Rex Hudler

Stop hitting the ball in the air. The HR's in Charlotte are long outs in Chicago.

I don't take offense to that at all. At this point, I think it is fair to say we aren't very good and if "thin" is how they want to describe it, then so be it. Until we start playing well, we are not above criticism.

If you need any input about any of the guys from Birmingham, let me know.

As a visitor to the city, I thought the Cows on Parade was a pretty cool thing. It was definitely unique and added flavor to the downtown area, where I spent most of my time. I wish they would keep the bobbleheads up longer, because I doubt I can get to Chicago before August or September. You obviously weren't around for the wildly successful ping pong tables they put up all over the city... Those I missed. But hey, imagine walking down the street and deciding to embark on an impromptu ping pong match? Guess you'd have to carry your paddle with you at all times. Couldn't be all bad, could it? No one did it like that! The only people who used them were people who played all of time. The whole impromptu thing flopped. Bummer dude!

I can attest to radar guns being off. The gun at the Hoover Met is 3-4 miles an hour slower than the guns the scouts use behind home plate. I am told it is because of distance (the Barons gun shoots from the pressbox). Hence, if I am not seeing one of the guns behind home plate, I add the 3-4 mphs.

As a visitor to the city, I thought the Cows on Parade was a pretty cool thing. It was definitely unique and added flavor to the downtown area, where I spent most of my time. I wish they would keep the bobbleheads up longer, because I doubt I can get to Chicago before August or September. You obviously weren't around for the wildly successful ping pong tables they put up all over the city... Those I missed. But hey, imagine walking down the street and deciding to embark on an impromptu ping pong match? Guess you'd have to carry your paddle with you at all times. Couldn't be all bad, could it?

Next February

As a visitor to the city, I thought the Cows on Parade was a pretty cool thing. It was definitely unique and added flavor to the downtown area, where I spent most of my time. I wish they would keep the bobbleheads up longer, because I doubt I can get to Chicago before August or September.

It won't be Hriniak. He teaches a different style that very few hitters use anymore. Frank is one of the last hitters that uses his principles.

Dr. Andrews is who the Sox use for a 2nd opinion when needed. If they don't feel a need for a second opinion, then you are right. Their first option is in Chicago.

From what I hear Gregg Ritchie, the Barons hitting coach is very well respected. However, it will be difficult for him to get there because he never played in the Majors. That is almost a prerequisite these days.

Click here for the entire team report. I for one wouldn't mind seeing him gone, he's been pretty much unable to get slumping hitters turned around on anything resembling a regular basis. At the same time, I know nothing about Greg Walker, so whether he'd be an upgrade or not, I don't know. I am not sure about Walker. Rumor has it the hitters at Charlotte last year were quite frustrated with him as their hitting coach.

I could see Corwin pitching out of the pen eventually (assuming he ever makes it to the Show) because almost everything is hard. He has a nasty breaking ball but it is not really that much slower. He has mixed in a few changeups and that will be the key to whether he can ever be a starter. Corwin certainly has the tools, but has a LONG way to go to get to Chicago. With some guys all of a sudden, something clicks and the light goes on. But it seems to be getting darker with him. I hope he turns it around, but I am just not seeing the improvement he needs and in reality have been watching him regress.

Am I missing something here or has his velocity been way down?

Corwin was much better in his last start. At this point, I think getting anything from him should be considered a success. He is just lost and can't seem to find it. I think that it may just be his mechanics....... which fortunately isn't impossible to change. I think it is his brain.

Hey 'Oats, what's happening?? I didn't see Koch's whole inning the other night, but I don't recall the radar gun reading higher than 88. Did I miss it or was his velocity WAY down?

Corwin was much better in his last start. At this point, I think getting anything from him should be considered a success. He is just lost and can't seem to find it.

Actually the boxscores you see everywhere come from Howe Sportsdada which I believe is based in Massachusetts. I am not a Southerner by birth, nor do I claim to be one, but hey, I live here now so let's make sure the blame is going to the right place HSC. ;-)

You asked for a boxscore, you shall receive a boxscore. GAME DATE: 4/26/03 BIRMINGHAM 1 AT JACKSONVILLE 7 YTD YTD BIRMINGHAM AB R H BI AVG JACKSONVILLE AB R H BI AVG G.Reyes SS 4 0 0 0 .188 R.Abercrmbie CF 4 0 0 0 .235 D.Sandoval 2B 4 0 0 0 .213 M.Collins 2B 4 1 1 2 .310 R.Hankins DH 4 0 0 0 .262 K.Hill CAT 3 1 2 0 .218 D.Ingram LF 3 0 1 0 .196 N.Alvarez 1B 3 2 2 2 .315 S.Bikowski RF 3 0 1 0 .324 T.Brock RF 4 1 1 3 .333 C.Maldonado CAT 3 0 1 0 .316 V.Diaz DH 4 0 1 0 .253 E.Battersby 1B 3 0 1 0 .212 B.King 3B 3 0 0 0 .145 J.Shaffer 3B 3 0 0 0 .164 J.Repko LF 2 1 0 0 .237 C.Durham CF 3 1 2 0 .217 D.Detienne SS 2 1 0 0 .180 N.Cotts PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 H.Totten PIT 0 0 0 0 .143 C.Eason PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 L.Urdaneta PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 30 1 6 0 TOTALS 29 7 7 7 BIRMINGHAM 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0- 1 6 2 JACKSONVILLE 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 X- 7 7 2 E--D.Sandoval, E.Battersby, R.Abercrmbie, J.Repko. DP--BIRMINGHAM 1, JACKSONVILLE 2. LOB--BIRMINGHAM 2, JACKSONVILLE 2. 2B--K.Hill (6). HR--N.Alvarez (1), T.Brock (5). CS--C.Durham, V.Diaz. SH--J.Repko, D.Detienne. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA BIRMINGHAM N.Cotts 6.2 4 1 1 1 11 1 0.98 C.Eason (L,0-3) 1.1 3 6 0 1 1 1 3.12 JACKSONVILLE H.Totten (W,2-2) 8.0 6 1 0 0 2 0 2.76 L.Urdaneta 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.38 SO--G.Reyes, E.Battersby, R.Abercrmbie 3, K.Hill, T.Brock 2, V.Diaz 3, B.King, D.Detienne 2. BB--K.Hill, N.Alvarez. T--2:00. A--10243

Cotts pitched very well. Eason was once again a victim of shoddy defense. Jax scored 6 unearned runs in the top of the 8th.

First of all, that is one of the best games he has pitched in 2 years. Secondly, without some miracle revival, you can pretty much cross him off your prospect lists. The 2001 season was all smoke and mirrors. Although he actually has pitched pretty well his last two outings. He seems to get hurt by that "one bad pitch" or "one bad inning". Last year there seemed to be "one bad pitch" in every at-bat. He has been better this year, but I just don't see him making it.

You obviously have never been part of a pitching staff. The players themselves would prefer to have defined roles and a single closer. Unless, of course, you are the guy that isn't the closer and pines to be.

Wright was also examined by Dr. Andrews. I have a hunch he knows how to read an MRI. ;-)

lol maybe the ledge jumping is something we should keep doing ....it seems to work for us huh............ Just make sure it is a short ledge!

I think there was a genuine reason for the argument in the first place and some definite frustration built up inside JM. Still, it could have been manufactured or at least taken to a higher level than under normal circumstances. I kind of liked one guy's suggestion that JM should have gotten tossed while presenting the lineup card on Saturday for starting the fair/foul argument with the umpires again. Don't think it would have had much effect on the umpires, but it would have shocked the hell out of his team. All that said, I certainly agree that you have to pick your spots. I used to umpire and did a lot of JUCO games over in Southern Illinois. Every year Lincoln Trail JC would come down and you just knew that at some point during the DH their short little, loudmouthed Italian coach would come screaming out of the dugout spewing profanities all over the place. After the first year, it became more comical and it was kind of fun making him watch the rest of the game from the bus. Point is, the tantrums had no effect on the umpires at all and his team was so used to them they had the "here we go again" demeanor.