A Month of 2 Halves

While there is still a day left in May it has been one of two drastically different halves.

First Half: 2-12

Second Half: 12-1

How does this happen?  While a quick look at the team's played  shows tougher opponents in the first half which helped added to the lopsided record, we go deeper inside the numbers.

Batting:

1st Half: Runs Scored: 66 Runs, 4.71 RPG (Including 12 run outburst vs. Madison) without Madison game, 4.15 RPG. Scored 2 or less runs 5 times.

2nd Half: Runs Scored: 84 Runs, 6.46 RPG.    Scored 2 or less runs 2 times.

Synopsis: 4.71 RPG is just a tick under the CL league average of 4.8.  While 4.15 RPG is just more than a half a run below league average you wouldn't expect this alone would lead to an abysmal 2-12 record.

Pitching:

1st Half: 91 runs allowed, 6.50 RPG. (Including 18 runs allowed vs Madison) without Madison game, 5.62 RPG.  Allowed 2 or less runs 2 times.

2nd Half: 37 runs allowed, 2.85 RPG.  Allowed 2 or less runs 7 times. 

Now this is a drastic difference.  No team can win ball games giving up 6.50 RPG, even one with a great offense.  Do we blame this all on starters? relievers?  We dug deeper:

1st Half: Starters RPG 4.21. ERA 5.52.  This includes the odd game with Madison where Ellis lasted 2/3 IP and gave up 6 unearned runs.

Relievers:  RPG 2.29.  ERA 6.35.  

The relievers were actually worse than the starters!  Pretty much since the team's existence the bullpen has been the team's strong point.  There were only 3 games in this 14 game stretch where the pen didn't allow a run to score.

Now let's take a look at 2nd half pitching:

2nd Half: Starters: RPG 2.54, ERA 3.26.

Relievers: RPG 0.31, ERA 1.25.

Both were considerably better but the relievers were the exact opposite than the first half of the month. In 13 games they allowed 4 runs, and had 9 games where they didn't allow a run to cross the plate.

Here's a chart that displays:

Now, we don't think the pitching is as bad as it was in the first half, especially the pen.  On the other side of the coin we don't think the pitching is as good as they have been in the 2nd half.  Regardless we feel it's closer to the 2nd half than the first half, and with a 14-13 record during this stretch, regressing back to the norm should result in more wins for the D-Bags.

GO D-BAGS

Brian Wilson No-Hit Magic

Who knew the cool spring night on April the 24th in Tuscaloosa would be a special one?  A crowd of just over 3800 piled into Tuscaloosa Municipal Stadium to see the home town Trout Slayers take on the Zanesville Gunslingers, the AAA team of Cleveland Monsters.  28 year old veteran Brian Wilson took the bump for the Trout Slayers who came in with a 4.41 ERA and 3 no decisions in his first 3 starts of the season. 

Game time was 7:05 and Wilson promptly walked the lead off man but took care of the next 3 hitters in order via 2 fly-outs and a strikeout.  The Trout Slayers went to work early starting their half of the inning off with 3 straight singles with the third bringing in the first run of the game.  SS Aaron Bailey then stepped to the plate and launched a 340 foot 3-run HR into the left field bleachers.  The 4 run first inning would be more than enough for Wilson on this night.

A ground-out, another walk and a pair of K's finished the 2nd.  A 1-2-3 3rd and 5th innings sandwiched with another walk given up in the 4th and we were through 5 innings.  0 hits, 3 BB.  A 2-run HR by OF Albert Rodriguez made it 6-0 in the bottom half of the 4th.  4 more runs in the 5th inning made it 10-0 Trout Slayers and the game was getting out of hand.  All the runs and hits from Tuscaloosa made the no-hitter through 5 innings seem non-existent. 

Wilson walked the leadoff man again in the 6th for his 4th walk of the evening but retired the next 3 batters to get out of trouble.  Back to back strikeouts and a groundout and he was through the 7th inning in just 7 pitches.  Through 7, 98 pitches 0 hits, 4 BB. 

A lengthily bottom half of the 7th saw the Trout Slayers send 7 men to the plate and Aaron Bailey knock in his 4th run to push the lead to 11-0.  It was at this time everyone in the dugouts and stands knew what was going on.  Wilson sat on the end of the bench alone with his thoughts and the stands were still full.  Wilson took the mound for the 8th and struck out the leadoff man on 3 pitches.  The 2nd batter walked on 5 pitches but a lazy fly ball to Center and a weak grounder to 2nd ended the inning.  Wilson had 8 no hit innings while throwing 112 pitches, which was already a season high.  

The Trout Slayers had a single and a walk in the bottom of the 8th but couldn't produce another run and we were onto the 9th.  Wilson had 2 coats on to keep that arm warm and every eye was on him as he made the slow walk to the mound.  After a handful of warm up pitches Marty Ward stepped to the plate and drew a 5 pitch walk with the only strike coming on a close pitch which could have easily been called a ball.  The 6th walk of the evening and questions by every fan wondering if he had anything left in the tank.  His arm was obviously fatigued as his fastball was several miles an hour below the 90 MPH he usually throws.  After 2 called strikes on the 2nd batter a changeup just missed the outside corner which had the crowd in an uproar.  Mark Bryant took the next pitch and poked it towards the 1st baseline where First Base replacement Xin Zhang was perfectly positioned.  He fielded it on 2 hops stepped on first and threw to 2nd where Aaron Bailey made the tag, and......DOUBLE PLAY!!  Just like that Wilson was one out away.  The crowd was on their feet as 34 year old veteran Antonio Reynoso stepped into the box.  Wilson set and delivered and Reynoso tagged the first pitch to deep right CF, with the entire stadium holding their collective breath, the speedy CF Tim Duncan chased back, and back on the warning track and MAKES THE CATCH!!  The entire team mobbed Wilson and carried him off the field on their shoulders.  

While Wilson reaching his prime might never make the Major Leagues, this was a moment he would call the most special one in his career up to this point.  Wilson's gem was on the 6th No-Hitter in ITL league history and only the 2nd since the VBL/BSA take over.  

 

Brian Wilson was the 82nd overall selection in the 2008 draft by the then Bugaboo Creek Caribou.  He grew up in Shelby, Montana and played his college ball at the University of North Carolina.  He was traded by the formerly known Edison Colonels, now Boston Rebels, to the Jersey Shore D-Bags in the off-season of 2011 in the Rob Whitley trade.   This is his 6th season of pitching at the AAA level and 4th for the Tuscaloosa Trout Slayers.  He is currently tied with John Sharp of the Indianapolis organization with 63 wins which is the most in ITL history.  

April 2015 In Review

It seems like the season just got underway and POOF we have a full month under our belts.  Technically we are 17% of the way through 2015 just like that.  This season started again with high expectations for your Jersey Shore D-Bags.  After winning a franchise high 94 games last season, they bring back a nearly identical team with added pitching ace Art Ellis. The season started in true D-Bag fashion, with the Bags dropping 3 in a row for a quick 0-3 start.  They would rebound at one time winners of 7 straight and even a 2-3 final week of the month the Bags finish with a 18-10 record, good for a share of the CL East lead with the Greenville 84's and a comfy 3 game Wild Card lead at this point in the season.  The April mark bests last year's 15-13 record by 3 games, but the Bags open May up with a tough stretch.  They will finish out their 4 game set with  the 84's with 2 more games, travel to defending BSA Champions Hendersonville for a 3 game set before coming home to greet the current NL West leaders Los Cabos for a 3 game tilt.  Also during month includes a trip to Toronto who holds a BSA record of 23-5 and also a visit by NL West leading St. Charles.  May will really determine how serious this team is about contending this year.

Players of the Month

SP Rob Goodship 2-0, 2.09 ERA, 25K.  After 1 month of play surprise, surprise Goodship leads the CL league in ERA.  In 6 starts he has given up 2 or more runs only twice and if he had any run support at all he would be sitting at 4+ wins.  It's great to see him finally turn a corner after a down Sophmore year.

SP Art Ellis 1-0, 2.49 ERA, 38K, 5QS.  Speaking of run support, where is it for Ellis??  Jersey is averaging 2.83 runs per game for his starts which shows with Ellis only having 1 win on record despite being superb thus far.  Any of the critics who said they gave up too much for Ellis is eating crow right now

MR Jose Ruiz 2-1, 1.38 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 10/3 K/BB.  While the likes of Saenz and Morris in the pen have been struggling, rookie Ruiz has stepped in nicely to add to an already formidable bullpen.  At only 22 years old look for Ruiz to be around for awhile throwing that high 90's heater.

3B Adam Morrow .355/.454/.445, 19R, 39H, 7 2B.  When Parker Morrow was traded giving way for rookie Adam Morrow to start I don't think anyone saw this hot start coming.  Hitting primarily out of the 2 hole Morrow has been an OBP machine on pace to best 100 runs scored and 100 base-on-balls.  Bryant then Doyle now Morrow, third year in a row a rookie could be an added impact bat in this Jersey lineup.   It's been almost 2 years since we broke down Morrow, read about what we thought about him then, right here.

RF Al Ryan .439/.500/.805.  3HE, 10RBI, 6 2B.  We saw what Ryan could do last year as he blasted 20 HR as a rookie for this team and he just continues to add to that this year.  He started out as a 4th OF but has slowly been taking playing time away from veterans Leon Foster and Scott Powers as he rakes with the hot stick.  He only played in 18 games, but is hitting .500/.570/.867 against RHP.  Hard to keep that out of the lineup.

Roster Questions, Changes and Answers

Even though we did have some nice breakout performers there were also those players who still have us scratching our heads.  First that comes to mind is CL Daniel Morris.  The usual steady rock has blown 5 saves already and attributed for 4 losses.  To put that in perspective that's as many saves as he has blown in the past 2 years combined.  He has already walked as many batters as he did all of last season as well in 43 less innings.  There have been talks of taking him out of the closers role to regain composure, we will see if it happens.

Matt Doyle, Luis Antonio Duran, Peter Larson and Antonio Ruiz are all hitting below the .225 mark.  These of course are all plenty below career marks and could be a concern.  On the bright side Doyle leads the team in HR and RBI while Duran and Larson both have matching OBP's of .379, not hitting could cause a decrease in playing time. 

While there may not be any roster changes for now, look for a mix up in the backup catching situation this month as Albert Lopez has struggled mightily having only 3 hits in 34 AB's.  Also former Rule V pick Jose Ortiz will have to be called up in the next 2 weeks as he rehab assignment will end and look for him to replace Taro Kino or possibly 1B Derrick Wright.  There are also a slew of players hitting the snot out of the ball in AAA, including CF Tim Duncan, 3B Alberto Perez, LF Sergio Rodriguez and 2B Aaron Bailey.  Depth is never a problem and you never know when an extra bat might come in handy.

May should be a tough month, let's hope the D-Bags can win enough to keep up with Greenville!

GO D-BAGS

Slow Start

After a hot spring training the Bags were looking to change things up and get off to a hot start this year in 2015.  5 out of there first 6 games were decided by 1 run and left the D-Bags with a 2-4 record.  At the half way part of the month the Bags sit 8-6 with some surprises, both good and bad.

The Good:

Starting pitching has been excellent.  Jersey's starters sit with an ERA of 3.17 which is 4th in the league. Led by Art Ellis, Rob Goodship and Greg Shaefer who all have an ERA under 2.75.

The rise of Adam Morrow.  The draftee of 2010 (one round behind Mike Bryant) waited patientlly putting up huge numbers in AAA back to back years. Now hitting either leadoff or in the 2 hole has gotten off to a scorching start hitting .367 with an OBP of .441 and a team high 10 runs scored.

The return of dominant middle men.  The combination of Gomes, Saenz and Ruiz have been virtually unhittable giving up 10 hits in 22 2/3 IP while giving up 3 runs and striking out 23 while picking up 3 of the team's 8 wins thus far.

The Bad:

Bats off to a slow start.  Although with each sim the batting average goes up a little bit each, it still sits at .242 which is 10th in the league and a slugging percentage of .403 which is 8th in the league.  These are bound to go up but they can be attributed to the low scoring 1 run losses. 

Mike Byrant and Peter Larson slow starters.  When the 2-3 hitters in your lineup are either below 200 or barely above you know you will have problems.  Larson, though taking walks at a high pace has not hit....at all, getting 8 hits in 53 AB.  Mike Bryant who is and will be the catalyst of this offense, got off to a brtual start hitting .156 with no HR or RBI in the team's first 7 games.  He has turned it on some hitting a couple of bombs and raising the average to .213, but he needs to step it up.

Daniel Morris not automatic?  In the first 3 games he pitched in, he gave up 6 runs, struck out only 2 batters and attributed for 2 losses and a blown save.  Though in the last 4 games he has given up 1 hit, it was totally unlike Morris, who is usually Mr. Automatic.  It won't matter if the pen is lights out if Morris isn't.

As usual Greenville is off to a hot start.  Despite a few key injuries already, the 84's have raced out to an 11-2 record, 3.5 games ahead of the Bags.  They don't play their first series with Greenville until the end of the month giving the 84's plenty of time to cool down before these teams meet. 

GO D-BAGS