Tue. 6/18 - Make It (A Clinch) Happen Today, Mudcats!

[Ro Mueller]

In a funny bookkeeping quirk, Filippo Di Turi’s game log will now show him playing in Arizona (true) and North Carolina (original game suspended halfway, resumed in South Carolina June 18) on the same day: May 4, 2024.

[Joseph Zarr]

Tayden Hall just ripped a double to the deep left CF gap. Noice!

[Joseph Zarr]

Dylan O'Rae leads-off (literally) his Double-A career with a first pitch oppo poke through the 3B/SS gap into LF for a single. As classic an O'Rae knock as there ever was. Nice to see the Shuckers with an actual lead-off hitter!

[wiguy94]

Dylan O'Rae slaps a single through the left side of the infield on the first AA pitch he saw. He then proceeds to steal a base 2 pitches later. Fantastic start to his AA career.

[Joseph Zarr]

AND, in an 0-1 count O'Rae easily swipes 2B (no throw) after the catcher fumbles the gather.

[Joseph Zarr]

1 minute ago, wiguy94 said:

Dylan O'Rae slaps a single through the left side of the infield on the first AA pitch he saw. He then proceeds to steal a base 2 pitches later. Fantastic start to his AA career.

Good artists copy. Great artists steal. 😅

[Joseph Zarr]

This first inning of Shuckers 'execution' is about as classic Joe Ayrault managed 2024 Biloxi Shuckers baseball as it can get. Newly called up lead-off guy gets on base and swipes a bag. 2 K's and a weak ground out strand him. Smith gives up a lead-off double to the deep CF/RF gap? Relay play sails past the 3B as opposed to going to the cut-off man in O'Rae. Throw was not good to 3B regardless. AND, the runner had slipped and fell after he rounded 2B. A fundamentally sound and smart play there nabs the runner at 2B quite easily. These Shuckers are anything but fundamentally sound. Such a classic emblematic sequence of events that depict this entire first half. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Wood just hit a bomb over the Fort Wayne high RF wall. He absolutely crushed that pitch. 1-0 T-Rats.

[Joseph Zarr]

The runner scores from 3B on a well executed Sac Fly. Shuckers trail 1-0. The little things count in baseball. This Shuckers team clearly doesn't understand that whatsoever. 

[wiguy94]

6 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

This first inning of Shuckers 'execution' is about as classic Joe Ayrault managed 2024 Biloxi Shuckers baseball as it can get. Newly called up lead-off guy gets on base and swipes a bag. 2 K's and a weak ground out strand him. Smith gives up a lead-off double to the deep CF/RF gap? Relay play sails past the 3B as opposed to going to the cut-off man in O'Rae. Throw was not good to 3B regardless. AND, the runner had slipped and fell after he rounded 2B. A fundamentally sound and smart play there nabs the runner at 2B quite easily. These Shuckers are anything but fundamentally sound. Such a classic emblematic sequence of events that depict this entire first half. 

The throw did hit the cut off in O'Rae. O'Rae then overthrew 3B missing the runner slipping and there being at out at 2B where Boeve was covering.

[Joseph Zarr]

4 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

The throw did hit the cut off in O'Rae. O'Rae then overthrew 3B missing the runner slipping and there being at out at 2B where Boeve was covering.

SO O'Rae turned and cannoned that? That's on him. The announcers made it seem as tho the throw never hit the cut-off (which would have been a cannon). AND, the camera never actually covered the play in real time - upon replay and in real time. Did you hear Javik's call? 

I also haven't witnessed a Shuckers victory in any of my report duty evenings in likely over two months. It's unbelievable how much bad Shuckers baseball I've seen. 

Areinamo just ripped a solo jack over the LF wall. Absolutely ripped that high heater over that fence. Woot woot.

[Ro Mueller]

Now the 3rd-youngest pitcher in the Carolina League, RHP Manuel Rodriguez (3.19 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 7.9 K/9 in 53.2 IP) starts the 2nd game of the Low-A Mudcats’ quasi-doubleheader at Columbia. Norman, Acosta and Mercado enter for Yophery, Walling and Diaz.

[Joseph Zarr]

Lara now ripped a one-hop double off the RF wall. Ripped that ball onto the warning track on a line drive. Nice launch angle.

[wiguy94]

7 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

SO O'Rae turned and cannoned that? That's on him. The announcers made it seem as tho the throw never hit the cut-off (which would have been a cannon). AND, the camera never actually covered the play in real time - upon replay and in real time. Did you hear Javik's call? 

I also haven't witnessed a Shuckers victory in any of my report duty evenings in likely over two months. It's unbelievable how much bad Shuckers baseball I've seen. 

Areinamo just ripped a solo jack over the LF wall. Absolutely ripped that high heater over that fence. Woot woot.

No I heard the Trash Panda's announcers say O'Rae is the one that threw it. I mean we know that wasn't the CF/RF airmailing 3B from the warning track in right center. Not even Lamar Sparks and his amazing arm can do that.

[wiguy94]

Mudcats infield defense really letting Rodriguez down in this inning. Lots of weak contact not being turned into outs.

[Joseph Zarr]

7 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

No I heard the Trash Panda's announcers say O'Rae is the one that threw it. I mean we know that wasn't the CF/RF airmailing 3B from the warning track in right center. Not even Lamar Sparks and his amazing arm can do that.

[wiguy94]

Shane Smith with some very unusual horrible control. He has 3 HBP only 1 out into the 3rd inning.

[wiguy94]

2 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Shane Smith with some very unusual horrible control. He has 3 HBP only 1 out into the 3rd inning.

He's getting away with some elevated breaking balls that are really bad pitches but being swung through because they are so bad

[Joseph Zarr]

15 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

He's getting away with some elevated breaking balls that are really bad pitches but being swung through because they are so bad

Yeah a very uncharacteristic inning there. And, now he walked the lead-off in the 4th on a not very competitive 3-2 pitch. Low and inside. Not the sharp version we've seen of late whatsoever. 

[Joseph Zarr]

And, it continues for Smith. Very luckily gets the benefit of a call on a WP inside when Miller's throw was off-line up the 3B side but EBJ got the call (it was the wrong call). Smith then walks his next batter on 4 pitches. He can't control anything at present.

[Joseph Zarr]

Leading 4-1 in Fort Wayne, Manfredi was pulled with runners on 2nd and 3rd. Two down. Bottom of the 6th. RHP Stiven Cruz comes on and walks them full. Missed on a full count low and inside.

[Joseph Zarr]

And it's no matter. Cruz throws two straight tailing off-speed for swings and misses. Then gets the batter swinging at high heat. 3 pitch K. He escapes.

[Joseph Zarr]

Smith reins it in after consecutive walks. Fly out to RF. Three pitch K on a gorgeous slider dipping low and outside the zone. That was the best pitch of his inning. Not sharp but he still has the tools to work through an outing like this. He's pitched 4 complete 1 ER ball. 1-1 game. He'll likely get the 5th as well as his pitch count is still manageable.

[Joseph Zarr]

The Tin Caps may be wearing the ugliest Minor League baseball jersey I've ever seen. It's a toss up. Those get ups are horrendous. 😅

[Joseph Zarr]

Zamora just saved Stallings further damage on a full count, two men on, rocket line drive. He was positioned perfectly. Took steps to his right and dove for the snare. 1-0 Sounds trail headed to the bottom of the 5th.