Note the last three posts on RYAN CHURCH, then factor in that Churchie was only used as a pinch hitter tonight against Houston’s Woody Williams, a RIGHT hander. Wily Mo Pena played left field, Nook Logan center. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Ryan took advantage though, he banged a single.
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In the Arizona Rookie League Sunday DANNY DUFFY suffered his toughest outing of the summer. The Lompoc lefty with the Rookie Royals gave up two earned runs in three-plus innings, the first time that has happened all season. The total represents half of his total for the year: 4. He also took the loss, his second of the campaign. On the positive side Duffy struck out seven and walked none, that’s ZERO. So, his numbers are still spectacular—30 innings pitched and he’s allowed only 19 hits. He has fanned 55 and walked just 14. His earned run average is a miniscule 1.19. He should have one more outing before the season ends on Aug. 31.
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In Lakeland, Florida CHRIS WHITE rapped two hits today for the Gulf Coast League Tigers, the third straight day he has done that. This hot streak brings his BA to .257…
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Looks Like a Platoon to Us
Friday RYAN CHURCH (picture here by Mike Collins http://www.collinsfoto.com/) was going to be platooned. Sunday he was back in the starting lineup. Today, well....
Regardless of what the Washington Nationals SAY, let’s look at what they DO.
To us it looks like Churchie, no matter what you call it, is being PLATOONED since Wily Mo Pena arrived. Church plays against righthanded pitchers only.
On Saturday he sat on the bench against Met lefthander Oliver Perez as Pena made his debut.
On Sunday Ryan played against Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, a righthander. On Monday he played again (this time in center field) against Houston righty Jason Jennings.
But tonight, against Astro lefty Wandy Rodriguez Church sat the bench again.
Some people might say that four outfielders are being shuffled into three spots. Uh, no. Pena and Austin Kearns have played every day. It looks like a Church/Nook Logan platoon to us!
Austin Kearns is an interesting case. Kearns remember has played all season and has been less productive than Church but there has been no talk of trading HIM or of platooning HIM.
Why? Well, he once played in Cincinnati with Wily Mo Pena when, guess who, Nationals general manager Jim Bowden, was GM there. Bowden also brought Logan to the Nationals. So of the four contending outfielders only one is not a Bowden recruit—that’s Church. Now all this Reds-ifying of the Nationals may be fine if the Reds had won anything while Bowden was there, but go look it up. They didn’t.
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It’s football season. Here’s Lompoc Locker Room’s first in a series of Lompoc football biographies of current college players. This one comes from Penn State’s official website.
"Making the transition from offense to defense, LYDELL SARGEANT spent most of the 2006 season as an effective reserve cornerback and an important member of the special teams, seeing action in every game. With the move of Tony Davis to free safety at the start of spring practice, the former wide receiver seized the opportunity to demonstrate his ability to become a significant contributor for the defense. He and A.J. Wallace likely will enter preseason camp competing for the starting cornerback spot opposite Justin King, Sargeant's long-time friend and a former classmate in the Gateway school district near Pittsburgh. Sargeant's substantial progress during spring drills gained the attention of the coaching staff, who selected him as the recipient of the Jim O'Hora Award as the defense's most improved player."
To us it looks like Churchie, no matter what you call it, is being PLATOONED since Wily Mo Pena arrived. Church plays against righthanded pitchers only.
On Saturday he sat on the bench against Met lefthander Oliver Perez as Pena made his debut.
On Sunday Ryan played against Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, a righthander. On Monday he played again (this time in center field) against Houston righty Jason Jennings.
But tonight, against Astro lefty Wandy Rodriguez Church sat the bench again.
Some people might say that four outfielders are being shuffled into three spots. Uh, no. Pena and Austin Kearns have played every day. It looks like a Church/Nook Logan platoon to us!
Austin Kearns is an interesting case. Kearns remember has played all season and has been less productive than Church but there has been no talk of trading HIM or of platooning HIM.
Why? Well, he once played in Cincinnati with Wily Mo Pena when, guess who, Nationals general manager Jim Bowden, was GM there. Bowden also brought Logan to the Nationals. So of the four contending outfielders only one is not a Bowden recruit—that’s Church. Now all this Reds-ifying of the Nationals may be fine if the Reds had won anything while Bowden was there, but go look it up. They didn’t.
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It’s football season. Here’s Lompoc Locker Room’s first in a series of Lompoc football biographies of current college players. This one comes from Penn State’s official website.
"Making the transition from offense to defense, LYDELL SARGEANT spent most of the 2006 season as an effective reserve cornerback and an important member of the special teams, seeing action in every game. With the move of Tony Davis to free safety at the start of spring practice, the former wide receiver seized the opportunity to demonstrate his ability to become a significant contributor for the defense. He and A.J. Wallace likely will enter preseason camp competing for the starting cornerback spot opposite Justin King, Sargeant's long-time friend and a former classmate in the Gateway school district near Pittsburgh. Sargeant's substantial progress during spring drills gained the attention of the coaching staff, who selected him as the recipient of the Jim O'Hora Award as the defense's most improved player."
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Church to Remain a Starter After All
Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta announced Sunday morning that newcomer Wily Mo Pena will not platoon with RYAN CHURCH (photo by Mike Collins http://www.collinsfoto.com/) after all.
Saturday Pena, acquired from the Red Sox on Friday, started in left field as the Nationals brain trust had been saying he would. Church sat on the bench. But on Sunday Acta changed his mind. He told the press that Pena would play regularly in right field, rightfielder Austin Kearns will move to center, and Church, once a centerfielder, will remain the starting leftfielder which he has been all season. The odd man out is centerfielder Nook Logan. The reason, Acta claimed, was better defense. Yet the defensive whiz of this group is Logan. Sound fishy?
Why the change? My guess is that Acta knows, unlike home-run addict General Manager Jim Bowden, that Church brings too many intangibles to the table. He plays good defense, runs the bases well, and has done everything the team has asked. Relegating him to a part-time role upsets team chemistry. Here's the "official" announcement reported by Bill Ladson of MLB.com--
WASHINGTON -- In order to get a better defensive alignment in the outfield, manager Manny Acta decided to put Wily Mo Pena in right field, Ryan Church in left and Austin Kearns in center.
Of the three players, only Kearns is out of position, but Acta believes that Kearns can get the job done based on the great instincts he has in right field. Sunday will mark the sixth time Kearns has played center field this year.
"Instead of two out of three guys out of position, I'm just going to have one guy, but [Kearns] is probably the best suited guy to be there," Acta said. "Kearns has been tremendous. He is one of the best I've seen. When the ball meets the bat, Kearns is already moving. For his size and all that, he moves very well."
As for Pena, it appears he will stay in right and work with first base coach Jerry Morales on the art of playing the outfield. Pena said recently that right field was his best position.
"[Pena] is going to work every day. I already talked to him," Acta said. "He is a hard-working kid. We are going to try to keep everybody at their best position and make them comfortable just like today."
LHS Football Foto Day
The highlight of Saturday's Lompoc High football photo day was not the big guys but Dallas Canley, Cody Bommerbach, and D'Artagnan Canley ready here for their photo opp.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Nats Acquire Pena, to Platoon Church
Bill Ladson of MLB.com reported Friday that Wily Mo Pena had been acquired by the Washington Nationals from the Red Sox and that he will take over left field from RYAN CHURCH against left handed pitchers.
WASHINGTON -- In need of improving their power production, the Nationals acquired outfielder Wily Mo Pena from the Red Sox on Friday afternoon for a player to be named.
Pena, 25, will report to Washington on Saturday, while the Nationals are expected to make an additional roster move at that time....
General manager Jim Bowden declined to say who Washington will give up for Pena at a later date. Besides hitting home runs, Pena strikes out often and is considered a mediocre outfielder. Pena will make $1.8 million this season and Boston will be paying all but the pro-rated minimum.
"His power works at any stadium," said Bowden. "He is a good kid with a big heart. He has got to be driven. You have to stay on top of him. You have to get him to work hard. "I thought we made a good trade. Certainly in Boston's case, Pena is not the guy you carry in a pennant race in the role he had there. He has to play."
Bowden -- who had acquired Pena from the Yankees in 2001 when he was general manager of the Reds -- had pursued him again from the time he became the Nationals' GM in late 2004. This year, according to sources, Bowden was intent on acquiring Pena at a discount because he is having the least productive season of his career. Entering Friday's action, Pena was hitting .218 with five home runs and 17 RBIs on a part-time basis with Boston.
Last season, however, in Pena's American League debut, he hit .301 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs in 84 games with Boston. Pena was acquired by the Red Sox on March 20, 2006, from the Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Bronson Arroyo and cash considerations.
As a member of the Nationals, Pena returns to the National League, where he hit 51 home runs in only 302 games with the Reds from 2002-05, an average of one long ball every 16.2 at-bats. Pena's best season came with Cincinnati in 2004, when he hit .259 with 26 home runs and 66 RBIs despite playing in only 110 games, sharing time in the Reds' outfield with Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns. With increased playing time and at-bats in '04, Pena averaged one home run every 12.9 at-bats, including one every 9.6 at-bats when facing left-handed pitching.
Nationals manager Manny Acta said he plans to platoon Pena in left field with Ryan Church. Acta said Church took the news well, but Church declined to talk to the media about his reduced role.
"This guy has a lot of potential," Acta said of Pena. "He has not been able to play a full season. We know he is going to strike out a lot. Power guys do that. We are very interested in his potential. We need a power bat in here and I think he is going to bring that over here."
It's no secret that the Nationals have been disappointed in Church's offensive production. Entering Friday's action, Church was hitting .265 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs, while struggling against left-handed pitching. Church has been on the trade block for many months, but Washington hasn't come close to a deal.
"Sometime acquisitions can motivate other players to step up their game. We give players opportunities. No one is ever going to be given a job here," Bowden said. "I think Church has done well lately. ... But this isn't about Ryan. He was not traded. Do I like competition? Sure."
Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
WASHINGTON -- In need of improving their power production, the Nationals acquired outfielder Wily Mo Pena from the Red Sox on Friday afternoon for a player to be named.
Pena, 25, will report to Washington on Saturday, while the Nationals are expected to make an additional roster move at that time....
General manager Jim Bowden declined to say who Washington will give up for Pena at a later date. Besides hitting home runs, Pena strikes out often and is considered a mediocre outfielder. Pena will make $1.8 million this season and Boston will be paying all but the pro-rated minimum.
"His power works at any stadium," said Bowden. "He is a good kid with a big heart. He has got to be driven. You have to stay on top of him. You have to get him to work hard. "I thought we made a good trade. Certainly in Boston's case, Pena is not the guy you carry in a pennant race in the role he had there. He has to play."
Bowden -- who had acquired Pena from the Yankees in 2001 when he was general manager of the Reds -- had pursued him again from the time he became the Nationals' GM in late 2004. This year, according to sources, Bowden was intent on acquiring Pena at a discount because he is having the least productive season of his career. Entering Friday's action, Pena was hitting .218 with five home runs and 17 RBIs on a part-time basis with Boston.
Last season, however, in Pena's American League debut, he hit .301 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs in 84 games with Boston. Pena was acquired by the Red Sox on March 20, 2006, from the Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Bronson Arroyo and cash considerations.
As a member of the Nationals, Pena returns to the National League, where he hit 51 home runs in only 302 games with the Reds from 2002-05, an average of one long ball every 16.2 at-bats. Pena's best season came with Cincinnati in 2004, when he hit .259 with 26 home runs and 66 RBIs despite playing in only 110 games, sharing time in the Reds' outfield with Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns. With increased playing time and at-bats in '04, Pena averaged one home run every 12.9 at-bats, including one every 9.6 at-bats when facing left-handed pitching.
Nationals manager Manny Acta said he plans to platoon Pena in left field with Ryan Church. Acta said Church took the news well, but Church declined to talk to the media about his reduced role.
"This guy has a lot of potential," Acta said of Pena. "He has not been able to play a full season. We know he is going to strike out a lot. Power guys do that. We are very interested in his potential. We need a power bat in here and I think he is going to bring that over here."
It's no secret that the Nationals have been disappointed in Church's offensive production. Entering Friday's action, Church was hitting .265 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs, while struggling against left-handed pitching. Church has been on the trade block for many months, but Washington hasn't come close to a deal.
"Sometime acquisitions can motivate other players to step up their game. We give players opportunities. No one is ever going to be given a job here," Bowden said. "I think Church has done well lately. ... But this isn't about Ryan. He was not traded. Do I like competition? Sure."
Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
ESPN Zone Interviews Church
By Michael Phillips, MLB.com
WASHINGTON -- RYAN CHURCH's appearance at ESPN Zone had been scheduled weeks in advance, but it couldn't have worked out much better than it did on Thursday.
During Wednesday night's game, Church launched a home run into the upper deck of RFK Stadium, his 10th of the season. Sure enough, the first question he received Thursday was about the home run.
"That time I got it," he said. "You can always tell, it comes pretty light off your bat, and that's a good feeling."
Church was the participant in a monthly series in which notable Nats take questions from fans during the lunch hour at the Washington ESPN Zone. Judging by the fans' response, Church was also the most popular. Before he took the stage, every table in the room had filled. That didn't deter the dozens of people who stood in the waiting area to watch the event.
Radio broadcaster Charlie Slowes moderated as fans asked Church questions on a variety of topics.
Question: What was it like to be standing in left field when Barry Bonds hit his 756th home run?
Church: I'm never going to forget that moment. To be able to say I was there and I saw it, and in the stands; I was actually in left field, and that's the same position Barry plays. I was honored to stand on the same grass. We haven't been in the playoffs, so I don't know what that atmosphere is like, but I think that was probably a playoff atmosphere. I don't even remember seeing the ball in flight because of all the flashes that were popping. I just heard the crack of the bat. It's something I can tell my kids and grandkids, and they'll continue to play it on TV like they did with Hank Aaron's. It was something pretty special.
Question: When I was growing up, the season began in mid-to-late April. Now it starts in late March, which can create weather problems. What do you think about that?
Church: It's global warming (laughter). We have 162 games, so you can't really fault anybody for the scheduling. It's tough because there are so many teams on the East Coast, and that time of year it's freezing, and there's nothing you can do with mother nature. Unless we all pack up and go West, there's really nothing you can do. As a ballplayer, you've just got to put on as many layers as you can and wait for the sun to come and heat you up.
Question: Three of the next four starting pitchers you're going to face are left-handed. How do you prepare for that?
Church: Most lefties that are starters are crafty. They're not going to blow you away with speed, but they have good sliders and curveballs. I think the biggest thing for me is to not try to pull the ball. I try to go over the shortstop and drive the ball into the left-center gap. The biggest thing for us is that if the pitcher does make mistakes, you've got to do something with it. We can't leave guys on base. If we've got the chance to move a guy over, we've got to do that. We've got to take full advantage of every opportunity we get.
Question: In 2005, you swung at a lot of breaking balls, but have made big improvements since then. What did you do to work on that?
Church: The biggest thing for me is laying off the low stuff, because everybody's got a way they're going to pitch to you. If I chase, they'll continue pounding that spot. I want to make sure everything's up. That allows me to stay up and swing off my front foot. It also helps when you've got coaches in the dugout yelling at you to stay off that stuff.
Question: Growing up in California, what team did you root for?
Church: I was actually a Giants fan. My favorite player was Will Clark, until he was traded to the Rangers. My older brother was a Dodgers fan, so we used to go after it and battle -- brother stuff. I actually got to meet Will Clark in 2001 in Hickory, North Carolina, at an All-Star game where he was the guest speaker. It was special. I still am a Giants fan, but I have to keep it on the inside.
Question: What's your favorite ballpark to play in?
Church: That would have to be Cincy or Philly (Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia). They both have really short fences and the ball flies well.
Question: How excited is the team for the opening of the new ballpark next year, and how does it affect the players?
Church: It's just the excitement that it's going to bring, because nobody ever played there before, and we are going to have that opportunity. I was just over there during the last homestand and got a tour of the place, and just wait until you see it. It's going to be spectacular. I think it's going to be one of the best parks out there. Especially for the Minor League guys, they'll have something to look forward to. That's their cathedral. That's where they want to get to. I think when the fans come out there and pack it, that's really going to be something to see.
Question: Watching the team sign its top 20 Draft picks, how important is that to have a good farm system?
Church: I think the biggest thing is that they always said they wanted to restock and replenish the farm system. I think it's true when [general manager] Jim Bowden says there are arms down there and they're coming sooner rather than later. I think there's some can't-miss guys that you're going to be seeing in the next couple years, and we're looking forward to learning how to play and win together.
Question: You showed good patience at the plate earlier this season. Is that something you've learned how to use to your advantage?
Church: I'm trying to get back to that. Manny [Acta] last month mentioned something to me about what my batting average was in certain counts, and it's important at this level. These guys have game plans; they're going to pitch you certain ways. It's about laying off stuff and being patient and waiting for your pitch. Lately, I'm getting back to where I was at the beginning of the year. A big part of success at this level is being a patient hitter.
Question: What kind of exercises do you do before the game?
Church: We have a team stretch before batting practice, but for me personally we have our own team masseuse, with the shiatsu massage. I want to be able to run out there every day and avoid injury, so I get stretched out and make sure I stretch after the game. The main thing is about 20 minutes before the game I go out to the field and run a couple sprints.
Question: Does it bother you to hear your name mentioned with trade rumors?
Church: That's something that as players, we can't control. It's just like the media, when they write something bad you've just got to brush it off. For me personally, I just want to finish strong this year. It's up to the front office, all I can do is make it hard on them.
Question: What's the Nationals clubhouse like?
Church: Dmitri [Young] comes in there and is a big teddy bear. He always has a smile on his face, and if you're having a bad day he'll cheer you up. [Ronnie] Belliard is the same way. We're just one big unit and that's how we go out and play. It's a big thing. If you have stuff going on with guys fighting, we saw in 2005 the team will start lose that unity. We have it; we're all a tight-knit group and we're having fun.
Question: What do you do in the offseason?
Church: Golf (laughter). I just take a month off, then start hitting the weights, throwing and hitting. But yeah, I play a lot of golf.
Question: What's it like facing Tom Glavine and John Smoltz?
Church: Those are two names I grew up watching. I was a big fan of the Braves when I was a kid, too. It's a great feeling to step into the batter's box against those guys and be able to say that I did that. It's even nicer if I can say I got a home run off of them.
Michael Phillips is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
WASHINGTON -- RYAN CHURCH's appearance at ESPN Zone had been scheduled weeks in advance, but it couldn't have worked out much better than it did on Thursday.
During Wednesday night's game, Church launched a home run into the upper deck of RFK Stadium, his 10th of the season. Sure enough, the first question he received Thursday was about the home run.
"That time I got it," he said. "You can always tell, it comes pretty light off your bat, and that's a good feeling."
Church was the participant in a monthly series in which notable Nats take questions from fans during the lunch hour at the Washington ESPN Zone. Judging by the fans' response, Church was also the most popular. Before he took the stage, every table in the room had filled. That didn't deter the dozens of people who stood in the waiting area to watch the event.
Radio broadcaster Charlie Slowes moderated as fans asked Church questions on a variety of topics.
Question: What was it like to be standing in left field when Barry Bonds hit his 756th home run?
Church: I'm never going to forget that moment. To be able to say I was there and I saw it, and in the stands; I was actually in left field, and that's the same position Barry plays. I was honored to stand on the same grass. We haven't been in the playoffs, so I don't know what that atmosphere is like, but I think that was probably a playoff atmosphere. I don't even remember seeing the ball in flight because of all the flashes that were popping. I just heard the crack of the bat. It's something I can tell my kids and grandkids, and they'll continue to play it on TV like they did with Hank Aaron's. It was something pretty special.
Question: When I was growing up, the season began in mid-to-late April. Now it starts in late March, which can create weather problems. What do you think about that?
Church: It's global warming (laughter). We have 162 games, so you can't really fault anybody for the scheduling. It's tough because there are so many teams on the East Coast, and that time of year it's freezing, and there's nothing you can do with mother nature. Unless we all pack up and go West, there's really nothing you can do. As a ballplayer, you've just got to put on as many layers as you can and wait for the sun to come and heat you up.
Question: Three of the next four starting pitchers you're going to face are left-handed. How do you prepare for that?
Church: Most lefties that are starters are crafty. They're not going to blow you away with speed, but they have good sliders and curveballs. I think the biggest thing for me is to not try to pull the ball. I try to go over the shortstop and drive the ball into the left-center gap. The biggest thing for us is that if the pitcher does make mistakes, you've got to do something with it. We can't leave guys on base. If we've got the chance to move a guy over, we've got to do that. We've got to take full advantage of every opportunity we get.
Question: In 2005, you swung at a lot of breaking balls, but have made big improvements since then. What did you do to work on that?
Church: The biggest thing for me is laying off the low stuff, because everybody's got a way they're going to pitch to you. If I chase, they'll continue pounding that spot. I want to make sure everything's up. That allows me to stay up and swing off my front foot. It also helps when you've got coaches in the dugout yelling at you to stay off that stuff.
Question: Growing up in California, what team did you root for?
Church: I was actually a Giants fan. My favorite player was Will Clark, until he was traded to the Rangers. My older brother was a Dodgers fan, so we used to go after it and battle -- brother stuff. I actually got to meet Will Clark in 2001 in Hickory, North Carolina, at an All-Star game where he was the guest speaker. It was special. I still am a Giants fan, but I have to keep it on the inside.
Question: What's your favorite ballpark to play in?
Church: That would have to be Cincy or Philly (Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia). They both have really short fences and the ball flies well.
Question: How excited is the team for the opening of the new ballpark next year, and how does it affect the players?
Church: It's just the excitement that it's going to bring, because nobody ever played there before, and we are going to have that opportunity. I was just over there during the last homestand and got a tour of the place, and just wait until you see it. It's going to be spectacular. I think it's going to be one of the best parks out there. Especially for the Minor League guys, they'll have something to look forward to. That's their cathedral. That's where they want to get to. I think when the fans come out there and pack it, that's really going to be something to see.
Question: Watching the team sign its top 20 Draft picks, how important is that to have a good farm system?
Church: I think the biggest thing is that they always said they wanted to restock and replenish the farm system. I think it's true when [general manager] Jim Bowden says there are arms down there and they're coming sooner rather than later. I think there's some can't-miss guys that you're going to be seeing in the next couple years, and we're looking forward to learning how to play and win together.
Question: You showed good patience at the plate earlier this season. Is that something you've learned how to use to your advantage?
Church: I'm trying to get back to that. Manny [Acta] last month mentioned something to me about what my batting average was in certain counts, and it's important at this level. These guys have game plans; they're going to pitch you certain ways. It's about laying off stuff and being patient and waiting for your pitch. Lately, I'm getting back to where I was at the beginning of the year. A big part of success at this level is being a patient hitter.
Question: What kind of exercises do you do before the game?
Church: We have a team stretch before batting practice, but for me personally we have our own team masseuse, with the shiatsu massage. I want to be able to run out there every day and avoid injury, so I get stretched out and make sure I stretch after the game. The main thing is about 20 minutes before the game I go out to the field and run a couple sprints.
Question: Does it bother you to hear your name mentioned with trade rumors?
Church: That's something that as players, we can't control. It's just like the media, when they write something bad you've just got to brush it off. For me personally, I just want to finish strong this year. It's up to the front office, all I can do is make it hard on them.
Question: What's the Nationals clubhouse like?
Church: Dmitri [Young] comes in there and is a big teddy bear. He always has a smile on his face, and if you're having a bad day he'll cheer you up. [Ronnie] Belliard is the same way. We're just one big unit and that's how we go out and play. It's a big thing. If you have stuff going on with guys fighting, we saw in 2005 the team will start lose that unity. We have it; we're all a tight-knit group and we're having fun.
Question: What do you do in the offseason?
Church: Golf (laughter). I just take a month off, then start hitting the weights, throwing and hitting. But yeah, I play a lot of golf.
Question: What's it like facing Tom Glavine and John Smoltz?
Church: Those are two names I grew up watching. I was a big fan of the Braves when I was a kid, too. It's a great feeling to step into the batter's box against those guys and be able to say that I did that. It's even nicer if I can say I got a home run off of them.
Michael Phillips is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Pepe Torres Leads Young Bulldogs
There’s up-and- coming Lompoc baseball talent you may want to keep an eye on.
The Central Coast Bulldogs, with a mix of Lompoc, Orcutt, and Goleta 14 year old players finished last year's fall season at .700, winning club league tournaments up and down the coast.
Some players to watch are Lompoc’s speedy center fielder PEDRO (Pepe) TORRES and pitcher THOMAS WHITE. The Bulldogs took the championship at their season opening tourney in Santa Barbara this past weekend where stocky Torres crushed one out of the park in game three, and then forced repeated pitcher changes in the championship game hitting back to back to back homers.
That’s right, four home runs in one day! When asked, manager JIM WHITE reported, "It was hot and Pepe was suffering from what looked like some kind of heat exhaustion. We sat him down, but when it came his time to bat, he asked to go back in. One carefully located pitch later and he was rounding the bases. We were shocked to see it happen at his next two at bats."
Also, getting plenty of attention is the lanky White, brother to Tiger Rookie Leaguer Chris White. Last year White finished the fall season with a 1.43 ERA and batted .327. He hopes for the same or better performance this year. In his season opening weekend he faced 39 and struck out 13.
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Speaking of home runs RYAN CHURCH boomed his 10th of the season tonight against the Phillies. He connected on a solo shot off rookie righthander Kyle Kendrick. The tenth round-tripper matches his career high for a season. Going 1-for-3 his average remains at .265…. In the Gulf Coast League CHRIS WHITE went 1-for-4 Tuesday. He has now hit safely in four of his last five games. He is batting .243.... KIRK FRIDRICH has made his choice. The former Lompoc Brave righthander will be playing baseball at Allan Hancock College next season.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Jones Leaves Door Open for 2008
In an interview Friday airing now on Lompoc Locker Room—the TV Sbow, ANDREW JONES said he may return to Bologna of the Italian Football League in 2008 or he may hook on in the United States.
"Right now I’m just concentrating on getting my teaching credential and coaching at Lompoc High," said the onetime LHS, Hancock, and Upper Iowa quarterback. "We’ll just have to see what turns up." A hamstring strain makes a tryout this month for the new All-America Football League doubtful, he added, though a couple arena league teams have expressed interest in him.
The last 12 months for Jones have been a travelogue. After quarterbacking the Lompoc Braves to a CIF title in 2002, and appearing in the state JC championship game with Hancock two years later, he entered his senior year at Upper Iowa in 2006 vying with two competitors for the UI QB job.
Then new Offensive Coordinator Ben Morie entered the picture. "He came from Bemidji State. He brought a spread, wide-open offense. It was a fun offense to be in. He just gave me the marker. ‘If you don’t like the set, get out of it,' he told me. 'Get us in a better situation.’ Right away I got the hang of that and that’s what put me over the top above everybody else.
Jones was so successful he was named National Co-Offensive Player of the Week by D2.com when he threw for 464 yards and three touchdowns in defeating Wisconson-Stout. – "I actually didn’t start the game," Jones remembered. His shoulder had been bothering, but his replacement went down early. "I just went in there and got after it. They were playing man-to-man the whole time and they just never changed anything so I was going to my two main guys. They were just always open. Stout blitzed a lot, like on every other play but our offensive line held strong. Every play I was just going, ‘pass, pass, pass.’ I don’t know the last time I threw 65 passes in a game. I think I had something like 45-for-62 or something like that, more than one year at Lompoc."
For the season Jones connected at a 59% clip throwing for 2,215 yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for 211 yards and 3 touchdowns. After the season he was named all-Northern Sun Conference Honorable Mention and to the NSAC All-Academic Team. Then came a surprise.
Over the Christmas break coach Morie phoned Jones to tell him about an opportunity in Italy. Soon coach Moe Ankney of the Bologna High-Tech Media Warriors called him. Jones sent film and Ankney handed over the quarterback job without a tryout. "They faxed me the contract, I signed it, I got a passport and I was in Italy March 1. "
Football in Italy is different, Jones found. "Football they don’t take as serious as soccer. You’re only allowed two Americans per team. The two Americans get paid. About 15 guys on the team didn’t get paid or anything. They were there because they love the game."
But they don’t know a whole lot about it, Jones found. "They don’t start playing football until they’re 15 years old so some of the players need help with fundamentals. Some of the guys didn’t know how to get into a stance. For me I also had to coach the offense. So it was quite an experience." Bologna made the playoffs but was eliminated in the first round.
Now an assistant to ROBIN LUKEN at LHS Jones is finding talent in the offensive backfield. "Daryl Aguilar and Richie Hirzel will be quarterbacks, running backs will be Little Alonzo and Masson Blow, Favi Vargas and two Moreharts. I don’t have all the names yet."
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Elsewhere DANNY DUFFY issued yet another stellar performance in the Arizona Rookie League Tuesday. He pitched five innings and allowed one earned run on two hits. He struck out a whopping nine and walked three. The run he gave up, just his second of the summer, came when the leadoff hitter for the AZL Brewers rapped a ground single to center, advanced on a wild pitch, stole third, and came home during a double play. With runners on first and third and no outs Duffy kept his head and induced that double play ball. Heady stuff. His nine K's equalled his best of the season.
It's fair to say that the lefthander's statistical totals have reached the "spectacular" mark. He has an ERA of 0.66. He has struck out 48 and walked 14, nearly a 4-1 ratio where 2-1 is considered good. He has given up just 16 hits in 27 innings where anything below a hit/inning is good. Best of all he has pitched 11 innings in his last two outings. They were his two longest performances of the summer, and, since he is limited to 60 pitches per outing, they indicate increased economy of effort. What more could the Royals want?
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In the major leagues RYAN CHURCH went 2-for-3 against the Phillies Tuesday night but the Nationals' bullpen gave up three runs in the eighth to lose the game. The Nats totalled only six hits and only Churchie had more than one. He is now batting .265.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Coe Predicts Four-Minute Mile
MICHAEL COE, pictured here running at the head of the pack in last Spring's Cal-Stanford Big Meet, thinks the four-minute mile is within reach. Not just for others, but for HIM.
In an interview Friday now airing on Lompoc Locker Room-- the TV Show, the Cal miler predicted he would run a 4-minute mile in 2008.
"We don’t run too many miles. This year I did a 4:04. I think I can drop four seconds from there."
He said his first goal however is to make the Olympic trials. "If I can drop three seconds from my 1500 time I can qualify for the trials. I don’t know about making the Olympic team. That’s probably not that realistic." Coe ran 3:46 this year in the 1500. That converts to about a 4:03 mile.
"I also hope to place better in the Pac-10—at least in the top five in the Pac-10 and top five in the regionals."
The high point of Coe’s 2007 season was doing so well in the Pac-10 that he qualified for the NCAA Regional at Oregon and then made the finals there. "It’s a pretty stacked region in the 1500 so making the final heat and running in front of a full crowd at Hayward Field against some of the best runners in the country was definitely a highlight." Coe finished in tenth place, the second freshman. "Next year I hope to be more competitive, maybe be in the top three. The top five qualify for nationals," he said.
Coe added he found the Pac-10 competition far stiffer than in high school on the Central Coast. "I don’t run away with races anymore," he explained. "In high school I could make a move mid-race and it would be over. But in college 1500 races come down to the final kick, the last 200-300 yards. So it’s a whole new level. My kick is good but not as good as some of the top guys. Once I develop my kick I’ll be doing more damage. Some guys have gears I didn’t even know existed."
Coe said the classroom at Cal was as big a challenge as the track. "I had to change my study habits to where I spent a lot of hours reading, studying and cramming for finals. We have good academic support in the athletic programs. There’s academic advisors for each sport. They helped me out a lot." Coe notched a 3.2 grade point average in the fall, 3.5 in the spring.
Coe also commented on his onetime Cabrillo teammate DUANE SOLOMON, the nation’s third best 800 runner. "I don’t know what Duane is capable of," Coe said. "He just keeps surprising people. I’ve known him since my freshman year in high school. For him the sky’s the limit. I think he’s looking at the Olympics next year as a real possibility if he keeps improving. I don’t see what’s stopping him. He’s an amazing talent." Air times for Lompoc Locker Room-- the TV Show are seen on the left.
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Other stuff-- ANDY SHIPMAN returned to the Midland RockHounds' bullpen Sunday after two months as a starting pitcher. His numbers read 4-7 with a 5.60 ERA.... CHRIS WHITE went 1-for-3 Saturday and 1-for-5 Monday after going 2-for-4 Friday to string together a three-game hitting streak in the Gulf Coast League. His batting average is .250.... A correction regarding MIKE WAKEFIELD who is pictured below with his dad, TEXAS BOB WAKEFIELD. The younger Wakefield is not a teacher, but an Assistant Principal.... Bill Ladson of MLB.com is reporting that the Washington Nationals plan to move hard-hitting Dmitri Young from first base to left field next year. Not so quick, says Mr. En Fuego. That's RYAN CHURCH's spot and he's not going without a fight!!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Churchie's Biggest Hit of the Year
The Washington Nationals came back twice Sunday to salvage one game of their three-game series in Arizona. A key blow was RYAN CHURCH's ninth home run, a two-run shot in the eighth inning that MLB.com's Bill Ladson says could have been his biggest hit of the year. Why? Because Church hit it off a lefty and there are decision-makers in Washington who would like to make Churchie a platoon player: against righties only.
"Left-hander Doug Slaten entered the game for Arizona and gave up a two-run homer to Church to tie the score at 5," wrote Ladson. "Church knew it was gone the moment he hit it as he stood and watched it go over the right field fence.
"For Church, it was arguably his biggest hit in a Nationals uniform. All year, he had problems hitting lefties. He was hitting .222 with no home runs this season against southpaws.
"'In that situation, I was able to get in a good hitter's count -- 3-1 -- got a fastball and did something with it,' Church said. 'Coming up through the Minor Leagues, I have always been able to hit lefties. It's just one of those things where you want to get in there on an everyday basis and see them at-bat after at-bat.
"'These guys that come out of the bullpen -- those lefty specialist -- they are dirty and they are supposed to do one job and that's to get you out with that nasty stuff up there. I hope it carries over the next time I face another lefty out of the bullpen.'"
Church went 2-for-4 to lift his batting average to .262. The Nats are idle Monday. They arrive in Los Angeles August 27.
"Left-hander Doug Slaten entered the game for Arizona and gave up a two-run homer to Church to tie the score at 5," wrote Ladson. "Church knew it was gone the moment he hit it as he stood and watched it go over the right field fence.
"For Church, it was arguably his biggest hit in a Nationals uniform. All year, he had problems hitting lefties. He was hitting .222 with no home runs this season against southpaws.
"'In that situation, I was able to get in a good hitter's count -- 3-1 -- got a fastball and did something with it,' Church said. 'Coming up through the Minor Leagues, I have always been able to hit lefties. It's just one of those things where you want to get in there on an everyday basis and see them at-bat after at-bat.
"'These guys that come out of the bullpen -- those lefty specialist -- they are dirty and they are supposed to do one job and that's to get you out with that nasty stuff up there. I hope it carries over the next time I face another lefty out of the bullpen.'"
Church went 2-for-4 to lift his batting average to .262. The Nats are idle Monday. They arrive in Los Angeles August 27.
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