Monthly Archives: November 2020

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–November 19

Billy Sunday (1862)
Everett Scott (1892)
Roy Campanella (1921)
Joe Morgan (1930)
Manny Jimenez (1938)
Larry Haney (1942)
Bobby Tolan (1945)
Bob Boone (1947)
Dickie Noles (1956)
Mike Winters (1958)
Gary Disarcina (1967)
Mario Valdez (1974)
Clay Condrey (1975)
Ryan Howard (1979)
Jeff Gray (1981)
Jonathan Sanchez (1982)
Michael Tonkin (1989)
Lewin Diaz (1996)

The Joe Morgan listed above is not Hall of Famer Joe Morgan. The Joe Morgan born today is the Joe Morgan who once managed the Red Sox.

Larry Haney is the cousin of ex-Twin Mike Cubbage.

Mike Winters has been a major league umpire since 1990.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–November 19 →

Keeping Track

Gigantes Recap: Game Two

ESCOGICO 9, GIGANTES 6 AT GIGANTES (12 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Abiatal Avalina was 3-for-4 with two walks and three runs.  Jose Siri was 3-for-6 with two runs.  Ronald Guzman was 2-for-6 with a double.

Pitching stars:  Rogelio Armenteros struck out five in three shutout innings, giving up no hits and one walk.  Randy Rosario pitched a perfect inning.  Montana DuRapau retired all four men he faced, striking out two.  Ramon Ramirez pitched a scoreless inning, walking one and striking out one.  Yunior Marte pitched a scoreless inning despite allowing three walks.

Opposition stars:  Jim Haley was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.  Josh Lowey pitched three innings of relief, giving up one run on three hits and a walk.  Tai Tiedemann struck out four in two innings, giving up an unearned run on no hits and no walks.

The game:  The Gigantes struck first.  In the first inning Siri singled, Avelino walked, a ground out moved them to second and third, and Kelvin Gutierrez delivered a two-run single.  The lead went to 3-0 in the third when Avalina singled and scored from first on Guzman's double.

Escogido got on the board in the fourth when Wander Franco walked, went to third on a wild pitch-plus-error, and scored on another wild pitch.  Each team scored once in the fifth.  For Escogido, doubles by Otto Lopez and Jimmy Paredes plated the run.  For the Gigantes Siri singled, stole second, and scored on an Avalina single, making the score 4-2.

It went to 5-2 in the seventh when Avalina walked, went to third on Guzman's single, and scored on an error.  In the eighth, however, Escogido scored three times to tie it.  Ivan Castillo doubled and Franco singled, putting men on first and third.  A ground out scored a run and Haley's single again put men on first and third.  A hit batsman loaded the bases and Julio Y. Rodriguez hit a two-run single, knotting the score at 5-5.

There was no score in the ninth.  There was no score in the tenth.  There was no score in the eleventh.  So, in the twelfth, we used the "start with a man on second" rule.  For Escogido, a strikeout and a walk put men on first and second.  Haley doubled home the go-ahead run, a sacrifice fly brought home another, a walk and a hit batsman filled the bases, and Tres Barrera's two-run single made it 9-5 Escogido.  The Gigantes scored one on an error, but did not bring the tying run up to bat.

WP:  Tiedemann (1-0).  LP:  Ryan Kussmaul (0-1).  S:  None.

Notes:  Gigantes batters walked nine men and hit five.

The Gigantes again had a ton of at-bats with men in scoring position and could not cash them in.  They went 2-for-22 with men in scoring position, stranding twelve.  Escogido was 6-for-20 with men in scoring position, stranding eleven.

The Gigantes used twelve pitchers, six of them for less than an inning.  I couldn't tell if they have a three-batter minimum rule, as each pitcher who faced fewer than three batters did so to end an inning.

The Gigantes have opened with two extra-inning games.  I don't suppose that's a record or anything, but it does seem at least somewhat unusual.

Record:  The Gigantes are 1-1, tied for second place with three other teams, a half game behind the Toros del Este.

Next game:  The Gigantes host Aguilas tonight.

WGOM Videos

Jenny Lewis – Heads Gonna Roll

Video 8 Comments

Jenny Lewis has gotten so much praise and attention over the years, and, on the strength of Rilo Kiley, rightfully so. But I never really liked all that much of her solo work, despite giving it plenty of chances. It seemed like she was skating by on reputation. I very much enjoy a lot of her latest album though. It definitely wasn't an instant hit for me, but it seems to have grown in depth.

I especially dig how this live performance captures the cavernous sound of the album version.

2 votes, average: 9.50 out of 102 votes, average: 9.50 out of 102 votes, average: 9.50 out of 102 votes, average: 9.50 out of 102 votes, average: 9.50 out of 102 votes, average: 9.50 out of 102 votes, average: 9.50 out of 102 votes, average: 9.50 out of 102 votes, average: 9.50 out of 102 votes, average: 9.50 out of 10 (2 votes, average: 9.50 out of 10)
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Keeping Track

2003 Rewind: Game Forty-seven

SEATTLE 5, MINNESOTA 2 IN SEATTLE

Date:  Friday, May 23.

Batting stars:  Dustan Mohr was 3-for-4 with two doubles.  Torii Hunter was 2-for-4.  Jacque Jones was 2-for-5.

Pitching star:  Tony Fiore pitched three shutout innings, giving up one walk and striking out one.

Opposition stars:  Mark McLemore was 2-for-3 with a home run (his second), a walk, and two runs.  John Olerud was 2-for-4.  Jamie Moyer pitched five innings, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks and striking out three.  Bert Blyleven's favorite pitcher, Shigetoshi Hasegawa, struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up two hits.

The game:  The Twins had men on first and second with two out in the first, but did not score.  The Mariners jumped on Brad Radke for three runs in the first inning, although the defense did not help him any.  Ichiro Suzuki reached on an error, Carlos Guillen walked, and Edgar Martinez hit a one-out single, loading the bases.  Olerud then hit a potential double play ball, but Cristian Guzman missed the throw at second base, allowing two runs to score.  Mike Cameron hit an RBI double, making it 3-0 Seattle after one.

The Twins got one back in the second, but missed a chance for more.  Todd Sears led off with a single and Mohr doubled, putting men on second and third with none out.  A ground out scored one, but a strikeout and a fly out ended the inning.  The lead went back to three in the bottom of the second, as McLemore led off with a home run to make it 4-1.  It went to 5-1 in the fourth on singles by McLemore and Dan Wilson, a sacrifice bunt, and a sacrifice fly.

The Twins scored in the fifth, but again missed a chance for more.  Luis Rivas and Jones opened the inning with singles, putting men on first and third with none out, but a ground out scored the only run they got, making the score 5-2.  And that was it.  The Twins got a man to second a couple of times, but never got the tying run up to bat.

WP:  Jamie Moyer (7-2).  LP:  Radke (5-4).  S:  Kazuhiro Sasaki (7).

Notes:  Sears was at first base in place of Doug Mientkiewicz.  Bobby Kielty was the DH.

Jones was batting .343.  Mohr was batting .320.

Radke pitched five innings, giving up five runs (two earned) on nine hits and two walks and struck out none.  His ERA was 5.43.

The Twins were 0-for-7 with men in scoring position and stranded eight.

This was the only season in which Moyer made the all-star team.  He went 21-7, 3.27, 1.23 WHIP.  He finished fifth in Cy Young voting that year, one of three times he finished in the top six.  He was age forty in 2003, so he would only play eight more seasons.

Record:  The Twins were 27-20, in first place in the American League Central, 1.5 games ahead of Kansas City.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–November 17

George Stallings (1867)
Mike Garcia (1923)
Orlando Pena (1933)
Gary Bell (1936)
Tom Seaver (1944)
Brad Havens (1959)
Mitch Williams (1964)
Paul Sorrento (1965)
Jeff Nelson (1966)
Eli Marrero (1973)
Darnell McDonald (1978)
Ryan Braun (1983)
Nick Markakis (1983)

 George Stallings managed in the major leagues for thirteen years.  He is best remembered as the manager of the 1914 Miracle Braves.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–November 17 →

Keeping Track

Gigantes Recap: Game One

The Dominican League started play last night.  As with the Mexican League, we've chosen a team at random to follow.  Our team will be the Gigantes del Cibao.

GIGANTES 8, AGUILAS 5 AT AGUILAS (10 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Juan Francisco was 3-for-6 with three doubles and four RBIs.  Kelvin Gutierrez was 2-for-4 with two walks and two runs.  Carlos Peguero was 2-for-4 with a walk.

Pitching stars:  Chris Ellis struck out three in three shutout innings of relief, giving up only a walk.  Rayman Guduan pitched a perfect inning.  Ramon Ramirez pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit.

Opposition stars:  Robel Garcia was 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk.  Rangel Ravelo was 1-for-4 with a home run.

The game:  In the first inning walks to Jose Siri, Ronald Guzman, and Gutierrez loaded the bases with one out.  Francisco then delivered a two-run double to put the Gigantes up 2-0.  Aguilas got on the board in the second on a Garcia homer, making it 2-1.

Each team scored one in the third.  For the Gigantes, Peguero and Wilin Rosario singled and a sacrifice fly scored the run.  For Aguilas, Wilmer Difo walked, went to second on a ground out, and scored on an error, leaving the score 3-2.

There was more scoring in the fourth.  For the Gigantes, singles by Jason Krizan and Guzman put men on first and third.  A force out scored a run.  Francisco doubled, putting men on second and third, and a wild pitch brought home a second run.  For Aguilas, Ravelo homered.  It was 5-3 Gigantes through four.

The bullpens then settled in.  The Gigantes loaded the bases with one out in the eighth but did not score.  It cost them, because Aguilas tied it in the bottom of the inning.  Walks to Difo and Victor Robles put men on first and second with one out.  Melky Cabrera singled home a run and Juan Ligares singled home another, making the score 5-5.

Neither team scored in the ninth, so we went to the tenth.  No "start with a man on second" rule here, at least not in the tenth inning.  The Gigantes didn't need it.  Guzman walked, Gutierrez singled, and Francisco hit a two-run double.  Webster Rivas had an RBI single to make it 8-5 Gigantes.  Aguilas got a two-out single in the bottom of the inning but did not bring the tying run up to bat.

WP:  Guduan (1-0).  LP:  Junior Fernandez (0-1).  S:  Ramirez.

Notes:  Lots of big-leaguers are playing for Aguilas, including Melky Cabrera, Victor Robles, Juan Lagares, Rangel Ravelo, Wilmer Difo, Luis Castillo (not the former Twin), Buddy Boshers, and Neftali Feliz.

The Gigantes stranded 15 men and were 3-for-20 with men in scoring position.  Twenty at-bats with men in scoring position is a ton of at-bats.  Aguilas had only five at-bats with men in scoring position, going 2-for-5.

Richelson Pena started for the Gigantes.  He pitched four innings, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk and striking out one.

Record:  The Gigantes are 1-0, tied for first place with the Tigres del Licey.

Next game:  The Gigantes host Escogido tonight.

WGOM Videos

Josh Ritter – Joy to You Baby

Video 6 Comments

No particular theme to my week this year, just songs and artists I enjoy, and I want to throw some love their way. Leading off is Josh Ritter, who, frankly, consistently impresses me. Some of his stuff took me a couple listens, but then it all clicked and... dang. He's probably my favorite singer-songwriter at this point.

5 votes, average: 8.60 out of 105 votes, average: 8.60 out of 105 votes, average: 8.60 out of 105 votes, average: 8.60 out of 105 votes, average: 8.60 out of 105 votes, average: 8.60 out of 105 votes, average: 8.60 out of 105 votes, average: 8.60 out of 105 votes, average: 8.60 out of 105 votes, average: 8.60 out of 10 (5 votes, average: 8.60 out of 10)
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