Wednesday’s News & Notes — Playoff Edition
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers | Syracuse | OFF DAY | @ Pawtucket, 6:35 p.m. |
Hill (11-7, 2.81) vs. Escobar (0-2, 4.28) |
| Potomac | OFF DAY | vs. Lynchburg, 7:05 p.m. |
TBD vs. TBD |
| Hagerstown | OFF DAY | vs. Greensboro, 7:05 p.m. |
Suero (4-1, 2.13) vs. German (9-3, 2.48) |
Syracuse vs. Pawtucket — I.L. Division Series
While there has been angst about the Syracuse players “lost” due to callups or being shut down, the Nationals reinforced the Chiefs roster with 1B-3B Matt Skole, LHP Felipe Rivero, RHP Tyler Herron from the 2003 Tigers Harrisburg Senators, and added MLB rehab Ross Ohlendorf. It should also be noted that Tyler Moore hasn’t exactly been a key cog in the Chiefs offense for quite some time (.682OPS since the All-Star break, .621 in August) while Blake Treinen made but three starts in August (1-1, 4.32), in which Syracuse went 19-12 with much of the rag-tag rotation they’re bringing into the playoffs (Hill-McGregor-Lively-Laffey-Espino). The PawSox and Chiefs split their 16 games, including a four-game sweep in late May. Over the past two months, Pawtucket has taken six of nine, though the games have been close: six were decided by two runs or less. The series begins in Rhode Island with the first two and concludes in New York in the best-of-five matchup.
Potomac vs. Lynchburg — C.L. Division Series
It’s a rematch of the 2013 first round series, which the P-Nats won 2-0 but both games were tight, one-run games won in walkoff fashion — 2-1 in 14 innings, 3-2 in regulation. Potomac took 12 of 19 games this season, including the last three on the road in Lynchburg. Pitching matchups have not yet been announced, but if the most recent rotation is used, it’ll be Hector Silvestre, Ian Dickson, and Brian Rauh for the series. Dickson and Matthew Spann have been both red-hot lately (3-1, 1.44 and 2-0, 1.08 respectively over their last five starts) but the hope is that only one will be needed (in theory, Spann could be used on three days’ rest on Friday, though we’re more likely to get an update on Brian Goodwin’s injury) to advance to the Mills Cup where the defending champions (Salem) or the other double-half winner (Myrtle Beach) await.
Hagerstown vs. Greensboro — S.A.L. Division Series
This is third straight playoff appearance for the Suns and the second time they’ve drawn the Grasshoppers as their first-round opponent. Thanks to the Sally League’s travel-influenced schedule, the two teams have played just 11 times despite being in the same division (contrasted to the 204 times they played Lakewood and Delmarva, give or take 150). Hagerstown took six of those eleven, but only one of four games played in the first half, which led to Greensboro’s first-half title and vice-versa as the two teams tied both halves with records of 44-26 and 43-27. Wander Suero gets the ball tonight at the Muni, followed by Reynaldo Lopez in Game 2 on Friday, and Nick Pivetta in Game 3 on Saturday in North Carolina. Should the Suns advance, they could potentially rematch against the defending Sally Lg. champs, Savannah, which plays Asheville in the Southern division series.
We worry about yracuse losing players, but I gather from seeing the line of tonight’s series opening starting pitcher that Pawtucket has the same issue. I just read on the Pawtucket website that, Anthony Ranaudo, the IL’s Pitcher of the Year, got called up by the Red Sox and won’t be available. So Go Chiefs!
Taylor Hill and Felipe Rivero a righty and a lefty are real-deal, age appropriate top prospect starting pitching. Now add the original windmill windup Ohlendorf to the more recent adoptee Mitch Lively? Makes things interesting for Billy Gardner, he’s not stuck with options. And he still has lefty Aaron Laffey who led the Chiefs in victories. McGregor and Espino two earlier reinforcements from Harrisburg. They still do have Grace and Martin (both also promoted from Harrisburg) as their setup/closer duo.
Losing Souza probably hurt the most. But Skole might be better than some may believe. Taylor, Hood, Kobernus, and Perez provide speed and Taylor + Hood some pop. They still have IL All Star Brandon Laird at third and Emmanuel Burriss at shortstop. Dobbs and Skole have left-handed power at first base. Solano and Howell at catcher.
They look pretty balanced if a bit weak on the starting pitching side of things as Trienen would have made a huge difference.
Treinen just saved the Nats’ bacon tonight. Without his two scoreless frames, they may well likely have lost that marathon affair. It was a rare case of a reliever deserving to get the win.
Okay, waiting for Luke’s ‘Last nite in Woodbridge’, but who’s in charge of Last nite in Hagerstown’?
Inquiring minds want know.
Peric, you’re in the bullpen getting ready for ‘Last nite in Syracuse’.
Sorry boys, Mrs. Erickson had to go up to N.E. to care for her parents, so no LNIs until she gets back. Don’t worry – I’m writing the summaries a little longer since there are only three of them (vs. the 7-10 from mid-June to late August).