BtB Power Rankings: Week 4

post from Beyond the Box Score on 28 April 2010 11:15:00 PM. © Beyond the Box Score

"On Paper" Playoff LeadersAmerican League: E=Rays*, C=Twins, W=Athletics*, WC=YankeesNational League: E=Phillies, C=Brewers*, W=Padres, WC=GiantsThis Week's BreakdownLots of movers this week. The Rays had a fine week with a very balanced attack[...]

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Sabathia goes the distance. Bombers win 8-3, as
they collect a season-high 15 hits

post from Zell's Pinstripe Blog on 28 April 2010 11:11:11 PM. © Zell's Pinstripe Blog

The Pitching: C.C. Sabathia gave up more hits today (11) than in his last three starts combined. With that said, that doesn’t mean he didn’t pitch well today. Sabathia’s line: (W, 3-1) 7.2IP 11H 3R 3ER 2BB 5K (111 Pitches, 72 for Strikes). Joba Chamberlain came on in relief, and recorded the last out of the inning with no problems at [...]

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-3-as-they-collect-a-season-high-15-hits/

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Sabathia goes deep into the game. Bombers win
8-3, as they collect a season-high 15 hits

post from Zell's Pinstripe Blog on 28 April 2010 11:11:11 PM. © Zell's Pinstripe Blog

The Pitching: C.C. Sabathia gave up more hits today (11) than in his last three starts combined. With that said, that doesn’t mean he didn’t pitch well today. Sabathia’s line: (W, 3-1) 7.2IP 11H 3R 3ER 2BB 5K (111 Pitches, 72 for Strikes). Joba Chamberlain came on in relief, and recorded the last out of the inning with no problems at [...]

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-win-8-3-as-they-collect-a-season-high-15-hits/

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Atlanta Braves Minor League Recap: Where's the
offense edition

post from Talking Chop on 28 April 2010 11:11:00 PM. © Talking Chop

Norfolk 6, Gwinnett 0

C. Tillman 9IP 0H 0R 1BB 6K 4.05

No Chris Tillman isn't a Brave prospect but he is the only guy who deserves a mention in this paragraph because he no-hit Gwinnet tonight on just 105 pitches. For those who aren't familiar, TIllman is stud pitching prospect in the Orioles system who isn't really a prospect anymore since he pitched most of the second half in the majors last year but was inexplicably sent back to AAA to start this season. Tillman throws one of the best sinkers in the minors and had it working tonight getting 13 groundouts. Hats off to him and shame on the Braves.

Mississippi 3, Montgomery 6

W. Cabrera 1-4 2 RBI, .250
E. Duncan 2-4 CS(2), .361
C. Johnson 1-4 HR(3), 2K, .231

Not a lot going on here. Cody Johnson got his power and his K on. Eric Duncan continues to terrorize AA pitchers he really has no right facing. Michael Broadway finally gives up his first runs of the season and Lee Hyde followed up by giving up 2 runs of his own to get a blown save.

Potomac 5, Myrtle Beach 10

G. Avila 3-5 3B, HR(3), 3 RBI, K, .264
J. Sucre 2-4 HR(2), 4 RBI, .270
A. Milligan 2-3 BB, K, .225
J. Ortegano 5IP 4H 1R 0BB 5K, 7.11

At least one team could find some offense tonight. Gerrardo Avila had a 'slump-buster' game leading the offense. Adam Milligan collected his second straight 2 hit game and he even picked up a walk. The most important factor in this game was that Jose Ortegano has his first good start of the year. He generated his fair share of ground balls and appeared to have his strike out pitch working as well. I was a bit surprised when he was assigned to Myrtle Beach to start the season after succeeding in AA but he hasn't shown much until this start.

Rome 0, Greensboro 5

K. Rose 0-3 BB, SB(6), .352
C. Harrilchak 1-4 CS(5), .243
C. Masters 5IP 4H 5R 3BB 5K 1.17
P. Clemens 3IP 0H 0R 0BB 2K 1.17

This no offense stuff is starting to grate on my nerves, granted Rome was up against one of the best pitching prospects in the minors in Mike Montgomery. Kyle Rose didn't get a hit but he did successfully steal a base so that is something. Chris Masters allowed just 1 earned run, but he gave up 2 HR in the 5th inning, the second coming after a passed ball, a throwing error on Bethancourt and then another error by Jordan Kreke. One performance that has flown under my radar this far is Paul Clemens. Clemens is considered by many to have one of the best arms in the system but 2009 was a disaster as he couldn't harness his stuff and finished the year with a 5.91 ERA. So far this year things appear to be clicking as he has allowed just 8 hits and 5 walks in 15.1 innings to go with 13 K.

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And that makes 8: Braves Get Bashed by Cardinals
6-0

post from Talking Chop on 28 April 2010 11:08:00 PM. © Talking Chop

More photos » Tom Gannam - AP

Bobby tips his cap to the TC faithful who tried to bring the team a win tonight. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

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First of all, I found this stat over on Vivaelbirdos.com. Read it and then read it a 2nd time. And then a 3rd time for good measure.

In 2006, the year the Cardinals won the World Series, they had TWO 8-game losing streaks. TWO! I know we're playing badly, but keep this in mind.

On a night that Talking Chop did the ULTIMATE form of "slump breaking", a Nate McLouth silent treatment on the Opening Thread, the Braves' offense and defense fell asleep and the pitching suffered because of it.

In the bottom of the 1st, Kenshin Kawakami had a double play ball hit at Yunel Escobar, but Esco botched the catch and allowed runners to move into scoring position for Albert Pujols. Pujols delivered and drove in the 1st run of the game with a RBI single to CF. The Cardinals struck again via a wild pitch on a Colby Rasmus strikeout. The Cardinals scored again on a wild pitch in the 3rd inninng making it 3-0.

The Cardinals essentially ended the game in the 5th inning, when sophomore phenom Colby Rasmus drove in a runner with a RBI double and was then scored on a 2-RBI single from David Freese.

The Braves threatened to cut into the 6-0 lead in the 8th inning with back-to-back hits from Yunel (double baby!!!!) and Marteeeny Weeeny, but they were stranded after a Chipper flyout and Troy Glaus strikeout (which sadly would've been good for 200 hate comments in the Open Thread.)

That was the ball game. Cardinals win 6-0.

The Good (ha!), Bad and Ugly after the jump.

The Good:

Yunel Escobar - At least he's getting hits and on base from the leadoff spot. He went 1-for-3 tonight with a double and a walk.

Jesse Chavez and Eric O'Flaherty - 2IP 2H 0R

The Bad:

Kenshin Kawakami - The defense and offense certainly didn't help him out, but KK still struggled. This man is truly a professional. I'd probably get into a fist fight with my teammates if they scored for me like they do KK.

4.1IP 5H 4ER/5R 4BB/4K

Matt Diaz - 1-for-4, 3Ks against a lefty. Ugh.

Jonny Venters - 1.2IP 2H 1ER 4BB/1K

The Ugly:

The Braves' offense - 0 runs, 7 hits. Ha. (props to Melky for 2 of them!)

The Braves' defense - 2 more errors. That makes 20 errors in 21 games. Yowza.

Chipper Jones - 0-for-4; why is he still playing hurt? He's obviously not right and now he's playing for his own pride instead of the team. He's been pretty bad since injuring/straining/tweaking his hip in New York and is only hurting the lineup right now. I'd love to see Prado at 3B and Infante at 2B tomorrow.

Upcoming Game:

The Braves and Cardinals finish their 4-game series tomorrow afternoon in St. Louis. Jair Jurrjens will pitch for the Braves and former Brave (*wipes tears) Adam Wainwright will pitch for the Cardinals. First pitch is at 1:40EST.

And just incase you forgot the Stat of the Night:

In 2006, the year the Cardinals won the World Series, they had TWO 8-game losing streaks. TWO! I know we're playing badly, but keep this in mind.

GO BRAVES.

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Newsflash

post from Disastros on 28 April 2010 11:04:14 PM. © Disastros

We’re playing the Reds and we’re not winning anymore. At least we have JD and Brownie? At most we have JD and Brownie?

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4/28 Minor League Report

post from Sliding Into Home: A Yankees Blog on 28 April 2010 11:03:58 PM. © Sliding Into Home: A Yankees Blog

================
(Triple-A) Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (11-8) beat Louisville (7-13) 5-4: Box Score -Recap

PITCHING: Ivan Nova started for the Yanks. He came into the game 1-0 with a 1.88 ERA. Louisville did scored all its runs off Nova in the 2nd inning. He loaded the bases on 2 infield hits and a walk. 4 runs scored on a sac fly, 2 more singles, and groundout. to give Louisville a 4-0 lead. Nova loaded the bases in the 3rd on a double, HBP, and walk, but worked out of the jam. Nova?s first subpar game, but he finished strong retiring the last 7 men he faced. 94 pitches - 58 strikes, 10 groundouts--5 flyouts. Nova?s line: 6.0 IP, 4 runs, 8 hits, 3 K?s--2 walks, ERA 2.70.

Royce Ring came on to start the 7th. He retired the first 2 men of the inning and was relieved.

Zack Segovia got the final out of the 7th on strikeout after issuing a walk. Segovia threw a perfect 8th inning. Segovia was credited with the win (1-1).

Mark Melancon came on to pitch a perfect 9th inning for his 3rd save.

OFFENSE: Aroldis Chapman, the Cuban phenom, got the start for the Bats. He came into the game with a 0.60 ERA ( 1 ER in 15 innings). Chapman?s fastball topped out at 101 mph. The Yankees got to him for 3 runs (2 homers), 5 hits, 4 K?s-2 walks.

Colin Curtis singled in the 1st, but was caught stealing on a nice pickoff move by Chapman. Curtis left the game with an injury an inning later. The Yankees got to Chapman for 2 runs in the 3rd inning when Reegie Corona reached on an error and Kevin Russo hit a 2-run homer (1) to cut the Bats lead to 4-2. SWB cut the lead to 4-3 in the 4th when David Winfree took Chapman deep for a solo homer (2). Corona led off the 5th with an infield hit, but was stranded. In the 8th, Eduardo Nunez picked up his 2nd single of the night with 2 outs. Juan Miranda then followed with a 2-run homer (4) to give the Yankees the 5-4 win.

MONTERO WATCH: Jesus Montero went 0-3 with a strikeout and 2 flyouts. His average is now at .246.

NOTES: Gene Michael was scouting the game. Zach McAllister gets the start Thursday in a rare 11 AM starting time for local school kids. ... According to Mike Ashmore, OF Damon Sublett had surgery today to repair a torn ligament, and will likely miss the rest of the season. ... According to Mike Axisa, Andrew Brackman will be back from the DL in the next few days. He's been on the DL due to a cut on his pitching hand.

- Big Guy

Batting:Kevin Russo, 3B: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, RColin Curtis, RF: 1-for-1Jon Weber, RF: 0-for-2, BBEduardo Nunez, SS: 2-for-4, RJuan Miranda, DH: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, RDavid Winfree, 1B: 1-for-3, HR, RBI, BB, RJesus Montero, C: 0-for-3, KReegie Corona, 2B: 1-for-3, R
Pitching:Ivan Nova: 6 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HB (2.70 ERA)Royce Ring: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (0.00 ERA)Zack Segovia (W, 1-1): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (10.38 ERA)Mark Melancon (S, 3): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (1.88 ERA)
Pitches-strikes: Nova 94-58, Ring 7-5, Segovia 25-13, Melancon 8-6.Groundouts-flyouts: Nova 10-5, Ring 0-1, Segovia 0-3, Melancon 0-2.
(Double-A) Trenton (9-10) lost to New Hampshire (12-7) 4-1: Box Score - Recap
Batting:Austin Krum, CF: 1-for-4, SB (7)Daniel Brewer, DH: 1-for-4, R, SB (7)David Adams, 2B: 1-for-4Austin Romine, C: 2-for-3, RBI, BBBrandon Laird, 3: 1-for-4Reid Gorecki, LF: 1-for-3, BBEdwar Gonzalez, RF: 1-for-3, SB (1)
Pitching:Lance Pendleton: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 WP (6.00 ERA)Josh Schmidt: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (0.75 ERA)Wilkin De La Rosa (L, 0-1): 1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K (4.61 ERA)Noel Castillo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (10.13 ERA)
Groundouts-flyouts: Pendleton 7-5, Schmidt 1-2, De La Rosa, W 2-0, Castillo, N 1-1.
(High-A) Tampa (10-10) lost to Dunedin (11-8) 5-2: Box Score - Recap
Batting:Francisco Santana, LF: 2-for-4, 2BWalter Ibarra, 3B: 3-for-4, 2B, R, SB (6)Corban Joseph, 2B: 0-for-3, BB, SB (3)Trent Lockwood, DH: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, RJack Rye, RF: 1-for-3
Pitching: Daniel Kapala (L, 0-1): 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (2.84 ERA)Philip Bartleski: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (5.54 ERA)Trenton Lare: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (3.38 ERA)
Groundouts-flyouts: Kapala 12-3, Bartleski 2-0, Lare 0-1.
Notes:
(Low-A) Charleston (10-11) lost to Hickory (11-10) 7-5: Box Score - Recap

Batting:Zolio Almonte, RF: 1-for-5, 2B, RDeangelo Mack, LF: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB, RJimmy Paredes, 2B: 2-for-5, 2B, RLuke Murton, 1B: 0-for-4, BBRobert Lyerly, DH: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 RKyle Higashioka, C: 3-for-5Garrison Lassiter: 0-for-3, RBI, BB
Pitching:Shaeffer Hall: 8 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K (0.81 ERA) Ryan Flannery (L, 1-2): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 K (6.75 ERA)Ronny Marte (BS, 1): 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K (4.70 ERA)
Groundouts-flyouts: Hall 16-3, Flannery 0-1, Marte, R 0-1.

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If Greinke Sang Opera...

post from Royals Review on 28 April 2010 11:03:52 PM. © Royals Review

I believe he might sing something along these lines, with the same heartfelt resignation, about the Bullpen:

E lucevan le Bullpen
How the stars used to shine there,
How sweet the earth smelled,
The bullpen gate would creak,
And a footstep would lightly crease the sand.
Chen would come in, fragrant as a flower,
And he'd promptly issue a bases loaded walk.
* * *
Now, my dream has vanished forever.
My last hour has flown, and I die, hopeless!
And never have I hated life more!

[Serious note: do yourself favor and watch this version of E lucevan le stelle].

[Second serious note: some say nobody does it better than Mario Lanza].

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Fish Wrap - Marlins 4, Padres 6

More photos » Wilfredo Lee - AP

If you look very closely, all these children are booing Nate Robertson. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

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Remember that trend that the Marlins started this season? You know, the one where they won every series they played? Yeah, that’s officially over.

The Marlins and Padres faced off for the dreaded afternoon "getaway game" Wednesday at Sun Life Stadium, and by the end of the afternoon, none of the gainfully employed were complaining about missing the game.

Kevin Correia was on the hill for the Friars, and on just three days rest, Nate Robertson had the ball for Florida.

Things started out splendidly for the Marlins, who enjoyed thousands of screaming kiddos in the stands in honor of "Weather Day." The Fish jumped on Correia early with an RBI single from Wes Helms and a sac fly from Cantu that put them up 2-0 in the first. They added on in the second with an RBI groundout from Nate Robertson, and Jorge Cantu's fifth home run of the season gave the Marlins a 4-0 lead in the third.

Working on just three days rest, Nate Robertson really didn’t look effected as he cruised through four scoreless innings. In the fifth, though, it must have dawned on him that he was indeed pitching on a mere three days rest, and that the proper thing to do in light of that fact was to unravel. And unravel he did, giving up five runs to the Padres, and turning the Marlins 4-0 lead to a one-run deficit.

The Marlins bullpen was one bright spot in the game (in case you’re trying to focus on the positives right now). Clay Hensley came in for Robertson in the fifth and struck out three to end the inning, and followed that by striking out the side in the sixth.

Chris Leroux pitched two solid innings as well, aside from the home run he served up to Yorvit Torrealba in the eighth, which gave the Padres a bit of insurance.

Turns out they didn’t need insurance. The Marlins accomplished jack (no, the other kind) against the Padres bullpen, and dropped the final game of the series.

For those of you keeping score at home, that’s three straight series losses for the Fish.

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Comeback fails, Reds top Astros

More photos » Pat Sullivan - AP

Bad luck and walks....a recipe for disaster.

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No matter the final score, this game ended up the way it did for two reasons. The first being that Felipe Paulino lost the starting pitching match up for the Astros against rookie Mike Leake. Paulino just didn't look prepared, if that's even fair to say about a starting major league pitcher. He had issues controlling pitches in the first inning and lacked any semblance of a game plan. His approach looked almost amateurish.

Speaking of amateurish, Mike Leake, he who went straight from college to the majors, was the exact opposite. He lacks the hard, powerful stuff of Paulino, but already has a strong grasp on how to pitch to major league hitters. Locating impeccably, wasting next to nothing, the young Leake is the high shooting percentage, zone defensed college basketball team that upsets their underachieving, undisciplined but uber talented opponent.

Now, in Felipe's defense, Michael Bourn had a real stinker of a game today, going 0/4 at the dish with four strikeouts while losing a ball in the lights in the fourth allowing three runs to score. It was especially painful as there were two outs, and the runners that were on base at the time (Orlando Cabrera, Ramon Hernandez and Drew Stubbs) got on via an infield single, bloop double and a walk. Felipe started the trouble, and Bourn finished it off.

I'm a little irked at the Astros performance in the past two games, but then again we're 8-12 and have Roy and Wandy on the mound on Thursday and Friday. It's frustrating to lose games, and especially frustrating the way we lost it today, but this may just be the Gods of the hardball pushing us back down just a tad. Almost like, "Yeaaa, you're not 0-8 bad, but you're not "win four straight series" good. Ya dig? Ya dig.

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