Fast Start-No Finish

The New Jersey Devils came out for Game 3 of their series with the Florida Panthers with all guns blazing as they ripped off three goals in the first 6:16 and seemed to be on their way to a rout.
However,the Panthers answered each,added one more and had the luck of the Irish as New Jersey had the game tying goal taken off the board with a mildly controversial call for a 4-3 Florida win and a 2-1 edge for the Panthers in the series.
Devils goals to Patrik Elias(power play),Stephen Gionta and Zach Parise.
Game four will be Thursday night in New Jersey with game five Saturday in Miami,which means hit and run for the Lakewood Blue Claws at the Muni....

Before I go to Hell Raisers,a quick pair of notes for the seamheads.
The Pirates road trip out to the left coast has made things tough to follow,hang in there-it gets better.
I also have not forgotten the latest saga in the battle for a new stadium for the Hagerstown Suns with the unveiling of the study of the Ripken Group as far as feasibility for a new ballpark.
The city council heard the study yesterday and there are plans for a public forum next week on the matter.
I do plan on attending and hopefully will have the chance to speak.
Now,bear with the following lines from an extremely frustrated author.

Hell Raisers

1) I have seen this game before and I noted it to Rachel after the third goal and the resulting 3-0 lead.
Not right away though,not until I saw former Devil Scott Clemmensen skate onto the ice in place of Jose Theodore.
I thought back to this night in November and wondered about a blown lead and Clemmensen in net.
It would prove to be quite haunting...

2) The controversy on the "fourth" goal that was waved off.
The referee ruled no goal due to incidental contact between Steve Bernier and Scott Clemmensen on a Marek Zidlicky goal.
By the letter of the law that states there can be incidental contact that does not result in a penalty,yet can result in a goal that is disallowed.
So the taking of the goal is legal,that does not mean the rule is good.
If contact is not enough to call a penalty,then it should not be enough to disallow a goal....

3) Martin Brodeur was pulled out in the second period and at least two of the three goals that he allowed were not great goals,but the decision by Peter DeBoer to remove Brodeur appears to be a panic move to losing a three goal lead and the Panthers pulling Jose Theodore after three goals.
Brodeur was playing under par,but I still wonder about that call.
Brodeur will get the start for Game four...

4) Recall the Game two post in which we looked at the Florida power play? Well,three of the four goals for the Panthers were scored with the man advantage.
For all the vaunted stats on the Devils record setting penalty killing,it is the Florida power play that has made the difference in the last two games...

5) And just what allows the power play to exist?
Penalties and the Devils were taking dumb one after dumb one.
Patrik Elias for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Bryce Salvador for roughing and the dumbest of all-Petr Sykora's high sticking.
All avoidable penalties and all led to Panther goals...

6) I did like Marek Zidlicky's game as one of few.
Andy Greene was good and Mark Fayne was not bad,but Anton Volchenkov was slow and bad.
Volchenkov is not Bobby Orr on his best day,but Florida is finding a way to isolate fast forwards on the Russian defensemen and that is making the veteran look VERY bad....

7) Not much else that I can say.
Home ice has been handed back,but 2-1 is not too bad compared to 3-0,but the energy level must move up and used for an entire game.
Game 4 is a must win.

Photo Credit:AP Photo

One good period cannot override two poor ones

The New Jersey Devils were off their game for two periods and the result was a three goal deficit.

A different Devils team showed up for the third period and came within inches of tying the game before a meaningless empty netter by the Florida Panthers with no time on the clock allowed the Panthers to escape with a 4-2 win and a tie in the series as the teams head to New Jersey for Game 3 tomorrow night.
Travis Zajac and Ilya Kovalchuk scored for the Devils.

Hell Raisers

1) Well,the title says it all for me as the Devils played twenty minutes of solid hockey and forty minutes of pretty mediocre hockey.
Even against the worst of the leagues teams,you will not often get away with that very often,let alone earn wins in the playoffs....

2) The goals that set the tone were the two Stephen Weiss power plays goals.
For all the stats of the Devils record setting penalty kill,it was the lack of the kill on this night that set the stage for the loss.
The puck bounces funny sometimes,so I am not concerned yet,but something to look at for Game 3.

3) The two Weiss goals were not soft goals,but the Marcel Goc goal that proved to be the game winner sure was against Martin Brodeur.
Brodeur was only able to get a piece of the puck as it flew under his arm,that one was on Marty's head.

4) Peter DeBoer used both Adam Henrique and Travis Zajac as centers on the Zach Parise/Ilya Kovalchuk line and both produced a goal.
I would like to see both centers get time with the star pair as each brings a different touch to the unit.
Zajac is the more adept passer in the offensive zone,while Henrique offers more of the breakaway chances that the team can use more of.

5) OK,the series is 1-1,not bad.
The Devils now have home ice and played an excellent third period that had the Panthers reeling,I would not say I feel cocky,but very confident going into Game three.

Photo Credit:AP Photo

Pittsburgh Pirates Top Prospects 11-15

The prospects series begins today with a look at the 11-15 prospects in the Pirates system.
I hope to get this finished over the course of the next week and move on to the Indians system,which looks to have a far more dismal outlook for the immediate future.

11) Nick Kingham RHP.
Kingham spent last season at short season State College,where he was dominant with an ERA barely over two.
The 2010 fourth rounder throws in the low-mid 90's range and uses a curveball along with an advanced changeup.
The tall (6'5) Kingham needs to work on the curve a bit as he was having issues controlling it in his first start at Low A West Virginia against the Hagerstown Suns.
Kingham will likely spend his first full season in West Virginia......


12) Jeff Locke LHP
Locke has already reached the bigs with a four start cameo in September with the Pirates in which he was ripped royally in each start.
Locke pitched well at AA Altoona before a strong stint late in the season with AAA Indianapolis earned him a September callup.
Locke has the "drop curve" that the Pirates have acquired from other teams twice with Locke from Atlanta and James McDonald from the Dodgers.
A good month or two with the I-Tribe could see Locke as the first callup if the rotation needs a reinforcement....

13) Jarek Cunningham 2b
Cunningham might be the most interesting prospect in the system as far as upside.
Cunningham shows plus power at second base,which is a rare commodity for that position.
The former shortstop hit 15 homers in roughly 300 at bats before missing the final two months of the season with concussion issues.
Cunningham is in the lineup for AA Altoona currently and the jump will tell the Pirates a lot of what they have in Cunningham.
Cunningham swings and misses a lot and the walk numbers are very low,so patience is a major issue in his progression.
Cunningham could be the replacement for Neil Walker at second,he could also be a player that has his contact issues force a step back in his development.
This season will be a interesting to follow for Cunningham.


14) Rudy Owens LHP
Owens returns to AAA Indianapolis after a year that saw him suffer through shoulder issues and an unusual lack of control.
When Owens is right,he uses the off speed stuff to set up a fastball that is a little below average,but nothing to consider Owens as just a soft tosser.
Owens will need to show this season that he can be able to get AAA hitters out in the rotation in order to avoid being tagged as a possible long relief type...

15) Alex Dickerson 1b
Dickerson was the Pirates third round pick last season out of Indiana in a college career that saw him win the Big Ten triple crown as a Hoosier.
Dickerson was an outfielder in college and is being shifted to first base.
Dickerson was excellent in 150 at bats at State College and will jump to High A Bradenton this season.
The lefty swinger hits for power and average and could advance through the system quickly as first base is a position of need for the team through the organization.
Dickerson could possibly be the opening day first baseman as soon as 2014,if he can get by Matt Curry,who is one spot ahead of Dickerson in the system,but Dickerson is the superior prospect and only his limited pro experience rates him this low and I would not be surprised to see a huge leap in these rankings next season...

Matt Cain fires one hitter against Buccos

The Pittsburgh Pirates came within one batter of being no-hit and the hit came off the bat of the pitcher of all people as James McDonald's sixth inning single was the only Pirate to reach base against Matt Cain of the Giants in a 5-0 San Francisco win.
The loss was the fourth in a row for the Pirates,who are winless on this trip on the left coast.
Pittsburgh takes on the Giants today at 9:05,so no coverage on the game.

Pirate Hooks

1)  I listened to the second Dodger game via the XM and skipped the third game of the Dodger series sweep.
I was able to see this one,will miss the Saturday game before the series finale' on Sunday.
Just a little house cleaning....

2) Matt Cain was simply dominant with the one hitter and eleven strikeouts.
I watched the game on tape at work (don't ask why ) and you could see that Cain had his A game working from the first inning on.
Other than the single to left by James McDonald,the Pirates were not even close to smacking a base hit other than the occasional long flyball.
Pittsburgh was simply overmatched....

3) The Giants did score one run off James McDonald that was directly applied to a defensive blunder as Andrew McCutchen broke back on a ball that would fall in front on him with two outs.
McCutchen occasionally does these types of things defensively,which is the difference in a good defender and one that is an average one that occasionally does great things.

4) James McDonald caught the above bad break,but his breaking ball was having trouble staying in the zone.
Mike Krukow made an observation about the 12 to 6 curveball that McDonald favors that it can be very inconsistent from game to game compared to the standard curve.
It would explain much about McDonald's occasional lack of command with the curve,which he uses as his breaking pitch of choice..

5) Garrett Jones started in right field for the first time this season with Casey McGhee starting at first base.Jones would strike out in all three at bats vs Cain.

6) I occasionally get asked why I pull for the Giants other than in their games against the Pirates.
Sometime in the future,I may do a post on the topic,but one reason is the Giants broadcast team on Comcast Bay Area is just so enjoyable to listen to compared to the shrill and forced Greg Brown.
I'll get more detailed in that future post....

Photo Credit:AP Photo

Devils win game one over Florida 3-2

The New Jersey Devils came out fast with three first period goals and seemed to be well on their way to a crushing victory in Game 1 of their playoff series against the Florida Panthers.
The Devils faded a bit in the final two periods and allowed Florida to climb back into the game,before stabilizing a bit and earning the 3-2 win.
The win gives the Devils a 1-0 (duh) series lead.
The Devils received goals from Patrik Elias,Dainius Zubrus and the game winner was scored by Ryan Carter.
Game two returns to Miami on Sunday night.


Hell Raisers

1) The Devils certainly came out firing against Jose Theodore as the team put 26 shots on goal in the first period,which is often times a total for an entire game for New Jersey.
The bad part came in the final two periods in which the Devils combined for just 12 shots.
That total is not going to cut the mustard over the long haul...

2) All three of the goals came on very solid plays,but the best of the three was the Patrik Elias goal that saw him make multiple moves on Jose Theodore before scoring the goal.
Making the moves on the interior part on the ice will eventually either draw defenders to open up the pass or give the player time to create a shooting lane...

3) The victory was the 100th playoff win of Martin Brodeur's career.
Brodeur also earned an assist on the Dainius Zubrus goal and finished with 24 saves on the game.

4) Lets also be honest,the refereeing left much to be desired and the Devils likely drew more calls than the home Panthers.
The high stick that cost Shawn Mattias four minutes and led to the Zubrus goal was pretty bad and I thought the refs were calling things especially tight in order to set the stage for control of the series.

5) Give Jose Theodore credit as well.
Despite the three first period goals,Theodore made plenty of nice saves that gave his team a chance to win after a Devils barrage that would have wiped out the average netminder.
Without his play,the Devils would have put this away early...

Photo Credit:AP Photo

Cleveland Indians Season Preview

Better late than never for the Cleveland Indians season preview and let me say this up front.
I love the Indians and as previously stated,if the National League adopted the DH or the American League dropped it,I would cover the Tribe.
I have been a Pirates fan longer and love the NL game,but if the games were the same,I am an Ohio guy....
That covered-This is one boring team.
There are very few things worse than watching a bad and boring team,ask any Browns fan..
The team has been disappointed often with their prospects and of the few that have panned out,most have come from other teams.
If there is an indictment of the problems with the Indians organization-that is the smoking gun.

Cleveland does have a good and young catcher in Carlos Santana,who the Indians recently signed to a five year contract extension,so they have that goin' for them.
Santana's average was disappointing last season (.239),but 27 homers from your catcher is very good news.
Locking Santana up for the long term is a smart move by the Indians.
Glove first backstop Lou Marson will spell Santana as the caddy on Santana's day off.

Casey Kotchman was signed from Tampa Bay to start at first base after his best year in the league.
Don't get too excited as despite Kotchman's .300 plus average,he hit just ten homers and for a team crying for power production,looks to bring very little help in that area.
Cleveland will hodgepodge backups for Kotchman from other positions as both Carlos Santana and Shelley Duncan will occasionally grab the first baseman's mitt as the perpetually disappointing Matt LaPorta was sent to AAA Columbus.
The only exciting newcomer is rookie Jason Kipnis at second.
Kipnis was a college outfielder was switched to second after the Indians drafted him.
Kipnis will never be a stellar defensive second sacker,but his bat will hopefully make up for those deficiencies.
Asdrubal Cabrera returns at shortstop after a 25 homer season that represents over half of his career homer total.
Can Cabrera maintain those power numbers?
I am dubious,but if so,the Indians will be much the better for it.
Jack Hannahan turned back the challenge of Lonnie Chisenhall in Arizona to earn the starting spot at third base.Chisenhall was sent to play every day at Columbus.
Hannahan is better suited to a backup role,so the hope is for Chisenhall to put together a solid month or two in Central Ohio and grab the job at third for the duration.
Utilitymen Jason Donald and Jose Lopez will cover the backup spots between them for the spot starts behind Kipnis,Cabrera and Hannahan.

The outfield is nothing to fear either with journeyman Shelley Duncan in left,enigmatic Michael Brantley in center and Shin-Soo Choo in right.
Only Choo,who missed plenty of time last season with injuries is anything remotely considered as a solid starter on a good team.
Blog favorite Aaron Cunningham is on the team as the fourth outfielder due to his speed and ability to play all three outfield positions,but his time may be numbered with the signing of aging veteran Johnny Damon.
The 38 year old Damon is clearly in decline,but he is very durable,which is far more than can be said for the once brilliant and now embattled Grady Sizemore,who is yet again on the disabled list.

Travis Hafner finishes a long and lucrative contract this season and will be the designated hitter for as long as his health holds up.

The starting rotation ranges from strong to riddled to old to question marks.
Justin Masterson was terrific at the top of the rotation in what was his clear breakout season.
Can Masterson repeat that and prove himself as an ace?
Maybe and speaking of maybes-Ubaldo Jimenez has went from dominant to average in almost record time.
Jimenez started an All-Star game and has been traded and pitched poorly since.
Jimenez has seen a drop in his velocity and considering the three pitchers that were swapped to Colorado for him that all resided in the Indians top ten prospects at the time,the trade could eventually be the Waterloo of the Indians front office.
Jimenez looked very strong in his first start,so I have not given hope.
Veteran Derek Lowe was obtained from Atlanta after posting the highest ERA of his career (5.05) to lend stability to the rotation.
Lowe turns 39 in June,so this season will go a long way into seeing what he has left in the tank.
Another favorite of ours in Josh Tomlin won 12 games last season with an ERA a bit above four.Tomlin's stuff is not the top of the line,but he manages to keep his team in the game and should have the chance to cement a spot at the end of the rotation.
Jeanmar Gomez will have a chance as well as the injury that will keep Carlos Carrasco out for the year will give Tomlin,Gomez and likely a few pitchers from Columbus given chances in the rotation.
Lefthander David Huff will have the first chance at that once he returns from the disabled list..

Chris Perez returns as the closer after a 36 save season in 2011.
Perez heads a non-descript bullpen filled with names that few would consider top notch.
Vinnie Pestano looks to be the top setup man with Tony Sipp and Rafael Perez the top lefthanders.
Veteran Joe Smith leads the remaining relievers as he is joined by former Brave Jairo Ascencio and well traveled Dan Wheeler.

The Indians do not look like a contender,nor do they look exciting.
They look well...dull...

Prediction:76-86

Photo Credit:Chris Creamer

Talking to myself about the Hagerstown Suns

My head is spinning after a day that saw me bounce back in forth on the future of the Hagerstown Suns.

I felt good about the team staying recently and felt even better after a pre-game visit to the Muni for another attempt at Lexington manager Ivan DeJesus as I saw Mayor Bob Bruchey,Suns owner Bruce Quinn and many fellows in suits,who were either important or trying to look that way.
My buddy and Suns employee "Hank" told me that there was quite a setup down the left field line as far as a presentation goes for a new stadium.

So I left the park feeling pretty good.
Until I got home and saw the Herald Mail's report on the City Council meeting the night before,where city council members had taken the private negotiations and tossed them into the public arena.
That never helps to get a deal finished and only tends to throw things into flux.
A barrage of silliness from the three members did just that as our favorite councilperson Ms.Haywood decided to complain about the expense of the Suns request to have a ambulance at every Suns game,Lew Metzner decided to take a private negotiation public while Martin Brubaker kept referring to the Suns placing new demands on the proposed lease.
None of which moves a deal any closer to an eventual success..
Ms.Haywood fails to realize that the city pays fifty thousand dollars a year to the community rescue service,which last I checked was more than eight thousand,which would be the cost of putting an ambulance at Municipal Stadium for every game.
Mr,Metzner's insistence of making private negotiations public has made a difficult task harder and Mr.Brubaker's nickel and dime line items have done little to improve the problem of getting the stadium funded.

So feeling even more dismal about the situation,Mayor Bruchey,who loves to spar with the people that leave comments on the H-M website offered this body blow to a person that said "Maybe they should just leave".
Bruchey's comment of "they probably will" was a comment that made my heart sink.
I thought the situations was looking grim,but then after a return from Frederick,the Herald-Mail reported  that one of the people at the stadium was Maryland comptroller Peter Franchot.
Franchot seemed to be inferring that the money would be there from the state,if the city and county did their part.
I get the feeling that this is not exactly what the state would like to do right now,but with a tax revenue source like the Suns threatening to leave the state and take their money elsewhere,the state might be finally after all these years be ready to help replace the elderly Muni....
So my spirits went up a bit from earlier.

I am surprised at the willingness of some to complain about a baseball team and its 70 home dates getting too much money,but money going to things such as the Miss Maryland pageant are fine.
Here is an example,the city pays eight thousand dollars a year for the three days  and the county adds sixteen thousand a year.
Where does the county get this sixteen thousand to pay towards a three day beauty pageant,yet wants to fight over a team that has seventy dates?
Well,wait  for  it-the hotel/motel tax that was intended to help build a new stadium!
Just for a fun exercise and not to be at all taken seriously-if the hotel tax gives the Miss Maryland people $5,333 per day and gave the Suns the same ratio per game,the Suns would be able to pay over 373 THOUSAND dollars a year on a stadium payment.
Now I realize the funding is not to that level,but that shows how the stance on this issue can be picked and chosen over.
Eight thousand dollars for seventy dates for an ambulance at site is too much to bear,but the exact same amount for three days to fill a facility that has capacity at 1,300 is fine?
I would not know how many of those seats are sold for the pageant,but if I had to guess,I'd bet against a sellout.

Now let's look at things that money goes towards that I am not against the community having,but that I do not use-the Maryland Community Orchestra,Black Rock golf course,Blues Fest,etc.
I do not attend any of these things,but having them makes a nicer community to live in,but I do not hear anyone threatening the people that enjoy those things that their passion should be allowed to leave.
Please show me the numbers that show that the MSO brings more money to our city/state/county than the Hagerstown Suns.
Please show me where the MSO or Blues Fest or Miss Maryland etc, has brought more recognition to the area than the various baseball stars that have been through the Muni.
I really do not want to make this about baseball vs art or baseball vs music or God forbid baseball vs beauty pageants,but there should be room for all of these things in a community that has multiple interests to offer.

A stadium that can be used for many different events would be an asset to the area would bring jobs and recreation to a desperately needed part of a town in need of a makeover.
If the people opposed to the stadium are truly opposed to it because of their tax dollars,then I would like to see them opposing all the groups with their hands out as well.
If it is a budget issue,then I want to see them all slashed in order to save money in order to be fair..

We have an opportunity to make things right and build the stadium that was promised to us and add to the community in other manners as well.
Hagerstown has always been a "baseball town" that has lost its luster through the years through poor and uncaring management and a rundown facility.
The shine can return with some polishing and I think fans that were lost due to the Muni and the management issues will return with an improved facility and product.

This can be done-lets do it!
If you live in the area.please visit this link.
Sign the petition,write a note,show them that you care.
Please do not put it off as we have less than a week before the Ripken groups presentation.
Jump in and take a minute and help out for the future of Hagerstown baseball....
If you do not live in the area,write anyway,tell them you travel here to see games and it is important to you as well.

I am running short on time as I wrote and lost half of this earlier tonight,so unsure on Pirates and Cavalier recaps,so the answer there is a big maybe.
I hope to work on the tardy Indians preview tomorrow!