JPN366

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Apr 27, 2009 -> 06:40 AM) Couple intersting tidbits: 1) The losing pitcher for Hickory's last name is Hamburger 2) Jared Price stole home for Birmingham The pitcher was distracted by John Shelby trying to steal second. Jared's a big, burly catcher with big, burly catcher speed.

QUOTE (chunk23 @ Apr 27, 2009 -> 08:58 AM) I managed to get an autograph from Flowers after the game. He is much much bigger in person than you'd expect. Viciedo was early on most of his swings, but still showed some decent pop when he made contact. CJ had more a stiff uneven walk than a wobble. Yeah, uneven describes it better.

QUOTE (bighurt4life @ Apr 26, 2009 -> 04:59 PM) FYI, he is the brother of Nationals 1B Eli Marrero Christopher Marrero.

QUOTE (scenario @ Apr 26, 2009 -> 10:31 AM) Chris Ronge did a really nice interview with Flowers right after he was acquired. He asked Tyler which one player he was most often compared to by scouts, etc. The answer... Mark McGuire. And regarding Retherford... unfortunate looking? Club foot? What is this... a beauty pageant? He's batting .300, which makes him the top hitter on the team not named Beckham, Flowers, or Allen. Looks like a ballplayer to me. I don't care what he looks like, he can rake, so that's all that matters to me. I mentioned the club foot thing because I know he had to overcome that to be successful. He mentioned it in an interview he did for the W-S newsletter last year.

QUOTE (chunk23 @ Apr 25, 2009 -> 09:56 PM) CJ Retherford has a very unfortunate face. And a club foot from what I've read. Did you notice he wobbled a little bit when he walked? Isn't Tyler Flowers power scary? Was Dayan Viciedo still not being patient?

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 25, 2009 -> 09:35 AM) Slayer does have more then one girlfriend. One for every park. Ho's in different area codes, no doubt.

When she's wearing his jersey from spring training, that must mean she's important none the least.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Apr 25, 2009 -> 03:23 PM) Does anyone know much about Derek Rodriguez, the pitcher who got promoted to Charlotte? Apparently he was doing pretty well in Birmingham. Uses two different arm slots, three quarters and sidearm, good mix of pitches, strikes out a lot of batters, can be a late inning reliever/closer.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 25, 2009 -> 12:51 PM) Derek Rodriguez has been added to the Charlotte roster. 6:00 Charlotte @ Gwinnett- Wes Whisler 7:05 Birmingham @ Mobile- John Ely 6:00 Wilmington @ Winston-Salem- Matt Long 6:00 Kannapolis @ Hickory- Garrett Johnson They've been wrong about the starter for Charlotte for a week now since they got rained out the other day. It's JVB tonight. Clevelan Santeliz was activated to the Barons roster to take D-Rod's place. Keith Ginter was placed on Charlotte's DL.

On the video board last year when Jon Link came into the game, it showed him holding a flaming baseball...awesome.

Beckham laid down a nice bunt and beat the throw. Big BA has found his homerun groove. Viciedo is not being patient at all. That's his big problem, but he is fielding well now. FYI...Beckham's only slaying one girl right now. His girlfriend was at the park tonight, skinny brunette, wearing his #80 White Sox spring training jersey.

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Apr 24, 2009 -> 11:13 PM) Its going to be a pitcher. They swap out like players for the most part. Pitcher for Pitcher, fielder for fielder. I'll put my money on Link, Marquez and Jimenez have been lit up, and Russell's a known quantity. Broadway's possible though, but he's been starting. Jon Link is cool as hell.

Broadway, Jimenez, Link, Marquez or Russell. Or, Jayson Nix.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 24, 2009 -> 02:46 PM) When I watched him in ST, Poreda was throwing the slider 82-85, FWIW. Maybe it was a variation of that, I don't know. I can only see up and down, not side to side as I sit halfway up the first base line behind the dugout.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 24, 2009 -> 10:01 AM) What was the breaking s*** he was throwing? From my point of view, it could have been a slider or a curve or a slurve. It was registered at 75 MPH and it looked kinda 12 to 6, but not exactly.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 23, 2009 -> 11:49 PM) Seems like a strange error to give playing at home....? Did the throw pull Allen off the bag? I've never seen an error called on a player in that situation unless he clearly mishandled or bobbled the ball first. Especially if he had to do any kind of spin move, just doesn't sound like an error that would be called in your home park when you're that organization's top prospect. Character building for Beckham, I guess. It would be great if Poreda could develop a curveball. His slider in ST wasn't very consistent or effective. If Poreda can throw mid 90's and then get over a hook with a 20+ MPH differential without varying his delivery at all, it would be a big breakthrough for him and the organization. Brandon Allen couldn't scoop it up.

QUOTE (3E8 @ Apr 23, 2009 -> 10:56 PM) And Jacksonville is the best offensive team in the Southern League By record I'd say it's Mobile, but already taking 3 of 4 from Jacksonville is huge. Hopefully Harrell can pitch well enough tomorrow night to help the Barons take 4 of 5.

Viciedo found his gold glove tonight, snagging some screamers to contribute to Poreda's gem. He ranged deep to his right and into foul ground to snag one and throw the runner out. Poreda was great, but he clearly was out of gas in the 7th. His fastball was topping out at 90, so he ended up having a rough inning. But, through the first 6 innings, he only threw 85 pitches and no more than 15 in any inning. No walks until the 7th, only two 3 ball counts and only six 2 ball counts. He was visibly pumped when he struck out his 11th batter to end the 7th with the bases loaded. Beckham's error wasn't really an error. He ranged deep to his left and spun around to throw, but didn't get enough on the throw.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 23, 2009 -> 08:30 PM) The Barons announcer said Poreda was hitting 97. Yep, and he was tossing some 75 MPH Yakker as well that was buckling some legs.

I have 5 tattoos, and I'm working on sleeving up both arms as well. Here's a snapshot of the one I got most recently on the inside of my left forearm...

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 22, 2009 -> 02:14 PM) http://birmingham.barons.milb.com/milb/sta...47&sid=t247 McCulloch on the fast track to the fifth starter's spot. JUST KIDDING. This time Beckham didn't have a hat trick of strikeouts. Viciedo was even pinch-hit for late in the game by Retherford. Guess his confidence must be really down, unless he was hurt. Nix with an error from shortstop. Still waiting for the decision on his status coming off the 3-game rehab assignment. Nix HAS to be better than Betemit at SS, one would hope?? I heard from the Barons front office that Nix is headed to Charlotte to continue his rehab.

He just looks antsy at the plate, swinging out of his shoes, but not over matched. He has hit the ball hard and he is hitting it to the gaps well. He actually hasn't pulled the ball much at all. He's not seeing a lot of fastballs, they're trying to avoid grooving him one, but he's swinging at high stuff a lot. I haven't seen anything to get concerned about, he's barely 20 and he's only played 11 pro games. Like I said, he's just antsy at the plate. Everybody looked bad tonight, Sean West pitched a gem and only made one mistake to Flowers. Bare in mind, Brandon Allen hasn't hit a homerun yet.

Gordon Beckham's error wasn't really his fault, Allen's fault, or Omogrosso's fault. The ball was hit between first and second, plus the broken bat was going that way too, Beckham and Allen both went for the ball, then both backed off and the ball kicked off Beckham's foot. Omogrosso didn't cover because he didn't have to, it was hit hard enough for Allen to get it and tag first. Tyler Flowers' (or T. FLO as he's been dubbed at the park) homerun was a bomb that cleared the back wall in left center, about 420 feet. It was on a very, very compact swing, the ball jumped off his bat, all his strength and power. And, on a side note, all minor leaguers are supposed to wear a double ear flap batting helmet, but Jayson Nix has been wearing a single ear flap helmet.

Looks like Justin Cassel has been activated to take Egbert's place in Charlotte, I think that means MacDougal being sent back to Charlotte won't happen. They either trade or release him outright.

QUOTE (bighurt4life @ Apr 21, 2009 -> 12:49 PM) law school is still there for him. i'm just sad to see our organizational players named Bunky number drop to zero. His numbers weren't all that bad in the 27 games he played.