beek's blog

Game 24 of 140 at Modesto
Modesto 5, Visalia 2

GAME IN A GRAF  -- Keith Weiser gave up two second-inning runs on three hits, but gave up only two other hits – both singles – over seven innings. David Patton and Andrew Johnston worked the final two innings in hitless fashion, with Johnston earning his league-best sixth save and extending his scoreless streak to 9 2/3 innings. The Nuts got four runs in the fourth on five hits, including Daniel Mayora’s two-run double.

TO BALK OR NOT TO BALK? _ Visalia starter Cesar Valdez has an interesting delivery, no matter whether a runner is on base. He starts sideways with both feet in front of the rubber, then raises his hands above his head in a pseudo-windup.
Modesto Nuts’ manager Jerry Weinstein thinks the motion, when runners are on base, is a balk, and with runners on second and third Sunday, lodged an official protest when the umpires failed to recognize what he thought was a rules infraction.
“He was standing sideways with both feet in front of the rubber,” Weinstein said. “By definition, that’s the stretch position and it means you have to come to a stop. He didn’t stop. That is also his windup position, but when there’s a runner on base you have still have to stop.
“The umpires’ explanation is that he makes that motion every time, which I told them meant he balked every time he threw a pitch with a runner on base.”
After a lengthy discussion on the field, the umpires told Weinstein they would not call a balk on the Valdez motion, at which time Weinstein lodged the official protest. At that point, home plate umpire Bronson Martinez informed Visalia manager Mike Bell of the protest, then stepped behind home plate and made a huge motion with his hands that looked somewhat like rhythmic gymnastics.
About 10 minutes later, it was decided that what Martinez was trying to do was draw a large “P,” for protest, in the air. The fact that the “P” was backward might have had something to do with the temporary confusion in the press box.
Since the Nuts won the game, there is no reason to file the protest paperwork, but Weinstein hopes the league still will take a look at Valdez’ motion.
“Now we’ll get an interpretation and people smarter than us will decide if that’s a legal delivery,” Weinstein said.

Game 23 of 140 at Modesto
Visalia 3, Modesto 1

GAME IN A GRAF  -- Simon Ferrer had his knuckleball knuckling, but the Nuts constantly failed in run-scoring situations in dropping a second-straight low-scoring game to the Oaks. Ferrer dropped to 0-5 after his best outing of the season. He allowed two earned runs over seven innings, on six hits and two walks while fanning a season-high five. Tony Blanco (seven-for-11 in his three games) had three hits, including an RBI triple in the fifth, but Modesto stranded 10 runners – seven in scoring position. The crowd of 4,379 was the largest this season at John Thurman Field and was the second sellout of 2008.

IMPERFECT, NOT WORRIED – Will Harris gave up a run in the ninth inning of Friday’s 2-0 loss to Visalia. Yes, that’s news. After eight outings and 13 scoreless innings, Harris finally has an ERA next to his name. It’s 0.83.
It was his earned run all the way. He gave up a leadoff single and walked two one out later to load the bases. Pedro Ciriaco hit a soft liner to center that was grabbed by Anthony Jackson, whose strong throw to the plate came very close to cutting down the baserunner.
“It was close,” Harris said. “I didn’t have real good stuff and last night was kind of a struggle. I still almost got out of it. To only give up one and not five with the stuff I had was good, because it could have been worse.”
The lack of a zero next to Harris’ name leaves closer Andrew Johnston as the last Nuts pitcher still standing with a zero in his ERA column. Johnston has worked 8 2/3 innings over nine outings and has allowed four hits and three walks while striking out two, and his five saves lead the California League.

Game 22 of 140 at Modesto
Visalia 2, Modesto 0

GAME IN A GRAF  -- Former college baseball co-player of the year Wes Roemer threw seven innings of four-hit, shutout ball and got the win when the Oaks scored single runs in the eighth and ninth. Modesto starter Aneury Rodriguez took a no-hitter into the fifth and allowed only two singles in his seven innings of work. But Andy Graham gave up three straight two-out singles in the eighth as Visalia broke the scoreless tie, and Will Harris allowed a run in the ninth to snap his season-opening streak of scoreless innings at 13. Tony Blanco had two of Modesto’s five hits and is four-for-seven in his two games with the Nuts.

A QUESTION OF BALANCE – Notice to all Red Sox fans: if you missed the three-game visit of Boston affiliate Lancaster earlier this week, too bad. Barring a Modesto-Lancaster championship series, the JetHawks will not make another visit to John Thurman Field this season.
Think that’s strange? A close look at the Nuts’ California League schedule reveals an amazing imbalance in the way the league goes about getting all of its teams 140 games.
For instance, Modesto and San Jose will meet 31 times this season. The Nuts play Stockton 28 times, Visalia 23 times and Bakersfield 21 times. All that adds up to Modesto playing 103 games against its four North Division rivals, and the remaining 37 games against the five teams in the South Division.
It means 42 percent of Modesto’s schedule this season is comprised of games against San Jose and Stockton. From the standpoint of the fans, it’s good if you’re a fan of San Francisco or Oakland and want to watch the kids in those organizations.
But, if you follow Boston, either Los Angeles team, Seattle or San Diego, you’re limited to the one visit of each affiliate this season.
From a developmental standpoint, does playing the same teams over and over make a difference?
“I don’t think it’s a factor,” said Nuts’ manager Jerry Weinstein. “It forces you to make adjustments, and making adjustments is what this game is about. The guys who do it the best, eventually will be the most successful players.
“I like having fewer road trips, but I don’t have anything to do with the schedule. I’m here to make sure we show up to play every day. Every day is Groundhog Day.”

Game 21 of 140 at Modesto
Modesto 5, Lancaster 1

GAME IN A GRAF –  Esmil Rogers ran out of pitches with one out in the sixth, but got the win anyway as every Nuts’ starter collected at least one hit. Jay Cox, Matt Repec and Tony Blanco had two hits apiece as Modesto completed a three-game sweep. Rogers (3-1) struck out eight. Brandon Durden, David Patton and Tommy Baumgardner came on to get the final 11 outs to preserve Modesto’s seventh win in eight games.

BLANCO ON BOARD -- Blanco arrived in Modesto on Wednesday afternoon and was immediately inserted into the Nuts’ lineup as the designated hitter, batting cleanup.
He is listed on the official roster and in the Colorado media guide as an outfielder, but will be playing third base with the Nuts. In 2005, when he got into 56 games with the Washington Nationals, Blanco started 11 games in the outfield, five games at third, three games at first and one at DH. He went two-for-four with a double and scored twice in his Nuts’ debut.

Game 20 of 140 at Modesto
Modesto 3, Lancaster 0

GAME IN A GRAF –  Shane Lindsay picked up his first victory of the season with six innings of one-hit pitching, striking out nine and walking three as the Nuts blanked the JetHawks in the annual late-morning Kids’ Day tilt. Modesto scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, all after two outs, to claim its sixth win in seven games and move two games over .500 (11-9) for the first time this season. Andy Graham, Tommy Baumgardner and David Patton delivered the shutout to closer Andrew Johnston, who worked a scoreless ninth for his league-leading fifth save.

WILL HE GIVE UP A RUN? -- I approached Will Harris carefully, because I didn’t want to say anything that he might construe as a jinx. After Tuesday night’s two-inning save, Harris has thrown 13 innings this season and has yet to allow a run.
We went through this same kind of thing last season when Brandon Hynick went the entire month of April without allowing an earned run. But Hynick would talk about it without fearing the wrath of the baseball gods.
“So Will,” I asked, “are you superstitious?”
I should have known better. The guy is from Slidell, La., and went to school at LSU. That’s a part of this country where voodoo and the juices you suck from crawfish heads run through native blood.
“Yeah, I’m superstitious,” Harris said. “But I’ll talk about it.”
Bold move on his part. Harris has a lot going him right now, having allowed only five hits and three walks in his eight appearances while striking out 21. He also has two saves, both of the two-inning variety.
Instead of talking about the scoreless streak, because perhaps I’m more fearing of the baseball gods than Harris, we spoke about the two-inning save. We’ll talk about the streak when it’s over.
“I guess with a three-run lead they want to save A.J.,” Harris said, referring to regular closer Andrew Johnston, not to be confused with the Nuts’ other A.J., Anthony Jackson.
“If it were a closer game, or maybe had I walked another guy A.J. was going to come in, They figured that since my pitch count already was up, they’d send me out there for a second inning and save A.J. for another day.”

Game 19 of 140 at Modesto
Modesto 4, Lancaster 1

GAME IN A GRAF – Keith Weiser shook off a home run to lead-off the game and allowed only four more hits – all singles – over seven innings to earn his first California League victory. Will Harris worked the final two innings to earn the save and in the process extended his scoreless streak to 13 innings to open the season. Anthony Jackson, Cole Garner and Victor Ferrante had two hits apiece and Matt Repec drove home two runs for the Nuts, who have won five of their last six games.

ROTATION NOT MOVING -- The arrival of Brandon Durden from extended spring training will not change the Nuts’ rotation, according to manager Jerry Weinstein.
I had speculated in an earlier blog that Durden _ a career starter _ could make his way into the Modesto rotation, perhaps in the place of knuckleballer Simon Ferrer.
“Brandon was sent here as a reliever, and he’ll stay a reliever for the time being,” Weinstein said.
Durden was earmarked for the Double-A Tulsa bullpen before taking a line drive off the index finger of his left (pitching) hand. It caused a small fracture at the end of his finger and cracked the fingernail. Durden said he finally pulled off the remains of the nail just last week.

Lake Elsinore 9, Modesto 4
at Lake Elsinore

Winning three games in a four-game road series is something the visiting team always will take, but it's hollow consolation for the Nuts, who were going for the sweep on Sunday.

It was another rough outing for Simon Ferrer, who recorded only five outs and droped to 0-4. The knuckleballer allowed five runs on six hits and two walks to the 12 batters he faced, after which the Nuts were looking at a 5-0 deficit.

The good news for the Nuts on Sunday were the 12 hits, including three apiece for Matt Repec and Geoff Strickland. The team batting average is up to .244, which means it gained a fuil 41 points during the seven-game (5-2) roadtrip.

I'm just guessing here, because I won't get the chance to speak with Jerry Weinstein until Tuesday, but it would not surprise me to see Brandon Durden take Ferrer's spot in the rotation the next time it comes up (Saturday.) I'll find out for certain, or at least will get a response to my question, and will post in my next blog update on Tuesday.