THE SERIES ... All three games of this series will be played at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium (site of the 2013 FSL All-Star Game) in Dunedin. Games on Friday and Saturday begin at 6:30 pm with Sunday’s game getting underway at 1 pm. The games can be heard on the Jays website, www.dunedinbluejays.com.
THE FLYING TIGERS (2-5, 6th Place, 3.0 GB) ... Lakeland will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak after being swept by Brevard County. Thursday’s game was bittersweet as Drew VerHagen and Jade Todd combined on a 1-hitter, only to lose 2-0 on a pair of unearned runs. The Flying Tigers have committed at least one error in six of the seven games so far, including five miscues over the last two outings. Lakeland is hitting .223 on the year, third lowest in the FSL.
THE BLUE JAYS (5-2, 1st Place) ... Dunedin brings a two-game win streak into the series following a 3-2 win in 11 innings over Tampa on Thursday. The Blue Jays are batting .255 on the year, sixth best mark in the league while the staff ERA of 2.59 is third best.
LAKELAND PROBABLE PITCHES (based on past rotations)
4/12 (@DUN) - RHP Wilsen Palacios (0-0, 4.50 ERA) ... last started on 4/6 at Tampa ... gave up 2 earned runs on 6 hits ... struck out 3 and walked 1 in 4.0 innings ... ninth year in the organization ... second stint with Lakeland (also pitched 1.0 inning for the Flying Tigers in 2010) ... brings a career mark of 25-24 with a 3.16 ERA into Dunedin series ... signed by Detroit in 2006 as a non-drafted free agent.
4/13 (@DUN) - LHP Kyle Ryan (1-0, 1.59 ERA) ... last started on 4/7 in Lakeland vs. Tampa ... gave up solo homer for only score ... scattered five hits in 5.2 innings with 1 strikeout and 1 walk ... fourth year in organization (16-12. 3.55 ERA coming into this start) ... graduate of Auburndale High School in Polk County ... 11th round pick by Detroit in 2010 out of high school.
4/14 (@DUN) - RHP Kevin Eichhorn (0-1, 3.86 ERA) ... last started on 4/9 in Lakeland vs. Brevard County ... held Manatees to 2 earned runs on 3 hits ... struck out 4 and walked none in 4.2 innings ... originally a third-round pick of Arizona in 2008 out of Aptos High School in California (acquired along with Ryan Robowski from D-Backs in Armando Galarraga trade) ... has a 19-16 record and a 4.08 ERA for his career coming into this series ... was West Michigan’s Pitcher of the Year in 2011 ... went on disabled list on May 15, 2012 and missed the remainder of the season with a strained flexor mass.
INSIDE THE BLUE JAYS ... Pitcher Aaron Sanchez was Toronto’s first round pick in the 2012 draft (34th overall) and is rated as No. 1 among Blue Jay prospects by MLB.com ... pitcher Efrain Nieves was signed by Detroit as a minor league free agent in 2012 and was selected by Toronto in the Minor League phase of the 2012 Rule 5 Draft ... second baseman Jon Berti is the son of Tom Berti who played in 1978 and 1979 for Lakeland as a member of the Detroit organization
NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN ... Last year, the Blue Jays were managed by Mike Redmond, who is now the manager of the Miami Marlins. Taking over the reigns in Dunedin is Bob Meacham, former first base coach for the Houston Astros.
LAST YEAR ... Lakeland won nine of the 16 meetings last year including five of the last six contests. The Flying Tigers were 6-2 versus the Blue Jays in Lakeland, but 3-5 in Dunedin. Lakeland swept Dunedin in the opening round of the FSL Playoffs winning both games by shut (1-0 in Dunedin and 3-0 in Lakeland).
BATTLE OF THE GLOVES? ... Dunedin is the top fielding team in the FSL having committed just two errors so far. Lakeland has the second highest total of errors – 15 – of any league team.
LAKELAND TRIVIA ... Can you name the only Lakeland player to score 100 or runs during a season? (Answer at the end of this column.)
ONE REMAINING ... At 7-0, Fort Myers is the lone remaining undefeated team in the FSL. Bradenton and Jupiter are still looking for win number one.
HITTING A GREEN STREAK ... First baseman/DH Dean Green has collected at least one base hit in each of the Flying Tigers’ seven games so far, including four games with two hits. He has also scored seven runs and driven in three and is now batting .393 on the season which is tied for fifth best in the Florida State League.
FINALLY ... Aaron Westlake splashed onto the scene with a 2-for-3 night with a homer and three RBI in his first game. He then went hitless for five games before doubling in Thursday’s game at Brevard County.
FIRST DL MEMBER ... Steven Moya chased down a fly ball on April 9, but slipped and came down hard on the Joker Marchant Stadium turf, coming up with an apparent shoulder injury. He was placed on the seven-day disabled list on April 10 and was replaced on the roster by Zach Kirksey, a 29th round draft pick by Detroit in 2012 out of the University of Mississippi. Kirksey has some pop in his bat, twice winning the home run derby at the NJCCA World Series while playing at LSU-Eunice (a junior college in Louisiana)
YOUNG LEAGUE ... According to Baseball America, the Florida State League has the third youngest median age of 23.5 of any of league in pro baseball. The American League is the oldest with a median age of 29.0 years for its active players with the National League second at 28.6. The South Atlantic League is the youngest with a median age of 22.3 years.
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 1,747-1,588 record entering the Brevard County 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.
PROMOS ... Saturday’s game at Dunedin is “Bark in the Park”.
UP AHEAD ... Following the Dunedin series, Lakeland tangles with Brevard County once again, playing April 15 and 16 at Space Coast Stadium before returning home to Joker Marchant Stadium to close out the series against the Manatees on April 17.
PEREZ IMPRESSIVE IN EARLY GOING ... Former Flying Tiger shortstop Hernan Perez is off to a hot start at AA Erie collecting 10 hits in 26 at bats for a .385 average. Perez has three doubles and a home run so far for the SeaWolves.
TRIVIA ANSWER ... Milt Cuyler scored exactly 100 runs in 1988 for Lakeland. The closest anyone has come since is Gabe Kapler who crossed the plate 87 times in 1997.
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