MMMLR - 24-8-12

Date: 8-24-12        

MLB –

Two new rival sports radio networks aren’t just competition for affiliates.  They’re also working to sign a roster of top-named talk hosts.  As CBS Sports Radio leverages a number of personalities already in-house, Dial Global and NBC Sports Radio are also enlisting television sports talent.

Dayn Perry‏ -  In Skip Bayless's defense, he's better than Pol Pot.

 

MLB - Mets:

Rob Johnson was placed on the DL with a torn ligament in his left thumb

Anthony Rieber on Johan Santana’s back:

Alderson did not disclose the exact cause of the inflammation. Dr. Andrew Hecht, an orthopedic surgeon and co-chief of spinal surgery at Mount Sinai School of Medicine who is not involved in Santana's treatment, said: "The most common causes of lower back inflammation in the area of L5 are herniated disc, spondylolysis and the inflammation of a facet joint. Rest, medication and exercise is a good, proper treatment plan." Spondylolysis is defined as a specific defect in the connection between vertebrae. Facet joints are the movable joints that allow flexibility in the spine.

Sandy Alderson on the 2013 team:

“For the purpose of this discussion, let's assume the payroll is the same. I don't expect the same team on the field. Look, we've watched this team for two years. We've gotten similar results the two years. There are some positives. ... We need to get better, and not incrementally. ... So we need an infusion of players -- productive players, players who are going to hit for power. There are only two or three ways to acquire those. I'd say the more likely avenue for us would be trades. Let's be honest: So if we're going to get a right-handed power hitter or a left-handed power hitter, what's it going to cost us? Maybe $10 million to $12 million a year. If you look at [Michael] Cuddyer and [Jason] Kubel and guys like that, [Josh] Willingham, those are not five-tool players, but they're very productive players. Is that a possibility for next year? I wouldn't rule it out at this point. Again, I don't think we know what our budget is going to be. I haven't had those conversations. And my job right now is to set up a series of possibilities -- high, low, medium. ...”

 

AAA – Buffalo:.

RHP Armando Rodriguez transferred from Binghamton (AA) to Buffalo (AAA)

Adam Rubin - Kirk Nieuwenhuis will not require surgery on the partially torn plantar fascia in his right foot. But, after an examination, team doctors have determined Nieuwenhuis will not return this season. Nieuwenhuis struck out 98 times in 282 at-bats in 2012. That's the fewest at-bats per strikeout in a season in franchise history for someone with that at-bat total (2.88). Actually, Duda's 2012 rate (one strikeout every 3.27 at-bats) ranks second. The old record: Dave Kingman, who struck out every 3.28 at-bats in 1975 -- albeit while slugging 36 homers.

RHP ARMANDO RODRIGUEZ makes his Bisons and Triple-A debut tonight. The 24-year old has been promoted from Double-A Binghamton where he was 2-2 with a 3.04ERA in 31 appearances. The Eastern League All-Star made three spot starts for the B-Mets this year and was 0-1 with a 4.91ERA. Overall, Rodriguez has allowed just 53 hits in 68.0 innings... OF FRED LEWIS stole his 24th base last night. The total is the most by a Bisons player since INF Brent Abernathy stole 27 during the 2004 campaign. Lewis has only been caught seven times, giving him a 77% success rate. The Bisons 81 steals as a team is their highest total since they stole 112 bases during the 2007 season… INF JOSH SATIN had a pair of hits to raise his team-best batting average to .291. In 55 games since June 21, Satin is hitting .323 (60-186) with 13 doubles, nine home runs, 36RBI and a .447 on-base percentage. Satin’s .396 on-base mark for the season in second in the International League. – team PR

 

AA-Binghamton:

RHP Cory Mazzoni (5-4, 3.49) makes his 12th start of the season and second against the Sea Dogs. Mazzoni dropped his last start to the Richmond Flying Squirrels on August 18. He allowed three runs on seven hits over seven innings. The righty fanned  a season-high seven, but got no run support as the B-Mets lost 4-0. Mazzoni beat the Sea Dogs on July 27, surrendering just one run on four hits over six innings in the first game of a doubleheader. Selected in the 2nd round of the 2011 draft out of North Carolina State, Mazzoni started his season with the St. Lucie Mets (High-A), going 5-1 with a 3.25 ERA in 12 starts in the Florida State League.

RHP Mike MacDonald (1-2, 4.86) takes the hill for his ninth start with Portland second against the B-Mets. MacDonald has gone winless in six straight games, taking the no-decision in his last three starts. He struck out a season-high seven and allowed two runs on four hits over six innings. The Maine native lost to the B-Mets in the nightcap of a doubleheader on July 27. He allowed two runs on four walks and six hits over five innings. Selected by Toronto in the 15th round in the 2004 draft, MacDonald spent six years in the Blue Jays system. He has also pitched in the Angels and Giants organizations. He went 3-4 with a 3.60 ERA in 13 starts with the Somerset Patriots (Atlantic League) this season before signing with the Boston Red Sox in early July.

The Portland Sea Dogs pounded out 17 hits, including nine for extra-bases,to hand the Binghamton Mets a 14-9 defeat Thursday night at Hadlock Field.

 

 

 

TheB-Mets held their only lead of the game after scoring two off Mike MacDonald inthe second inning. Allan Dykstra led off with a double to the right fieldalley, took third on a passed ball and came home on a single by Raul Reyes.Juan Centeno added a sac fly later in the inning.

Itwas all downhill from there for Binghamton as the Sea Dogs hung five runs onCory Mazzoni in the bottom of the second. Portland collected four hits and tookadvantage of a fielding error by shortstop Wilfredo Tovar to take a 5-2 lead.The Sea Dogs added two more runs in the third, Mazzoni’s final inning.

TheB-Mets cut the deficit to three with two runs in the fourth. Wilfredo Tovarsupplied an RBI triple to center and Juan Centeno added with a run-scoringground out.

Itwas as close as the B-Mets would get. The Sea Dogs plated two against relieverBrandon Moore in the fourth on two hits, two walks and three wild pitches.Edgar Ramirez tossed 1-2/3 scoreless before getting tagged for three runs onfour extra-base hits in the sixth. Portland capped their offensive attack withtwo more runs in the seven against Jeff Kaplan.

Binghamtonpounded out 14 hits, the second-most in a losing effort this season. WilmerFlores compiled a three-hit night and fell a triple shy of the cycle. He rippeda solo home run over the Maine Monster in the fifth, provided an RBI single in theseventh and double in the ninth.

MacDonaldwas chased from the game after Flores’ single in the seventh. Jason Urquidezgot the final out in the inning, but allowed two runs on four hits in theeighth. The B-Mets trailed by six and threatened with the bases loaded untilReese Havens grounded into an inning-ending double play. Urquidez surrenderedanother run in the ninth before inducing Reyes to fly out to end the game.

Mazzoni(5-5) allowed seven runs on seven hits over three innings in his shortestouting as a B-Met. MacDonald (2-2) collected his first win since July 17,surrendering six runs on eight hits over 6-2/3 innings. – team PR

 

A+ - St. Lucie:

Logan Verrett pitched a complete-game, three-hitter, Aderlin Rodriguez homered twice and drove in three, and the Mets cruised past the Jupiter Hammerheads 8-1 to split a doubleheader on Thursday at Digital Domain Park.

Verrett improved to 2-0 and allowed one run and three hits while walking one and recording six strikeouts in seven innings.

Travis Taijeron went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs and Cesar Puello hit a solo home run in the sixth.

Cory Vaughn went 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI and Alonzo Harris had two hits and a run scored.

The Mets dropped the first game of the doubleheader by a score of 9-0.

Angel Cuan was chased in the first inning and allowed four runs and five hits with two walks and one strikeout.

Jack Leathersich tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and John Church pitched two scoreless innings with one strikeout.

Hamilton Bennett allowed five unearned runs and six hits with one walk and one strikeout. – team PR

 

A – Savannah:

The Savannah Sand Gnats game versus the Rome Braves Thursday has been postponed due to heavy rain throughout the afternoon. Thursday’s game has been re-scheduled for Saturday as part of a double-header; game one will begin at 5:00pm. There will be two seven inning games on Saturday. Gates will open at 4:30pm on Saturday.

 

A-Low – Brooklyn:

The Cyclones took a 2-1 lead into the ninth, but fell to the Tri-City ValleyCats 4-3 in extra innings on Thursday night.

The ValleyCats were on the board in the top of the first as Jesse Wierzbicki hit an RBI triple to score Preston Tucker. Tucker had reached on a single. Wierzbicki, however, attempted to score after Tucker, but was out at the plate to end the inning.

The Cyclones evened things up in the bottom half of the following frame. Jeff Reynolds drew a two-out walk before Eudy Pina singled on a line drive to center field. With Reynolds at third, Brandon Nimmo then also singled to tie the score at 1-1.

Brooklyn took a one-run lead in the fifth. Phillip Evans singled before Kevin Plawecki walked for the second time. Then, Evans was plated by a single off the bat of Julio Concepcion. Another single – this time by Alex Sanchez – loaded the bases, but Nelfi Zapata grounded into a force out to end the inning.

Brian Holmes went 5.0 innings and allowed two earned runs off six hits with four walks and three strikeouts. In 6.2 innings, Gabriel Ynoa held Tri-City to just one earned run off five hits. Ynoa walked one and fanned five batters.

David Wynn came in from the bullpen in the seventh with a runner in scoring position, but got Ryan Dineen to fly out to center after allowing a walk to escape the inning. John Mincone pitched a scoreless eighth, but gave up a run to the ValleyCats in the top of the ninth to blow the Cyclones' lead.

Mincone allowed a leadoff single to Jesse Wierzbicki, and then got Tyler Heineman to ground out. With Wierzbicki at second, Mike Cokinos singled in the tying run.

In the top of the eleventh, Wierzbicki hit a two-run home run to left off Beck Wheeler, giving Tri-City a 4-2 lead. Wierzbicki hit for the cycle as he tripled in his first at bat, doubled in the fourth, and singled in the ninth.

The Cyclones had back-to-back singles to begin the bottom half of the frame. Eudy Pina then grounded out, advancing both runners into scoring position. Up next, Brandon Nimmo also grounded out, but Zapata was able to score from third, cutting the ValleyCats' lead to just one run. However, Dimas Ponce struck out to end the game.

Wheeler suffered the loss for the Cyclones after tossing 1.1 innings and allowing two earned runs, while the win went to Travis Ballew. Ballew pitched 2.1 innings of relief for the ValleyCats, giving up one earned run off two hits. – team PR