midseries vs baybears, rain-out programming

RAIN

So there was ANOTHER rain out, meaning we will have to negotiate another doubleheader. Basically we stink at doubleheaders, especially in Mobile. Saturday we scored four runs and allowed twenty. Victor Mateo and Jake Floethe look to stem the bleeding and attempt to scour a win or even two, which would let the Skitz take the series.


Since there isnt much game to blog about, I thought I would give a few thoughts on our current roster! Sort of like when the rains come down and the announcers havent yet gotten approval to run the Baseball Bloopers reels.

Gardner - Some fans love Billy, some fans hate him. I think hes one of the most dependable managers in the league. He has used team speed well and switches late in the game very well. He does have a tendency to stay with a struggling starting pitcher too long. On the plus side, he gives a great show.

Timmons - Ozzie seems to get along well with everyone. The Biscuits team batting average hasnt done him any favors the past two seasons, but players seem to leave better hitters than they were when they got here.

Timmons coaches hitting

Lichtenstein - A municipality in Baden-Wurtemburg, Germany, created in 1975 from three independent municipalities. Iconic artist using pop-culture images and cartoon designs. Also a pitching coach, though less is known about that.

PITCHERS
Colla - Mike is a newcomer to the Rays and has been pitching great ball in the rotation. I see him as a guy who is making the most of the opportunity. Undefeated in starts made north of I-10.

Colla

Fleming - Marquis is usually excellent out of the pen and one of the smoothest characters to don the flakey Skitz raiment.

The real 'quis

Floethe - Jake has trouble pitching deep into games and allows too many walks. He has great stuff and I expect him to improve quickly at this level.

Jake F.

Hamren  - Erik has a funky stance on the hill, but so far it works okay, though he also needs to cut down on the walks.

Hubbard - Austin is an alabama native, always cool. However he has 19 hits allowed and only 9 strikeouts in 16.1 innings. That ratio needs to be flipped if he wants to keep playing close to home.

Lara - Braulio can be frustrating to watch. He has great stuff, but gets hit hard. He has allowed a hit in all but one of his last ten appearances out of the bullpen. Also he gives up at least one walk each time out, but is able to get punchouts in bunches. He is one of just two lefties in the pen, so we can expect to see lots of him.

Braulio plays to the camera

Mateo - I complained about Victors pitching a few weeks ago, and he went out and made a great start right afterwards. And lost. He is winless since mid-may. He was demoted to the bullpen, made ONE appearance and was thrust back into the rotation on June 14th. And lost. Nice guy tho.

Nevarez - Matt is injured, but when not hurt is one of the biggest guys and hardest throwers on the team. In nine games he struck out 13, picked up a pair of wins and only gave up a walk every other time out, instead of each inning like some of our relievers. Get well soon, Matt!

Patterson - Jimmy is back with the Skitz and good for multiple innings. Not a high pressure situation guy right now, as the Southern League is hitting over .270 against him. He does a good job holding up a nice lead or in a mop up role.

Romero - Enny is the prospect on the pitching staff. He has been hitting triple digits on the radar gun with such regularity that we are starting to wonder if the Riverwalk gun needs repair. He wont be with the Biscuits much longer, too good to stay.

Sandoval - the one-eyed closer is back from a bad stint in Durham to take over as co-closer. He throws HARD.

Schenk-  Neil has been with the Biscuits in parts of three seasons, with this one being his worst campaign to date. His numbers for this year are probably damaged no matter how well he pitches from here out, its tough for a reliever to bring down an ERA this late in the year. Even worse at home, his road era is 4.50 but he carries a 7.02 earned run average at Riverwalk. Good stuff but terrible luck this year. The other left hander in the bullpen, Schenk will be given ample chances to work out the rough spots.

Schenk

Suarez - Who? Albert had two starts before injury forced him to the DL. Neither was good.

Thompson - Jake is probably pitching for his life at this point. A streaky pitcher this year, he seems to get in a groove for a couple starts then gets hit hard in back to back games. He is a tough competitor and bears down with runners on base. However, since opponents are hitting .291 against him he has to bear down often. Jake has great stamina and is able to pitch deeper into games than most of our other starters.

FIELDERS
Acosta - Mayo is a great guy but some fans raise questions about the catchers baseball acumen. Once this year, with two out and a runner on base with a three ball/two strike count, Mayo scooped up a dropped third strike. Instead of throwing to first to complete the routine "Strikeout 2-3 putout" Mayo saw the runner at first running to second base and tried to throw out the runner stealing the base. Runner safe at second, batter safe at first on the strikeout, inning continues. Hitting .186 hasnt won him any fans, but he is hitting .375 so far in July. 

Mayo Acosta playing first, Jake Thompson on the mound

Thomas - Mark was struggling for the first couple months, giving the Biscuits a pair of light hitting backstops. In a concerted effort to help him turn things around, a group of fans has taken to heartily cheering him at home games, and Thomas rewarded them by hitting over .200 in June. However he has fallen back to earth in July, hitless since the calendar flipped eight days ago.

Mark Thomas

Castillo - Keith was off to a hot start as a switch-hitting designated hitter. Rumors around the park say he is bound to take a bite into the games Thomas and Acosta will catch in the second half, but so far that hasn't come to pass. Born in July of 1987, Keith is the oldest active Biscuit.

Estrada - Robi has the best voice over for the radio broadcast, he's really enthusiastic! He had a horrible month of May, hitting a paltry .133, which drag his season numbers down. Hitting .256 in April and .263 in June should be more in line with the pace I expect from the 5'10 middle infielder from Los Angeles. Valuable switch hitter in the batting order or off the bench.

Robi Estrada playing second

Guevara - Hector has already been in the middle of some big moments for the team, and he just arrived! After hitting a tidy .245 in the FSL Hector has just seven hits in 41 at bats for Montgomery. Born October 1991, he is the youngest Biscuit, born nine months after Enny Romero.

Welcome to the team, Hector!

O'Malley - Shawn, known as "Sh-Omalley", with an emphasis on "show", is one of our most consistent players. His .263 average and 17 stolen bases were really important to the team in the first half. He has drastic splits, hitting just .220 at home but over .300 in away games.

ShOmalley

Price - Robby, known as RMFP for his game winning walkoff homer vs the Wahoos seven foot closer, Loek Van Mil, he has shown to be a clutch performer in late innings. The lefty hitter has just a .221 batting average but I expect that to rise in the second half. He also is an excellent bunter.

Seitzer - Cameron is a natural first baseman. I think its a no-brainer that he was ready for double-A defensively, and after hitting .206 in May the lefty batted .333 in June and showed great strides facing Southern league pitchers. Cameron is a doubles machine, with 21 already. He had to wait until June before swatting his first home run, but you only have to wait a minute and a half thru this vid to see it!

Torrez - Riccio was an unknown when he took over third base for us this April, but has proven to be solid defensively and clutch at the plate with a .296 average with runners in scoring position.

Glaesmann - Todd drew a rain turtle at Riverwalk, and now the Biscuits have had to endure repeated weather problems, so we have to hope that he learned why you dont use weather totems in double-A or higher. He has 8 homers, which wouldnt be many on most teams but give him the lead for Montgomery.

Kang - back for a third round as a Biscuit, Kyeong is a dangerous lefty slugger who plays acceptable defense in the outfield. He fakes not speaking English in spite of the fact that he went to the same high school as Jeff Francouer. A .274 average and 6 homers to show for his 56 games with the Biscuits, he is one of the more consistent bats in the lineup.

Kiermaier - Kevin made the SL AllStar Team, and deservedly so. He's hitting over .300 and has double digit steals. Especially potent in road games, hitting a whopping .347 away from Riverwalk. Also an excellent defender, he will likely be looking for a Durham residence before the end of the summer.

Kiermaier batting vs Bham in May

Mahtook - Mikie is a top ranked prospect, but while some may see him not developing due to his average dropping 40 points from last year. However he has shown great strides in his outfield play, making highlight reel catches and showing off a plus arm in right field. He does still clank occasional easy fly balls. He is good in big at bats though, hitting .284 with runners in scoring position. I think Mikie will bring his average up by the end of the season, but will finish around last years .248 average.

Mahtook on base

Morrison - TyMo is hurt. No word yet on when he might return, but we need him.

Morrison

Tinoco -  Steven is hitting just .171 and could be in danger of being sent back to Port Charlotte. A role player, his last ten appearances date back to May, going as many as seven games between at bats. With three hits in May and two in June, Steven stands to have his best month of the year in July as he already has one hit and still over three weeks left.

Steven Tinoco - no picture

HISTORY LESSON

Joe Pepe & the 1909 Climbers

Pepe is able to retain his infield job in 1909 and repays the teams faith by hitting .219 and never again hits lower than .220 in any season the rest of his career.

Pepe appears in 100 games or more every season from age 16 on, except for 1918 when he only gets into 92 games for the PCL Los Angeles Angels. Joe is a dependable infielder who doesn't wow you with the bat but is known as a good glove man with speed.

Feb 19, 1910 Climbers news

1910 Montgomery Climbers

In 1910 Pepe bats .231 in just over 100 games, but late in the year sustains a season ending injury in a stolen base attempt during a road game in New Orleans.

Atlanta Constitution had good coverage of the injury, it affected the Atlanta Crackers pennant hopes!

The Sporting News covered Montgomery and Joe Pepe's broken leg

Galveston News report of Pepe injury

Three seasons as a Climber under skipper Ed Gremminger, 360 games, 250 hits and a .214 average in total for Joe Pepe in Montgomery. Baseball Reference doesnt list Climbers home runs, but Pepe has at least one each season after leaving Montgomery.

After 1910 several players were let go by the Climbers, and Joe Pepe was left looking for work.

Herb Juul and Joe Pepe given Waivers for Release, end of 1910 season