Big Biscuits v Generals Playoff Preview

The second half North Division Champion Montgomery Biscuits head to Jackson Tn to face the Southern League first half champion Jackson Generals on Wednesday at 6pm.

The Generals pretty much owned the Biscuits in head to head contests this summer, but Bradys Boys think its time the Gens paid the piper. Both teams must have fresh memories of the most recent series that resulted in Jackson earning a sweep over the Skitz.

General Sparky Lyle

If the Generals can take three of five in the first round, there isn't much left for Montgomery to do but tip their cap and call the Generals their daddy.

On the other side, beating the Generals in the first round would free the Biscuits from the monkey that has been on their back all summer and give them the upper hand towards the league title.


However, there is much more than just a rematch coming.

This series both teams have a secret weapon or two to deploy, so lets take a look in the files....

GENERALS WEAPON: THE CLEV
For the Generals, its a rehabbing Major Leaguer in catcher/DH Steve Clevenger.

A reliable backstop and solid lefty power bat in the lineup, Clev played for the Smokies off and on back in 2008-2011.

Since that summer he became a regular backup for the Cubs before being dealt to Baltimore in the Arrieta trade. He was then swapped from the O's to the M's for Trumbo and former Biscuit CJ Riefenhauser.

The Clev was batting .221 with one homer in 22 games with the Mariners when a broken finger sent him to the shelf. Steve went 3-for-4 with Jackson on Monday in his first rehab game. He has a .307 career batting average at double-A, however its been five years since he was at this level.

Steve Clevenger is a friend of mine, one I will be glad to see but not to face in such a big series. I'm probably not alone, the Maryland product knows lots of people from his southern league time as well as having attended Chipola College in FL.


BISCUITS WEAPON: GOOD #2 WOOD

Wood in #2 Biscuits livery

For the Biscuits, Hunter Wood provides a strong weapon that wasn't available during the last series against the Gens.

Wood has faced the Generals though, beating them in his first double-A start on June 2nd.

number nine...

Wood has worn #2 on his uniform since arriving back from the DL. He wore number nine before his injury, an unusual sight - a pitcher in a single digit jersey. I need to ask him why he chooses the single number for his uni.

However, many golfers know that using the even-numbered wood effectively is a winning strategy.

O TOO

Justin O'Conner gets back to baseball

Another surprise in store for the Generals will be behind the plate, where Justin O'Conner lurks with his 80/80 throwing ability. Where the Generals may have Steve Clevenger, the Biscuits counter with Justin O'Conner.

The Gens have not seen O'Conner this season and the prospect catcher has been heating up over the last ten days.

Justin used the last game of the year to hit his first homer, not content with having a zero on the back of his baseball card next spring.

BISCUITS NOTES
The announced rotation is Hu, Honeywell, Kirsch, Wood, Guerrieri. The back end of the rotation could shift, depending on how Mgr Brady Williams feels the matchups dictate.

Chih-Wei Hu

Chih-Wei Hu takes the ball for game one.
Hu has had two starts against the Generals, I would have thought there more but perhaps Chih-wei missed them when he went to the Futures Game.

Hu's two games vs JXN resulted in two losses and two ejections.

His first game vs the Gens was in June, the second in August and both times Hu was tossed for letting his opinions of the officials be known. And for hitting a batter after a home run, but both times the pitches were breaking balls.

Both times Brady Williams agreed with Hu and followed him to an early exit, the second time leaving his mark on the field by emptying the bats and balls from the Montgomery dugout in a classic tirade.

The one game I spent sitting in centerfield this summer!

Pitcher Brent Honeywell has also faced Jackson twice this year, taking a no decision and a loss in spite of allowing just three runs combined in those games. Brent is the announced starter for game two and will take the hill on Thursday against Brett Ash.

rhp Taylor Guerrieri

Taylor Guerrieri takes the ball in either game three or five and hopes it will be "the important one at home".

Unlike several current Biscuits who won a flag with the Crabs in 2014, Taylor has yet to win a league pennant, having TJ that season he missed out. And he wants one now, real bad.

rhp Jeff Ames

Reliever Jeff Ames, hit by a comebacker in the last inning of the last game of the regular season, will miss the postseason with a broken bone in the forearm/wrist area of his right (throwing) arm.

"Probably broken" is what I was told after the game, but I was close enough to see the seam marks on his arm and it looked like a fracture to me. Displaced or non-displaced, it will keep the righthander from throwing his wicked cutter during the playoffs. Noone has told me this, but it doesn't take a crystal ball after seeing the play.

Steve Ascher

Fan favorite Steve Ascher will return to the Biscuits bullpen for the playoffs, filling the roster spot left open by the injury to Ames.

Getting Steve Ascher gives Brady a third lefthander to go to when he wants to mix and match late in games. Ascher was part of the Biscuits combined no-hitter this season, starting the historic game for Montgomery against the Jackson Generals.


Chase Whitley was indeed recalled to Tampa, ending the six man rotation that pushed the Skitz into the playoffs.

Chase was brilliant with Montgomery until his last start when the wheels fell off, the doors came apart at the hinges and the remaining pieces of the car dropped off with the rest in one single brutal frame (tip cap to chris coleman). Other than that one inning, Whitley was excellent!

Now occupying Whitleys spot on the roster is lefty reliever Jordan Harrison, who was activated on the last day of the season.

Harry was also involved in the combined no-hitter. I noticed the lefty Harrison back in uniform and playing catch with fellow southpaw Kyle Bird before a game this weekend. I tell ya, just watching the two port-side sidearm hurlers soft toss the ball back and forth made my own elbow hurt!

Mortensen Monday

Jared Mortensen handled his spot start assignment on Monday with ease, tossing five shutout innings with three punch outs and just one walk in the final regular season match. The breezy conditions may have helped the flutterball action, Morty worked his magic and stranded base-runners in critical situations.


Kean Wong says his hand is "feeling better" but there is no word yet on his status for game one. It is expected he will remain active on the roster in hopes he can get into the series at some point.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR - ROAD EDITION

KNOTHOLE VIEW
Biscuit fans wanting to tune in on MiLB.tv to see their team on the road will have to look for just a two-camera view.

One centerfield camera is stationary, the other is located behind the net and appears to be about four stories above the field. The view is square, as though looking through a four-inch square hole cut in the wall like an old time knothole gang!

The net camera moves sometimes, but is most active in between innings when it pans to the on-field promotion.

Fear not, we can do it!

During the gameplay, one usually gets a view of the pitcher and area around home plate. However when the ball is hit, the view is often of the catcher and home ump watching the play develop. The announcer tells you what happened, but you have to take his word for it!

Also look for the crowd to show up dressed as empty seats. Anyone wishing to enter a witness protection program is still able to enjoy a ballgame at Jackson since the cameras only show one small section of the seats.

LOOK FOR BIG GAME ACTION
In the first game, look for Chih-Wei Hu to dispel the demons that plague him in Generals uniforms. Pitching on long rest, Hu should have the upper hand against a team that has struggled to get hits in the past month.

Look for Brady Williams to go to the pen early if Hu falters, taking the first game is a big advantage in the series.

Tyler O'Neil

Look for Tyler O'Neil of Jackson to try to carry the Generals team. After losing out on the triple crown he could be eyeing the postseason MVP as a nice consolation prize. The slugger is capable of putting a team on his back.

The Biscuits will be looking to use small ball as well as the long ball. Although among the leaders in homers, Montgomery manager Brady Williams isn't afraid to play for one run.

Q

Look for Querecuto at second base if Kean Wong can't play, Brady loves the switch hitter at or near the top of the batting order.

Gens game 1 starter Andrew Moore shut out Montgomery the last time he faced them, but has allowed multiple runs in four of his last six outings. The Biscuits look to make it five of seven.



Look for Sergio Pedroza. In a playoff series the game-changer is often an unexpected player. Sergio turned around a 9th inning fastball in Huntsville in 2007 and brought home the league pennant with the circuit clout.

2007 Montgomery Biscuits, Southern League Champions

A Buttery Buzzsaw, Biscuits Win North Division

 The Smokies didn't stand a chance in spite of tying the game late. Justin Williams thought about hitting a walk off homer, but settled for a double.
Pinch runner Tommy Coyle scored the gamewinning run when Juniel Querecuto's perfect sac bunt was mishandled and thrown for an error.

Q wins it

Players celebrated after the victory, including the required dousing of the skipper with icewater.

Fans who have been following the team all season were jubilant about the victory.

BIG PLAY

Perhaps the play of the game left even the Biscuit players buzzing afterwards about Juniel Querecuto, though surprisingly it wasn't his sac bunt that became a walkoff gamewinning error by the pitcher.

It was his defensive wizardry earlier in the contest. With a runner on second a sharp grounder to 2b Juniel Querecuto looked like a routine 4-3 putout but Q threw to third base and caught the Smokies baserunner by surprise when he arrived.

Third baseman Patrick Leonard wasn't surprised though, he told me that he and Q had talked about that type of play and they were ready when that situation came up!

WHO IS BEST?
Patrick Leonard asked me which team I thought was better, this years or last.

For sure, this years team is better.
Here is why I think so...

While last years team was special and earned its playoff run on good pitching and a lot of heart, this squad brings more quality to the lineup all the way around the diamond.

A huge factor was an injury to Johnny Field in the last weeks of the 2015 season that sapped the Biscuits of their every day left fielder and a valuable bat just ahead of the postseason. This year the team has had its injuries but has mostly overcome them.

OUTFIELD
 Last years Biscuits outfield was manned by two major league quality guys, Goeddel and Rickard were Rule 5-ed to the big leagues based on their play in Montgomery.

However this year the outfield is even deeper, as this team has four quality outfielders. The Gotta-Lee-Williams-Goetzman outfield might be the best in Biscuits-era history, ranging deep and bringing top level fielding. Not to mention they are all quality batsmen.

And if those four just aren't enough, Jake Bauers plays a great right field too!

INFIELD
Across the infield there is no chink in the armor, no soft spot or weakness to exploit.

Adames turns two with ease

Shortstop Willy Adames has superstar range and a cannon arm.

Second base has been Kean Wong, who brings excellent footwork around the keystone sack.  Wong has been slowed by injury in the last week, see below for more.

Behind them are glove man Tommy Coyle and super-utility infielder Juniel Querecuto, the two combine to give the Biscuits perhaps the deepest bench in the league.

Jake Bauers

At the corners, Pat Leonard has been solid around the third base bag, Jake Bauers defends the first base line with flair. Both bring the stick and offer reliable consistency in the lineup as well.

3b Patrick Leonard

PITCHING

Hu

The current pitching staff boasts seven quality starters - Hu, Guerreri, Honeywell, Kirsch, Wood, Whitley and Chirinos.

A better group may never have combined on one staff in Montgomery history, the six man rotation has excelled against league hitters. Last years pitchers were superb, but somehow this team has put together an even deeper rotation.

Sappington and Honeywell

Down in the bullpen, a pair of excellent setup men in Winkler and Ames get the ball to closer Jaye Chapman safely as well as handle ninth inning duty when needed.

Lefty Kyle Bird has been under appreciated, shutting down opponents and putting together a nice season in Biscuits livery.

 There are a few bullpen guys scuffling, Sappington and Mortensen, but both have have some good outings lately, offering hope that they have turned it around just in time for the playoffs.

Closer Jaye Chapman has been showing some Clark Kent but is still the man for the 9th inning. No closer is bulletproof but even when he lets a team score on him the Skitz often manage late runs to bail him out.


CATCHING

Justin O'Conner

Behind the plate, Jake DePew and Armando Araiza have stepped up in the wake of Mike Marjama's injury.

Getting back from injury is Justin O'Conner, who manages to upgrade an already excellent group of pitch receivers.

Soft hands, smart fingers and strict adherence to "Thou Shalt Not Steal" keep the opponents from racking up huge innings more often than not.




TEAM NOTES
I spoke with a couple players after the game, they all said one thing in common "I want to win a pennant for Brady Williams SO bad". Not content to enjoy a second half title, the team seems to look at the playoffs as simply another part of the schedule, getting a day off before going back to work in the first round.

Jared Mortensen is probably in line to start the 5th game of the Smokies series on Monday at noon to finish out the regular season. Yonny Chirinos is expected to get the ball at some point in the final two games as well.

Kean Wong is out of the lineup due to a bruised hamate bone, it is not a wrist injury as reported. No word on how long he is expected to be on the mend, but there are a few days before the first postseason match, lets hope he feels better soon.

Taylor Guerrieri was proud of his pickoff in the clincher, but said it wasn't too tough, giving credit to his catcher. DePew gave the pickoff sign when "that guy had like a fourteen foot lead off" and the runner should have known better!

I have heard two different things on Chase Whitley, one being that he is headed to Tampa's bullpen and the other that he will take the ball in the playoffs for the Biscuits. He is the announced starter for Sundays game, but who knows what the Rays will want him to do.

KIRSCH FINISHES SEASON IN STYLE
I waited until after Chris Kirsch's start on Thursday to tell him he was second in the league in Innings Pitched. I wouldn't want to jinx anyone, right?

 The Lackawanna Lefty will finish the regular season among the top 20 league leaders in several categories: ERA (4th), Strikeouts (5th), Wins (19th) and WhIP (13th) as well as Innings Pitched (2nd).

Overall Kirsch made 25 starts and went five or more innings in all but two. 13 were considered Quality Starts, making him an important part of the staff.

On July 23rd he tossed a complete game shutout with seven K's against rival Birmingham.




#BULLPENLIFE

Southern League on Final Lap of Race

The last series of the regular season and Montgomery has everything to play for. In baseball, there is nothing more to ask for than meaningful games going into the last weekend of the year.

The Biscuits return from Mobile owning the top spot in the North Division as the calendar turns to September.

Autumn approaches but Bradys Boys haven't finished with the summer yet, hoping to push the sun back up in the sky for a couple more weeks of baseball. After last years early exit from the playoffs, the squad feels it has unfinished business.

MAGIC NUMBERS GAME

Super-utility man Pat Blair knows the Biscuits Magic Number!

GRAPE JELLY SERIES TO CLOSE SEASON

Smokies

The Smokies return to Riverwalk, eliminated from playoff contention and just finishing out the string. The only thing the BabyBears have to play for is to act as spoiler, trying to be a factor in the postseason and putting the best lineup on the field that they can.

That said, the Cubs affiliate has fallen off from where it was just a few seasons ago. This Smokies team has played better of late, winning eight of their last ten contests, but even with the hot streak are still six games under .500 in the second half.

Ian Happ

So far this year the Biscuits have handled the Smokies, winning 14 and losing just six in the Grape Jelly Series.

The Smokies prospect ratio is a very low 51, top prospect Ian Happ accounts for more than half of the total. Chesney Young has played his way onto prospect lists, particularly over the last month, but has cooled in the last week. Brad Marky hit the disabled list recently, sapping the team of another noted prospect.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

 

Look at the league scoreboard for the Jackson v Chattanooga score! Any combination of five Jackson losses or Biscuit wins and Montgomery clinches the second half title.


The Smokies will be playing for pride and not glory, but it could still be a tough series for the Biscuits, who have a flair for making things dramatic late. With so much riding on the final five games, look for the Biscuits to be all business.

Gotta goes all out

Goetzman steals second base

Biscuit baserunners will be looking for a chance to swipe a bag, the team is second in the SL in thefts. Montgomery is also second in getting caught, so be careful lads!

Look for a good seat on Saturday, tickets should be available due to the local fascination with amateur football.

Smokies rhp Tseng

Smokies pitchers have looked at more of their offerings leaving the yard than any other club, giving up 96 long balls so far this year. Consequently, their 4.02 team ERA is higher than any other except the Barons.

Look for the Biscuits to go for extra bases. Montgomery is tops in doubles, second in Hrs and has relied on scoring via doubles and homers late in games.

Justin O'Conner

Smokies outfielder Kelly Dugan has been looking fastball and turning on them. With five homers in the last month Dugan is among the hottest hitters in the league right now.

Justin O'Conner will be looking to get going after missing most of the season with a bad back. He has struggled in his first week but could heat up at any moment.

Smokies leadoff hitter Chesney Young is looking for hits, he trails Zach Granite by .003 for the batting title. Smokies catcher Victor Caratini is third.

Look for Miss Gravy, making what could be her last appearances at the ballpark, on Friday and Saturday. You can cross-check the scouting report for yourself!

Be sure to look for the sunscreen before getting to the park on Monday, a noontime start means a last chance for a sunburn. Also, if it doesn't have playoff implications, we could see the game played quickly, how about an hour and twenty minutes?

THURSDAY
Last Thursty Thirsday of the regular season!
Chris Kirsch v Hedges

FRIDAY
Fan Appreciation Night
Last Mega Fireworks of the season!
Hunter Wood v Tseng

SATURDAY
Football Night
Chase Whitley v Skulina

SUNDAY
Kids Day Catch and Run Bases
Taylor Guerrieri v Wagner

MONDAY
Nooner, last game of the regular season!
TBA v TBA



TEAM NOTES
There is no telling what the MLB September roster expansion will do to the Biscuits roster.

Kean Wong was removed for a pinch runner early in Wednesdays game, no word yet on if the move was due to injury or just precautionary.

Tommy Coyle

Tommy Coyle was activated and started at second base. If Kean Wong misses any time, Coyle or Juniel Querecuto would likely play in his place.

Chih-Wei Hu and Brent Honeywell have made their last starts of the season, though they might be available out of the bullpen in the final series. If neither pitcher appears vs TN, it would stand to reason that they would be available for the first two games of the playoffs, should Montgomery make the postseason.

Jake DePew

Granden Goetzman

Outfielder Granden Goetzman is likely happy to flip the calendar after batting just .223 in August, his lowest average of any month this season.

Not so happy about it is  catcher Jake DePew. After struggling to meet the Mendoza line most of the summer in a backup role, Jake has pulled his season average over the mark, by hitting .237 in full time play this month.