A Loss, a Win, and a Few Questions

Game 5: Durham Bulls 3; Charlotte Knights 4
Wrap, Box

Alex Torres had a great day in his Triple-A debut, but the bullpen couldn’t hang on to a three run lead and the Bulls lost in the bottom of the 9th. Even though the Bulls are carrying an extra pitcher (13 instead of the usual 12), the relief corps is putting in a lot of innings (two out of five games have gone long). The Knights started the season on a 5-0 run.

Game 6: Bulls 5; Knights 2
Wrap, Box

Game 6 saw the Bulls break the Knights’ run. Although they’ve had a hit or two, we are still waiting for the crew of Chirinos, Furmaniak, and Anderson to connect. On the other hand, Jose Lobaton went 3 for 4 with a home run single and double. And Brandon Guyer hit a homer as well.

Richard De Los Santos only lasted 2 innings before the relief corps went back to work.

Just listening to the radio, it sure sounds like some of these guys simply aren’t in very good condition. Wasn't that what spring training was for?

Here's the first of the questions promised in the headline: How come the Bulls start the season with a seven game road trip, come home for nine games, and then go back on the road for 11 games?

Could it be that the folks that run the DBAP gave up the ballpark to Duke for the month of April and encouraged the International League to put the Bulls on the road? Those Duke (formerly Trinity College) lads are playing at the DBAP for 6 games during the time the Bulls are on the road. So, is Duke playing at the DBAP because the Bulls on the road, or are the Bulls on the road because Duke in playing at the DBAP?

Speaking of the DBAP, I went by there yesterday and there sure was a lot of banging and clanging going on.

Where the Bulls Are — Charlotte Knights

As we love to point out at the beginning of each year, the Charlotte Knights don't play baseball in Charlotte, in fact they don't play baseball in North Carolina. If you back out from the map above you'll see that the stadium is in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

There's an interesting bit of political shenanigans surrounding a downtown stadium for the Knights. The short version is that there's a gentleman in town who's monomaniacal about bringing a major league team to Charlotte. To that end he's sued the city/county a bunch of times to keep them from building something new for the Knights. An example of recent goings-on is this blog entry (with 76 comments!). Other recent stories related to Charlotte's stadium saga are here and here. There's a modest chance that the Knights will get a new stadium in the next decade, or so.

The Knights are a White Sox team and seem to be treated reasonably well by their parent club. They've got a new manager, Joe McEwing. They have also started the season by winning 5 in a row.

You will see from the map that the interstate runs nearby. In an amusing incident last year, the umpiring crew got caught in a traffic jam out there. The game was delayed for almost an hour while everyone waited for the men in blue.

The park is very hitter friendly, but Neil Solondz has reported that they've raised the outfield walls a bit.

Ballpark reviews rates the park pretty low, but he hasn't been there in a couple of years.

Fan Alert — Today's Game at 11:00

Just noticed that today's (Monday, April 12th) game is at 11:00. Must be one of those "education day" deals.

One big advantage of the iPod era is that folks don't look quite so funny sitting at their desks wearing earphones. Might be a bit tricky running gameday in a window of your computer, though.

Bullpen blew it last night. More later.

Typical Bulls-Braves Series

Game 4: Durham Bulls 4, Gwinnett Braves 5 (11 Innings)
Season: 2-2
First Home Game: This Thursday
Wrap, Box, Gwinnett Daily Post

In the end, this was a fairly typical Bulls-Braves series. It was distinguished only a bit by the low number of home runs by either team: 2 over 41 innings of play, 1 by the Bulls and 1 by Gwinnett. Yesterday, the Bulls went through five relievers after starter Edgar Gonzalez only lasted 3 2/3 innings. My ability to listen to the game was sporadic, so I don’t have anything to offer regarding his performance.

Hard not to notice, however, catcher Robinson Chirinos’ troubles at the plate so far this year, 0-14. Chirinos, who came from the Cubs as part of the Matt Garza deal, had a terrific spring training with the Rays. So much so that the bloggers were talking about trading off Kelley Shoppach (one of the Rays’ catchers) and keeping Chirinos. Surely this is just a slow start for him. Similarly, infielder J.J. Furmaniak is off to a tough start, 0-12. Both of these young men are better players than the numbers show, but sure hope the dry spell ends soon.

On the plus side, Justin Ruggiano is having a great start. 7 for 17 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, 5 RBIs, and only 2 strikeouts. He was pulled from the game after doubling in 2 runs in the top of the 5th inning, apparently injured. I’ve got emails out asking about his status. If the Bulls release any more info before tonight's game, I’ll come back and update this.

In the end, the game turned on the Braves’ bullpen ability to keep the Bulls off the bases in the 9th, 10th, and 11th; and the Braves touching to reliever Rob Delaney for a homer in the 9th and putting together a rally off Dane De La Rosa in the 11th.

Smart, aggressive baseball by both teams. We’ll get to see the Gwinnett team in Durham on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Should be fun.

I’ve been thinking we should keep an eye on the Montgomery Biscuits, the Rays AA team. They are off to a bit of a slow start, but nothing like their parent club (Rays are now 1-7)

Biscuit Watch
Game 4: Montgomery Biscuits 4; Birmingham Barons 3
Season: 1-3
Wrap, Box, Montgomery Advertiser

UPDATE: Bulls front office says that Justin Ruggiano is fine. Good news.

Score Early; Hang On

Game 3: Durham Bulls 2; Gwinnett Braves 1
Season: 2-1
First Home Game: 4 Days
Wrap, Box, Gwinnett Daily Post

I know that it’s really, really early, and I don’t want to bring bad luck, still the Bulls’ bullpen is looking pretty good so far. They’ve only let one run across the plate in 13+ innings.

Then there’s Desmond Jennings starting out the game with a home run. Justin Ruggiano picked up another RBI, his third.

Reliever Brandon Gomes (acquired in the Jason Bartlett trade) got out of a bases-loaded problem in the eighth. Good beginning.

Brian Baker, an important guy last year, got in his first appearance of the year, two scoreless innings after Alex Cobb (who started shaky and settled down) did five innings.

Day game today, then on the bus to Charlotte.

Profile

Ray Olmedo

Let me be very up front about it, I really like infielder Ray Olmedo. He’s the guy who was the star of the game when the Bulls won it all in 2009. He is a very competent infielder and crafty batsman, even hitting a home run from time to time (although that’s not his expectation). He’s a year round, Triple A ballplayer and just the kind of guy we need to get through the grind of a Triple-A season.

I’m a believer that one of the keys to a successful team is what’s called the “defensive diamond”. The defensive diamond consists of above average skill at catcher, shortstop, second base, and center field. Ray is going to be one of the key guys in the diamond this year. He’s expected to start most games at shortstop, although Charlie likes to move guys around, so you can expect to see him at second and third as well.

As a final bit of trivia: Ray was strikingly successful as a relief pitcher with the 2009 Bulls: 1-0, 1 game, 2 innings.

Experience Shows — Bulls Win

Game 2: Durham Bulls 5; Gwinnett Braves 3 (12 innings)
Season: 1-1
First Home Game: 5 days
Wrap, Box, Gwinnett Daily Post

The Durham Bulls must have started yesterday’s game looking over their shoulders. First baseman Casey Kotchman was gone to join the Rays in Chicago (he came to bat just after Dan Johnson’s game winning homer in the 9th and flied out to center). Pitcher Brian Baker was activated from the Hudson Valley roster. This followed infielder Felipe Lopez’s call-up just before the season started. In the end, however, we had something of a traditional Durham/Gwinnett game with the Bulls and the Braves simply going at each other inning and inning after inning.

The Braves and Bulls sent eleven pitchers to the mound before this one wrapped up. In the end, however, it was RBIs by Desmond Jennings and Justin Ruggiano in the 12th that finished out the game for the Bulls first win.

Leslie Anderson came to the Rays system after being sold as a first baseman. In fact, when his defection was first announced early last year he was being mentioned as a late 2010 replacement for the Rays’ Carlos Peña. If what we heard on the radio last night (and saw last year) hints at his skills, Charlie may be looking through his roster for another. Reportedly Chris Carter has played a lot of first base back in 2007, so we may see him there pretty soon.

Nice to have a win under our belt.

Profile

Manager Charlie Montoyo is the best manager in AAA baseball. The record speaks for itself. His teams have won championships for the last 5 season (one in AA, four in AAA).

When you see him make his dash from the dugout to third base this Thursday you will know the game is about to begin, the home season has started.

Charlie doesn’t say a whole lot to the press (and down here in AAA he doesn’t really get a lot of tough questions). But when he does, as he did the other day, he shows a deep understanding of the game and of Triple A.

We will undoubtedly argue about tactical decisions this year (Shoulda pulled xxx sooner! Why didn’t you send xxx home? Why did you send xxx home? Etc.) But we cannot argue with his record. We cannot argue with his approach to getting through the very, very tough Triple A schedule. We’re lucky to have him here.

So, Charlie, why did you leave De Los Santos in the game on Thursday when he was obviously out of gas?

Kotchman to the Rays

Well, that was a really brief tenure as a Bull.

Casey Kotchman, who started at first base last night, is apparently off to join the Rays in Chicago.

Marc Topkin cites several sources and reports that the Rays' Manny Ramirez is retiring after a problem with a drug test.

Casey Kotchman was one of a couple of guys in the room at the First Pitch luncheon who did not appear to be happy to be in Durham. The former Angel, Brave, Red Sox, and Mariner was not likely to be in Durham very long under any circumstances. We wish him the best of luck with the Rays. It does leave a bit of a hole in the Bulls roster, though. Wonder who Charlie will pick?

Chris? Are you out there?