The Biscuits faced the Smokies in a seven game-six day Grape Jelly series last week that included two lengthy rain delays, a pile of hit batsmen, an makeup game from an early season rain-out, roster changes, a doubleheader, promo giveaways, schedule changes, the first team AMA and plenty of fun baseball.
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Ensberg points as Palomaki keeps his foot on the bag
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Taking five of the seven contests and solid play over the past few weeks have put the Skitz in line for possible playoff contention. It would be the sixth straight postseason ticket for Montgomery, who has been annually turned away by sometimes bizarre circumstances in recent seasons.
As Johnny Field came out of the game after being hit by pitch, resulting in a broken wrist, thats just baseball.
When Ian Gibaut gave up a walk off homer that cost the Biscuits the title, it's just baseball.
When the Biscuits were swept by the Generals of Jackson and the Lookouts of Chattanooga, it started to be tougher to swallow losses in the postseason.
When a hurricane knocked the playoffs down to one round, fans had to step back and let nature take its course.
When a players family was killed in a senseless act of violence, fans knew the teams heart had been ripped out and who can think about baseball.
When a pandemic wiped out the season, it was more than baseball that was swept aside for larger and more important life lessons worldwide.
But now, we are back to baseball and one Montgomery player minced no words about winning the pennant by telling me simply "These guys want it bad."
So do the fans, who have been denied the final celebration since 2008. There are kids at the park who have never seen a championship Biscuits team. Perhaps this is the year. Perhaps.
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Jim Haley slides in safely
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DOC LIKES THE UNEXPECTED RESULT
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Doc Watson
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The Biscuits and Smokies traded hit batsmen like kids with baseball cards, but there was no intent involved. Talking with Montgomery pitching coach Doc Watson helped shed light on the real reason. "When they took sticky stuff away from pitchers we had to start pitching inside again." Doc told me "You can't work the outside part of the plate unless you back hitters off it a little."
Watson called it an "unexpected result" in the eyes of MLB rules-makers.
While Biscuits fans were sad to see affable pitching mentor R.C. Lichtenstein go elsewhere, Steve "Doc" Watson has been up to the task in his first season in Montgomery so far. Watson has been with the Rays organization for a few years as both manager and pitching coach at various lower levels.
"You will like Doc," I was told early on in the season by a Biscuits pitcher, "he's old school." And he is indeed both old school and easy to like. Being a fan of pitching I tend to ask questions, being a teacher of pitching Doc tends to answer them.
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Watson enjoys time in the pen with the guys
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One thing Doc does that I really like: most pitching coaches make a visit to the mound after a pitcher walks a hitter and falls behind the next batter with two balls. Doc doesn't wait for the second ball, if a hurler issues a free pass and then misses with the next pitch there is a good chance we will see Doc pop up out of the dugout for a trip to the hill. It's a great strategy to make that visit before the pitcher falls further behind and I think more teams coaches will pick up on it and start to use it themselves.
JOEY ROACH WILL RETURN
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Joey Roach
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During the rain delay on Saturday many fans asked me about the status of catcher Joey Roach. The popular Biscuits slugger was the subject of a recent roster move when he was added to the 60 day injured list.
Joey himself assured me he would be back "stronger than ever" and ready to go back to work in a week or so.
There was no reason given by MiLB for the move, but I understand that players with positive 'rona tests are sent to the sixty day DL for safe-keeping and allowed to return in a week if they test negative, per MLB requirements.
HALEY OK
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Jim Haley
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Biscuits infielder and occasional pitcher was struck in the helmet on Saturday, taking a pitch squarely in the back of the head as he turned away. He was removed from the game but suffered no injury, though he was given Sunday off.
The popular Jim Haley is expected to return to the field as soon as Tuesday, much to fans relief.
ARANDA OKAY TOO
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Infielders Proctor and Aranda
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Jonathan Aranda was struck by a pitch on the hand, forcing him out of the game in mid-at-bat but the Biscuits hot hitter was back in the lineup on Sunday after just two days off.
With a batting average in the .330's Montgomery can ill afford to lose Aranda, who fans hope make up the lost time quickly. Aranda needs to catch up on plate appearances in order to qualify for the league batting title, which he would own by a wide margin should be get enough at bats to qualify.
The last Montgomery player to win a batting title was Omar Luna in 2012 who accomplished the feat with a .315 season average.
NO ARCHER
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Chris Archer
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Rehabbing pitcher Chris Archer won't be returning to Montgomery any time soon.
The former Biscuit will be staying in Durham as he tries to make his way back from injury, first he had forearm soreness and most recently was shelved due to a sore hip.
Popular with fans while he was here, Archer spent time with the Pirates after being traded for now-Durham teammate Shane Baz.
Chris re-signed with the Rays in February but has only pitched in two games this season due to the injury.
MCKAY TO STAY |
Brendan McKay
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Pitching prospect Brendan McKay is assigned to Montgomery and will be here until he pitches his way out. Missing last years action due to a shoulder injury, McKay looks recapture the form that took him from Montgomery to Durham to Tampa in 2019.
A former two-way player, McKay has been driven from the batters box, at least for the time being, as he will focus on pitching. Brendan did get one MLB homer during his time as DH for Tampa, one of two hits in ten at bats while in the show.
Biscuits pitching coach Doc Watson had high praise for McKay and his work ethic. Focus and determination and shutting out distractions are what Brendan does best. "Very intelligent," Watson said about the 25 year-old lefthander who would rather be reading a book than chasing girls and finding trouble.
JERSEY AUCTION
Biscuits GM Murph tells me that there will likely be a jersey auction, probably for the home whites. The date for the auction has not been determined and could even happen after the end of the season.
Using the online auction app means it isn't necessary to have live bidding at the ballpark. It also cuts down on the knife fights at the bidding tables.
PANTS
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Ensberg can afford his own
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Finally I found out what the deal is with the pants.
For a few years we have wondered why some players wear uniform pants with Biscuits team colored trim while others have just a single blue stripe. Many theories were put forth, including that guys were bringing their pants from Low-A and those in Biscuits pants were issued their gear first in spring.
In fact, the deal with the pants is this: guys can either accept the team uniform pants or wear their own.
The team uniform pants are ill-fitting and have been patched up many times to keep them in use, some from the very early days of Montgomery's Biscuits era. Low in cost and long in leg, many players opt to wear their own pants and have them fit well, even if they don't have the Biscuits colors and cost out of their own pocket.
For me, the photos suggest that the team uniform pants became optional sometime after 2014.
Early on even the road pants had the yellow and orange soutache along the leg, as seen in this pic of Sean O'Malley tagging Elliot Soto of the Smokies back around 2013.
ICEES & PIZZARecently returned to the ballpark is the ever-popular Icee Machine! On the shelf due to injury for most of the season Icee Machine is back in midseason form and dealing out fresh beverages cooler than Ted Williams cryogenically-frozen head.
Also in the rotation at the concessions stand is the ballpark fave, pizza. The on-again/off-again snack is back for good and fans are again enjoying cheesy Italian eats.
One of the more reasonably priced and desirable items, pizza can be relied on for sustenance by young and old. I had the pepperoni and enjoyed!
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Shortstop Palomaki makes the play
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DODSON & STERNER
Two new faces in the Biscuits studpen, Tanner Dodson and Justin Sterner arrived for their first taste of Montgomery.
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Justin Sterner
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Sterner, dealt to the Rays from Miami for David Hess and cash, attended BYU and was an Eagle Scout before signing with the Marlins.
This is Sterner's first year in pro baseball, and the Biscuits are Justin's fourth team this season, having moved from Low-A to High-A with the Marlins and then from High-A to Double-A with the Rays.
The splits say Sterner is a guy who loves home cooking, his composite ERA is significantly better at home than on the road. Justin is equally likely to get a strike swinging as looking, and seems to be working on getting more ground balls.
Sterner is being relied on for multiple innings in each outing and has been challenged in his first taste of double-A, his August WhIP numbers tell us he has allowed more baserunners than he is used to. I would expect him to figure that out pretty quickly and become one of the more dependable arms in the bullpen over the next month of the season.
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Tanner Dodson
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Tanner Dodson joins the Biscuits after missing 2020 due to worldwide pandemic and appears ready to dominate double-A with impressive velocity.
Switch-hitting Tanner Dodson played centerfield as recently as 2019 and is another two-way player the Rays have asked to put away the bat this year.
Drafted out of the University of California in 2018, Dodson's velocity
is considerably higher this year than scouting reports listed at the
start of last season. Tanner's first pitch for the Biscuits was clocked at 99mph and struck a Smokies hitter hard in the ribs, a notable way to introduce yourself to the new league!
Dodson's father played pro ball as a first baseman and outfielder, rising as high as triple-A with Boston and Baltimore.
Dodson told me he was a country music guy, his main rule is no Pitbull allowed in his truck, though he entered to Black Sabbath in his first home appearance. His is the first Black Sabbath intro since Brent Honeywell's Iron Man echoed across the Riverwalk infield.
MOOSE
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Moose Shenton
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Austin Shenton arrived via trade in the Diego Castillo deal and is a rare case of the Biscuits getting a player in a Rays swap.
Austin, known fondly as Moose in part due to his resemblance to Mike Moustakas, immediately inhabited the prospect list, popping up at #21 on MLB Pipeline top 30 Rays prospects.
Shenton is capable in the corner outfield spots but probably a lock at third base with Montgomery where he is a solid defender. With the power for tape-measure homeruns, Austin is also a doubles machine, rapping out twenty-nine two-baggers before the trade that brought him to Montgomery. A pure hitter, Shenton's current .290 average should be his normal residence and the Washington native may be one of the most under-rated and versatile players on the Biscuits roster.
Shenton is clutch with runners on base, though his overall average has dipped a few points since he was involved in the trade that brought him to the Rays. Expect Shenton to figure out the pitchers quickly and make adjustments as needed.
Austin is a pescatarian, eating only salmon and eggs from the animal kingdom after spending much of his youth being vegetarian. A lifelong Mariners fan, Shenton got to meet Ichiro in spring training, the player he idolized when growing up.
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Shenton collects high fives after grand slam
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COMING SOON!Biscuits pitcher Jack Labosky has agreed to an interview, appearing in a post coming up in the next couple weeks. If you have a question for the Montgomery moundsman, please tweet it to me at @DrMiraculous.
MOATS ON REHAB PATH
Injured Biscuits hurler Dalton Moats tweeted a video of him doing leg presses as part of his recovery rehab for the broken leg he sustained just a few short weeks ago.
Getting back to activity quickly helps ensure a complete healing, inactivity can lead to trouble with circulation and as a pitcher getting the full use of his leg is a very important aspect.
Much love and props to Dalton, I hope to see him get back to himself as soon as humanly possible!
GROUNDS CREW SURVIVES DELUGE
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Betts and Pelaez high five the victory in the 'nally
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Cheers to the former Sod Squad, who were given the tough task of keeping the Montgomery field in playable condition during the last series. With two lengthy rain delays, a broken water main and multiple weather threats the grounds crew prevailed, allowing the Biscuits to play games on each day they were supposed to.
Yes, one of the games of the doubleheader had to be shifted to a later date in the series but the crew made sure the Biscuits got their home games in against the Smokies. It was a feat the Smokies grounds crew was unable, or unwilling, to do at the start of the season, which was why the seven game series in Montgomery was necessitated.
Fans cheered as the grounds crew, aided by city jail trustees, pulled the tarp on Saturday night. And it was a well deserved round of applause for the hard working and completely soaked grounds crew and Biscuits staff on a job well done.
Also, thanks to the extra rains and stellar attention from head groundskeeper Alex, the field looks fantastic.
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Xavier Edwards turns two on a lush field of green
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SIX GAME SERIES GOING AWAY?Front office folks across baseball are discussing whether they like the six game series, if enough brass dislikes it the practice could go away next year. Having a starting pitcher face the same team twice in a series is unpopular among managers and GM's, though it does cut down on travel to have a team stay for a whole week in one city.
One fix would be to cut back on Tuesday games, leaving two off-days each week. However that reduces the number of home games each team has, taking money out of the pockets of already struggling minor league owners. Going back to three and four game series is another possibility, but is tougher on schedule makers and requires more travel for teams.
We won't know for some time how this one will play out. In past years we would be close to seeing the next seasons schedule but it is not yet known when the '22 sked will be revealed.
PICTURE THIS
If you are interested in seeing more pictures like the ones in the blog, I have been posting on Instagram most of the images seen here and plenty more like them. Feel free to give me a follow over there, easily found as DrMiraculous
#BULLPENLIFE
THIS WEEK IN MONTGOMERY BASEBALL HISTORY
Some great history this week, including perfect games, one hitters, Satchel Paige, Willie Keeler, pitching brothers, GreySox legends, the opening of an historic ballpark and a bit of fake news!
AUGUST 12 1907
The new grandstand at the montgomery baseball park was blown down by "a terrific windstorm which ranged over a limited area 2 miles east of montgomery."
Yeah, I believed it too, this factoid has made it into many reputable baseball books, including Clarence Watkins book Baseball in Montgomery. But it didn't happen. There was a barn behind the ballpark that sustained heavy damage when the roof was blown off and the roof landed on the grandstand seats giving the impression of major destruction. Overzealous newsmen sent the story out and by the time it was realized that there was no actual damage to the stands the news report was written and published across the country. Fake news if ever there was such.
AUGUST 14, 1970
Southern League/ At Patersen Field Montgomery
Montgomery Rebels 3, Savannah Indians 0. Charles "Chips" Swanson of the Rebels pitches a perfect game.
Swanson predicted a perfect game just the day before, according to reports from the local rag's sportswriter Jack Doan. In the clubhouse the day beforehand Swanson said someone was going to pitch a perfect game soon, though he didn't claim it would be his own work the next day that would fulfill the prophecy.
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Joe Marcus
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The perfecto was seen by an announced crowd of 536, not including stadium announcer Joe Marcus, who can be seen often at Riverwalk watching the Biscuits. He recalls the game well and is probably willing to regale you with the tale if you catch him at the right time!
AUGUST 15th, 1909
Ted Breitenstein hurls a no hitter versus Montgomery, walking only four men during the game. New Orleans wins 2-0
AUGUST 15 1920
Montgomery, AL
"Grey Sox Return to Play Knoxville - After a successful road trip, in which they won three straight games from the Birmingham All-Stars, the Grey Sox returned home yesterday for the hardest battle of the season when they will meet the fast Knoxville Giants in a series of games to determine the pennant winners of the Southern League for negroes.
The Grey Sox are still leading the lead by a safe margin and the only obstacle in their path to the pennant is the strong Knoxville team who have played such sensational ball all of the season."
Montgomery, AL
"Grey Sox Defeated Knoxville Sunday - Local Negro Team Wins First Game of Big Series From Near-Champs, 2 to 1 -
In a game that was featured by sensational plays and jam up pitching, the Grey Sox won the first game of the series from Knoxville, 2 to 1 at South Side Park, yesterday. Despite the cloudy weather before the game there were approximately fifteen hundred fans present and it was acclaimed by all present to be the best game that has been seen on the local diamond this season.
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Hub McGavock
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Things looked pretty bad for the locals in the first inning when the visitors had two men on bases and one out and the batter hit a long fly to left field scoring the man on third, but McGavock made a perfect peg, to the plate, from deep left and cut the second runner out at home. The pitchers then settled down to a grueling duel, and both pitched jam up ball until the eighth inning but in this inning, Williams connected with one of Posts's fast curves for a single, McGavock stepped in to one for a double and Meyers hit for a single, scoring Williams, McCavock scored on a wild throw to the plate by Post and the locals took the lead, which the visitors were unable to overcome.
The honors of the day go to McGavock, the local left fielder. It was his perfect peg to the plate in the first that held the visitors down and then in the ninth inning he pegged in a long fly from deep center that cut the runner off at the plate and saved the game for the locals. In the eighth his two bagger was largely responsible for the locals first score and later he scored the run that gave his team the lead.
Both teams played good errorless ball and had it not been for one bad inning, the first, the locals would have made a better showing.
The teams will play again this afternoon at South Side Park at 4 o'clock."
AUGUST 16 1906
Mgm pitcher Will Breitenstein shuts out Atlanta allowing just three hits.
Not Ted Brietenstein seen above as no-hitting Montgomery in 1909, that was his brother!
AUGUST 16 1920
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Steel Arm Dickey
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Montgomery, AL
"Grey Sox Win Second From Knoxville Team - Locals Take Advantage of Visitors' Errors and Win Monday's Game - Taking advantage of errors made by their opponents, the Montgomery Grey Sox team defeated the Knoxville Giants Monday afternoon by the score of 5 to 1.
Dickey and Mason pitched good ball, but the former received poor support at critical stages of the game, while the local twirler was given jam up support whenever the visiting team threatened to score."
AUGUST 17th 1906
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Bert Maxwell
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Montgomery Pitcher Bert Maxwell shuts out Atlanta on one hit. Montgomery
squeaks out just 3 hits themselves, scoring only once off Atlanta Crackers pitcher Childs.
AUGUST 18 1906
MLB legend Willie Keeler strikes out for the second time in the season.
AUGUST 18 1910
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Erroneously dated, this image is from the opening game at Rickwood Field in August 1910
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The Birmingham Barons inaugurated Rickwood Field on August 18, 1910, by defeating the Montgomery Climbers in front of more than 10,000 fans at the first game played in what is now the oldest professional baseball park in the country.
In a hundred and ten years, the parking situation hasn't changed much!
AUGUST 19 1906
Pitcher Phillips of New Orleans one hits Montgomery and shuts them out.
AUGUST 20 1968
The Rebels use five pitchers to beat Bham and maintain the league lead.
Lefty Jim Foor, just 19, gets his third win in four days as a reliever.
Montgomery has won seven straight games and 13 straight against the
Barons.
- Also on this date Satchel Paige is announced as signing with the Braves.
I have called for Satchels number 0 to be retired across MLB as noone has been a bigger ambassador to baseball the the legendary Paige was. And who will miss having the number 0 other than Al Oliver?
