Playing Catchup

Wrap, Box

Wrap, Box

Wrap, Box

Wrap, Box

Season: 50-48; Trip: 1-3
Wrap, Box, Charlotte Observer

A little bit of catch up on the line scores. We went off to the mountains for a few days and only occasionally checked in on the games. Not a particularly good set against the Knights.

Matt Andriese’s  Game Score of 80 last night was the best Durham Bulls starting pitcher performance this year, just two hits and no walks over 7 innings. He was followed by Andrew Bellatti in a two-inning save for a rare Durham Bulls shutout (the 10th this year). Congrats to both of them.

And the scoring was entirely through extremely small ball. The Bulls drew 7 walks and hit only singles, 6 of them. Luke Maile got above the Mendoza Line (.200) with his 9th inning RBI. Nice to see that.

Outside the game —

• The first game tonight is a continuation of a rain-interrupted game from July 3. Box score here. The game will go for the usual 9 innings and then be followed by a 7 inning affair.
• The second game will be the introduction of left-handed starting pitcher Blake Snell, who seems to be on a fast track to the top. Young (22) Mr. Snell was drafted out of high school and has pitched in 16 games this year at A and AA levels. Tonight will be his first AAA start. Stats.
• The other significant roster change is the addition 32 year-old of big leaguer Grady Sizemore to the Bulls. I’ll confess my lack of understanding of exactly why the Rays hired him or how he happened to still have options so that he could be sent to the Bulls without going through waivers. Not sure I want to know. Let’s just wait and see what he brings to the team.
• Richie Shaffer gets some love from a Rays blogger. 
• Remember Hideki Matsui who wore a Durham Bulls uniform for a few weeks back in 2012? He’s back in the game, sort of. Here’s a terrific NYT  article about him playing in a rec league game recently both pitching and batting (right-handed). Thanks to Rays Index for the tip.

Where Nobody Knows Your Name

Book Review

John Feinstein, Where Nobody Knows Your Name: Life in the Minor Leagues of Baseball, Doubleday.

John Feinstein, sportswriter/commentator of great repute, spent the 2012 baseball season roaming around Triple-A, mostly in the International League. He followed several players, an umpire, and two managers (including the Durham Bulls’ Charlie Montoyo). We heard him interviewed by our own Patrick Kinas during that season.

I really wanted to like this book because very little has been written about Triple-A baseball and Feinstein spends a good bit of time with managers and players I am intensely curious about. I am a fan of Charlie Montoyo and really wanted to hear what he’d said to Feinstein. Nevertheless, I have my reservations that I’ll get to later.

For Bulls fans you need to know up front that several Bulls, former Bulls, and DBAP denizens who were prominent in the 2012 season get at least some mention, including Craig Albernaz, Chris Gimenez, Dan Johnson (he was playing for the Charlotte Knights that year), Stephen Vogt, Jeff Salazar, Brooks Conrad, Reid Brignac, Wil Rhymes, Scott Strickland, broadcaster Patrick Kinas, Rich Thompson, the Matsuzaka/Matsui matchup game, and more names that I’m probably forgetting. But all of them also show up right here in WDBB if you search on them.

Feinstein worked hard to get inside the heads of the players and managers of Triple-A, reinforcing WDBB’s own view that Triple-A, while it is a minor league, is also different from the rest of the minors in that the players are so very, very close to the majors.

His technique is to introduce several players (veteran pitchers and position players), two managers (Norfolk’s Ron Johnson in addition to Durham’s Montoyo), and an umpire at spring training. He then spends some time with them throughout the season. Along the way he introduces a ton of other folks and, to be honest, I began to lose track of who was in the spotlight and could not follow just why they were introduced. All the players highlighted were players who had made it to the big leagues for at least a few games and were trying to make it back and/or decide to not try any more. I often lost the thread of the stories he was trying to tell.

Entirely missing is an effort to take Triple-A as a baseball experience of its own. Admittedly, that’s a rare thing to try to do, and there’s likely little audience. But some small fraction of the audience at the 2,000 games played in the International League each year go to the games because they want to watch a specific team play within a specific context of International League competition.

On the other hand, the book is full of trivia that I’ll probably be using for years.

Final assessment: Bulls fans might need to read this book, but it is a bit of a slog. Plus, what Bulls fan really wants to remember much about 2012?

On the shelf at Raleigh’s Quail Ridge Books.

Sweep!

Game 54, May 30	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays)	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	9	0
Durham Bulls (Rays)	1	0	4	0	1	0	1	0	x	7	10	0

Season: 54-20; Home Stand: 4-0
Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun

J.D. Martin just doesn’t seem to get rattled, even against one of the best hitting lineups in the International League. He gave up a triple and a home run in the 1st inning, two runs scored. But after that he went on to finish the 2nd inning with a runner on base; the 4th with the bases loaded; the 5th with runners on first and second; and the 6th with runners on first and third. That is calmness in the face of adversity. He ended up with his seventh win (most in the IL) and Steve Geltz closed things out very nicely with a three-inning save.

Meanwhile Mike Fontenot was having a really hard day at the plate. The Bison’s rehabbing Blue Jays major leaguer Josh Johnson hit Fontenot the first two times he came to bat. Fontenot had his revenge with an RBI double for the Bulls’ sixth run in the 5th inning.

I don’t know if there’s something special about his bats, but when Leslie Anderson gets wood on the ball the crack is particularly loud. He had another good night at bat (and on the field), a RBI single in the 1st inning and a hope-killing home run (his seventh) in the 7th inning.

Tim Beckham’s been playing a lot of shortstop lately. In fact, the last time he played second base was way back on May 18. Have the Rays changed their mind about him? His ball-handling last night was very nice. Plus his very timely 2-RBI double in the 3rd inning was a critical hit for the Bulls.

A four-game sweep is a rarity. This team is looking really, really good. And are they fun to watch.

Outside the game —

• The Tides lost (to the SWB RailRiders), putting the Bulls in first place in the IL South Division. Hooray!
• Alex Colome had a great major league debut last night, getting a win. Stories and analysis here, here, and here. Congratulations. Now, come on back and keep on winning games for the Bulls.
• Chris Archer has been called up. Sort of a swap-out for Jake Odorizzi. Good for Chris. Huge challenge for Bulls coaching and pitching crew. Last night’s use of only two pitchers certainly helped, but it won’t get better for a while. Still a lot of whimpering down St. Pete way about needing relievers.
• Former Durham Bull, former Tampa Bay Ray, but most importantly, former New York Yankee, Hideki Matsui, is to sign a one-day contract with the Yankees so that he can officially retire in pinstripes. Good for him. 
• I don’t want to sound like too much of a cranky old man, but the ACC tournament sure didn’t help the DBAP’s turf. Lots of games got played and a lot of grass is missing. It’ll recover, but don’t envy Scott Strickland’s challenges over the next couple of weeks. Needs a rest (the grass, that is. Scott is indefatigable).

Hemstitching: Hideki Matsui, the RailRiders, and more ...

In the weaver’s world the word hemstitching is used for two purposes: to tie up loose ends (literally, because an “end” is a thread in a warp) and for decoration.

• Hideki Matsui is probably the greatest ballplayer ever to wear a Durham Bulls uniform so his retirement surely deserved to be noticed. Not that he was a great Durham Bull, but it was mostly fun to have him and his entourage around last year. Particularly interesting was the night that  Daisuke Matsuzaka was pitching and Kevin Youklis was on 3B for the Pawtucket Red Sox. 
• Regular readers will know that Alexander Torres simply hasn’t delivered as a Durham Bull. Steve Kinsella over at DRays Bay took a recent look at him as well.
• Arguments with umpires aren’t always quite what they appear to be. Rays manager Joe Maddon figures prominently in this story.
• Last seen in a Bulls uniform in early 2011, J.P. Howell has signed with the Dodgers.
• Rays Index has updated his 40-man roster/salary projection list. A good place to check on what a AAA ballplayer could be making.
• The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (the New York Yankees AAA franchise) were without a home last year as their ballpark was being rebuilt. They are back and they have a new name: the RailRiders (how come every two word name these days has to be scrunched together into one word with a capital letter in the middle?). Not to be outdone with its awkward name, the team will have a porcupine as a mascot and the promotional folks are calling them the NEPA’s home team. NEPA? That would be North East Pennsylvania. The naming was an online vote. I was going for Trolley Frogs.

Happy New Year!

The Durham Bulls in 2012 — The Hitters: Part 2

In addition to the 12 ballplayers profiled in our last post, 20 other ballplayers came to bat for the Durham Bulls in 2012. Players are listed in order of number of games played. The “slash line” is Batting Average/On-Base Percentage/Slugging. An asterisk after a player’s name indicates he bats left-handed, a # sign indicates he is a switch hitter. Basic 2012 Bulls stats are here and here.

Short-Timers

Will Rhymes* (29) played in 46 games (194 times at the plate) in his two stretches with the Bulls. He was mostly at second base.

• Decent, but not particularly helpful hitting numbers, .256/.326/.361 with 21 RBI, an OK wOBA of .320 and a slightly negative wRAA of -0.9. Rhymes was an infielder-in-waiting all year for the Rays as they moved folks on and off the disabled list. Mostly Rhymes stayed with the Rays. However, the Rays dumped him off the 40-man at the end of the Bulls season, when the Rays designated him for assignment. I was mildly surprised to see him pass through waivers.
• Will the Rays want Rhymes back next year? A larger question might be, does Rhymes want to come back? Hard to tell. My guess is that everything will depend on how the Rays are looking at their future infield. 
• Stats

Juan Miranda* (29) started the season with the Bulls, then was moved on in early June. He was in 44 games (176 PA) primarily at first base.

• Miranda is one of the poster children for the Rays not treating the Bulls right this year. Signed at the last minute, he stuck with Rays through spring training then was assigned to the Bulls. He went 0-5 with three strikeouts on opening day back in April. He stayed until June when he was released to make room for Brandon Allen (see below). 
• His numbers: .187/.307/.273 with only 8 RBI. His wOBA was .279 and his wRAA was -6.3.
• Stats

Nevin Ashley (27) was one of the Bulls I was looking forward to watching this year. But he broke his hand in April and didn’t make it back until late July. He got into 35 games with 130 plate appearances.

• We are getting into small sample size issues here, take everything hereafter with a grain of salt. Decent numbers. Slash line: .245/.357/.455 with 13 RBI. His wOBA was a decent .363 and his wRAA was 3.8.
• If anyone didn’t think that catching was a tough job, they should look at what happened to the Rays this year. At least Mr. Ashley got back into a lineup. Robinson Chirinos spent the entire year on the DL.
• Stats.

Kyle Hudson* (25) was traded to the Phillies system for Rich Thompson. He started the season with the Bulls and played in 31 games (133 PA).

• As a Bull he had some decent numbers, .291/.378/.318, wOBA .327, wRAA 0.2. However, the rest of the year got pretty ugly for him as an Iron Pig with a wOBA of 281 and wRAA of -11.5. 
• Stats.

Brandon Allen* (26) was the last of the collection of late signers that showed up in Durham (following Feliciano, Salazar, Mangini, and Miranda). He played in 29 games (129 plate appearances) after being sent down by the Rays.

• His numbers are OK. Again, please note we are venturing well into small sample size territory here. His .263/.295/.451, 14 RBI, wOBA of .327,  and wRAA of .2 reflect end of tenure improvement, because his start wasn’t very good.
• Allen was off to play in Japan in late July.
• Stats.

Early, Late, and Mid-Season

Brandon Guyer (26) is a terrific young ballplayer who started the season with the Bulls (22 games), got called up, messed up his shoulder, and was on the disabled list for the rest of the year. Maybe in 2013.

Brooks Conrad (32) was a mid-season hire by the Rays who finished the season with the Bulls (25 games. He was very helpful at the end. Not likely to be back.

Hideki Matsui* (38) was one of the odder moments in Bulls history. He was signed by the Rays and sent to the Bulls to get in condition. He played in 13 games and apparently helped the Bulls out quite a bit on the financial side. Otherwise, his numbers were pitiful, .170/.231/.444. For a while it was fun having him around. But also a little sad.

Rehabbers

Evan Longoria, Jeff Keppinger, Sam Fuld, Jose Lobaton, Desmond Jennings, Luke Scott, and Matt Joyce all had rehab assignments. Other than having the opportunity to see the big leaguers on the field, an unfortunate reality of minor league baseball is that these fellows aren’t much help to the team. As a group they played in 31 games, had 125 plate appearances, and only managed 8 hits (.198) with a grand total of 8 RBI, half of those on Luke Scott’s two home runs.

Oddities

Catcher Craig Albernaz (29) was essentially with the Bulls all year, but only saw action in 23 games, 6 of those as a pitcher in the waning innings of a losing game.

Catcher Mayo Acosta (24) came up from Montgomery to lend a hand for a couple of games (9) in May. He had a decent year overall. Very good chance that he will be in a Bulls uniform at some time next year.

Infielder Sean Rodriguez (27) was sent down for two games at the end of the Bulls season in some roster maneuvering by the Rays. He won a game for the Bulls with a home run, then broke his hand in some sort of locker room incident.

Latecomers

At the very end of the season two players were jumped all the way up from the Charlotte Stone Crabs played a couple of games, then went on to help Montgomery in their playoffs.

Kevin Kiermaier* (22) played in four games and was the one and only young outfielder to play for the Durham Bulls in 2012. At a guess he’ll be playing in Montgomery next year.

Robby Price* (24) is an infielder who played only in the last two games that were played in Charlotte. He went 3 for 6 in a promising start.

Two Games; 26 Runs

Box, Wrap, Gwinnett Daily Post

Season: 50-56; Road Trip: 2-0; Bulls v. Braves: 7-6; Standings

Box, Wrap, Gwinnett Daily Post

The mystery of Alex Torres continued in the first game of this series with the Gwinnett Braves (1⅓ innings, 2 hits, 6 BB, 5 Ks, 5 ER). However, Brandon Gomes, new guy Frank De Los Santos, and Bryan Augenstein sucked it up for the rest of the pitching crew. Meanwhile, Bulls bats were very active, but not too impatient (7 walks). The swings back and forth meant that the game was never quite put away for either team.

In yesterday’s game Lance Pendleton gave up 10 hits and 8 earned runs and still got a win! Which implies that, overall, this was a game of their pitchers being far worse that our pitchers. Bulls batters drew 11 walks, got 14 hits, and scored a season-high 16 runs.

They jumped out to a 7-run lead, gave it back, and then went ahead on Reid Brignac’s grand slam. 

Even a baseball professional has got to feel extended after a 4¼ hour and a 3½ hour game. That’s a lot of time keeping your focus on track and might help explain the 7 errors the two teams have accumulated over the two games.

Outside the game —

• Evan Longoria is supposed to show up in the Bulls dugout today. I have to say I have mixed feelings about this. Based on the comments here, he sounds fragile. He’s only going to help the Bulls if his bat gets hot (a possibility). 
• The Rays gave up a rising AA player, Tyler Bortnick, to get yet another infielder, this one from the Diamondbacks, Ryan Roberts. The interesting note, from a Bulls fan perspective, is that Bortnick was immediately assigned to a AAA team. Has the glut of middle infielders on the Bulls roster been holding Bortnick up?
• Former Durham Bull Hideki Matsui has been designated for assignment to make room for Roberts. Although immediately off the Rays roster, Matsui has a couple of days to make up his mind/consider offers/negotiate with the Rays before a final move has to be made.
• Interesting interview with Bulls pitching coach Neil Allen on the Bulls website. 
• Remember Robinson Chirinos? He is still rehabbing from a concussion caused when a Josh Lueke pitch got foul-tipped into his mask during spring training. Here’s an insightful look at coping with an invisible injury.

Jennings Joins Winning Effort

Box, Wrap, Bulls vs. Indians: 2-6

Season: 24-32; Trip: 4-3; Bulls vs. Bats: 4-1; Standings
Box, Wrap, Courier-Journal

First let’s explain why the Bulls were playing baseball at midnight on Thursday night. Outside their divisions, the teams in the International League play four games at home and four away. If weather rolls in for the last game of the last series, then the teams will have no opportunity for a makeup. That happened to the Bulls last year and they only (only!) played 142 games instead of 144. The teams and the umps will go to great lengths to not let that happen. Hence on Thursday night the teams sat around the park for over two hours hoping to get a game in.

That also explains why I was able to (barely) hear the game as I was driving through a storm on the Raleigh beltline at 11:30. But have to say that I didn’t find the game all that interesting. The Indianapolis Indians have figured out how to beat the Bulls this year and the best news about the trip is that the Bulls don’t play them again.

Just down the road in Louisville, however, we find the one team that the Bulls have been able to defeat this year. Not that the Bulls are alone, the Bats have the worst record in the IL. Too bad, because over the years the contests between the Bulls and the Bats have usually been just terrific to watch and the two teams were routinely among the best in the league.

The Bulls lineup was fleshed out with rehabbing Ray and former Bull Desmond Jennings. He played a few innings in left field and went 1 for 4. Along with Jennings recent returnees Stephen Vogt (RF, 2 for 4) and Chris Gimenez (C, 1 for 4) were also in the lineup and did a good job of supporting Lance Pendleton.

Pendleton has become the Bulls best starting pitcher, by a bunch. In his last three starts, for example, he has gone more than 6 innings each and allowed only one run in each game. His ERA at 2.93 is the best of the Bulls starting pitchers. In his seven starts, the Bulls have gone on to win the game six times. All this from a guy who wasn’t even in the Rays system at the start of the season - - Pendleton came to the Bulls by way of the Sugarland Skeeters just after Bryan Augenstein went on the DL back in early April.

Outside the game

• Hideki Matsui hit another home run last night (sigh).
• Craig Albernaz gets a chance to chat about his pitching prowess.
• Interesting piece on the Rays locker room feeling.
• 22 days, 5 hours, 3 minutes. That’s how long it took Diane Van Deren to run from Clingman’s Dome to Nag’s head. That was two days faster than the previous record. Blog entries are interesting, particularly the ones from her run through Tropical Storm Beryl.

Bulls Lose; Roster Shuffling

Season: 22-30; Trip: 2-1; Bulls vs. Indians: 1-4, Standings
Box, Wrap

Indianapolis hasn’t hit many home runs this year, even less than Durham, only 20 before this game. But then there was last night and they hit four of them. Overall, eight of the Indians' 12 hits were for extra bases, so that even with the Bulls’ big 4th inning, the team really never had a chance.

Outside the game

• Leaving the Bulls in time to play in St. Petersburg last night was rehabbing catcher Jose Lobaton. There he went into the game as the DH and went 1 for 2 with a walk and an RBI. Wish he'd hit like that for the Bulls. He certainly is not a loss since he only went 1 for 15, with no BBs and 5 Ks during his stay with the team.
• Hideki Matsui played in a Bulls uniform last night, but is expected to report to the Rays today. For all the publicity and ticket sales, Mr. Matsui was not particularly helpful to the Bulls either. he was 8 for 43 with an OPS of only .444. He did hit 4 RBI.
• In exchange for Matsui and Lobaton, the Rays are sending the Bulls catcher Chris Gimenez and everyfielder Stephen Vogt. While I am sure they are not happy about the transaction, I am thrilled. Both Gimenez and Vogt have seen some time with the Bulls this year. I think they are both terrific ballplayers and hope that they get to the Bulls as soon as possible.
• One Bull is going to have to get thrown off the bus. I’m guessing that Craig Albernaz will once again trek off to “Hudson Valley.” But Mayo Acosta might move down to Montgomery or back to the Stone Crabs.
• Chris Archer is starting tonight and has been the subject of a recent article that explains the pitches he throws..
• Lurking in the Indianapolis Indians bullpen is reliever Jose Diaz. Back when he went from AA to AAA baseball, at the urging of his coaches, Diaz lost 25 lbs to get in better shape. But his fastball dropped from 98 mph to 93. So he put the pounds back on. He now weighs in at 334 lbs. If he gets called up to the Pirates, he might be the biggest guy to ever play major league baseball. Terrific article in the Indianapolis Star.

Chart of the Day

If you hang around long enough, you get to pitch more innings, Dyer and Augenstein are likely to be catching up.

Nice Good-Bye

Season: 20-29; Home Stand: 5-5; Bulls vs. Tides: 2-4; Standings
Box, Wrap, Herald-Sun

So, you’re a Bulls fan. The score is tied at the bottom of the 10th. Brandon Gomes has already pitched two superb innings. But things really don’t look all that great for the Bulls in the 10th. After Henry Wrigley (.262) leading off, the next players coming to bat in the inning are Hideki Matsui (.121), Jose Lobaton (.000!), Juan Miranda (.186), and Reid Brignac (.141). That is not a promising array of hitters. Probably a good idea to keep Jhonny Nunez warming up.

But, who said the gods of baseball don’t have a sense of humor? Wrigley grounds out, but then Matsui hits a single (Feliciano comes in to run for him). As Jose Lobaton is striking out (still .000), Jesus Feliciano is stealing second base. Juan Miranda hits a single, sliding into first base, and Feliciano moves to third base. Miranda gets to second on indifference and Brignac hits a perfect, up-the-middle line drive.

Outside the game

• Lots of folks think that Matsui won’t be back and I’m guessing they are right. But for now his entourage is hitting the road for Norfolk, Indianapolis, and Louisville.
• Am I the only one who is mildly irritated by Jose Lobaton not wearing stockings? Doesn't that amount to him thumbing his nose at the Bulls and their uniform policy? And Bulls fans for that matter? I know, he's a major leaguer down on rehab, but why not try to fit in with the rest of the team? We liked him as a Bull. Now I'm not so sure I like him as a Ray.
• Looks like former, and until yesterday likely future, Durham Bull Brandon Guyer is out for the season.
• As various Rays get healthy, some speculation on who’s going to be leaving the team for Durham. See commentary RaysIndex and DRaysBay.
• A Rays blogger checks in from Afghanistan.

One Hit; 12 Ks

Season: 19-29; Home Stand: 4-5; Bulls vs. Tides: 1-4; Standings
Box, Wrap, Herald-Sun

All the stories essentially point out that the Bulls just barely avoided being no-hit and the pitcher Chris Archer had 12 Ks. For example, from the Bulls’ Wrap:

The Tides’ near no-hitter masked Chris Archer’s dominant performance. The Clayton, NC native Archer struck out a career high 12 batters, just one K shy of tying the Bulls single season mark. He threw 6.0 innings, allowing 5 hits and 3 runs that were all earned. He was pulled in favor of Ryan Reid after throwing 97 pitches.

I don't want to diminish Archers' achievement, but let’s not get too carried away here. Let’s take a look at the three innings before the tarp was pulled on the field for a rain delay (and I went home and watched the finish of the game on television). In the 1st inning a walk, single, and hit batter filled the bases before Archer struck out two to end the inning. The 2nd inning was very nice with 2 Ks and a fly out. But then in the 3rd a single, walk, K, single (1 RBI), triple (2 RBI) put three runs across before the 2 Ks. So, yes, he can obviously throw strikes and he was throwing them at 96-97 mph at the end of this outing. You know, and this is pure guesswork, what would happen if he stopped trying to strike everyone out?

In the meantime, no Bulls were hitting the ball and almost none were getting on base until a 9th inning flub let a runner on and Matt Mangini got the Bulls only hit of the night that loaded the bases. Leslie Anderson hit into a double play to end the game.

Oh yeah, Jhonny Nunez made the trek back from Hudson Valley to come on in relief in the 9th. He gave up a home run, but looked none the worse for wear for his travel.

Outside the game

• Just for the record, the reason that Nunez was able to return from exile was that the Texas Rangers claimed John Gaub off waivers opening up the roster spot. Gaub has been sent to the Rangers' Triple-A club, the Round Rock Express.
• The move to Pennsylvania has not gone well for Kyle Hudson.
• But the fellow for whom he was traded, Rich Thompson, has been the subject of several articles, including this one. [thanks, DRR]
• Here’s an interesting piece on how the Bulls have been coping with Hideki Matsui’s presence. An online search implies that the Hampton Roads/Norfolk folks are oblivious to Godzilla’s arrival on Saturday. Do they know something we don’t? Is Godzilla going to Boston with the Rays? 
• As I write this endurance runner Diane Van Deren is making her way around Falls Lake on her trek from Clingman’s Dome to the the Outer Banks.
• For something really outside the game, what about those olympic table tennis trials that were held in Cary?

Take a Break

Season: 19-28; Home Stand: 4-4; Bulls vs. Knights: 4-7; Standings
Box, Wrap, Herald-Sun

After today’s game the Bulls get Wednesday off. They finish the home stand against the Norfolk Tides with games on Thursday and Friday.

 They don’t play Charlotte again until July 12. No way to tell if they’ll have to face the Knights’ Terry Doyle again. They shouldn’t. He should be in the majors by then, unless today was a fluke. Doyle looked really good and the Bulls (other than Leslie Anderson) just flailed at the ball.

Jim Paduch seems to be an up and down kind of guy. He did just fine in his last start but he was tentative today. It didn’t help that he gave up two runs in the first inning and it was immediately clear that Doyle was having a good day. And Paduch did give up two runs all by himself with a throwing error and a wild pitch, a walk, and two singles. Ugly inning.

Jose Lobaton was behind the plate and seemed comfortable there. Not so much at bat, 0-4. With Lobaton in the game it gave the Bulls the very weird bench of Brignac, Acosta, Albernaz, and Salazar.

Lobaton wasn’t alone going 0-4: So did Hideki Matsui, Henry Wrigley, Juan Miranda, and Shawn O’Malley.


Bryan Augenstein, who hasn't been seen since early April, had two very nice innings. Josh Lueke is back from Tampa Bay and gave up a run.

Outside the game

• BurGi has updated his hitting stats for the Rays system.

Chart of the Day

Bulls ERAs

The Bulls' team ERA is showing a modest downward trend, but the team ERA really doesn't compare well with the International League's overall ERA of 3.72. 

Matsui Wins a Game for the Bulls

Season: 19-27; Home Stand: 4-3; Bulls vs. Knights: 4-7; Standings
Box, Wrap, Herald-Sun

No doubt the stars of last night’s game were Hideki Matsui, Jesus Feliciano, and Lance Pendleton, but here’s the headline I wanted to write,

Brandon Gomes Gives Up a Run! ERA Soars to 0.69!

If Gomes hadn’t given up the run in the top of the 9th, then the Bulls wouldn’t have needed the heroics. On the other hand, an ERA of 0.00 can’t go on forever. Perhaps Gomes was being too cautious. He had Knights Hector Giminez down two strikes, but walked him on the next four pitches. On the next pitch Jordan Danks hit a double and Gimenez scored from first base. Gomes, very likely not happy with himself, struck out the next two batters.

Of course, the Bulls were only ahead by one run going into the 9th and both of those runs depended on mistakes by Charlotte that let runners advance. Otherwise, Bulls bats were very quiet.

The baseball gods were paying attention when we mentioned yesterday that Hideki Matsui had done nothing to help the Durham Bulls during his stay with them. That held true for his first four at-bats, included one that left his bat in three pieces between home plate and just in front of the second baseman. But then reliable hero Jesus Feliciano got on base in the bottom of the 10th and the gods of baseball decreed that Matsui could whack a one-out single to right field to win the game.

It was a game-winning hit. It was hit with authority. And it was the first of his admittedly few his to right field. Could I have been wrong?

Lance Pendleton has had three consecutive no-decisions. Too bad. Unlike his last outing, which was pretty shaky, last night was just fine. He’s become a reliable member of the rotation. Nice to have him with us.

Nice little crowd of 3,000+ in the DBAP. I guess it’s selfish of me, but sometimes it’s nice to pretty much have the place to ourselves without all the raucous clatter that makes for “family entertainment”. I didn’t plug my radio into my ear. I didn’t get out my scorebook. I chatted with the folks nearby. Strolled around a bit. Weather was perfect (except for that odd little mini-cloudburst at the end). And the Bulls won. Perfect.

Outside the game

• Transactions affecting the Bulls are not going to let up for a long while. To deal with yet another injury, the Rays reached out for an infielder named Drew Sutton. We saw Sutton when he was playing for the Gwinnett Braves earlier this year. 
• To make room for Sutton someone had to go off the 40-man roster and that someone was Durham Bulls reliever John Gaub. He’s been designated for assignment, which means that there’s ten days for legal/contractual mumbo-jumbo to ensue. Gaub may or may not be with the Bulls at the end of that time and it doesn't have to take ten days.
• Catcher Jose Lobaton should be with the Bulls today on a rehab assignment.
• A glance at the Rays’ 40-man roster shows six players on the 15-day DL: Catcher Lobaton, infielders Longoria and Keppinger, and outfielders Allen, Guyer, and Jennings. As they get heathy you can expect more transactions.
• The odd man out is Bulls shortstop Reid Brignac, who has missed the last several games with quad/back problems, but is not on any disabled list. He is only current Bulls position player on the Rays 40-man roster, but apparently not available to go up to fill in for this last Rays injury.

Have to pass on Stacy Long’s lead:

Promising youngster Hideki Matsui hit an RBI single to end [the Bulls game].

A Simple Game

Box, Herald-Sun

Season: 18-27; Home Stand: 3-3; Bulls vs. Knights: 3-7; Standings
Box, Wrap, Herald-Sun

Regarding Saturday’s game: Former Bull Alex Cobb went to St. Pete and won a game for Tampa Bay; Montgomery Biscuit Shane Dyer came to Durham and did not.

But let’s talk about Sunday ...

Three home runs, terrific pitching, a 6-0 shutout. This really is a simple game isn’t it?

When Matt Torra took a couple of his warm-up pitches from the stretch I have to admit that I was worried. But it seemed justified. In the first two innings he pitched exactly four pitches from a full windup. However, at the end of those two innings the Knights had not scored a run and had left three runners on base. After that, for the first time since his great game against Louisville on April 30, the 2011 edition of Matt Torra was in the DBAP. Welcome back!

Then John Gaub got his first real test of the season. Gaub has been used for extremely short relief so far this year. Last night he was in there for three full innings and earned a save (again demonstrating I don’t understand the rules. How do you earn a save in a 6-0 shutout?)

Meanwhile infielder Cole Figueroa got his first home run with the Durham Bulls, new catcher Mayo Acosta got his first home run with the Durham Bulls, and Leslie Anderson got his third. As the Herald Sun’s Steve Wiseman wrote:

Sunday felt like old times for the Durham Bulls and their fans at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Other RBI were recorded by Henry Wrigley on a double and a Hedeki Matsui sacrifice fly.

About Hideki Matsui:

First, let me say what a great pleasure it is to have him and his entourage at the DBAP. I don’t think we’ll see its like again. And I don’t think we’ll see a player quite like Matsui here again either. What he is showing us, however, is the tiny differences the years bring to even the greatest talent. He may be only 5% less than the player he once was, but that is a difference. So far he is 3 for 31 in 6 games (.143/,174/.190). He has hit two balls with authority and both were caught. There’s an elegance and smoothness to all his play, but my guess is that it’s a notch below last year, and well below his prime.

For example, he was on first with a single when Henry Wrigley hit his double in the 3rd inning. His run from first to home to score did not have a hitch and his slide was perfect. He wasn’t some lumbering, knee-broken catcher. On the other hand, with even a slightly better throw from centerfield that hadn’t pulled the catcher up the line, he would have been caught.

The chatter is that he may be heading for the Rays as soon as this weekend. Looking at it from the perspective of a Bulls fan, he may be filling the stands, but he’s not helping the Bulls win games. Sorry to say that. He appears to be a great gentleman and a great ballplayer and maybe he just needs to work on his timing more. I hope so.

Outside the game

• Former Bull, switch-hitting catcher Jose Lobaton is rehabbing with the Montgomery Biscuits. He’s appeared in four games so far. In normal times he might be coming through Durham. But yet another catcher left the game early in Tampa Bay last night (Stephen Vogt put on the gear), so he might just head for the Rays when he’s ready. Too bad. I like watching Lobaton play.
• Bulls RHP Bryan Augenstein is off the disabled list. Bryan who? you may ask. That would be understandable. Augenstein pitched one game for the Bulls back on April 7. Did pretty well, but went on the DL. Jhonny Nunez has been “reassigned to Hudson Valley.” Note to new readers: the Hudson Valley Renegades is a real baseball team in the Rays system. However, what this means is that Nunez may be hanging out with the Bulls, but he can’t pitch until he gets assigned back to Durham. In other words, the Bulls are gaming the system. More power to them.
• If I’m reading the plots correctly Dian Van Deren came off the Parkway and made in almost to Pilot Mountain in one day! On foot! I know it was sort of downhill, but, Wow!

You're Welcome!

Season: 17-26; Home Stand: 2-2; vs Red Sox: 2-6; Standings
Box, Wrap, Herald-Sun, PawSox Wrap

My inbox is full this morning with emails thanking me for hexing Pawtucket shortstop Jose Inglesias. (Well, maybe not full ... ) Regular readers will recall that I wrote about him yesterday:

...Pawtucket shortstop Jose Inglesias [is a reason to come to the park]. If you’ve ever had one of those deep philosophical discussions about whether a shortstop needs a quick release or a strong arm (as if there’s a distinction), Inglesias is a poster-child for the quick release school. The ball simply doesn’t stay in his glove. It simply ends up flowing towards first base. Pretty to watch.

The gods of baseball saw that and struck back in the 8th Inning.

The Bulls were behind 2-5 and Hedeki Matsui grounded out to first. Henry Wrigley reached because Inglesias threw the ball past first base. Jeff Salazar doubled, moving Wrigley to third. Inglesias bobbled Cole Figueroa’s grounder, Wrigley scored (3-5) and Figueroa made it to first. Juan Miranda pinch hit for Craig Albernaz and drew a walk. Bases loaded. The real hero of the night (he went 4 for 5) Jesus Feliciano hit a triple and cleared the bases. Matt Mangini struck out, but the Bulls were ahead and Brandon Gomes came in to close it out. (Note to Tampa Bay — Please leave Gomes with us for a while. His ERA is still 0.00 and it's so nice to know the Bulls always have a shot if he's around.)

Two in a row says a lot about the Bulls and they gave the huge crowd a real thrill.

On the other hand, Chris Archer was a mess. In addition to the 7 hits and 4 walks, he was charged with three wild pitches (one of them letting a run score) and he hit a batter. Yes, he got 9 Ks, but he was simply lucky that the seven guys left on base weren’t able to get in. And it took him 106 pitches to get through just 4⅔ innings.

He can thank Hideki Matsui for preventing at least one run. Matsui was on the field for the first time, in left, and made a perfect throw to the plate on a runner who’d tagged up.

Have to mention Craig Albernaz. He seemed to be having a really tough time behind the plate last night, at least with Chris Archer and Jhonny Nunez. Lots of balls in the dirt. Lots of trips to the mound. Communications problems?

A win, and a pretty one at that. Before a full house. Great. The Bulls will not play Pawtucket again this year unless they meet in the playoffs.

Outside the game

• Doug Milhoan over at Rays Prospects has noticed that within the Rays system they have 25 players on the DL, rehab assignment, or the restricted list. That’s enough for a team. So he’s put one together. Actually looks pretty good.
• Ultra runner Diane Van Deren made it through the Linville Gorge/Wilson Creek area hitting some rough weather, but is now past Boone running the Mountain to Sea Trail. They seem to have the GPS tracking working this morning. Try the terrain view on the map and zoom in. Amazing.

Chart of the Day

Southern Division Teams, Games Above/Below .500

Charlotte comes to town today. The Bulls are 2-5 against Charlotte so far this year.

Serenity

Season: 16-26; Home Stand: 1-2; vs. Red Sox: 1-6; Standings

Box, Wrap, Herald-Sun, Indy Week

It was pointed out to me yesterday that perhaps I’ve been taking this game too seriously. It was suggested that I relax, try a pose or two, breath, chant, contemplate a crystal ... oooooommm ...

OK. Enough of that. Lets talk about ... Jim Paduch. Paduch had a brilliant outing in front of 10,000 fans, most of whom could have cared less about who he was or how he got there. But we Bulls fans did. Thanks for getting the Bulls out of their funk. His six innings of crafty pitching set up what is only the fourth shutout by Bulls pitchers this year. Followed by fellow indie ball escapee Dane De La Rosa (is he getting his groove back?) and waiting to be called back to the Rays Brandon Gomes, Bulls pitching was superb. Two home runs (a pleasant change) by Bulls hitters was more than enough (Jesus Feliciano and Henry Wrigley). Icing on cake was new guy Mayo Acosta’s sac fly RBI in the 7th.

Obligatory mention of the guys who drew the crowds: Daisuke Matsuzaka (松坂大輔) pitched for the Pawsox, made it through 6⅔ innings and looked OK. Notable that he was wearing a Boston Red Sox uniform, not a Pawtucket Red Sox uniform. Guess that’s a perk of being a major leaguer. Hideki Matsui was 0-3, but yet another catcher’s interference call got him on base and he scored on Wrigley’s homer. I hate to point this out, but he is not running well.

Amid all the Japanese signage, down in front of me was a lady waving the flag of Taiwan, probably for Pawtucket centerfielder Che-Hsuan Lin. Lin is something to watch out there. He’s made three spectacular catches in these games (taking two hits away from Matsui). He’s a reason to come to the park.

As is Pawtucket shortstop Jose Inglesias. If you’ve ever had one of those deep philosophical discussions about whether a shortstop needs a quick release or a strong arm (as if there’s a distinction), Inglesias is a poster-child for the quick release school. The ball simply doesn’t stay in his glove. It simply ends up flowing towards first base. Pretty to watch.

I’ve got to mention the latest spin of the Montoyo Merry-Go-Round that put infielder Shawn O’Malley in right field and new guy Henry Wrigley at first base. I think Wrigley has played a good bit of first base. O’Malley reportedly hasn’t played outfield since high school. They both did just fine in the field and Wrigley showed his power at the plate.

Then there was the mystery man coaching at third base. That was Michael Johns the manager of the Princeton (as in Princeton, West Virginia) Rays. Guess he’s here to keep his head in the game until his team’s season starts next month.

Outside the game

• Stacy Long at Biscuit Crumbs is reporting that RHP Shane Dyer is coming from AA Montgomery to the Bulls. Probably in anticipation of Alex Cobb going to the Rays in a day or so. Pretty good stats.
• I really like the continuing improvements to the big video board. It is now showing the pitch count (and ERA) of the pitchers. And on the board out in right field they are starting to put up the in-game stats for batters. Better and better.
• Elliot Johnson and Reid Brignac: There’s been a flurry of interest in the recents exploits of the well-liked former Durham Bull Elliot Johnson. He’s been having a grand time lately with the Rays. This column looks at EJ’s recent work (with a really gratuitous cheap shot at the end). But this one extends the discussion into concerns about a current Durham Bull whom we’ve mentioned here, Reid Brignac. A bit of armchair psychologizing, but it makes sense to me. Elliot, however, was one of my favorite Bulls and I couldn't be happier to see him succeed. I  have never forgotten Neil Solondz calling EJ’s two homers over in Norfolk, one batting left, the other batting right. Maybe not a record, but certainly worthy of remembering in a blog that celebrates the obscure and quirky. A couple of other mentions of EJ over the years are here (2009) and here (2010).

Pain

Season: 15-26; Home Stand: 0-2; vs. Red Sox: 0-6; Standings
Box, Wrap, Herald-Sun, Indy Week

Seeing all these big name baseball stars can be fun. But only if you’re not a fan of Durham Bulls baseball. In that case, not so much. In fact, watching Durham Bulls baseball is painful.

I once had a stretch of several months when I spent an inordinate amount of time in a dentist’s chair. That’s what last night was like. I felt a bit like the Dustin Hoffman character in Marathon Man.

I know it’s masochistic of me to do this (and perhaps sadistic to inflict it on you), but let’s go over last night. In the 1st inning, after two outs, Lance Pendleton walked the next two batters. But he got away with it. In the 2nd inning he started out with two BBs. Even with a double play, one of the walks scored. In the 3rd inning after two outs, he walked a batter, but, as in the 1st, got away with it.

[Is that a mosquito in my ear? Am I having a flashback? Are the screams for Matsui or the “Yuuk! Yuuk! Yuuk!” cheers morphing into some weird auditory hallucination?]

The 4th inning’s walk came after only one out. That runner was wild-pitched into scoring position, but Pendleton escaped unharmed. The 5th inning, ahhh, the 5th inning. No walks here. Just pure baseball: single, double, home run, single, single off the team of Lance Pendleton and Romulo Sanchez.

But wait, here comes the 7th inning. Two outs. Gaub on the mound. Walk. Reid comes in. Walks his first batter. Runners on first and second. A run scores on a single to right. That play was highlighted by a really crappy throw by Jeff Salazar, although I think the run would have scored anyhow. (Red Sox ahead 5-4). 8th inning. Two outs followed by a walk, but no runs score. 9th inning. Two outs followed by a walk.

For those who might be counting (not really a mentally healthy activity under the circumstances) Bulls pitchers walked 7 batters after they had two outs last night. (11 overall, but who’s counting?)

As the Herald-Sun quoted Charley Montoyo after the game:

No excuses — tough to watch when you keep walking people. This game was the story of the whole season: Leaving people on base and walking people.

I guess I didn't mention that the Bulls left 10 runners on base. Charley has it right.

But new guy Hideki Matsui did get his first hit. It was a pretty wall-ball double that scored two runs.

Outside the game

• It becomes more clear why Kyle Hudson was shipped off to Hudson Valley yesterday. Sometime in the past few days recently called-up Brandon Guyer was injured. Showing (what’s the right word here? Contempt?) extreme lack of confidence in either Jesus Feliciano, Jeff Salazar, Leslie Anderson, Henry Wrigley, or Mr. Hudson, the Rays went off to the Phillies to get a guy who has had one major league at bat. How can that not work on the heads of the Durham Bulls outfield?
• Most recent word out of St. Pete is that Will Rhymes, who collapsed on the field after being hit by a pitch last night, is OK. Good news. The hammering we’re hearing from down that way is coming from the crews hard at work expanding the Rays’ rehab facility. Depending on how you want to count them, at least 10 Rays are on a disabled list.

Chart of the Day

Walks/Hits per Inning

WHIP is not particularly popular with the stats geeks. But it's an easy stat to compute and understand. Essentially, WHIP tells you how many guys get on base per inning. Sabermetrics guys think that 1.62 is awful. We've got a bunch of guys well above awful and only a few who make the "average" (1.32) cut line. I left Josh Lueke on the chart because I'm guessing he will be coming back in a day or so.

Other Than Godzilla Being in the House ...

Season: 15-25; Home Stand: 0-1; Standings
Box, Wrap, Herald-Sun

Matt Torra has an unfortunate tendency to give up home runs. Last night he gave up two more, making it an even dozen so far this year. What made it worse was that in the 1st inning after he’d gotten two outs he then walked and then hit a batter, then gave up the first homer. With two freebies, the three run homer really hurt. Then in the very next inning he walked a batter, then gave up a home run. Two hits, five runs. A deep hole to try to get out of.

In contrast, the Bulls also hit two home runs (Matt Mangini and Leslie Anderson), but the bases were empty.

One bright note was the first 3⅓ innings of Alexander Torres’ 4⅓ inning relief appearance. Torres was throwing strikes (6 Ks) and inducing ground balls. The only baserunner until the 9th was a hit batsman. But the 9th started out with 4 hits and two runs. Pitching coach Neil Allen made his obligatory trip to the mound (I wonder if any other pitcher on the Bulls has been visited by Allen more than Torres?). Still, no walks! Something of a breakthrough for Torres.

We also saw catcher Mayo Acosta make his Triple-A debut. He singled in his first at bat and drew a walk. Here’s a question. Coming up from A ball, I’d guess that Acosta had never caught Matt Torra before, but maybe in spring training. But he at least caught warmups. What about when Torres came in? Was the bottom of the 5th inning the first time that Torres had ever seen Acosta behind the plate? How can a pitcher trust a catcher he’s never even seen before?

I’ve been avoiding mentioning Reid Brignac since his return to the Bulls, but just have to say something about his awful night at the plate. He hit into two double plays to kill two rallies early on; struck out looking in the 6th, and hit weak grounder to second in the 8th with a runner in scoring position. Other than new guy Hideki Matsui, Brignac’s BA of .145 is the worst on the team.

Speaking of Matsui, 0-4, but one was a long shot to deep centerfield.

Outside the game

• I noted much earlier that the appearance of Hideki Matsui might even bring out the Raleigh News & Observer to the DBAP, and at first I thought that was the case. But then I checked the bylines on the N&O, Examiner, and IndyWeek stories. All by the same veteran sports writer Mike Potter.
• Over at WRAL they haven’t get gotten the memo sent out from St. Petersburg about five years ago, the team down there is called the Rays, not the Devil Rays.
• Hudson-Thompson trade. In yet another example of how little I understand about this game, the Rays have traded Kyle Hudson for Rich Thompson, who had one major league at bat (with the Royals) in 2004. He’s hitting .307/.390/.398, 7 SB, 0 home runs for Lehigh Valley this year. Stats. Hudson, on the other hand, is 6 years younger with more (but not much more, 28 ABs) major league experience and roughly the same batting numbers .291/.378.318, 7 SB, 0 HRs. So what was the point. Going to look a bit foolish if Hudson gets hot next month when the Bulls play Lehigh Valley. More on trade here, and he once made a movie.

Lueke, Youkilis, Matsuzaka, Matsui

What kind of nutso headline is that? (By the way, who says baseball isn't international?)

An explanation:

• Durham Bulls pitcher Josh Lueke has been called up to the Rays. No replacement named. Speculation is that a Bulls starter will be swapped out at the end of the week.
• Famous Boston Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis - -  you know, the guy who droops his bat up over his head and points it at the pitcher while waiting for a pitch - - will be in the house Wednesday night on a rehab assignment.
• As reported earlier, nearly as famous Red Sox pitcher, Daisuke Matsuzaka, better known as Dice-K, will also be in the house for a rehab assignment, this Thursday.
• Godzilla, aka Hideki Matsui, will be wearing number 55. Henry Wrigley gave it up. Of course he did. Wouldn't you?

Now if the weather holds ...

Coming Home On a Win

Season: 14-24; Trip: 4-4, Standings

Box, Wrap

That was a nice way to wrap up the trip. Bulls pitching got what was only their second shutout this year and Juan Miranda got his first home run of the season to win the game.

It was a particularly solid win given the context, which is severe roster turmoil (Stephen Vogt called up just before the game) that is only going to get more confusing over the next couple of days. More about that below.

I agree with broadcaster Patrick Kinas — Bulls pitching has really settled down over this trip. (I would add: with the notable exception of Alexander Torres.) Defensively a few miscues, but nothing to be concerned about. What is still cause for concern is the lack of power. But that isn’t new and the answer is more effective small ball, i.e., get that guy home from second and third base. That needs some help, but that’s who the Bulls are this year ... so far ... wait for the next edition of the team. It changes almost daily.

Outside the game (big goings on, and likely to be more before the Bulls take the field tonight):

• Latest word from the Bulls is that Hideki Matsui will play tonight. But if not tonight, then tomorrow. Should be fun. 
• If Matsui does get added to the roster, who goes? That’s where the secrecy surrounding minor league contracts comes into play. If it’s just performance, then, in spite of his big hit last night, Juan Miranda would be the one to go. He was hired by the Rays for his bat and he is not producing. But if it’s ease of moving players around, then it will likely by Henry Wrigley back to Montgomery. Sorry, Henry, because I was really looking forward to seeing you play.
• But wait! There’s more! Jeff Niemann, a Rays starting pitcher, was hit so hard by a batted ball it broke a bone in his leg and he will be out for a long time. That means a pitcher will probably be leaving Durham. My guess is Alex Cobb. No telling who’s available to fill that hole. Seems like half of the Rays roster is on the DL. Just look at the folks here. Plus at least two of those guys (Ridriguez and Suarez) ain’t gonna get called up any time this year.
• But, the Rays could take someone from their bullpen (Wade Davis was in competition for the starting job until just a few weeks ago) into the rotation and the Rays call up a reliever from the Bulls instead of a starter. Brandon Gomes, De La Rosa, and Gaub are on the 40-man.
• If they take a pitcher from the Bulls today, then they could just leave a hole and Matsui will just slip in without a transaction.
• Does any of this pass the "So what?" test. Well, I think so. Because the senior guys in the dugout and the bullpen have to be thinking if their day is coming.
• After mentioning Cesar Ramos yesterday in this blog, nice to see him come in after Niemann’s injury and do a great job.
• For a short break from baseball, check out Diane Van Derek’s trek. She is getting near Blowing Rock on the fifth day of her run from the Tennessee border to the coast. They don’t have the GPS tracking up and running yet. Hope they do soon.

[Note regarding my predictions regarding roster moves — My record is really, really dismal. I would not bet on me, neither should you.]

Update: For a thoughtful analysis of the Rays pitching situation, see this piece by Tommy Rancel, a well-regarding Rays watcher and analyst.

Hideki Matsui (松井 秀喜) to the Durham Bulls

Hideki Matsui is scheduled to arrive in Durham this Tuesday or Wednesday.

For Bulls fans this is a really big deal.  Matsui could be the greatest baseball player ever to put on a Durham Bulls uniform. Will we get a chance to see great baseball? No way to tell. But will we get a chance to see a great baseball player? Undoubtedly.

How long will he be with the Bulls? Also not possible to tell. But for a few days or weeks the Bulls will have a very bright spotlight on them. The Raleigh News & Observer might even send a reporter to cover the event. 

Want a really great rumor? It could be (pure speculation) Daisuke Matsuzaka pitching when Matsui first comes to bat. Dice-K is currently rehabbing with the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Background. Stats. Note: Other than a couple of rehab visits, Matsui has never played minor league baseball in the United States.