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.