Gomez types the Minor League Wrap-Up as a hypothetical reader comes up to him.
Reader: So what's up with the wrap-up today?
Gomez: You'll see.
Reader: You're not gonna tell me?
Gomez: Well, there's not much of a point of writing about it if I just go and tell you what happened?
Reader: Can you at least offer a preview?
Gomez: Sure. There were some games and there will be a lot of writing about it. I'll post some line scores and balls in play for starting pitchers, and maybe we'll all learn something.
Reader: No, smartass, I mean what happened with the teams yesterday.
Gomez: I can tell you that my alarm clock's set to KOMO radio and one of the first things I hear in my half-conscious state are how the Rainiers and Aquasox did in the 90 second sports ticker that's actually 3 minutes because Tom Hutlyer has no sense of timing. And they lost, so I knew writing about them wasn't gonna be too fun.
Reader: Man, that sucks. Anything else?
Gomez: Something weird happened in the DIAMOND JAXX game with the Braves. Two Braves got ejected, and there isn't a single source on the internet that can tell me why, not even the local rags. Plus it's not obvious in the game logs, because the batter got thrown out one AB after he struck out, and the pitching coach got suddenly tossed in the 9th after a leadoff walk. Plus, in the VSL game, the guy that started pitched 2/3rds of an inning, and got replaced by a guy that looked like he should have been the starter because he pitched through the 6th, but since they're in the other hemisphere and there's no real coverage of the league, I'm not sure if maybe something happened that delayed the starter. So I'm not sure how to recap that.
Reader: Maybe you can write a hypothetical scene for them like you're doing right now.
Gomez: ....
Reader: You can thank me later.
Gomez: Go away.
VENEZUELA~! VSL Mariners 7, VSL Mets 3
Yorjans Chourio: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 walks
Rhonny Acosta: 5.1 IP, 1 H, 3 walks, 6 K
Carlos Sanchez: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 walks, 2 K
Rigoberto Rangel: 2-4, double, 2 R, 2 RBI, K (.269)
Cesar Fuentes: 2-4, double, R, RBI (.280)
Jose Rivero: 1-3, double, RBI, walk, K (.284)
Jose Hernandez: 1-3, RBI (.288)
A dugout of a baseball field in Aguirre, Venezuela. The Manager of the Aguirre Mariners paces back and forth as his bench coach watches with great trepidation. The follow hypothetical conversation is translated from Spanish.
Manager: WHERE THE HELL IS JHONNY ACOSTA?
Coach: Rhonny, sir.
Manager: JHONNY, RHONNY, HERNANDEZ, FERNANDEZ. WHATEVER. WHERE IS HE?
Coach: Maybe he got stuck in traffic.
Manager: IN AGUIRRE, VENEZUELA?
Coach: I dunno, is it farmer's market day in the square?
Manager: I don't have an emergency starter! Acosta was supposed to warm up 10 minutes ago. I'm gonna have to warm up somebody and hope he shows up before we get shelled. ::points to random reliever:: YOU.
Yorjans: Me?
Manager: Si. Warm up.
Yorjans: But I just pitched in relief last game! I can't start!
Manager: You know what happens to relievers who talk back. ::fiddles with handle on machete::
Pause.
Yorjans: ::gulp:: (/warms up)
Coach: He DID just pitch.
Manager: He can go until Rhonny gets here or until his arm falls off, whichever comes first. Not like he's Felix Hernandez or anything.
Rhonny Acosta: (/runs into the dugout huffing and puffing)
Manager: WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?
Umpire: Play ball!
Rhonny: Sorry, sir, I overslept.
Manager: 'sorry, sir, I overslept!' You think Carlos Silva shows up an hour late to Major League Beisbol because HE OVERSLEPT?
Coach: Maybe to finish an extra chorizo plate.
Manager: QUIET, YOU.
Rhonny: My power went out!
Yorjans: (/gets shelled by VSL Mets)
Manager: THEN GET A CLUE AND BUY AN ANALOG ALARM CLOCK.
Rhonny: Huh... an analog... is analog like a log book.
Manager: THE WIND UP CLOCKS THAT HAVE A FREAKING BELL ON TOP. ONE OF THOSE.
Coach: Lay off, sir, he's just a kid.
Manager: ::grabs machete:: What was that?
Coach: I'll go talk to Yorjans. ::runs to mound::
Manager: Whether or not you have a future in beisbol, get out to the bullpen, warm up so I can get clown-shoes out there out of the ballgame so you can give me some innings before I shank you.
Rhonny: (/runs to bullpen)
Manager: I don't know how Ozzie does this without killing anybody.
Sooooo... yeah. Chourio starting the game was rather strange, Rhonny Acosta suddenly coming in and pitching through the 6th was just as strange, and the VSL Mets scored 3 in the first before the VSLM's roared back with 7 runs before the end of the 5th.
a: Yakima 8, Everett 2
Juan Carlos Ramirez: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 3 walks, 7 K, hit batter
Will Brown: 1.1 IP, 2 H, (1 R) 0 ER, 2 walks, K
Mark Pettis: 0.1 IP, 2 ER, walk, K, hit batter
Brandon McKerney: 2 IP, 3 H, (1 R) 0 ER, K
Deybis Benitez: 1-4, 2 RBI, K
Ogui Diaz: 2-3, R
rest of Aquasox lineup: 3-24, R, walk, 9 K
The encore... wasn't quite up to par. It was actually close for 5 innings, as after a wild 2 run 1st inning, Juan Carlos Ramirez settled down and cruised into the 6th, even striking out 4 of 5 batters in one stretch. Catcher Julian Henson helped by throwing out a couple basestealers in that stretch. Meanwhile, the Aquasox were able to battle back and tie the ballgame at 2.
It unraveled for the battery in the 6th. Joel Melendez walked for Yakima to lead off. Ramirez uncorked a wild pitch and then walked Mark Hallberg. Ramirez did get Joe Batten on strikes, as Melendez took off for 3rd. Henson threw YIKES AND AWAY to allow Melendez to score as the throw was so far offline that Hallberg was able to get from 1st to 3rd. Will Brown came in, and Yakima immediately cashed in on a grounder through into center to make it 4-2.
Ramirez's night was over, but Henson's was not. With runners on the corners in the top 7th, two out and new pitcher Mark Pettis, Henson passed a ball to allow a runner to score and make it 5-2.
Everett, meanwhile, was able to get runners aboard but could not get them in scoring position. Pettis got the Aquasox in more trouble in the 8th, leading off by plunking Clayton Conner, then walking Aaron 'Mister' Hanke. Brandon McKerney relieved Pettis to make his pro debut, and Michael Mee bunted the runners ahead for one out. Ramon Ramirez tapped back to the pitcher for two outs, but Konrad Schmidt singled up the middle to cash in both runners and make it 7-2, and it was a wash at that point.
Juan Carlos Ramirez showed effectiveness when he wasn't TOO wild, but started and finished with poor control. He did not allow a single line drive and struck out 7, though put 4 free baserunners on and left runners on that eventually scored. If this guy paints the black, he's a very good pitcher, but how many times have we said that about a prospect?
Flyballs: 3
Groundballs: 5
Line Drives: 0
Pop Ups: 2
Walks: 3 (plus 1 hit batter)
Strikeouts: 7
NEXT: Robert Harmon makes his Aquasox debut tonight at 7:05 pm PDT.
The Midwest All Star Game: The East All Stars (which the T-Rats were on) beat down the West All Stars 8-2. Joe Kantakevich did not get into the game, but Andrew Barb did get in, pitching a scoreless 8th. Nice work, Mr. Barb!
NEXT: The T-Rats are back in action today at 5:05 pm PDT with Kyle Parker going in Appleton.
High A All Star Game: Cal League 10, Carolina League 5 Bubba Bell of Lancaster was the big star, going 3 for 5 with 2 RBI. And this was after getting shut out in the Home Run Derby (in which Adam Moore hit a couple bombs). Moore, meanwhile, came in during the 6th inning and grounded out in his only AB.
NEXT: The Mavs will know by gametime who's pitching. 7:05 pm PDT in Lancaster against the dreaded Jethawks and All Star Game MVP Bubba Bell.
AA: Mississippi 1, West Tenn 0
Robert Rohrbaugh: 8.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 4 K
The Aircraft Carrier: 0.2 IP, 1 H
Sebastien Boucher: 3-4, SB #13 (.219)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 2-4, 2 K (.290)
Luis Valbuena: 1-2, 2 walks, SB (.243)
Rene Rivera: 0-3, 2 K (.186)
This was a duel between James Parr and Robert Rohrbaugh, and Rohrbaugh was more than up to the task, pitching into the final frame, but allowing a run on a Mark Jurich base hit in the 7th to make it 1-0.
In the top 9th, Carl Loadenthal swung and missed at strike three for one out. Brandon Jones lined a single, and then the details are fuzzy. I admit I can find no information whatsoever at this time on what exactly happened, other than Carl Loadenthal got ejected... after having struck out a couple at bats before. I'm going to thus embellish with another scene.
Carl Loadenthal is standing at the plate. He swings at strike three and misses.
Umpire: STEERIKE!!! YOU'RE OUT.
Loadenthal: That was a ball.
Pause.
Umpire: Uh, what.
Loadenthal: I believe that pitch was off the plate.
Umpire: Carl, are you high?
Loadenthal: And I humbly question the integrity of your strike zone.
Umpire: You swung at strike three and missed. You are out.
Rene Rivera: I would know.
Loadenthal: I will return to the dugout, but I will request to my manager that we play this game under protest.
Umpire: Okay, you do that.
Rene Rivera: I would have just walked back to the dugout.
Umpire: By the way, why are you wearing a welding mask?
Later.
Brandon Jones: (/lines single to right)
Carl Loadenthal comes racing out of the dugout.
Loadenthal: EXCUSE ME, SIR. THAT WAS CLEARLY A THIRD STRIKE. WHY IS HE ALLOWED TO TAKE FIRST BASE?
Umpire: You have got to be shitting me.
Brandon: Carl, what the hell are you doing?
Loadenthal: I DEMAND AN ANSWER AS TO WHY I WAS SENT TO THE DUGOUT ON STRIKES AFTER BALL FOUR WHILE THIS CHARLATAN WAS ALLOWED TO TAKE FIRST BASE ON A CLEAR STRIKE THREE.
Rohrbaugh: Uh, because he hit it. Rene, WTF is going on?
Rene Rivera: Don't ask, dude. Don't ask.
Umpire: In my 39 years of calling crappy AA ballgames I have never seen such a ridiculous outburst.
Loadenthal: AND IN MY 43 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
Umpire: Cut it out.
Rohrbaugh: You're just full of info, Rene.
Rene Rivera: This guy hasn't been playing baseball for 43 years.
Loadenthal: I HAVE NEVER SEEN
Umpire: ARE YOU ON DRUGS?
Loadenthal: SUCH AN INCONSISTENT
Umpire: HE HIT THE BALL.
Loadenthal: CLEARLY BIASED STRIKE ZONE
Umpire: FOR A SINGLE.
Loadenthal: IN MY LIFE!
Umpire: IT WAS A HIT.
Brandon: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, CARL?
Loadenthal: ::to Brandon:: SHUT UP, YOU DIRTY CHEATER.
Umpire: HE'S YOUR TEAMMATE. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?
Brandon: Just... I... what the hell.
Umpire: SON, YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN, RIGHT NOW.
Loadenthal: ::to umpire:: AND YOU NEED TO TELL ME
Umpire: LAST TIME
Loadenthal: WHO'S PAYING YOU TO HAND THIS BALLGAME TO OUR HATED RIVALS
Umpire: YOU'RE OUTTA HERE.
Brandon: Schuerholtz needs to trade your ass.
Jonathan Schuerholz: Me?
James Parr: YOUR FATHER, YOU NEPOTIST DUMBASS.
Loadenthal: ::being dragged away:: THIS ISN'T THE LAST YOU'LL HEAR OF THIS, YOU DIRTY, CONNIVING BASTARD.
Rohrbaugh: You never did tell me why you wear that welding mask.
Rene Rivera: Oh, get off it.
Okay, so after that, The Aircraft Carrier relieved a cooled off and tiring Robert Rohrbaugh. Brandon Jones, given the steal sign, was so frazzled at the hilarious scene above that he got gunned down by Rene Rivera. Despite a Matt Esquivel double, the DIAMOND JAXX got out of the inning.
Marshall Hubbard led off the bottom 9th with a walk. Braves pitching coach Derek Botelho came out.
Botelho: I just wanted to apolo-
Umpire: YOU'RE OUTTA HERE.
Botelho: What.
Umpire: I'M NOT TAKING MY CHANCES AND LETTING YOU WASTE MY TIME WITH NONSENSE. NO COMPLAINING ABOUT BALLS AND STRIKES. YOU'RE GONE.
Botelho: I came out to talk to my pitcher and apo-
Umpire: YOU CAME OUT HERE TO GET CRAZY LIKE YOUR TWEAKED OUT CENTERFIELDER.
Botelho: No! What.
Mark Jurich: Crazy must be contagious.
Umpire: SIT DOWN.
Botelho: But I didn't do anything!
Umpire: ::to Braves dugout: You've been warned!
Manager: You just ejected my pitching coach for no reason!
Umpire: ::to DIAMOND JAXX dugout:: You've been warned!
West Tenn manager: Dude, leave us out of this.
Botelho: I swear I didn't mean anything bad!
Umpire: I SAID YOU'RE OUTTA HERE.
A hole suddenly appears in the ground and Carl Loadenthal burrows out.
Loadenthal: ::grabs umpire's ankle::
Umpire: AAAGH YOU FREAK LET GO
Loadenthal: YOU CAN'T GET RID OF ME THAT EASY AND THIS GAME IS FIXED.
Hubbard: The Mariners should've stayed in San Antonio.
So... after that, Tui bunted to 1st and beta out the throw as Hubbard took 2nd. Charlton Jimerson took the hint, and dragged a bunt down the 1B line, but Greg Creek snared it and threw to 3rd to get the lead runner for one out. D'OH!
Luis Valbuena then... grounded into the 6-4-3 game ending double play.
Robert Rohrbaugh's numbers show that he took advantage of the wind blowing in from left:
Flyballs: 11
Groundballs: 7
Line Drives: 5
Pop Ups: 3
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 4
NEXT: We'll see, at 5:05 pm PDT.
AAA: Sacremento 3, Tacoma 0
Jorge Campillo: 6 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 4 walks, 4 K
Jamie Cerda: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER (ERA: 12.86)
Kam Mickolio: 1 IP, walk, K
Gookie Dawkins: 3-5, 2 doubles (.258)
Jeremy Reed: 1-5, K (.288)
Adam Jones: 1-4, double, K (.324)
WLAD: 0-2, 2 walks (1 intentional) (.317)
Jeff Clement: 1-4, 2 K (.261)
Rob Johnson (DH): 2-4, double, K (.257)
First of all, welcome to Nick Green, a 28 year old 2B who's floated around the minors for the last few years, recently taking a hike from AAA Indianapolis of the International League after 102 ABs of 245/264/451 ball. Like Charlton Jimerson, a Mariners org ballclub decided to take a flier on his inconsistent power. He went 0-3 with a walk and 2 K, the wlak itself amazing as he only drew 2 walks in Indianapolis this year (vs 28 Ks).
Meanwhile, the River Cats chipped away at Jorge Campillo, getting him into jam after jam after jam before finally getting a couple runs off him, then adding a 3rd off Jamie Cerda... as the River Cats staff combined to shut out the Rainiers on 8 hits and 4 walks. Mario Ramos, a recent callup from AA Midland, went the minimum while three relievers, including some guy named Rich Harden, finished the shutout.
Campillo was hardly impressive, and the score could have easily been a lot worse, as he put on baserunners in several of his innings, even escaping a bases loaded jam with only one run allowed. Campillo in general is hardly dominant, but he certainly faced an uphill battle today as he had far from his best stuff.
Flyballs: 8
Groundballs: 9
Line Drives: 2
Pop Ups: 2
Walks: 4
Strikeouts: 4
NEXT: Justin Lehr in Sacremento at 7:05 pm PDT.