Generals vs Biscuits What To Look For, On Sullivan, History Weekly

A few notes ahead of the Biscuits home series vs the Generals. The Biscuits have won eight of their ten last games, the Generals have been idled by weather for most of the past week, though technically they have also won eight of their last ten games played.

The Generals are in second place, just a game and a half behind Montgomery. The Generals are also tied with Bham at 1.5 games back. The Smokies, still reeling from the five L's handed to them in Montgomery, are eight games behind and slipping fast. The Lookouts have lost ten straight games to occupy the division basement.

With the Montgomery Biscuits in first place and having already won the first half, the Jackson Generals currently hold the wild-card for the playoff spot. Its a hefty lead for Jackson, ten games over the Lookouts in the full season tally.

In the other division, Biloxi won the first half and refuses to give up first place, leading by a game over Jacksonville, two over dead-bears-walking Mobile. The Wahoos (4.5) and Braves (5.5) round out the standings. 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR?

There have been a lot of things change for both these teams since their last face off, which at times was a literal face off.

The Generals won that series but lost the war, they dropped the next two series and the Biscuits rebounded to win the first half. Both teams rosters have changed in the interim, making it tough to predict.

Tough, but not impossible.
The Generals lead the league in homers, runs scored, RBI and OPS. They bang the ball off the walls, or over it, look for them to use power bats to produce runs. Particularly Jazz Chisolm, Jamie Westbrook and Jeffrey Baez, the danger zone of the Generals batting order.

Look for good pitching on both sides. These two teams have excellent pitching this season, limiting baserunners and runs scored at about the same rate. The Biscuits are the leagues stingiest for handing out free passes with the lowest walk rate in the circuit, the Generals are a close third.

The Biscuits run, look for them to keep running. Getting thrown out five times in one game didn't stop them, no reason to change game plans now.

Jackson is last in the league in stolen bases. Look for them to run as well, they cannot be happy about being last.

New Skit Jim Haley brings more plus speed to the fastest lineup in the South, look for Jim at third base when afield and running swiftly between bases when the Biscuits are at bat.


MAKES SENSE!
Montgomery is the only team in the league with a combined ERA under 3.00, which goes a long way to explain the teams success this year. Fans have commented that the Biscuits often score three runs a game, it makes sense that allowing just 2.95 runs a game ensures plenty of wins.

STRIKE THROWER

Lhp Josh Fleming

Josh Fleming has allowed the most hits (104) in the league, yet his low WhIP of 1.22 is eighth best in the circuit. To offset the base hits allowed, as has been his habit in previous campaigns, Fleming has walked just sixteen of the four hundred ten batters he has faced!

BISCUITS TURNOVER

Padlo and Fox, promoted to Durham

The second half turnover is in full swing, Lucius Fox and Kevin Padlo are the latest to seek apartments in Durham. Sam McWilliams went north last week alongside Jesus Sanchez.

Sam McWilliams leaves as the Southern League leader with a 2.05 ERA.
Lucius Fox leaves as the Southern League leader in stolen bases with 31.

Arriving to fill the roster spots vacated are infielder Jim Haley and outfielder Tommy Milone. Milone having rehabbed his injury and played his way back to double-A, Haley getting his first taste of Biscuits life.

Expect more moves from the team in the coming weeks as teams roster adjust for the MLB trade deadline.




ON BRETT SULLIVAN

I have been meaning to write about Brett for some time now, the guy is one of my fave players to watch, as is the case with many fans I talk with. A quiet leader on the field, Sully has been an unspoken captain for the Biscuits since his arrival.

The guy simply does it all, need a hit he whacks it, need a big catch, he grabs it. Play left field? Sure. Catch all nine plus extras? Of course. Pitch mopup in a blowout? Absolutely. When not in the game, Sullivan is perched on the rail watching every pitch. What more can any manager ask from his guys!

Sullivan on the rail with Miles Mastrobuoni

two way threat Brett Sullivan

Brett Sullivan differs from the average player on the Biscuit roster the past season or three. Born a few months before the strike of '94, Brett is a little older than some of his teammates. Not bearing a prospect label, Sullivan is one of those players who works for his supper, which helps endear him to the average fan as well as students of the game.

Captain Sully does what is needed, losing playing time behind the plate didn't slow him. Switching to left field looks easy when Sullivan bangs against the wall in front of the video board to make yet another amazing catch.

Used to be when a ball was hit to left, fans said "uh-oh, that ones trouble". These days, there is less trouble in left field than there used to be.

even the guy tagging him appreciates his hustle

Sullivan throws well, behind the plate or in left field. He runs well, having double-digit swipes now four straight seasons.


On the surface, it looks like Sullivan has thrived at the plate while learning a new position. A check of the stats says in fact, he is simply doing Brett Sullivan things as always. A few less at bats this year, but at the plate his batting average is right on track from last season and actually a tick below his career numbers.

Defensively, and this is what blew me away, Sullivan is statistically similar in left field and when catching.

In 2018 as a catcher, Sully had a .996 fielding percentage, this season his percentage in left field is .995 - all solid numbers. I don't have access to catcher metrics, certainly the Rays have seen fit to move him from behind the dish, probably something not evident by simple fielding percentages.

But it says much about a guy who is a little older, switched positions, hasn't been promoted since 2017, hasn't worn the prospect label, and yet still gets it done at the level he expects from himself.

The Biscuits need this guy six games a week, but I would think the Rays are running out of reasons to say he needs to stay in double-A.

#BULLPENLIFE

Most of the articles here are copied directly from the original, typos and everything. Sometimes I will fix glaring mistakes that distort readability, but mostly I like to leave it as-is.

JULY 18 1970 

Big John Young stole the run!

Rebels take first place in SL, beating Mobile in both end of a doubleheader by the same 1-0 score. Jim Foor pitched a three hitter in the first game, outdueling Mobiles four hitter. Marty Barski doubled and then scored on a wild pitch.

In game two, Steve Cushmore struck out seven and gave up just five hits. John Young scored the games only run in unearned fashion when he walked, stole second and raced home on throwing errors by the catcher and centerfielder.

Another doubleheader follows the next day vs Mobile.


JULY 19 1906 
Montgomery Pitcher Bill Breitenstein shuts out Shreveport on 2 hits.


JULY 19 1907 
Montgomery bashes out 16 hits against Memphis pitcher Suggs but only plates six runs.


JULY 20 1968 
Jim Brown of Rebels No-Hits the Charlotte Hornets, his second of the season!



JULY 22 1920 
Montgomery, AL
"Montgomery Sox Swamp Chicagoans
- The Chicago Black Sox colored baseball club team was easily defeated Thursday afternoon by the Montgomery Gray Sox team by the score of 15 to 1.

Sam Streeter

The visiting team putting up a miserable exhibition of the national pastime. Streeter, for the Grey Sox, was a puzzle to the Chicago players, and after the first inning he had his opponents at his mercy. Kemp, who started for Chicago, was easy pickings for the locals, and Smith, who succeeded him, could not check the assault. Williams, Scales, "Red" Cunningham and Herman Cunningham carried off the batting honors for the day, the quartet had little trouble in hitting the ball, when hits meant runs.

Streeter established a record on the local field when he pitched twenty consecutive balls for strikes, without having a ball called by the umpire. 

The Chicagoans came to the city highly rated, and are leading the league in the National league for colored clubs, but their performance Thursday was the poorest seen on the loacl field this season. Nashville opens a three-game series here this afternoon."

JULY 22, 1966
 - The Animals, Hermans Hermits play at the State Coliseum

JULY 22 1967 
Tigers Prospect Southpaw Les Cain throws a No Hitter for the Montgomery Rebels *which I first learned about from reading the back of his 71 topps baseball card!