8/15/2015 Norfolk Tides 1, Louisville Bats 0

Louisville Slugger Field, Louisville, KY

Game 2 of 3

It's Todd Frazier Bobblehead night in Louisville...however, I'm not actually getting a bobblehead. My daughter Chihiro is with me at the game, and she's getting one...my other daughter Kei couldn't make it, so she's getting mine.

The lines were pretty damn long, everybody here loves Todd Frazier. They love bobbleheads, too.

Chihiro and I actually ended up standing in two different lines today...the folks at Louisville Slugger Field have made a lot of changes since the 2013 Opening Day debacle. These changes are excellent; among other things, better line management for giveaway days that include designated lines for ticket holders and regular ticket checks. We had Club Level tickets, and were standing in what is usually the Club Level only line...we found out soon enough that we were in the Season Ticket Holder line. Sure, we are season ticket holders, but didn't have actual season tickets, so we high-tailed it to another line in timely fashion...if you squint, you'll see us in the photo above.

My kids love Todd Frazier...even when they are old and likely not to care about baseball so much, they will always remember growing up and watching him play here with their dear ol' dad. 

They certainly will never forget actually meeting Todd...it seems like this was yesterday, but it wasn't.

My scoresheets, using my pitch-counting method! Read about it HERE, download the scoresheets for free HERE!

LOU Starter RHP Donovan Hand faces Cuban OF Dariel Alvarez (Orioles prospect IF Christian Walker is at 1B)

NOR LHP Chris Jones versus Kristopher Negron. Jones went 8 innings plus one batter, allowing 2 hits, 4 strikeouts.

Jones pitches to 1B Kyle Waldrop

Hand versus Walker in the 3rd inning. Walker will get a single here, but the game will be scoreless until Walker's next meeting with Hand, a solo HR that gets Norfolk on the board...it will be the only run of the game.

RHP Miguel Celestino, in relief, and NOR C Audry Perez

Celestino faces former Louisville Bat Paul Janish, playing SS today for the Norfolk Tides

Reliever RHP Jose de la Torre and NOR OF Julio Borbon

With the tying run, LOU C Chris Berset, on base (after being hit by Chris Jones), RHP Pedro Beato is called to the mound to close the game for Norfolk...one quick out, and one not-so-quick out follow, Kyle Waldrop represents the winning run for the Bats...

...here, he's about to strike out swinging to end the game and complete the shutout

My pick in the Mystery Rookie Card game? Ha ha, it's the legendary Wily Mo Pena...a guy who some here in the states may have forgotten, but still brings warmth into the hearts of millions of baseball fans in Japan...

  

Official Program (featuring Robert Stephenson) and Scorecard

Ticket

Bat Chat and Gameday Stats

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8/12/2015 Columbus Clippers 2, Louisville Bats 0

Louisville Slugger Field, Louisville, KY

Game 2 of 3

I missed Donn Roach again, but fortune favors me anyhow; RHP Robert Stephenson and RHP Toru Murata both had their starts moved up. I'm all about Japanese players, especially pitchers, so seeing Murata here was probably the best bonus this boy could have hoped for. Stephenson's early exit and Murata's stellar performance meant the Bats were shut out, but I'm not complaining very much.

My scoresheets, using my pitch-counting method! Read about it HERE, download the scoresheets for free HERE!

Some video of Murata warming up; notice the glorious inside spin, so much #sparkle

Murata is an NPB import oddity in that while he was a first-round pick by the Yomiuri Giants in 2007, he never pitched in NPB and after two years of minor league service time, was released. The Indians subsequently signed him, and in a path that is atypical for his fellow imports, he's been riding the organizational circuit from A league all the way up to AAA now.

Stephenson pitching to switch-hitting COL OF Michael Martinez. Stephenson was a bit off tonight, and left in the 3rd with a wrist strain after walking the first two batters (one of them would score)

Murata vs. LOU 2B Juan Perez

Murata vs. LOU SS Kristopher Negron

Murata faces LOU OF Adam Duvall...where Brennan Boesch was the story last month, Duvall has majestically stepped in to usurp his spotlight, and rightfully so. 

Duvall was born and raised in Louisville, attended Butler HS and the University of Louisville, when the San Francisco Giants drafted him in the 11th round of the 2010 draft. Duvall arrived in Louisville just a couple of weeks ago, as one of the 2 pieces in the Mike Leake trade. While Reds fans are mourning the systematic extrication of their 25-man roster, local fans are exuberant that Duvall has returned home...not only that, but his shot at permanence on a big league roster is real, now that he's here and not really blocked by other Giants anymore.  

Murata gets OF Juan Silva to ground out, 3B Hernan Iribarren to 1B Chris Dominguez

Martinez singles off reliever RHP Donovan Hand

Another new addition in Louisville, albeit not so highly touted locally as Duvall, is LHP Brandon Finnegan. Finnegan was a Kansas City Postseason hero, yet found himself traded to the Reds (along with Cody Reed and John Lamb) for Johnny Cueto. Henceforth my reference earlier to "systematic extrication." I haven't seen Finnegan pitch yet, but today I see him coaching first base.

RHP Miguel Celestino faces COL DH Jesus Aguilar

COL LHP Giovanni Soto (not Geovany Soto, the pot-smoking former Cub and former ROY) versus Perez

Another solo run in the Mystery Rookie Card game, WHOA...it's former five-tool Reds prospect Chris Heisey.

Not really sure where his tools fell off to, but he was a fan favorite here in Louisville, and had a fairly decent run with the Reds several years ago...sure, he had loads of crackling value for a 17th round pick, but took the short straw in an end of the year deal to the Dodgers for Matt Magill in 2014. Magill made a few starts here to start the season, but was plagued with injuries and released in June.

Official Program (featuring Robert Stephenson) and Scorecard

Ticket

Bat Chat and Gameday Stats

If you enjoy my work, I encourage you to spread the word via Twitter 

(I am @yoshiki89), and also please leave a comment!

8/1/2015 Toledo Mud Hens 0, Louisville Bats 1

Louisville Slugger Field, Louisville, KY

Game 2 of 3

It's STAR TREK night in Louisville...the color is a little bold, but the Bats are bold as well, so they kind of complement each other...entering this series, the Toledo Mud Hens led the Bats 7-6 in 2015; last night the Bats blew the Hens away 8-5 at the hands of Brennan Boesch (in support of former Cubs Legend RHP Donn Roach)...tonight the Bats continued to turn the screw, shutting out the Hens 1-0

My scoresheets, using my pitch-counting method! Read about it HERE, download the scoresheets for free HERE!

Toledo Mud Hens starter LHP Matt Boyd only stuck around for 2 scoreless innings, walking 3 and striking out 1, not allowing any hits. Here he faces LOU C Ramon Cabrera, with Irving Falu at 2B and Ryan LaMarre at 1B (both reached via walks).

Toledo legend Mike Hessman, who was a Bat for a year, returned to Toledo in 2014...this is probably his final season in professional baseball..

LOU RHP Matt Buschmann, pitching to Hessman in the 2nd inning, was the real story of the game, pitching a complete game shut out with 4 hits and 4 strikeouts.

Another solo shot for the Mystery Rookie Card game, I picked this really nifty 2012 Bowman Platinum Tyler Pastornicky RC.

Sure, it's barely worth a buck, but it sure is nice to look at. Kind of like Tyler Pastornicky himself, released by the Braves earlier this year and is currently plugging away at something in the Texas Rangers org. He's kind of young to be a Minor League Hammydown, but that's how it goes sometimes.

Official Program (featuring Robert Stephenson) and Scorecard

Ticket (Tucker Barnhart, yup)

Bat Chat and Gameday Stats

If you enjoy my work, I encourage you to spread the word via Twitter 

(I am @yoshiki89), and also please leave a comment!