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.