Biscuits flaking out

BISCUITS FLAKING OUT

The team that started so strong fans were ready to print playoff tickets by the end of April has fallen off quickly after losing seven straight and even second half hopes are fairly doused.

The dreaded elimination number for the Biscuits is 11, any combination of Skitz losses or BayBears wins means we are out of the race. Also, in order to win the half we need to vault both Mississippi and Jacksonville, one of whom just beat us like a dirty rug and the other of which has their turn next!


THAT WAS THEN...

Casali

Who knew we were being propped up by Curt Casali and Jake Thompson? Yet that is what it appears to be, as we have struggled at the dish and on the hill since the departure of the veteran reliever and the Vandy backstop.


Even the victory that halted the Biscuits franchise high seven game losing streak was almost handed over in the ninth inning. With a firm lead late the bullpen did everything it could to give up the game but the Suns just barely ran out of outs.


WHATS NEXT?
The May version of the Biscuits is the polar opposite of the April Biscuits - its back to being tough to watch and fans now wait for the glass to spill before deciding if its half full or half empty.

As the Miss.Braves and Wahoos arrive for a ten game homestand to begin June, Biscuits fans wonder what will their glasses be filled with this month?

no doubt about it

MO-SKITZ TEAM NOTES

Taylor Motter has been sent to the Disabled List, Jeff Malm was activated from extended spring training to fill his spot on the roster.


Grayson Garvin was activated from the Disabled List and pitched two innings in a start against Jville.

At 27-28 the Biscuits would be in second place if they were in the North Division, instead of fourth place in the South. However the team would be even farther behind the division leader, a full ten games back of the Huntsville Stars, who just swept the powerful Smokies in a five game series.


PITCHING FITS
Andrew Bellatti leads the team in getting swings and misses, be they in the strike zone or out of it, with Runion and Patterson close behind. All are over 80% swinging strike rate.

Reliever Jimmy Patterson leads the team in getting swings and misses in the strike zone, always a strong part of his game.



GLAESMANN COMEBACK

Former Biscuits outfielder Todd Glaesmann, traded for Heath Bell in the offseason, has announced he is being reinstated and will be returning to baseball on June 8th with the Dbax.

It couldn't happen to a nicer guy, or a better rain turtle artist.

G-man announced his retirement earlier this year but recently tweeted that he wasn't quite ready to give up the dream.

A talented player, one of our faves, we wish him the best!



SAINT HENRY

Another former Biscuit having a baseball time of it, Henry Wrigley is back to doing what he does - hitting homers and playing great first base. 

Wrigs is hitting .263 with three homers for the Saint Paul Saints of the American Association. True to his usual habits, he has driven in 16 runs in 14 games.

Henry is just ten home runs shy of 100 for his career, a nice milestone!


THOMAS APPEARS

Former Biscuits catcher Mark Thomas was assigned to the Mobile BayBears from extended spring training this week. He returns to the Southern league after being caught by the leagues witch hunt drug program.

I'm glad of it, he is an excellent catcher and I look forward to seeing him on the division leader BayBears roster.


SAD NEWS OF REBELS PASSING

Moose Morton

Morton played for the Rebels in 1955, catching and filling in at third base for Montgomery in 106 games. He hit .263 with ten homers for the Rebels that season. In his career Moose was a solid bat in the lineup, hitting .282 and hitting 79 homeruns in nine seasons.

Morton, a Tuscaloosa native, had exactly one at bat in the major leagues, striking out for the Red Sox on September 17th 1954 against the Washington Senators. At that time the Rebels were affiliated with the Red Sox and they farmed Moose to Montgomery in '55.

Morton had attended UofA on a baseball scholarship and signed with the RedSox as a pitcher - an arm injury led him to move to catching. His career was put on hold for the Korean war, and after his playing days were over he went back and earned his BA from Alabama and then his Masters.

Morton

Later, Moose would be known by folks near his home in Ohio as Rev. Guy Morton Jr, pastor. Guy Morton Jr passed away in early May.

Moose's dad Guy Morton Sr. was a major league pitcher with Cleveland with over ten seasons at the big league level, winning 98 games. Guy Sr. died when Moose was just five, but the pair is one of the rare Father-Son Alabama natives to make the major leagues.


Leo Marentette

Leo Marentette was a 19 year old rookie getting his first chance at pro ball when he got to Montgomery in 1960. 

Leo Marentette

Born in Detroit the kid was pitching against Alabama-Florida league hitters and doing well, winning seven games and losing seven with a fine 3.98 ERA. Leo started 15 games and relieved in another 13 as he put in over 120 innings pitched.

Leo gets a little more MLB time than Moose Morton, but not much. In 1965 Marentette is given the call by the Tigers. He gets into two meaningless late season games, allowing just one hit in three innings. 

He won't get back to the Bigs until 1969, when the Montreal Expos need arms. Leo pitches in three games and is rocked for four earned runs, including a Bobby Bonds homer at windy Candlestick park. He even gets an at bat and while he doesn't get a hit he also doesn't strike out.

Leo Marentette passed away on May 8th 2014.