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2009 June | myMLB - Reds

Archive for June, 2009

It seems like all the news has been about BRUCE lately:

SLAM Magazine has tracked down Bruce Manley, the bank employee/trick-shot artist who is basically Annie Oakley by way of Curly Neal, and who recently caught Shaq’s eye. The two plan to play H.O.R.S.E. soon. “TV people” are involved, naturally. SLAM

.

Thoughts?

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I wonder how nix’s serious fans feel - “

William & Mary is as old school as old school gets, so naturally their sports teams are little traditional/racist. They need a new mascot and it’s up to you to prevent (or ensure) that they become the Fightin’ Asparagus.

For years, sports teams at W&M were known as the Indians, and later the Tribe, which is actually fair because the first iteration of the school was destroyed by angry Native Americans. A mere 400 years later, in a fit of poetic justice, the NCAA declared such nicknames to be wrong, so the school is taking suggestions for a new giant-headed foam costume to rally all the troops around. (The Tribe nickname will actually stay, but the feathered Indian logo has to go.)

The best suggestion so far: Asparagus, because when you cover it with cheese it matches the school colors. It also makes your pee smell funny, which should help the swimming and diving teams tremendously. Other, less interesting suggestions include: a beech tree, jester, Spartan (taken!), a sad bumble bee, and the mythical Phoenix. I guess a swishy, inbred monarch and his boring wife just don’t inspire people anymore.

The deadline for submissions is tomorrow, which is also when athletic director Terry Driscoll will appear on First Take, presumably so Skip Bayless can yell at him about mascot enhancing headgear.

A Mascot for William & Mary W&M
William & Mary to change mascot…considering certain vegetable side dishes Steady Burn
Asparagus among nominations for William & Mary’s new mascot SI

what do you think?This will be shocking news for nix fans, but some of you who will say that you saw it coming from a long way away. I’m pretty surprised though. nix is sweet, I really hope this doesn’t affect the rest of the team.

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The Yankees just completed a season of dominance in New York, taking the season series from the Mets, 6-0. In that last game, Mariano Rivera trotted out of the bullpen in the eighth inning to nail down his 110th career save of more than three outs — and, oh by the way, the 500th save of his magnificent, Cooperstown-bound career.

So here’s the question … Trevor Hoffman is still the all-time saves leader. Rich Gossage and Rollie Fingers are already in the Hall for their work in what was a different era for closers. Bruce Sutter recently joined them, perhaps representing the first real one-inning closer, or at least the natural transition from Hoyt Wilhelm and the Goose to Dennis Eckersley and Lee Smith.

But Rivera has done it on the world’s biggest stage for his entire career — none of the others mentioned were one-team guys, much less New York guys. Rivera has done it int he post-season, arguably better than anyone else ever has (with a respectful nod to Luis Gonzalez, natch).

So there’s your question … Mariano Rivera … the greatest closer (career, not just one season or we’ll get lost in the minutiae of really-goods like John Hiller and remember-him?s like Bobby Thigpen)  in major league baseball history?

And if not him, who?

Note: Rivera is quite likely to remember this game as the day he got his first career RBI more than the day he nailed down his 500th save, hey?

I have always been a big fan of Bruce, I have to say, seeing news like this gives me mixed feelings.This will be shocking news for Bruce fans, but some of you who will say that you saw it coming from a mile away. I can’t say I’m all that surprised though. Bruce is spectacular, I really hope this doesn’t affect the rest of the team.

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I just can’t get enough of Gonzalez -

Dunedin won a doubleheader 3-1.  That is they won game one 3-1 and game two by the same score.  Every other affiliate lost.   Fabio Castro had another poor start as Toronto’s surplus of young pitchers shrinks again.  Mills, Castro, Cecil, and Purcey have each had their struggles this season.  This is common with young pitchers which is why the Jays say they are targetting 2010.  Dave Delucci had two more hits and is now 6-11 in his last three games, with four of those hits being of the extra base variety.

Sacramento 10  Las Vegas 5

Fabio Castro has cooled off from his hot start.  In this game he pitched into the fourth inning and gave up seven runs on ten hits.  The 51’s did pound out 12 hits but trailed 9-2 before scoring three late runs.  Buck Coats had three more hits to boost his average to .322, Dave Delucci and Kevin Howard had two hits each.

Portland 3  New Hampshire 1

Reidier Gonzalez was activated off the DL and gave up three runs over six innings.  Hew Hampshire’s only run came in the seventh when Brian Dopirak hit his eighteenth home run.  Each team had six hits in the contest.  David Cooper also came off the DL and he had two hits.  Edgar Estanga pitched three innings of hitless relief.

Charlotte 1  Dunedin 3 - game 1

This game was tied at one until the bottom of the sixth as both starting pitchers pitched well.  Vincent Bongiovanni started for Dunedin and gave up an unearned run on four hits in 5.2 innings.  In the bottom of the sixth Eric Thames singled and Kevin Ahrens walked.  With two outs Jon Jaspe doubled to bring in both runners and give Dunedin the 3-1 lead.  Zach Dials pitched a one hit seventh for the save.
 

Charlotte 1  Dunedin 3 - game 2

In game two Dunedin took a 2-0 lead in the fourth.  Matt Liuzza singled and came home on an Ahrens double.  Adam Loewen also doubled to bring home Ahrens.  In the top of the sixth starter Ryan Page gave up his only run which was unearned.  Moises Sierra homered in the bottom of the sixth to make it a two run game again.  That run was needed when Bobby Bell loaded the bases with one out in the seventh.  Trystan Magnuson came on to get the last two outs without allowing a run to score.  Page went six innings.

Sierra was the only Jay with two hits.

Dayton 5  Lansing 2

Chad Beck and Jonas Cuotto gave up five runs in the first five innings between them and Lansing trailed 5-1 after five.  Chris Emanuele had homered to give Lansing their first run.  Lansing scored their other run in the sixth, Tyler Pastornicky doubled with one out, Brian Van Kirk walked and Johermyn Chavez singled in a run and there were two on and one out.  But Mark Sobolewski and Emanuele made outs to end the threat.  That was the last chance for Lansing to get close as they had only one hit the rest of the game.

State College 4  Auburn 3 - 10 innings

Auburn trailed 3-1 heading to the bottom of the ninth.  Lance Durham started the rally off with a walk and then with two out Chris Hopkins doubled Durham home.  Eric Eiland hit an infield single to move Hopkins to third and an error scored the tying run.  In the top of the tenth, off Austin Armstrong, the same State College player who made the error tripled and scored on a single.  In the bottom of the tenth Kyle Gilligan doubled with one out and Durham added an infield single to put runners on first and third.  However Kevin Nolan hit into a game ending double play.

Earlier Randy Schwartz had tripled and scored Auburn’s first run.  Evan Crawford started and pitched five innings giving up three runs, two earned.  Gilligan, Eiland, Hopkins and Ramirez had two hits each.

GCL Blue Jays at GCL Tigers - Postponed

Three Stars

3rd star - Vincent Bongiovanni
2nd star - Ryan Page
1st star - Jon Jaspe

Standings

Las Vegas - 32-44, last place, 15.5 GB
New Hampshire - 27-46, last place, 15 GB
Dunedin - 3-0, first place (tie)
Lansing - 1-2
Auburn 3-5, fifth place, 2.5 GB
GCL Jays 1-2

.

Any response to Seeing Double?

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Gonzalez is at it once again,

The Jays’ affiliates had more rain-outs (2) than wins (1) on the night. Enough said.

Tacoma 8 Las Vegas 7

Davis Romero received the start and was not overly sharp. He allowed four runs on eight hits and one walk over 5.1 innings of work. Bryan Bullington relieved him and allowed one run in 1.2 innings, but struck out four. Bill Murphy had a scoreless inning and struck out the side. Brian Wolfe, though, took the loss when he allowed three runs on two hits and two walks without getting an out. Offensively, JP Arencibia was 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored. Kevin Howard also had two hits, as did Michael Barrett. Angel Sanchez had three hits, including a double. David Dellucci was 3-for-4 with two homers and he scored three runs.

New Hampshire 4 Portland 3

Luis Perez, the Jays’ representative in the upcoming Futures Game, struggled with his control and walked five batters in 6.1 innings. He gave up just three hits, though, and allowed three runs (two earned). Adrian Martin finished the game with 2.1 scoreless innings. Brian Jeroloman went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs. Scott Campbell went 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Nick Gorneault, Adam Calderone, Brian Dopirak, and Darin Mastroianni also had hits.

Dunedin - postponed

Dayton 7 Lansing 3

Starter Josh Wells had another ugly outing and allowed six runs on nine hits and one walk in 2.1 innings of work. Ryan Koch allowed one run one four hits in 3.2 innings. Keith Meyer worked two scoreless innings and allowed just one hit. Hunter Moody worked one scoreless inning and struck out two, while allowing one hit and one walk. Lead-off man Justin McClanahan went 0-for-5 with three Ks. Brian Van Kirk and Mark Sobolewski each had two hits. Balbino Fuenmayor, AJ Jimenez, Johermyn Chavez, Tyler Pastornicky, and Chris Emanuele each had one hit. Sobolewski and Jimenez drove in runs. Van Kirk had the only extra base hit, which was a double.

State College 10 Auburn 4

Scott Gracey had another poor start and allowed five runs in 4.2 innings on six hits and two walks. Willi Mendez also struggled and allowed three runs in 1.1 innings, thanks to three hits and two walks. Dan Miller and Zach Outman also gave up runs. Offensively, Jimmy Gonzalez and Welinton Ramirez each had two hits - and a double a piece for the only extra base hits of the game. Randy Schwartz had a solo homer - his fourth of the year (He only has five hits in total). Jack Murphy went 1-for-3 and Luis Hurtado was 1-for-4.

Gulf Coast League Jays - postponed

The Three Stars:
3. Adrian Martin for 2.1 scoreless innings
2. Brian Jeroloman for two hits and two RBI
1. David Dellucci, three hits, two homers

.

Tell us your opinion!

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Gonzalez is at it once again -

Josh Vitters hit his first home run this month tonight after a torrid May when he couldn’t do anything but hit homers.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs zipped past the New Orleans Zephyrs, 7-3.

Jeff Samardzija picked up his fifth win tonight with seven solid innings. He allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out five.

The I-Cubs had ten hits, all singles. Bobby Scales and Luis Rivas were both 2 for 4 with a run scored. Rivas added in an RBI. So Taguchi went 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI. Matt Camp had a walk, an RBI and a stolen base in a 2 for 3 game.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies lost to the Montgomery Biscuits, 4-2.

Starter Jeremy Papelbon took the loss, allowing all four runs in only 3.2 innings. Papelbon was tagged for seven hits, including two home runs. He walked two and fanned three.

First baseman Doug Deeds went 2 for 4 with a double and a home run. Deeds scored twice.

Daytona Cubs

The D-Cubs transformed the hometown cheers for the Fort Myers Miracle into whine, 8-6.

Starter Craig Muschko threw four innings, allowing only one run on three hits. He walked two and struck out five.

Henry Williamson pitched very poorly, but got the win anyway when the offense scored for him. Williamson pitched two innings and gave up four runs on five hits and two walks. He didn’t strike anyone out.

Shortstop Starlin Castro had a huge game, collecting five RBI with a double and a triple in a 2 for 4 night. Castro also walked once and scored once.

Third baseman Marwin Gonzalez was 3 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored. Center fielder Tony Campana went 2 for 5 with two runs scored. Left fielder Jonathan Wyatt went 2 for 4 with a run scored.  First baseman Jovan Rosa was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored.

Right fielder Brandon Guyer had a double and an RBI in a 2 for 4 game. Guyer is now hitting .396 in 13 games in High-A. If the Cubs hadn’t jumped him all the way to AA this season, I don’t think anyone would be disappointed in his numbers at Daytona so far.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs bullpen broke down and the Chiefs fell to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, 3-2.

Starter Chris Archer had a no-hitter going when he got pulled after five innings. The only problem was that he had probably thrown a lot of pitches considering he had walked five batters in that time, although none of them scored.  Archer struck out four.

Chris Huseby blew his first save of the season, taking the loss as he allowed one run on four hits in one inning. He also allowed an inherited runner to score in the eighth inning. Huseby struck out one.

Josh Vitters hit his first home run this month, going 2 for 4 with two RBI. As hot as Vitters was in May, he’s been cold in June. Perhaps this is a sign he’s breaking out of his slump.

Center fielder David Macias was 2 for 4.

Boise Hawks

The carnage continued as the Hawks were blown up by the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, 11-1.

Robert Hernandez got beat up for four runs on five hits and two walks over four innings. He walked two and struck out five. One of the runs was unearned.

Catcher Alvaro Sosa was 1 for 3 with his first home run of the season.

AZL Cubs

Lost to the Angels, 7-5.

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Tell us your opinion!

Here’s a vid of Gonzalez at his finest:

Coach Oliver Bonnie . Baseball Team Award 2008

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The Cubs used the longball — the White Sox‘ favorite tool — to beat the South Siders 5-4; Jake Fox had three hits and a HR and Geovany Soto smacked a three-run blast that was the difference in the game.

And I suppose all you want to talk about is Milton Bradley. Bradley and manager Lou Piniella had words in the dugout after Bradley flied to left in the sixth inning and, to make a long story short — and the story may yet get longer — Lou sent Milton home, but not before Bradley had slugged the Gatorade cooler in the dugout and, according to the WGN postgame show, may have even had words with Carlos Zambrano, who reportedly headed to the clubhouse after Milton.

ITOLDYOUSOITOLDYOUSOITOLDYOUSO.

Milton Bradley has been a clubhouse problem his entire career. Let me tell you a couple of things I have recently learned, which I had earlier decided not to post. Now, though, it seems imperative to do so. I am not naming names here to protect my sources; however, I have absolutely no doubt that the stories I have been told are true.

1) I have a friend who knows several writers who covered Bradley on a daily basis when he was playing with another team. These writers called him “a clubhouse cancer in the truest sense of the word”.

2) I have another friend who is close personal friends with a major league player who was a teammate of Bradley’s at one time. This major league player called Bradley “the biggest asshole he had ever had as a teammate”.

You can ask as often as you like, but I will not name these people. However, I stand by what I was told as the truth.

All of this had to be known to Cubs management — they’re not blind, and they see and know far more than I do. Why Jim Hendry chose to sign Bradley in the face of overwhelming evidence that this was a bad idea is inexplicable. If the Cubs had wanted to sign an oft-injured outfielder with a big contract, they could have traded for Andruw Jones, who is actually starting to hit again and in fewer plate appearances than Bradley, has more doubles, homers and RBI. Granted, RBI aren’t necessarily the best measure of offensive performance, but Bradley was signed to a huge contract to be a middle-of-the-lineup guy, to be the force in the lineup, to play the way he did last year, only for a full season. He’s got 16 RBI in 200 PA. Jake Fox has 11 RBI in 43 PA.

Unfortunately, save simply releasing him and eating a huge amount of money, or benching him to the point where the Cubs won’t have to pay the 2011 vesting option (at which time the Players’ Association would probably step in and say, “You can’t do that”), we are stuck with Bradley. Bruce Miles’ blog, linked above, says:

Apparently, the Cubs feel that Bradley is acting selfishly. GM Jim Hendry talked with us in the runway after the game and said he wanted players to be “all in.”

I pressed him on that, and he said that “all in” means all for the team. Some of Bradley’s teammates also are beginning to wonder.

Hendry also said he’d talk with Bradley tomorrow.

Hendry is right, of course, but how could he have not seen that Milton Bradley isn’t an “all in” kind of guy and never has been? This one’s on you, Jim. You made a big mistake. You need to fix it, and yesterday. To all those who said, “100 games of Milton Bradley is worth more than a full season of Adam Dunn“, with all due respect, in this case running the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Not one of you — not anyone — can say to me that the Cubs wouldn’t have been better off with Adam Dunn in right field up to this point in 2009, defense be damned.

All of this is yet another unwelcome distraction from this season, and today was a nicely-played win, despite yet another bullpen meltdown from Carlos Marmol, who threw only 10 strikes in 24 pitches. Whatever’s wrong with Marmol, someone better figure it out soon, because with Angel Guzman out, the Cubs don’t have a lot of other 8th-inning options. In fact, today, with Randy Wells having finished another fine seven innings (two mistakes were hit for homers, but those were his only mistakes) in 98 pitches, I think I would have sent him out there for the 8th.

Meanwhile, we are now seeing the Jake Fox who tore up Triple-A for the first two months. He had three hits including his second homer in as many days, and played a competent third base, handling five grounders (including starting a DP) without incident. The only ball he couldn’t get to was Scott Podsednik’s bunt, and not many third basemen could have made that play. Even after Aramis Ramirez returns, he may not be at full strength and may have to take a couple days off every week. Fox has proven he can handle the position at least that often and needs to be in the lineup every day.

And, Geovany Soto hit a three-run homer that was the difference in the game. Since May 13 — 105 at-bats — Geo is hitting .276/.366/.523 with 7 HR and 19 RBI, very close to his production level of 2008. The Cubs definitely need him to keep this up and he appears to be back on track.

About Bradley, I don’t know what the final disposition will be of this incident, and the accumulated problems he’s had in less than half a season. All I know is that it seems imperative that the Cubs add another hitter, and soon.

My first visit to the Cell since the Cub series a year ago found some changes — there is now a new scoreboard in RF showing out-of-town scores batter-by-batter, and also updated stats on each pitcher and batter in the game taking place there. What I also found were some more fan-unfriendly policies. They were blocking anyone without an outfield seat from going through the concourse in the outfield — thus giving those ticketholders unfettered access to the park, but no one could walk around. This made things extremely crowded going out of the park after the game was over, in addition to some red-shirted ushers being quite overzealous about checking tickets, to the point that you couldn’t even say “hi” to people you just wanted to say “hi” to unless you sneaked past them. The crowd was late-arriving; many empty seats were left at game time, though they eventually filled in for the sellout of 39,015. I heard Alfonso Soriano booed when he led off the game — I wondered who was booing louder, Sox fans or Cubs fans? Overall the atmosphere was much more like previous Sox/Cubs series than the two games at Wrigley last week — so perhaps the idea that those games being weekdays being responsible for the muted atmosphere there is true.

Finally, sign seen (and I wish I’d had a good camera to take a shot of it) — someone had taken a large posterboard and put a photo of Michael Jackson with “Sox” photoshopped onto his jacket. Clever and well-timed.

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I have always been a fan of Bruce, but I have to say, seeing news like this gives me mixed feelings.This will be shocking news for Bruce fans, but some of you who will say that you saw it coming from a long way away. I’m pretty surprised though. Bruce is spectacular, I really hope this doesn’t affect the rest of the team.

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I just can’t get enough of Bruce,

As Rick Morrissey points out, the Cubs/White Sox series this year has lacked the intensity of some other years. Maybe it’s because of the non-intense teams:

The Cubs seemed to gain momentum from their split with the Sox in the first series, putting together a four-game winning streak. But they have lost three in a row heading into Friday’s game. The Sox have been similarly up and down all season.

Were blasé fans at the City Series simply reflecting the status of their teams? Maybe it’s the other way around. I’ve been critical of Cubs manager Lou Piniella for not showing much life this season, and others have jumped on Sox manager Ozzie Guillen for the same thing. But perhaps the skippers are taking their cues from fans.

Two teams coming off playoff appearances in 2008 with playoff hopes for this season, and the prevailing theme on both sides of town seems to be listlessness.

Bruce Miles has some ideas on how to eliminate the torpor. Here’s one:

Flip the rules: Major League Baseball has talked about letting the pitcher bat in AL ballparks and using the designated hitter in NL parks.

We couldn’t have had a better situation for that than this year. How about Mark Buehrle hitting a homer at the Cell and setting off the fireworks?

Or every Cubs fan’s new favorite, Jake Fox, belting a pair of homers as DH without manager Lou Piniella holding his breath every time the ball was hit to Fox at third base?

Let’s hope at least the Cubs can ramp up their performance this weekend. Speaking of listlessness, what’s up with the seemingly catatonic Lou Piniella?

Piniella wonders why fans want him to revert to his old form, as though that’s all it would take to turn the Cubs’ season around.

“I’m trying to have a little fun,” he said. “What am I supposed to do? What does it do for me to go out there and get kicked out of games?”

Yet many Cubs fans are frustrated and want Piniella to do just that. If he won’t take it out on an umpire, fans would like him to take a pound of flesh out of some of his high-paid talent. Like predecessor Dusty Baker, Piniella prefers to talk to his players behind closed doors.

“What do I need to yell at anybody for?” he said. “What is it that yelling at people is going to ensure you’re going to get a better performance? I have meetings with people here in my office individually, and I talk to them and I try to help them. But I don’t know what yelling and going out there and arguing will accomplish.

“I have the passion. I want to win. Losses bother me. They hurt. I care about the players. But I don’t play. I played at one time, and I could do something about it when I played. I had a bat in my hand, I had a glove in my hand, but I don’t anymore. I’m basically here to direct things.”

One thing Lou is directing is the benching of Milton Bradley. Why?

He’s hitting .205 against right-handers with 30 strikeouts in 117 at-bats and .327 vs. left-handers.

Great. $10 million a year for a platoon right fielder. Aren’t we already doing that in center field? And after all that — Bradley plays today vs. a RHP (from Twittermyer):


Soriano, lf; Fukudome, cf; Bradley, rf; Lee, 1b: Hoffpauir, dh; Fox, 3b; Fontenot, 2b; Soto, c; Blanco, ss


Today’s Starting Pitchers
Randy Wells
Randy Wells
Cubs
vs. Jose Contreras
Jose Contreras
White Sox
1-3 W-L 2-6
2.57 ERA 5.23
35 SO 30
11 BB 19
2 HR 5
vs. Sox vs. Cubs


W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Randy Wells 1-3 8 8 0 0 0 0 49.0 43 15 14 2 11 35 2.57 1.10


W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Jose Contreras 2-6 9 9 0 0 0 0 51.2 52 33 30 5 19 30 5.23 1.37

Jose Contreras is a mystery. He’s officially 37 years old, but some think he could be years older. He dominates at times, but got so bad earlier this year that the Sox sent him to Triple-A. He is 2-3, 6.08 lifetime vs. the Cubs, and that includes a nine-run pounding the Cubs gave him at Wrigley Field last June 21. Of course, he then turned around and beat the Cubs six days later at the Cell. The best Cubs hitter against him is Aramis Ramirez. Oh, well. Milton Bradley is 4-for-12 against him with a homer, and Alfonso Soriano, who just has to break out of it one of these days, is 5-for-8 with 3 HR.

The White Sox are 3-9 this year against pitchers they have never faced before. Let’s hope that continues today vs. Randy Wells, who is making his first career start vs. the White Sox.

Today’s game is on WGN, but with those “other” announcers. Len & Bob will be on CSN Chicago. For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

To find out what Sox fans are thinking, visit our SBN Sox site South Side Sox.

Overflow comment threads will post today at 4 pm, 5 pm and 5:45 pm CDT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

.

What do you think?

Major League Baseball ChecksEvery day should be opening day when you open up your checkbook and see the logo of your favorite Major League Baseball team prominently displayed. All 30 teams available. Coordinating labels and cover are also available. These MLB checks are only $27.90 at DesignerChecks.com

Gonzalez is at it once again -

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs zapped the New Orleans Zephyrs, 5-4 in ten innings.

Mitch Atkins had a no-hitter going through seven innings tonight, but the eighth inning was cruel, as a leadoff single broke up the no-hitter and eventually led to a four-run inning. Atkins’s final line was 7.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk. Atkins fanned four.

James Russell allowed a hit in a scoreless tenth to get his second win.

Center fielder Sam Fuld went 4 for 5 with a double and two stolen bases.  Fuld scored twice. Right fielder So Taguchi was 3 for 4 with a double and three RBI.

Catcher Chris Robinson, first baseman Steve Clevenger and Shortstop Matt Camp each went 2 for 5 with an extra base hit and a run scored. Robinson tripled, the other two doubled. Camp’s double scored Clevenger and ended the game in the tenth inning.

Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies were baked by the Montgomery Biscuits, 8-4.

Hung-Wen Chen had a rough outing tonight, giving up five runs on five hits and a walk over 5.1 innings. Chen did strike out six, which is very uncharacteristic of him.

Third baseman Marquez Smith tripled in a 2 for 4 game. He scored once an had one RBI.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs lost their religion to the Fort Myers Miracle, 6-4.

Ryan Searle had not been pitching well lately, and tonight he got rocked again for six runs in 4.2 innings. Searle surrendered seven hits and one walk. He struck out one Miracle. One of the runs allowed was unearned.

Center fielder Tony Campana was a perfect 4 for 4 tonight, with one RBI and one run scored. Left fielder Marwin Gonzalez was 2 for 4.

Right fielder Brandon Guyer was 2 for 3 with a walk, a double and a stolen base.He scored once and had an RBI.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs were bitten by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, 4-1.

Justin Bristow started and took the loss tonight, giving up four runs on five hits over five inings. Bristow walked two and struck out three.

Left fielder Josh Harrison was 2 for 4 with an RBI double.

Boise Hawks

The Hawks got into the win column tonight with a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.

Jonathan Nagel got his second start and didn’t allow a hit or a walk over three innings. (He did make an error that spoiled his perfect outing.)  Nagel fanned two.

Mike Perconte got the with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Right fielder Jae-Hoon Ha was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. He scored once and had one RBI.

AZL Cubs

Off day.

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What do you think!

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The Cavaliers and Suns have reached a deal in principle to send Shaquille O’Neal to the Land of LeBron, Yahoo! Sports reports. Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic and a pick to Phoenix. No confirmation from @THE_REAL_SHAQ yet. Yahoo!, Twitter

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I have always been a big fan of nix, I have to say, seeing stuff like this gives me mixed feelings.How do you think this news about nix will affect the team this season?

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