THE PITCH

Wednesday 28 May 2008

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TIGERS CROSS PATHS IN MAJORS

David Turner, The Free Press Leader (VIC) – 27 May 

MAJOR League baseballers Justin Huber and Brad Harman would have been aware, but wouldn't have had much time to make a big deal about it.

The Upwey-Ferntree Gully (VIC) products recently found themselves in a rare moment together when their respective clubs squared-off late last month.

The match turned into a historic day when Huber, an outfielder with the San Diego Padres, and Harman, the Philadelphia Phillies short shop, lined-up against one another.

Matthew Sheldon-Collins, their mentor and former-coach at Upwey-Ferntree Gully, said the pair, possibly, created history.

"It's very unusual to have two players from the one club playing in the big leagues, let only playing at the same time," Sheldon-Collins said.

"We're probably making a bigger deal of it than what they are.

"That's their job over there and they just go play.

"They would have taken the time to catch up, because they do feel homesick and they enjoy talking to other Australians.

"The next day would have been another day and they would have moved on."

Amazingly, Harman was recalled to the Phillies line-up after regular short stop Jimmy Rollins was placed on the disabled list.

After three years in the minor leagues, Harman, of Bayswater, earned his big chance when the Phillies named him on their 40-man roster last November.

For Huber, formerly with the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals, his move to the Padres signalled his second coming as a Major League player.

In 2006, Huber, of Emerald, had been recalled to the Majors by the Royals but his opportunity vanished when he sustained a six-week hamstring injury.

But, Sheldon-Collins praised Harman and Huber's resilience to get to where they are now.

"Obviously, they have talent but talent alone is not enough," Sheldon-Collins said.

"Once you get over to America it is a dogfight. They've both got outstanding physical talent but to survive in that environment they've had to be, mentally, very strong and you've got to want it bad. Justin's been there a little longer than Brad and has reaped the rewards whereas Brad got his opportunity from the AA (minor league).

"Obviously, they think highly of him at that organisation to promote a kid from AA and that's a huge kudos for him."

Sheldon-Collins said the rise of Harman and Huber was a credit to Upwey-Ferntree Gully's junior development program.

"I don't want to say its luck because the club does a really good job of providing opportunities for young baseballers."

HARMAN BACK IN READING, PLAYING REGULARLY

Mike Drago, The Reading Eagle (PA) – 22 May 

Brad Harman (Melbourne VIC) enjoyed his three-week stint in the big leagues, but he’s also happy to be back with the Reading Phillies and playing regularly again.

While with Philadelphia he got just 10 at-bats. Most of his swings came in the batting cage.

“There’s only so many flips you can take,” said the 22-year-old second baseman. “You need to get out there and face live pitching to get back in the swing of things.”

His daily routine was interrupted again after returning to Reading. He tweaked a groin muscle getting up to make a throw following a diving stop in Harrisburg May 13 and was out of the lineup for a week.

He was rusty his first game back Tuesday, striking out three times, but felt more comfortable Wednesday afternoon when he homered in the Phillies’ 15-5 loss to the Trenton Thunder.

“When you’re not playing (in the big leagues), you’re in the cage, making sure you’re ready for a pinch hit, so I was swinging a lot,” Harman said. “I think sometimes that can hurt you to do that; you can start to get repetitive on something you don’t want to do, which I think might have happened to me.”

Harman said he was much more comfortable Wednesday when he drove a ball to left in his first at-bat and walked in his second.

“I felt pretty good at the plate all day today, which is a lot better than yesterday (Tuesday),” he said. “I felt I hadn’t swung the bat in about a year. Today I felt good; I felt comfortable. Everything’s getting back into where I want it to be. I felt smooth.”

Before going 1-for-4 Wednesday Harman had been just 2-for-14 since returning from the big leagues.

JOSH HILL RETURNS TO FORM AS CURVE BLANK FIRST-PLACE BOWIE, 5-0

Altoona Curve Press Release – 27 May 

Josh Hill (Warilla NSW) tossed six scoreless innings and combined with relievers Pat Bresnehan and Evan Meek on a four-hit shutout as the Altoona Curve opened a seven-game road trip with a 5-0 win over the first-place Bowie Baysox Tuesday evening at Prince George's Stadium in Bowie, Maryland.

The shutout win is the Curve's first of the season and just the seventh overall victory in the club's last 28 games.

Hill (4-5) had lost each of his last three decisions entering Tuesday's start, but turned in a solid performance to earn his team-leading fourth victory. The Australian-born right-hander scattered just three hits, walked two and struck out three.

Bresnehan, pitching in his second game since being activated from the Curve's Disabled List last Saturday, worked a scoreless seventh inning, while Meek tossed the final two frames to close out the win.

Altoona touched up Bowie starter Brad Bergesen for five runs, including three runs in the top of the first inning, to hand the right-hander his first Double-A loss after winning his first five decisions for the Baysox. Bergesen (5-1) surrendered nine of Altoona's 11 hits in the contest.

The Curve's three-run first was highlighted by a Brad Corley RBI double, which scored Melvin Dorta and gave Altoona a 1-0 lead. Jason Delaney and Anthony Webster followed with fielder's choice RBI's to improve the lead to 3-0.

Delaney added to the Curve advantage in the third, when he drilled an opposite-field solo homer over the right-center field wall. The longball was Delaney's fifth of the season, all of which have been hit on the road.

Webster capped the Curve scoring with an RBI single in the fifth, which brought home Corley.

The trio of Corley (3-for-4, RBI), Delaney (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Webster (2-for-4, 2 RBI) knocked in all five runs and combined for seven of the Curve's 11 hits.

With the win, Altoona improves to 17-31 on the season, while the E.L. South-leading Baysox drop to 32-20.

NAYLOR ENDS GRASSHOPPERS’ COMEBACK, BLUECLAWS TRIUMPH

Joe Adelizzi, Asbury Park Press – 21 May

It was the eighth inning, and the Greensboro Grasshoppers, trailing 3-1 to the Lakewood BlueClaws, got their first two batters on base.

Under normal circumstances, BlueClaws manager Steve Roadcap would pop out of the dugout and pull his starting pitcher.

But these were not normal circumstances. Staff ace Drew Naylor (Cannon Hill QLD) was on the mound and Roadcap knew that his pitcher had the right stuff to work out of the jam.

"He's the horse,'' Roadcap said. "I wasn't going to take him out. He has the ability to work through something like that.''

Roadcap's faith was justified. Naylor worked out of the jam, letting just one run in, and the BlueClaws went on to a 3-2 victory over the Grasshoppers in front of a paid crowd of 7,680, the largest crowd of the season at FirstEnergy Park.

A single to right and a bunt single off Naylor put runners on first and second for the Grasshoppers in the eighth. Osvaldo Martinez sacrificed the runners to second and third. Naylor then got Emilio Ontiveros to ground out to Derrick Mitchell at second as the runner came home from third. Naylor then ended the threat by striking out Hunter Mense.

Naylor has been doing it all season for the BlueClaws. He leads the South Atlantic League in innings pitched, and his six strikeouts Wednesday in the morning game special, gave him 71 for the season, best in the SAL and the most in all of minor league baseball.

Not bad for a kid from Queensland, Australia, who is now 4-2. Jared Simon picked up his fifth save with a perfect ninth inning.

Catcher Joel Naughton, who also grew up in Queensland, said the team's ace is easy to catch.

"He has such good command,'' he said. "He gets the ball, looks in and throws it where you want it.''

Most of fans in attendance Wednesday were grade-school students, and they got a lesson in baseball basics.

Michael Taylor drove home runs on two separate occasions without a hit. His first RBI came in the first inning on a sacrifice fly. The other came on a fielder's choice ground out in the seventh inning for what proved to be the deciding run.

"I'll take two RBI every game for my career,'' said Taylor, who had a bloop single in three official at-bats.

Roadcap said that the Claws will need to find offense somewhere in their lineup for the next few days. Michael Durant, the team's home-run leader with 10, was put on the seven-day disabled list after twisting his ankle Tuesday night.

The offense got a pick-me-up from Herman Demmink, who played left field. In the second inning, he battled losing pitcher Alejandro Santabia before he lined a single to center to drive in Lakewood's second run.

"It is the type of hitter I have to be,'' Demmink said.”I have to battle and use the field if I'm going to have success.''

Roadcap said that it has been the play of Demmink, Dennis Winn and Karl Bolt that has helped keep the Claws afloat.

"They all come off the bench and they have contributed,'' Roadcap said.”We need that.''

Efforts such as Naylor's, Demmink said, keep the team fresh.

"The big thing is he works quickly,'' Demmink said. "He throws strikes and the pace of the game is quick. That helps you in the field and helps you make better plays.''

The victory, Lakewood's third in the last four games, ended a five-game losing treak against Greensboro (25-21), who are at Lakewood, 6:35 p.m. today for the third game of four.

AUSSIE TEEN SIGNS WITH SOX

Christian Nicolussi, The Daily Telegraph – 23 May

HE would not look out of place packing into the front-row in the NRL, but Boss Moanaroa enjoys big hits of a different kind.

The 16-year-old this week became the latest Aussie teenager to sign a professional baseball contract in the United States.

Glamour club the Boston Red Sox snapped up the powerhouse youngster with a six-figure contract after he impressed talent scouts with his natural strength and hitting power. Moanaroa became the first Maori to secure a major league deal.

The gentle giant told The Daily Telegraph he was delighted with the chance to earn millions of dollars playing in the US. But Moanaroa, who lives in the Newcastle suburb of Teralba, admitted he nearly quit the sport two years ago.

"I lost interest in playing baseball and wanted to focus on BMX racing. I was a state champion, national champion and went to the world titles,'' Moanaroa said.

"But my brother (Moko) and coach at the time convinced me to stick with the sport and if I worked hard I might be able to make it to the big time. I'm glad I took their advice now.''

Moanaroa was the only player to sign a contract following the Australian Schoolboys Championships in Lismore earlier this month. He heads to Florida next Tuesday for two weeks to be given a weights and nutritional program.

Red Sox scout and Australian coach Jon Deeble said: "The scariest thing about Boss is the fact he's never lifted a weight in his life. He's big, strong and has a great swing. The balls really bounce off the bat for him. I think he'll be really exciting.''

Agent Trevor Jarrett said that while Moanaroa lacked speed, he would not need it if he could continually bomb the ball over the outfield fence.

"Boss was doing some batting practice just last week out at Blacktown and put five out of the ground,'' Jarrett said. "He's consistently hit well the past 12 months.''

Moanaroa said he once played league but his mother Seikura put a stop to it "because she didn't want me getting hurt''.

Moanaroa's father Joe said his son, one of three, was a natural at most sports and only took up baseball after growing bored of watching his brother play.

The Year 11 Hunter Sports High student will be given the chance to complete his studies while fine-tuning his game at the major league academy on the Gold Coast.

The academy runs during the winter months and includes 20 Aussie youngsters who have signed major league deals.

SURPRISING KUMURA KO’S FIGHTERS

Burnside Gets Start in Yomiuri Giants Win

John E. Gibson, Daily Yomiuri – 26 May

The Giants put 18-year veteran Takuya Kimura in the No. 3 hole and he helped force-feed Nippon Ham a second straight interleague loss.

Kimura was just one of the unlikely heroes who stepped up in Monday's 4-3 win over the Fighters before 39,728 at Tokyo Dome.

Kimura homered for the second straight night and had a double and two RBIs to lead the offense.

"I was able to get it right on the head of the bat," Kimura said of his first-inning two-run blast. "It has been a long time since I've batted in the heart of the order, but I didn't worry about what spot I was batting in."

Offseason pickup Adrian Burnside (Alice Springs NT) got the start and helped repair the staggering rotation, allowing two runs over five-plus innings, and Alex Ramirez went 4-for-4 as the Giants swept both games from Nippon Ham, which won last season's interleague title.

It was Yomiuri's first win by a starting pitcher since Seth Greisinger beat Chunichi on May 11.

Burnside, making his Central League debut after posting a 2-0 record with three holds and a sparkling 0.86 ERA in the Eastern League, fanned the first two batters he faced and looked sharp through three innings.

The Australian southpaw yielded two runs on five hits and a walk, while fanning three. His tank was obviously empty when he opened the sixth inning, but Yomiuri skipper Tatsunori Hara and pitching coach Takao Obana tried to squeeze every last drop out of the 1.90-meter hurler, who seemed to tire after running the bases in the fourth.

"We had some great defensive plays behind me, and the hitting was great. I'm just glad we could pick up a win," Burnside said.

The Giants put together just enough offense even without Michihiro Ogasawara, who was out of the starting lineup with a bad left knee. Ogasawara drew an intentional walk in a pinch-hitting appearance in the eighth inning but the rally came up short.

No matter, Marc Kroon made sure of the lead. He became the fourth foreign pitcher to earn career save No. 100 in Japan, coming on in the eighth inning after Kiyoshi Toyoda surrendered a solo homer, a single and a walk.

Kroon, who spent three years with Yokohama before moving to Yomiuri in the offseason, fanned Eiichi Koyano to end the eighth after Toyoda created a two-on jam. Kroon allowed a double in the ninth before nailing down his 16th save of the season.

"This is probably the biggest accomplishment that I have achieved from a personal standpoint," Kroon said of his 100 saves. "And I'm happy I could do it in a Giants uniform."

Ramirez has been looking great in a Giants uniform, too. He upped his average to .337 and took his first opportunity in the batter's box to extend his hitting streak to 21 games. He singled after Kimura's homer to surpass Warren Cromartie's 1990 record for the longest hitting by a foreign-born Giants player.

The streak ties Ramirez's longest since coming to Japan in 2001. He hit in 21 straight in 2004 with the Yakult Swallows.

Yomiuri jumped in front just four outs into the game. Hayato Sakamoto singled and Kimura roped a fastball into the seats in right for his second homer in as many nights and his third of the season for a 2-0 lead.

Nippon Ham came back with a run in the fourth, Shinji Takahashi rifling a two-out single to right. Kensuke Tanaka snuck around Shinnosuke Abe's attempt to block the plate on a throw from right fielder Yoshiyuki Kamei.

The Giants made it 3-1 when Burnside helped his own cause, lining a two-out single to left in front of a drawn-in outfield to plate Takahiro Suzuki.

The Giants tacked on another run in the fifth, thanks to Kimura's second extra base hit.

Kimura took a Ryan Glynn (2-7) pitch off the wall in left-center field for a leadoff double and went to third on Ramirez's third single of the night. Abe grounded into a double play, but that allowed Kimura to score the fourth run, which proved to be the difference.

Glynn was last season's interleague MVP.

LUNDGREN GIVES ROX WHAT THEY NEEDED

The veteran Australian pitcher hurls seven strong innings as the Rox dispose of the Pride.

Glen Farley, The Enterprise – 24 May 

Campanelli Stadium was transformed into Wayne’s world on Saturday night.

“What an unbelievable start by Wayne,” Brockton manager Chris Miyake said after his Rox had ridden righthander Wayne Lundgren’s seven-inning effort to a 4-2 Can-Am League victory over the Nashua Pride in a home opener that took a tidy 2:15 to complete. “After our starters (Rolando Viera and Mike McTamney) went five innings and four innings (in Nashua on Thursday and Friday nights), we needed somebody to pick us up.”

On this night, the 6-foot-7 Australian didn’t merely pick the Rox up, he carried them.

“I felt good,” said Lundgren (Baulkham Hills NSW). “Bullpen (session) was fantastic (before the game). The ball was moving a lot, almost too much, but I guess I found control in the game.”

Lundgren didn’t merely find control in the game, he took control of the game.

Throwing first-pitch strikes to 21 of the 27 batters he faced, Lundgren allowed five hits — three of the infield variety — and just two unearned runs before turning the ball over to setup man Jacob Ramos in the eighth and closer Jerry Dunn in the ninth. Fifty-four of the 74 pitches Lundgren threw were strikes.

“Wayne was just on them,” Miyake said. “They didn’t have a chance to breathe. You didn’t see many healthy cuts because they were behind in counts most of the time. He was throwing three different pitches for strikes — a slider, a two-seam (fastball) and a little cutter, with an occasional changeup thrown in. He had them off-balance all night.”

“We just went into the game trying to get ahead (of hitters),” said Lundgren. “We looked at the charts the last couple of games and when we got ahead we were successful. So basically we were just trying to go after them, mixing up a couple of pitches, and it worked.”

The big blast of the night, prior to the postgame fireworks, was delivered by left fielder and No. 5 hitter Jud Thigpen. Acquired last September in a trade with the New Jersey Jackals, Thigpen drove the first pitch he saw from Pride starter Nicolas Suero in the sixth well over the wall in left field, with Francisco Lebron aboard.

“He had nine home runs (with the Jackals) last year, and I think three of them were here,” Miyake said. “That’s one of the reasons we wanted him. I don’t know what it was, but he killed us here last year. Let’s hope that continues. Hopefully, he likes that home cooking here in Brockton.”

Pushing across the first of their two unearned runs off Lundgren, the Pride took a first-inning lead when leadoff hitter Sandy Almonte dropped a bunt down the third-base line and took second on Phillip Cuadrado’s errant throw. With Nashua manager Rick Miller opting to play “small ball,” Argenis Tavarez moved Almonte to third with a sacrifice bunt, allowing him to score on Jerod Edmondson’s routine grounder to second baseman Melvin Falu.

The Pride scored another unearned run in the fifth when Ismael Castro led off with an infield single, went from corner to corner on a throwing error by shortstop Dominic Ramos and scored when Almonte lofted a fly ball to Thigpen.

The Rox tied the game at one in the second when Thigpen led with a single to right-center field and scored on Falu’s one-out double off the wall in left-center.

Brockton tied it at two in the fifth when Lee Rubin and Ervin Alcantara both doubled, Rubin’s shot falling just shy of Marvin Hagler’s retired No. 62 on the wall in straightaway center field.

With the Rox holding a two-run lead on the strength of Thigpen’s homer, Alcantara turned in the defensive play of the game in center, making a hard charge and dive to take a single away from Luis Rodriguez and easily doubling Almonte off second base to end the top of the eighth inning.  

AT A GLANCE

• LHP Craig Anderson (Ourimbah NSW) has been reassigned to the Orioles’ Double-A affiliate.  At Triple-A he had gone 1-3 with a 10.41 ERA over 32 innings covering 10 games.
• On Saturday RHP Grant Balfour (Glenwood NSW) allowed a solo homer ending his string 17.1 innings without allowing a run.  Balfour had a walk and six saves in his scoreless stretch.  The hit off Balfour was only the fifth he has given up this season.  He then pitched 1.2 scoreless innings yesterday in earning his seventh save.
• IF Brad Dutton (Lawnton QLD) is awaiting resolution of visa issues to begin his season with the Rockford Riverhawks in the independent Frontier League.
• C Tim Kennelly (Palmyra WA) has been called up from the Phillies Extended Spring Training to their Low-A Lakewood BlueClaws replacing Joel Naughton (Brisbane QLD) who’s been placed on the temporarily inactive list.
• Through 47 1/3 innings RHP Shane Lindsay (Bacchus Marsh VIC) has struck out 56.  He’s 2-3 with a 4.18 ERA over 10 starts for the Rockies’ High-A club.
• IF Adam Morrissey (Ourimbah NSW) has been recalled by the Angels to Triple-A Salt Lake.
• There are conflicting reports about what’s happening with OF Paul Rutgers (Noble Park North VIC).  On 16 May the Chillicothe Paints announced his retirement while on the 18^th The Chillicothe Gazette reported he was having visa problems.
• Over 67 2/3 innings Drew Naylor (Cannon Hill QLD) has struck out 71 batters.  That the best in the South Atlantic League and, in fact, all of the minor leagues (five fewer than the Major League leader).  He’s 4-2 with a 2.66 ERA over 11 games for the Phillies High A club.
• OF Chris Snelling (Gorokan NSW) has been rehabbing a knee injury at the Phillies extended spring training camp.  He began taking BP last week and participated in a game on Saturday.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST	W	L	%	GB	NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL	W	L	%	GB	NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST	W	L	%	GB
Florida	30	21	.588	-	Chicago	31	21	.596	-	Arizona	30	22	.577	-
Philadelphia	30	24	.556	1.5	Houston	30	23	.566	1.5	LA	26	25	.510	3.5
Atlanta	28	24	.538	2.5	St. Louis	30	23	.566	1.5	SF	21	31	.404	9.0
New York	24	26	.480	5.5	Milwaukee	25	27	.481	6.0	Colorado	30	32	.385	10.0
Washington	22	31	.415	9.0	Pittsburgh	24	27	.471	6.5	San Diego	20	33	.377	10.5
					Cincinnati	24	28	.462	7.0

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