The Clippers home game against the Indianapolis Indians was suspended in the bottom of the third inning in a scoreless tie. The game will be resumed Friday at 5:35 PM as the first game of a double header. The first game will be a nine inning game. The second game will be a seven inning contest. Tim Redding made the start and allowed only two hits and one walk over three innings while striking out four. 3B Brent Abernathy had the only Columbus hit, a first inning single.
Today: The susepended game will be resumed at 5:35PM with the Clippers batting with one out in the bottom of the third. CF Roger Bernadina at second base with RF Brandon Watson batting. Levale Speigner (0-0, 0.60) will take over for Redding. Game two will feature RHP Joel Hanrahan (2-2, 2.89) against Indians RHP MartyMcLeary (4-2, 3.21)
The Harrisburg/Reading game was also impacted by the weather waiting through a nearly two-hour delay before getting underway. Even though the Senators managed twelve hits, they left ten men on base in a 6-3 loss (box/gamer) to the Phillies. Starting pitcher Collin Balester went six innings allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out only two. 1B Josh Whitesell, CF Frank Diaz, and RF Steve Mortimer each had two hits for Harrisburg in the losing cause.
Tonight: RHP Beltran Perez (4-3, 5.81) takes the mound as the Senators wrap up the series with Reading and RHP Landon Jacobsen (6-5, 4.61)
Craig Stammen, Greg Bunn, and Eddy Baeza struggled with their control walking nine Pelicans hitters en route a 7-6 loss (box). Stammen pitched the first five innings allowing three runs on five hits and five walks, with only two strikeouts. Bunn did not fare much better surrendering two runs on two hits and three walks in one plus inning of work. Baeza took the loss allowing two runs on three hits and one walk over two innings. 3B Matt Rogelstad was 2/4 with two runs scored. DH Brandon Powell was 1/5 with two RBI while RF Edgardo Baez was 1/4 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI. And, SS Ian Desmond walked in all three of his plate appearances, stealing two bases and scoring once.
Tonight: LHP Cory VanAllen (0-1, 9.00) takes the mound against the Pelicans and RHP Moises Hernandez (9-3, 3.92) in Myrtle Beach at 7:05PM
Hagerstown has still yet to win a second half game losing 10-4 (box). It was their seventh straight loss to open the second half of the season (and eighth overall). Yunior Novoa went five innings giving up seven runs (only four earned) on eight hits. CF Francisco Plasencia was 2/5 with a two-run home run and 3B Leonard Davis, DH Joe Napoli, and CA Jhonathan Solano each had two hits in the losing effort.
Tonight: RHP Don Levinski (1-4, 6.68) takes the mound at 7:05PM in Hagerstown against Lake County RHP Paolo Espino (2-1, 3.65)
The Lake Monsters dropped their third straight decision, a 3-1 loss (box/gamer) to Lowell. Cole Kimball walked six batters over five innings on his way to his first loss of the season. Kimball allowed three runs on three hits and those six walks while striking out four, also throwing three wild pitches. Relievers Caleb Staudt and Luke Pisker (both 2007 draft picks) pitched the final four innings allowing only one hit while striking out a combined six batters. DH Garrett Bass was 3/4 with a triple and SS Dan Lyons drove in the only run going 1/4.
Tonight: RHP Edulin Abreu (1-1, 6.75) takes the hill at 7:05PM against Lowell RHP Miguel Socolovich (0-0, 4.50)
Steve Souza made his professional debut on Thursday as the GCL Nationals lost to the GCL Marlins in a 12-8 slugfest (box). Souza made the start at 3B finishing the day 1/3 ith a double, walk, run scored, and a hit by pitch. LF Jake Smolinski returned from a few days off due to an injury going 0/3 with an RBI. Esmailyn Gonzalez also returned from an injury playing DH, with two hits and two runs. RF Yhonson Lopez was 1/3 with a run scored and three RBI. Marco Estrada made a rehab start for the GCL Nationals pitching one inning and striking out three batters. Brad Peacock had the toughest outing allowing six runs on four hits, one walk, and one hit batter in only 2/3 of an inning. Wuillys Bravo took the loss allowing three runs on four hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings while striking out five. Note: New commenter Brian James has some firsthand notes in the prvious posting. “Souza debuted at third base, drew a four pitch walk his first time up, bounced out to first base, was hit by a pitch that barely grazed him, struck out and doubled his final time up. He did not have a good showing defensively. He didn’t have any errors but his range was poor. Smolinski tweaked his hammy trying to leg out an infield hit, I imagine he will sit for a while now. Gonzalez was the DH, I asked and they told me his shoulder was giving him some trouble. Shane Funk and Juan De Los Santos were released, Moises Corporan was placed on the DL. Norris was added to the roster, but did not play, maybe tomorrow. Estrada started rough but finished strong. Johan Figuereo was made his debut as a pitcher.”
Today: The GCL Nationals host the GCL Dodgers at 12:00PM. Pitchers TBA.
Kevin (Fairfax) | 29-Jun-07 at 8:54 am | Permalink
De Los Santos played as high as Potomac last year, and Hagerstown this year. Hopefully clearing these pitchers means they expect to sign some of the remaining draft picks soon.
Freda | 29-Jun-07 at 9:02 am | Permalink
The Lake Monsters didn’t lose the game last night - they literally gave it away. Worst game of the season - by far.
NatsNation | 29-Jun-07 at 9:15 am | Permalink
Hi fellas. Photos up from Tuesday’s day game at Potomac over on my site.
Brian Oliver | 29-Jun-07 at 9:15 am | Permalink
Freda - How did Staudt and Pisker look?
Zach | 29-Jun-07 at 11:27 am | Permalink
Can someone explain to me why Bowden somehow thinks it is a good idea to write about his negotiations with Michael Burgess? Looking at the tone of the article, it sounds like Burgess will not sign or at the very least, will push the deadline.
Brian Oliver | 29-Jun-07 at 11:41 am | Permalink
Zach - I read the article as well and am trying to figure out what can be accomplished by it as well. It’s a posting I’m trying to get my head around right now.
Pilchard | 29-Jun-07 at 11:42 am | Permalink
Where can I find Bowden’s piece on the negotiations with Burgess?
While my opinion may change after I read it, Burgess will sign IMO. Really hard to turn down close to 7 figures and go play for a crappy JUCO for a year. I understand the Burgess thinks he is a worth more than slot money, but there a long list of holdouts who totally torpedoed their careers by not signing when they were first drafted. The big money is in getting to the big leagues ASAP, and there is no guarantee Burgess will be in a better negotiating spot a year from now.
Freda | 29-Jun-07 at 11:44 am | Permalink
Brian - Staudt and Pisker looked great. Four innings of shut out ball. We just couldn’t get the bats working and get out of the hole we dug ourselves into the the first two innings. Kimball looked like he was just not focused. He has been lights out up until this point, but last night he looked like the Kimball of 2006. Umpiring figured heavily in the game as they blew several key calls.
Zach | 29-Jun-07 at 11:55 am | Permalink
It was in the Examiner.
Maybe if we’re lucky, Burgess will never see it though that’s just wishful thinking.
In fact, why is Bowden even writing for the Examiner? Aside from the risk of alienating key people, the Examiner is a Moonie Times rag.
Still, this is not exactly well thought out by Jimboy.
Chris | 29-Jun-07 at 11:57 am | Permalink
Re the GCL team, I thought Souza was a better athlete than Smolinski? Why was Souza at 3rd with Smolinski in left? Thanks
Brian Oliver | 29-Jun-07 at 11:58 am | Permalink
Here it is
Chris | 29-Jun-07 at 12:13 pm | Permalink
I dont think it’s that bad of a column. Hes just showing how the process works, how they stated their case. I don’t think it had a very negative tone to it. And I thought Burgess was committed to ASU? How could he go to JUCO then?
Dick | 29-Jun-07 at 12:26 pm | Permalink
If the Clippers game hadn’t been suspended, we could have had a perfect day with all of the farm teams! Regarding Jim’s article, I found it factual with no real implications on Burgess’ intentions. I don’t get the sense that he or his advisors have a clue what to do. It is clearly implied that they are disappointed he didn’t go higher but it is what it is. I think lots of these kids get disapointed when they don’t get picked as highly as they hope and then don’t know what to do.
Pilchard | 29-Jun-07 at 12:26 pm | Permalink
When really highly regarded picks don’t sign with their MLB team they often bail on the D-1 commitment and go to JUCO because if a player goes to JUCO, he can be drafted the next June while heading to a D-1 school like ASU means no pro baseball for 3 years. In these situations, the D-1 school always lets the baseball player out of his LOI.
Alan | 29-Jun-07 at 12:33 pm | Permalink
In the article, Bowden says this happened on Monday. Has he been seen since? Also, take a look at last week’s installment, in which he discusses the Vermont pitching staff.
Marcus | 29-Jun-07 at 2:14 pm | Permalink
I didn’t see the article as negative I saw it as him trying to show the fans how hard they are working to get these guys signed. It’ll be interesting if he actually stays down there till he signs cuz we shore do need another Big Bat in the farm.
Pilchard | 29-Jun-07 at 2:38 pm | Permalink
Interesting that, in the article, Bowden called Burgess’s negotiating rep his agent. For Burgess to play college baseball at either JUCO or at the NCAA D-1 level, Burgess can not have an agent (which means Burgess signed an agent contract among other things). Burgess can have “an advisor”, but for GMs and those players that want to keep their amatuer status the difference between “agent” and “advisor” is huge as Burgess would lose a ton of leverage if he hired an agent rather than merely using an advisor to help with negotitions.
Brian James | 29-Jun-07 at 10:34 pm | Permalink
You are correct, technically there is a difference between agent and advisor, but for practical purposes it walks, talks, acts and takes its cut of your signing bonus like a duck.
He has an advisor to an agent, but Bowden isn’t interested in the semantics.