[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 2, Monday, April 20, 2009 (cont.)

Southern League Profiles


Record: Last 2 Weeks (3-8), Overall 4-11

2-Week Synopsis: Swept in 4 vs Memphis, Swept in 2 vs Charlotte, Split 2 at Louisville, Won 2 of 3 vs San Antonio
Leaders:
Avg - Joe Mauer .400
HRs - Joe Mauer 5
RBIs - George Van Haltren 12

Wins - Vic Willis 2
ERA - Vic Willis 2.23
Ks - Vic Willis 36

Top Performance: Vic Willis threw complete game 6-hitter, allowing 1 unearned run while striking out 11 in a 7-1 win over San Antonioon April 19. >>
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Injuries: Bobby Lowe was injured March 27, tearing a ligament in his thumb. He's expected to be out until mid-June.

Round Trip (Four miscallaneous points about the team):
1) The injury to Lowe has forced Dan Uggla into the second base role and he's struggling mightily so far, batting .209 with no homers and 4 RBI.>>
2) Joe Mauer’s power production has been an unexpected surprise. Considered more of a gap hitter, Mauer went homerless in 81 spring at bats but has banged out 5 bombs in the early going. “I’m waiting for my pitch and getting it,” Mauer said, an approach shown by his 10 walks compared with only 6 strikeouts.
3) Despite Mauer’s approach, the Airmen are last in the Southern League with 33 walks, meaning he has nearly a third of the team’s total.
4) Besides young C.C. Sabathia’s scoreless work out of the bullpen, the Airmen have largely been atrocious out of the pen. Brendan Donnelly, George Haddock and Ted Breitenstein have all disappointed early, sabotaging a starting rotation’s 3.11 ERA (2^nd in the Southern League) with a 5.53 ERA out of the pen.



Record: Last 2 Weeks (7-4), Overall 8-7

2-Week Synopsis: Won 3 of 4 at Las Vegas, Split 2 at Chicago, Split 2 at Indianapolis, Won 2 of 3 at Orlando

Leaders:
Avg – Nap Lajoie .364
HRs – Nap Lajoie, Pete Hill 2
RBIs – Nap Lajoie 13

Wins – Ben Sanders 3
ERA – Clark Griffith 1.46
Ks – Ben Sanders 18

Top Performance: Clark Griffith threw a complete game, allowing 1 run on 4 hits and striking out 6 in an 8-1 win at Las Vegas on April 10.

Injuries: The Sandmen have been hit early by the injury bug. Pete Hill is the least of the concerns, as he’s fighting a sore shoulder but for now is hoping to stay in the lineip. Alex Cintron, who was having a torrid spring, hitting .400, went down March 23 with a strained MCL. He is not expected back until at least early June. On April 19, reliever Mike Koplove left the game with what ended up being a mild hamstring strain. The Sandmen placed him on the 15-day DL.

Round Trip (Four miscallaneous points about the team):
1) The loss of Mike Koplove impacts a bullpen that is tops in the Southern League. Koplove has thrown 6 scoreless innings in the early going, leading a bullpen that has posted a 2.19 ERA so far.
2) Bronson Arroyo was called up from the reserve squad to take Koplove’s spot. He made an appearance his first day, giving up 1 run over 5 innings in relief of Cherokee Fisher, who was touched for 5 runs in the second of a 6-3 loss at Orlando.
3) Besides Fisher, the rotation has been strong. Clark Griffith (1.46), Ben Sanders (2.45), Dan Casey (3.24) and Nick Altrock (3.57) have paced the Southern League’s third best staff.
4) Arizona’s performed well on the road, where they have been the last two weeks, a road trip that ends with a four-game set in San Antonio. Then the Sandmen return home for an 11-game homestand. >>
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