Scanned through some MLB today and caught some great action … Kosuke Fukudome’s 3-run homer in the ninth inning at Wrigley was magical. Brent Musburger’s call was something like, “A star is born in the teeth of the wind off Lake Michigan.” You had to see this homer. It was chilling. Fans were chanting “Fukudome” BEFORE the homer. Eric Gagne served up the shot and blew a 3-0 lead, then Gagne (1-0) earned a vulture win … Placido Polanco goes 0-for-6 against the Royals … Jim Thome can hit lefties — for big flies … KC’s Alex Gordon (2-run homer) has arrived; and great defensive play to end the game.
The Yankees host the Blue Jays on Monday for their season openers, which means Aaron Hill gets another crack at Chien-Ming Wang. Both players were part of the first-ever Fisher Cats game played at Gill Stadium April 15, 2004. Dustin McGowan got the win in a 2-0 victory for New Hampshire. I’m really not that organized, but I still have the scorebook from that game.
Hill played shortstop and went 0-for-2 on a couple grounders against Wang … How many players in that game went on to reach the big leagues? Take a guess. The answer is down below this picture of Hilly.
Fishers to the majors from that game: Tyrell Godwin, Hill, John-Ford Griffin, McGowan, Brandon League, Kevin Frederick, Adam Peterson; Thunder to the majors: Robinson Cano, Kevin Reese, Dioner Navarro, Wang. The answer is 11.
Six ex-Fisher Cats are on Toronto’s active roster to begin the 2008 season: Hill, McGowan, Jesse Litsch, Shaun Marcum, League, Brian Wolfe.
Today is one of my favorite days of the year, when I get my hands on the Fisher Cats roster. For me, winter officially is over. Here is a projected starting lineup for opening day April 3 at Connecticut.
1. Ryan Klosterman, SS; speedster looking to get on Toronto’s radar.
2. Scott Campbell, 2B; only New Zealander ever drafted.
3. Aaron Mathews, CF; gamer.
4. Ryan Patterson, LF; you know “RP” is becoming big-time when he doesn’t return your call.
5. Josh Kreuzer, 1B; Florida State League MVP.
6. Eric Nielsen, RF; won batting title at Dunedin.
7. Jacob Butler, DH; 23 homers, 85 RBI at “Doondeen.”
8. Brian Jeroloman, C; stock is high with the Jays.
9. Marcos Cabral, 3B; solid glove man wants Scott Rolen’s job.
SP — Ricky Romero; ready for a breakout year? 
The globe-trotting Manchester Millrats have reached the ABA Final Eight, and will play tonight against Montreal Royal at Quebec City. For a video link of the 5 p.m. game, click here.
The Millrats have played in Canada, Singapore (by way of China), the Bahamas and the United States of America this season … I’m still averaging two points and one steal per game. OMG! Just had a thought. If the Millrats win the ABA title, will I get a ring?
Team owner Jason Briggs said he was so excited about today’s game that he couldn’t sleep last night. “Everyone’s healthy … We’re going to give it our best shot. We feel quietly confident.”
UPDATE: Millrats survived a scare and won in overtime, 146-140. Montreal’s Tommy Mitchell scored 50 points and nearly carried the Royal to an upset. Manchester plays Saturday night against Atlanta or San Diego in the ABA semifinals.
Take a look at Sports Illustrated’s Baseball Preview issue, and there are three Eastern League graduates on the cover. Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz and Washington’s Ryan Zimmerman are all pictured on the flip-cover that folds out.
Ellsbury dominated a series against the Fisher Cats last season; Buchholz received a standing ovation at The Merch (before throwing a no-hitter at Fenway Park), and Zimmerman put on a show there in 2005.
Fisher Jay Jesse Litsch pitched seven strong innings (2H, 2R) in a 6-3 win over Cincy today. Litsch has clinched the No. 5 starter role with the Jays … Toronto released catcher Sal Fasano, which sets up the minor-league catching situation.
Robinzon Diaz and Curtis Thigpen will be sent to Triple-A Syracuse, which means Erik Kratz could be the first 5-year Fisher Cat. Kratz has played in 216 games for New Hampshire, including a pitching stint in his Double-A debut in 2004. DID YOU KNOW?: Kratz was an emergency pitcher against Binghamton and gave up a solo homer to future All-Star David Wright.
First-round bonus baby Ricky Romero will likely return to NH for another go-round. Baseball insiders know Romero as the guy Toronto drafted instead of SS Troy Tulowitzki in 2005. Keith Law, J.P. Ricciardi’s former right-hand man, had some interesting comments on this topic. The following interview question can be found here at Richarddansky.com.
Question: What are you going to do to the next person who asks you in a chat why the Jays didn’t draft Troy Tulowitzki while you were there? {Ed. - The Blue Jays famously picked pitcher Ricky Romero over their expected - and Keith-Law-recommended - choice, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in the 2005 amateur baseball draft. Last year, Tulowitzki helped lead the Colorado Rockies to the World Series; Romero struggled in the minor leagues.)
Law: Oh, that never gets old. It’s a textbook example of a managerial failure. The consensus of the people who were hired to evaluate players was to take Tulowitzki over Romero. (It wasn’t unanimous, but it was the majority opinion.) The GM substituted his own evaluations, based on one observation for each player and a flawed one at that for Tulowitzki, who was just coming off of a wrist injury. Several of us made the case for Tulowitzki over Romero, myself included, but Ricciardi is not one to change his mind, and I always thought he rather enjoyed digging in his heels when anyone questioned a decision. There had to be a million dollars in salaries sitting in that draft room, and the GM overruled them. If you’re going to hire talented people and pay them all that money, let them do their jobs. The fact that the decision has backfired so spectacularly just justifies that point - if the Jays had Tulowitzki at short, they’d probably be one of the top four teams in the AL.
HERE we go for the 108th Red Sox season. Right now everyone else is asleep at the Gray household, and it’s you and me and HDTV. Feel free to post comments, and I’ll post them as we watch Dice-K at the Tokyo Dome.
– Must say I’m really enjoying NESN’s coverage of this trip. The best part has been WMUR’s Naoko Funayama coaxing Jerry Remy out of the hotel and onto the streets for some interaction with fans. “Now I might even go out in Cleveland,” Remy said last night.
– Dice-K is warming up in the bullpen, which is totally isolated from the fans. Don’t know if he’s under the seats or what. Analyst Ken Macha just said he’s “under the stadium.”
– Remy said the opening ceremony “was one of the best I’ve ever seen.” Somewhere in Los Angeles, Charles Steinberg just smashed his remote. And it’s 3:05 a.m. there.
– Hey, there’s my good friend Jim Rice at the studio. Man, we had some good times at the Granite State Baseball Dinner when I asked him one question about his playing career.
– Just had my first “this is bizarre for Opening Day” moment. Carnival music is playing as players are being introduced. The public address announcer has butchered the pronunciation of Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury. As expected, Oakland technically is the home team, but the crowd is all Red Sox/Dice-K/Hideki Okajima fans.
– I like the fact Ellsbury is batting eighth. Less pressure for the youngster, and this gives the Sox a sparkplug lower in the order. Notice I resisted the temptation to say “another leadoff hitter” in the bottom of the lineup.
– Tito Francona and Oakland manager Bob Geren were presented flowers at home plate, and Geren looked confused. The managers couldn’t shake hands because they had orchids up to their ears.
First Inning
Joe Blanton fires the first pitch and we’re underway … and Dustin Pedroia goes global! He singles on the second pitch and is batting 1.000. I am a big believer that a fast start can carry a player for months. An 0-for-15 is nothing in the middle of the season, but it’s terrifying at the start … So much has been said about the immense pressure on Dice-K pitching here. But do you really think so? Is there a comfort factor that makes him feel better? Yeah, I understand the whole idea he doesn’t want to disappoint his fans.
Mark Ellis homers on a fastball that misses the mark. Now Dice-K looks rattled. Two pitches in the dirt on Daric Barton, who draws a walk … OK, clearly, the Boston starter is off his game. This is turning into a spring training exercise for catcher Jason Varitek, who keeps picking pitches out of the dirt … I’m pretty sure base runner Jack Cust just tipped a pitch to Bobby Crosby by grabbing the brim of his helmet … Amazing Oakland only got one two runs that inning. Dice-K threw 30 pitches and looked “wilder than a hawk” as we say in Plymouth.
A’s, 2-0.
Second Inning
Brandon Moss, taking the place of J.D. Drew in right field, is another player who spent time with the Portland Sea Dogs and played in Manchester. Most players will tell you Moss is the funniest guy in the clubhouse. Drew has a stiff back and Sean Casey a stiff neck. Is the hotel that uncomfortable? Dice-K is not going to last much longer than a few innings at this rate … What bigger? Buster Douglas beating Mike Tyson at the Tokyo Dome or the A’s knocking out Matsuzaka?
Third Inning
I have just been kicked off the HDTV and moved to the basement TV so my son can watch “Jimmy Neutron.” He’ll hear about that down the road … Lugo singles. Seems Blanton has been pitching from the stretch all game. This has the feeling of a Sox’ comeback win because the A’s failed to fully capitalize against Dice-K … The shift victimizes Big Papi, who makes the final out on a frozen rope to 2B Ellis playing in the hole.
Was Remy poking fun of “Sox Appeal” when he said NOBODY was interested in the show when talking with Japanese folks on the streets? Five walks now for Dice-K, who’s up to 138 pitches. Just kidding. It’s actually 75 pitches through 3 innings.
Fourth Inning
Remy, the president of Red Sox Nation, a global nation, is scolding the fans for thinking fly ball outs would be a homers. Hey, RemDog, that happens in Boston, too. Fans are allowed to get excited. Sox go down quickly … Must say this the first baseball game in which I’ve enjoyed Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. Wonder how fans are doing at those sports bars in Manchester.
Fifth Inning
Ellsbury has been seeing some nasty pitches from Blanton, who buries a slider under his hands. The rookie works the count full and bounces out to first base. The $40,000 stipend he receives for this trip is roughly one-tenth of his salary … Time for a Tina Cervasio report. What? She works in New York now?
Dice-K now has six strikeouts and five walks. Love the changeup. Tight strike zone from the umpire. Fans are getting into this game as Matsuzaka gets hot. 1-2-3 that inning.
Sixth Inning
Pedroia stings a long shot to the opposite field, and right fielder Travis Buck can’t make the play against the wall. Nice night for Pedroia (now 2-for-3) who suffered through a miserable slump to start last season. Remember when he was hitting about .160 in May and fans wanted Alex Cora? Blanton is unraveling but retires David Ortiz (0-for-3) on a pop into foul territory that is more expansive than Yosemite … Tie game, 2-2, after Manny Ramirez jumps on a fastball. What a swing by Ramirez.
Brandon Moss, whom I remember playing the Guitar Hero video game at Merchantsauto.com Stadium, has provided the go-ahead single. By the way, Clay Buchholz could be the greatest Guitar Hero in baseball … Exit Blanton … Alan Embree is throwing low 90s heat for the A’s. This just in: the home plate umpire is awful. Can’t believe Dice-K is now eligible for a win now. Red Sox, 3-2
Roving reporter Naoko Funayama checks in with fans, including some from New Hampshire, she says … Sayonara to Dice-K’s win. Jack Hannahan goes deep with a two-run homer … Blog reader Val says Buck should’ve made that catch on Pedroia’s double. She’s right. A’s up, 4-3.
Seventh Inning
Ellsbury, always choking up on the bat, lines a nice single to left field. If he steals a base, does everyone in Japan get sushi? We’ll never know. Julio Lugo erases the runner with a 4-6-3 double play. Good recovery by Embree. Seventh-inning stretch. Did I just see another “Monster” promotion Jordan’s Furniture? The Sox have to sweep the World Series in order for fans to be reimbursed for purchases. What are the odds of another sweep? Probably about 10,000-to-1.
Lefty Javier Lopez looks impressive with a strikeout to silence the A’s. Big bats coming up for the Sox.
Eighth Inning
Old friend Keith Foulke enters to face Youkilis, who hammers a 395-foot fly to center field for the out. We don’t really know the dimensions of the outfield, but Don Orsillo thinks the CF wall is about 400 feet. Sox are retired as Manny fans on a called third strike. Manny is still on pace for 324 RBI. Foulke looks terrific for a guy who considered retirement after signing with the Indians.
What a catch by Ellsbury! That is an incredibly difficult play, running straight back on a ball hit over your head, turning and leaping to rob Emil Brown.
Ninth inning
How about Moss? Game-tying homer on an inside pitch from closer Huston Street … Reader Dave wonders what will become of Moss this season. Hmm. When Drew returns to the lineup, he’s not going to be getting much playing time. And if the Red Sox don’t trade Coco Crisp, Moss could be going back to Triple-A to get more ABs.
If you’re wondering, I’ve made it out of the basement and back to the HDTV in the living room. Hideki Okajima now gets to pitch in front of his home fans. Mike Sweeney walks on four pitches but leadoff man Travis Buck (0-for-5) continues to have a terrible day and flies out. No doubt the Sox are going to win this game. All knotted up, 4-4.
Tenth Inning
Lugo’s aboard with an infield single, and Pedroia lays down a pretty sacrifice bunt, not such an easy task on the carpet. Boston has 10 hits and has been making loud outs all game … My 1-year-old daughter has just thrown a “Hello Kitty” stuffed animal at the keyboard. Guess that’s her reaction to Kevin Youkilis striking out. Oakland chooses to walk Ortiz and face Ramirez with two outs. Here we go.
And Manny does it! A double off the wall makes it 6-4 … That’s two doubles and four RBI. Manny is on pace for 648 RBI this season … Lenny DiNardo, a guest at the NH baseball dinner a few years ago, comes in to pitch for the A’s. It’s Jonathan Papelbon time.
Fans sitting behind the home-plate screen have not budged … The dancing closer walks the leadoff batter but gets Cust on a K. Papelbon consistently is hitting 95 mph. Brown doubles but his foolish baserunning bails out Papelbon, who isn’t exactly slamming the door … Great win by the Red Sox as the young kids (and Manny) lead the way. Wonder if Ellsbury or Crisp will be in CF tomorrow. You have to believe Moss will return to RF as Drew rests his tight back … Sox undefeated! Thanks for joining me.
Who has the best name in the minors? Vote for ex-Fisher Cat Bubbie Buzachero in the March Moniker Madness contest at minorleaguebaseball.com.
Stopped by the Fisher Cats’ ballpark to look around and check in with staff members today. First things first: media guru Mike Murphy now has a bigger office than his TV co-host, Danielle Matteau. I’m waiting for The Diva to flat-out lose her cool on the next episode of “Full Count with the Fisher Cats.”
– The new Samuel Adams Bar & Grill should be fantastic. There are five massive garage-like doors that can be opened on warmer days and more windows in the back can provide a nice cross-breeze. On colder days, the place will be sealed up and packed with as many as 300 fans.
– Signs are up for the new Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame, located on the concourse behind home plate … Black sand is helping melt snow on the field.
– My source at spring training tells me ex-Fishers John Schneider, Carlo Cota and Aaron Tressler have been released by the Blue Jays. Farm director Dick Scott is wondering where I got this information, but I’m sworn to secrecy. How many people remember that Cota was the first Fisher Cat to homer at the new ballpark?
– Also, catcher Brian Bormaster has retired. Catchers Schneider and Boremaster were always engaging and a pleasant guys to talk with in the past.
– My guess at the starting outfield in April will be Travis Snider, Aaron Mathews and Ryan Patterson.
“Ladies and gentleman, now standing in the Cabot Stains On-Deck batting circle, left fielder Travis Snider.”
That’s right, folks. Toronto’s No. 1 prospect is heading to Manchester to begin the season. Talked with farm director Dick Scott, who said Snider has been so impressive, he’s jumping Single-A Dunedin and heading straight for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. This is big news for our minor league city. Snider is ranked as one of Baseball America’s top prospects, even ranked ahead of Jacoby Ellsbury. More in Monday’s newspaper.
Just wanted to reward my blog readers with this scoop. Tally on blog hits per day is now 8.
