Baseball Guru
07-09-2001, 04:42 PM
Monday, July 09, 2001
Compiled by Robert Dvorchak
LOOKING AHEAD
Royals vs. Pirates, 7:05 p.m. Thursday, PNC Park. No TV. Radio: KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network. Final interleague series this season for the Pirates, who are 6-6 in interleague games. The Royals lead the all-time series, 8-6, and the previous four meetings have gone extra innings.
NOTEBOOK
Interim general manager Roy Smith said a trade for OF Emil Brown likely will happen today with an unspecified team. Brown was designated for assignment a week ago, which means he will be placed on waivers for any team to claim him unless a deal is worked out. "There's been interest in him, and we're going to get something done," said Smith, who will go to the All-Star Game in Seattle to continue talks with other general mangers on possible trades. But the final details of the Brown trade could not be completed yesterday.
The status of three players currently on the 15-day disabled list -- Pat Meares, Derek Bell and Terry Mulholland -- will become clearer following the three-day break. Meares, out with a sprained ankle, has been receiving treatments and will be tested Thursday to determine how mobile he is on his swollen left ankle. He could be activated Thursday night if all goes well because he has been hitting in the batting cages. Bell, who returned to Pittsburgh for treatments today, missed his fifth consecutive game yesterday with a strained right hamstring, and his availability is less certain. Bell's treatments are supposed to be intensified over the break because the injury has not responded as well as the Pirates had hoped. "I'm a little concerned. He feels he really popped something in there," Pirates Manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He was really starting to swing the bat a lot better. I'd really like to have him back in the lineup." Mulholland will have a follow-up X-ray on his fractured left index finger Thursday. If it shows that the break in the tip of the finger is healed, Mulholland will still require two to three weeks of throwing before he can pitch again.
Brian Giles left for Seattle after the game yesterday to represent the Pirates at the All-Star Game at Safeco Field. He will not participate in the home run hitting contest, although McClendon believes it would have been interesting to see how Giles' compact, torque-generating swing would stack up to the best power hitters in the game. "When he gets in that groove, he can hit them as far as anybody. They're not cheap," McClendon said. Giles leads the Pirates in games started -- 84 out of 85 games -- and likely will play no more than three or four innings tomorrow, if that. "By his standards, that'll be plenty of rest," McClendon said. Giles was 0 for 4 yesterday and 1 for 13 in three games against the White Sox. In the previous four-game series against the Reds, Giles was 10 for 15 with three home runs, five RBIs and seven runs scored.
Home plate umpire Lance Barksdale had to leave the game in the bottom of the first when he was struck on the head by the bat of Carlos Lee, who was following through on a swing. Barksdale sustained a cut and, as a precaution, did not return after being escorted from the field. After a delay of several minutes, the game resumed with three umpires -- crew chief Tim McClelland working behind the plate, Paul Emmel at first and Ed Rapuano at third.
With a 33-53 (.384) record at the break, the Pirates completed their worst first half since the 1985 team went 29-56 (.341). They were 38-48 (.442) a year ago. In 1997, the Pirates were at 43-43 and led the Central Division by a game. They last time they had a winning record at the break was in 1992 when they were 49-39 (.557) and in first place by 41/2 games. After yesterday, their road record dropped to 14-34, and they have gone 9-25 in their past 34 road games. The Pirates were 10-10 in a stretch of playing 20 games in 20 days.
Todd Ritchie allowed nine runs -- five of them earned -- on 12 hits while striking out six and walking none in the seven innings yesterday. On the 17 previous occasions Pirates starters had gone seven innings or more, the club was 10-7 with a 2.48 ERA. Jason Schmidt also went seven innings and lost Saturday night.
MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
NASHVILLE (40-48) lost, 7-1, at home vs. New Orleans. Starter Brian O'Connor was the loser, giving up six runs on seven hits in five innings while striking out four and walking four. C Yamid Haad hit his second home run.
ALTOONA (36-51) won, 5-4, at home vs. Erie. Dan Carrasco (1-0) won in relief of Justin Reid, who gave up four unearned runs on five hits in 61/3 innings while striking out six and walking one. CF Tony Alvarez was 3 for 4 with a double and a solo home run, his fourth. 1B Carlos Rivera was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
LYNCHBURG (49-50) won, 4-2, at Winston-Salem. Starter Mike Johnston (2-0) allowed one earned run on seven hits in seven innings to get the win. He struck out six. Mike Chaney earned his first save. SS Jose Castillo was 3 for 4 with a solo home run, his fourth. CF B.J. Barns went 2 for 3.
HICKORY (47-55) won, 6-5, at home vs. Columbia. David Hawk (1-0) won in relief of Mike Connolly, who allowed five runs on six hits in six innings while striking out three and walking one. Andrew Friedberg earned his first save. 2B Edwin Yan was 3 for 4 with a double. C Manuel Majia was 2 for 3 with an RBI.
WILLIAMSPORT (12-6) won, 4-3, at Vermont for its 10th consecutive victory. Ian Oquendo (1-0) pitched a complete game, allowing one earned run on seven hits while striking out four and walking one. 1B Chris Shelton was 3 for 3 with three RBIs. LF Chris Duffy was 2 for 4. SS Avelino Asprilla was 2 for 3 with an RBI.
BRADENTON (7-10) lost, 1-0, in 11 innings against the Reds. Miguel Andara (0-1) lost in relief of Kurt Shafter, who gave up two hits in six shutout innings with four strikeouts and no walks. 2B Mike Cockrell was 1 for 5 with two stolen bases. LF Sean Smith was 1 for 4.
Compiled by Robert Dvorchak
LOOKING AHEAD
Royals vs. Pirates, 7:05 p.m. Thursday, PNC Park. No TV. Radio: KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network. Final interleague series this season for the Pirates, who are 6-6 in interleague games. The Royals lead the all-time series, 8-6, and the previous four meetings have gone extra innings.
NOTEBOOK
Interim general manager Roy Smith said a trade for OF Emil Brown likely will happen today with an unspecified team. Brown was designated for assignment a week ago, which means he will be placed on waivers for any team to claim him unless a deal is worked out. "There's been interest in him, and we're going to get something done," said Smith, who will go to the All-Star Game in Seattle to continue talks with other general mangers on possible trades. But the final details of the Brown trade could not be completed yesterday.
The status of three players currently on the 15-day disabled list -- Pat Meares, Derek Bell and Terry Mulholland -- will become clearer following the three-day break. Meares, out with a sprained ankle, has been receiving treatments and will be tested Thursday to determine how mobile he is on his swollen left ankle. He could be activated Thursday night if all goes well because he has been hitting in the batting cages. Bell, who returned to Pittsburgh for treatments today, missed his fifth consecutive game yesterday with a strained right hamstring, and his availability is less certain. Bell's treatments are supposed to be intensified over the break because the injury has not responded as well as the Pirates had hoped. "I'm a little concerned. He feels he really popped something in there," Pirates Manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He was really starting to swing the bat a lot better. I'd really like to have him back in the lineup." Mulholland will have a follow-up X-ray on his fractured left index finger Thursday. If it shows that the break in the tip of the finger is healed, Mulholland will still require two to three weeks of throwing before he can pitch again.
Brian Giles left for Seattle after the game yesterday to represent the Pirates at the All-Star Game at Safeco Field. He will not participate in the home run hitting contest, although McClendon believes it would have been interesting to see how Giles' compact, torque-generating swing would stack up to the best power hitters in the game. "When he gets in that groove, he can hit them as far as anybody. They're not cheap," McClendon said. Giles leads the Pirates in games started -- 84 out of 85 games -- and likely will play no more than three or four innings tomorrow, if that. "By his standards, that'll be plenty of rest," McClendon said. Giles was 0 for 4 yesterday and 1 for 13 in three games against the White Sox. In the previous four-game series against the Reds, Giles was 10 for 15 with three home runs, five RBIs and seven runs scored.
Home plate umpire Lance Barksdale had to leave the game in the bottom of the first when he was struck on the head by the bat of Carlos Lee, who was following through on a swing. Barksdale sustained a cut and, as a precaution, did not return after being escorted from the field. After a delay of several minutes, the game resumed with three umpires -- crew chief Tim McClelland working behind the plate, Paul Emmel at first and Ed Rapuano at third.
With a 33-53 (.384) record at the break, the Pirates completed their worst first half since the 1985 team went 29-56 (.341). They were 38-48 (.442) a year ago. In 1997, the Pirates were at 43-43 and led the Central Division by a game. They last time they had a winning record at the break was in 1992 when they were 49-39 (.557) and in first place by 41/2 games. After yesterday, their road record dropped to 14-34, and they have gone 9-25 in their past 34 road games. The Pirates were 10-10 in a stretch of playing 20 games in 20 days.
Todd Ritchie allowed nine runs -- five of them earned -- on 12 hits while striking out six and walking none in the seven innings yesterday. On the 17 previous occasions Pirates starters had gone seven innings or more, the club was 10-7 with a 2.48 ERA. Jason Schmidt also went seven innings and lost Saturday night.
MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
NASHVILLE (40-48) lost, 7-1, at home vs. New Orleans. Starter Brian O'Connor was the loser, giving up six runs on seven hits in five innings while striking out four and walking four. C Yamid Haad hit his second home run.
ALTOONA (36-51) won, 5-4, at home vs. Erie. Dan Carrasco (1-0) won in relief of Justin Reid, who gave up four unearned runs on five hits in 61/3 innings while striking out six and walking one. CF Tony Alvarez was 3 for 4 with a double and a solo home run, his fourth. 1B Carlos Rivera was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
LYNCHBURG (49-50) won, 4-2, at Winston-Salem. Starter Mike Johnston (2-0) allowed one earned run on seven hits in seven innings to get the win. He struck out six. Mike Chaney earned his first save. SS Jose Castillo was 3 for 4 with a solo home run, his fourth. CF B.J. Barns went 2 for 3.
HICKORY (47-55) won, 6-5, at home vs. Columbia. David Hawk (1-0) won in relief of Mike Connolly, who allowed five runs on six hits in six innings while striking out three and walking one. Andrew Friedberg earned his first save. 2B Edwin Yan was 3 for 4 with a double. C Manuel Majia was 2 for 3 with an RBI.
WILLIAMSPORT (12-6) won, 4-3, at Vermont for its 10th consecutive victory. Ian Oquendo (1-0) pitched a complete game, allowing one earned run on seven hits while striking out four and walking one. 1B Chris Shelton was 3 for 3 with three RBIs. LF Chris Duffy was 2 for 4. SS Avelino Asprilla was 2 for 3 with an RBI.
BRADENTON (7-10) lost, 1-0, in 11 innings against the Reds. Miguel Andara (0-1) lost in relief of Kurt Shafter, who gave up two hits in six shutout innings with four strikeouts and no walks. 2B Mike Cockrell was 1 for 5 with two stolen bases. LF Sean Smith was 1 for 4.