Tom Veryzer, Leo, Mystifying Biscuits

THE MYSTIFYING BISCUITS

The Montgomery Biscuits continue to mystify, fighting hard for close victories one day, stampeding the opposition easily the next and yet on day three, four and five falling flat and appearing overmatched afield.

 So it goes with .500 teams, they can be among the toughest to predict or analyze. Not to mention to coach, to play for and to watch!

Add to it a parent club obviously reluctant to send players and it becomes a very clouded vision in even the most experienced crystal ball.

Now the biggest problem with being a .500 club is that there is only one other team in the division that is below us.



BISCUITS DROP

Yes, the Jacksonville Suns moved past Mobile into first place, courtesy of a series win at Montgomery. The Miss Braves also got by us in the standings, dropping the Biscuits into fourth place just ahead of the anemic Blue Wahooies.
It doesn't take a slide rule to figure out the Skitz are swimming upstream to get to the postseason - and they will need alot of help from other teams to get there. With just three home series left, time is quickly running out.


NEW BISCUIT
LEONARDO REGINATTO

I had a couple folks at the park quiz me about Leo, so I will pass along what I know.
And what I can look up quickly.
In no particular order, which is my favorite order.

Leo is Brazilian, one of only a handful of professional players from that country. He was tearing up the Floriday State League, see previous blog post below where I was told he wasn't coming less than 24 hrs before he got here. He says he was introduced to baseball at age 7 by Japanese neighbors who invited him to play.

He played for team Brazil in the 2013 WBC...

Team Brazil was managed by Barry Larkin, who worked with Leo on his infield defense. In another WBC game vs Japan, Reginatto singled off of Masahiro Tanaka, now of the NY Yankees.

47? They gave him a temp # the first day!

Reginatto is a guitar player as well as an infielder.

He seems to be a contact hitter, not a home run guy. Four homers career so far, but he hits line drives at a high rate.
He can run but picks his spots to do so, a dozen bags is a possibility but not a likelihood.

Speculation would be that he is still learning aspects of the game - his strike zone awareness has markedly improved each year since 2010 when he debuted. Noone knows what his long term ceiling is, as he is still developing his skill set by leaps and bounds.
He is naturally athletic and showed great range at second base in his first two games in Montgomery. He is listed as a shortstop and third baseman, his versatility will offer more opportunities to get into the lineup.

For the Biscuits, Leonardo Reginatto is a much needed Super-Utility man who can hit.

REBEL PASSES

RIP Tom Veryzer, former Montgomery Rebel, who passed away at the start of July.

Tom was with Montgomery in 1972, playing 111 games at shortstop for the Champion Rebs. The 19 year old Veryzer may have been overmatched by Southern League pitching, batting just .220 but he did slug 8 homers and steal 9 bases in 109 games to help Montgomery.

SS Tom Veryzer, '72 Rebels

A first round pick in 1971, Tom was thought to be a can't miss prospect, but hit just .241 in his MLB career. He played for Detroit, Cleveland and the Cubs - with a single season as a Met. Three times he was in the top ten for Hit By Pitch.

Veryzer had a single post-season at bat with the Chicago Cubs in 1984, a game four loss to the Padres. After an 8th inning double-switch brought him into the game, Craig Lefferts got him to popup in foul territory to start the ninth inning.

Breitenstein 1909

AUGUST 3 1906 
Montgomery Pitcher Breitenstein shuts out the Atlanta Crackers on two hits.

AUGUST 4 1906 

The Montgomery celebration is short lived, as the next day Atlanta pitcher Pete Zeller returns the favor, and shuts out MGM on two hits.

Biscuitville Notes, Big Mo Race.Bring DJ Kitty,

THE BIG MO ROOKIE CARD DEBATE

Dennis showed me a Big Mo baseball card from 2004 and asked if I would change my call for a rookie card. I said I would't! haha

I am not sure the '04 Big Mo card can be considered a true rookie card - the first two seasons the Biscuits team set was only available from gas stations in installments. The orange border didn't look like a match for the other cards I have from that season, which were bordered in blue.

It was a promotional set, with about four cards per pack available with fillup at Entec. A new group of four was supposed to be released every few weeks, but they were only offered at three locations.

Clark's 2004 Card

By the time the inaugural biscuits team hit July, the team was in last place and their cards didn't get dropped off anymore. I would say that the 2004 Entec Biscuits team set is among the most rare of Biscuits memorabilia to be found. Im not sure where in the set Big Mo would have been given away, but its more of a promotional item than a player card. It may not have made it into circulation.

Not that a 2004 Biscuits Entec set doesn't exist, but it was hard to impossible to put together. The Biscuits have never offered a mascot card for sale at the Biscuit Basket that I know of, so I am gonna stand by calling it a Big Mo rookie card in the team set!



HISTORY LESSON
We will get it out of the way early, then carry on in that theme! For Biscuits notes, scroll on down to Biscuitville!

JULY 29 1972 
Montgomery's Paterson Field hosts the Southern League AllStar game, Bucky Dent homer wins it in dramatic style!

I gotta get more Paterson photos!

Down a run late Dent drives a ball over the wall to win the game in a wild premonition of things to come later in his career. It looked alot like this...

With Montgomery hosting the 2015 AllStar Game, I have some suggestions coming that I think the Biscuits should consider!

ALLSTAR ENTERTAINMENT

THE BIG MO MASCOT RACE

Kazoo, Pcola

Big Mo

Big Mo should challenge all the Southern Leagues teams mascots to a footrace at Riverwalk Stadium before the All Star Game.

This could become an annual tradition to generate a little extra fun on the field and a friendly competition between teams.

 What could be better than seeing Big Mo leg it out against the other mascots in the league? It would be a great way to build a rivalry between carpet-covered, underpaid staffers.

Southpaw, Jacksonville

Looie, Chattanooga

Not to mention getting the mascots together would be hilarious and make for a fantastic photo for each teams publicity uses.

Not that Big Mo is particularly speedy, but Mo would be able to set the rules of the race, which could be a little more than just from first base to third base. Who knows...



Speaking of Mascots...

 DJ KITTY
We want DJ Kitty at the 2015 Southern League AllStar Game!

We didn't get the Rays popular feline mascot at the spring exhibition game this year, but perhaps we can get the Tampa Rays Tuxedo Cat to come to town next June for the festivities.

Astro approved

The mad popularity of the dubstep kitty video at Biscuits games and the association with the Rays make DJ Kitty a popular choice, fans love it!

BISCUITS HOMESTAND NOTES

Get grounds crew a new hose

DONT OH-FER THAT GUY

Everyone has a bad day. Great players use them for motivation.
When Taylor Motter went hitless on Monday, he took time after the game to reflect and refocus.

 A few weeks ago Motter was the last to leave the dugout after going OhFer and has been the Biscuits hottest hitter since. Hopefully this will refuel the fire!



BRING UP THE REINFORCEMENTS

Why have we not gotten any help from Charlotte yet? They have some players screaming for promotions at positions we need the help in.


NO LEO YET
I asked about Leonardo Reginatto 2b/ss/3b but it doesn't seem his arrival will happen anytime soon.

Reginatto

Apparently hitting .316 with 14 steals and a miniscule 11% strikeout rate isnt good enough to get out of Port Charlotte.

Only three hitters have higher batting averages in the FSL than Reginatto, all of them have been promoted to double-A. Also second in the FSL in runs scored, second in hits, second in slugging percentage,

NO TYMO

Also off the list is Ty Morrison, the rehabbing outfielder has little chance for a Biscuits return this season.

NO PAT
Neither are we likely to get a look at Patrick Leonard. Currently crushing FSL pitching with an .876 OPS, which is second in the league, boosted by his 13 homers. Leonard is tenth in his league in batting average and leads the Florida State League in total bases.

NO COYLE
StoneCrabs second baseman Thomas Coyle is third in the league in stolen bases and is batting a fine .251 with five homers. I didn't even look up a photo.

No, it isn't coming at all

Big Mo Rookie Card, Lefty Problems & Lively NoNo

BIG MO ROOKIE CARD
How come Big Mo doesn't have a card in the Biscuits team baseball card set?

Kids love Big Mo

He never has, though he has been with the team since the start, the Beast has yet to have a rookie card.

I think we should put the athletic trainer and strength coach together on one card. That would finally get Big Mo a card in the set.

Oh yeah, Mo gettin a card!

I know we don't want to disrespect the trainers and coaches, but kids would probably get more out of one Big Mo in the pack than having TWO more coaches cards - those guys don't even wear a uniform!

I asked and was told that it could indeed happen, so maybe we will finally see the first of my suggestions get adopted and Big Mo will have a rookie card in 2015! Now, how about....



Giveaway Jersey Shirt

David the Biscuit

Every team in baseball has done this, its time for the Biscuits to offer up a series of giveaway shirts with former Biscuits name and number.

Add it to the already popular T-Shirt Cannon stock and offer them up once a month as giveaways with players like Longoria, Price, Hellickson, Jennings and others


SUGGESTED SPONSOR - Candlewood Suites already does the shirts well!



Bark in the Park Every Month

Suggested by Kristin (hope I spell that right!), Mike and their well behaved dog Bee after the recent Sunday Bark in the Park and I agree, there is no call for dogs to be restricted to once a year baseball fun.

Every month could have a Dog Day in the Park, if not every Sunday being a Bark in the Park possibility. Already Sundays are kids day, it would be a chance to get the whole family out in the sun together at the ballpark.

The dogs are better behaved than the kids. Not once have I had to say, "Hey Dog, can you sit down so we can see?"

SUGGESTED SPONSOR- Montgomery County Humane Shelter, Elmore County Humane Shelter, Petsmart or Petco

 

MONTGOMERY BISCUITS

VS LEFTIES

The Suns used lefty-righty pitching matchups vs the Biscuits on Sunday. It didn't work out, the lefty reliever brought in served up a first pitch single before being lifted. Though that matchup play didn't go quite the way it was drawn up, it sparked some interest in how the Biscuits fare versus lefties.

To that end, here is the Biscuits vs Lefties batting average list, thru 7-26.

Maile .340
Motter .339
Brett .333
Malm .277
Hager .265
Segovia .258
Shaffer .210
Carter .182
Seitzer  .167
DePew .167
Argo .164
Guevara .154

 Ouch.
I didn't realize we had so much trouble with left handers.


PITCHING VS LEFTIES
batting average against thru 7-26

Burns .125
Markel .125
SP Colla .231
SP Garvin .238
SP Mateo .247
Bellatti .257
Garrido .271
SP Gomez .271
Lara .308
Lollis .313
Patterson .313
Suarez .324
Stowell .341
SP Floro .347

Double ouch, we have trouble getting lefties out!
Tough numbers there, as Burns and Markel are so new that I figure its just a matter of time before the southpaws in the league knock their Batting Average Against on par with the rest of the staff. 


I am noticing a trend with lefthanders and Biscuits, I wonder how much Tampa views us as the place where their players have to figure out left handed opposition.

HISTORY LESSON

JULY 28 1909
JACK LIVELY'S NO HITTER

Montgomery pitcher Jack Lively throws a no-hitter against Little Rock, walking none, but one man reaches via error to break the perfect game.

I asked Jack's son Buddy Lively about the game, his father spoke of it often when listing his baseball accomplishments.

The elder Lively was proud of his no-hitter and said the error was an easy fly ball dropped by a lazy outfielder early in the game. He got the next hitter to ground into a double play and nobody thought about it again until the game was over and they realized it was the only baserunner in what should have been a perfect game.

Also, Jack had an RBI hit in that game, part of the reason he was so proud of it, he did all the work himself!

July 24 Mateo NoNo Anniversary, Getting Crabs, Stats Speak Greek

A YEAR AGO...
Its been one year since Victor Mateo tossed the first No Hitter at Riverwalk Stadium. He is still in the Montgomery rotation a year later, mowing down double-A hitters and anchoring the Biscuits pitching staff.

Victor Mateo throws a pitch that won't be hit, July 24 2013

BRETT INJURED?

Ryan Brett left with an injury tonight. I didn't catch what it was that caused him to be lifted for Heck-tor Guevara, but hopefully its not serious.

Brett has been one of our most productive players both with the stick and the glove. The silver lining for Biscuits fans is that this could delay his promotion, hopefully until after the playoffs.


I say that because I am waiting for the annual exodus of Skitz, as though the Tampa front office has a vested interest in Durhams extended stay hotels and short-term apartment leasings.

THE ONLY TIME WHEN GETTING CRABS ISN'T BAD

Hopefully it won't be long before we get some Crabs. It would be nice to get something as opposed to sending Biscuits away never to be seen again.

Guys like Leonardo Reginnato and Patrick Leonard are knocking at the door for the promotions, as are Maxx Tissenbaum and Riverwalk fan-favorite Justin O'Conner.
Pitching wise, we could get a late season look at Austin Pruitt, Reinaldo Lopez or Kevin Brandt late in the season.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING 

MOUNDSMEN

Mateo

Starting pitcher Dylan Floro gets alot of ground balls. At home at Riverwalk he has faced 258 hitters, 128 hit the ball on the ground.

Starter Victor Mateo has allowed 19 bases stolen while he was on the mound, only two runners have been caught.

SPELLING RELIEF

Burns

Bullpen ace Cory Burns leads all pitchers in the Rays organization in swinging strikeouts with over 36%. Outstanding!


Reliever Parker Markel gets the most swinging strikes and has the lowest Zone Contact rate of any Rays pitcher.

Relief pitcher Matt Neil leads the bullpen in getting hitters to swing at bad pitches, his O-Swing Rate is 17.8%.

Guevara

HARD HITTING SKITZ
HECKTOR
Utilityman Heck-tor Guevara is leading the Biscuits in Line-Drive Percentage with 23.3%, hitting the ball hard to all fields.

MOTTER-POWERED
SS-OF Taylor Motter leads the Biscuits in home runs at Riverwalk, having bashed nine balls onto the railroad tracks. He's also tops in RBI at home, driving in 28 and runs scored with 26.

Argo

WILL-HE?
Of speedy outfielder Willie Argo's 22 stolen bases, 17 have been in road games. Only five have come at home. With just about 35 games to go, the Biscuits record may be out of reach.

Hak Ju Lee and Desmond Jennings each swiped 37 bases.
The Montgomery All-Time SB record is 56, set in 1961 by Michael Holodick (i know, i know, i can't make this stuff up)

BISCUITS WITH 20 STEALS
mahtook 25 2013
Omalley 24 2013
bortnick 23 2012
hak ju lee 37 2012
omalley 24 2011
salem 23 2010
eldridge 20 2009
jennings 37 2009
eldridge 24 2008
perez 32 2007
Owens 24 2006
rayburn 20 2006
johnson 20 2006
rayburn 29 2005

MAILE-MAN

Maile

Catcher Luke Maile rakes at home, hitting a tidy .322 at Riverwalk, tops among current Skitz.

Maile also leads the current lineup in OPS, crushing the ball at home to the tune of .912.






PYTHAGOREAN LUCK

pretty good at maths

According to the Pythagorean differential, the Biscuits are lucky to be where they are after having allowed more runs than they have scored.

The old Greek mathematician figures we ought to be five games under .500. Good thing he doesn't have a say in the standings!