Showing posts tagged “New York Yankees”
Adam Sobsey ·
26 Nov 2009, 8:57 AM ·
5 Comments
Fortunately, it’s Thanksgiving and we have an abundance of things to be grateful for—because, sadly, everyone’s favorite Bull, Jon Weber, is no longer a Durham ballplayer. In fact, he will be playing against the Taureaux in 2010. Weber has signed a minor-league deal with the New York Yankees, who are sure to install him as the starting left fielder for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The contract includes a spring-training invitation with its nominal opportunity to make the big-league club.
And all along we thought it was another left fielder property of the Rays, Carl Crawford, that the Yankees coveted.
Weber is a classic gamer who led the International League in doubles in 2009, placed in the top ten in several prominent hitting stat categories, was a superb clutch hitter, and was perhaps the Bulls’ MVP. He is an 11-year veteran of the minors who has never played a day in the major leagues, and he’s unlikely to break through in the Bronx, where the corner outfield positions are sure to be spoken for by multimillionaires like Johnny Damon. On the other hand, Damon is currently unsigned, Melky Cabrera has probably reached his ceiling and it’s lower than predicted, and Nick Swisher is the subject of trade rumors lately. You don’t think…?
Never mind. Pass the turkey.
Baseball, Durham Bulls Jon Weber, New York Yankees, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
Adam Sobsey ·
16 Aug 2009, 5:00 AM ·
1 Comment
DBAP/ DURHAM—This was one of those games that seemed like it was over early. In the third inning, down 1-0 on Juan Miranda’s second homer in as many nights (and hit to nearly the same place), five consecutive Bulls reached base against Scranton’s Kei Igawa before Igawa recorded an out. All five scored. No one scored again until the eighth, and in the mean time, the Bulls’ 5-1 lead seemed like 15-1.
That was because of Jeremy Hellickson (pictured). The young right-hander, who had beaten the Yankees at Scranton just over two weeks ago with six three-hit, shutout innings, was even better last night. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine him pitching much better against the Yankees’ sluggers. He allowed only two hits, both solo homers. He threw 108 pitches, 72 for strikes, and produced an eye-opening 21 swings-and-misses (11 of which came in his first 33 pitches). Nearly all of those whiffs were on Hellickson’s changeup, which the Yankees never came close to solving. The changeup was so good last night that Hellickson barely even bothered with his curveball, which he threw just a handful of times and which wasn’t very effective. Fastballs and changeups, fastballs and changeups. By the end of Hellickson’s outing, his excellent control had widened home plate umpire Derek Crabill’s strike zone, and the young Iowan was getting called strikes on anything close to the plate and around the knees.
When Hellickson departed, he received the loudest ovation I’ve heard for a player at the DBAP this year. “He earned it,” manager Charlie Montoyo said. And so he did. Reliever Jason Childers came on and nearly blew the game for Hellickson, but Dale Thayer gathered up the live wires Childers left dangling and snuffed them out. The Bulls won, 5-4.
Hellickson’s performance might have been even better had he come out of the game at the logical point. But Montoyo needed more from him, and it cost Hellickson a run—and almost cost the Bulls the game.
Meanwhile, a spaghetti junction of injuries, trades, demotions, slumps and collisions made this an especially busy night in the postgame clubhouse. Many loose ends to tie up, from the game itself and the extra-curricular surroundings. All of that follows. Length advisory.
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Baseball, Durham Bulls, Tampa Bay Rays Akinori Iwamura, Austin Jackson, Carlos Hernandez, Charlie Montoyo, Craig Albernaz, Dale Thayer, Damaso Marte, Desmond Jennings, Elliot johnson, injury, Jason Childers, Jeff Bennett, Jeremy Hellickson, Joe Dillon, John Rodriguez, Juan Miranda, Justin Ruggiano, Kei Igawa, Matt Joyce, Michel Hernandez, New York Yankees, Reegie Corona, Rhyne Hughes, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, Shawn Riggans, Shelley Duncan, Xavier Hernandez, Yurendell de Caster
Mike Potter ·
4 Jul 2009, 11:52 PM ·
Comment
FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON Back at the Carolina Mudcats’ game again, seeing if they can right the ship after a 3-8 start in the second half.
Game 1 of their four-game set with the Tennessee Smokies is a sellout and the signs outside the parking lot clearly say “STANDING ROOM ONLY,” but it’s a happy crowd here anticipating the July 4 fireworks show.
At least it’s not ridiculously hot. Grab a pregame Italian sausage and it’s time to go.
The teams are wearing patches saluting Lou Gehrig’s New York Yankees No. 4 number in a promotion about ALS awareness.
The RTP General Assembly Chorus presents the National Anthem, and as always those guys - there are about 30 “barber shop” singers with an average age I’d think over 60 - knock it out of the park. I’m sure in less than a minute, too. If you didn’t hear the word “Grammy” in the intro, any time it goes longer than that can be a big waste of everyone’s time.
Congressman Brad Miller fires the “ceremonial first pitch” and it’s time to play ball.
The Smokies have one local connection, as right-handed reliever Jake Muyco is an alumnus of N.C. State.
And speaking of pitchers, it’s a fine pitchers’ duel from the start. But it all ends up in tears for the home fans, as a ninth-inning rally comes up short in a 7-4 loss in front of a season-best SRO crowd of 8,596. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats, N.C. State Add new tag, Albert Pujols, Andrew Cashner, Brad Miller, Brian Peterson, Camilo Vazquez, Carson Kainer, Casey Coleman, Chicago Cubs, Chris Heisey, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, Eric Eymann, Jake Muyco, Jerry Gil, Jose Castro, Lou Gehrig, Marquez Smith, New York Yankees, Phillippe Valiquette, Ramon Geronimo, RTP General Assembly Chorus, Russ Canzler, Southern League, Tennessee Smokies, Todd Frazier, Tom Cochran, Ty Wright, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, Zack Cozart
Adam Sobsey ·
2 May 2009, 3:33 PM ·
Comment
I imagine one of my colleagues will post some thoughts today about the Columbus Clippers grinding the Bulls into a fine paste (ratio of water to Bull: 14:1) last night at the DBAP. Meanwhile, a minor (league) transaction yesterday got me thinking about Chris Wise’s pondering over at Watching Durham Bulls Baseball the other day. Taking note of my rundown of Gerry Hunsicker’s/Tampa’s organizational philosophy and how the Bulls fit into it, a thread on Rays Index about potential trade bait on the Durham roster, and Jessica Havens’ tearing the major league squad a new one (by throwing her voice, via erstwhile manager Lou Piniella, into current one Joe Maddon) on Her Rays, Chris asks:
Left out of the equation, as might be expected, is much consideration of the Durham Bulls as a baseball team. Too bad. Would like to know more about what Hunsicker thought about that. Is what’s best for the Rays by definition best for the Bulls?
The bummer answer is, Yes, what’s best for the Rays is by definition best for the Bulls: You don’t plant marigolds because they’re pretty; you plant them because they’re supposed to help you grow delicious tomatoes. (Actually, for this metaphor to work, you’d plant marigolds because they might someday become tomatoes. But anyway. Never mind.)
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Baseball, Durham Bulls, Tampa Bay Rays Casey Fossum, Hideki Irabu, Jose Lima, Marigolds, New York Yankees, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
