GaryMrMets
05-27-2004, 02:01 PM
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/8768668.htm
Posted on Thu, May. 27, 2004
On Minor-League Baseball
Lakewood hitters are delivering
The BlueClaws are 15-10 in May after a difficult start to the season. The offense, led by Jake Blalock, gets much of the credit.
By Jim Salisbury
Inquirer Staff Writer
Travel in the South Atlantic League is never easy. But when you have to make a five-hour bus trip in 90-degree weather - with no air conditioning - it can be downright brutal.
Such was the plight of the Lakewood BlueClaws on Sunday. The air conditioning on their team bus broke as they made the trip from Hagerstown, Md., to Eastlake, Ohio.
"It was smoking," manager P.J. Forbes said of the bus ride.
But it could have been worse.
The BlueClaws have been winning lately, and winning makes everything better. Had the Claws not won Sunday - they beat Hagerstown, 9-6 - that ride to Ohio would have been a lot more uncomfortable.
Like several other Phillies affiliates, the BlueClaws had a difficult start, going 6-14 in April. May has been much better. They are 15-10 in the month and 21-24 overall entering tonight's home game against Hagerstown.
Offense has been the primary reason for the BlueClaws' turnaround. They concluded a 5-3 road trip yesterday - losing, 5-4, to Lake County on two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth. On that trip they raised their team batting average from .241 to .273 in the eight games.
The offense has been led by the table-setting duo of Javon Moran and Michael Bourn, both products of last year's draft, as well as slugger Jake Blalock, a 2002 draftee.
While Forbes has been impressed with the play of all three, he was quick to point out that the entire lineup has picked it up offensively.
"You don't raise your average like we have with only three guys hitting," Forbes said. "It's been one through nine. Everyone is feeding off everyone else."
Moran and Bourn, both outfielders, have been exceptional at the top of the order, getting on base and stealing bases. Both are hitting over .300. Bourn hit an inside-the-park grand slam Tuesday.
Blalock, also an outfielder, has been on a tear. The 20-year-old brother of Texas Rangers all-star third baseman Hank Blalock is hitting .299 with 19 doubles, seven homers and 34 RBIs in 45 games.
A righthanded hitter with big power potential, Blalock has done most of his damage in May. In 25 games, the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder is hitting .343 with seven homers and 28 RBIs. Blalock hit three homers in a game last week at Lexington. His homer Tuesday night was his fifth in six games.
All this after hitting just .240 with no homers in April.
"He struggled mightily hitting the breaking ball early," Forbes said of Blalock. "He's made a significant effort to get better in that department. In his three-homer game, he hit two of them on breaking balls."
Having seen Blalock's work ethic since spring training, Forbes is not surprised by his in-season improvement.
"This is a guy that wants to get better," Forbes said. "He's beyond his years in terms of understanding the game. His approach to the game is so matter-of-fact and professional, especially for a guy two years out of high school. His work ethic is far and away the best on the team."
Blalock hits third, behind Moran and Bourn. That has given him RBI chances. He has also benefited from the lineup protection provided by minor-league veteran Randy Ruiz, who was signed at the start of the month. Batting cleanup, Ruiz is hitting .348 with 24 RBIs in his first 23 games.
Moran, Bourn, Blalock and Ruiz aren't the only BlueClaws swinging the bats better. Infielder Marc Tugwell, outfielder Chris Klemm, third baseman Oscar Bramasco and first baseman Bryan Hansen have all contributed. Even talented but enigmatic shortstop Carlos Rodriguez has improved with the bat. He's hitting over .300 in May after hitting .145 in April.
"Improvement is the most important thing we can see at this level," Forbes said. "When you're winning, it's easier to see that improvement because everyone wants to be at the park and everyone is working hard."
Machado improving. Director of minor-league operations Steve Noworyta liked what he saw of shortstop Anderson Machado when he peeked in on triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre last week.
Machado, 23, spent the last two years at double A. Phillies officials were troubled by the loop in his swing and his penchant to try to lift the ball. Hitting instructor Don Long has worked hard with Machado, trying to get him to shorten his swing.
"He's a big-league defensive player," Noworyta said. "And he's starting to hit. His stroke is noticeably shorter from both sides of the plate. I saw him three games and he was hitting bullets everywhere."
In addition to playing baseball, Machado spent much of last season dealing with personal family matters. He was slowed out of the gate this season by appendicitis.
"He looks like he's having a lot of fun out there," Noworyta said. "It's good to see."
Minor matters.The Phils signed pitcher Andy Barb, their 40th-round pick from 2003. Barb, a 6-3, 190-pound righthander, is a converted catcher. He pitched at Everett (Wash.) Community College this season. Barb reported to the Phils' complex in Clearwater, Fla., on Tuesday... . Second baseman Tim Moss (a third-round pick in 2003) was expected to be a big part of Lakewood's team, but he's in Clearwater recovering from a hip injury... . Saturday night's Reading-Bowie game will be carried live on CN8. It's a chance to see Eastern League home-run leader Ryan Howard of Reading... . After an 0-5 start, former Phillies farmhand Taylor Buchholz had won two straight starts for triple-A New Orleans entering last night's start against Salt Lake. Buchholz went to Houston in the Billy Wagner deal.
Posted on Thu, May. 27, 2004
On Minor-League Baseball
Lakewood hitters are delivering
The BlueClaws are 15-10 in May after a difficult start to the season. The offense, led by Jake Blalock, gets much of the credit.
By Jim Salisbury
Inquirer Staff Writer
Travel in the South Atlantic League is never easy. But when you have to make a five-hour bus trip in 90-degree weather - with no air conditioning - it can be downright brutal.
Such was the plight of the Lakewood BlueClaws on Sunday. The air conditioning on their team bus broke as they made the trip from Hagerstown, Md., to Eastlake, Ohio.
"It was smoking," manager P.J. Forbes said of the bus ride.
But it could have been worse.
The BlueClaws have been winning lately, and winning makes everything better. Had the Claws not won Sunday - they beat Hagerstown, 9-6 - that ride to Ohio would have been a lot more uncomfortable.
Like several other Phillies affiliates, the BlueClaws had a difficult start, going 6-14 in April. May has been much better. They are 15-10 in the month and 21-24 overall entering tonight's home game against Hagerstown.
Offense has been the primary reason for the BlueClaws' turnaround. They concluded a 5-3 road trip yesterday - losing, 5-4, to Lake County on two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth. On that trip they raised their team batting average from .241 to .273 in the eight games.
The offense has been led by the table-setting duo of Javon Moran and Michael Bourn, both products of last year's draft, as well as slugger Jake Blalock, a 2002 draftee.
While Forbes has been impressed with the play of all three, he was quick to point out that the entire lineup has picked it up offensively.
"You don't raise your average like we have with only three guys hitting," Forbes said. "It's been one through nine. Everyone is feeding off everyone else."
Moran and Bourn, both outfielders, have been exceptional at the top of the order, getting on base and stealing bases. Both are hitting over .300. Bourn hit an inside-the-park grand slam Tuesday.
Blalock, also an outfielder, has been on a tear. The 20-year-old brother of Texas Rangers all-star third baseman Hank Blalock is hitting .299 with 19 doubles, seven homers and 34 RBIs in 45 games.
A righthanded hitter with big power potential, Blalock has done most of his damage in May. In 25 games, the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder is hitting .343 with seven homers and 28 RBIs. Blalock hit three homers in a game last week at Lexington. His homer Tuesday night was his fifth in six games.
All this after hitting just .240 with no homers in April.
"He struggled mightily hitting the breaking ball early," Forbes said of Blalock. "He's made a significant effort to get better in that department. In his three-homer game, he hit two of them on breaking balls."
Having seen Blalock's work ethic since spring training, Forbes is not surprised by his in-season improvement.
"This is a guy that wants to get better," Forbes said. "He's beyond his years in terms of understanding the game. His approach to the game is so matter-of-fact and professional, especially for a guy two years out of high school. His work ethic is far and away the best on the team."
Blalock hits third, behind Moran and Bourn. That has given him RBI chances. He has also benefited from the lineup protection provided by minor-league veteran Randy Ruiz, who was signed at the start of the month. Batting cleanup, Ruiz is hitting .348 with 24 RBIs in his first 23 games.
Moran, Bourn, Blalock and Ruiz aren't the only BlueClaws swinging the bats better. Infielder Marc Tugwell, outfielder Chris Klemm, third baseman Oscar Bramasco and first baseman Bryan Hansen have all contributed. Even talented but enigmatic shortstop Carlos Rodriguez has improved with the bat. He's hitting over .300 in May after hitting .145 in April.
"Improvement is the most important thing we can see at this level," Forbes said. "When you're winning, it's easier to see that improvement because everyone wants to be at the park and everyone is working hard."
Machado improving. Director of minor-league operations Steve Noworyta liked what he saw of shortstop Anderson Machado when he peeked in on triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre last week.
Machado, 23, spent the last two years at double A. Phillies officials were troubled by the loop in his swing and his penchant to try to lift the ball. Hitting instructor Don Long has worked hard with Machado, trying to get him to shorten his swing.
"He's a big-league defensive player," Noworyta said. "And he's starting to hit. His stroke is noticeably shorter from both sides of the plate. I saw him three games and he was hitting bullets everywhere."
In addition to playing baseball, Machado spent much of last season dealing with personal family matters. He was slowed out of the gate this season by appendicitis.
"He looks like he's having a lot of fun out there," Noworyta said. "It's good to see."
Minor matters.The Phils signed pitcher Andy Barb, their 40th-round pick from 2003. Barb, a 6-3, 190-pound righthander, is a converted catcher. He pitched at Everett (Wash.) Community College this season. Barb reported to the Phils' complex in Clearwater, Fla., on Tuesday... . Second baseman Tim Moss (a third-round pick in 2003) was expected to be a big part of Lakewood's team, but he's in Clearwater recovering from a hip injury... . Saturday night's Reading-Bowie game will be carried live on CN8. It's a chance to see Eastern League home-run leader Ryan Howard of Reading... . After an 0-5 start, former Phillies farmhand Taylor Buchholz had won two straight starts for triple-A New Orleans entering last night's start against Salt Lake. Buchholz went to Houston in the Billy Wagner deal.