[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 3, Monday, May 4, 2009 (cont.)

Northern League Profiles

Sacramento Stingers

Record: Last 2 Weeks (4-7), Overall 10-14

2-Week Synopsis: Swept 3 at Indianapolis, Lost both vs Wichita, Lost 4 vs Chicago, Split 2 vs New Orleans

Leaders:
Avg – George Hall.386
HRs – George Hall 9
RBIs – George Hall 21

Wins - Jim Devlin 4
ERA - Guy Hecker 3.29
Ks - Jim Devlin 55

Top Performance: Adam LaRoche, in a rare start,went 4-for-5 with a homer, 2 runs and 4 RBI in a 14-11 loss at Chicago on May 1.
Injuries: The Stingers suffered a big loss when Ginger Beaumont was placed on the disabled list with a bicep strain. He’s had a hard time bending the arm, but it doesn’t seem to be a tear and thus will require only rest, not surgery. The move is retroactive to May 2, and Beaumont is expected to be ready when the stint is complete. Arlie Latham sprained his ankle running the bases, but will not be DL’d. He’s expected to be ready later this week.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) The red-hot George Hall won Northern League Player of the Week on April 27, having gone 8-for-17 (.471) with 3 homers and 7 RBI. Hall is currently riding a 12-game hitting streak.
2) The Stingers will be home for the rest of the month except for a 3-game set in Chicago May 15-17. Whether that’s good, however, remains to be seen: The Stingers are 5-4 on the road…5-10 at home.
3) The Stingers lead the Northern League with 32 homers.
4) J.J. Putz (0-1, 1.76 ERA)may get a shot at the closer’s role, as Brad Lidge (1-1, 3 SV, 8.00 ERA) continues to struggle.

Wichita Brigade

Record: Last 2 Weeks (8-3), Overall 16-9

2-Week Synopsis: Swept 3 at Chicago, Swept 2 at Sacramento, Lost 2 of 3 vs Indianapolis, Split 2 vs Orlando

Leaders:
Avg - Spotswood Poles .376
HRs - Spotswood Poles 3
RBIs - Spotswood Poles 19

Wins – Rube Waddell 4
ERA - Jack Powell 1.72
Ks - Rube Waddell 50

Top Performance: Considered by many, including Baseball America, to be the PBL’s top prospect, Jonas Gaines showed why, throwing a complete game 5-hit shutout against Chicago on April 22.

Injuries: The Brigade have three players on the way back. Cherokee Davis is expected back any day now after his spring car accident. Shea Hillenbrand should also return in the next couple of days from his virus. Jack Powell, out since April 20 with a forearm strain, is expected back for his next turn in the rotation.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) Spotswood Poles has been everything the Brigade could have asked for, leading the team in all major categories, driven by efforts such as a 5-for-5, 5 RBI day against Wichita on May 1 in a 13-1 win. He has flair, too, capping the day with a 2-run homer after 4 singles.
2) Jack Powell’s return is going to spur a difficult decision for manager Whitey Herzog. As speculated last issue, Elton Chamberlain was pulled from the rotation in favor of Al Orth (1-1, 5.79). Jake Westbrook, who has posted a 1.98 ERA and gave up 2 runs over 6 in his lone start against Orlando, filled in for Powell, but showed more than Orth has. Which one will move to the pen when Powell returns to arguably the league’s best rotation.
3) Rube Waddell (4-1, 2.52) has won his last four starts, going the distance in 3 of them. In the other he went 8 innings, giving way for a pinch hitting in the 9^th of a 2-1 game.
4) The Brigade continue to lead the Northern League in steals with 42. Ten different players have already stolen a base, led by 2B Hub Collins, who is a perfect 9-for-9.