywhere. So what will another clueless executive who was part of those great Celtics teams in Kevin “Bolthead” McHale do?
One disappointing aspect of ESPN’s coverage is no Greg Anthony. Where’s that poke-a-dot suit when you need it?
8:11 ET: Another Gator is gone. This time the athletic Corey Brewer goes to Minnesota. The Final Four MVP is a versatile forward who can score in a variety of ways. He can get to the basket at will and can step out and knock down the trifecta.
And right on cue, there’s Dickie V going on and on about what a homerun this pick was. It looks good. Brewer is also a great defender as Tirico points out. We really like this selection.
Brewer seems very emotional about being taken. Very quiet too. You can tell what it means. Noah is waiting it out. Will the energizer slip or will three Gators go in the top 10?
The Bobcats are on the clock. Can Dan da Man’s Cats screw this up? Dan wants them to select Brandon Wright from UNC. No surprise there. You have to figure they’ll go that way or maybe take Noah.
8:17 ET: Rachel Nichols says Michael Jordan wants to deal the pick. Gee. What else is new? MJ might have been one of the greatest pros but he is lost as an executive. Remember. He once took Kwame Brown No.1 overall with Washington. How did that turn out?
8:18 ET: The Bobcats select Wright. So another freshman gets taken. He’s a great talent but what about consistency? Bilas loves this pick and had him ranked fourth. Says he needs to get stronger and improve his shot. He’s an athletic player. No doubt. And can play above the rim.
Stephen A questions whether Charlotte will spend the money on some free agents to put guys around their young talent such as Wright, Ray Felton and Adam Morrison. Another solid point.
Wright seems poised and ready to go during the interview with Stu. Looks like he’s ready to play today.
Now, the Bulls are on the clock in that infamous Eddy Curry deal as they flipped picks with the Knicks. And a cocky Bull fan has a “Thanks Isiah” sign and is booed. Then the camera of course switches to Spike Lee in a classic Knick jersey and he waves.
Looks like JPG wants his team to take Noah. Dan da Man is happy with his team’s selection. Will JPG be? Noah would fill a need as another energy player off the bench who can block shots and rebound on both sides of the glass. Just imagine him and Tyrus Thomas. Yikes. Here we go.
8:25 ET: And right on cue, Noah gets taken. And he’s overjoyed. This has been a homecoming of sorts for Joakim as he was huddled with family and friends. He pointed his finger emphatically at the stands twice. This kid never seems to lack fire. We’ll see how he does on the court for the Bulls when he teams with Thomas.
JPG credits me because I said his team would wind up with the leader of the Gator chop a year ago. I won’t take credit because sometimes things can change. Noah seems overjoyed and thanks God and his mentor. You can tell that his dream has been realized.
Bilas talked about how he’d rather have a guy who hates to lose than one who loves to win. And that is Noah. If there are two things he’ll need work on, it’s putting some more bulk on and his low post game. If he can develop some consistency on offense, wow.
The Kings will pick next at No.10.
8:32 ET: The Kings take center Spencer Hawes from Washington. It’s another freshman and a guy who might not be ready for primetime yet. But Bilas likes his potential. From watching some clips, it looks like he can find teammates which is always a plus. But also at 7+ he’s not that athletic and doesn’t play above the rim.
It looks like it will take some time. With Stu, he seems very analytical and understands that he needs work and what to improve on. This seems like a smart guy. Only time will tell how it pans out for the Kings.
Smith doesn’t like the pick of Noah for the Bulls. He feels that they already have high energy guys like Thomas and Ben Wallace. We’ll see. Smith is right that their low post game is lacking unless the young guns develop. I could still see Jim Paxson swinging a deal to address that.
8:38 ET: The Hawks make their second pick of the night by taking Law IV to fill their hole at the point. This move makes a lot of sense. For the Hawks, that’s something you don’t usually associate with them. But on paper, it looks like they have addressed their two needs by getting Horford for PF and now the versatile Law who can score and distribute the ball. I really like this guy because he’s a big game performer. He can get to the rim and also find the open man.
Bilas questions his ability to defend. He’s definitely an NBA ready player. And at 6-3+, has enough size. Law seems poised during the interview. He stuck with Texas A & M after a dreadful freshman year and helped rebuild the program to respectability. Now he’ll try to get another awful franchise back to the playoffs along with his new Gator teammate.
The 76ers are on the clock and wanted to trade the 12th pick.
8:43 ET: Philadelphia takes F Thaddeus Young from Georgia Tech meaning that half the picks so far have been freshmen. Credit Stephen A for nailing this one as he said the 76ers needed some size inside. Young is a very athletic player who can run the floor.
He has a lot of potential.
We’ve got to go get ready for our show. We’ll update more later.
Wed 27 Jun 2007
We’ll be on the air discussing more on the Chris Benoit family tragedy.
It certainly has been a bizarre couple of days since the WWE star wrestler’s body was discovered along with his wife Nancy better known as Woman to wrestling fans along with youngest son Daniel at their Atlanta Georgia home.
At present, evidence points to a double murder suicide. It’s hard to fathom. One wonders if that will stand up after they further analyze everything. I guess only time shall tell.
One thing for sure. We’ll be on the air to discuss the sad topic:
Hard Hits
The number to call in is 646-652-2543.
See ya’ll later.
Wed 27 Jun 2007
STATEN ISLAND, NY- The offense is here. It had to happen eventually.
After a slow start in which they produced only four total runs in three straight losses to fall to 1-4, the Baby Bombers have finally got it going during a current three-game win streak in which they’ve outscored opponents 24-13.
That included an 8-5 victory at home last night over Hudson Valley to get back to .500. In the win, Staten Island produced its first two home runs of the season with second baseman Damon Sublett smacking a two-run line drive to right in the fifth and first baseman Chase Odenreider two innings later going deep to left with his own two-run shot which gave the ballclub some much needed insurance.
Especially when the Renegades’ Henry Wrigley cameback with a two-run shot of his own an inning later which proved to be the final margin.
“It’s always big to keep adding runs. It gets them down and then if you look back, the kid hits a two-run homer, it’s a different game,� right fielder David Williams pointed out.
“I finally connected with one but I got to give it to our defense played well and our pitchers threw really well also,” Odenreider added.
The offensive production was a welcome sight.
“We’re starting to come around a little bit. It’s a lot more fun winning and looking forward to the next few games,â€? the first baseman also said as his team got ready to leave for Hudson Valley. They’ll attempt to complete a sweep later tonight before playing three at Aberdeen starting Thursday.
One of the things most agreed on was that getting adjusted at this level would take a little time because you had a lot of college players who used metal bats as compared to wood.
“I think with all the college kids coming from the aluminum bats over to the wood, it takes a little time adjusting,” left fielder D.J. Hollingsworth eluded to. “They’re really good players. So I think it’s starting to click for them.”
“Yeah. I think everybody is getting pretty comfortable now and we’re getting lofty a little bit. This is going to be a good team. So hopefully, we can keep swinging it,” Sublett noted after his first professional homer.
“I think it’s just time to come around,” Williams added after a two hit night. “A lot of us are coming out of college. We’re using metal bats. Obviously, pitching is a step up and using the metal bat, there’s always an adjustment. So I think probably a week, two weeks in, we’re starting to get the hang of it. We’re getting good pitches to hit.”
The recent turnaround couldn’t have come at a better time for first-year skipper Mike Gillespie.
“It’s giant. Giant,” he explained. “I think guys are getting to know each other a little more. Getting a feel for what this level is all about. I’m very encouraged by what we’ve seen. Not just the wins. But by the way they’ve looked and the way they’ve handled themselves.â€?
One aspect the former USC manager has been encouraged by is that it’s not just a couple of guys.
“It’s the best nights we’ve had with the bats. And down through the lineup. Several guys. Guys that don’t get to play all the time who haven’t done a whole lot when they have played. The homerun by Odenreider was giant. Hollingsworth had a good night. Did a couple of things real well. Sublett has done a lot of good things for us. [Austin] Krum has come to life a little bit.”
He also singled out one of his key role players who could be vital this summer to the team’s success.
“[Justin] Snyder’s a good player. He’s a versatile player. He’s a real valuable player. This summer, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’ll play six different positions,” about the leadoff man who manned the hot corner Tuesday night and was on-base four different times (2 hits, 2 walks) with a run scored.
“He’s got a good chance to be a real good professional utility player.”
With three more players coming who Gillespie hinted should all see playing time, things are looking up for the Bombers.
Tue 26 Jun 2007
STATEN ISLAND, NY- The long ball helped the Baby Bombers win their third consecutive game. Behind two-run home runs by second baseman Damon Sublett and first baseman Chase Odenreider, the Staten Island Yankees got back to .500 (4-4) by posting an 8-5 win before 5,094 at Richmond County Bank Ballpark Tuesday night.
The homers were the team’s first of the season in the eighth game.
“It was big. We’ve kind of been up and down with how we’ve been playing and stuff like that. We’ve been trying to put it together. So these first two victories in this series have been pretty good for us,” expressed left fielder D.J. Hollingsworth after a productive two-for-four night which included an RBI single in the third to give his ballclub an early two-run lead.
Leading by two, the Bombers knocked knuckleballer Diego Echeverria (0-2) out of the game in the fifth. With third baseman Justin Snyder having led off the inning with a walk and a swipe of second, it set the stage for Sublett who came up against reliever Claudio Rodriguez after Echeverria got Luis Nunez to line out to left.
Rodriguez fell behind Sublett 3-1 and paid the price when the second baseman lined his first professional homer over the right field fence to double the Bombers’ lead.
“I got some pitches to hit today and I was actually able to do something with it instead of fouling it off like I’ve been doing the last week,” he said after two hits, two walks and a couple of runs scored to go with his first dinger. “[Rodriguez] threw the same pitch earlier in the at bat and so he came back with the same one and this time, I didn’t miss it this time.”
Of the long ball, he remarked, “Hopefully there will be a whole bunch more of those to come.”
Before the inning was out, they would add a run on a two out single by DH Chris Raber. In the sixth, a Nunez sacrifice fly scored Hollingsworth to put them up six after the speedy outfielder ledoff with a bunt single.
Trailing 6-0, the Renegades made things interesting against reliever Angel Reyes by batting around for three runs in the seventh.
Angel Fermin’s double to left was just out of a diving Hollingsworth’s reach to score a couple and break up the shutout. After Reyes got the second out, he didn’t retire another batter. The southpaw loaded the bases on a walk and single. He walked in the third run when he lost Shawn O’Malley to suddenly make it 6-3. But Jason Kiley came in to put out the fire by getting Greg Sexton swinging.
With their lead sliced in half, they responded thanks to Odenreider, who drove a Noah Booth pitch over the left field wall to score center fielder Austin Krum after he ledoff the seventh with a ground rule double. It put them back up five.
“We needed this boost. Our pitching is doing great,” a pleased Odenreider explained. “I finally connected with one but I got to give it to our defense played well and our pitchers threw really well also.”
“Definitely a big home run,” pointed out right fielder David Williams who was right in the middle of things with two hits of his own plus an RBI and run scored.
“It’s always big to keep adding runs. It gets them down and then if you look back, the kid hits a two-run homer, it’s a different game.”
Hudson Valley didn’t go away. The very next inning, Henry Wrigley went yard off Kiley to cut it to 8-5. But that was as close as they got.
Closer Nick Peterson worked around a one out double, fanning Sexton to end it for his second save.
“We’re starting to come around a little bit. It’s a lot more fun winning and looking forward to the next few games,” added Odenreider as his team gets ready for one more at Hudson Valley before a three-game trip to Aberdeen.
Notes: Somewhat lost in the shuffle of all the offense was a solid performance from victorious starter Ryan Zink, who permitted just one hit while walking two and striking out one over the first five to notch his first win.
“He’s awesome. Just like all our pitchers who are throwing strikes, getting people out and we’re starting to put runs up on the board. So they get wins,” Williams added. “They deserve it.”
“Tremendous,” skipper Mike Gillespie said. “I don’t know if we were all in the room the other day but we were talking about the program of number of innings and or number of pitches. I think after four, he threw 41 pitches. So he could’ve gone more. That’s the deal. We know it.”
The former USC manager was equally as impressed with how his players have responded to a tough start by stringing together the last three to get out of the basement in the McNamara Division:
“It’s giant. Giant. I think guys are getting to know each other a little more. Getting a feel for what this level is all about. I’m very encouraged by what we’ve seen. Not just the wins. But by the way they’ve looked and the way they’ve handled themselves.”
According to him, the club will be getting another catcher later today when Brian Baisley returns from Charleston. It’s expected that Brandon Ketron will move up. Baisley was on last year’s championship team and should provide some much needed experience.
Four S.I. Yanks had multi-hit games including Sublett, Hollingsworth, Williams and Snyder (2-for-3, 1 run).
The Baby Bombers don’t return home until Sunday for a matinee against Hudson Valley in another three-game set.
Sun 24 Jun 2007
In the final game of a three-game weekend series, the Staten Island Yankees’ bats finally came to life as they posted a 9-1 victory over Aberdeen to salvage the last game and snap their three-game skid Sunday afternoon at St. George before 2,711.
They took advantage of four Iron Bird errors, including three of their first four runs against losing starter Zach Clark (1-1) unearned in the third and fourth innings.
Trailing by a run in the home third, the Baby Bombers pushed across two in large part to two fielding errors by shortstop Tyler Henson which extended the inning. After back-to-back miscues which allowed Staten Island shortstop Luis Nunez and second baseman Damon Sublett to reach, right fielder David Williams drew a walk to load the bases. Third baseman Justin Snyder followed with a clutch two-run single to right which gave the ballclub the lead for good.
After a strong fourth in which starter Dellin Betances struckout two on his way to his first victory, the S.I. Yanks got two more to go up 4-1. First baseman Chris Raber walked, stole second and then advanced to third on a balk. Catcher Frank Lonigro doubled him in. Lonigro would also come around to score on an error by right fielder Robbie Widlansky.
Betances went one more inning, finishing the day in style be getting Widlansky to chase a pitch to strand a runner. The former Grand Street High School star tossed five solid innings allowing just a run on three hits while walking three and whiffing four to improve to 1-0.
Staten Island put the game out of reach with a four-run seventh. One inning after a Sublett RBI triple made it 5-1, the Aberdeen bullpen lost the plate leading to two runs on consecutive bases loaded walks to D.J. Hollingsworth and Lonigro. Fernando De Nabal walked the first four before Julio Soriano made it five straight to put S.I. up six.
After Soriano got Austin Crum and Nunez, Sublett came through with a two-run basehit to left which made it 9-1. One day after making two bad errors and not delivering at the plate, the second baseman atoned with a two hit, two RBI day.
Reliever Craig Heyer came on to toss three scoreless before giving way to Jason Kiley, who worked around a two out hit in the ninth to strikeout Henson which ended it.
Notes: After only getting four hits Saturday, Staten Island had seven Sunday with six coming from the trio of Sublett, Williams and Snyder who all had multi-hit days. … In his second start of the year behind the plate, Lonigro was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and two runs scored. … The Baby Bombers showed good patience at the plate drawing 10 walks while their pitchers only allowed four.
The Bombers (2-4) travel to Hudson Valley for the first of a three-game series beginning later tonight. The two teams will return to Richmond County Bank Ballpark tomorrow for Game 2 before concluding the series back in Hudson Valley. It will be the first of two three-game series this week as Hudson Valley comes back in Sunday afternoon for two of three by the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.
In between, Mike Gillespie’s club will head to Aberdeen for a three-game set hoping to return the favor by grabbing a series rematch which is slated for Thursday through Saturday.
Sat 23 Jun 2007
STATEN ISLAND, NY- It was a tough night for the Baby Bomber offense. They came up empty in a 2-0 shutout loss to Aberdeen before 4,691 at Richmond County Bank Ballpark Saturday night.
It was their second consecutive home defeat and third straight as they dropped to 1-4 overall.
In sharp contrast to the previous night, the game took a manageable two hours and 22 minutes to play. Unlike Friday when pitchers couldn’t find the plate, they were in control.
Despite a strong performance from starter Nick Chigges in which he fanned seven in 3.2 innings pitched, he took the hard luck defeat to drop to 0-2.
“I thought he was really good. It really was impressive,” manager Mike Gillespie said. “He tonight were what we were led to believe he is. A firm but not overpowering fastball but real good secondary stuff. He throws a curve and a slider. And he is a four pitch guy. He does throw the change. So that was impressive.”
“[Chigges], [Jason Kiley],[Gabriel Medina] were awesome. They were hitting their spots, getting outs quick,” right fielder David Williams noted. “We made one bad play tonight and it cost us the game. That’s baseball. … You got to give them credit.”
In fact, Chigges gave up only one hit. A leadoff double to Franklin Gonzalez in the third. Unfortunately, his defense let him down in the field which led to an unearned run.
After striking out Douglas Reinhardt, he got Jordan Wolf to bounce to second baseman Damon Sublett. However, Sublett booted it for one error. He then would complicate things with an errant throw for his second miscue which allowed Gonzalez to score the game’s first run.
Chigges was able to get out of further trouble by retiring the final two batters on a groundout to first and a strikeout.
Sublett had a chance for redemption in the bottom of the frame when he came up with runners on second and third with one out. But against Aberdeen lefty reliever Jacob Smith, he bounced into a 1-2 fielder’s choice. Smith then got Williams to ground out to second to escape any damage which summed up a frustrating night for an offense which only got four hits including just one in the final six.
Their last baserunner Luis Nunez was erased when he tried to take second on a throw which got away from first baseman Joe Mahoney. After beating out an infield hit, the shortstop went for second but was easy pickings on a 2-6 putout. The combination of Smith (1-0), Ryan Ouellette and closer Brent Allar permitted only one hit in 6.2 innings of work while retiring the last 11 Staten Island batters.
With the Bomber bats silenced, Aberdeen tacked on an insurance run in the sixth off Medina. After back-to-back singles by Matt Angle and Tyler Henson put runners on the corners, Wally Crancer’s RBI fielder’s choice (6-3) put them up 2-0. It could’ve been more two batters later when Bubba Trammell singled to right. But Williams threw a strike to catcher Brandon Ketron which nailed Henson to end the frame.
“I got lucky. [Trammell] hit the ball hard right at me. So it actually gave me a chance to throw him out at the plate and made a good throw and threw him out. [Ketron] made a good play and that was that,” he said.
The Birds threatened for more in the ninth by loading the bases without a hit thanks to two Nunez errors and two walks. But Nunez atoned by getting a 6-4 force to end it.
After Ouellette gave way to Allar, he retired Nunez, Sublett and Williams in order to notch his second save.
“I think it’s a little harder because a lot of our hitters are coming out of college where they have the metal bat. The pitching is obviously a step up right now,” Williams pointed out. “So I think it’s going to take a little time to jell as a team. We play good defense. We have good pitching. It’s going to take a little longer for the bats to come around. Once they do, I think we’ll be fine.”
“It’s hard when you get great pitching performances,” center fielder Austin Krum mentioned. “It’s one of those things where we probably need a little bit of time to get our timing down and click as a unit offensively and the pitching will be there.
And hopefully we can back them up.
Notes: The seven strikeouts by Chigges were two more than Staten Island pitching had in Friday’s 4-3 loss. … In five innings of relief, Medina permitted a run on five hits while walking two and fanning four. … Twenty three total runners were left on base with Staten Island stranding all 10 while Aberdeen left 13 on. … The final game of the series takes place later today at St. George in a matinee with first pitch scheduled just after 2 PM.
Fri 22 Jun 2007
STATEN ISLAND, NY- Robbie Widlansky’s pinch hit RBI single in the ninth was the difference as the Ironbirds edged the Baby Bombers 4-3 before 6,536 at Richmond County Bank Ballpark Friday night.
The loss was Staten Island’s second in a row as they fell to 1-3 on the season.
After getting three runs in the first two innings due to plenty of wildness from S.I. starter Angel Reyes (6 walks, wild pitch, 3 ER in 1.1 IP), Aberdeen was shutdown the next six by Baby Bomber relievers Jeff Livek, Ryan Zink and Philip Bartleski. In fact, the trio only allowed two hits over the next six and two thirds to keep their ballclub in the game.
“It was sensational. I think those guys did a really good job,” skipper Mike Gillespie noted. “That was encouraging. I think that’s something to take out of the game and feel good about. To feel upbeat about. Those guys got to keep going out there and that was good stuff.”
Trailing by a run, it enabled them to push across a run in the home fifth thanks to some help from Aberdeen reliever Andy Schindling. With runners on first and second, they advanced a base due to a wild pitch from Schindling. With two outs, right fielder David Williams reached on a Schindling error which allowed shortstop Luis Nunez to score to tie it at three. But that was all they would get as the threat ended when left fielder Andres Perez grounded out to shortstop Tyler Henson.
Two innings later, Perez would come up in a similar situation with runners on the corners and two outs. This time, he tested Henson with a drive up the middle but the Aberdeen shortstop made a diving stab and flipped to second which prevented the Bombers from going ahead.
Defense was on display in this game as both Henson and S.I. third baseman Brian Chavez turned in crowd pleasing web gems. A few innings prior, Chavez robbed ex-major league outfielder Bubba Trammell of a sure two-bagger by diving to his right and then getting up and throwing a bullet to just get him.
“The defense in the game. It was film at 11 defense. [Henson] saved the game for them. Really. Two times. But Chavez made two great plays. Nunez made two good plays coming in on the run. He made that backhand flip going to his left. Early in the game [Justin Snyder] made two good plays. The first baseman [Chris Raber] made a nice pick on a ball in the dirt,” Gillespie pointed out.
“Yeah. For a game that was 4-3 and had hardly any hitting in it, if you’re a baseball fan, I would think you’d enjoy it because in fact the defense was lights out. The only thing that makes it a little negative is we didn’t win.”
Part of the reason they didn’t prevail was the combo of Schindling and eventual winning pitcher Joe Esposito (1-0) were able to keep them at bay. Though they threatened in the seventh and eighth, the relievers were able to get out of it.
When Esposito came on in the eighth, after allowing a leadoff opposite field single to Raber, he buckled down. After a successful D.J. Hollingsworth sac, Esposito fanned Chavez and pinch hitter Austin Krum on a couple of nasty breaking pitches to get out of it.
Bartleski wouldn’t be as fortunate in his third inning of work in the deciding ninth. He allowed a leadoff double to Henson and then Widlansky followed with the biggest hit of the night- a run-scoring single to right which gave the Birds back the lead for good.
In his second inning of work, Esposito retired the Bombers in order, ending it in style by freezing Staten Island DH Damon Sublett on another wicked curve which got the outside corner.
“It came down to the end there,” Aberdeen catcher Brian Bent said. “We got new guys to our team. They came in and threw strikes and got the job done. Worked hard. All night.”
Notes: Despite striking out the only five Ironbirds all night in 2.2 innings, Bartleski took the loss to drop to 1-1 on the season. … Hollingsworth paced the Baby Bombers with two hits in three plate appearances. … Despite seven total runs, the teams combined for only 10 hits. Part of the reason for that many runs were the number of walks (S.I.-10 Abe-3), wild pitches (S.I.-1 Abe-3) and hit batsmen (Abe-3). Due to that, the game took three hours and eight minutes to play. … As part of Friday night, fireworks were on display for fans to see after the game. … Staten Island looks to even the series later tonight (7 PM) at St. George.
Wed 20 Jun 2007
STATEN ISLAND, NY- It was a great night for baseball in St. George. With a second consecutive banner raised before the opening pitch, the Baby Bombers came out and delivered on the field by posting a come from behind 6-3 victory over their archrival Verrazano rivals the Brooklyn Cyclones.
A night after dropping the season opener 5-1 at Keyspan Park, it was first-year skipper Mike Gillespie’s ballclub who returned the favor to setup a rubber game later tonight at Coney Island.
But what made this season’s first victory so special was the combination of the rivalry and overwhelming support Staten Island got from a packed house. Something that wasn’t common in recent seasons despite on-field success.
“It’s thrilling. It’s great. Look around,” beamed GM Jane Rogers.
Under the brand new Mandalay Sports management, the Baby Bombers are hoping to change people’s minds by offering more bang for your buck. Hence. The ever popular five-game Pinstripe Plans. For $75, you get great seats along with all the hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken sandwiches you want plus soda. The response on night one was overwhelming with many happy faces.
“I’m partly responsible,” Rogers said after being personally thanked by a fan. “Especially the New York Yankees and Mandalay Sports. Their hard work and I believe we’ve come through. We’ve pulled it off without a hitch and everybody loves it.”
Fans who purchased these plans not only are being taken care of at the ballpark but also have become a integral part of the Yankee family with a special gift plus a future meeting at Yankee Stadium with GM Brian Cashman. Toss in an Old-Timer’s Day which is coming to Richmond County Bank Ballpark this summer and you have a winner.
“I think it’s great. To be able to eat, drink and have a good time at the game. It’s a great idea,” one fan boasted. “Absolutely. Have more promotions and you’ll get more people to the games.
With more support in the stands making for a terrific atmosphere, some Baby Bombers took notice.
“This is actually my second season with the Yankees and last season, it was a lot different,” pointed out shortstop Luis Nunez. “A lot of fans. A lot of loyal people. They really like us and they want us to win. So it seems like it’s going to be a fun season.”
It wasn’t lost either on second-year closer Nick Peterson either after closing out the Cyclones in the ninth for his first save.
“This was exciting. Especially the first game,” he said. “New York fans are the best fans. They enjoy the game. They know the game and it’s a pleasure playing in front of them.”
“The fans really came out and supported us. … It was a blast. It’s been a while. It was a lot of fun getting out there and playing in front of people in an atmosphere,” noted catcher Brandon Ketron.
He also understood the importance of getting that first ‘W.’
“It’s key. It’s nice to go ahead and get it out of the way so that everybody can kind of go out and just play now.”
The rivalry against Brooklyn also helped.
“I’ve never really played in a rivalry that I think is going to be this competitive. In high school here and there. But with 8,500 fans and the teams not liking each other, it should make for a fun season,” Nunez added.
Most importantly though, it was a successful night all around the ballpark. Something which wasn’t lost on Rogers.
“Everybody is happy. And that’s what we want. Happy fans. They’ll be back.”
Wed 20 Jun 2007
STATEN ISLAND, NY- A four-run fifth inning helped make for a successful home opener for the Baby Bombers. Before an energized sellout crowd, Staten Island (1-1) cameback from 3-1 down to defeat their Verrazano rivals the Cyclones 6-3 Wednesday night at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.
With the 2006 New York-Penn League championship banner flying above the field, they were able to bounceback against Brooklyn after falling 5-1 the night before at Coney Island.
“Yesterday was a big crowd, first game. A lot of jitters and stuff. So I think the nerves and the excitement kind of got the best of us,” shortstop Luis Nunez pointed out after being right in the middle of things with two hits and two runs scored.
“Coming out here, getting down by a couple of runs. We battled back and it shows good character for early in the season.”
After being held in check by Brooklyn starter Nicholas Waechter (0-1) early on, Nunez got the comeback started by leading off the fourth with a single and coming around to score on a David Williams’ sacrifice fly which cut the deficit to 3-2.
That seemed to get the Staten Island bats going. They would finally get to Waechter in the pivotal fifth by putting two of the first three on before he gave way to reliever David Koons. Nunez greeted him with a short single to right which loaded the bases. Second baseman Damon Sublett followed up with almost an identical single which tied the game up.
Left fielder Andres Perez’ RBI fielder’s choice gave the Yanks their first lead since the opening frame when Sublett plated D.J. Hollingsworth with a deep drive to center on which the Cyclones’ Raul Reyes robbed him of an extra base hit with a running over the basket Willie Mays’ catch.
Before the inning was out, they tacked on two more insurance runs on a Chris Raber basehit to center and Perez came around to score when Williams reached on a Jeffery Voyles error.
“It all starts with quality at bats,” Nunez added. “Seeing good pitches. That’s what our hitting coach [Ty Hawkins] really stresses. We got a good enough team to where if we see good pitches, we’re going to put good swings on it and hopefully have a lot of those type of innings.”
After being staked to a one-run lead, Brooklyn native Dellin Betances had a rough second. He loaded the bases with one out but couldn’t get away unscathed. After getting Matt Bouchard on a 5-2 force, the former 2006 eighth round selection lost Ender Chavez on a walk which tied it. Will Vogl then followed with a two-run single to put the Cyclones ahead. Betances would finally get out of it when he fanned Reyes. He settled down to toss a scoreless third and fourth before giving way to the bullpen.
“Nobody panicked. We just kind of stayed calm and put some at bats together. Put one big inning together and got great pitching. Hitting spots and throwing pitches. They really did a good job for us,” catcher Brandon Ketron said.
Reliever Philip Bartleski worked a perfect fifth to pickup his first win. When the Baby Bombers surged ahead, new skipper Mike Gillespie went to Craig Heyer to help slam the door. The 21 year-old Scottsdale Arizona native was brilliant, going three solid innings permitting just one hit while fanning three.
“The key was throwing strikes and it was quality strikes. They were using all their pitches so the guys couldn’t sit on one pitch. … We kept them off balance and our defense was making good plays behind us too,” Ketron noted.
“It was critical,” Gillespie expressed about his pen’s near flawless performance. “I really think that Bartleski, Heyer and [Peterson] all did a great job. We’re really pleased by that.”
Returning Baby Bomber Nick Peterson worked around a one out walk by inducing a game ending 5-4-3 twin killing to notch his first save.
“It was good to get back out there and close a game,” Peterson said. “This was exciting. Especially the first game. A lot of these guys, it was their first time here. They were pumped. They were thrilled.”
And so were many happy Baby Bomber supporters who went home with plenty to smile about.
Wed 20 Jun 2007
Last summer, we got to see Mitch Hilligoss firsthand and knew he had a future. After a solid rookie season in Staten Island in which he helped the Baby Bombers repeat as NY-Penn League champs, the recently turned 22 year-old third baseman has continued to excel with Single A Charleston this season.
Recently, the former Purdue All Big Ten standout was honored by the Riverdogs for his South Atlantic League record 38-game hitting streak. The streak began on April 18 and concluded on June 3. Last Saturday before a home game against Augusta, he was presented with a commemorative plaque from Charleston skipper Torre Tyson, general manager Dave Echols and assistant GM Jim Pfander.
Hilligoss was also given the record-tying and breaking game balls (35, 36, 37 and 38) during the ceremony with plenty of support from a crowd which gave him a nice reception. What else would you expect?
Last night, the third baseman who hit .313 with two home runs, 27 RBI’s, 19 doubles, two triples along with a club high 85 hits and 13 steals in the first half took part in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.
So how did he do? How else? By taking home the MVP trophy even though the South fell 3-1 to the North. In a losing effort, he finished with three hits, an RBI single, steal and defensive gem which started a double play. It’s worth noting that during last year’s Penn-League AS Game, the third baseman shared Most Outstanding Player honors with teammate Nick Peterson. Not a bad track record for the former 2006 sixth round selection!
As usual, last night’s MVP was modest afterwards in an article featured on milb.com:
“It’s a real honor. There were a lot of great players in this game. … We played well, we just didn’t win. That’s the only thing detracting from this.”
To read the entire article, go here:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070619&content_id=262320&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp
Congratulations to Mitch on this honor and best wishes for continued success in his pro career!
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