Friday, May 15, 2009

Exhibition #1: Midwest 7, Beach Bums 2

Top 8th: Ben Barrone, a Midwest hurler, takes to the hill...Kevin Carkeek will serve as his catcher...The rest of the players on the field are Beach Bums...One of my favorite things about spring training is watching the pitchers run around the warning track in the outfield following their outing...Jeff Williams and Jared Locke are running as a team in left...Sean Snell breaks his bat...Snell reaches via the base on balls, or BB, or walk...This is the last half...Mystery man #15 is at the plate...Kyle Maunus can't handle a foul pop...E3...Runner breaks for second on a 3-2 pitch...Strike him out throw him out double play...Jonnie Knoble bounces a one-hopper to short and that's it...Midwest wins...MIDWEST 7, BEACH BUMS 2

Bot 7th: Kevin Gerard enters to pitch for Midwest...Andrew Barbaro leading off, his first at bat...I just glanced at the boxscore...The Beach Bums have just four hits currently...Barbaro hits a chopper over the mound...Fester fields at second and throws him out...John Alonso is at the plate...He has provided two of the four hits and has driven in both runs...Alonso is retired for the first time, grounding to second off the end of his bat...Chase Gerdes with his first at bat...First pitch swinging...Flyout to left...MIDWEST 7, BEACH BUMS 2

Top 7th: Jeff Williams taking the place of Jared Locke on the hill...Williams is the last scheduled hurler for the Beach Bums...I have heard a Midwest pitcher will likely throw the final half for the Beach Bums...Yikes!!! Williams went up and in with his first pitch fastball and creamed Jonas Fester...He is down and being tended to by Andrew Shaver, the Beach Bums trainer...Fester leaves the game...De La Rosa pinch runs for him...Runner goes, pitch is fouled away...Jeremy Jones reaches for the second straight at bat with a walk...Runners at first and second with no outs...Brad Miller saves a hit with a nice back-handed play in the hole at short, throwing to second to record the force for the first out...Kevin Carkeer nearly takes off Williams' head with a liner up the middle and in to center to score a run...Jimmy Baker doubles into right-center to clear the bases and drive in two, adding to the lead...Jason Acevado goes down looking and that is the last batter of the inning...MIDWEST 7, BEACH BUMS 2

Bot 6th: J.J. Pannell takes the place of O'Leary in the hill for Midwest...O'Leary allowed a double in his inning and also recorded a strikeout...Pannell walks the leadoff man, Al Barbato in his first plate appearance...Corey Whiting making his first plate appearance...Mound visit as Carkeer and Pannell got crossed up...A tough feat as Whiting, who is extremely quick, grounds into a double play to the shortstop...Kyle Maunus pops out to first on the first pitch...To the 7th!MIDWEST 4, BEACH BUMS 2

Top 6th: Jared Locke coming in...B.J. Hagen worked an inning and walked a man...Jason Acevado pinch hitting for Midwest...Bryan Frew stabs a liner at third...Sean Snell with his first at bat for the Sliders, who continue to lead...Snell strikes out...Jeff Williams tossing in the bullpen...Maikel De La Rosa with a single to right-center, his second hit of the game...Jonnie Knoble gets underneath one to deep left, Welker hauls it in to end the frame...MIDWEST 4, BEACH BUMS 2

Bot 5th: New pitcher for Midwest...Left-hander Michael O'Leary is in...For James Albury, the Austrailian native, four innings, three hits, two runs, both earned, three walks, five strikeouts...He is in line for the win...Brad Miller greets O'Leary rudely, smashing the first pitch into left-center off the wall for a double in the deepest part of the park...Miller breaks for third...Welker fouls it off...Kevin Carkeek now catching for Midwest...Welker strikes out swinging in a good battle...Miller breaks for third again...Robby Alcombrack fouls it off...He must be getting his running in for the day...Each team with action in the bullpen...Two outs as Alcombrack grounds to third...Bryan Frew grounds out to second to end the inning...MIDWEST 4, BEACH BUMS 2

Top 5th: Enter B.J. Hagen out of the bullpen...Here's the line on Roberts, who is on the hook for the loss...Four innings, six hits, four runs, three earned, two walks and a wild pitch...Other changes...Corey Whiting in center, Chase Gerdes in right...Andrew Barbaro behind the plate...Al Barbato to second...Hagen walks the first batter he faces, Jeremy Jones...Jones promptly steals second...Barbaro to the hill for a quick chat as Hagen falls behind 2-0 to Gil Zayas, the cleanup man...Make that 3-0...Fights back to make it full...Zayas grounds out to short...Jones moves to third...Infield comes in...Grounder right at Barbato...Runner holds at third...Two outs...Jones left at third as Hagen makes an outstanding barehanded play on a slow bouncer to the third base side, planting and throwing to get Jimmy Baker and end the inning...MIDWEST 4, BEACH BUMS 2

Bot 4th: Mike Epping leads off...Lots of changes for Midwest...Jonnie Knoble to center...Sean Snell to right...Jonas Fester to second...Epping strikes out, four in the game for Albury including two straight...Three straight strikeouts as Kyle Maunus goes down swining...Midwest has to go to first to get hte out on a pitch in the dirt...Albury getting stronger as the game goes on...B.J. Hagen looks ready to go in the Beach Bums bullpen...Patrick Perry goes the other way, snapping the strikeout streak by doubling into left-center...Speaking of going the other way...John Alonso drives in his second run with an opposite field single into right, scoring Perry...Alonso goes to second on a fielding error by the right-fielder...Brian Lapin hits it on the nose, but right at the third baseman...MIDWEST 4, BEACH BUMS 2

Top 4th: Steve Roberts still pitching...I imagine we will see him go five because he has a relatively low pitch count...As soon as I say that the bullpen gets started...It's B.J. Hagen...Sharp double to deep center for Dom Lombardi over the head of Mike Epping...I think Midwest Manager Eric Coleman really wanted him to try for three but Epping got the ball in quickly...Jimmy Baker pops out to first...Ralph Rosas swings at the first pitch and grounds it to the left side...Brad Miller dives, its off his glove and in to left...Lombardi scores...Dennis Jones bounces to third...Bryan Frew fields and tries to go to second, throwing the ball into right...Rosas moves to third...Runners at the corners, one out...Jones on the move...Maikel De La Rosa fouls it off...Jones goes again, stealing second for the second time today...Roberts walks De La Rosa on a 3-1 pitch...His first walk of the game...Bases now loaded...Jonnie Knoble pinch hitting for Zack Pace...Flies out to left...Two down...Another pinch hitter...#11, I am guessing it is Jonas Fester...He grounds to first to end the inning...MIDWEST 4, BEACH BUMS 1

Bot 3rd: I don't think I've mentioned this...But I am watching from my broadcast booth with the windows open...Slight wind blowing out to left...A little chilly...I just put on my jacket...Robby Alcombrack, the 10th hitter in the Beach Bums lineup, leads off, breaks a bat, and flies out to left on a full count offering from Albury...Nate Jorgensen, Director of Media Relations, was sitting with me...He just left to go type some stuff up...I closed his open window...Bryan Frew grounds out to short...Midwest just issued uniforms today...Some players have a navy blue hat with a green brim while others have the opposite...Guerrero at the dish...Albury has his first 1-2-3 inning...He is slated to go four or five...Guerrero struck out looking on a back door slider...MIDWEST 3, BEACH BUMS 1

Top 3rd: Back to the top of the order...Zack Pace leading off...Fights off a 1-2 pitch and loses his bat...Grounds out to Maunus at first...On the first pitch Sam Deluca drops a bloop into left-center...Mike Epping makes a sliding attempt but it leads to a double due to the slide...Roberts throws to second to try and pick off Deluca...To no avail...Jeremy Jones grounds to short...Deluca moves to third...Two outs...Gil Zayas flies out to Welker in left...End of inning...MIDWEST 3, BEACH BUMS 1

Bot 2nd: John Alonso leads off for the Beach Bums...Alonso connects on a 2-1 pitch from James Albury, lifting it high in the air in left center, clanking off the scoreboard for a leadoff homer...First homer of the spring for Alonso...Brian Lapin grounds out to the first baseman who feed Albury covering...Brad Miller strikes out swinging...The Wuerfel Park speed gun has been turned on in left-center...Reed Welker strikes out swinging on three pitches to end the inning...MIDWEST 3, BEACH BUMS 1

Top 2nd: There are about seven people in the stands watching in addition to the Beach Bums pitching staff charting and shagging balls behind the plate...Dom Lombardi leads off for Midwest...Lombardi bounces one over the mound...Brad Miller charges and beats him to the bag with a throw by a half step...Lombardi trips over the base but is ok...Jimmy Baker singles sharply up the middle...Baker hustles to second on a pitch in the dirt...Ralph Rosas walks on a full count...First and second, one out...Dennis Jones bounces into a fielder's choice, keeping the inning alive...Rosas forced out at second...Dennis Jones steals second...Maikel De La Rosa singled home two runs into left...Roberts hits his pitch count, inning over...MIDWEST 3, BEACH BUMS 0

Bot 1st: Bryan Frew tried to bunt his way on and popped the first pitch foul...He has his pants rolled up to show off the blue socks...Hitting Coach J.T. Tamargo is coaching first with Gregg Langbehn at third...Frew worked the count full and drew a leadoff walk against Midwest starter James Albury...James Guerrero showed bunt on the first pitch as well but took high...Frew stole second...Guerrero flew out to center...Mike Epping worked the count full and walked...First and second, no outs...Using the binocs to scope out the speed gun that Kevin Reese has behind the plate, Albury is touching around 90 MPH...Runners moving on a 3-2 pitch, fouled away by Kyle Maunus...Four straight full counts...Runners not moving on the next pitch...Maunus pops out to second...Midwest Manager Eric Coleman informs the Beach Bums that Patrick Perry will be the last hitter of the inning...Gee, another full count...Perry walks, inning over with the bases loaded...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 0

NOTE: The catchers are calling balls and strikes...There are no umpires today...

Top 1st: Zack Pace legged out an infield single and went to third on an errant pickoff throw...Sam Deluca lifted a sacrifice fly to left to give Midwest the lead...Jeremy Jones grounded out to second as did Gil Zayas to end the frame...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 0

(5:58): Steve Roberts delivered the first pitch of the contest to Zack Pace...It's a strike...We're underway...Top 1st
MIDWEST 0, BEACH BUMS 0

(5:56): The Beach Bums have taken the field...

(5:45): Both starting pitchers are warming up in the bullpen each under the careful watch of their respective pitching coach...Midwest catcher Kevin Carkeek played under Gregg Langbehn in Lexington last season...

UPDATE: Pitchers will be on a pitch count per inning as they have been all spring so thus innings can just randomly end...I was hoping to be able to do a whole boxscore, but it looks like updates it is...Teams are stretching...About 20 minutes or so till the curtain drops...

1 comment:

Rob B. aka Zebrabob! said...

I wish I had known they were playing tonight! I would have come over. I have to go downstate tomorrow so will miss the games on Saturday. Thanks for the updates! Oh, by the way, Ralph is a grasshopper, not a cricket!