Chris Tillman!

by rlintott on May 25, 2008 8:58 AM PDT Comment 16 comments

So if you don't want to listen much to the Mariners today, have I got a tantalizing option for you. Chris Tillman, dearly departed, will be starting today in Bowie, MD against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Now, this is AA ball, but it's still fun to listen to. The Baysox are in 1st place in their division, and Tillman, with his 5-0 record, is a big part of that. The Fisher Cats are incredibly beatable, and Tillman should have any problem with them.

Oh, and I am doing production duties for the radio broadcast of the game, so that 's something else too. Our play-by-play man, Steven Smith is a pretty good guy, and I enjoyed working with him all last summer (and no he doesn't read this (Yankees fan) so I am not sucking up). The radio is all done by college students and can be listened to here or in your iTunes (Radio>Public>WRGW).

So tune in. We don't listener numbers, so it's no hair off my back if you don't, but listening to Tillman has to be better than the Mariners, right?

Poll

What would you give up to get Tillman back?

A beer

22 votes

Your left foot

3 votes

Bedard

27 votes

Raul's Spasming Corpse

58 votes

110 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 16 comments

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Comments

Damnit, I'm an idiot

The game starts at 2:05 Eastern Time, today (Sunday the 25th)

In the name of the Bedard, the Felix, and the Ichiro, amen.

by rlintott on May 25, 2008 9:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Looks like no one really wants to give up their left foot. Raul's corpse/Bedard is another matter, however.

by ASUBoyd on May 25, 2008 10:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Chris Tillman is dead to me

by Gomez on May 25, 2008 12:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Given my below comment

I guess my above comment isn’t correct ;P Carry on.

by Gomez on May 25, 2008 9:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He knew you'd come back

In the name of the Bedard, the Felix, and the Ichiro, amen.

by rlintott on May 25, 2008 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

How did this go?

by Jordan of Boise on May 25, 2008 6:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Really well, actually

Tillman was on a 90 pitch count, and went 6.1 innings. 4 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts. He looks like the real deal. And some of his control issues are to be expected from a 20-year old kid.

In other former Mariner news, Sebastian Boucher (traded to BAL for John parrish) had a 2 for 3 day, with a HR and 2 RBIs. In addition, he made a great diving catch out in CF to keep Tillman chugging along. All-in-all a great day for former Ms in the Baltimore system.

In the name of the Bedard, the Felix, and the Ichiro, amen.

by rlintott on May 25, 2008 8:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry

Meant that to be a reply to Jordan

In the name of the Bedard, the Felix, and the Ichiro, amen.

by rlintott on May 25, 2008 8:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey, since we're on the subject

Groundballs: 4
Flyballs: 10
Line Drives: 1
Pop Ups: 3
Walks: 2
Strikeouts: 4

Lots of flyballs, but hey, you can’t complain about a 20 year old working into the 7th inning. New Hampshire’s team OPS of .710 is one of the lower totals in the Eastern League but not that far below average. The Fisher Cats lineup looks relatively patient, and their cumulative team power stats (2B and HR) looks about average compared to the rest of the league. They probably just haven’t had as many balls drop for hits as the average team.

Bowie’s .670 Defensive Efficiency is one of the league’s better DERs, but really not that far above average (.658). Their infield defense has not recorded a ton of chances but their outfield has, especially at the corners, leading me to wonder if they have a staff heavy on flyball pitchers. Tillman’s season GB%, however, is 50% according to First Inning. Either way, they’ve got a good outfield, and various park factor measurements over time don’t indicate that Bowie’s home park is especially favorable either way towards hitters or pitchers.

Tillman, like Juan Ramirez in A ball, just hasn’t allowed a lot of hits (32 in 48.1 IP), and has good K numbers (44), except for, as rlintott mentioned, his control issues (24 walks).

Fun fact: speaking of former Mariners, the Baysox’s leading catcher: Ben Davis. Yes, THAT Ben Davis. However, that wasn’t Tillman’s catcher today. That was Brian Valichka, playing only his 4th game of the season. He spent last season with Bakersfield in the Cal League and put up an uninspiring 274/316/378 line.

by Gomez on May 25, 2008 9:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Awesome

Thanks for the added info… our next broadcast isn’t for about 18 days (budget cuts) but I’ll try and see if we can use this in there (updated, obviously)

In the name of the Bedard, the Felix, and the Ichiro, amen.

by rlintott on May 25, 2008 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs