Thursday, May 6, 2010

Nice To Be Back Home


Game 28: Durham Bulls 13, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees 8
Season: 18-10
This home stand: 1-0
Streak: W3
Wrap, Box

The Bulls had another extraordinary run-producing game. Simply amazing what they are able to do with a bat this year.

But first let me rant about the pitching, because if that isn’t sorted out you have to think things are going to drop off the edge some day soon.

After two terrific starts, Aneury Rodriguez has had two crummy starts. Not possible to guess why, but it sure would help if he were backed up by the bullpen. But until we got to Mike Ekstrom, the fourth pitcher of the day, none of the relievers were helping at all. Particularly egregious was how the number 8 and 9 batters in the Yankee’s order were treated. In their first 8 plate appearances they got seven walks and a single. Four, count ‘em, four of the walks later scored. That is simply terrible pitching. Here’s hoping that they get it out of their systems.

On the other hand, a ton of those guys that our pitchers let on base, stayed on base (13).

On our side, you have to admire the way we kept coming back. Up a few runs, down a few runs, up a few runs. Colina’s homer in the 6th was particularly timely and pretty. Hank Blalock’s three-run shot into the seats in the 8th was just beautiful. And congrats to Jose Lobaton for his first home run as a Bull (also in the 8th, and the winning run).

On the Bench: Jennings (13) (Note: he had a ½ inning in center field); Ruggiano (3) (Note: Ruggiano now officially on DL for bicep injury, backdated to 3 May); D. Johnson (1); Chavez (4); Luna (3). Why is WDBB doing this? Because we are getting really worried about the health of this team.

JonWeberWatch: Double, single, 1 RBI, 1 run scored.

Bulls Radio: Very pleased to pass on to you that Bulls Radio is broadcasting inside the park on low power FM 87.7 in addition to AM 620. The Bulls front office was very responsive to a fan request that involved mumbling about not having “old” technology like portable AM radios and bragging about their new iPod with its built in FM tuner. However, it is called low-power FM for a reason. The signal barely reaches the front gate. But there it is for all you folks unwilling to go back to the 20th century, 87.7. Now if they could just get an iPhone/iPad app …

[Correction: Frequency is 87.7, not the frequency in the original posting]

Virgil Vasquez: Yesterday and this morning there was a bit of a kerfuffle regarding Virgil Vasquez’s status in the Rays system. A report in Baseball America was picked up at Rays Prospects and passed on in a comment in WDBB. We were well into our high dudgeon/rant mode going into today's game.

But Virgil is still with the Rays. According to Bulls radio, Virgil Vasquez is in Extended Spring Training at the Rays facility in Florida (Port Charlotte?). From what I can learn, Virgil was “released” and then resigned immediately thereafter. Why would they do that? Who knows. But if I were a betting man, I’d bet on it having something to do with the Rays insurance policies.

12 comments:

  1. Thanks for the update on Virgil, and yep, extended ST is at the Port Charlotte complex. Good thinking on the insurance angle, hadn't thought of that. Just didn't make sense to release a guy and then resign him.Glad to see all the Weber fans around here too, count me as one.

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  2. Are they in anyway limited to # of DL spots in the minors?

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  3. No. All minor league DL's are of the 7-day variety, because of the lack of the 40-man vs the 25-man rosters, doesn't matter if the 60-day DL opens a spot on the 40-man and the 15-day doesn't. So you can have all you want. Only restrictions are active roster limits, and those are a joke with the Hudson Valley shuttle.

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  4. Also appreciate the update on Virgil. I realize this is a business, etc... but it just seemed wrong to cut lose a guy like that after a freak accident. Hope he heals quickly.

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  5. Agree. Hope he heals quickly.

    Note correction on in park FM frequency. Not sure how that happened. Says 87.7 in my game notes. Dial on my radio says 87.7. Some disconnect between brain and fingers. Ah well, second mistake for the year...

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  6. Did they just restart 87.7? It was on during the Rays/Bulls game, then wasn't on the last 2 times I was there. Hopefully it's back, although I carry an ancient AM radio in case.

    More annoying yesterday was that 620's online feed stayed in commercials well into innings. Missed 2 of the home runs. I dropped a line to Neil and he said they'll correct it.

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  7. Re: 87.7. Last night was first night for 87.7 this year, as far as I know. After a fan with just an FM radio saw me listening and asked me about the situation, I sent a note to Bulls front office (I also just got an iPod and my little AM radio really isn't very cool). They answered that they'd turn it on. I switched back and forth during yesterday's game, but missed the problem you mention. For 87.7, I think it was just a matter of flipping a switch. It's so low-power I doubt they have much in the way of FCC compliance to worry about.

    Have to admit Bulls were really responsive on this topic.

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  8. the commercials on 620 are some of the worst in the known universe..someone needs a wakeup call at that station

    too bad they lost 99 FM

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  9. I listened to it tonight as the Bulls crushed the Yankees ...came in crystal clear in my little portable earplugs radio

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  10. What's the frequency Kenneth?

    Sorry... childish 1986 reference. :)

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  11. Or, a 1994 reference for the Gen-Xer's out there.

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  12. What about us pre-Baby Boomers???

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