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Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–February 7

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Tom Daly (1866)
Pat Moran (1876)
Charlie Jamieson (1893)
Earl Whitehill (1899)
Paul Owens (1924)
Dick Wiencek (1926)
Al Smith (1928)
Juan Pizarro (1937)
Burt Hooton (1950)
Benny Ayala (1951)
Dan Quisenberry (1953)
Damaso Garcia (1957)
Carney Lansford (1957)
Ralph Citarella (1958)
Endy Chavez (1978)
Brad Hennessey (1980)

Dick Wiencek was a minor league infielder from 1947-1949,  He then became a scout, working at various times for Washington/Minnesota, Detroit, and Oakland.  Among the players he was responsible for signing are Jim Kaat, Graig Nettles, Bert Blyleven, Jack Morris, Alan Trammell, and Mark McGwire. 

Right-hander Ralph Citarella was drafted by Minnesota in the first round of the January draft in 1978, but did not sign.

We would also like to wish a happy birthday to Mrs. AMR.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–February 7 →

Keeping Track

Australian League Playoffs

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Melbourne 14, Sydney 4 in Melbourne (Game 1).  Sydney led 2-0 after two and a half, but Melbourne scored four in the third and four in the fifth and it was all but over.  Paul Weichard had three singles and a double and scored three times for Melbourne.  Brad Harman had two homers and a single, scored three times, and drove in six.  Kevin David also hit a home run.  Travis Blackley got the win, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out eight in five innings.  For Syndey, Mitch Dening and Trent D’Antonio each singled and homered.  Aidan Francis took the loss, surrendering eight runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out eight in 4.2 innings.  Joshua Hendricks was used as a pinch-runner and scored for Melbourne.  Sam Gibbons pitched a perfect ninth for Melbourne.  Jacob Younis was 0-for-4 for Sydney.

Melbourne 15, Sydney 3 in Melbourne (Game 2).  The Aces led 4-1 after one, 5-1 after two, 11-1 after three, and 13-1 after four.  Elliot Biddle had two homers and a single for Melbourne, scoring three times and driving in four.  John Edwards had three singles and a double.  Dominic Ramos and Darryl George each had two doubles and a single, with George driving in three.  Brad Harman singled and homered.  Jeff Jamnik got the complete game win, giving up seven hits and a walk while striking out seven.  For Sydney, David Kandilas singled and homered.  Starter Vaughn Harris took the loss, surrendering four runs on five hits and a walk in just one inning.  Jacob Younis was 0-for-4 for Sydney.  Todd Van Steensel yielded seven runs (six earned) on six hits and a walk in just 1.2 innings.

Melbourne wins the series three games to two.  They will now advance to play Perth in the best-of-three championship series beginning February 10.

Keeping Track

Caribbean Series: Day Four

Venezuela 7, Puerto Rico 0.  The score was 1-0 through six, but Venezuela scored two in the seventh and four in the eighth.  A three-run triple by Luis Hernandez put the game away.  Luis Antonio Jimenez and Edgardo Alfonso each had two hits for Venezuela.  Yohan Pino gave up only two hits and no walks in six innings to get the win.  Victor Moreno gave up one hit in two innings to get the save.  Hiram Burgos took the loss despite giving up just one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six in five innings.

Dominican Republic 2, Mexico 0.  Single runs in the first and ninth provided bookends for the Dominican Republic victory.  Julio Borbon had two hits for the Dominican Republic.  Francisco Liriano got the win with five shutout innings despite giving up four hits and four walks.  He struck out five.  Jairo Ascencio pitched a perfect ninth for his third save of the series.  Doug Clark had two hits for Mexico.  Edgar Gonzalez took a tough loss, giving up just one run on two hits and three walks in six innings.  Pedro Florimon was 1-for-3 for the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic has clinched at least a tie for first in the six-game round robin.  The Dominican Republic is 4-0.  Mexico is second at 2-2.  Puerto Rico and Venezuela are tied for third at 1-3, and have been eliminated from the championship.  Mexico plays Puerto Rico this afternoon and Venezuela plays the Dominican Republic this evening.

Keeping Track

Caribbean Series: Day Three

Mexico 4, Venezuela 2.  Carlos Valencia’s two-run double highlighted a three-run sixth for Mexico.  Iker Franco had two hits for Mexico. Starter Rolando Valdez worked seven strong innings, giving up just two unearned runs on four hits and no walks while striking out five.  Luis Ayala allowed two hits but no runs in the ninth to get his second save of the series.  Adonis Garcia led Venezuela with two hits.  Starter Brian Sweeney took the loss, giving up four runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk while striking out six in 5.1 innings.  Pedro Guerra pitched a perfect eighth with two strikeouts for Venezuela.

Dominican Republic 6, Puerto Rico 1.  The Dominican Republic broke a scoreless tie with two in the fourth and put the game away with three in the sixth.  Pablo Ozuna had three singles and Erick Almonte had two to lead the Dominican Republic.  Raul Valdes got the win, allowing just an unearned run on five hits and a walk in six innings.  Ramon Garcia worked the final three innings scorelessly, striking out three while giving up one hit, to get the save.  For Puerto Rico, Jorge Padilla had three hits.  Starter Bobby Livingston took the loss, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk in 3.2 innings.  Pedro Florimon was 0-for-3 but walked and scored for the Dominican Republic.  Rene Rivera was 0-for-4 for Puerto Rico.  Nelvin Fuentes walked both men he faced and was charged with a run for Puerto Rico.

The Dominican Republic is in sole possession of first place with a perfect 3-0 record.  Second is Mexico at 2-1, followed by Puerto Rico at 1-2 and Venezuela at 0-3.  The Series is a six-game round robin.

Keeping Track

This Week In Ex-Twins

Atlanta agrees to terms with Dusty Hughes on a minor league contract.
Atlanta agrees to terms with Peter Moylan on a minor league contract.
Baltimore signs Pat Neshek to a minor league contract.
Baltimore agrees to terms with Dennys Reyes on a minor league contract.
Baltimore agrees to terms with Willie Eyre on a minor league contract.
Baltimore agrees to terms with Steve Tolleson on a minor league contract.
Cubs agree to terms with Matt Tolbert on a minor league contract.
Cubs agree to terms with Matt Garza on a one year contract.
Colorado agrees to terms with Brendan Harris on a minor league contract.
Houston signs Livan Hernandez to a minor league contract.
Texas signs Ron Washington to a two-year contract extension.

Keeping Track

Australian League Playoffs

Sydney 6, Melbourne 2 in Melbourne.  Sydney scored three in the seventh to take a 6-0 lead.  Mitch Dening hit two home runs, driving in four for the Blue Sox.  Tyler Collins also homered for them.  Eliot Biddle had two singles and a double to lead Melbourne.  Justin Huber hit a home run for the Aces.  Brad Thomas worked seven strong innings for Sydney, giving up a run on four hits and a walk while striking out six to get the win.  Nic Ungs took the loss for Melbourne.  He struck out ten in 6.1 innings, but allowed six runs on eight hits.  The only Twins to play were Jacob Younis, who was 1-for-4 and scored once for Sydney, and Joshua Hendricks, who was 0-for-2 for Melbourne.  Sydney takes a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.  The winner will play Perth for the championship.

Keeping Track

Caribbean Series: Day Two

Mexico 2, Puerto Rico 0.  Mexico scored twice in the bottom of the fourth, and that was all the scoring in the game.  Karim Garcia of Mexico was the only player to have two hits in the game.  The only extra-base hits came on doubles by Jesus Garcia (Mexico) and Irving Falu (Puerto Rico).  The shutout came at the hands of three ex-Twins pitching for Mexico.  Randy Keisler worked seven innings, giving up four hits and a walk to get the win.  Dan Serafini faced two batters, striking out one and walking one.  Luis Ayala retired the final five batters of the game to get the save.  Matt DeSalvo took the loss for Puerto Rico, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks in 3.2 innings.  The only Twins player to appear in the game was Rene Rivera, who was used as a substitute for Puerto Rico but did not bat.

Dominican Republic 5, Venezuela 2 (13 innings).  Andy Dirks singled in the go-ahead run in the thirteenth and Erick Almonte doubled in a pair of insurance runs.  Pablo Ozuna had three hits for the Dominican Republic.  Almonte drove in three runs for the game.  Cesar Suarez had three hits and drove in a run to lead Venezuela.  Lorenzo Barcelo worked five shutout innings for the Dominican Republic, striking out six while giving up six hits.  Merkin Valdez threw two shutout innings to get the win in relief.  Jairo Ascenzio pitched a perfect ninth to get the save.  Starter Tyson Brummett gave up two runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings for Venezuela.  Jon Hunton allowed the three thirteenth inning runs in his second inning of work to take the loss.  Pedro Florimon was 1-for-3 with a double and two walks for the Dominican Republic, scoring twice.

The Dominican Republic moves into first place in the six-game round robin with a 2-0 record.  Puerto Rico and Mexico are 1-1, while Venezuela is 0-2.