JIMINEZ SO-SO, BUT STILL IMPROVES TO 9-0 AND 
LIKELY ALL-STAR BERTH
Brooklyn----Undefeated Ubaldo Jiminez, who was a decent but hardly dominating rookie in Brooklyn's 2009 stretch run, became the first BARB hurler to reach nine wins despite allowing five runs as the Moabs, led by Ryan Howard, overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat Oakland 6-5 and maintain the loop's best record through fifty-plus games, improving to 33-20. Jiminez's ERA rose to 2.88, but that was still good enough for third in the league behind Darwin's Clayton Kershaw (2.37) and perennial Oakland stud Danny Haren (2.74).
Commissioner Scott Hatfield marveled at the Moabs. "Muy caliente, as they say in the Galapagos," remarked the well-traveled (but still Sage) Czar of Baseball. "They've won nine of their last ten, and they really have been dominating in all aspects of the game. They have a set of aces in Ubaldo, Verlander and Lester, a great setup man in Neftali Felix (5-1, 1.67 ERA) and the loop's best closer in Francisco Rodriguez (BARB-leading 18 saves, 0.99 ERA)."
"If that's not enough," Hatfield continued, "check out their offense. Howard hits his 19th homer to beat Derek Lowe (3-7, 5.90) a three-run shot. That gives the big man a BARB-leading 50 ribbies and just one dong behind Pottsylvania's Carlos Pena. Up the middle, they've got a combined 34 bombs from McCann, Utley and Tulowitzki and their outfield corps steal bases, and, with their defense, base hits. Power, average, patience, speed, defense.....they've even got a great bench, and lots of insurance. At this point, they are clearly the team to beat. Since June 4th of last year, they are 89-57, tops in the league."
VICTORIES SINCE JUNE 4th, 2009 . . .
Brooklyn 89-57
Frostbite 83-61
Yuma 82-67
Pottsylvania 81-61
Darwin 79-69
Casselton 76-66
Oakland 76-69
Madtown 74-69
Worcester 71-70
Texas 65-77
St. Francis 64-76
Black Mesa 63-77
Los Angeles 43-102
Jiminez has 11 of Brooklyn's wins in that stretch. By comparison, Frostbite ace Tim Lincecum has 16, Haren has 14, C.C. Sabathia 13, Zack Greinke, Roy Hallady, John Lackey and Cliff Lee have 12 apiece. But it seems likely that it will Jiminez who will get the clearest path to an All-Star start of all those hurlers, based on his recent brilliance.
In other BARB action:
FROSTBITE FALLS 7, WORCESTER 4
WP: Felix Hernandez (5-4, 4.06)
LIKELY ALL-STAR BERTHBrooklyn----Undefeated Ubaldo Jiminez, who was a decent but hardly dominating rookie in Brooklyn's 2009 stretch run, became the first BARB hurler to reach nine wins despite allowing five runs as the Moabs, led by Ryan Howard, overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat Oakland 6-5 and maintain the loop's best record through fifty-plus games, improving to 33-20. Jiminez's ERA rose to 2.88, but that was still good enough for third in the league behind Darwin's Clayton Kershaw (2.37) and perennial Oakland stud Danny Haren (2.74).
Commissioner Scott Hatfield marveled at the Moabs. "Muy caliente, as they say in the Galapagos," remarked the well-traveled (but still Sage) Czar of Baseball. "They've won nine of their last ten, and they really have been dominating in all aspects of the game. They have a set of aces in Ubaldo, Verlander and Lester, a great setup man in Neftali Felix (5-1, 1.67 ERA) and the loop's best closer in Francisco Rodriguez (BARB-leading 18 saves, 0.99 ERA)."
"If that's not enough," Hatfield continued, "check out their offense. Howard hits his 19th homer to beat Derek Lowe (3-7, 5.90) a three-run shot. That gives the big man a BARB-leading 50 ribbies and just one dong behind Pottsylvania's Carlos Pena. Up the middle, they've got a combined 34 bombs from McCann, Utley and Tulowitzki and their outfield corps steal bases, and, with their defense, base hits. Power, average, patience, speed, defense.....they've even got a great bench, and lots of insurance. At this point, they are clearly the team to beat. Since June 4th of last year, they are 89-57, tops in the league."
VICTORIES SINCE JUNE 4th, 2009 . . .
Brooklyn 89-57
Frostbite 83-61
Yuma 82-67
Pottsylvania 81-61
Darwin 79-69
Casselton 76-66
Oakland 76-69
Madtown 74-69
Worcester 71-70
Texas 65-77
St. Francis 64-76
Black Mesa 63-77
Los Angeles 43-102
Jiminez has 11 of Brooklyn's wins in that stretch. By comparison, Frostbite ace Tim Lincecum has 16, Haren has 14, C.C. Sabathia 13, Zack Greinke, Roy Hallady, John Lackey and Cliff Lee have 12 apiece. But it seems likely that it will Jiminez who will get the clearest path to an All-Star start of all those hurlers, based on his recent brilliance.
In other BARB action:
FROSTBITE FALLS 7, WORCESTER 4
WP: Felix Hernandez (5-4, 4.06)
LP: Anibal Sanchez (4-5, 4.01)
SV: Soria (6)
Hanley Ramirez and Robinson Cano combined for three errors in the Worcester infield, and Evan Longoria doubled, homered and stole a base to lead the Squirrels over the visiting Eliminators. Worcester had the loop's best record in the first half of 2009, but slews of injuries since that time and burgeoning payroll have contributed to little better than a .500 record since that zenith.
ST. FRANCIS 13, POTTSYLVANIA 1
WP: Gavin Floyd (4-4, 3.47)
Hanley Ramirez and Robinson Cano combined for three errors in the Worcester infield, and Evan Longoria doubled, homered and stole a base to lead the Squirrels over the visiting Eliminators. Worcester had the loop's best record in the first half of 2009, but slews of injuries since that time and burgeoning payroll have contributed to little better than a .500 record since that zenith.
ST. FRANCIS 13, POTTSYLVANIA 1
WP: Gavin Floyd (4-4, 3.47)
LP: Ben Sheets (2-5, 7.09)
Rod Barajas doubled and keyed a six-run fifth with his sixth HR of the year as the Friars ground out a season-high 22 hits against Ben Sheets and the Creepers bullpen. Ben Zobrist, off to a phenomenal start, walked four times (two intentionally) and delivered a two-run double against his old team the only time he was pitched to, adding salt to the wound. St. Francis (23-20) is three games over .500 for the first time in franchise history.
LOS ANGELES 6, ARIZONA 3
WP: Aaron Harang (3-4, 5.91)
Rod Barajas doubled and keyed a six-run fifth with his sixth HR of the year as the Friars ground out a season-high 22 hits against Ben Sheets and the Creepers bullpen. Ben Zobrist, off to a phenomenal start, walked four times (two intentionally) and delivered a two-run double against his old team the only time he was pitched to, adding salt to the wound. St. Francis (23-20) is three games over .500 for the first time in franchise history.
LOS ANGELES 6, ARIZONA 3
WP: Aaron Harang (3-4, 5.91)
LP: Javier Vasquez (2-4, 4.48)
SV: Lidge (1)
The return of long-sidelined closer Brad Lidge and a 10-strikeout outing from Aaron Harang lifted the cellar-dwelling Flyers to just their 12th win of the year, but the third in their last four games. The closest thing to a winning streak this year for the struggling team was aided when both Nick Swisher and Lance Berkman went deep for the ninth time this season. Nevertheless, Harang, Swisher and Berkman are all veterans that have been placed on the open market by harried GM Brian Chae.
DARWIN 6, BLACK MESA 5 (10 innings)
WP: Luke Gregerson (2-2, 3.34)
LP: Jonathan Papelbon (1-3, 3.86)
Recently-reactivated OF Milton Bradley had three hits to raise his average to .243, including a game-tying single with two out in the ninth versus Jonathan Papelbon, and Miguel Tejada delivered an RBI double in the bottom of the tenth to lift the Finches to just their 26th win of the season. The Finches have the loop's 11th worst mark after leading all of BARB in victories last
The return of long-sidelined closer Brad Lidge and a 10-strikeout outing from Aaron Harang lifted the cellar-dwelling Flyers to just their 12th win of the year, but the third in their last four games. The closest thing to a winning streak this year for the struggling team was aided when both Nick Swisher and Lance Berkman went deep for the ninth time this season. Nevertheless, Harang, Swisher and Berkman are all veterans that have been placed on the open market by harried GM Brian Chae.
DARWIN 6, BLACK MESA 5 (10 innings)
WP: Luke Gregerson (2-2, 3.34)
LP: Jonathan Papelbon (1-3, 3.86)
Recently-reactivated OF Milton Bradley had three hits to raise his average to .243, including a game-tying single with two out in the ninth versus Jonathan Papelbon, and Miguel Tejada delivered an RBI double in the bottom of the tenth to lift the Finches to just their 26th win of the season. The Finches have the loop's 11th worst mark after leading all of BARB in victories last
season, a collapse largely attributed to an underperforming and injury-riddled offense.
YUMA 11, MADTOWN 1
WP: Jake Peavy (4-6, 4.46)
YUMA 11, MADTOWN 1
WP: Jake Peavy (4-6, 4.46)
LP: Rick Porcello (2-4, 4.32)
The visiting Firebirds knocked out minors-bound youngster Rick Porcello with a five-run third, then tapped on four more safeties in the fourth to put the game out of reach, giving veteran hurler Jake Peavy lots of wiggle room. Peavy fanned eight in six shutout frames, then turned the game over to the Yuma setup corps in an encouraging start that maintained the defending world champs lead in the West. Pablo Sandoval hit an RBI double for the Murlocs' lone score.
The visiting Firebirds knocked out minors-bound youngster Rick Porcello with a five-run third, then tapped on four more safeties in the fourth to put the game out of reach, giving veteran hurler Jake Peavy lots of wiggle room. Peavy fanned eight in six shutout frames, then turned the game over to the Yuma setup corps in an encouraging start that maintained the defending world champs lead in the West. Pablo Sandoval hit an RBI double for the Murlocs' lone score.
JIMINEZ SO-SO, BUT STILL IMPROVES TO 9-0 AND LIKELY ALL-STAR BERTH
2 comments:
Let's put my stretch in some casing. For one, I will be losing Utley, Tulowitzki, and Ellsbury very soon. That will be a huge challenge moving forward especially if Tulo is done for season and Ellsbury continues having issues swinging. Lastly I feel like I am missing another player but can't think of it off the top of my head. Please no Mark Teahen jokes.
Let's put my stretch in some casing. For one, I will be losing Utley, Tulowitzki, and Ellsbury very soon. That will be a huge challenge moving forward especially if Tulo is done for season and Ellsbury continues having issues swinging. Lastly I feel like I am missing another player but can't think of it off the top of my head. Please no Mark Teahen jokes.
Post a Comment