July 4 Skitz v Biloxi, What to Look For, Oddities

Biloxi, the top team in the South Division in the first half, has some good guys - including the top two Brewers prospects in Orlando Arcia and Tyrone Taylor.

The Angry Oysters

Pitcher Tyler Wagner ranks tenth among Milwaukee prospects according to mlb.com.

Jorge Lopez rhp 11th, outfielder Victor Roache comes in at 13.

AllStar outfielder Mike Reed is listed 17th, lefty pitcher Hobbs Johnson at 23rd, fellow lefty Jed Bradley following at 24 - you get the point. LOTS of prospects on this team!

We welcome the newest team in the league for the first time during the holiday weekend, including an Independence Day fireworks special, sunday kids day, Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday midsummer evenings schedule.

THREE GAME SPLIT?
The Biscuits lost a game to mother nature on the three-day road trip to Smokies park.

There shouldn't be much problem working out a way to make this one up - with fifteen games between the two teams in the next thirty days there must be a doubleheader day somewhere!



 ODDITIES
Odd thing in the league - the Jackson Generals have a new manager. Jim Horner has "moved on" and longtime M's farm coach Roy Howell takes over.

Midseason changes are common for major league managers, but its rare these days to see a minor league skipper step down with little or no explanation.

ROSTER MOVE
Scott Diamond was indeed a paper move, Hector Guevara returned to the Biscuits with the "promotion" of Diamond back to Durham.
In other words, its safe to un-follow Diamond on twitter, he ain't coming here.

 BISCUITS FEAST
The Biscuits are fighting to contend, the Bulls and StoneCrabs have been struggling since the second half started.  
Will we see another team parted out to other affiliates, or could it be our turn to push towards postseason glory?

Seitzer

SKITZ STATS STUFF
Cameron Seitzer's 4 homers in the last month is fifth in the Rays organization. His 20 RBI in that time ties him for best in the Tampa organization.

Leonard

Cameron is hitting a stout .371 at Riverwalk this year and is especially clutch with two outs - hitting .355 when he bats with two away.

Patrick Leonard has 8 doubles in the last 30 days, third in the organization. Leonard hit .253 in the month of June, but is still batting just .224 in home games this season.

SP Pruitt

Fridays Biscuits starter Austin Pruitt hasn't won a game since June 6th, in spite of pitching well.  Austin had an ERA of just 2.20 in the month of June.

Pruitt faces Biloxi for the second time this year, on June 20th the moustachioed starter went eight shutout innings with 5 strikeouts in a no-decision.

 WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Biloxi likes to run, look for the Brewers affiliate to test Biscuit catchers early in the series. However the promotion of Kyle Wren takes some of the speed threat away.

Biloxi team photo

Biscuit catchers are among the best in the league at stopping potential basestealers, look for the Biscuits to gun down all but the fastest runners.

Look for Biloxi hitters RF Mike Reed and 1B Nick Ramirez to make things happen for the visiting Biloxi Shucks, also look for Biscuit pitchers to try to find ways to neutralize them.

Look for Biscuit hitters strikeouts, but not Biloxi.
The Skitz lead the league in the whiff totals, Biloxi has the fewest.

On the flip side, Montgomery pitchers lead the league in strikeouts, edging Biloxi pitchers by just about half a dozen.

Joey Rickard has been hitting well since his return, including batting .364 w/two outs. 

Biscuits OF Joey "Blanco Suave" Rickard