Monday, August 16, 2010

Marching Out of Georgia

Game 121: Durham Bulls 1; Gwinnett Braves 4
Season: 74-47
Wrap, Box

First inning, bases loaded, one out, no runs scored. Does that sound a bit familiar?

Hit into three double plays. How about that?

Those two scenarios seem a bit typical for the last couple of weeks. The four errors do not. That isn’t like the Bulls at all and I’m pretty sure we won’t see that again. At least I hope not. Nor losing a series. That hasn’t happened very much, if at all, this year.

Brian Baker did a very credible job. As did new guy Paul Phillips. Only one earned run was scored against the pitching staff.

Leaving Georgia yesterday was probably a good feeling. Too bad the Bulls only get to Fort Mill, SC and the Knights. Don’t know just what the accommodations there are like, but from a distance the field does not look like a great place to play.

The overall pitching situation is not getting better. The radio reported that Virgil Vasquez has knee problems. So that puts us with three (four if you count Jason Cromer) pitchers who aren’t readily available: Heath Phillips, Carlos Hernandez, and now Virgil Vasquez. Maybe what we really need to call up are reinforcements for trainer Roger Fleming.

As a side note, the roster on the Bulls website is different from the roster on the International League website. The IL roster shows Fernando Perez on the disabled list. However, the IL’s transactions list also tells us that outfielder Emeel Salem has gone back to Montgomery. Wonder if he had to drive himself to and from Laurenceville, GA? And did he enjoy the ride? Does he get to keep the uniform? The hat and batting helmet?

Jeremy Hellickson won another game yesterday. Less and less likely we’ll see him in a Bulls uniform again. But we didn’t think that would happen anyhow. A puzzle will be the status of Dan Johnson once Carlos Pena comes of the DL. He’s played in ten games and his numbers are not good at all. Nevertheless, his wOBA of .346 is better than a bunch of other players with the Rays (Aybar, Kapler, and more). So maybe someone else will get pushed off the ledge. Likely to depend as much on perceived team dynamics and contractual arrangements as immediate value to the team. Whatever’s decided, my guess is that it will only be for a couple of weeks until the rosters expand in September.

4 comments:

  1. I have read that Dan J is out of options, which means they'd have to DFA him. This seems unlikely. More likely there will be some sort of "hurt roster spot" injury for 15 days to get Tampa until 9/1. I'm not sure if Kapler has played recently, so that's a possibility.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Agree they would not DFA him and I have no idea regarding option status of others on the roster (was surprised that Navarro had options). Seems like your idea, time on DL, works best, and saves them a plane ticket to wherever the Bulls are playing. Given my recent track record on guesses, I'm betting they'll come up with "option 3", something I never thought of. Such as trading him for a couple of hot prospects.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for doing this blog--it's great to have a real Bulls blog this season! I enjoy it every chance I get to look it up. It's an outstanding blog for AAA.

    Hank
    Durham, NC

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks, Hank. It's fun. Even more fun is having such a good team to write about and watch.

    ReplyDelete