THE SERIES ... Lakeland returns from the All-Star Break with a three-game road trip to Brevard County on June 17-19. All three games will be played at 6:35 pm in Viera. The two clubs are facing each other for the first time since April 15-17.
THE FLYING TIGERS (30-35, 4th Place, 5.0 GB) ... Lakeland had its nine-game win streak snapped on Thursday in the second game of a doubleheader, falling 9-5 to Bradenton. The streak enabled the Flying Tigers to climb out of the cellar of the North Division for the first time since May 16. Drew VerHagen ranks ninth in the Florida State League with a 2.81 ERA to go with his 5-3 record, while allowing opponents to hit .207 against him – second best average in the league. Melvin Mercedes has saved 11 games this season which is third most in the FSL while Kyle Ryan ranks second with 81.0 innings pitched – one behind the leader, Scott Copeland of Dunedin. Brandon Loy remains in the top five with 30 walks drawn.
THE MANATEES (34-30, T-5th Place, 0.5 GB) ... Brevard County is locked into a battle for the first half crown as the Manatees trail Dunedin by one-half game with three games remaining. Daytona and Clearwater are both 1.0 game back of the Blue Jays. Brevard has the lowest team batting average (.233) of any league team and has scored the fewest runs (228) of any squad. It’s feast or famine with the Manatees as the team is tied for the second most homers (48) of any league team. Brooks Hall has a 2.78 ERA which is eighth best in the league. Brevard County had one of the top closers in the league in Seth Harvey who totalled 10 saves before heading to the disabled list. Tommy Toledo stepped up and has matched the total with 10 saves of his own and has two wins and nine saves in his last 11 save opportunities. Nick Ramirez is third in the FSL with 14 homers, but has struck out a league-high 90 times.
LAKELAND PROBABLE STARTERS
6/17 - Wilsen Palacios (3-4, 4.10) ... Palacios picked up the win in his last start on June 9 in the first game of a doubleheader, working 6.1 innings and holding Tampa to one run on seven hits while striking out eight and walking one. The victory was his first after two no decisions and he has posted a 1.65 ERA in his last three starts while allowing just the one earned run over his last 11.1 innings. Palacios is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in his one previous start against the Manatees on April 17.
6/18 - Jeff Ferrell (3-4, 3.44) ... Ferrell gave up one unearned run in 5.0 innings in his last start in the second game of a doubleheader on June 9 against Tampa, limiting the Yankees to one hit with two strikeouts and a pair of walks. He has won his last two starts, surrendering just the one unearned run over 11.0 innings and is 3-1 with a 1.14 ERA in his last four outings. Ferrell is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two relief appearances vs. Brevard County.
6/19 - Hudson Randall (1-5, 4.58) ... Randall was off to a great start in his last start on June 10 against Bradenton, retiring the first nine batters in order, including a pair of punch-outs, before rain forced a suspension of the game. He has not allowed a run and given up just four hits over 11.0 innings in his last two starts. Randall is 1-1 record with a 0.00 ERA in his last 18.0 frames and three starts, giving up three unearned runs in the loss. Randall has not faced Brevard County previously.
SEASON SERIES ... Lakeland will be trying to get the best of Brevard County as the Manatees have won five of the six previous meetings, including the last two. Brevard County has been held to just a .186 team batting average in the series, but its starting pitchers have posted two shutouts and a 2.14 ERA in the six games. Cameron Garfield has provided the power, clubbing three homers for eight RBI versus Lakeland. Jeff McVaney and Chad Wright have each gone 8x25 (.320) in the series as Lakeland has a .227 mark as a team and a 3.32 staff ERA.
FIRST ROUNDER ... Jed Bradley was the Brewers’ top pick (15th overall) in the 2011 draft out of Georgia Tech.
GLAD TO GET OUT OF TOWN ... Harold Castro has found the road to his liking in 2013, going 13x33 (.394) with a pair of doubles, a triple and nine runs batted in over nine road games while going .185 in nine home games with just a pair of runs driven in. Brandon Loy is hitting 63 points better in road games and has scored five more runs away from home. Francisco Martinez has five hits in three road games with six hits in six home games. Jeff McVaney hits .258 at home and .254 in away games, but has hit one more homer and drive in five more runs on the road. Chad Wright has a .253 road average and hits .230 at home.
DOESN’T MATTER TO THEM ... Tyler Hanover has identical .289 averages at home and away while Jason Krizan has hit .293 at Joker Marchant Stadium and .293 on the road.
JUNE SURGE ... Michael Hernadez has clubbed three homers in nine games in June after hitting just one homer in 26 games in May.
ROSTER MOVES ... Danny Worth ended his rehab work in Lakeland after just four games and was sent back to Toledo on Friday. He was 3x17 with three RBI and three strikeouts for the Flying Tigers. Taking the vacated roster spot is former Flying Tiger Corey Jones who played at both Erie and Toledo this season. He began the season at second base at Erie before being called up to the Mud Hens to play third for three weeks. He returned to AA Erie where he had been since June 9.
THE GATOR BOYS ... Lakeland’s Hudson Randall and Brevard County’s Tommy Toledo and Ben McMahan were teammates at the University of Florida in 2010 and 2011.
THE STREAK ... The Flying Tigers saw their nine-game win streak come to a halt in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader with Bradenton. The streak was the longest since the 2005 squad put together a 10-game streak from June 30-July 11. Lakeland outscored its opponents 32-14 during the streak while hitting .240 in the nine games. Hitters collected 12 doubles, a triple and six homers while stealing 11 bases during the streak. The Flying Tigers pitching staff posted a pair of shutouts in the steak while holding four other opponents to just one run for a 1.56 earned run average.
FSL ALL-STAR GAME ... The South Division trounced the North 8-1 in the Florida State League All-Star Game played Saturday in Dunedin. Bradenton’s Alen Hanson clubbed a three-run homer in a five-run fifth inning to earn the “Star of Stars” honor as the game’s MVP. Nick Ramirez, of the Brevard County Manatees, won the home run derby. As for Lakeland’s trio of All-Stars, Kyle Ryan started on the hill for the North Division and struck out two in a 1-2-3 stint in his only inning of work. Melvin Mercedes closed out the ninth for the North, retiring both batters he faced. Jeff McVaney, took the field in left in the second inning, playing the rest of the game, but had an off night at the plate, going 0-for-4.
THE SKIPPER ... Manager Dave Huppert, who was inducted into the Florida State League Hall of Fame in 2012, is in his 25th season as a minor league manager and is the active winningest manager in the minors with a 1,775-1,618 record entering the All-Star Break. Last season, he led Lakeland to the 2012 Florida State League Championship to record his fourth overall championship and his third in the FSL. He also led the 2001 Brevard County to a co-championship while his 2007 Clearwater squad won the crown outright. In addition, he coached the Lakeland Blue Claws (Phillies) to the 2006 South Atlantic League title.
UP NEXT ... After the Brevard County series, Lakeland plays one game at Clearwater on June 21, before returning to Joker Marchant Stadium for two games against the Threshers on June 21-22.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
Mission Notes vs. Bradenton (June 10-13)
THE SERIES ... All four games of this series are scheduled for 6:30 pm starts at Joker Marchant Stadium.
THE FLYING TIGERS (27-34, 5th Place North, 7.0 GB) ... Lakeland brings a season-high six-game win streak into this series after three-game sweeps of St. Lucie and Tampa. The streak puts Lakeland in fifth place in North, the highest the team has been since May 16. The Flying Tigers have had 20 games with three or fewer runs scored since May 2 and is 12-6 in the last 18 games. Melvin Mercedes is now second in the league with 11 saves while Kyle Ryan is second with 76.0 innings pitched and Drew VerHagen is second with a .212 opponents’ batting average. Jason Krizan is third in the FSL with a .402 on-base percentage while Brandon Loy is tied for third with 29 walks.
THE MARAUDERS (25-36, T-5th Place South, 16.5 GB) ... Bradenton took two of three from South Division winner Fort Myers and has won four of their last six with the two losses being by one run. Dan Gamache is 12x29 (.414) his last seven games with eight runs scored while Eric Avila brings a five-game hit streak into this series in which he is 7x16 (.438) with four doubles and six runs batted in. Gregory Polanco is eighth in the FSL with a .313 batting average and second with 23 stolen bases. Pitcher Nick Kingham leads the FSL with 71 strikeouts and is third with a .214 opponents’ batting average. The Marauders have the third highest ERA in the league with a 4.27 mark.
LAKELAND PROBABLE STARTERS
6/11 - Hudson Randall (1-5, 4.98) ... Randall threw four-hit ball over 8.0 shutout innings in his last start with four strikeouts in a win at St. Lucie on June 4. He has not allowed an earned run over his last 15.0 innings and two starts with seven strikeouts, three walks and six hits allowed.
6/12 - Drew VerHagen (4-3, 2.93) ... VerHagen allowed two unearned runs in his last start on June 5 with four strikeouts and three hits allowed in 7.0 innings. He has won his last three starts and four of his last five with one no decision. VerHagen is 4-0 with a 1.73 ERA since May 8.
6/13 - Kyle Ryan (6-5, 3.20) ... Ryan tossed a three-hitter while blanking Tampa over 8.0 innings with four strikeouts on June 7. It was his second stint of 8.0 shutout innings this season as he also accomplished the feat on April 4 at Dunedin.
6/14 - Wilsen Palacios (3-4, 4.10) ... Palacios allowed seven hits on June 9 against Tampa, but struck out eight and held the Yankees to one run for the win. He has now allowed just three earned runs in his last three starts (16.1 innings) for a 1.65 ERA with 16 strikeouts and six walks.
LAST SEASON ... The two clubs split their eight-game season series in 2012 with Lakeland winning three of the last four which were all played at Joker Marchant Stadium. Two of those four Lakeland wins were shutouts while two games were won by the Flying Tigers in 10 innings.
SON OF A TIGER ... Bradenton’s Robby Rowland, who is slated to pitch game four of the series, is the son of Rich Rowland, who played six seasons in the majors, including four seasons with Detroit.
WIN STREAKS ... The six wins in a row for the Flying Tigers matches the longest winning streak since the 2012 team closed out the first half with six straight wins. The 2010 also had a six-game win streak. The longest string of consecutive wins in recent years is owned by the 2005 team which won 10 games in a row from June 30 to July 11.
SOLID STARTERS ... A big reason for the six-game win streak has been the performance of the starting pitchers. Coach Mike Maroth’s staff has allowed just one earned run (four total) over 39.1 innings in the last six starts for a 0.23 ERA. The corps has struck out 27 batters and walked eight in those six games while allowing 22 hits.
BULLISH PEN ... The bullpen has been equally as effective, allowing just four runs in the last 32.2 innings over 14 outings for a 1.10 ERA. The have punched out 29 batters and walked four since May 25.
KRIZAN ROLLING ... The move to first base hasn’t affected the hitting of Jason Krizan who brings a six-game hit streak into the Bradenton series. Since June 3, he is 8x20 (.400) with two doubles and two runs batted in.
KEEP ‘EM IN COACH ... Lakeland is a perfect 5-0 since Fransisco Martinez joined the team on June 4. The third baseman has hits in each of his five games with the Flying Tigers and is 8x20 (.400) with two doubles, a homer, two RBI and two stolen bases.
STEADY SANZ ... Luis Sanz has hits in seven of his last eight games in which he has gone 9x26 (.346) to raise his batting average 71 points to .198 on the season.
ALL HAIL CASTRO ... Second baseman Harold Castro has hits in his last four games (4x10, .400) with two RBI in each of his last two games. He has hits in 12 of his 16 games played so far.
TYLER-MITE ... Infielder Tyler Hanover has been kept off the bases in his last two games, but is still 6x18 (.333) over his last five games.
GETTING BACK IN THE GROOVE ... John Murrian is 3x9 (.333) in the last three games with a double and a home runs and two runs scored.
GROUNDED ... Mike Hernandez is 1x9 (.111) his last three games after driving in four runs with a homer and single at St. Lucie on June 4 ... Pat Leyland is 0x9 his last three games and 3x31 (.097) since May 17 ... Brandon Loy is also 3x31 (.097) since May 30 ... Steven Moya is hitless in his last 18 at bats and 3x37 (.081) since May 30 ... Chad Wright is 3x19 (.158) his last five games.
THE SKIPPER ... Manager Dave Huppert, who was inducted into the Florida State League Hall of Fame in 2012, is in his 25th season as a minor league manager and is the active winningest manager in the minors with a 1,772-1,617 record entering the Bradenton series. Last season, he led Lakeland to the 2012 Florida State League Championship to record his fourth overall championship and his third in the FSL. He also led the 2001 Brevard County to a co-championship while his 2007 Clearwater squad won the crown outright. In addition, he coached the Lakeland Blue Claws (Phillies) to the 2006 South Atlantic League title.
UP NEXT ... Following the Bradenton series, Lakeland takes the weekend off for the Florida State League All-Star game on June 15. The Flying Tigers return from the break by travelling to Brevard County for three-games on June 17-19.
TIGER DRAFT BITES ... One name in the 2013 Detroit draft looks very familiar as the Tigers picked Ben Verlander in the 14th round. He is the brother of Cy Young winner Justin Verlander who played for Lakeland in 2005 ... The Tigers’ 38th round pick, Harrison Wenson, attended the University of Detroit Jesuit High School, the same prep school as former Flying Tiger, Daniel Fields ... Detroit also tabbed Johnnie Kirkland from Lakeland’s Southeastern University in the 25th round ... The Tigers picked Torii Hunter, Jr. in the 36th round. The son of Detroit outfielder Torii Hunter, Junior has signed to play football for the University of Notre Dame.
LENNERTON TEARING UP TOLEDO ... Former Flying Tiger Jordan Lennerton is hitting .339 with 11 homers and 34 RBI at AAA Toledo.
THE FLYING TIGERS (27-34, 5th Place North, 7.0 GB) ... Lakeland brings a season-high six-game win streak into this series after three-game sweeps of St. Lucie and Tampa. The streak puts Lakeland in fifth place in North, the highest the team has been since May 16. The Flying Tigers have had 20 games with three or fewer runs scored since May 2 and is 12-6 in the last 18 games. Melvin Mercedes is now second in the league with 11 saves while Kyle Ryan is second with 76.0 innings pitched and Drew VerHagen is second with a .212 opponents’ batting average. Jason Krizan is third in the FSL with a .402 on-base percentage while Brandon Loy is tied for third with 29 walks.
THE MARAUDERS (25-36, T-5th Place South, 16.5 GB) ... Bradenton took two of three from South Division winner Fort Myers and has won four of their last six with the two losses being by one run. Dan Gamache is 12x29 (.414) his last seven games with eight runs scored while Eric Avila brings a five-game hit streak into this series in which he is 7x16 (.438) with four doubles and six runs batted in. Gregory Polanco is eighth in the FSL with a .313 batting average and second with 23 stolen bases. Pitcher Nick Kingham leads the FSL with 71 strikeouts and is third with a .214 opponents’ batting average. The Marauders have the third highest ERA in the league with a 4.27 mark.
LAKELAND PROBABLE STARTERS
6/11 - Hudson Randall (1-5, 4.98) ... Randall threw four-hit ball over 8.0 shutout innings in his last start with four strikeouts in a win at St. Lucie on June 4. He has not allowed an earned run over his last 15.0 innings and two starts with seven strikeouts, three walks and six hits allowed.
6/12 - Drew VerHagen (4-3, 2.93) ... VerHagen allowed two unearned runs in his last start on June 5 with four strikeouts and three hits allowed in 7.0 innings. He has won his last three starts and four of his last five with one no decision. VerHagen is 4-0 with a 1.73 ERA since May 8.
6/13 - Kyle Ryan (6-5, 3.20) ... Ryan tossed a three-hitter while blanking Tampa over 8.0 innings with four strikeouts on June 7. It was his second stint of 8.0 shutout innings this season as he also accomplished the feat on April 4 at Dunedin.
6/14 - Wilsen Palacios (3-4, 4.10) ... Palacios allowed seven hits on June 9 against Tampa, but struck out eight and held the Yankees to one run for the win. He has now allowed just three earned runs in his last three starts (16.1 innings) for a 1.65 ERA with 16 strikeouts and six walks.
LAST SEASON ... The two clubs split their eight-game season series in 2012 with Lakeland winning three of the last four which were all played at Joker Marchant Stadium. Two of those four Lakeland wins were shutouts while two games were won by the Flying Tigers in 10 innings.
SON OF A TIGER ... Bradenton’s Robby Rowland, who is slated to pitch game four of the series, is the son of Rich Rowland, who played six seasons in the majors, including four seasons with Detroit.
WIN STREAKS ... The six wins in a row for the Flying Tigers matches the longest winning streak since the 2012 team closed out the first half with six straight wins. The 2010 also had a six-game win streak. The longest string of consecutive wins in recent years is owned by the 2005 team which won 10 games in a row from June 30 to July 11.
SOLID STARTERS ... A big reason for the six-game win streak has been the performance of the starting pitchers. Coach Mike Maroth’s staff has allowed just one earned run (four total) over 39.1 innings in the last six starts for a 0.23 ERA. The corps has struck out 27 batters and walked eight in those six games while allowing 22 hits.
BULLISH PEN ... The bullpen has been equally as effective, allowing just four runs in the last 32.2 innings over 14 outings for a 1.10 ERA. The have punched out 29 batters and walked four since May 25.
KRIZAN ROLLING ... The move to first base hasn’t affected the hitting of Jason Krizan who brings a six-game hit streak into the Bradenton series. Since June 3, he is 8x20 (.400) with two doubles and two runs batted in.
KEEP ‘EM IN COACH ... Lakeland is a perfect 5-0 since Fransisco Martinez joined the team on June 4. The third baseman has hits in each of his five games with the Flying Tigers and is 8x20 (.400) with two doubles, a homer, two RBI and two stolen bases.
STEADY SANZ ... Luis Sanz has hits in seven of his last eight games in which he has gone 9x26 (.346) to raise his batting average 71 points to .198 on the season.
ALL HAIL CASTRO ... Second baseman Harold Castro has hits in his last four games (4x10, .400) with two RBI in each of his last two games. He has hits in 12 of his 16 games played so far.
TYLER-MITE ... Infielder Tyler Hanover has been kept off the bases in his last two games, but is still 6x18 (.333) over his last five games.
GETTING BACK IN THE GROOVE ... John Murrian is 3x9 (.333) in the last three games with a double and a home runs and two runs scored.
GROUNDED ... Mike Hernandez is 1x9 (.111) his last three games after driving in four runs with a homer and single at St. Lucie on June 4 ... Pat Leyland is 0x9 his last three games and 3x31 (.097) since May 17 ... Brandon Loy is also 3x31 (.097) since May 30 ... Steven Moya is hitless in his last 18 at bats and 3x37 (.081) since May 30 ... Chad Wright is 3x19 (.158) his last five games.
THE SKIPPER ... Manager Dave Huppert, who was inducted into the Florida State League Hall of Fame in 2012, is in his 25th season as a minor league manager and is the active winningest manager in the minors with a 1,772-1,617 record entering the Bradenton series. Last season, he led Lakeland to the 2012 Florida State League Championship to record his fourth overall championship and his third in the FSL. He also led the 2001 Brevard County to a co-championship while his 2007 Clearwater squad won the crown outright. In addition, he coached the Lakeland Blue Claws (Phillies) to the 2006 South Atlantic League title.
UP NEXT ... Following the Bradenton series, Lakeland takes the weekend off for the Florida State League All-Star game on June 15. The Flying Tigers return from the break by travelling to Brevard County for three-games on June 17-19.
TIGER DRAFT BITES ... One name in the 2013 Detroit draft looks very familiar as the Tigers picked Ben Verlander in the 14th round. He is the brother of Cy Young winner Justin Verlander who played for Lakeland in 2005 ... The Tigers’ 38th round pick, Harrison Wenson, attended the University of Detroit Jesuit High School, the same prep school as former Flying Tiger, Daniel Fields ... Detroit also tabbed Johnnie Kirkland from Lakeland’s Southeastern University in the 25th round ... The Tigers picked Torii Hunter, Jr. in the 36th round. The son of Detroit outfielder Torii Hunter, Junior has signed to play football for the University of Notre Dame.
LENNERTON TEARING UP TOLEDO ... Former Flying Tiger Jordan Lennerton is hitting .339 with 11 homers and 34 RBI at AAA Toledo.
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