The visiting Pottsylvania Creepers, led by slugging LF Ryan Ludwick’s three home runs and 6 RBI, crushed the reeling PF Flyers, sending their hosts to their tenth straight loss while improving to 33-29, four games back in the interesting Central Division.
Ludwick hit two of his home runs in an eight-run sixth inning against rookie Jordan Zimmerman (0-2, 15.26) and two relievers to break a 3-3 tie. The first was a solo shot, and the second blast was a three-run poke off Kiko Calero, who was placed on the DL after the game with a sore shoulder. Ludwick completed his big day with a two-run blast in the top of the ninth off reliever Juan Cruz, but he wasn’t the only one having a field day at the expense of Flyers pitching: RF Rick Ankiel and 1B Ryan Garko also had three hits apiece, and SS Ryan Theriot scored four times. The big inning made the game easy pickings for Creepers starter Chris Carpenter (4-0, 1.53) despite a so-so (11 hits, 3 runs) outing.
The three round-trippers give Ludwick 22 for the season, among the league leaders, not bad for a player who has missed a dozen games due to injury. And speaking of league leaders in batting . . .
PF FLYERS SINKING BENEATH WAVE OF INJURIES
Los Angeles---Having already dipped into thei r farm system for youngsters like Jordan Zimmerman, the PF Flyers found themselves scraping the bottom of the barrel with the new s that two more hurlers (SP Daisuke Matsuzaka and reliever Kiki Calero) would be lost for at least two weeks. The pair join Justin Duscherer, Jeff Francis, Brad Lidge, John Maine and Scot Shields: in all, a total of six pitchers on the club’s projected Opening Day roster in late March are now sidelined.
It comes as no surprise, then, that the parent clu b has struggled. The latest debacle, a 14-7 shellacking at the hands of the visiting Pottsylvania Creepers on Game Day 68, sent the spiraling Flyers to their tenth straight loss. Two weeks ago, the Flyers were in contention and above .500 (28-26), getting good relief work and a power surge by DH Jim Thome. Now, they are 28-36, in fourth place, and in danger of falling out of contention in the Central Division.
PF FLYERS DEAL WITH MOABS
While it is uncertain how this will help the thinness of their pitching staff, the Flyers were not idle during this time, making a deal with the Brooklyn Moabs, sending flamethrower Daniel Bard and 2B Mark Ellis in exchange for OFLastings Milledge and IF Chris Coghlan. Bard had appeared briefly with the Flyers in a 'showcase' start with their pitching hobbled and overall with 1-0 with a 1.83 ERA in four appearances prior to the trade.
Insiders speculated that Ellis, who has been out much of the year with injuries, was added to the deal as a means of managing salary, as well as cementing the club's commitment to young 2B Howie Kendrick. As for the Moabs? Accor ding to a press release from Brooklyn GM Eric Caskey, "The heart of the deal was getting young stopper Bard, who can hit the high 90's with ease. He has an excellent K-to-BB ratio and will be utilized in the near future. Ellis will provide some help off the bench with Wigginton, Teahen, Upton, Saltalamacchia, and Lowrie. The bench will be versatile and ready to step in if an injury. On the other hand, the deal led to speculation. For instance, Bob Uecker, color man for the organization, has stated that Jeremy Affeldt, Tony Pena, Matt Guerrier, as well as Wigginton and Te ahen might need new apartments come deadline time."
Caskey expressed some regret about losing Coghlan, whom he described as "a well-thought of member of the team who will be missed." But the rest of his assessment was matter-of-fact: "The organization was unsure where he would end up as a regular, which led certain unnamed members of the front office to feel that he was expendable. And for Milledge, who was a throw-in a season ago at the deadline, there is no deny ing his talent. At this point the Flyers coveted the prospects of Milledge, and the Moabs simply had an excess of young OF's. He presented much upside, but was more than expendable."
YUMA CUTS RAUCH
The Yuma Firebirds today announced that middle reliever Jon Rauch has been placed on irrevocable waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release. Rauch had appeared in 17 games this season for Yuma and compiled an inoffensive 2.33 ERA, but had failed to distinguish himself. As an established player, he could not be reassigned to the minors and Yuma's management team could not find any interest for a player who has been hammered in 'reality.' Yuma will eat the balance of Rauch's contract and th e reliever can now be signed for the league minimum by any other BARB club, on a first come, first served, basis.
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