Monthly Archives: June 2011

It’s History time on the Horn & Bell!

The All Star game, love it, hate it.. it’s the halfway point of the season and you can look at it as the season is halfway over or that you still have half a season left. Either way it means voting for who you feel deserves to be on the All Star team for the league of your choice. For us IronPig fans it means the AAA All Star game between our beloved International League and the Pacific Coast League.

As usual, Major League baseball rules on everything filter down and AAA follows their All Star voting rules as well.

To begin, the first Major League All Star game was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago in 1933. The American League defeated the National League by a score of 4 to 2.

For AAA, the first All Star game was held on July 23, 1956. From 1956 to 1978, the IL All Star team faced a Major League team. (No idea how either team was selected) There was no All Star game again until 1983 and 1984 with the same format. The All Star game then returned in 1988 with the format of American League affiliates vs. National League affiliates as there were 3 leagues in AAA at that time. (The American Association folded in 1997) Since 1998 the current format of IL vs PCL was established and has been played every year since.

So the whole voting thing. I will use Major League baseball criteria.. well as I stated before AAA follows on the heels of the big leagues. Up until 1946 the managers of each All Star team picked their teams. That was until 1947 when fans were given the opportunity to vote. Ha Ha HA! Let us pick! Big smiles! This lasted almost 10 years until 1957 when Cincinnatti Red fans got an idea. The Cincinnatti Enquirer printed pre-filled ballots to the Red’s favor and sent them out with every paper making it easier for fans to vote. And boy did they vote. Red fans elected just about the entire team, the only non-Red to be voted on that team was Stan Musial. Commissioner Ford Frick was not happy and appointed Willie Mays and Hank Aaron to replace two of the Red’s players and immediately decided to remove the fan vote. From there on to 1969, Managers, Coaches and Players selected the teams. In 1969 the league sent out equal amounts of ballots to each team to prevent ballot box stuffing.. the number is said to have been about 400,000 total. With the dawn of online voting, it seems that everyone has a chance to vote, as we all do… but computers monitor how many submissions are made and to avoid fans drowing the ballot.. Managers and Media have more pull than us.

Could you imagine the viewing audience of an entire team of IronPigs playing in the AAA All Star game? Remembering it’s a business, these leagues sell advertising and want folks from every city to watch the game and thus, somehow, at least one player from each team is selected.

Even though our votes don’t really count for much in the All Star voting, it is a source of pride for us fans. If we can vote our team to lead “Fan Voting” it tells these guys we are behind them, so make sure to vote for our IronPigs before the deadline, June 24th.

OinK!

Pacific Coast League:
Manager – Lorenzo Bundy (Albuquerque)
Coach – Tommy Gregg (Omaha)
Coach – Rich Gale (Omaha)

International League:
Manager – Mike Sarbaugh (Columbus)
Coach – Dean Traynor (Indianapolis)
Coach – Rich Dotson (Charlotte)

Current voting leaders for the IL. (Keep voting IronPig Fans!)

CATCHER
1) Erik Kratz, Lehigh Valley
2) Jesus Montero, Scranton/WB
3) Devin Mesoraco, Louisville
4) Michael McKenry, Pawtucket
5) Jesus Flores, Syracuse

FIRST BASE
1) Lars Anderson, Pawtucket
2) Jeff Larish, Lehigh Valley
3) Ryan Strieby, Toledo
4) Chris Marrero, Syracuse
5) Jorge Vazquez, Scranton/WB

SECOND BASE
1) Josh Barfield, Lehigh Valley
2) Jason Kipnis, Columbus
3) Will Rhymes, Toledo
4) Tony Thomas, Pawtucket
5) Chris Valaika, Louisville

SHORTSTOP
1) Jose Iglesias, Pawtucket
2) Chase d’Arnaud, Indianapolis
3) Cale Iorg, Toledo
4) Zack Cozart, Louisville
5) Chris McConnell, Syracuse

THIRD BASE
1) Lonnie Chisenhall, Columbus
2) Ronnie Belliard, Lehigh Valley
3) Brian Friday, Indianapolis
4) Todd Frazier, Louisville
5) Argenis Diaz, Toledo

DESIGNATED HITTER
1) Michael Aubrey, Syracuse
2) Andy Marte, Indianapolis
3) Chris Carter, Durham
4) Cord Phelps, Columbus
5) Scott Thorman, Toledo

OUTFIELD
1) Desmond Jennings, Durham
2) Jeremy Hermida, Louisville
3) Brandon Moss, Lehigh Valley
4) Alex Presley, Indianapolis
5) Yonder Alonso, Louisville
6) Daniel Nava, Pawtucket
7) Rich Thompson, Lehigh Valley
8) Benjamin Guez, Toledo
9) Brandon Guyer, Durham
10) Lucas Duda, Buffalo

STARTING PITCHER
1) Brian Gordon, Lehigh Valley
2) Adam Wilk, Toledo
3) Julio Teheran, Gwinnett
4) Andrew Miller, Pawtucket
5) Dontrelle Willis, Louisville
6) Duane Below, Toledo
7) Zach McAllister, Columbus
8) Ross Detwiler, Syracuse
9) Brad Lincoln, Indianapolis
10) Tom Milone, Syracuse

RELIEF PITCHER
1) Drew Carpenter, Lehigh Valley
2) Scott Mathieson, Lehigh Valley
3) Jeff Mandel, Syracuse
4) Kevin Whelan, Scranton/WB
5) Tim Wood, Indianapolis
6) Mike Zagurski, Lehigh Valley
7) Michael Schwimer, Lehigh Valley
8) Tony Pena, Pawtucket
9) Justin Hampson, Buffalo
10) Josh Wilkie, Syracuse

Ironpig slayer Shelley Duncan was recently signed by the Cleveland Indians. When he ends up at AAA the Pigs could face him again via Columbus.

Also, the Phillies signed the below draft picks:
RHP Ian Durham
C John Hill
C Logan Moore

Catcher Joel Naughton (who spent some time with the Pigs) was also released and Posednik to the Disabled List (7 Day)

The Blue Jays have released outfielder DeWayne Wise. Wise opted out of his Ironpig contract early last season for Toronto.

The Jays also sent former Phillie prospect Kyle Drabek down to AAA.

Cleveland activated former Pig Jason Donald from the DL. Donald has split time with AA Akron and AAA Columbus and is not listed on either team’s online roster as of tonight.

Noticed that the Reno Aces now list Andy Tracy as on the 7 day DL as well.

OinK!

I’m going to start off with Brian Gordon’s big day with the NY Yankees. Although leaving the game a run down and earning a no-decision, I felt he did great. Here’s his first start in the Majors, in Yankee stadium.. facing your old team, heck I was nervous for him. Born in NY, raised in Texas.. the best Hollywood writers couldn’t dream up this day.

Gordon went 5.1 innings allowing 2 runs on 7 hits. He walked 3 and struck out 3. Gordon’s curveball didn’t seem to work consistantly and the 2nd of the two runs came on a bases loaded hit batsman with 2 outs on an 0-2 count. It was frustrating to watch the bases load as a hit and run turned a routine double play into a first and second with no outs situation. Gordon seemed to be destined to end that inning but the curveball ended up hitting Beltre to push a run across.

Great job Brian! Make us proud!

***

The Ironpig’s opened up a 4 game set in Pawtucket tonight which, though it’s still early, could help distance themselves from Pawtucket in the standings. The PawSox are 8.5 games behind the IronPigs as of today. (SWB is 5 games back facing red hot Columbus this weekend)

For the Pigs… Bozied, Moss Hogg and Thompson had home runs.

In his first game as an IronPig Cody Overbeck went for .

Brian Bass got the start tonight and lasted 6 innings allowing 3 runs on 5 hits. The Pigs were up 5-3 before Mike Zagurski allowed 2 runs to tie the game.

Rich Thompson was finally caught stealing this season getting thrown out at 2nd base in the top of the 9th inning.

The score remained 5-5 until the 10th when the PawSox won on a walk off single and the Pigs lose the opener 5-6.

Tomorrow is another day…

OinK!

Per @PigsRadio, again.. @PigRadio (that was for you Jimmy T)

RHP Scott Mathieson is moving to the rotation. He’ll start Sunday — his 1st since 8/22/07 w/ Clearwater.

Many thanks to Michael LoRe (@michaellore) and Tommy V (@Rphils) for keeping us posted via Twitter.

Joe Savery, Justin Friend and Chance Chapman to Reading.

Cody Overbeck, Phillippe Aumont, Justin De Fratus, and Ryan Edell promoted to Lehigh Valley.

Also, the Phillies have signed Tim Redding to a minor league deal.

Edell is 5-1 with a 3.50 ERA in 12 starts*. Count him in the rotation.

Aumont is 1-5 in 15 appearances but does hold a 2.32 ERA.*

DeFratus is 4-0 in 23 appearances with a 2.10 ERA.*

Overbeck is hitting .275 with 18 HR and 46 RBI.*

*For the Reading Phillies

Tim Redding was 2-7 with the Albuquerque Isotopes (Makes me think of the Simpsons every time) with a 6.59 ERA. Not a prospect but he can eat up some innings and may turn out to be a diamond in the rough.

OinK!

Twitter is a wonderful thing… before press releases went out us fans had the opportunity to find out who’s coming up to fill the vacant spots on our favorite team’s roster.

This morning both Cody Overbeck and Phillipe Aumont tweeted of their promotion to the IronPigs!

Welcome to the team and see you soon!

OinK!

Per Michael LoRe’, Justing DeFratus will be joining the IronPigs in Pawtucket.

That’s one, two to go…

Yesterday really did happen. Hail and Farewell to Belliard and Gordon, wishes for quick healing to Bump and Bonine. Give them your best in Philly Worley!

Really, this might turn out to be a good thing (never happy for injuries) in the terms of who we have as starting pitchers. Losing Gordon is a huge blow to the team but looking at the stats:

Brian Bass: 4-4, 5.02 ERA, 26 BB, 40 K

Nate Bump: 2-6, 6.71 ERA, 16 BB, 36 K

Ryan Feierabend: 5-3, 5.79, 22 BB, 45 K

Eddie Bonine: 3-4, 5.16 ERA, 8 BB, 44 K

Vance Worley: 4-2, 2.62 ERA, 12 BB, 47 K

Brian Gordon: 5-0, 1.14 ERA, 7 BB, 56 K

Not exactly all star stats, minus Gordon, but does show a nice Strikeout to Walk ratio in the Pigs favor.

***

Let’s see what we have in Reading as far as starters. (Sorry R-Phils fans, stuff like this rolls downhill)

Austin Hyatt: 6-4, 4.35 ERA, 29 BB, 78 K

Ryan Edell: 5-1, 3.50 ERA, 9 BB, 50 K

JC Ramirez: 5-5, 4.30 ERA, 22 BB, 21 K

Chris Kissock: 2-5, 5.81 ERA, 12 BB, 25 K

Josh Zeid: 2-3, 6.80 ERA, 25 BB, 32 K

BJ Rosenberg: 2-1, 2.17 ERA, 11 BB, 42 K

Reading does have some options for the Pigs to pull from, I’d seriously doubt they would pull from Lakewood or Clearwater for anything more than a spot start. Jason Anderson is still out there pitching for the Somerset Patriots. Mazone is retired. Anyone got Ron Chiavacci’s number? Drew Carpenter can always start too.

Somewhere out there, there is a Phillies executive making phone calls and very thankful for today’s day off. My thoughts, they are going to pull Reading starters up one at a time for spot starts. One will probably make the road trip to Pawtucket with them and then an 8 game home stand making it easier to ferry players to the Lehigh Valley as needed. Expect a few signings or minor league trades as well.

So as it stands now, the IronPig’s starting rotation looks like this:
1. Feierabend
2. Bass
3. Vacant
4. Vacant
5. Vacant

My Guess (In no particular order):
1. Feierabend
2. Bass
3. Carpenter
4. Prospect from Reading
5. Free agent signing

What are your guesses?

What a wild game tonight! Combined 15 runs on 25 hits and 3 errors led to a barn burner with the IronPigs coming out on top by a final score of 8 to 7.

For the hitters, Brandon Moss “Hogg” led the team by going 3 for 5 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI and the go ahead home run in the bottom of the 8th.

Pitching wise was a different story. Starter Nate Bump went only 2 innings and left while warming up in the 3rd with what looked like a hamstring (or something in that area) injury. In fact, Bump noticeably pulled up after covering first on a Daniel Dorn ground ball fielded by Josh Barfield for the 2nd out of the 2nd inning. No status on him heard tonight.

For the others.. boy what a day for transactions in moves that seemed to decimate the IronPig’s starting rotation.

First, Bump pulls up lame tonight.

Then it’s announced that the leading vote getter for starting pitcher in the IL All Star team had opted out and signed a Major League contract with the NY Yankees.. I have mixed feelings on this. I am really bummed to see our best starter leaving but very happy for Brian Gordon and his family. In 15 seasons in baseball, Gordon has only been to the show once before (2008 with Texas appearing in 3 games for 4 innings). Congratulations Brian and I wish the best of luck to succeed!

Then, more bad news came around. Confirmed early in the game by the IronPig’s media department, Shoeless Eddie Bonine will soon undergo Tommy John surgery. He won’t be back anytime soon if ever.

Add in Belliard’s retirement. I think it’s respectable when a player hangs up his hat after a long career. Going out while still capable is an honorable thing and gives the next generation an opportunity to play. Good luck Belliard and best of luck in the future.

Tonight would not be complete without congratulations to Pete Orr and his family. Orr was a late scratch from the lineup to attend the birth of his child.

So with all that said I will sign off for the night. The Pigs head to tour the Baseball Hall of Fame with their manager tomorrow and I’m going bowling.

OinK!