Baseball in Fort Wayne

Archive for October, 2008

This week, the sod for grass at Parkview Field was put laid, with light towers and lights to go in soon. Video footage can be viewed at AroundFortWayneBlog. It’s about as exciting as watching grass . . . er, never mind, couldn’t resist Stephen . Photos are also up at WhatsGoingDownTown.

Accoding to a WaneTV report, “officials will offer public tours once the stadium is closer to completion.”

San Diego Padres beat writer, Corey Brock recently posted some mailbag questions and answers. His first discusses one of my all time favorite Wizards, Kyle Blanks, and his future for next season and as a potential trading chip down the line given that Gonzalez has the market on first base in SD:

Blanks had a big season with Double-A San Antonio, hitting .325 with 20 home runs and 107 RBIs to go with a .404 on-base percentage that certainly has many in the organization excited about the 22-year-old. This season came on the heels of a .301-24-100 season with Class A Lake Elsinore in 2007.

I would expect Blanks to begin the season with Triple-A Portland, where he will be tested in a veteran league much like Triple-A newcomers Matt Antonelli, Chase Headley and Nick Hundley were to start the 2008 season. Blanks could also be an attractive trade chip given that Gonzalez is 26 and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.

Brock suggests that Mat Latos could see a return to Fort Wayne to begin next season (which I think is unlikely given he’s a California Florida kid and April in Fort Wayne is spine-tingling cold).

Among other former Wizards tidbits, he points out that the Padres are pretty happy with Nick Hundley as catcher but may still try to add a veteran presence (such as Brad Ausmus), and Jake Peavy being traded is still a possible scenario if the offer is right.

Former Norwell standout, Jarrod Parker was recently named as the third best Midwest League prospect by Baseball America. And as MinorLeagueBaseball.com points out, he’s building upon a solid foundation that saw his first year as a professional baseball player turn out to be a success by all measures.

In 24 starts, Parker went 12-5 with a 3.44 ERA, tying for third in the system in both wins and ERA, striking out 117 over 117 2/3 innings while showing impeccable control with only 33 walks.

During the 2008 season, parker showed relative mastery of his fastball, slider and changeup. Now he’s attempting to add a hard curve to his repertoire. And now, with his foundation built after a full season in nearby South Bend, Parker seems to be in position to see the rest go up pretty quickly.

“He probably could have pitched up to Double-A this year stuff-wise and in terms of maturity as he started to develop as a man,” Hinch said. “But just like a house, once the foundation is built, the rest goes up pretty fast. Year two is probably the time to push the gas pedal a little and challenge him and see what he can do.”

MadFriars’ Denis Savage reports that former first round (and number one overall) pick, Matt Bush threw 30 pitches in first instructional league outing. 

The right-hander had experienced triceps tenderness late last week, which pushed his outing back a bit. The tenderness is said to be normal and par for the rehab course, pushing through the scar tissue from his surgery.

Bush threw his full repertoire, tossing fastballs, curveballs and changeups. Control, as expected, was an issue on several of his pitches. The fastballs weren’t of the 98 MPH variety he had thrown when first transitioning to pitcher from shortstop but had considerable zip.

His curveball had impressive spin – more than Bush expected. Balls that started out in the zone careened to the left and outside the zone. It was a pitch that he did not toss for a strike.

The pitch that looked exceptional was the changeup. He had Chalk and Forsythe swinging over top of the pitch anytime he tossed it.

Forsythe was able to put his bat on a fastball and drive it far while Chalk went down and took a low fastball and smoked a liner to left. It was, however, more about finding command for Bush.

Overall, Bush was happy with the outing.

“I felt good,” Bush said. “I just wanted to go out there and not have any pain or discomfort. That is all going away. It feels like that is all going away. I am just trying to throw strikes and get a feel for each pitch and remember how my curveball breaks.

Certainly would be interesting to see Matt Bush return to Fort Wayne and be among a small group of players to be a Wizard and TinCap!

Another former top pick and Wizard, Nick Schmidt is also on the mend from Tommy John surgery and hoping to rebound during instructional league play. He took the mound and thre 25 pitches with slightly better control.

The TinCaps have released their schedule. It includes more fireworks and new start times to allow downtown workers to get home before game traffic arrives.

For more information on TinCaps season tickets, group outings or corporate partnerships for the 2009 season at Parkview Field contact the team at (260) 482-6400 or log on to TinCaps.com.”

Also, the TinCaps have moved onto MySpace.

Former Wizards pitcher, Jack Cassel, had an up and down season from Triple-A RoundRock and Houston after signing a one-year deal wiht the Astros. Houston outrighted him back to Triple-A, and he is now a free agent due to his MiLB service time.

Cassel, 28, was 1-1 with a 5.64 ERA over nine games (three starts) for the Astros this year. In 15 career big league games — including seven starts — over two seasons with San Diego (2007) and Houston (2008), Cassel is 2-2 with a 4.92 ERA.

Ambiorix Burgos

Back in 2004, I snapped this shot of future New York Mets pitcher, Ambiorix Burgos while he was visiting with the Burlington Bees (a Kansas City affiliate).

In 2006, he was traded by Royals to Mets for Brian Bannister and later resigned by the Mets, but spent all of 2008 on the disabled list.

Unfortunately, Burgos has run into mucho trouble as of late.

In September, the reliever was arrested on assault and harassment charges after being accused of throwing his girlfriend to the ground.

Not long after that, the 24-year-old Dominican native was allegedly driving an SUV when it slammed into two women who later died of their injuries. A search for the pitcher began after the hit-and-run incident. A week later, he turned himself in to Dominican authorities. The mother of one of the victims is accusing Burgos of intentionally running her daughter over because she refused to go out with him.

Update (10/09): Looks like Burgos will spend the next three months in jail until his trial for the hit and run “out of concern for his safety.” Although, he seems to think he’ll make his October 23rd hearing in New York for the assault charge. He and his family are claiming his innocence and assert that he is being singled out by his jealous countrymen.

Oliver Perez on the 2008 Former Indians All-Star Team

Of the 63 former Indianapolis Indians who finished the 2008 season on a Major League 40-man roster, 17 are highlighted on the 2008 Former Indians All-Star team.  Former Wizards Pitcher, Oliver Perez, was among them. Perez played in Fort Wayne in 2001 after signing as an undrafted free agent by the Padres in 1999. He was traded by Padres with Corey Stewart and Jason Bay to the Pirates for Brian Giles in 2003 and then was traded by Pirates with Roberto Hernandez to Mets for Xavier Nady in 2006.

September Call-Ups: Drew Macias and Will Venable 

MadFriars’ John Conniff interviews the former Wizard outfielders, Drew Macias and Will Venable (subscription required). Macias talks about his early season struggles in his third stint at Double-A, a new batting stance, while Venable dishes on his newfound power an patience. I still say you should look for him to be a starter in SD next season. Also look for Denis Savage’s interview with recent Wizard, Angel Mercado, who started with the Wizards this season and was demoted to low-A Eugene.

What Does the Future Have in Store for Peavy?

Well, the New York Yankees may be interested in former Wizards pitcher and NL Cy Young Winner Jake Peavy, but it will take a lot to pry him from San Diego. Although, keep in mind that his salary from this year will more than double by 2010 and continue to rise through 2012.

Soria wins September’s DHL Award

Former Wizards Pitcher, Joakim Soria’s perfect September had a perfect ending. The Royals’ right-handed closer, was named the winner of the DHL Presents the Major League Baseball Delivery Man Award. Soria was 9-for-9 in save opportunities and had a 1-0 record and a 0.00 ERA in 10 appearances. He gave up just three hits in 10 1/3 innings.

“He’s had a tremendous impact,” Royals manager Trey Hillman said. “Just looking at the statistics and the number of saves in comparison to the number of team wins. And there’s just a psychological advantage there for the whole team, just knowing that he’s available and the consistency of the product he brings to the mound.”

Soria had a 1.60 ERA in his 63 games, a 2-3 record and 66 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings. Opponents batted just .169 against him.

Daryl Jones is 9th Best Indy Leaguer

Former Wizards first baseman and DH, Daryl Jones suffered from the logjam at the lower levels and never really got his career into motion despite an impressive first half MWL All-Star performance during his first year with Wizards that saw him split time with Kyle Blanks. Baseball America recently listed him as the 9th best prospect in Indy ball. Injuries and ineffectiveness led the Pares to release the former fourth round pick following the 2007 season. He caught on with Edinburg where he worked on his swing and showed off some speed.

… now Jones has a flatter swing that gives the ball some backspin that helps it carry further. He showed the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark from foul pole to foul pole.

At 6-foot-4 with some nimbleness around the bag, Jones is very solid defensively and gives infielders a big target to aim for. He also runs well for a big man (4.2 seconds to first base), and he was second in the United League with 32 steals. But as you would expect for a first baseman, it will be his power potential that could get him back to affiliated ball.

PlanetGrove calls the TinCaps logo his “favorite new Minor League Baseball team logo” while Deadspin and is hoping for a clash of the mascots featuring Nightmare Ant and The “Ill Tempered Apple” (who has yet to receive an official name).

Cathy D still hates everything about it. T. R. Slyder isn’t very fond of it.  Dan Vance reminds us that it could have been worse (and “you could shut up”). Captain Spaulding calls it “dumb”. Multiple times. Wes Gaines can’t wait to get a hat . . . and a tetnus shot.

What a year it has been for former Wizards pitcher, Dirk Hayhurst. Before the 2008 season, h was probably best known as the scribe of Baseball America’s “Non-Prospect Diary” before he earned his shot at the Major League roster with the San Diego Padres (even spot starting for Jake Peavy). The 27-year-old Hayhurst appeared in 10 games wiht the Friars. He went 0-2 with a 9.72 ERA.

Yesterday, the Canton Republic published Hayhurst’s first-hand account of getting the call.

The morning I left to join the San Diego Padres, I deflated my air mattress, folded the lawn chair and ironing board I used for a desk set, and threw out the few lonely groceries in my fridge. I put on a sports coat bought at Goodwill, shined the shoes loaned to me by a teammate, and shaved twice just for good measure. I locked my apartment, turned in the keys, and waved goodbye to my life as a career minor leaguer.

Today, he was placed on waivers by San Diego and quickly snatched up by the Toronto Blue Jays.  

Hayhurst — a 6-foot-3 native of Canton, Ohio — went 2-3 with a 3.75 ERA in 46 games, including a pair of starts, while striking out 98 over 84 innings for Portland. Hayhurst, who was an eighth-round selection by the Padres in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, has gone 32-33 with a 4.05 ERA in six Minor League seasons.