21 replies to this topic

[Cuzittt]

Today's Games:

EL: Portland (http://www.sonsofsam...ok/external.png) center right no-repeat; padding-right: 13px; border-bottom: 1px dotted #3366BB; color: #3366BB; cursor:pointer; text-decoration:none;" class="wiki">Devern Hansack) @ Trenton (Philip Hughes) [7:05pm]
CL: Wilmington (http://www.sonsofsam...ok/external.png) center right no-repeat; padding-right: 13px; border-bottom: 1px dotted #3366BB; color: #3366BB; cursor:pointer; text-decoration:none;" class="wiki">Clay Buchholz) @ Frederick () [6:35pm]
NYPL: Lowell (TBD) @ Aberdeen (TBD) [7:05pm]

FYI: EL Playoff is a best of FIVE. CL Playoff is a best of THREE.

Stories:

Sea Dogs Preview

What might push the Trenton Thunder past the Portland Sea Dogs this time?

Will it be the home-field advantage?

Or maybe the nasty pitchers?

Or could it be Godzilla?

The Eastern League Northern Division playoffs begin tonight at 7, when the Sea Dogs play the first game of the best-of-five series with Trenton at Waterfront Park.

Trenton is getting a boost to its lineup with the addition of New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui, aka Godzilla, who is playing with the Thunder on a rehab assignment for the first two games. Matsui is recovering from a broken wrist.

"I will like to face him," said Devern Hansack, scheduled to start for the Sea Dogs tonight. "It will be a good test, getting to pitch against someone who is very good in the big leagues."

Blue Rocks Preview

The Blue Rocks are rolling out a young pitching corps for the series. All three scheduled starters haven't even been with the Rocks for a month. Tonight's starter, 22-year-old Clay Buchholz, joined the Blue Rocks on Aug. 15. Scheduled Game 2 starter is Michael Bowden, 19, added on Aug. 25, and then for Game 3, the Rocks are scheduled to start Michael Rozier, 21, with the team since all of last Wednesday.

-Brandon

[David Laurila]

Justin Masterson is with Wilmington for their playoff series.

[amfox1]

Wilmington:

Rocks have jumped out to a 2-0 lead, end 2nd

A Corsaletti BB and a Natale 2B are wasted in the 1st inning.

2nd inning - Pinckney BB, Blade 1B, Bubba Bell RBI 1B, Natale RBI 1B

Buchholz - 2IP, 0H, 0R, 3/0 K/BB

[NHsoxfan4]

Dogs strand two in the 2nd against Hughes - he's got 5 Ks in 2 IP.

Clay's through 3 now with 1 hit and 4 Ks. Still 2-0 Rocks.

[NHsoxfan4]

Durbin bloops in Bacani for the Sea Dogs' first run in the 5th, before Hughes gets his 10th K. 1-0 Dogs, and Hansack keeps rolling, now 2 outs in the bottom frame.

[southshoresoxfan]

I think young Mr. Buchholz is liking his stay in High A no?

[amfox1]

Wilmington:

Bubba Bell with a solo home run. He's 2/4, Natale's 3/5 and Otness is 2/3

Clay Buchholz ends his year (and perhaps his short high-A ball career) with a gem:

6IP, 3H, 1ER, 10/1 K/BB

Bryce Cox with two hitless, scoreless innings - 2IP, 0H, 0R, 1/1 K/BB, 5GB

Mike James is coming on for the 9th inning.

Rocks lead 3-1, end 8th

Edited by amfox1, 06 September 2006 - 08:22 PM.

[amfox1]

Portland:

Another pitchers' duel.

Devern Hansack is matching Phil Hughes in everything but Ks. Hughes Ks 13 in 6 innings and is now out of the game.

Tied 1-1, mid 7th.

[amfox1]

Mike James saves the win for the Rocks and Clay Buchholz.

Rocks win 3-1.

[amfox1]

Portland loses 3-1. Opportunity squandered.

[ShaneTrot]

I hate the fact that the MFY have Hughes but he just may be the #1 pitching prospect in the minors. He's awesome and he's 20. Not only does he have great stuff but he has unreal command. Before his start tonight he had given up 34 BB in 146 innings while striking out 168. That's 4.94 K:BB ratio, that is a Curt Schilling-like ratio.

Lester last year in AA gave up 57 BB while striking out 163 in 148 innings, 2.86 ratio.

[Cuzittt]

Clay Buchholz ends his year (and perhaps his short high-A ball career) with a gem:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is a potential for a second round of playoffs. I would assume Buchholz would get another start if the Rocks move on.

-Brandon

[Cuzittt]

Portland loses game 1, 3-1.

Devern Hansack goes the first 6 1/3 innings, giving up 5 hits, 3 walks and a WP, allowing 2 runs while striking out 3. Barry Hertzler went finished out the 7th, giving up 2 hits and a walk, allowing a run. Kyle Jackson pitched a perfect 8th, striking out 2.

David Bacani went 2/3. Chris Durbin went 1/3 with a walk. Jacoby Ellsbury, Jeremy West and Keoni de Renne each went 1/4; Ellsbury with a SB. Zach Borowiak went 0/2 with a sacrifice. Alberto Concepcion went 0/3 before being pinch hit for by Dusty Brown who went 0/1. Brandon Moss and Luis Jimenez each went 0/4.

Boxscore

-Brandon

[Cuzittt]

Wilmington defeats Frederick in game 1, 3-1.

Clay Buchholz went the first 6 innings, giving up 2 hits and a walk, allowing a run while striking out 10. Bryce Cox went the next 2 innings, walking one and striking out one. Mike James pitched the 9th, giving up a HBP and striking out one.

Jeff Natale led the offense, going 3/5 with a double. John Otness went 2/4 with a HBP. Bubba Bell went 2/4 with a HR. Ian Bladergroen went 1/4. Jed Lowrie and Jay Johnson each went 1/5; Lowrie with a double. Jeff Corsaletti and Andrew Pinckney each went 0/3 with 2 walks. Mark Wagner went 0/4.

Boxscore

-Brandon

[Cuzittt]

Lowell won their penultimate game, defeating Aberdeen 5-3.

Jeff Farrell went the first 5 innings, giving up 2 hits (1 HR), a WP and 5 walks, allowing 2 runs while striking out 3. TJ Large pitched the final 4 innings, giving up 2 hits and a walk, allowing a run while striking out 5.

Chih-Hsien Chiang and Luis Exposito each went 2/4; Chiang with a triple and a walk, Exposito with a double. Paul Smyth and Reid Engel each went 1/3; Smyth with a walk and a HBP, Engel with a HR and a walk. Jorge Jimenez and Ryan Kalish each went 1/4; Kalish with a tripl.e Luis Segovia went 0/3 with a walk. Mike Jonez and Zak Farkes each went 0/4; Jones with a SF, Farkes with a walk.

Boxscore

-Brandon

[Section15Box113]

Any Kottaras sightings in the Portland dugout?

[amfox1]

There is a potential for a second round of playoffs. I would assume Buchholz would get another start if the Rocks move on.

-Brandon

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, according to jsinger121 at soxprospects.com, the Red Sox brass indicated that Clay is on a strict 125 inning limit, which was met yesterday. They could change their minds, but he indicated that Clay is done for the year, regardless of any further playoff games.

Edited by amfox1, 07 September 2006 - 07:01 AM.

[ShaneTrot]

Amfox,

I am interested to know why you think Clay should skip hi-A next year. He's only 22, he does not have a lot of pro experience and he doesn't have a lot of mileage on his arm. What's the hurry?

[Quintanariffic]

Amfox,

I am interested to know why you think Clay should skip hi-A next year. He's only 22, he does not have a lot of pro experience and he doesn't have a lot of mileage on his arm. What's the hurry?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He didn't say that. He speculated, based on Buchholz' fantastic Hi-A performance so far, that he might just go to AA next year. No predictions made.

Personally, I don't see the downside if he proves he's ready for that level over the winter and in ST. With the ER he gave up last night in 6IP, his ERA went UP from 1.13 to 1.23. Clay's final Hi-A line (if this is his last start) in 4 starts:

3-0 W/L 1.23 ERA 22IP 12H 3ER 4BB 33K

He'll be 22/23 next year - why not see if he can handle AA. Yeah it's SSS and all, but the early returns indicate that he can handle the Carolina League.

[amfox1]

Amfox,

I am interested to know why you think Clay should skip hi-A next year. He's only 22, he does not have a lot of pro experience and he doesn't have a lot of mileage on his arm. What's the hurry?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My original response was wiped out when my computer just crashed but Q has it right.

A decision will obviously be dependent on Clay's adherence to his offseason and spring training program, but there is no reason not to place Clay in AA if the team feels he is ready and there is a spot for him. It would ease the anticipated logjam in high-A and would keep Clay from pitching in a pitchers' park instead of a park more suited to the dimensions of Fenway.

Four starts is a small sample size but they were dominant starts.

[Cuzittt]

Sea Dogs Stories:

Game Story

The Trenton Thunder got clutch performances from their top prospect and several veterans - including Hideki Matsui - as Trenton topped the Portland Sea Dogs 3-1 on Wednesday night before 5,114 fans at Waterfront Park. The Thunder took a 1-0 lead in the Eastern League Northern Division best-of-five playoffs.

Although Trenton got a great start from prospect Phil Hughes (13 strikeouts), scoreless relief from Charlie Manning, two RBI from Randy Ruiz and one from Matsui, Sea Dogs Manager Todd Claus felt his team beat itself.

"We didn't make two defensive plays. If we make them, they don't score any runs," Claus said.

Matsui coming to Trenton

New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui expects to play in Portland when the Eastern League playoffs move to Hadlock Field on Friday. Matsui, recovering from a broken wrist, is on a rehab assignment with the Trenton Thunder. After today's Game 2 in Trenton, the best-of-five series moves to Portland, with Game 3 on Friday and, if necessary, Game 4 on Saturday.

"I'll probably be with them throughout the series," Matsui said through an interpreter before Wednesday's game.

Sea Dogs media director Chris Cameron said he has already started fielding calls from media wanting credentials because of Matsui.

If Matsui does come to Portland, Hadlock Field can prepare for an invasion. The Thunder issued 90 press credentials for Wednesday's game, about 50 of them to Japanese media, which has followed Matsui extensively since he signed with the Yankees in 2003.

Blue Rocks Stories:

Game Story

Frederick got to Buchholz only in the bottom of the fourth when the Keys scored a run on two hits. Paco Figueroa singled and then beat shortstop Jed Lowrie's throw to second to avoid a force on Tripper Johnson's grounder. Right fielder Nolan Reimold followed with a single to score the Keys' only run.

"He throws very hard with a real hard curve and a good change,'' Frederick rightfielder Nolan Reimold said of Buchholz. "When you have three good pitches and you throw strikes you're hard to hit.''

-Brandon

[amfox1]

Actually, according to jsinger121 at soxprospects.com, the Red Sox brass indicated that Clay is on a strict 125 inning limit, which was met yesterday.  They could change their minds, but he indicated that Clay is done for the year, regardless of any further playoff games.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Accoridng to jsinger121 at soxprospects.com, Theo met with Clay today, and Theo will allow Clay to pitch in the championship series, if they make it.