*LIVE* Jammers Series Report 7/21-7/22

[geemoney]

First off...here's the first report I did last month (with player notes if I don't have them here):

http://soflamarlins.com/showthread.php?t=4148

It got up to 100 degrees here in Western New York, which hardly ever happens. No air conditioning in the press box, but at least the wind was blowing. With quite a different lineup than the last time they were in town, the Jammers took the first of two in Batavia, 4-2, after losing the previous two nights to the Muckdogs in Jamestown. There were scouts from the Rangers and Brewers at the game, and possibly two others whose credentials I did not see.

2B Ryan Goetz: After playing the hot corner in all three games in Batavia in June, Goetz played second here. He was 0-3 with an RBI, coming on a sac fly in the 7th. He grounded out to the pitcher twice, one of which was a hard line drive that hit Jose Almarante right in the mid-section, and he was able to make the play to first. He had no problems in the field.

LF Kentrell DeWitt (13th Round Pick, 2010; spent 2010 with GCL Marlins; also played with GCL Marlins in 2011): DeWitt was called up from GCL on July 18th. He went 0-4 with a strikeout (swinging) on this night. He has a slightly open stance from the left side of the plate, and stands close to the dish. He struck out on a breaking ball, and defensively, made a nice throw to gun down a runner at the plate who was trying to score from 2nd on a single.

C Austin Barnes: Barnes was also 0-4 with a K (looking on a breaking ball). His other three ABs were ground-outs to shortstop. He committed a throwing error when trying to pick a runner off of first base - it wasn't a terrible throw per se, but the first basemen didn't get over in time to grab it. He made sure to shake the plate ump's hand when coming out to catch in the bottom of the first, which I hadn't seen before from a visiting catcher. He wore something covering his right arm, looking like Under Armour, but not on his left.

1B Jobduan Morales: Jobduan went 1-3 with a run scored, a walk, and two strikeouts (both swinging). Morales has a deeper-than-average knee bend at the plate. He chased one low and away in striking out in the 4th. His single was of the infield variety, as it bounced off the pitching rubber and popped high in the air - the SS who fielded it still may have been able to get Morales at first if he had handled it cleanly. His error was a nonchalant catch of a throw by the 2B in the 7th inning - he reached to grab it but didn't reach high enough and it went off his glove.

3B Josh Adams (13th Round Pick, 2011): 2-4 with a run was Adams' line. Despite being drafted as a SS, he played 3B here and looks like he will/has already outgrown the SS position. On a foul tip in the 4th, he lost his bat, sending it back into the screen. At the plate, he dealt with breaking balls well. In the 2nd, he made a nice play on a high, tricky hop. He had two hits and two ground-outs.

RF Nathan Woods (Signed as an undrafted free agent, 2011; also played with GCL Marlins in 2011): Like DeWitt, Woods was also recalled on the 18th from GCL. He was 1-4 with a run scored, while also lining out, popping out and flying out. His single was a soft bloop into right field. He has good size and doesn't wear any batting gloves. He made good contact on his fly-out, as the right-fielder was able to track it down in the gap. He popped out in the 9th on a 2-0 count.

DH Visosergy Rosa (29th Round Pick, 2010; spent 2010 with GCL Marlins): The lefty Rosa went 2-4 with a run and the only extra-base hit on the night for Jamestown, a double to left (just inside the foul line) that scored the first two runs of the game. Rosa also popped out and flied out. At bat, he holds his hands low until the pitch, when he brings them back up. He also wears an elbowpad on his right elbow. He's a power hitter that strikes out a lot, and the pitchers seemed to work him away. In the second inning, while on third base, he tried to go home on a grounder to third, and was caught.

SS Rony Peralta (Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2007; spent 2008 with DSL Marlins; 2009 and 2010 with GCL Marlins): Peralta was 1-4 with an RBI. He attempted to reach via bunt in the 5th, but poked it a bit too hard, and the pitcher was able to bare-hand it and get Peralta at first. He showed a good arm at shortstop.

CF Marquise Cooper: Cooper went 0-2 with a walk and was picked off of first base in the 2nd. He was initially safe, but either the first basemen stepped on his hand or he jammed it, because he briefly writhed in pain after diving back. The 1B then tagged him and he was out, since no one called time. He was, however, able to stay in the game. He grounded out twice at the plate.

SP Thomas Peale (23rd Round Pick, 2009; did not pitch due to injury in 2010; played for GCL Marlins in 2009; also played with Jupiter in 2011): Peale picked up the victory, going five innings, surrendering two hits, no runs, two walks and two strikeouts. He kept the pitch count relatively low, so I was surprised he didn't go further into the game. His fastball was in the mid 80s (I saw 85 and 86 on the gun), while his curve was clocked at 74. The ball seems to roll off his hand when he pitches. He fielded his position well on the one or two chances he had. He changed arm angle on occasion and has a slow wind-up, sort-of short-arming it to the plate. He labored a bit in the 4th, going to the rosin bag a number of times in that frame.

RP Dejai Oliver (8th Round Pick, 2011; also played at GCL in 2011): This was Oliver's first NYPL game, as he was just called up. In fact, one of the Jammers' players (I think Matthew Neil) had to come up and tell us that Oliver's uniform hadn't come in yet, so he'd be wearing Neil's number. He pitched three innings, giving up four hits, two runs (both earned), three strikeouts and one home run. The first pitch he threw ended up in deep center for a double. The second pitch was hit into left for a single. He's lanky and comes from 3/4, hitting 86 on the gun the one time I saw it. He looked hittable in the 6th, where he gave up three of his hits and both of his runs (on the homer). He had a lot of movement on his pitches and was a whole new pitcher in the 7th, striking out the first two Muckdogs. He showed a nice curve and slider, one of which he got a player to strike out on.

RP Alfredo Buret: Buret notched his 6th save, pitching a scoreless ninth, striking out one and giving up a double. Buret's fastball came in at 91 and 92. His strikeout was on a curveball, getting the batter looking.

Back at it tomorrow night at 7:05 to close out the series

[geemoney]

It was a tale of two games in one for the Jammers, who split this four-game series with the Muckdogs, winning two in Batavia after losing two at home. The first five innings were dominated by starter Matthew Neil, who, with his wife in attendance, twirled shut-out ball during his outing. The second part of the game was the story of the Jamestown bullpen barely hanging on for the 7-4 win, ending with power hitter David Medina flying out to right field, as he was the tying run in the bottom of the 9th. Coming off his bat, it sounded like a HR. This was the final game in the 2011 Jamestown-Batavia series, unless the two meet in the playoffs.

Scouts from the Rangers and Brewers were once again in the crowd, as was a scout from the Phillies (Eric Valent, who played with the Phils, Reds and Mets from '01-'05). Once again, for more info on players, check out the link in the first post of this thread.

2B Ryan Goetz: Goetz was 2-4 with a run, a home run and 2 RBI, as well as a walk. Goetz's home run, his first as a professional, came in the five-run second inning. He grounded out twice, and led off the game with a hard shot that the pitcher was able to field. He also showed good range at second base.

DH Austin Barnes: Barnes was 1-5 with a double and a strikeout (swinging), dipping his average below .300 to .299. He grounded out to short (again) and lined out to right field twice. His strikeout swinging would've been ball four, but aside from that, made good contact. His double was right down the left field line.

SS Terrence Dayleg: Dayleg has seen time at all infield positions this year so far, and a few outfield ones as well. He was 0-3 with a run scored on this night, and was hit by pitch twice (once on the shoulder and once on the back leg). He was robbed of a hit in the first when the CF'er made a shoe-string catch on a liner. In the field, he made a beautiful diving stop for a fielder's choice in the 8th. He shares some of the blame for a pop up single by Casey Rasmus (Colby's brother) that landed between him, the left fielder, and the center fielder.

C Jobduan Morales: 0-2 with a run and three walks was Morales' line, and he now has 18 BB's and 17 K's on the year. Obviously, he showed a good eye at the plate - one walk was on a 3-2 count and one was on five pitches where he didn't even swing the bat. Batavia did steal a base against him, but he made a good throw to second and it was a close play.

LF Kentrell DeWitt: This was a game to forget for DeWitt, who went 0-5 with a run and three strikeouts. He also grounded out and reached on a fielder's choice, the latter of which was a check swing up the middle. A good throw would've had him at the plate as he scored in the 2nd inning. The offspeed pitches fooled him all night, and he waved at several when striking out. In the 9th, when trying to add more runs, he struck out with two runners on and no outs. He also failed to beat out a swinging bunt to third in the 5th. In the field, he lost a ball in the lights, resulting in a double and a run scoring in the 9th.

RF Nathan Woods: On the other hand, Woods was the man tonight, going 4-5 with 2 2Bs. He didn't get cheated in any of his hits, hitting the ball hard on all of them. He had a hard line drive single in the second, and lined one off the pitcher's glove for an infield single in the 3rd. Both doubles were scorched. He did get gunned down at 3rd base going from from 1st to 3rd on a single in the third. Because of this, the runner ahead of him who scored was waved off by the umpire, as he deemed Woods was out before the run scored. It was close, but I thought the run scored. He misplayed a ball off the wall in right, leading to a triple for Virgil Hill in the 6th.

1B Visosergy Rosa: Rosa was 2-5 with 2 RBIs and 2 K's. He saw a steady diet of breaking balls, and both strikeouts were the result of them. He also reached on a fielding error by the third baseman.

3B Rony Peralta: Peralta was at short last night, and he's also played 2B this season for Jamestown. He was 2-4 with a run, an RBI and a walk. He grounded into a double play and popped out as well. His second inning single landed just in front of the right fielder. His single in the 8th found a hole just under the glove of the first basemen - if he had leaned over a bit more, he may have picked it. He got caught in a DP in the 8th after not getting back to first on a line drive.

CF Marquise Cooper: Cooper was 1-4 with a run, two RBIs, and a strikeout. He was also caught stealing for the first time this season. He's only hitting .181, disappointing for a 3rd Round '09 pick, but he's still only 19. He stands very close to the plate and keeps the bat on his shoulder until it's time to swing. He has become the everyday CF with Brent Keys on the DL. He didn't seem to know the rule about whether he could advance to first on a PB when striking out while the base is occupied.

SP Matthew Neil: Neil earned the victory for the Jammers, going five innings, giving up 3 hits, no runs, no walks, and nine strikeouts (all but one swinging). A first year player, he's 24 years old because he went to BYU and did missionary work in Queens. Neil's fastball was in the mid-80s, reaching as high as 87 from what I saw. He also threw a pitch in the high 70s, between 78-81. The Rangers scout used the gun only on his first dozen pitches or so. Neil gives a very easy-looking effort and doesn't appear to throw hard. After tonight, he now has only two walks in 31.2 innings this season. He appeared stiff fielding his position, unable to cleanly handle a bunt in the 5th. He threw lots of first pitch strikes and got ahead of batters often. His first time through the order, he had six K's. From the stretch, he has a quick move to home, especially for someone 6'6". He did show signs of fatigue in the 5th, so despite the numbers, it wasn't a surprise he was pulled.

RP Frankie Reed (27th Round Pick, 2011; also played with GCL Marlins in 2011): The lefty Reed went one inning, surrendering four hits, three earned runs, a home run, and struck out one. His fastball was also at 86-87 mph. He has previously missed some time in college with Tommy John surgery. He pitched exclusively from the stretch and didn't do well against lefties, who went 3-5 with a homer in the inning he pitched. All the runs scored during his inning were with two outs.

RP Charles Wier: Wier picked up his third hold of the season in two innings of work, giving up two hits and three K's (all swinging). He's up to 16.1 scoreless innings this season. Wier lifts his front leg slightly before putting it down and getting set from the stretch, and also leans forward a bit when delivering the pitch. He converted from the outfield to the mound at Stephen F. Austin. There was a ball hit to first, getting under the glove and going to the second basemen. Wier stayed with the play nicely and recorded a rare 4-1 put-out at first.

RP Alfredo Buret: Buret threw one inning, giving up three hits and one earned run (the one DeWitt lost in the lights; an example for why ERA shouldn't be a heavy consideration of a pitcher's worth). Buret is quick to the plate and hit 90 on the gun, and followed that with a wicked slider.