Game 39 - Portland Sea Dogs @ Trenton Thunder
May 14, 2008
Waterfront Park - Trenton, NJ

Pitching Matchup: TRE Phil Coke (2-1, 4.26) vs. POR Kris Johnson (3-1, 3.41)

Starting Lineups:

Portland

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

Trenton

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

Pre-Game Notes: Justin Masterson, who made a spot start for the Red Sox earlier this year, is scheduled to start for Portland tomorrow night. He’ll face the undefeated Jason Jones.

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

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

Around the Eastern League: For scores from around the EL, go here.

Final Score:

Post-Game Notes:

Thunder Thoughts: I will be at the ballpark again on Thursday, and likely Saturday as well.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Is there a new number one in the power rankings?  And where does newly added Mark Melancon fall on the list?

Of course, feel free to discuss these rankings in the comments…considering, you know…they have no actual significance and are pretty much for the sole purpose of discussion.

1 - Chase Wright, SP (4)

Consistency gets Wright the #1 spot this week.  He’s won his last five decisions, and hasn’t allowed more than nine baserunners in a single start.  He isn’t the guy who’s going to blow you away with his numbers, but you know exactly what you’re getting every time he starts.

2 - Dan McCutchen, SP (1)

Cutch falls a spot after a rough start tonight.  He still has the best WHIP (1.06) and strikeout total (46) of any Thunder starter, and will likely rebound with a strong showing on Sunday afternoon now that he’s back to going on a regular amount of rest.

3 - P.J. Pilittere, C (2)

Pilittere is hitting a solid .311, and is making an impact at exactly the right time, considering the backlog of catching the Yankees organization now seems to have.

4 - Jason Jones, SP (5)

It’s like you could write the exact same thing about Jason Jones that you do about Chase Wright, except Jones does it with slightly less fanfare.  His 2.36 ERA is the best of the Trenton starters, but his lack of strikeouts and somewhat high K/BB ratio as a result prevents him from being any higher.

5 - Colin Curtis, OF (3)

Of the “Outfield of Dreams” trio, it was Curtis who came in with the least amount of fanfare.  But he’s had the best production, hitting .307 and driving in 20 runs.

6 - Austin Jackson, OF (6)

The top 5 were pretty easy, but this was where it started to get difficult.  A-Jack comes in sixth for the second consecutive week, but the same things that I wrote last week apply this week as well…he’s now gone 143 at-bats without a home run, and only has six RBI on the season.

7 - George Kontos, SP (9)

Oddly, despite not having allowed more than three earned runs in any start, Kontos is 1-4 so far this year.  It seems like he’s really starting to come around, walking only two and striking out 19 in his last two starts, despite going a combined 12 innings over the two outings.

8 - Anthony Claggett, RP (16)

Has only made three appearances so far since his call-up, but he’s been solid so far.  He’ll need to be, considering the Scranton Yankees have now plucked four relievers out of the Thunder bullpen (Hall, Jackson, Robertson, Cox).

9 - Kevin Russo, INF (15)

Has half as many at-bats as the everyday guys do, but it’s hard to argue with an .824 OPS.

10 - Ramiro Pena, INF (10)

While he’s cooled off from his relatively hot start offensively, Pena has still been able to hit consistently throughout the season.

11 - Cody Ehlers, 1B (7)

Ehlers leads the team with six home runs and may be the only legitimate power threat they have in the lineup.  His average sits at .234 however, and it’s hovered around there for the past two or three weeks now.

12 - Carlos Mendoza, INF (23)

Mendoza has only been able to get into ten games this season, but he’s made the most of his time, hitting .333 and posting an OPS of nearly .900

13 - Phil Coke, SP (12)

Coke has walked just one batter and struck out 18 in his last two starts, including a rain-shortened complete game win in Erie.

14 - Mark Melancon, RP (NR)

Literally hasn’t done anything in a Thunder uniform…yet.  Everything you read on the guy screams “see him while you can,” but nobody’s seen him do anything up here just yet.

15 - Edwar Gonzalez, OF (24)

I’m a little surprised at the amount of playing time he’s managed to receive during his short stint with the Thunder.  More or less, he’s done pretty well…but when/if Matt Carson is eventually sent back down, he’s bound to be the odd man out.

16 - Chris Malec, INF (18 )

In 100 at-bats, Malec has 25 hits.  You know what that makes his average, right?  If he hits .250 for the season, I’ll take it… 

17 - Zach Kroenke, RP (8 )

The resident bullpen lefty is 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in 13 appearances this year.

18 - Jose Tabata, OF (13)

There would appear to be a fire lit under the rear of one Jose Tabata after his little incident.  His been one of the best players on the field ever since his involuntary vacation.

19 - Michael Gardner, RP (21)

Second on the team in walks with 16.  Were this not the case, he clearly has the stuff to be a candidate to become the fifth reliever headed to Scranton.

20 - Eric Wordekemper, RP (14)

Wordy hasn’t pitched in a while — not since May 5th, actually.  His stats remain the same since the last time I broke out the power rankings, and that’s not a good thing…

21 - Josh Schmidt, RP (19)

After being packed away in moth balls for a week or so, Schmidt returned to action and has struggled a little bit.

22 - Reegie Corona, INF (22)

Dear Thunder promotions department: Please have a giveaway of “Reegie Bars” sometime in the near future.  Thanks.

23 - Joe Muich, C (20)

I never know what to write about this guy.  I hide it well, though…

24 - Eladio Rodriguez, C (NR)

A catcher who converted to pitcher, then back to catcher for last year’s Israel Baseball League season.  Currently serving as the team’s third catcher…highly unlikely to see anything resembling significant playing time.

–

NEW ON THE BOARD: Mark Melancon, who has yet to throw a pitch in a Thunder uniform after being promoted from Single-A Tampa before Tuesday’s game.

Eladio Rodriguez, who will probably collect some dust as the team’s third catcher….

OFF THE BOARD: J.B. Cox, who was promoted to Triple-A Scranton

–

Week 1 Power Rankings
Week 2 Power Rankings
Week 3 Power Rankings
Week 4 Power Rankings
Week 5 Power Rankings

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

NEWS: Mark Melancon has been called up to Trenton, while J.B. Cox is headed to Scranton.

Game 38 - Portland Sea Dogs @ Trenton Thunder
May 13, 2008
Waterfront Park - Trenton, NJ

Pitching Matchup: TRE Dan McCutchen (4-2, 2.15) vs. POR Michael Bowden (2-3, 2.68 )

Starting Lineups:

Portland

1 - Corsaletti
2 - Suarez
3 - Daeges
4 - Wagner
5 - Otness
6 - Bates
7 - Khoury
8 - Hall
9 - Granadillo

Trenton

1 - Pena
2 - Jackson
3 - Curtis
4 - Gonzalez
5 - Ehlers
6 - Tabata
7 - Pilittere
8 - Malec
9 - Corona

Pre-Game Notes: Melancon was 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 13 appearances for Tampa.

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

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

Around the Eastern League: For scores from around the EL, go here.

Final Score: 7-1, Sea Dogs.

Post-Game Notes: A pretty disappointing start from Dan McCutchen.  He only lasted four innings, giving up six hits while walking five.  Good to see Jose Tabata showed up last night, looks like he was the only guy in the lineup who did, though.

Anthony Claggett, Zach Kroenke and Josh Schmidt each gave up at least one run in relief.  For Schmidt…in one breath, you can say he can’t pitch like that (six baserunners, six outs) and expect a regular chance, but in the next…how can you expect him to do any better if he isn’t getting regular action?

Thunder Thoughts: I will be at the ballpark again on Thursday…

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

The Thunder have the day off, and I’m taking the day off as well.  I’ll be back tomorrow, as the Thunder return home for a three-game series against the Sea Dogs.  It’s not looking like I’ll be at the ballpark until Thursday, but we’ll see how it goes…

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

I recently asked Dan McCutchen about his thoughts on the possibility of pitching in the Futures Game, to be held this season at Yankee Stadium.

“(It) has not ever come into my mind,” McCutchen said.

“I don’t think I’d get invited. But it would be sweet.”

At 25, McCutchen would certainly be one of the older participants in the game. But to say that he doesn’t have the potential to be a future star at the highest level would be silly.

My guess is you’d see him and possibly Austin Jackson as the Yankees representatives. Each organization can have no more than two players in the game, but with the Yankees hosting the event, it would be shocking if they didn’t get the full allotment.

Game 38 - Trenton Thunder @ Akron Aeros
May 11, 2008
Canal Park - Akron, OH

Pitching Matchup: TRE Dan McCutchen (4-2, 2.15) vs. AKR Chuck Lofgren (1-3, 5.51)

Starting Lineups:

Trenton

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

Akron

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

Pre-Game Notes: The numbers may not be there for Lofgren, but this may be one of the better pitching matchups you see all year. According to Baseball America, Cutch is the Yankees 14th best prospect (no way he isn’t in the top 5 in 2009, by the way) and Lofgren is the Indians second best.

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

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

Around the Eastern League: For scores from around the EL, go here.

Final Score:

Post-Game Notes:

Thunder Thoughts: Keep in mind that the Thunder have an off day tomorrow before coming back to Waterfront Park for a six-game homestand against Portland and New Hampshire.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Everything changed for Thunder reliever Anthony Claggett when he was dealt from the Tigers to the Yankees on November 10, 2006.

In the deal, Claggett, Kevin Whelan and Humberto Sanchez were all sent to the Bronx in exchange for controversial future Hall of Famer Gary Sheffield.

Whelan is on the disabled list after a sub-par 2007 season, and Sanchez has still yet to throw a pitch under the Yankees vast umbrella of farm teams.

It’s Claggett who’s carrying their collective flag, marching on to Double-A after spending the first four weeks of the season on the disabled list with a hamstring injury.

“That trade, I don’t know if it’s turned out too well so far,” said Claggett after a recent game.

“The other guys, they’re still rehabbing and I’m sure they’re going to come back strong.  They’re itching to come back.”

Despite being involved in such a high profile trade, the 23-year-old has never let it go to his head.

“There’s not any more pressure,” Claggett said.

“When it happened, I came over and they said they were happy to have me and everything.  I wouldn’t say there’s more pressure, but they might look at you a little different.  But they treat you like anybody else.”

If anything, the trade may have come at the perfect time for the righty, considering that only over the past several seasons have the Yankees been promoting from within and focusing on developing their farm system.

“When I got traded, I heard a lot of things about how they don’t bring guys up from the minor leagues,” Claggett admitted.

“But now that’s changing, and it’s good to be with them right now.  I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Game 37 - Trenton Thunder @ Akron Aeros
May 10, 2008
Canal Park - Akron, OH

Pitching Matchup: TRE George Kontos (1-3, 3.79) vs. AKR Kevin Dixon (0-3, 5.97)

Starting Lineups:

Trenton

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

Akron

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

Pre-Game Notes: Sean Henn was claimed on waivers by the San Diego Padres.

The pitching matchup tomorrow is: TRE Dan McCutchen (4-2, 2.15) vs. AKR Chuck Lofgren (1-3, 5.51)

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

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

Around the Eastern League: For scores from around the EL, go here.

Final Score: 3-1, Aeros 

Post-Game Notes:

Thunder Thoughts:

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

I recently had a chance to ask Jose Tabata — through interpreter/infielder Carlos Mendoza — what his thoughts are on being a part of the “Outfield of Dreams” that consists of himself, Colin Curtis and Austin Jackson.

Here’s what Mendoza told me Tabata said…

“He said it feels good, and it’s an honor.  But he still has to perform, and go out and put up some good numbers.  But he enjoys playing with both of those guys.”

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com