Joe Mikulik Fired

I was surprised this afternoon to learn of the firing of Asheville Tourists Manager Joe Mikulik by the Colorado Rockies organization. Mikulik had been the Asheville Tourists manager for 13 seasons which is unheard of at that level of professional baseball. His managerial record speaks for itself. He won his first championship in 2012 with the Asheville Tourists. He has helped so many players make it to the majors and his teams were always fundamentally sound. According to the Asheville Citizen-Times neither side could be reached for comment and from what I can gather, the move was made a few weeks ago but for whatever reason, the decision was kept quiet by both sides. Numerous times throughout the season, Mikulik had commented that he was looking at making a move, preferably moving up in the Rockies organization, and doing something different in his career. 29 years in the minors as player and manager is a long career and he is only 48 years old. In his 13 years in Asheville, Joe became more than the Manager of the Tourists, he became a member of the community. He more or less raised his family here and made himself accessible to various charities and organizations in Asheville and he also made himself available to the local media. He had his on field meltdowns like any other baseball man has ever done but he did it with style. The Colorado Rockies can replace him but he will be sorely missed by fans and players alike.

South Atlantic League Champions

The Asheville Tourists went to Greensboro and won two straight games, 9-0 and 10-4, to bring home the South Atlantic League Championship. This is Asheville's first championship since 1984. The Tourists hit four homeruns in the 9-0 win and Tyler Anderson threw 7 innings of shutout baseball. Jordan Ribera was the hitting star in the second game as he drive in four of the ten runs. A five run top of the seventh put the game away for the Tourists. It was quite a season for the Tourists. They had the best overall record of any team in the minor leagues. I believe this may have been Manager Joe Mikulik's last year with the Tourists. He has spent thirteen seasons with the Tourists, which is unheard of at this level of baseball, and he intimated in an article in the Asheville Citizen-Times earlier in the season that he was thinking of trying to move up in the organization or entertaining other job offers in baseball. He has developed so many players that have made the Major Leagues but he also became an important part of the Asheville community. If and when he does decide to move on, he will be greatly missed. I am glad that he was able to win his first championship.

Bring On Greensboro

The Asheville Tourists defeated the Rome Braves on Saturday night 4-3 featuring some batting heroics from Jordan Ribera and some pitching heroics from relative newcomer Seth Willoughby. Ribera hit a two-run homer to right field in the bottom of the 7th inning to give the Tourists the lead for good 4-2 and Willoughby struck out the Rome clean up hitter with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning to preserve a 4-3 lead. Willoughby only had three games of pitching experience with the Asheville Tourists before the Rome series. The Greensboro series is a best of five with games #1 and 2 being played in Asheville Monday and Tuesday night.

When In Rome

The Asheville Tourists start the playoffs against the Rome Braves on the road tonight and it should be an interesting matchup. The Tourists are leading the minors in wins with 88 and send Ben Alsup (14-5) to the mound for Game #1. He is a gutsy pitcher who won't overpower anybody but has the ability to pitch out of tight spots. He led the team in innings pitched with 156. The Rome Braves have a rehabbing Shortstop from Atlanta named Andrelton Simmons who was the National League's Rookie of the Month for June. The Tourists have a first round pick of their own at Shortstop, Trevor Story, who is having a great season in his own right with 18 homeruns and a .277 average. The Tourists return home to McCormick Field Friday night for Game #2.

Making The Fox Sports Saturday Afternoon Highlights

Evidently Asheville Tourists Manager Joe Mikulik had another meltdown during a game against Charleston the other night. It made the Fox Sports Saturday afternoon telecasts highlight reel before the Dodgers-Giants game. If you are going to have a meltdown, do it with style and that he did. It had a hat throwing segment that Lou Piniella would have been proud of, a base presentation to a fan in the front row that Earl Weaver would have loved, and he had the dignity to bow at the end of his act. I loved it and I have never been more proud to be an Asheville Tourists and a Joe Mikulik fan. He has probably put more players in the pro's than any other minor league manager. If I was to guess I would say this one was long overdue. The officiating in baseball, no matter what level you are watching, has reached an all time low. The strike zone has always been one of the most disputed issues in baseball but it goes way beyond that now. Joe Mikulik's probably wouldn't even make the top ten for this year much less any other time. I wonder if that fan got to keep the third base that Joe Mikulik presented him?

Breaking Out Of A Slump

When the Tourists break out of a slump they do it with style. 22 hits, 16 runs, and 5 homeruns in a 16-3 thumping of the Greenville Drive last night. Jared Simon went 5 for 5 with 2 homeruns and 7 RBI's and could have hit for the cycle when he doubled high off the wall in his last at bat but chose to coast in with a double. Chris Jensen got his league lead tying 11th win as the Tourists enjoyed their best offensive night of the season. I believe when Delta Cleary Jr. was promoted to Modesto at the All-Star break, the Tourists lost their spark at the top of the lineup and the offense has struggled for the most part ever since. They have not really found anyone that can replace him at the top of the lineup. Maybe this game will give the Tourists the jolt they need to get started and finish the last 7 weeks of the season strong.

Great Pitching

The Tourists have gone 11-5 since July 1st enabling them to catch Charleston for first place in the Southern Division in the second half. This hot streak has been due in large part to their great pitching. Ben Alsup and Chris Jensen lead the staff with 10 wins, Daniel Winkler has 8, but the most impressive of the bunch has been left-hander Tyler Anderson, the #7 ranked prospect in the Rockies organization. He has posted an 8-2 record with a 2.64 ERA to this point in the season. He doesn't have overpowering stuff (44 K's in 78 IP) but his ability to pitch out of tight spots in his first professional season has been remarkable. Left-handers are worth their weight in gold and I hope to see him progress thru the Colorado Rockies system over the next few years.

Post All-Star Game Skid

The Tourists broke out of their post all-star game slump yesterday with a 4-1 win over the Rome Braves. The Tourists have come out cold at the plate in their first four games and only have only hit one homerun in that span, that by catcher Ryan Casteel, in yesterdays win. Only one homerun in four games at McCormick is a power slump and a half. A strong 8 innings by starter Chris Jensen (7-2) sealed the deal and closer Jefri Hernandez pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save.

The All-Star Break

The Asheville Tourists rolled into the All-Star break at 47-23, claimed the Southern Division Title for the First Half of the season, and guaranteed themselves a spot in the playoffs. They put five players in the All-Star game, First Baseman Harold Riggins won the Homerun hitting contest, and this might be the best pitching, top-to-bottom, that the Tourists have had in quite a while. When a team in the low minors has this much success you have to wonder when the parent club is going to make some changes. The Colorado Rockies promoted Outfielder Delta Cleary, Jr., to Class A (Advanced) Modesto and sent outfielder Chandler Laurent from Modesto back to Asheville. Cleary was batting over .300 with 14 Stolen Bases and made the All-Star team. Laurent hit 15 Homeruns with the Tourists last year but was struggling at Modesto batting only .177. The Tourists got power for speed in that exchange. Cleary was also stellar defensively and I saw him make a ESPN worthy catch, leaping high up against the Centerfield fence, about three weeks ago. The Second Half of the season begins tonight against the Rome Braves with Thirsty Thursday.

On A Roll

I finally got to go to my second Asheville Tourists game of the year on Thirsty Thursday, May 31st. Manager Joe Mikulik has the Tourists playing great baseball. They are getting timely hitting and solid pitching and are trying to run away with the first half title in the Southern Division in the South Atlantic League. The Tourists won this game 11-3. Tourists starter Ben Alsup (7-1) gritted his way thru 7 innings, giving up 3 runs and getting out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the 7th inning. Delta Cleary, Jr., and Sam Mende drove in 3 runs a piece and Catcher Will Swanner hit the games only homerun, a line drive shot over the right centerfield fence.

Russell Wilson Has Found A New Home

Former Asheville Tourist Second Baseman Russell Wilson has found a new home with the Seattle Seahawks. He was the Third Round pick, #75 overall, of the Seattle Seahawks and he has an excellent chance of making the team, either on the active roster or the practice squad or maybe with another NFL team. If he does make the roster of an NFL team, I would have to say that finishes any chance he has at a career in baseball. In my opinion, he stands a better chance at a pro football career anyway. As a Seattle Seahawks fan, I will be watching his development during training camp and the Preseason to see if he has any potential. It may take him a few years before he sees any playing time, but I wish him the best.

First Win Of The Season

The Asheville Tourists earned their first win of the season last night in the first game of a doubleheader against the Delmarva Shorebirds 8-4 before losing the nightcap 8-2.

Delta Cleary, Jr., David Kandilas, and Sam Mende were the offensive stars in the game all driving in two runs a piece. Jefri Hernandez got the win in relief of Chris Jensen and Kenneth Roberts struck out the side in the 7th inning to close it out.

Jared Simon hit the Asheville Tourists first homerun of the season in the 8-2 loss in the nightcap as the Tourists only scratched out 6 hits. Walks were once again a problem for Tourists pitchers as they issued 8 in 7 innings after giving up 9 in the first game of the season. I would have to say it is a feeling out process going on between some young pitchers and catchers that are not used to each other yet.

The Home Opener

I made it to the Asheville Tourists home opener last night and it was the first home opener I have ever had the chance to attend. I got to McCormick Field a couple of hours early, went to the box office, got my ticket, and headed across the street to the Wild Wing Cafe for my pregame meal.

The weather was beautiful but supposed to turn chilly so I stopped back by my car on my way into the stadium to pick up my Appalachian State hoodie. I just didn't realize I was going to need it before the game ever started. I looked at the American flag flying beyond the centerfield fence and it was blowing out to left center and centerfield. I thought it may turn into a homerun festival.

I had a great seat right behind the Asheville Tourists dugout- Section F, Row C, Seat 5- and I was ready for some baseball. The Tourists are a progressive minor league team and are always at the forefront of trying new things. They have implemented a Zipline to deliver the gameball to homeplate and I have to admit it was pretty cool. I had a great view of the guy hitting his landing spot down the third base line.

The game itself was really close up to the 5th inning. The nights opponent, the Delmarva Shorebirds, rolled out highly touted pitching prospect and Baseball America's #1 Baltimore Orioles prospect Dylan Bundy to oppose Asheville righty Vianney Mayo. It was Bundy's professional debut.

Dylan Bundy lived up to the hype. His fastball topped out at 97 MPH, his changeup was in the mid 80's, and a knee buckling curve that ranged from 74-77 MPH. He was on a pitch count so he only pitched 3 innings. He struck out 6 of the 9 batters he faced. According to the boxscore, he threw 21 pitches and everyone of them for strikes. A very impressive debut and worthy of the hype. I am glad I got to see it.

The Tourists offense struggled tonight. Sam Mende doubled in the first run with a frozen rope into the left field corner and David Kandilas doubled off the right center field fence to plate the second run in the bottom of the fourth inning, and first baseman Harold Riggins barely missed a homerun off the top of the left centerfield fence in the sixth inning. The Tourists did hit into four doubleplays and those are always rally killers.

On the Asheville Tourists side, they had several impressive defensive plays led by Sam Mende at third base, Trevor Story at shortstop, and Australian import David Kandilas in left field.

Sam Mende grabbed a high chopper down the third base line and fired to second to nab the lead runner and just missed a turning a double play. Trevor Story made a diving stop in the hole and barely missed nailing the runner at first with a real strong throw. David Kandilas made a perfect one hop throw to catcher Will Swanner to nail Shorebirds shortstop Mychal Givens at home. Swanner also did an excellent job of blocking the plate.

The downside to the game was the fact that Asheville Tourists pitchers walked 9 batters and the Tourists gave up 7 stolen bases. I thought the homeplate umpire was squeezing the plate on Tourists starting pitcher Mayo. At one point in the top of the fifth inning, Tourists manager Joe Mikulik thought so as well because one of the umpires calls made Mikulik yell from the dugout "That pitch was good! C'mon!" When the umpire gave his definition of a strike, Mikulik waved him off.

The final result was a 7-2 Tourists loss to the Shorebirds with a doubleheader scheduled for tonight.

Home Opener Rained Out

The 2012 Asheville Tourists home opener was rained out and it being the first Thirsty Thursday of the season, that is a real downer. I was at work and it started raining about 2 PM and I knew the game was in trouble. Mother Nature put on an angry display with thunder and lightning and the whole works.

I found out a little after 6 PM from that the game had been officially postponed. They have rescheduled it for Saturday night as part of a doubleheader.

I scanned thru the roster again and I noticed a roster anomaly that really caught my attention. Future NFL QB Russell Wilson is still listed on the Asheville Roster albeit on the Restricted List. I guess the Tourists wanted to hold him a spot just in case the NFL thing didn't work out.

The 2012 Asheville Tourists

The Asheville Tourists announced their 2012 Opening Day Roster this morning and out of the 25 players the Colorado Rockies have assigned to Asheville, only 5 will be returning players. Outfielder/ First Baseman Tyler Massey and Centerfielder Delta Cleary, Jr. and relief pitchers Craig Benningson, Taylor Reid and Rafael Suarez will be returning. Cleary played for Asheville in 2009 and 2010 but played for Modesto last season.

Three of the newcomers made Baseball America's Top Thirty Prospects for the Colorado Rockies led by 2011 First Round Draft Pick Shortstop Trevor Story. Baseball America describes Story as having "unusual presence for such a young player (he recently turned 19) and a chance to have five average or better tools."

Shortstop/Third Baseman Rosell Herrera came in at #16 and he will probably be moved around the Tourists infield as he and Story play the same position. Herrera is a switch-hitter and is described by Baseball America as having "exceptional hand-eye coordination" and being a much better hitter from the left side.

Catcher Will Swanner made Baseball America's list at #21 as a power hitting catcher. He hit 17 Homeruns in 235 at bats in Rookie League Casper the past two seasons. Baseball America describes him as hitting "the ball very hard and has above-average power." He should hit plenty of homeruns at McCormick Field. Defensively he "shows leadership qualities behind the plate and has plenty of arm strength."

The Asheville Tourists open at home against the Delmarva Shorebirds on Thursday April 5, 2012, the first Thirsty Thursday of the year.

Russell Wilson Is A Quarterback

It was announced on Friday that Russell Wilson had informed the Colorado Rockies that he was not going to be reporting to the team for Spring Training in February so he could focus on a NFL career.

This really did not come as a surprise to me especially after his exit last summer from the Asheville Tourists so he could play for the Wisconsin Badgers football team. He started to show improvement at the plate right before he left the team but his average was in the .220's, with a high number of strikeouts, and no power. He had a good glove and a strong arm. I saw another season in Asheville if he stayed with his baseball dream.

He had an outstanding senior football season leading his team to the Rose Bowl. I have not heard any draft projections on him as a Quarterback but I see him as a mid to late round draft pick. I wish him all the luck and I hope to see him on an NFL roster next season.