Some notes from last night's Durham Bulls game

by Mulva on Apr 18, 2009 8:59 PM EDT Comment 7 comments

Since this game is getting a little frustrating, I thought I'd share some thoughts/observations from last nights Bulls game against the Charlotte Knights.

Wade Davis got the start. I got to the field just in time to see him finish up his warm-up tosses in the bullpen. I commented that he didn't seem all that comfortable, as his body language was clearly expressing his frustration. He carried that onto the mound for the first inning and a half. His fastball sat 92-93 but was a bit off the mark to begin with. He walked a pair and gave up a few line drives before completely settling to finish the 2nd and make waste of the Knights in the 3rd and 4th. His curve was clearly his out pitch, it seems as if it resulted in either a groundball or strike (2 or 3 swinging) nearly every time he used it. I was disappointed that he was pulled right as his stuff was peaking, but clearly for good reason.

Dale Thayer was the other pitcher of interest who got some action. He came in with one out in the 8th, and got the next five outs with only allowing one baserunner (a hard hit line drive in the gap by a LH batter). His FB was 90-91. I was surprised a bit by his height. I don't believe for a second he is the 6'0'' they have him listed at.

As for the bats, nothing too interesting. Briggy had a nice shot down the LF line, Jaso one-hopped the wall, and the mountain of a man Adam Kennedy provided the only HR.

The most interesting thing of the night was David Price. He was sitting in street clothes in the scouts section behind home plate charting the game. He actually had a radar gun and was recording what the Bulls pitchers were doing (but not the Knights). He also signed tons of autographs starting about the 3rd inning when people realized who he was (nice to see him be so accomodative). My wife was asking if that was typical, and to be honest, I have never heard of a player do that before. The best answer analogy I could come up with is it is like a teacher giving the A student a little extra homework to push them further. Another creative tool in the development from the FO/Maddon? Trying to get him prepared for the extra studying at the next level? I went over and wished him good luck on the season and joked with him after the game about whether or not he would be scouting the next night as well.

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ohhh, one last thing

Briggy fielded two balls deep in the hole and made a poor throw on one that one-hopped and pulled Richard off the base, and the other one-hopped and just didn’t beat the runner. It’s hard not having replay available to fully analyze if they could have been made, but is arm strength certainly didn’t seem to be anything I would call above average. My initial thought was a PLUS MLB SS makes one if not both of those plays.

by Mulva on Apr 18, 2009 9:05 PM EDT reply actions

If his range is a plus though, he could move to second pretty easily.

by R.J. Anderson on Apr 18, 2009 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions

possible replacement for aki next season???

"Yeah, I am not the old annoying guy next door. Heck, I don't even know who i am"

by Some other guy who does not care on Apr 18, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Not unlikely

Although unless the market still hasn’t recovered by the time they need to exercise, I suspect the team will still exercise Aki’s option, which at worst is at market and at best is below market. That would give the team the option of trading one of Aki or Bartlett, whoever can command the bigger price, and if they can’t trade one, then Brignac can go back to Durham or utility hit for a season. He hasn’t been so good as to force his way into the lineup.

As for those balls deep in the hole, the play probably doesn’t get made about 3/4 of the time, so it was a pretty good chance that Briggy wouldn’t make either one. That’s why it’s always a web gem when it does get made. Half the time, the SS doesn’t even get there, and about 1/3 of the time when they get there they don’t even bother trying to make the throw because they know they’re beat, and a fair amount when they do make the throw, they still don’t get the out. The fact that he got to the balls at all is a decent sign, although Briggy’s arm accuracy has always been a big question mark and the defensive stats don’t account for that much.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Apr 19, 2009 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions