Baseball in Fort Wayne

Archive for September, 2009

Although he will finish out the season, the Cleveland Indians have removed Eric Wedge as the manager of the club.

Two years ago, Cleveland was one win away from a World Series trip. The Indians fell to 81-81 in 2008, but were expected to bounce back and contend this season. However, a slow start snowballed . . .

The 41-year-old Wedge was the AL Manager of the Year in 2007, when the Indians won 96 games — tied for most in the majors — and held a 3-1 lead in the AL Championship Series over Boston before the Red Sox rallied and won three straight.

Former Fort Wayne Wizard, Ernesto Frieri becamse the 87th former Fort Wayne Wizare/TinCap to make his Major League Baseball debut last night when he entered the eight in place of San Diego Padres starter, Luke Gregerson.

He faced the minimum for the inning by striking out the Diamondbacks’ Gerardo Parra and then getting Chris Young to line out to third baseman and fellow former Wizard, Chase Headley. He then struck out Stephen Drew to end the inning and his outing.

Frieri appeared in one game with the Wizarads in 2006. He returned in 2007, where he appeared in 40 games, compiling a 1-2 record with a 2.64 ERA and striking out 65 while walking 23 over 64.2 innings piched.

Photograph (Daryl Jones #28 and Ernesto Frieri #19) by Chad Gramling taken at Memorial Stadium during the 2007 season. Autographs are authentic and obtained in person.

The Fort Wayne TinCpas have captured thier first MidWest League championship in the franchise’s history. Congrats on an amazing season.

Former Wizards pitcher, Cesar Ramos made his Major League Debut today, pitching in relief for the San Diego Padres. He entered the game in the ninth inning with the Padres down 5-3. He gave up a single to the Diamondback’s Justin Uptin off a hit that he tipped to second baseman Edgar Gonzalez.

He then got Miguel Montero to fly out to Padres left fielder, Luis Durango, who made his Major League debut the night before. Mark Reynolds then struck out swinging before Gerardo Parra singled Uptin to third. Brandon Allen then flied out to Durango to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the ninth, the Padres scored two to send the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the tenth, Durango singled and stole second before being driven home on an Evereth Cabrera single to right.

With Fort Wayne in 2005, Ramos went 3-2 with a 4.19 earned run average. He struck out 32 and walked seven over 38.2 innings pitched.

Not only did Durango score the winning run and swiped his first of what will surely be many stolen bases during his first career start, he also went 3-4 with two runs.

An interesting note, the game featured a atotal of six former Wizards (Chase Headley, Drew Macias, Durango, Nick Hundley, Will Venable and Ramos). Wonder if that is a record?

Parkview Field to play ESPN Radio 1380AM broadcast

While the TinCaps travel to Burlington, Iowa fans in Fort Wayne have the chance to follow the team on ESPN Radio 1380AM as Dan Watson describes the championship action.

The Fort Wayne TinCaps will be extending Parkview Field’s normal hours to allow fans the opportunity to listen to the game together at the ballpark.

Parkview Field will be open to the public each of the remaining games of the 2009 Midwest League Championship Series, beginning Thursday night. A limited concessions menu will be available for fans to enjoy during the broadcast. There will be no cost for admission. Fans are encouraged to enter through the ballpark’s south gate at the corner of Brackenridge and Ewing.

REMAINING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SCHEDULE
Thursday, September 17 @ 7:30pm (EST) – Game #3
Friday, September 18 @ 7:30pm (EST) – Game #4 (if necessary)
Saturday, September 19 @ 7:30pm (EST) – Game #5 (if necessary

Former Fort Wayne Wizard Luis Durango debuted with the Sand Diego Padres last night, making him the 85th former Fort Wayne Wizard/TinCap to ascend to the Major Leagues.

The speedy Durango enter the game in the ninth inning as a pinch hitter for pitcher, Luke Gregerson. Durango attempted to bunt for a hit (as we saw him do many times on Fort Wayne), but was out at first.

The Fort Wayne TinCaps leveled the best-of-three Eastern Division Championship Series with a 9-4 victory over the Great Lakes Loons, Sunday at Parkview Field. Justin Baum went 3-for-4, drove in four runs and finished a triple shy of the cycle. RHP Stiven Osuna and LHP Rob Musgrave combined on a strong pitching performance.

Decisive Game 3 is set for Monday at 7:05pm at Parkview Field.

The TinCaps jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 2nd when Baum ripped a one-out single to left to plate Cole Figueroa, who doubled to lead off the inning. Blake Tekotte singled Baum home with two outs.

In the 3rd, Vince Belnome pounded a one-out double and scored later on an error. Baum plated Dykstra with a double into the right-field corner to make it 4-0.

The Loons chipped into the lead when Nick Buss hit a two-out solo homer in the 4th inning. RHP Stiven Osuna ran into potential trouble in the 5th and was lifted for LHP Rob Musgrave. The lefty walked Jaime Pedroza to load the bases with two outs, but struck out Anthony Hatch to short-circuit the rally and keep the TinCaps ahead by three runs.

In the bottom of the 5th, the TinCaps took advantage of a key error. Belnome singled and on what appeared to be a tailor-made double-play ball to second, the Loons made an error to put two on with one out. Allan Dykstra stroked a two-run, opposite-field double into the left-field corner to make it 6-1.

The Loons climbed back into the game with a pair of runs in the top of the 6th, but Fort Wayne bounced back with a run of its own in the bottom of the 6th to push the lead to 7-3.

In the 7th, Dykstra hooked another double, this one down the right-field line, off LHP Roberto Feliciano. Baum followed with a titanic home run over the left-field wall to make it 9-3.

Great Lakes scored an unearned run in the 9th on a double by Esteban Lopez, but Musgrave retired Dee Gordon to end the game and force a third game of the series. Musgrave (3-4) was the winning pitcher; he went 4.1 innings, allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits, walked one and struck out five. RHP Bobby Blevins (11-11) took the loss.

The TinCaps improved to 97-48 for the season and tied the best-of-three series at a game apiece. Great Lakes dropped to 84-61 overall.

Fort Wayne and the Loons (Class-A Los Angeles Dodgers) play Game 3 of the Eastern Division Championship Series, Monday at 7:05pm at Parkview Field in downtown Fort Wayne. It is a Family Feast Night, with selected concessions items on sale for one dollar each. The winner of Monday’s game advances to the Midwest League Championship Series; Fort Wayne has never advanced to the championship round in 17 years as a franchise.

Though I have not seen any official transaction details yet, it appears that former Wizards, pitcher Ernesto Frieri and outfielder Luis Durango may soon be joining the MLB roster in San Diego. Reportedly, they were informed of their new assignments following the (Double-A) San Antonio Missions exit from the playoffs.

An overwhelmed Frieri bounced from handshake to handshake, on the brink of tears, all but speechless at the announcement of the news. Durango stood bewildered in front of his locker, quietly accepting congratulations from teammates and staff.

The duo join Cesar Ramos, who recently joined the team, as they await their first opportunities at the big league level.

Frieri appeared in one game with the Wizarads in 2006. He returned in 2007, where he appeared in 40 games, compiling a 1-2 record with a 2.64 ERA and striking out 65 while walking 23 over 64.2 innings piched.

Durango played most of the 2008 season in Fort Wayne with the Wizards, where he appeared in 93 games. He hit .305 with 56 runs and 14 stolen bases. This season wiht San Antonia, the speedy Durango swiped 44 bags.

The San Diego Padres announced on Tuesday that they have recalled former Fort Wayne Wizards left-handed pitcher Cesar Ramos from Triple-A Portland. He’s now poised to make his Major League debut.

Ramos, 25, has made 21 appearances (18 starts) in the Padres minor league organization this year, going 6-7 with a 3.56 ERA (37 ER/93.2 IP) between Rookie-level Peoria, Single-A Lake Elsinore and Portland. Originally signed as a supplemental-round selection (35th overall) in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft out of Long Beach State University, Ramos has a career mark of 38-38 with a 4.12 ERA (278 ER/607.1 IP) in 115 minor league games (107 starts).

With Fort Wayne in 2005, Ramos went 3-2 with a 4.19 earned run average. He struck out 32 and walked seven over 38.2 innings pitched.