Joseph Zarr

The T-Rats are back home to face those pesky Quad City River Bandits (who currently sit in pole position for that second half playoff berth). RHP Alexander Cornielle is back on the bump to try and build on his last 11 K outing. Areinamo will lead off and play 2B, Garcia is back at SS and batting second. CF Luis Lara drops to the third slot while 1B Jesus Chirinos bats clean-up. I'm excited to see C Ramon Rodriguez back behind the dish - an underrated catcher in every facet. Hopefully, we'll hear some more on Burke's 7-Day IL stint and Adams' prolonged absence on Wednesday evening's post-game pod.

LHP Adam Seminaris continues to fill an important role as a fill-in starter for the playoff-hopeful Shuckers. Can he step up and perform unlike his last start? Yet to be determined. Ernesto Martinez Jr. is back at 1B giving his infield that massive frame and stretch making everyone's jobs easier. 3B Brock Wilken will continue to try and change the late fates of his woeful August at the dish. C Darrien Miller is back as the backstop with Zavi Warren listed once again as the LF'er - a true anomaly early in 2024 given he had never played there in his entire career until this season, but now a regular occurrence this being his 38th start in left field. EBJ is back at SS with 2B Ethan Murray also flashing the leather. Adam Hall in CF and Connor Scott in RF. This is a tough Home series vs. first place Montgomery - the first half winners and currently 1/2 G ahead of the Shuckers in first place yet again.

The Mudcats joins Nashville in the early eve/afternoon while also on the road (at Lynchburg). Coming off a 4-2 series victory at home vs Augusta, the Muddies will try to tame the Hillcats. With RHP Manuel Rodriguez still on the IL, RHP Daniel Corniel will fulfill his new role as the Mudcats #1. From behind the plate we see C David Garcia returning to his comfy role as Corniel's backstop. Bitonti is back at 1B with Di Turi filling in at 2B, Guilarte at SS, and Baez back at 3B. Dinges stays in the line-up as the DH with the OF look of (left-to-right) Yoshwar Garcia, Yophery Rodriguez, and Luis Castillo. Only one more home series after this and then we're off to the divisional three-game playoff set. Let's hope the Muddies stay healthy and get on a run.

A rare earlier start for Nashville @ Charlotte sees the Sounds kicking off with Carolina at 3:35 my time (5:35 CST). RHP Logan Henderson will be back on the bump looking to rebound from his most recent start with Mejía as his backstop. 1B Tyler Black is back across the diamond at first base, while Capra will be at 3B and Zamora at SS, and Arroyo back at 2B. The Sounds will try to keep pace with first place Columbus.

I see TE Tyler Davis did indeed go straight to the season-long IR. A tradition like no other now that Royce Newman 'The Silver Cloud' has been released to work elsewhere. Basic bullet points for me post-initial 53 announced: Don't agree with cutting both King and Anthony Johnson Jr. for a ST 'Ace' on a 29th ranked unit last year. Don't agree with it at all when you already have three young safeties above Anderson in the pecking order. Sad to see Welch not make it after having such a solid pre-season When that lingering 'stinger' issue returned for Dillon it was pretty clear the writing was on the wall. Best of luck to him - I imagine there will be a post-IR designation injury settlement and release. I don't think his failures on multiple short yardage situations this pre-season and consequent mini-tirade in that locker room interview did him any favors. Sad to see Dubose get released - we used every bit of 7 WR last season. I have a hard time thinking we needed to have Glover on the 53 and Dubose and Welch seem like the obvious releases to make this happen As per usual, I continue the annual tradition of becoming smitten with several pre-season darlings to inevitably see them cut. Very curious to see how the PS ultimately shakes out

Cutting both Pratt and Clifford - which seemed pretty obvious given the Willis trade - then preferring Clifford on the P/S? This is certainly a choice. They obviously prefer Cliffy's grasp of the playbook and year of tenure (?) but it seemed quite obvious Pratt had more raw upside and potential and was younger. Not sure I can say I understand this one. From Bill Huber HERE I am wondering if Pratt doesn't have the mental acumen? I obviously have no clue but this is definitely a bit of a head-scratcher for me.

Please allow me the time to grieve properly and peacefully during this trying time: (TE Tyler Davis to IR in 3...2...1 - a pre-season tradition like no other)

I think it's very fair to say: As a general rule of process and results: Don't draft kickers. Really don't draft kickers with career 71 % FGM track records.

So, Malik Willis as the primary back-up? Thank the gods we still have Clements in house - a true magician. At least the Read Option will always be in play. Cannon for an arm. Upside. Absolutely no consistency in his accuracy. Gotta think Clemens thinks he can fix that. Either way, interesting if nothing else. Tho, looking at this year's pre-season stats he certainly played an improved brand of football it would appear.

A Quick Synopsis of 'Where We Stand': For those of you wondering at Home, the Mudcats are indeed in their Home stretch. At Lynchburg for a six-game set this week. Home vs Delmarva for another six-game set and then they are in those Divisional playoffs. Those pesky (and talented) Fred Nats currently hold a 3.0 G lead over Salem for that final playoff spot. Wisconsin also has a mere two series remaining - Home vs Quad Cities this week then Away at Cedar Rapids before their Divisional Playoff set begins. As of right now, it certainly looks like it is going to be either Quad Cities or Peoria in that initial best of three. Biloxi still has that precarious 2.5 G lead over Mississippi and 4.0 G over stumbling Pensacola. They take on first half winners Montgomery (and current 1/2G division leading over the Shuckers) this week before heading to Rocket City and then closing with what may be a crucial six-game home set vs current 2nd Place Mississippi. A lot can happen between now and that final series. Lotttta ball game(s) left. Let's hope they can close strong and discover more consistent offense. Nashville won their series this past week 4-2 but lost a game on the division leading Columbus Clippers. They sit 5.0 G back as of today. A lot would have to happen to pull out an improbable playoff push and berth but it is certainly mathematically possible none the less. The Sounds have four series remaining: @ Charlotte this week followed by Home series vs Gwinnett and Memphis then closing on the road @ Norfolk.

With today's win, Biloxi maintains a 2.5 G lead over Mississippi. They are 4.0 G ahead of Pensacola.

Can confirm, you definitely are 'that guy'. 😘 BUT, heres the thing: If you weren't that guy, you'd just be another guy.

Force out to Warren at 1B gets the lead runner at 2B (runner also advances to 3rd) while no DP throw is made to 1st. Two down. Runners on the corner. Holub is up 0-2 on the next hitter. Batter works it 2-2. Fouls one down the RF line. Holub gets the K swinging on a 95.46 mph heater at the knees on the outer black. Fantastic pitch. On to the 9th. 4-1 Shuckers.

Consecutive singles finding the holes have two men on with one down for the second consecutive frame. RHP Blake Holub will try to escape. He has a K on a 97 mph heater in this same inning.

3-up and 3-down for the Shuckers in the 8th. First pitch sky high pop up to 2B by Zavi Warren. Knuckling squibber by Hall up the 1B/Mound side. Pitcher corralled and it was a near miss toe touch on 1B by the scrambling covering first baseman. Line drive to RF shy of the warning track - Miller just got under that. Put a good swing on it just didn't barrel it enough. On to the bottom of the 8th. 4-1 Shuckers.

One of those classic smoked liners right to Murray shadowing toward 2B. Hitter was all over it.

A lead-off line drive single to left CF to start the Barrons 7th is followed by a hanging 2-2 fly out to LF (mistake pitch). Childers, who isn't particularly sharp, then walks the next batter on 4 pitches. Men on 1st and 2nd. One down.

A passed ball advances runners to 2nd and 3rd. Hall walks. Murray cant barrel a dead center hanging curve and pops out to shallow left CF with the SS easily backtracking and corralling the pop up. Boy, that was an extremely hittable pitch and Murray knew it. Sigh. They add one insurance run. 4-1 headed to the bottom of the 7th.

Sparks adds an oppo first pitch two out RBI line drive single in the 7th. This just after EBJ hit an absolute jam shot bloop granted a single which was clearly an error miscommunication between the charging RF and 2B - the ball dropped about 15 ft into the shallow RF grass. 4-1 Shuckers, regardless. We'll take it!

Have any of you actually watched EBJ's swing in 2024? It's really a fascinating train wreck. I legit can't fathom how he thinks his current pre-swing set-up and in-swing motion makes an ounce of sense in the long run. It needs so many moving parts to come together perfectly to make a possible hit a reality. I am very very curious if this isn't an organizational approach of "Let's let him do this in 2024 and in the off-season (maybe starting back in the AFL) completely re-work his swing." I can't imagine this current approach is a long-term solution.

We know 3B Brock Wilken is a brand new dad (awesome news!) but I think it's fair to say the talented young man needs a rebirth himself heading into September. My goodness. It. Is. Ugly at the dish in August. 63 AB. 6 H. 0 XBH. 28 K. 13 BB. Wooooof Let's hope he can rediscover that power stroke and add some insurance runs late. We're running on empty.

I'm a BIG fan of limiting LHP Nate Peterson to reduced short stints. Love love love using him as a piggy-back short-stint starter today. Peterson can be quite effective if he simply faces an order once. He's a bullpen arm by my eyes until he can get his breaking ball issues under wraps. Way too many hangers. In short stints he can use it as a chase pitch while maximizing the impact of his heavy arm-side run on his rising heater. This is one of my favorite story lines of the Shuckers series this week. No matter what happens throughout the rest of the game seeing an impactful 2 2/3 IP, 64 pitch, one time through the order outing for Peterson brings me joy. That's a staff adjusting in-season even though their pitching staff is over-extended. LOVE this type of work.

OF Hedbert Perez is still a 'liability' vs LHP's but it's hard not to feel extremely validated and affirmed given his early High-A output. I've been on the forefront of the 'Give him a chance to get healthy before writing him off' defense lines (LOL) this past year. He flashed several times in the past season plus before getting injured and despite the prolonged slump. He still flashed the smooth and powerful line drive swing with gap power. I continue to contend that despite his small size he's a plus OF'er because he can cover ground and he has a really good arm. Feeling pretty pumped by what we're seeing early in his return. Just, please please please stay healthy and re-build that foundation.

This is where an Away series comes back to bite us in the kiester. The Post-Game Pods we get on evenings where there is no next-day matinee give us all the injury updates. Perhaps we'll find out what is going on or what has been going on when they return this week for a six-game home stand vs. Quad Cities. IF the young duderz don't play Tuesday or Wednesday, that is. First post-game pod will be Wednesday eve as we go from a Tuesday eve opening game to the mid-day Wednesday matinee. FWIW.