ELCS Game 1: Trenton @ Akron

ELDS Game 1 – Trenton Thunder @ Akron Aeros
September 9, 2008
Canal Park – Akron, OH

Pitching Matchup: TRE Eric Hacker vs. AKR Kevin Dixon

Starting Lineups: I won’t be around my computer to post lineups, instead I’ll be live at the WIMG studios to preview the series on WIMG 1300 AM.  Listen here from 8-9.

Trenton

1 – Corona
2 – Pena
3 – Jackson
4 – Malec
5 – Curtis
6 – Pilittere
7 – Cervelli
8 – Gonzalez
9 – Russo

Akron

1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5 -
6 -
7 -
8 -
9 -

Pre-Game Notes: To keep track of Scranton’s series against Durham, I think you know where to go. Chad Jennings will have all the info.

Radio Links: Click here for the links to each team’s broadcast.

Live Box Score: The MILB.com direct link is here.

Final Score: 3-1, Thunder

Post-Game Notes: Trenton takes a 1-0 series lead.

Thunder Thoughts: I cleaned up and updated the links on the right side of the page.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Rotation Changes, Three Roster Moves

A source is reporting that the Trenton Thunder are expected to activate reliever Anthony Claggett and add him to the active playoff roster.

Additionally, Eric Wordekemper would go to Scranton and take Mark Melancon’s spot on the roster.  Melancon may be getting shut down due to too many innings.

Perhaps the most controversial bit of news may be that the Thunder rotation does not appear to be what was initially believed.

Eric Hacker is still scheduled to start Game 1.

But Christian Garcia will now be pitching in Game 2, and George Kontos will get the ball in Game 3.  That would mean Jeff Marquez will start Game 4 and Jason Jones would be on the hill for Game 5.

I don’t understand what they’re trying to do with the rotation, to be honest.  With the travel day built in, you have a scenario in which you could have skipped the relatively unknown Garcia — who was supposed to pitch Game 5 — and start Hacker again.  You’ve also created a scenario in which Jason Jones, who in the absolute worst case is your second best pitcher, may not pitch in the series.

Something probably worth pointing out is that in 2008, Jones has thrown 166 innings, which is nearly 30 more than the career high of 138.2 he set in 2006.  I wonder if there’s some sort of workload issue going on here.

In any event, we’ll see how things play out, but if that’s what the rotation truly looks like, the Thunder may have eliminated a somewhat significant advantage of having the possibility of having two starts from Eric Hacker.

So if this rotation is right, here’s what the pitching matchups tentatively look like.  Keep in mind, I’m just guessing at the Akron rotation…amazing how difficult important information can be to obtain sometimes.

Game 1: TRE Eric Hacker vs. AKR Kevin Dixon
Game 2: TRE Christian Garcia vs. AKR J.D. Martin
Game 3: AKR Ryan Edell vs. TRE George Kontos
Game 4: AKR Frank Herrmann vs. TRE Jeff Marquez
Game 5: AKR TBD vs. TRE Jason Jones

Game 2 is huge.  I would guess that if Garcia struggles early, Jones would pick him up and Hacker would get the nod in Game 5.  JJ last pitched on the 5th, so pitching on the 10th would have him on normal rest.

Additionally, if my math is correct, and my report cards back in high school would frequently say it wasn’t, the Thunder will still need to make a move to accomodate Humberto Sanchez.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Roster Move(s) Coming

Peter Abraham is reporting that Humberto Sanchez has been activated from the 60-day DL and optioned to Trenton.  Additionally, he reports that Scott Patterson was DFA’d to make room for Sanchez on the 40-man.

This might be a little confusing since, as you all know, Sanchez was already on the Thunder roster.

Technically, Sanchez was the 25th player on a 24-man team, considering he was on the roster as a “Major League Rehab.”  Therefore, the team did not have to make a roster move to accomodate him.

But now that he’s off of the Major League DL, they do.  Basically, someone will have to get taken off of the roster to accomodate Sanchez…at least for now.  Depending on what happens with Patterson, a roster spot may open up in Scranton.

Chad Jennings — who I’m very jealous of, by the way…look at those Durham pitchers he gets to see — has some more information on the move, and we actually seem to disagree a little bit about what Patterson should do with his future if the Yankees should retain him.

With the 40-man roster as full as it is, and with as average as Patterson was in Triple-A, I think he’d be better suited going to an organization with less pitching depth that would give him an opportunity to reach the big leagues quicker.  I can’t imagine Patterson ever regularly wearing pinstripes with the depth of arms the Yankees have in their organization.

But as far as the Thunder goes, said the Trenton beat writer, this is definitely something worth keeping track of…I’ll see if I can find out what the move would be, but I certainly have my guesses.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com