Purcey makes bid for no-hitter in first Las Vegas start
David Purcey took a no-hitter into the seventh inning Sunday in his first start since being demoted from the Toronto Blue Jays but finished with a no-decision in a 4-2 loss for the Las Vegas 51s.
Purcey, left, a 2004 first-round pick optioned to Las Vegas on Friday after a disappointing five-start stint in the Toronto rotation, had a 2-0 lead over the Salt Lake Bees going into the seventh at Cashman Field. He walked Reggie Willits and Freddy Sandoval to lead off the inning and then gave up a single to designated hitter Chris Pettit to end the no-hitter and shutout.
“I was mixing up my pitches better than I have and just need … to practice my consistency in getting my pitches over (the plate),” Purcey said.
Exactly half of Purcey’s pitches were out of the strike zone (52 balls in 104 pitches) and he walked five batters while striking out six.
“I still feel I wasn’t in the zone as much as I wanted to be with all my pitches, five walks is not what we’re going for,” he said.
Catcher Kyle Phillips said Purcey was “effectively wild” and “pounded the zone when he needed to, got a couple of double-play groundballs when he needed to.”
Purcey did have three double plays turned behind him to help him out of jams in his six no-hit innings, but he couldn’t manage to induce one in the seventh.
On the RBI single by Pettit, third baseman Scott Campbell made an astounding play for the first out of the inning, cutting off the throw between third base and home and racing to the bag for a diving tag of Sandoval. Purcey then left after 6 1/3 innings.
T.J. Beam relieved and allowed Pettit to score – a run that was charged to Purcey – to tie the game at 2, and he proceeded to give up two runs of his own making. Beam (1-2) took the loss, evening the bullpen’s overall record at 5-5 and keeping alive the starting rotation’s streak without a victory. Only one 51s starting pitcher has won a game this season, an April 15 victory in Salt Lake by Wade Miller, giving them a 1-12 overall record.
“Our starters need to go a little deeper in games, their pitch counts are getting up early in the games, and we need to score some more runs,” 51s manager Mike Basso said.
Bees starter Dan Denham walked five hitters and gave up six hits, but managed to keep the score close, allowing only two runs on a double by Angel Sanchez in the fourth.
NOTES: With the loss, the Bees took the series three games to one, winning the last three games in a row after the 51s took the opener in extra innings. … Phillips, the backup catcher, went 4-for-4 with all singles, giving him five straight plate appearances with a hit, a team-high for this season. Phillips got the start to give J.P. Arencibia a breather in the day game following a night game.
Mass exodus in 51s’ pitching rotation
The major news at the ballpark yesterday wasn’t the 51s losing due to a barrage of defensive miscues — that’s become the norm. The Blue Jays’ top pitching prospect, starter Brett Cecil, was called up to Toronto from Las Vegas as part of a six-pitcher swap between the two clubs.
The other players headed north of the border are Robert Ray, making his second trip to Toronto this season, and veteran bullpen arm Brian Wolfe.
Cecil, who was drafted with a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds of the 2007 draft, was rated the Blue Jays’ No. 3 prospect overall and the top minor-league pitcher by Baseball America before the season. However, he had not impressed with Las Vegas in 2009, sporting an 0-3 record with an 8.31 ERA and only nine strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings.
Ray started just one game for the 51s, pitching 4 1/3 shutout innings, in between a stint on the DL and his week-long call-up to the Blue Jays. He started for the Jays on Saturday and pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits and garnering a no-decision in an extra-innings Toronto victory.
Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi admitted that the moves were probably premature. “(Cecil and Ray are) probably not ready. We just hope they give us a chance to win. We’re just trying to hold the fort,” Ricciardi told the Toronto Globe and Mail.
Cecil is expected to make his major-league debut Tuesday against the Cleveland Indians. He and Ray should make two starts apiece while they’re in the majors, long enough for Ricky Romero and Casey Janssen to recover from their injuries and return to the rotation, according to The National Post.
Meanwhile, another early-round draft pick who has had a rough start to the season will be plying his trade with the 51s. David Purcey, the Blue Jays’ first-round pick in 2004, will join the 51s’ rotation after underperforming with Toronto. He has an 0-2 record with a 7.01 ERA in five starts this year, despite striking out a batter an inning. His control has hurt him — he has also walked 18 batters in 18 2/3 innings — and he is allowing batters to hit .283 against him. However, Purcey was a AAA All-Star last season with Syracuse and had been unlucky in Toronto with a .343 BABIP (batting average on balls in play), higher than the league average.
Joining Purcey with the 51s are Brian Burres and Bryan Bullington, who were called up just a week ago to occupy spaces created by injury. Bullington shined with the 51s out of the bullpen but was used sparingly by the Blue Jays, while Burres had an 0-2 record and 6.97 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance in Las Vegas.
Overall, this could make the 51s a bit stronger in the rotation, as Purcey has solid AAA experience and will be looking to prove himself and Bullington and Burres are experienced major-league arms.
Keep an eye out for Cecil on Tuesday to see how the 51s alum does in The Show, as it probably won’t be that long before he is back in the Valley.
Comedy of errors continues
The 51s’ defensive woes continued Friday night, as two errors and some other misplays led to six unearned runs in the third inning in a 9-8 loss against the Salt Lake Bees.
Starter Dirk Hayhurst had one of the two errors in the inning when the ball slipped out of his hand as he tried to field a bunt. He allowed seven runs in the inning and two more in the next frame as the Bees took a commanding 9-3 lead.
The 51s, as has been their habit, stormed back from the big deficit late in the game, but could only manage to make it close, ending with a 9-8 defeat. Home runs by Jason Lane, his first of the season, and Randy Ruiz, his team-leading sixth, contributed to the comeback. Other offensive stars included Buck Coats, Howie Clark and Aaron Mathews, who had three hits apiece, and Angel Sanchez, who had two hits and two RBI.
Come for the T-shirt, stay for the game
The first 2,500 fans through the gates at Cashman Field tonight will receive a free Las Vegas 51s T-shirt, a gift that could keep on giving. If you wear the T-shirt to any Tuesday night home game this season, you can buy general admission tickets for just $5 as part of the Blue Jays Tuesdays promotion (Blue Jays gear or a hockey jersey will get you the same deal).
If you do make it to the game tonight, here are some players to watch out for:
LAS VEGAS
Randy Ruiz, 1B/DH – The 51s’ big bopper always seems to make this list, but keep a special eye on him tonight, as he has a 12-game hitting streak and is going for the unlucky No. 13. He didn’t come through last night until his solo home run in the ninth inning.
Brad Mills, P – Mills, the No. 2 pitching prospect in the Blue Jays organization according to Baseball America, has thrown the most innings of any 51s starter this season but has yet to get a win. That’s not a huge surprise, however, as only one 51s starter has a win this year, Wade Miller. Maybe Mills can join that club tonight.
Howie Clark, 2B — 51s Today had a good chat with Clark after his big home run Thursday night, and he feels his offense is right where it needs to be. He showed it again last night with a 3-for-5 night at the plate.
SALT LAKE
Mike McDonald, P — MacDonald hasn’t pitched too well this year, with an ERA of 6.35, but he has wins in his last two starts and may be familiar with some of the 51s because he was a Blue Jays farmhand from 2004-08.
Chris
Pettit, OF — The hits just keep on coming for this pesky hitter, as he
is 5-for-9 in the series so far after rolling into Las Vegas on a
16-for-27 tear. He is now batting .429 overall, tops in the PCL.
Bobby Wilson, C — Wilson, who caught last night and played first base in the first game of the series, made his presence known at the plate in the Bees’ win on Friday, going 3-for-5 with 2 RBI and a run scored.
The 51 lessons of April
In honor of Count von Count (1) and Pat Forde’s (2) Forde Minutes column, 51s Today presents the first “51 Things” column, outlining the 51 players, plays, thoughts and occurrences stemming from the first month we’ve spent with the Las Vegas nine. Feel free to count along in the Count’s signature voice …
THE RON MONTGOMERY MEMORIAL REPORT CARD (3)
In honor of the reporter’s sixth-grade teacher, who gave him a low conduct grade for not saying “sir” enough
OFFENSE (4) – In the thin air of Las Vegas, the 51s have been a powerful team in the past, counting on balls flying over the fences for wins. This year seems to be different, with two powerful sluggers – Randy Ruiz (5) and Brett Harper (6) – surrounded by a bunch of mighty mites. With fewer home runs comes a greater need for good situational hitting, but players have proved woeful in that regard, stranding runners at third with no outs in crucial situations three times in their opening eight-game homestand and showing little propensity to bunt or move a runner over. They are averaging 4.75 runs a game, compared with 5.9 last year, when they led the league with a .301 team batting average. This year’s team has a .266 batting average and a truly anemic .398 slugging percentage, leading to a less exciting product.
GRADE: D
PITCHING (7) – There really has to be two grades here, as the starting rotation and bullpen have been chugging down different tracks. The 51s have already used eight starters in one month of action, and they have combined to go 1-10 – Eight starters, 20 games, exactly one win. However, the bullpen has been one of the few examples of great baseball in the 51s’ dark April. A 5-4 overall record with a misleading 4.22 ERA due to a brief stay by Chris Michalek (8), a journeyman who gave up seven runs in 2/3 of an inning before heading down to AA. Brian Bullington (9) was superb before he went to Toronto; Jonah Bayliss (10) and Brian Wolfe (11) have been stellar setup men for lights-out closer Jeremy Accardo (12). That quartet has pitched 47 2/3 innings out of the 51s’ bullpen and given up only seven runs, a measly 1.32 ERA.
GRADE: Starters, D; Relievers, A-
DEFENSE (13) – Maybe we’re being a little rough on the starters. After all, they’ve had to try to win with the 51s defense behind them.
Here is just a little of the carnage:
- The 51s had at least one error in their first 12 games of the season and have committed an error in 16 of their 20 games so far
- Catcher J.P. Arencibia (14), the Blue Jays’ top minor-league prospect according to Baseball America, has thrown out only one of 28 attempted base stealers in 2009 while committing four errors.
- On April 15 against the Salt Lake Bees, the 51s committed a ******** six errors, one short of the franchise record that has stood for 24 years.
GRADE: F-
COACHING (15) – Let’s see, how else to judge coach Mike Basso (16) and his staff besides the team’s offense, pitching and defense? Well, how about the development of top prospects, since AAA baseball exists for just that purpose. The 51s’ top three prospects are Arencibia and pitchers Brett Cecil (17) and Brad Mills (18), who have all been just short of horrible thus far. Besides Arencibia’s defensive lapses listed above, he is hitting under .230 and is yet to smack a home run, despite hitting 27 combined in A and AA ball last year. Neither Cecil nor Mills have won a game this year and have a combined 6.34 ERA. At least they have nowhere to go but up for the rest of the season, as does the coaching grade.
GRADE: D
OVERALL – D seemed to be the most common grade there, didn’t it?
GRADE: D
THE SID BREAM AWARD (19) FOR BEST GAME
In honor of baseball’s most famous slide.
With all apologies to the classic home opener, the April 20 6-5 win against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox will be hard to top.
- With the score tied 4-4 in the ninth, Aaron Mathews (20) led off for the 51s with a booming triple to left-center, putting the winning run on third with no outs. Three batters then failed to get the run home, sending most of the fans home, shaking their heads at the inexcusable lack of clutch hitting.
- After the Sky Sox recorded their fourth RBI groundout of the night in the top of the tenth for a 5-4 lead (yup, four of their five runs to this point came home on groundouts), the 51s were down to their last strike with an 0-2 count and two outs. Three consecutive singles later, the game was tied again, with Jason Lane (21) bringing home the big run.
- After ten innings, the 51s had not recorded an error, despite flubbing at least one play in their first ten games. Then, the floodgates opened. After a leadoff single, consecutive batters laid down bunts; the third baseman couldn’t handle the first one and pitcher T.J. Beam (22) threw the ball away on the second one, two straight errors that brought in the potential winning run and sent more fans home shaking their heads.
- With spirits flagging in the dugout and among the few fans remaining, the Sky Sox pay back the 51s with an error of their own to lead of the inning, with first baseman Daniel Ortmeier’s (23) gaffe putting Scott Campbell (24) on first. After a bunt, Russ Adams (25) lined a double to center to tie the game. With a runner on second and one out, the Sky Sox decided to intentionally walk Buck Coats (26) to get to the 51s’ best hitter, Ruiz. When Ruiz’s single landed in front of the Sky Sox right fielder, the team came streaming out of the dugout and the few fans remaining went home, still shaking their heads, but in a much happier fashion.
THE JIM EDMONDS AWARD (27) FOR BEST DEFENSIVE PLAY
In honor of the man who could make any routine play into a diving stop by getting a bad jump
Here’s where the home opener receives its warranted attention. Clinging to a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning on Opening Day, 51s closer Accardo had to face one of the top hitters in the Pacific Coast League, Sky Sox outfielder Matt Murton (28), with runners at the corners and two outs. Murton hit a screaming line drive to right field, but Lane got a good jump and leapt at the very last moment to secure the game-winning out (29). This reporter couldn’t help but commit the cardinal sin of the press box, letting out a loud cheer. 51s Today apologizes again to media-relations guru Jim Gemma for that momentary lapse of decorum …
THE JOHN KRUK AWARD (30) FOR BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER(S)
In honor of the 51s’ original all-hit, no-field gigantic first baseman
Ruiz and Harper (31) - This is a tie because these two guys are basically mirror images of each other: Gigantic righty and lefty sluggers who will occupy the 1B and DH slots for the 51s as long as they remain in the minors this season. Ruiz, who usually bats No. 3 in the order, is hitting .317/.360/.585, and leads the team with five home runs and 22 RBI. Harper, who usually hits cleanup unless a lefthander is on the mound, leads the team in batting average and has a .333/.375/.554 line through the season’s first month. Combined, they have knocked in 39 of the team’s 95 runs this season and hit nine of the team’s 13 home runs. It’s hard to determine if these guys are superb baseball
players or just look like it compared with the rest of the team, but without a doubt they’re the best hitters in Las Vegas this season.
THE JOHN LINDSAY AWARDS (32) FOR FAN FAVORITES
In honor of the only two-time Mayor’s Award recipient in 51s history.
Best promotions - Blue Jays Tuesdays (33) will celebrate the 51s affiliation with the Toronto franchise, which began this year after the franchise spent eight years as the AAA club for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Any fan in Blue Jays or 51s gear or just a hockey jersey can buy general admission tickets for just $5 at any Tuesday game. Pair this promotion with either 51s T-Shirt Night (34) on May 2 and July 17 and you can get in cheap on Tuesdays without buying any gear. Fans of local politics can turn out on July 18 for Oscar Goodman Bobblehead Night (35). No word yet on the design for the collectible featuring Las Vegas’ celebrity mayor, but we hope it will have him in full regalia with showgirls on either side. Other worthy giveaways include 51s Bat Night (36) on June 19, Cosmo Bobblehead Night (37) on Aug. 21 and eleven fireworks nights (38) sprinkled throughout the schedule. And the ever popular Dollar Beer Nights (39) return every Thursday, offering one of the cheapest ways to get drunk in Sin City.
New attractions - Cashman Field (40) is one of the oldest ballparks in the PCL, but you’ll notice a couple of improvements this year. For the younger fans, the new Kids Zone (41), behind the bleachers on the first-base side, offers a bounce house, basketball hoop and other distractions attractions. For their parents and other adults, the SkyyBar (42) is right next door, offering libations and a good view of the game from on high.
Best games – Rivalries aren’t common in AAA baseball, but the 51s could have two brewing this year. When the Dodgers packed up their things and left town, they headed south to Albuquerque (43), from whence they came eight-and-a-half years prior. Now the Isotopes and 51s could strike up a mutual dislike to mirror the UNLV-UNM rivalry.
But the biggest games this year will likely be July 1-3 and Aug. 26-30, when the brand-new Reno Aces (44) are in town. “There’s obviously a Reno-Vegas rivalry, and that’s something people are going to grab onto,” Las Vegas 51s president and general manager Don Logan (45) told 51s Today before the season. The club is planning fireworks spectaculars on July 2 and 3 for Independence Day weekend, but the real fireworks could be on the field as the new geographic rivals meet up at Cashman for the first time.
THE DAVID ORTIZ-SHREK AWARDS (46) FOR LOOK-ALIKES
In honor of the only look-alike that could match Big Papi’s gigantic head.
Randy Ruiz - Sean May (47)
Davis Romero - Phil Ivey (48)
Dirk Hayhurst - Earthworm Jim (49)
Brett Harper – The Big Show (50)
THE GRANTLAND RICE AWARD FOR BEST VIEW FROM THE PRESS BOX
In honor of one of the finest sports writers ever to nickname a player.
The insider view of the first month of the season has included some unique sights and sounds, including three wedding proposals in the first eight games leading to a proposal of a ban; the repeat appearance of 2008 Penthouse Pet of the Year Erica Ellyson, who is really a wonderful person to spend a game with and knows her baseball to boot; and a first-pitch honoree being escorted from the stadium.
But the best sight so far this year – by far – was the longtime public-address announcer, known to fans as The Captain (51), following through on a bet with the crew and dancing on his desk to “Brickhouse,” which amused the audience but almost killed some weak-hearted press-box denizens, who were all treated to a front-row ticket. Thanks, Dan, you made our month.
That’s one month down on our four-month journey through the Las Vegas 51s schedule. Please check back with 51s Today for more news and updates throughout the season, or we’ll send Cosmo to your house with an ax. We’re in good with him now.
Thrilling finish gives 51s a needed victory
The 51s haven’t won many games yet this year, but they’re making their victories memorable.
For the fifth time in 2009, Las Vegas came from behind to win Thursday night, with J.P Arencibia‘s walkoff RBI double in the 11th inning giving the team a 4-3 triumph over the Salt Lake Bees.
“We definitely do play until the final out,” said second baseman Howie Clark, who tied the game at 3 with a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. “It’s nice that we’ve shown character and been able to come back.”
Through the first seven-and-a-half innings, pitching ruled the day, with Bees starter Brad Knox pitching seven innings of shutout baseball, helped out by the 51s hitting into four double plays.
“(Knox) was mixing pitches and hitting corners and he did a great job. He got groundballs when he needed them,” Clark said.
The 51s’ newest addition kept them in the game while Knox was shutting down Las Vegas. Fabio Castro, called up Wednesday from AA, started for the 51s and threw 5 1/3 solid innings, holding the Bees to three runs on five hits and three walk while striking out five.
“My command of my pitches today wasn’t very good, but I did OK and hopefully I will get better,” Castro said after the game.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Clark – The 51s played like they didn’t want to score for the first seven innings, hitting into double plays at every opportunity. With runners on first and second and one out in the eighth, Clark stood in against Kevin Jepsen with the chance to hit into another double play and pretty much end the game.
Jepsen, who started the season in the big leagues with the Angels, was throwing as hard as 98 MPH and showcasing a wicked breaking ball. Clark was looking for the heat.
“(Jepsen) struck out (Angel) Sanchez with a good curveball and I think his plan was to get ahead with the fastball and get to that breaking ball because it was really nasty. He just threw one that was hittable, and he supplied the power,” Clark said.
SCOUTING REPORT
Castro will likely stick in the 51s rotation thanks to his success in AA and his start tonight. He relies on locating his fastball, which was clocked from 89 to 92 MPH on Thursday night. He did a good job of moving it both in and out and up and down and mixing in his changeup to keep hitters off-balance. He used his curveball more in the fourth and fifth innings; the breaking pitch is much slower than his changeup, clocked mostly in the mid-70s without much break. He told 51s Today that he’ll use the breaking ball more in the future, when he feels better about his command than he did tonight.
Castro was traded to the Blue Jays last year by the Phillies for OF/1B Matt Stairs, who proved very useful to Philadelphia on their run to the World Series. He was 2-0 with 0.83 ERA in four starts with AA New Hampshire so far this season, with 24 strikeouts and only three walks in 21 1/3 innings.
NOTES: 51s Today caught up with two injured players after the game. Russ Adams, who was used as a pinch runner for the third straight game Thursday, said he hopes to be able to bat and play the field by the end of this four-game series. Joe Inglett, however, said he has had a setback with his injured hamstring and won’t play until the next road trip, if then. … Randy Ruiz singled in the bottom of the first, extending his batting streak to 11. … Pitcher Dirk Hayhurst spent most of the game on the radio, sparring with Russ Langer on the broadcast.
Off the road again
While 51s Today was taking a sidetrip to New York, the 51s were burying themselves in a last-place hole. Apparently, Randy Ruiz and company should have been sneaking into the NFL Draft with this reporter, above, instead of swimming in the River Cats’ stream.
Most teams perform better at home than on the road, but after a four-game sweep in Sacramento, the 51s are looking downright agoraphobic. Las Vegas now has a 1-10 road record, with their only win coming in a seven-inning affair that capped a doubleheader at Salt Lake City.
At home, the Blue Jays’ boys have a 4-4 record from their only homestand of the year so far, giving them a PCL-worst 5-14 record overall. In a league that has 16 teams, that is truly a dubious distinction.
But, for the optimistic fans out there, there are bright spots. Three of the 51s’ four losses in Sacramento were by one run, including a 13-inning affair that ended in a 2-1 win for the River Cats. The starting rotation seemed to improve, with Brett Cecil giving them a quality start (6 IP, 3 R, 4 hits, 5 Ks) and Brad Mills cruising into the sixth inning on Monday with only one run scored before giving up two more and taking the loss.
The problem seems to be the offense and pitching being unable to produce in the same games. The four-game set had scores of 9-8, 2-1, 7-4 and 3-2. In the games the pitchers stepped up, the offense sat down; when the hitters found their groove, the pitchers were grooving fastballs right down the middle for the River Cats.
So the talent to win games is obviously there if the team can just put it together. This is why every player 51s Today speaks with takes time to point out how much talent there is on the club and predicts that they will win eventually.
Hopefully, “eventually” begins tonight.
A couple of notes: Tonight is the second Dollar Beer Night of the year, so get out to the ballpark and down some cold ones, but please remember to have a designated driver so our trusty, sober 51s Today writer doesn’t die on his way home. And the title of this post is an obvious rip-off of a famous Willie Nelson tune for a reason: Cashman Field will be hosting a concert this summer featuring the Red-Headed Stranger, along with Bob Dylan and John Mellencamp. Obviously, Bob Dylan is the headliner, but this reporter is more excited about hearing Nelson’s rendition of “Blue Skies” under the stars in Las Vegas. Tickets are less than $70 for the Aug. 12 show and go on sale May 30th; check out the press release here.
There should be a long feature on what we’ve learned as the first month of the season comes to a close posted tonight or tomorrow, but in the meantime, here are some players to watch tonight in the first game of a four-game set against the Salt Lake Bees.
LAS VEGAS (5-14, fourth place in PCL Pacific South)
Brett Harper, 1B/DH — The mountainous slugger had the best road trip on the team, going 6-for-18 with a home run and 2 RBI in the four games. If the 51s manage to get more runners on base for him, his hot bat could do some more damage.
Randy Ruiz, 1B/DH — Ruiz did not manage a home run in Sacramento, but still drove in three runs with a 5-for-18 performance that included at least one hit in each game, giving him a 10-game hitting streak.
Jonah Bayliss, P — No word yet on who will start tonight for the 51s, as normal starter Dirk Hayhurst has apparently been sent to the bullpen. But no matter who starts, Bayliss has been the pitching star for the 51s this year: he has yet to give up an earned run in seven appearances spanning 14 innings. The hard-throwing right-hander has allowed only six hits in six walks while striking out a healthy 18 batters, giving him the kind of stats that make general managers drool. Get a good look at him before he’s spittin’ seeds in the Toronto ‘pen.
SALT LAKE (13-6, tied for first in PCL Pacific North)
Brad Knox, P — The right-handed starter controlled the 51s in his first start against them, giving up two runs in five innings during a start in Utah on April 15. But that is the 26-year-old’s only win so far this season, and he was brutalized in his last journey to the mound, giving up six runs in three innings against Tacoma on Friday. The former Oakland Athletics prospect had a darn good winter, however, leading the Tigres de Aragua to the Carribean World Series title.
Chris Pettit, OF — Cashman Field may be a couple degrees hotter than the rest of Vegas once this guy takes the field. In his last seven games, the 2006 draftee is 16-for-27 with a home run, eight RBI and seven runs scored. He also looks amazingly like former MLB second baseman Bret Boone, without the steroids.
Sean Rodriquez, 2B — With Brandon Wood swinging his powerful bat in Anaheim, Rodriguez is the guy to watch out for if the wind is blowing out tonight. He leads the Bees with six home runs and 19 RBI, despite a batting average of just .231.
Brian and Bryan take flight
Two of the 51s’ most impressive pitchers so far in this young season are on their way to Toronto to join the Blue Jays.
Bryan Bullington — who had two stellar outings during this homestand, including a win in the home opener — will take a spot in the bullpen that opened up when Blue Jays closer B.J. Ryan was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday night. Ryan has tightness in his right trapezius, according to mlb.com, and left hander Scott Downs will now be the primary closer. Bullington, who is 1-1 with a 1.86 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, will be a middle reliever for the big club.
Friday’s projected starter for the 51s, Brian Burres, is also expected to get the call, according to mlb.com. The former Baltimore Oriole was 0-2 with a 6.97 ERA in three starts for the 51s, but pitched well on Sunday against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, giving up only two runs in six innings while taking the loss. He may replace Ricky Romero, the former first-round pick who was finally living up to his potential in the Blue Jays rotation until he strained an oblique muscle in his last start against Oakland. Romero’s place in the rotation comes up again Saturday, so the Blue Jays should make the move today or tomorrow morning.
Burres will be replaced on the mound to start tonight’s game by Adrian Martin, who has thrown only 3 2/3 innings since being called up from AA two weeks ago. Martin has not started a game this year, but did start 13 of the 20 games he appeared in for Class A Dunedin last season. While he gave up an atrocious .316 batting average to opposing batters last year, he closed strong, going 4-0 with a 2.94 ERA after the all-star break. So far with the 51s, he gave up three runs in 2/3 of an inning in Salt Lake City in his debut, but shut out Colorado Springs for three innings on Saturday.
Dollar Beer Night arrives!
Sorry for the lack of posts lately, 51s Today has been working on a big column capping off the first homestand and getting all of you ready for the rest of the season.
However, tonight is the first Dollar Beer Night of the season, so I know a lot of fans are gearing up for a trip to the ballpark. Here’s what to look for before you start seeing double.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Las Vegas
Brett Cecil, P — Cecil did not perform well in his Las Vegas debut, getting knocked out in the third inning in the worst loss of the homestand so far, a 9-4 defeat at the hands of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox on Saturday. But this is still the same pitcher who was ranked as the top pitching prospect in the Blue Jays’ system before the season, and he could come back tonight to prove it against the weak-hitting Fresno Grizzlies.
Howie Clark, 2B — Clark is batting under .200 for the year, but is turning it on right now. He led off last night’s game with a solo home run and is 3-for-8 in the series so far.
Randy Ruiz, 1B/DH — Ruiz seems to make this list for every game, but he continues to perform and deserve it. In the first two games of the current series, he is 3-for-6 with a home run and three RBI.
Fresno
Ryan Sadowski, P — The Fresno Grizzlies starter made an excellent season debut against Tacoma, giving up only one run and one hit in six inning of work, striking out seven on the way. However, he got the loss in that game and in his subsequent start, when he didn’t pitch as well. Sadowski appeared in 31 games for Fresno last year, eleven as a starter, and led the team with eight wins. This reporter can not respect him because he attended the University of Florida, but it will be interesting to see him start tonight.
Kevin Frandsen, INF — The former big-leaguer is 5-for-9 in the first two games of the series, although all are singles. He has batted second and third so far, so he could cause problems for the 51s by getting on base for the middle of the order.
Matt Downs, 2B — Downs only has two hits in nine at-bats so far in the series, but one of those was the biggest one by the Grizzles so far: A towering blast with the bases loaded against Dirk Hayhurst on Tuesday that put the Grizzlies ahead to stay.
The 51s are 3-3 so far in this eight-game homestand and 1-1 in the four-game series against the Grizzlies. Get out to the ballpark tonight or tomorow to get an eye on this year’s club and come back to 51s Today for a recap of the homestand and preview of the rest of the season ahead.
An end to the beginning
The 51s’ first home series of the season will end tonight. So far, the series has taught us that the myth of Cashman Field as a home for offensive fireworks isn’t based on reality: Sunday’s 3-1 loss was the second game of the series to feature a victor scoring just three runs.
Tonight’s finale was headed for another pitching duel until Rockies’ 2007 postseason hero Franklin Morales was called back up to the big club Monday. Now, 51s ace Wade Miller, the former Astros fireballer, will face an as-yet-determined opponent, most likely a collection of Colorado Springs Sky Sox bullpen arms.
Check back tonight or tomorrow for a recap of this series, the lessons it has taught observers and a preview of the next series, a four-game set against the only team in the Pacific Coast League with a worse record than Las Vegas, the Fresno Grizzlies.
If you’re going to tonight’s game, here are some players to keep an eye on.
LAS VEGAS
Miller – From 2001 through 2002, Wade Miller had a won-loss record of 31-12 with an ERA below 3.50 for the Houston Astros. But arm troubles have left him unable to reach that peak again, so he will use his time with the 51s to prove he still has it in him. Miller’s fastball was always his best pitch, so watch his velocity, placement and movement on that pitch tonight to see if he is rounding back into form.
Angel Sanchez, SS — The 51s’ usual No. 9 hitter almost has his average up to .300 after going 1-for-2 with a double and a sacrifice bunt Sunday and reaching base three times on Saturday.
Aaron Mathews, OF — Nobody performed well offensively for the 51s on Sunday in their dreadful 3-1 defeat, but Mathews played some hard defense in leftfield, making one running catch in foul territory and dropping another only after running into the wall with a ton of force. He’s a gutsy outfielder who will get a lot of cheers from fans this year for his all-out play.
COLORADO SPRINGS
Carlos Gonzalez, OF — He has been on this list for every game in the series, and has shown why. While the 51s have scored only eight runs in the first three games of the series, Gonzalez has scored four and driven in five. He has also played a majestic centerfield, finally showing off his arm on Sunday with a long throw to third that didn’t result in an out but did get some “aaaahs” from the crowd.
Matt Murton, OF — His 2-for-3 day on Sunday put his average back up above .400.
Whoever starts for the Sky Sox — So far in the series, the 51s have scored just three earned runs off of Sky Sox starting piching in 19 innings. With today’s starter still TBD as of now, the 51s may not have a chance to get much of a scouting report on whoever does take the mound and could struggle.
Podcast with Brett Harper
51s Today reported after the home opener that this year’s team will only go as far as its two big sluggers, Randy Ruiz and Brett Harper, can take them. Well, Harper sat down with us Saturday to discuss this year’s 51s team, his memories of being on the field when the Minnesota Twins won the 1991 World Series and other interesting stuff.
Take a listen and if there are any players you want to hear a podcast with or questions you have for any player, leave them as a comment and I will make sure to accommodate.
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Preview: 51s vs. Sky Sox, April 19
In just more than an hour, the 51s will take the field for their first day game this year at Cashman Field. Making his Las Vegas debut will be Brian Burres, one of two 51s starters with extensive experience in the majors.
The 6’2″ lefty had a 13-18 won-loss record with the Baltimore Orioles in the last three season while swinging from the bullpen to the rotation and back. He has appeared in 79 major-league games, 39 of them starts, and has a career ERA of 5.88 and WHIP of 1.655.
According to scouting reports, he relies on a strong changeup to complement his high-80s fastball and decent curve to get batters out.
Burres has a good track record at AAA, pitching well in the International League in 2006, so he could put up a good performance today. Here are some other players to keep an eye on.
LAS VEGAS
Buck Coats, OF – One of only two 51s with multiple hits last night, Coats went 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored and had the crowd chanting his name before his double in the ninth inning. Of course, with a name like Buck Coats, how could they not?
Brett Harper, 1B/DH – The other player with multiple hits last night, Harper also got the start at 1B and made a strong throw in the first inning to nail Carlos Gonzalez trying to go from first to third on a hit-and-run groundout. Plus, he was nice enough to do a podcast with 51s Today, so have to show him some more love.
Jason Lane, OF – A great defensive play in the ninth inning Friday night, an RBI triple and run scored in the ninth inning Saturday night – 51s Today is just waiting for this guy to come to the plate in the ninth with a tie game.
COLORADO SPRINGS
Alan Johnson, P – The Sky Sox starter impressed in his first outing, giving up no runs and only two hits in six innings of work against Reno for the win. That win must have felt good after his 4-14 record last year in AA.
Dan Ortmeier, 1B – The first baseman and former San Francisco Giants prospect went 2-3 Saturday night with a double, single and walk and left the game in the seventh, leaving him nice and rested for today.
Carlos Gonzalez, OF – The most impressive player in the first two games, Gonzalez is 4-9 with a home run, four RBI and four runs scored so far in the series and has shown nice defensive skills.
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