may 23th - thursty thirsday series vs jaxGens

thursty thirsday 
May 23rd Series vs jaxGens

OR

LSU SHOWDOWN - MAHTOOK VS NEON LEON

A disappointing road trip to Huntsville saw the Skitz losing four out of five games to the Stars who happily climbed out of the North Divison basement on the strength of of the series victory.

Road trip wasn't quite as bad as that, but almost....

The Biscuits now limp home, take a day of rest to lick their wounds before facing the Jackson Generals, who have nearly an identical record to the Stars. It will be interesting to see how two former LSU outfielders match up against each other in this series.


There may be more talent on the field for the next five games than we have seen in any previous series. Great players pepper the Generals roster, the Biscuits are hoping to get back on track after a rough couple weeks and are hungry to improve their numbers.

BISCUIT INGREDIENTS

The home team Biscuits fans know a few things about whats in the batter....

-they can usually trust the bullpen
-the defense is good
-starting pitching is jekyl and hyde
-light hitting but timely/clutch late
-no power
-victims of the long ball, nobody in SL allows more than we do!

ODD STATS FOR SKITZ FANS
Todd Glaesmann is just three homers behind the league leader

Mikie Mahtook IS the league leader in triples, with seven.

SP Matt Buschmann is third in the Southern League in Strikeouts with 51 in nine starts, as well as a share of the league lead in Wins with 5.

RP CJ Riefenhouser is tied for fourth in the league Holds category.

RP Juan Sandoval is tied for the league lead in Saves with 9.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

We can look for Mahtook and Landry to test each others arms in the outfield, hopefully multiple times.

The Generals may out-hit the Biscuits but the team with stronger defense could be better off.

Look for the Skitz to try to make their opportunities, moving runners and playing small ball could help win ball games.

If the Biscuit starters can limit baserunners they will be able to limit the damage, but it will be a tough order to work through the second and third time through. That said, the bullpens of both teams will be put to the test this weekend and the better of them could come out with a series win.

Last series I predicted at least three victories and was handed four losses. This week I think we are going to do well to win two or three, depending on how the pitching handles the warmer weather.



SCOUTING THE GENERALS
The Generals hit .251 which is good for third in the Southern league, contrasted with the Montgomery .231 which is next to last. This team hits well and has more talent than it has shown so far this year.

Prospect time - Jackson has top pitchers and hitters from the parent Mariners talent pool.
Taijuan Walker, Chance Ruffin, Anthony Fernandez are among the touted hurlers wearing Genearls green.

Swinging the stick are highly regarded players like 2nd round pick Brad Miller, Dominican born outfielder Julio Moran, 3b/OF Vince Catricala, Venezuelan infielder Francisco Martinez and Leon Landry.


NEON LEON
Leon Landry is a former LSU player, it will certainly be of interest to Louisiana baseball fans when the Biscuits outfielder Mahtook should fly out to another LSU standout, or vice versa.

NeonLeon6 is Landrys twitter handle, and its a good one! He has eight stolen bases, though he is still looking to heat up the average which sits around .220 or so. The Louisiana native was a third round pick by the dodgers after posting an impressive collegiate career. He was included in the trade that sent Brandon League from the M's to the Dodgers. He is ranked as a top 20 Mariners prospect.

Neon Leon has been turning it up of late, hitting .259 in the month of May.




SKYWALKER

not this guy

Taijuan Walker is not to be outdone on good twitter handles, and the Generals have the social media covered.

THIS Skywalker is Taijuan Walker

Walker, also from Louisiana (just the state not the university), is also among the top ten in ERA among Southern league pitchers, so tweeting hasnt slowed the strikeouts -  he leads the league in punchouts!

Walker is ranked #1 among the Seattle organizations minor leaguers according to mlb.

Chance Ruffin

 CHANCE
Teammate Chance Ruffin has big league service time, but is reinventing himself the other way from most pitchers. He is becoming a starter after being a closer for several years.

He has made eight starts for the Generals this season, allowing just a .222 average to opposing hitters.

His twitter name is less creative and only used once since the holidays.




THE CUBAN LEFTY

Roenis Elias

Cuban starting pitcher Roenis Elias is a great story - sneaking into a late night boat to get out of Cuba to being told he had no chance at a tryout for a mexican league team, this guy has refused to let anything stand in his way.

I always admire Cubans for their pride and determination, they overcome the bad aspects surrounding their country and maintain an honor about their nationality that is truly inspiring.
Also he has a great ERA every year and is quite the ballplayer. In eight starts this season all but one have been quality - though it was the Biscuits that hit him for five earned runs in five innings on April 12th.


THE DOMINICAN LEFTY

Anthony Fernandez

Anthony Fernandez is among ten pitchers tied for most homers allowed, with six. Also on the list with six bombs allowed are Biscuits Enny Romero, Jake Thompson and Victor Mateo. Bellatti, Buschmann and Generals pitcher Ruffin all have allowed five.

The lefty Fernandez has made four starts for Jackson and has yet to make it past five innings. Opponents are hitting .293 against him this season, even higher in road games.


THE THIEF

James Jones

James Jones is a thief.
Suspect is six foot four, 193 lbs.

He has swiped double digit bags each of the least three seasons, twice stealing two dozen bases. This year the lefty centefielder is tied for tenth in the league with ten stolen bases, he has been caught five times.

Four triples and nine doubles in forty games, 61 total bases, all numbers that add up to JJ having good wheels.

Both his homers have come off of left handed pitchers, though he hits righties considerable better for average.


 40 MAN ROSTER GUY

Morban

Julio Morban is listed as a 40 man roster Mariner, an undrafted free agent signee out of the Dominican. An interesting left handed left fielder, Morban hit 17 homers last year and already this season has his average over .350, suggesting a promotion may be forthcoming.

Morban is ranked #11 among Mariners prospects.




VINCE

Vince Catricala

Vinnie Catricala is the third baseman from California, and you can kinda tell it by looking at his picture. You can't tell from the surfer smile that hes the twelfth ranked mariners minor leaguer, The tenth round draft pick has worked his way into the top twenty with plenty of hits, including a stop in Jackson in 2011 when he hit .347 in just under half a season.

However a bad summer in the hitter friendly PCL last year and Vinnie is back in the Southern League, learning to play first base as well as honing his defense at third and in the outfield. 

He is hitting .262 and has a couple homers, but he is probably a sleeping giant and you just have to hope its not your team that wakes him.




THE CATCHER/SECOND BASE/THIRD BASE UTILITY PROSPECT GUY
While its true Mike Zunino is probably the catcher of the future in Seattle, hes not the only catching prospect on the list, but its enough to make a guy learn a new position.

Jack Marder

Heres Jack Marder, the Mariners #14 prospect.
His twitter handle? Its @JackMarder3

So if that sounds sneaky, its because thats how Jack operates.
I mean, what else would explain his top twenty prospect status and his sneaky .180 average? Its obviously stealth, a coiled spring waiting to unload at any moment.

Why do I say that? Last year his numbers were .360ba, 10hr in just 65 games.


FRANCISCO MARTINEZ

Martinez

The Venezuelan third base prospect who, along with Chance Ruffin, came from Detroit in the Doug Fister trade had a strong second half of 2011, then fell off to the point that he is now learning the outfield. After hitting .289 the year of the trade he is now struggling to get his average to .200.

He has switched to being a speedy outfielder and last season stole 28 bases.

Brad Miller

THE MILLER
Shortstop Brad Miller has a .289 average, good for tenth in the league. Taken in the second round in 2011 from Clemson university, Brad is a dangerous hitter with runners on base. Last year Miller hit .320 for Jackson in 40 games, through 41 games this year he has almost identical numbers.

Miller is ranked sixth among Mariners minor leaguers according to mlb.

THIS WEEK IN MONTGOMERY BASEBALL HISTORY

MAY 22 1972

million dollar arm and 25 cent head

SP Denny McLain pitches five innings and allows three homers in rehab start against the Rebels. Mclain had been sent down by the A's to Bham.

McLain gave up nine hits, six walks and one wild pitch while rehabbing with the double-A affiliate, who lost 9-3 to Montgomery.

McLain would be scheduled to make a second start but would be dealt to the Atlanta Braves before it could happen. He later would claim that he was offered $25,000 to throw that second game he was supposed to pitch for Birmingham, but was unable to do so.

Denny won 30 games in the majors, feuded with managers, was banned from baseball and convicted of assorted felonies and frauds that have kept him in and out of prison since his year with Atlanta.



MAY 23 1960
The Montgomery Rebels fall to Dothan, 10-7 with the Dothan Cardinals scoring four in the bottom of the ninth to win it. Montgomery is in the cellar and has yet to win a game after winning the league the previous season!
Goes to show ya that this years team isnt so bad!

Hal won without throwing a pitch

MAY 24 1941,
Mobile-born Hal Toenes is brought in as a relief pitcher in the ninth inning of a Selma Cloverleafs game against the Jackson Mississipians (sic) 

With a runner on first base and two away in the inning, Toenes takes the ball and toes the rubber, then promptly picks the runner off of first base to end the inning without throwing a pitch.

The Cloverleafs are down four runs, but plate six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win in walkoff style. Hal Toenes, the pitcher of record, got the win without throwing a pitch!
(noted by historian Bill Hickman, from baseballlibrary/chronology/1941/may)


SHOUT OUT TO THE READERS
Hey there! You know who you are!
I was hopin to get you down here with the fun crew on Thursty Thirsday! If not this week than maybe on the next one.... Havent had a chance to ring you, but you know where to find the action & good times!

A Motley Lot of Biscuit Enthusiasts