midseries vs baybears, rain-out programming

RAIN

So there was ANOTHER rain out, meaning we will have to negotiate another doubleheader. Basically we stink at doubleheaders, especially in Mobile. Saturday we scored four runs and allowed twenty. Victor Mateo and Jake Floethe look to stem the bleeding and attempt to scour a win or even two, which would let the Skitz take the series.


Since there isnt much game to blog about, I thought I would give a few thoughts on our current roster! Sort of like when the rains come down and the announcers havent yet gotten approval to run the Baseball Bloopers reels.

Gardner - Some fans love Billy, some fans hate him. I think hes one of the most dependable managers in the league. He has used team speed well and switches late in the game very well. He does have a tendency to stay with a struggling starting pitcher too long. On the plus side, he gives a great show.

Timmons - Ozzie seems to get along well with everyone. The Biscuits team batting average hasnt done him any favors the past two seasons, but players seem to leave better hitters than they were when they got here.

Timmons coaches hitting

Lichtenstein - A municipality in Baden-Wurtemburg, Germany, created in 1975 from three independent municipalities. Iconic artist using pop-culture images and cartoon designs. Also a pitching coach, though less is known about that.

PITCHERS
Colla - Mike is a newcomer to the Rays and has been pitching great ball in the rotation. I see him as a guy who is making the most of the opportunity. Undefeated in starts made north of I-10.

Colla

Fleming - Marquis is usually excellent out of the pen and one of the smoothest characters to don the flakey Skitz raiment.

The real 'quis

Floethe - Jake has trouble pitching deep into games and allows too many walks. He has great stuff and I expect him to improve quickly at this level.

Jake F.

Hamren  - Erik has a funky stance on the hill, but so far it works okay, though he also needs to cut down on the walks.

Hubbard - Austin is an alabama native, always cool. However he has 19 hits allowed and only 9 strikeouts in 16.1 innings. That ratio needs to be flipped if he wants to keep playing close to home.

Lara - Braulio can be frustrating to watch. He has great stuff, but gets hit hard. He has allowed a hit in all but one of his last ten appearances out of the bullpen. Also he gives up at least one walk each time out, but is able to get punchouts in bunches. He is one of just two lefties in the pen, so we can expect to see lots of him.

Braulio plays to the camera

Mateo - I complained about Victors pitching a few weeks ago, and he went out and made a great start right afterwards. And lost. He is winless since mid-may. He was demoted to the bullpen, made ONE appearance and was thrust back into the rotation on June 14th. And lost. Nice guy tho.

Nevarez - Matt is injured, but when not hurt is one of the biggest guys and hardest throwers on the team. In nine games he struck out 13, picked up a pair of wins and only gave up a walk every other time out, instead of each inning like some of our relievers. Get well soon, Matt!

Patterson - Jimmy is back with the Skitz and good for multiple innings. Not a high pressure situation guy right now, as the Southern League is hitting over .270 against him. He does a good job holding up a nice lead or in a mop up role.

Romero - Enny is the prospect on the pitching staff. He has been hitting triple digits on the radar gun with such regularity that we are starting to wonder if the Riverwalk gun needs repair. He wont be with the Biscuits much longer, too good to stay.

Sandoval - the one-eyed closer is back from a bad stint in Durham to take over as co-closer. He throws HARD.

Schenk-  Neil has been with the Biscuits in parts of three seasons, with this one being his worst campaign to date. His numbers for this year are probably damaged no matter how well he pitches from here out, its tough for a reliever to bring down an ERA this late in the year. Even worse at home, his road era is 4.50 but he carries a 7.02 earned run average at Riverwalk. Good stuff but terrible luck this year. The other left hander in the bullpen, Schenk will be given ample chances to work out the rough spots.

Schenk

Suarez - Who? Albert had two starts before injury forced him to the DL. Neither was good.

Thompson - Jake is probably pitching for his life at this point. A streaky pitcher this year, he seems to get in a groove for a couple starts then gets hit hard in back to back games. He is a tough competitor and bears down with runners on base. However, since opponents are hitting .291 against him he has to bear down often. Jake has great stamina and is able to pitch deeper into games than most of our other starters.

FIELDERS
Acosta - Mayo is a great guy but some fans raise questions about the catchers baseball acumen. Once this year, with two out and a runner on base with a three ball/two strike count, Mayo scooped up a dropped third strike. Instead of throwing to first to complete the routine "Strikeout 2-3 putout" Mayo saw the runner at first running to second base and tried to throw out the runner stealing the base. Runner safe at second, batter safe at first on the strikeout, inning continues. Hitting .186 hasnt won him any fans, but he is hitting .375 so far in July. 

Mayo Acosta playing first, Jake Thompson on the mound

Thomas - Mark was struggling for the first couple months, giving the Biscuits a pair of light hitting backstops. In a concerted effort to help him turn things around, a group of fans has taken to heartily cheering him at home games, and Thomas rewarded them by hitting over .200 in June. However he has fallen back to earth in July, hitless since the calendar flipped eight days ago.

Mark Thomas

Castillo - Keith was off to a hot start as a switch-hitting designated hitter. Rumors around the park say he is bound to take a bite into the games Thomas and Acosta will catch in the second half, but so far that hasn't come to pass. Born in July of 1987, Keith is the oldest active Biscuit.

Estrada - Robi has the best voice over for the radio broadcast, he's really enthusiastic! He had a horrible month of May, hitting a paltry .133, which drag his season numbers down. Hitting .256 in April and .263 in June should be more in line with the pace I expect from the 5'10 middle infielder from Los Angeles. Valuable switch hitter in the batting order or off the bench.

Robi Estrada playing second

Guevara - Hector has already been in the middle of some big moments for the team, and he just arrived! After hitting a tidy .245 in the FSL Hector has just seven hits in 41 at bats for Montgomery. Born October 1991, he is the youngest Biscuit, born nine months after Enny Romero.

Welcome to the team, Hector!

O'Malley - Shawn, known as "Sh-Omalley", with an emphasis on "show", is one of our most consistent players. His .263 average and 17 stolen bases were really important to the team in the first half. He has drastic splits, hitting just .220 at home but over .300 in away games.

ShOmalley

Price - Robby, known as RMFP for his game winning walkoff homer vs the Wahoos seven foot closer, Loek Van Mil, he has shown to be a clutch performer in late innings. The lefty hitter has just a .221 batting average but I expect that to rise in the second half. He also is an excellent bunter.

Seitzer - Cameron is a natural first baseman. I think its a no-brainer that he was ready for double-A defensively, and after hitting .206 in May the lefty batted .333 in June and showed great strides facing Southern league pitchers. Cameron is a doubles machine, with 21 already. He had to wait until June before swatting his first home run, but you only have to wait a minute and a half thru this vid to see it!

Torrez - Riccio was an unknown when he took over third base for us this April, but has proven to be solid defensively and clutch at the plate with a .296 average with runners in scoring position.

Glaesmann - Todd drew a rain turtle at Riverwalk, and now the Biscuits have had to endure repeated weather problems, so we have to hope that he learned why you dont use weather totems in double-A or higher. He has 8 homers, which wouldnt be many on most teams but give him the lead for Montgomery.

Kang - back for a third round as a Biscuit, Kyeong is a dangerous lefty slugger who plays acceptable defense in the outfield. He fakes not speaking English in spite of the fact that he went to the same high school as Jeff Francouer. A .274 average and 6 homers to show for his 56 games with the Biscuits, he is one of the more consistent bats in the lineup.

Kiermaier - Kevin made the SL AllStar Team, and deservedly so. He's hitting over .300 and has double digit steals. Especially potent in road games, hitting a whopping .347 away from Riverwalk. Also an excellent defender, he will likely be looking for a Durham residence before the end of the summer.

Kiermaier batting vs Bham in May

Mahtook - Mikie is a top ranked prospect, but while some may see him not developing due to his average dropping 40 points from last year. However he has shown great strides in his outfield play, making highlight reel catches and showing off a plus arm in right field. He does still clank occasional easy fly balls. He is good in big at bats though, hitting .284 with runners in scoring position. I think Mikie will bring his average up by the end of the season, but will finish around last years .248 average.

Mahtook on base

Morrison - TyMo is hurt. No word yet on when he might return, but we need him.

Morrison

Tinoco -  Steven is hitting just .171 and could be in danger of being sent back to Port Charlotte. A role player, his last ten appearances date back to May, going as many as seven games between at bats. With three hits in May and two in June, Steven stands to have his best month of the year in July as he already has one hit and still over three weeks left.

Steven Tinoco - no picture

HISTORY LESSON

Joe Pepe & the 1909 Climbers

Pepe is able to retain his infield job in 1909 and repays the teams faith by hitting .219 and never again hits lower than .220 in any season the rest of his career.

Pepe appears in 100 games or more every season from age 16 on, except for 1918 when he only gets into 92 games for the PCL Los Angeles Angels. Joe is a dependable infielder who doesn't wow you with the bat but is known as a good glove man with speed.

Feb 19, 1910 Climbers news

1910 Montgomery Climbers

In 1910 Pepe bats .231 in just over 100 games, but late in the year sustains a season ending injury in a stolen base attempt during a road game in New Orleans.

Atlanta Constitution had good coverage of the injury, it affected the Atlanta Crackers pennant hopes!

The Sporting News covered Montgomery and Joe Pepe's broken leg

Galveston News report of Pepe injury

Three seasons as a Climber under skipper Ed Gremminger, 360 games, 250 hits and a .214 average in total for Joe Pepe in Montgomery. Baseball Reference doesnt list Climbers home runs, but Pepe has at least one each season after leaving Montgomery.

After 1910 several players were let go by the Climbers, and Joe Pepe was left looking for work.

Herb Juul and Joe Pepe given Waivers for Release, end of 1910 season

Biscuits Series at Mobile, July 4th

Jammed again

The Smokies took the Grape Jelly series at Riverwalk in a hard fought five games.

Included in the set was the best start of the year from Victor Mateo, which went for a loss. Jake Thompson was unable to get out of the second inning in the blowout first game, which also resulted in a 13-0 Skitz loss and the final game in which Floethe suffered the defeat. The victories came from Enny Romero, who is lighting up the radar gun to triple digits and a walkoff win in extras when the Gump-skitz score in the ninth to tie and tenth to win.

It was a great series and except for the blowout game one, it seemed the teams were very evenly matched. Perhaps we will get to see the Smokies again in the playoffs.

COMING UP NEXT

 Over the next twenty-one days the Biscuits will face the Mobile BayBears ten times.

Repeat Customers

If you hear someone say "Hey did you know I was the one who designed the Southern League schedule?" you should strike them severely about the face and neck. No mercy. 

Other than this five game set with the Smokies, we are in the middle of a summer of repeats. We can go to Mobile and see the BayBears twice in the next three weeks, we are about to host the Pensacola Blue Wahoos for the THIRD time since June 2nd, just a month ago.

We have seen the Blue Wahoos, the Stars, Blue Wahoos, Smokies and now we get Blue Wahoos again. Its an "Every-Other" team is the same schedule!

Hey, Southern League - can you come up with a schedule that doesn't suck?

No. You can't. I know you can't. We have a patch on the side of the Biscuits hat that tells us how long we have been waiting.

SERIES VS MOBILE

This is the team that won the South Division by hanging around till the last week, then getting a good draw in playing Pensacola in the final series. Mobile hasn't made many changes in the past month, so they are fielding the same team that has been playing well and the Biscuits will have their work cut out in this series.

great Biscuits dont die, they get sent away

Montgomery took the five game set vs Mobile at home in April, winning three of five games. The two losses consisted of a game in which the Biscuits scored ten runs but lost and an extra inning game that got away.

Also in that series was the record-setting 12 run inning by the Skitz, so its safe to say that runs were flowing when the two teams met last. However since then we have sent SP's Buschmann, Kelly and reliever Riefenhauser to Durham so our pitching staff is MUCH thinner than it was in April.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Look for bullpens to be a major factor, as long as the Biscuits starters can keep the team in the game. Runs could be scored in bunches, no lead is safe for either team and the bullpens will be tasked with shutting down the runs.

Look for the Biscuits to keep shuffling the batting order. Kiermaier banged a knee in the final game and could get a day or two off, or maybe an appearance at DH. However Mahtook being moved to batting second and Seitzer hitting third will probably stick until Mikies average goes up or Camerons OPS goes down.

DOESNT MEAN AS MUCH TO THEM

Oddly, this series means nothing to the BayBears. Having won the first half, a team has little motivation beyond padding stats and staying healthy until the playoffs over two months from now. Even for the Biscuits this game is only a game for wins and losses, as our record versus this team in head to head competition won't be a factor for playoff potential as it would with any other team in our division.

BayBears starters are:
Thompson vs Hagens in Game one
Archie Bradley
Andrew Chafin
David Holmberg
Bo Schultz
Daily pitching matchups listed tomorrow -assuming the horrid Southern League website updates them.

HISTORY LESSON - JOE PEPE, MONTGOMERY CLIMBERS SHORTSTOP

When we last left off, Joe Pepe had spent two seasons with C-Class Macon, maturing from a fifteen year old rookie to a young infielder who had leaned how to make plays in the field to get noticed and keeping cool in the clubhouse to NOT get noticed! Playing alongside a team much older than himself is a trend he will learn to live with, and his defensive range is good enough that he gets noticed by teams throughout the south.

 JOE PEPE JOINS MONTGOMERY

In 1908 Montgomery invites the 17 year old to play for the team, called the Senators that season. Joe Pepe responds by hitting .193 in 137 games but is excellent afield and probably tried not to be too noticeable among the boisterous Climbers players, some of whom were in the majors before Joe was born.

Montgomery in the first ten years of 1900 is as active as it ever is, almost progressive. Streetcars make for great public transportation, the river still offers good commerce and city leaders have managed to put the town on the same level with larger cities by being a prime railroad stopover. Not quite as bawdy as New Orleans or Memphis, but not far behind.

1907 Montgomery at night

First class hotels, gas light lined streets and a lively night life are budding in this era between the end of the Antebellum south and the birth of the Jazz ages as the former Capitol of the Confederacy tries to look ahead, tossing itself fully into the 20th century with a distinctly southern drawl.

1908 in Montgomery sees the opening of the all-black Lincoln Cemetery, the unveiling of the statue of Robert E. Lee that now sits in front of Lee High School. The Gay-Teague Hotel is completed and opens for business. The city forms an Anti-Tuberculosis League organized by Dr.Greil and prohibition is dawning on the state as votes are being held on making counties "wet or dry" on the sales of alcohol.

Even the capitol building itself grows, additions to the building are in full swing.



 MONTGOMERY'S TEAM

Jimmy Ryan

The Montgomery team is a solid club when Ed Gremminger takes over as manager from Jimmy Ryan."Pony" Ryan isnt as much of a pony anymore, the 45 year old outfielder hits just .191 for the Senators before stepping aside for Gremminger. Yet he brought a pedigree of greatness, a deadball era stalwart for Chicago NL for most of his long career. Ryan stole over 400 major league bases and hit over 100 home runs in his 18 big league seasons.


1908 sees Joe Pepe at shortstop in 137 games. He struggles at the the plate, but at age 17 he is one of the youngest players in the entire circuit. The league average age for hitters is twenty-seven and most of Joe's own teammates are older than that. Not counting Ryan, there are at least seven Montgomery players over the age of 30 on the team.

1908 Montgomery Senators

Middle of the Jelly Series

After two games its a good time to look at the state of the Grape Jelly Series.

Smokies ate up game one

Game two was buttered in extras

One game each so far, the first game was the Blowout victory for the Smokies and the Skitz could do little to stem the bleeding.




Game two went the other direction, the low scoring game gave the Biscuits late life. A nice string of at bats in the ninth and tenth innings is what gives Montgomery fans reason to stay after the YMCA.

THE LIGHT IS ON
Cameron Seitzer had a big night, and may have turned the corner on hitting in the Southern League. He shows alot of great skills around the base for a player who just skipped High-A ball, and all that was missing was the hitting. Well, its not missing anymore.

SMOKIES PITCHING COACH
Jeff Fassero was nice enough to sign a baseball for me and I got to ask one of the questions that I have for members of the 1994 Montreal Expos - Was it tough to vote to go on strike? I never ask how they voted, but I get the impression that the Expos team wasnt unanimously in favor of the walkout.

Fassero said it was a tough meeting, worse than most and noted that at the time, the players were being told that it was only expected to last a few weeks.
He also agreed with my assertion that it was pretty much what killed MLB in Montreal. He seemed to not be aware of the current efforts to bring baseball back to the city, but said he supported the concept and said that it was a great city to play for.
Thanks coach!

CALLED UP TO IOWA

Giansanti

Anthony Giansanti tweeted that he was headed to DesMoines in the morning, sent to triple-A and blessed to have the opportunity. Very cool for him, its a great step in his career, good luck Tony!

Also cool that I already had him sign my Smokies team-signed ball! haha

Wonder who they will get in his place?



HISTORY LESSON
JOE PEPE - MONTGOMERY SHORTSTOP

I know at least one faithful blog-reader said they didnt finish the Pepe info from yesterday, so I included the end of the Macon info from yesterday - with the two most interesting guys for the 1906 Macon Brigands that would have been an influence on our rookie infielder, Joe Pepe.

Spade

Bob Spade - 1906 Macon
Bob Spade is the best player on the '06 Brigands in terms of being a rising prospect.

Spade won 16 games for Macon in 1906, then moved on during the season to log another four victories in Akron. Less than a year after he was winning games in C-League lots for Macon he was tossing a shutout for the Cincinnati Redlegs.

Debuting in 1907, Spade would pitch in 62 major league games over the next three seasons, compiling a record of 25-24 with 36 complete games, 4 shutouts and a career ERA of 2.96.


In 1908 Bob is with the Cinci Redlegs as they play Negro and Latin teams in the very first Cuban-American Major League Clubs Series which takes place in 1908. Each year from 1908-1913 an invitational winter series would take place involving one MLB team, one Negro league team, one team from Cuba and one team from Mexico in a pre-WBC international competition. Spade is 2w-3L in this series, which is considered "Negro League" level games by Baseball Reference but is in actuality the height of international baseball competition in the first twenty years of the 20th century.


Jack Quinn - 1907 Macon
In '07 Jack Quinn is a rookie pitcher, but at age 23 is already seven years older than Brigands shortstop Joe Pepe.

Maybe.

Jack Quinn is a man of mystery for baseball researchers who look to Macon as the start of the career of this unsung legend. No two sources list the same birthdate, the city of his birth is in dispute and even his birth name is up for debate. This is one of the most fascinating players in baseball history, and very little is known about him, though much is conjectured.

Born around 1883, perhaps in Slovakia, perhaps Russia, Greece, or even Pennsylvania and likely arriving in the states as a child, he found work in the coal mines of Pa. at around the age of 12. He changed his name from Johannes Picus/Joannes Pajkos to Jack Quinn.

After working in the mines for a few years, as an eager teenager he heads west to seek fortune. He doesnt find it, and returns home to Pennsylvania in 1900. One afternoon that summer he is watching as teams warm up for a semi-pro game. A ball rolls toward him and he is asked to throw it back - which he does with such velocity the manager offers him to pitch that very day, five dollars for a win and two-fifty even if they lose.

Jamie Moyer's role model

He won, got the five bucks and began a career as a pitcher, winning more major league games than Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Juan Marichal, Whitey Ford, Dizzy Dean and a host of other Hall of Famers. Known as a spitballer with control, Quinn tossed a "dry spitter", fastball and changeup. During his career he developed a reputation for being a control pitcher, always among the leaders in fewest walks per game.

Debuting in 1909 and pitching his final game at the age of 50 in 1933 Jack Quinn had 247 wins, a fantastic 3.29 career ERA. He is credited with 57 saves as well as 28 shutouts, mopping up as a reliever between his own starts. He appeared in three world series, one with the Yankees and winning two with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1929 and 1930.

Pitching until the age of 50, his name is the one often referenced when Jamie Moyer did anything significant because of his age. Quinn was the oldest person to throw a shutout, oldest to hit a homer, oldest to start a game, etc etc etc.

Overlooked to this point by Cooperstown, partly due to Quinn's own quiet nature and avoidance of the spotlight, its probably just a matter of time before Jack Quinn is given a plaque at the shrine of baseball.




Joe Pepe spends two seasons with Macon, 1906 and 1907, learning from veteran players like these guys.

1906 Macon Brigands, Pepe's first team

Grape Jelly Series - Montgomery Edition!

The Grape Jelly Series continues today at Riverwalk stadium where the home-team Biscuits host the visiting Tennessee Smokies in a battle royale of breakfast foods that can be served with grape jelly. Or jam.

Tennessee leads the North Division early in the second half and will be hungry to extend that lead at the expense of the Biscuits who need to pick up the series win in order to maintain the pace of the South Division race. This is my favorite series of the regular season!

Let the puns continue -

ON THE PLATE

For this matchup the first order of business is for Biscuit starters to be hot and fluffy in the heat of "the oven" instead of flaking out and going flat. The Smokies are able to make toast of fat pitches and will have no problems battering biscuit tossers if the Skitz hurlers dont put them on a strict diet of breaking balls.

SERIES VS TENNESEE SMOKIES 

STARTING JUNE 29th

Mgr Bailey vs Biscuits

DISH MASTER
Veteran manager Buddy Bailey has over 1500 wins and puts his teams into contention on a regular basis, regardless of the depth of talent on the team. Bailey seems able to have pulled the best results from the rosters has been given, seemingly before most of his current wards were born. He is a former catcher himself and has done much to improve the Cubs catching, which was in a sad state for some time!

SMOKIES ROSTER

Catchers:
Rafael Lopez - Fla state collegiate, lefty hitter has four homers and .253 average in 51 games

SS Alcantara

Chad Noble - Texan has just 18 games with Tn, batting .243 on the year between tn and daytona, but leads team in BABIP

Infielders
1b Justin Bour - big first sacker has five homers, is a lefty power surge waiting to happen
1b Jonathan Mota - .245 and five homers, from Valencia Venezuela

3B Villanueva

ss Erismendy Alcantara - 10 homers, switch hitting infielder from the Dominican
ss Elliot Soto- glove man, smooth defensive infielder
2b Ron Torreyes - right handed Venezuelan is hitting .262
3b Christian Villanueva - 8 homers from the Mexican third baseman. On the Cubs 40 man roster


Oufielders

Matt Szczur

Johermyn Chavez - Southern League veteran hitting less than the Mendoza line in just over 20 games
Anthony Ginsanti - florida native is hitting .257 this season
Matt Szczur - Cubs prospect is batting .300 with 17 stolen bases. On the Cubs 40 man roster
Rubi Silva - 9 homers, 8 sb from the Cuban lefty hitting outfielder

Closer Batista

Relievers

Frank Batista, Dominican righty has ten saves as the Smokies closer

Trey McNutt - Alabama native has two wins, two saves and five losses out of the Smokies pen. On the Cubs 40 man roster DL'd on 6/28

 Kevin Rhoderick - two saves in 21 games from the Arizona native this season

RP Rosscup

Hunter Cervenka - Texan lefty is two wins and one loss in ten games for the Smokies

Zach Rosscup - Oregonian lefty has one win, one save, 25 games and a great 2.05 era. Leads Smokies with over 31%Kswinging rate.

Spot starter Yeiper Castillo oh and two as a smokie thru 6/27

Dae-Eun Rhee - on disabled list/rehab

Francescon

P.J. Francescon - right hander from tennessee is a recent addition to the smokies bullpen, was starting in high-A Daytona until the promotion. Has 85% ground ball rate!

Jeffry Antigua - veteran lefty reliever added 6/28

Tony Zych - in 25 games the Illinois native has two wins and four losses to go with a 3.66 era

 PROBABLE PITCHERS

Jokisch

 Starter Erik Jokisch has 15 starts, one complete game, a 3.57 era and five wins this season, and could get a start in the series, but wasnt listed in the probable pitchers at this writing.

Cabrera

GAME ONE
Alberto Cabrera - Six foot-four inch tall Dominican right hander is 7-3 with a 3.53 era in 15 starts. On the Cubs 40 man roster

Kirk

GAME TWO
Austin Kirk - Lefty from Ok, 1w-1L in four double-A starts since promotion from Daytona.

Hendricks

GAME THREE
Kyle Hendricks 8-2 with a splendid 2.17 era in 15 starts, attended Dartmouth

Beeler

GAME FOUR
Dallas Beeler - in nine starts the big Oklahoman has a great 3.13 era and four wins

Morris

GAME FIVE
A.J.Morris -  Texan right hander has been in 18 games, making four starts towards a two win and zero loss record. One of the best BABIP pitchers for Smokies.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Someone is going to be toast this weekend and it might be the fans who will be baked in the heat of "the oven". Temps are starting to soar into the 90's and we shall soon see what, if anything, the team has planned for fans to beat the heat!

The Smokies were not much to write home about in the first half but have been given a shakeup over the past few weeks and it seems to have given them life. As a result, they are without prospect infielder Jae Hoon Ha and Ty Wright, both promoted to triple-A in recent weeks. This could affect their play in this five game set.

The Biscuits usually play to the level of their opponents, so I expect a tough series at home, and each game should be close in score, except the blowout game that the Skitz seem to have once a homestand.

Biscuits and Smokies are both good with grape jelly and both score runs at about the same rate, though in different ways. Look for the Smokies to run the bases with team speed that the Biscuits have had trouble stopping in previous homestands. Expect the Biscuit defense to be a difference maker in the series, the team with the fewest errors afield is usually the one that takes the series.

Look for the Biscuits to continue to be vexed by the long ball now that the weather has warmed, Skitz pitchers are already the most generous givers of the gopher ball. On the other side of the coin, Montgomery hitters have the most trouble reaching the fences and are last in the league in homers.

However we lead the league in triples, and have more than three times as many as some clubs, which shows we can run a little bit.