Sunday, April 29, 2012
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.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
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.
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.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
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.
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.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
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.
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.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Russell Wilson The Quarterback
It was announced today that Second Baseman Russell Wilson was leaving the Asheville Tourists and he was going to play football for the University of Wisconsin Badgers. He will compete for the starting Quarterback job this fall.
It was a move that really surprised no one and probably came as a relief to some because now the question "will he or won't he" has been answered. The only question that really remains now is "what happens to his baseball career?"
Playing professional baseball is a full-time job. The more athletically gifted such as Russell Wilson already have the athletic skills, they just need to fine tune their baseball skills. Russell Wilson struggled at the plate this season, there is no doubt about that. He had raised his average from about .200 to .228 when it was announced he had left the team.
I would love to see what he could do if he devoted the time and effort to developing his baseball skills. We may not find out until next season or we may never find out. Part of that answer may be up to the Colorado Rockies organization. I have yet to hear a response from them on his decision. If I was them I think I would want part of the signing bonus back and wish him best of luck in his future.
It was a move that really surprised no one and probably came as a relief to some because now the question "will he or won't he" has been answered. The only question that really remains now is "what happens to his baseball career?"
Playing professional baseball is a full-time job. The more athletically gifted such as Russell Wilson already have the athletic skills, they just need to fine tune their baseball skills. Russell Wilson struggled at the plate this season, there is no doubt about that. He had raised his average from about .200 to .228 when it was announced he had left the team.
I would love to see what he could do if he devoted the time and effort to developing his baseball skills. We may not find out until next season or we may never find out. Part of that answer may be up to the Colorado Rockies organization. I have yet to hear a response from them on his decision. If I was them I think I would want part of the signing bonus back and wish him best of luck in his future.
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