Hot night in Chattanooga

[twinssouth]

Saw quite an entertaining game if you were a Jacksonville fan last night in Chattanooga.

First off, it was brutally hot. We were just a few rows up behind home plate and a full hot sun is coming at you from over left field. With no air flow, it felt watching the game inside a 400 degree oven. Busiest guy last night next to Burdi trying to get out of an inning was the "Cold Beer here" guy. I kid you not, if you didn't gulp the beer down in one shot, it became hotter than a pistol.

 

Brett Lee was having a nice night, facing our old buddy Matt Tomshaw. Both lefties physically look eerily similar except Brett had better stuff. He was dealing tonight. His FB was sitting between 87 to 91, showed nice curve balls between 75 to 80, Change up around 80/81 and he was hitting his spots, spinning the ball nicely, really good movement.

 

He was pitching a shut out into the 7th inning, got 1 out, and had runners on 1st and 2nd. That's when Doug M pulled him but I thought he should have stayed in as he still looked like in control of the game. At that point Burdi came in to just get out of the inning, as we were up 3 to 0 but the wheels came off really quick.

 

Burdi had a bad night, ok, I'm kind. Actually, he was wild, all over the place, couldn't find the strike zone. His FB was sitting 95 to 99 and sliders or curve (couldn't tell) in upper 80's. The harder he threw it, the straighter the ball and when the batter hits it, it goes a long way (pretty simple huh). I actually thought his best fast ball was one at 95, had nice movement and good placement. I think he need's to slow down a tad and get his control back. Miguel tonight didn't help him any by letting a roller go by him and having the runner score from 2nd. That should have been an error charged to Sano. When all said and done, Nick Burdi got NO outs. Both runners he inherited from Brett Lee scored plus he let in 2 more, 1 walking the batter in with bases loaded. I suspect he didn't sleep well last night.

 

Then Jake Reed comes in. Still, 1 out thanks to Brett L. I actually like the way he pitches, was down and away for the most part, his fb sitting 92/93 and a nice upper 80's slider when on. He actually had a great battle with Miohael Morse, the big Marlins 1st baseman who was on a rehab assignment, ended up striking him out. But the next batter; Michael Juengel for the Suns, clobbered a down and inside 1/3rd of the plate Grand Slam homer off Reed's 93 FB, just inside the LF foul pole.

 

Wow, in 2/3rds of an inning, we went from being up 3 to zip to down 8 to 3. Well, as the song goes, "Momma says there be days like this." One thing to bear in mind with the power arms; when the ball comes in fast and the batter makes contact, oh boy. Hopefully they miss bats the next time out. Both the guys need to throw more off speed in my opinion.

 

To cap it off, the ump on bottom of the 8th ruled runner interference on Stuart Turner to 1st. What a bogus, lousy call, no way did that happen. Doug M ran out to the field, argued rightfully so, got thrown out of the game. All of us in the stands cheered for Doug.

 

The player of the game was no question, Max Kepler, going 4 for 5, 2 RBI's (should have had 3 if the 3rd base coach, had called the runner in). This guy is good. He$$, he even stole a base tonight. He needs to be in call up discussion. The whole package showed off tonight.

 

Also want to pass a few good words on to unsung heroes Harrison and Gonzales. I like Mike Gonzales swing. Little more contact and he could (hopefully) be in discussion for future dh roles.

 

Miguel needs more work both offensively and defensively.

 

It was a fun night, lots of action, talking to scouts behind me and Jacksonville Sun pitchers doing the tracking for tonight in front of me. Next game I see needs to be cooler though.

[jokin]

Thanks for the report T-south.  Yep, when the sun is shining and the wind isn't blowing, the only place for refuge from baking yourself to the point of a heat stroke is in those few back rows of seats with shade.  

 

I saw Kepler when he was swinging really well in early May.  Looks like he's got his stroke back-  probably ready to move up to AAA soon.  Looks like Polanco got 3 double plays working behind the pitchers.  Did you have the chance to see Brandon Peterson pitch in his AA debut?  Any opinion on his stuff and velocity?

[Nick Nelson]

Thanks for the eyewitness perspective. Good to get some insight on Burdi's rough outing.

[twinssouth]

Thanks for the eyewitness perspective. Good to get some insight on Burdi's rough outing.

 

 

Hey Nick, I see where the Forum is posted twice, can you consolidate into one for me. Thanks Nick

[jokin]

 

Hey Nick, I see where the Forum is posted twice, can you consolidate into one for me. Thanks Nick

 

... Peterson...etc?

[jimbo92107]

Twinssouth, what a great write-up. You really brought the game alive with your descriptions, and I didn't know Max Kepler was that good. How does he look in the outfield? How's his arm? It's gonna be really hard to crack the lineup in Minnesota with Buxton, Rosario, Hicks and Hunter up there right now, tho I suppose things will open up some in September.

 

Too bad about Sano's struggles, if they continue. Call-up talk about him centers around the DH role currently held by Kennys Vargas, who so far has failed to show significant production as DH. Sano theoretically would solve that problem with a few hard swings, but if he's scuffling against AA pitching, the pros would serve him up nothing but change-ups and dying duck curve balls.

[twinssouth]

Thanks for the report T-south.  Yep, when the sun is shining and the wind isn't blowing, the only place for refuge from baking yourself to the point of a heat stroke is in those few back rows of seats with shade.  

 

I saw Kepler when he was swinging really well in early May.  Looks like he's got his stroke back-  probably ready to move up to AAA soon.  Looks like Polanco got 3 double plays working behind the pitchers.  Did you have the chance to see Brandon Peterson pitch in his AA debut?  Any opinion on his stuff and velocity?

 

 

Yes, I did. Glad you brought Peterson up and it completely escaped me that he just joined the Lookouts. Compared to Burdi and Reed, he seemed more polished. His fb was sitting 93 to 94 and the hitters couldn't square him up. He had just the 1 walk, other than that,real clean inning Nice off speed too. Shiboya (sp) looked good too, not quite the velocity but good curve ball

[jokin]

 

Twinssouth, what a great write-up. You really brought the game alive with your descriptions, and I didn't know Max Kepler was that good. How does he look in the outfield? How's his arm? It's gonna be really hard to crack the lineup in Minnesota with Buxton, Rosario, Hicks and Hunter up there right now, tho I suppose things will open up some in September.

 

Too bad about Sano's struggles, if they continue. Call-up talk about him centers around the DH role currently held by Kennys Vargas, who so far has failed to show significant production as DH. Sano theoretically would solve that problem with a few hard swings, but if he's scuffling against AA pitching, the pros would serve him up nothing but change-ups and dying duck curve balls.

 

This was just one game.  He's done really well since April 30.  He has a June OPS of .881 and a June sOBA of .416.  Hard to call that scuffling.

[twinssouth]

Twinssouth, what a great write-up. You really brought the game alive with your descriptions, and I didn't know Max Kepler was that good. How does he look in the outfield? How's his arm? It's gonna be really hard to crack the lineup in Minnesota with Buxton, Rosario, Hicks and Hunter up there right now, tho I suppose things will open up some in September.

 

Too bad about Sano's struggles, if they continue. Call-up talk about him centers around the DH role currently held by Kennys Vargas, who so far has failed to show significant production as DH. Sano theoretically would solve that problem with a few hard swings, but if he's scuffling against AA pitching, the pros would serve him up nothing but change-ups and dying duck curve balls.

 

 

 

 

Only saw him once in outfield and that was last year. Only had 1 put out so hard to comment. He is fast (not Buxton speed). Also don't really know enough about his arm strength but from my eyes, he's easily the most athletic, so smooth. Polanco is similar.

[twinssouth]

Concerning Sano, the Jacksonville pitchers were throwing him off speed all night, had only 1 fb to hit all night and that was a long fly out to left center. Was caught looking on his strike out on a breaking ball.

[twinssouth]

This was just one game.  He's done really well since April 30.  He has a June OPS of .881 and a June sOBA of .416.  Hard to call that scuffling.

 

 

It's also possible that Sano is a little bummed out that Buxton got the call up and he hasn't joined him yet. But, he needs to clean up his defense It's possible that Burdi's inning could have ended better had Sano made that play.

[jokin]

 

It's also possible that Sano is a little bummed out that Buxton got the call up and he hasn't joined him yet. But, he needs to clean up his defense It's possible that Burdi's inning could have ended better had Sano made that play.

 

 

I think that you saw what I saw in early May.  He made the tough plays that day and booted an easy one.  I'm thinking he's a bit distracted by the rash of call-ups, including Buck.  He is living an ongoing "reality show" existence.     Having to say something to a camera every day is probably more than a little distracting at times like this.

[jimbo92107]

 

This was just one game.  He's done really well since April 30.  He has a June OPS of .881 and a June sOBA of .416.  Hard to call that scuffling.

I just watched Kennys Vargas hit a weak ground ball to second for a double play. He's swinging like a guy bound for AAA again. A couple more weeks of this, and Sano could get the call.

[twinssouth]

I think that you saw what I saw in early May.  He made the tough plays that day and booted an easy one.  I'm thinking he's a bit distracted by the rash of call-ups, including Buck.  He is living an ongoing "reality show" existence.     Having to say something to a camera every day is probably more than a little distracting at times like this.

 

You maybe on to something with him, putting undue pressure on himself There's no question of his talent; He had 4 plays last night, 2 were zingers. He was loose, instinctive, firing a ball like it was shot out of a cannon on the tough ones.

[jokin]

 

I just watched Kennys Vargas hit a weak ground ball to second for a double play. He's swinging like a guy bound for AAA again. A couple more weeks of this, and Sano could get the call.

 

 

I was watching in the 9th inning today, and just for luck, I quoted David Ortiz. just to get him going:

 

<"They tell me to swin' like a lil' girl, I swin' like a lil' girl">

 

It worked.  He was sitting on that curve and golfed it out...

 

What a great day at the ball park!  I hope they can somehow figure out a way to have both Kennys and Miguel up here.

[jimbo92107]

 

I was watching in the 9th inning today, and just for luck, I quoted David Ortiz. just to get him going:

 

<"They tell me to swin' like a lil' girl, I swin' like a lil' girl">

 

It worked.  He was sitting on that curve and golfed it out...

 

What a great day at the ball park!  I hope they can somehow figure out a way to have both Kennys and Miguel up here.

Vargas even tied my average well-hit 1 wood: about 150 yards!