Yuma---The defending world champions showed why they were able to use a wild card bid to take the 2009 BARB World Series, taking three of four games from the reenergized Murlocs and in the process dumping Madtown from atop their surprising early-season lead in the Western Division.
The Murlocs could be excused from being confident after winning a 2-1 pitcher’s duel in the opener to beat winless (0-3, 6.16 ERA) Jake Peavy, taking a two-and-a-half game lead over host Yuma. Erstwhile starter Zach Duke (1-0, 6.02) was the unlikely winner after working an inning in relief of Kevin Correia.
But, in the second game, Matt Cain (2-1, 2.82) was staked to a 3-0 lead courtesy of Joey Votto’s second homer of the year, and went on to beat Jered Weaver (1-1, 5.04) by a 7-3 score, and this time it was Duke who was victimized by an error on the part of LF Matt Holliday.
In the third contest, rookie starter David Price and reliever Rafael Soriano blew a 5-2 lead in the eighth, but Ryan Braun singled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth off Matt Lindstrom (2-2, 4.05) to edge the visitors, 6-5.
In the series finale, the Murlocs would need a ‘win’ to gain a split, but this time they drew the Yuma ace, Roy Halladay (2-1, 2.52). Halladay, who led all of BARB last season with nine complete games, earned his first such outing of the year by going the route against Madtown hitters without allowing a run . . .a 3-0 shutout, in fact, made more ignominous by two more Madtown errors (Peralta and Fielder).
So it was that Yuma (11-6) had pulled a half-game ahead of Madtown (11-7), with each club sporting three-game streaks, albeit in opposite directions. Barring injury, the world champs have a nice blend of speed, power and defense backed up a deep pitching staff and should be picked to win the West.
As for Madtown, the much-improved Murlocs would lick their wounds and consider some areas that could stand improvement: for example, the team’s sub-par defense (especially with veteran SS Jimmy Rollins sidelined) and the absence of any proven lefty in the pen with J.P. Howell injured.
HEARD AROUND THE LEAGUE: WHO’S HOT?
Brooklyn LHP Jon Lester (1-2, 3.05 ERA) leads all BARB hurlers with 31 K’s in 20.2 innings, over 1.5 per innings pitched . . .Casselton LHP Joe Saunders has not allowed an earned run in 15 innings this season, including a 4-0 complete game shutout of Oakland United . . . .Rookie LF Chris Coghlan is an early candidate for honors after hitting .425 (17-for-40) to begin his BARB career. The Los Angeles farm hand is leading all of BARB in batting average . . . Pablo Sandoval doesn’t really know where he’s going to play this year with the Murlocs (C? 1B? 3B?) as they have capable veterans ahead of him, but Madtown will not carp about his .382 average in 69 at-bats . . . Among starters, Oakland United’s Danny Haren (3-0, 2.13) probably has the best overall numbers, but it doesn’t hurt to have the run support . . . So far, Worcester’s offense is the class of the league: 1B Mark Teixeira (.370), 2B Robinson Cano (.367) and IF Derek Jeter (.362) are in the top 10 in batting. No wonder last year’s HR leader (Eliminators LF Jason Bay) already has a BARB-leading nine pokes and 25 ribbies . . . Yuma reliever Matt Thornton hasn’t been great (4.22 ERA in six appearances), but he has been in the right place. Thornton leads all BARB hurlers with four wins, as the good-luck charm has benefited from late uprisings with the bats from his teammates . . . .
HEARD AROUND THE LEAGUE: WHO’S HOT?
Brooklyn Moabs 3B Ian Stewart is 4-for-37 with 16 K’s and no extra-base hits. With a system deep in corner IF, how long will GM Eric Caskey stick with Stewart? . . .Casselton ace Johann Santana has uncharacteristically coughed up a team-leading 5 HR and shares the early-season lead in this department with some less celebrated hurlers: Jason Motte, Jair Jurrjens, Scott Baker. You know, future fellow Hall-of-Famers? . . . .Darwin DH David Ortiz, the Finches’ franchise player, had a down year in 2009 and has started this season “slugging” .226 in 53 at-bats. Is it time he was ‘naturally selected’? And, while we’re on the topic, has anyone found a board game for Milton Bradley to play with that doesn’t end up with the mercurial OF in search of a leather couch? Yuma starter Jake Peavy (0-3, 6.16) leads the league in double-play balls induced (six), but this is only because he put 26 runners on base, tops in his division.
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