Cleveland Sports Forum

Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012

Nishi throws no-no in regular-season finale

Kyodo

FUKUOKA —

Orix right-hander Yuki Nishi saved his best for last — literally.

Masterpiece: Orix's Yuki Nishi pitches against the Hawks on Monday. KYODO

The 21-year-old Nishi pitched a no-hitter against the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in a 3-0 victory in the Buffaloes' final game of the regular season on Monday afternoon at Yahoo Dome.

The fourth-year Mie native, who was one walk away from a perfect game, became the third pitcher to throw a no-hitter this season and the 76th in Japanese baseball history. He is only the 26th to achieve the feat in the Pacific League.

The Hiroshima Carp's Kenta Maeda no-hit the Yokohama BayStars on April 6 while Yomiuri Giants left-hander Toshiya Sugiuchi threw one versus the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on May 30. There have been 87 no-hitters pitched in Japan.

Narciso Elvira was the last to throw a no-hitter in the PL for the Kintetsu Buffaloes on June 20, 2000, and Yoshinori Sato had one for Orix in 1995.

It was the first time in 17 years that three pitchers have thrown no-hitters in the same year.

Although there was no denying Nishi's miraculous achievement, it came as a downer for the third-place Hawks, who went out on a losing note in their final game of the season and in what was also the last game for retiring captain Hiroki Kokubo.

"No one thought that I would achieve this today," said Nishi. "This was Kokubo-san's final game of his career, so I'm not quite sure if I should enjoy this. I was aiming for a shutout, but credit goes to (catcher) Hikaru-san (Ito) that I was able to keep them hitless."

Softbank will play the second-place Seibu Lions in the first stage of the best-of-three Climax Series starting Saturday at Seibu Dome in Saitama Prefecture.

Lee Dae Ho opened the scoring with an RBI double in the first inning, and another run scored on left fielder Kenji Akashi's error in the sixth. Ryoichi Adachi added a run-scoring single in the seventh as Orix won five in a row for the first time this season.

Nishi, who struck out nine in an efficient 109-pitch outing, retired the first 13 batters he faced before allowing a walk to Nobuhiko Matsunaka in the fifth inning. He plowed through the final 14 batters, getting Nobuhiro Matsuda to ground out to shortstop to end it in the ninth for his career first shutout.

"I was able to stay loose and keep my pitches down in the zone. Today, I was confident that I could throw strikes with any of my pitches. In the end, I just tried to stay calm and focus on each and every pitch," Nishi said.

Nishi, who was Orix's third-round pick in the 2009 draft, went 8-3 with a 2.78 ERA in 19 appearances this season.

Kokubo, who recorded his 2,000th career in his final season and finished with 413 career homers, popped out twice and grounded out to short stop in his final at-bat against Nishi in the seventh.

"When Kokubo-san came to bat in the seventh, I was really thinking, 'What should I do?' In a newspaper I read, he said, "Go for it!" so I threw my fastball with everything I had."

Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012

SPORTS SCOPE

Marines' cowardice left Fujioka to face fans' ire

By JASON COSKREY

Seibu Lions fans weren't happy Saturday afternoon and they were letting Chiba Lotte Marines rookie pitcher Takahiro Fujioka feel the brunt of their vitriol.

Fujioka wasn't giving Hiroyuki Nakajima anything to hit, or anything even remotely close to the plate, and each ball he threw sent the majority of the 26,938 in attendance further into a rage.

The position Fujioka was in was not of his doing and wholly untenable. The rookie was simply following orders, and in a position there was no reason to place him in.

At the time, Lotte outfielder Katsuya Kakunaka led Nakajima by two points in race for the Pacific League batting title, and the Marines were not about to let that slip away.

So the team kept Kakunaka safely tucked away in the visitors' dugout, lest he record a few outs and cede any ground.

The problem, of course, is that Nakajima's status was out of Lotte's hands, and after missing a few games with a sore back, Nakajima was back in the 3-hole for Seibu.

So the Marines did the next best thing, and took a realistic shot at the title out of Nakajima's hands by having Fujioka toss ball after ball toward the opposite batter's box, walking Nakajima to prevent him from recording any hits.

The Lions shortstop was walked twice before being pulled from the game.

The crowd reacted vociferously, and it was a bush-league move to be sure. It's one thing to park Kakunaka on the bench, but to then prevent Nakajima from even having a fair shot was a low blow. The Marines not are the first team to employ such a strategy, and probably won't be the last, but that makes it no less cowardly.

The worst part of it all, is that Lotte manager Norifumi Nishimura used 23-year-old Fujioka as his hired gun.

"I was simply following the instructions from the bench," Fujioka told Sports Nippon. "It was my responsibility, even though I received boos."

All for one: Takahiro Fujioka, seen in a September file photo, was put in an uncomfortable spot on Saturday. KYODO

While Kakunaka and Nishimura sat in the dugout, it was Fujioka on the mound incurring the wrath of the crowd, and it was Fujioka who was supposed to toss warm-up balls in-front of the dugout between innings, where the fans' anger would be on top of him. It got to the point that he didn't even want to warm up, as fans, according to Sponchi, yelled, "die," among other things at him.

Fujioka got off to a strong start this season but hit the rookie wall hard. Nagging injuries played a role, but his command and his numbers seemed to worsen the deeper into the season he went.

In his last start of the year, Fujioka should've been worrying about taking some momentum into the offseason, not dealing with the potentially psyche-rattling situation he was in Saturday.

The Marines could've put a veteran in that spot, or better yet, just played it fairly, pitched to Nakajima (with Kakunaka either in or out of the Lotte lineup), and allowed the better man to win.

Kakunaka will take the batting title because he has had a great season, which is why he walked into Seibu Dome leading the race in the first place. He's a worthy winner, but the way he wrapped it up leaves something to be desired.

As he celebrates the accomplishment, hopefully he spares a moment of thanks for Fujioka, who went into a hostile environment and took one for the team.

Arizona Fall League opens today. Tribe represented by AA and HiA grads, few are serious prospects. I will probably post this stuff in the Minor Matters folder since this is generally for Joe and his favorite teams in Japan, Dominican Republic, etc. Indians have sent the following to Scottsdale:

Scott Armstrong and Trey Haley, impressive 22 year old RH relievers who finished the year with Akron.
T.J. House RH starter, age 22, did OK at Akron after a couple poor years in Carolina.
Matt Packer LH starter, age 25, made it to Columbus where he was not very successful.
Alex Monsalve, age 20, RH catcher, reached Kinston. Marginal prospect.
Ronny Rodriguez, age 20, 2b-ss with a big bat, spent the year in Carolina. Best prospect of this lot.
Tyler Holt, 23 year old RH OF of very limited talent. Finished at Akron.
Carlos Moncrief, 23 year old LF OF with a very strong arm (former pitcher), good power, good speed, walks a lot, fans plenty too.

Cuban stars hoping to reconnect on field

Cespedes, Chapman have chance to reunite in World Series

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 10/08/12 10:58 PM ET
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OAKLAND --

Not long ago, two Cuban ballplayers, both considered among the best to ever suit up for the country's national team, met late one night after a game to talk about their escape and life in the United States.

The rendezvous had been planned for months. The location wasn't finalized until hours before it took place and it almost didn't happen at all.

They discussed their family and their future during the hourlong chat. They laughed. They talked about Cuba -- the good and the bad. Sometimes, they frowned. They mentioned baseball only in passing.

It was August in Chicago -- not Holguin or Campechuela, Cuba -- and Oakland outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and Cincinnati reliever Aroldis Chapman were feeling at home in the lobby of a swanky hotel. Fortuitous scheduling had put the one-time teammates and longtime friends in the same room for the first time in 3 ½ years and the buddies were not going to let an opportunity to catch up pass them by. They didn't know when it was going to happen again.

"It made me so happy to see him again," Cespedes said in Spanish. "It feels good to have someone who understands where you are coming from. Aroldis is an old friend. It was very nice to see him."


The pair has not shared a field since they were teammates in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. That could change if the Reds, who lead the Giants in the NLDS, 2-0, and A's, who trail the Tigers, 0-2, in the ALDS, find themselves in the World Series, the biggest stage in baseball. In the meantime, they'll continue to play their parts. Chapman, 24, acting as the young rebel with an electric arm and Cespedes, 26, the humble momma's boy, who is often the most talented player on the field.

"Yoenis is a young man but he is still a man and his attitude is very mature," A's hitting coach Chili Davis said. "He takes his job seriously. He takes his family seriously and he takes the relationship he builds with you very seriously. Trust is a big thing for him. If he doesn't trust you, you can't get close to him. But if he trusts you, he'll give you the world."

Cespedes is hitting .375 with one RBI and two stolen bases in the first two games of the ALDS. He hit .292 with 23 home runs and 82 RBIs during the regular season and already has played in more games than ever in one year of his career.

His path to the postseason is well documented. Cespedes left Cuba with his mother, Estela, a former Cuban national softball team pitcher, along with his aunt and three relatives sometime last year and landed in the Dominican Republic. He was introduced to the mainstream media in a bizarre 20-minute video that showed off his physical prowess set to an eclectic soundtrack. One of the final scenes in the video featured Cespedes standing next to a roasted whole pig.


The A's began scouting Cespedes and Chapman in earnest when scouts Craig Weissmann, Chris Pittaro and Sam Geaney, the club's international director, all zeroed in on the pair at the World Baseball Classic. Chapman defected and signed a six-year, $30.25 million deal with the Reds in January 2010. Later in the year, Oakland director of player personnel Billy Owens watched Cespedes play 10 times in the Pan American Games and became convinced he had just watched a star in the making.

When news of Cespedes' defection spread, Owens and Farhan Zaidi, director of baseball operations, sold Oakland general manager Billy Beane on the idea of signing the outfielder. The club inked him to a four-year, $36 million deal in February and the rest is history.

"We did so much background homework on him and one of the biggest things that stood out was his character," Owens said. "I know he had many opportunities to leave Cuba before but he refused to leave without his mother. He understood that if he defected and if he had success that he expected to have, that it would make life very uncomfortable back in the homeland for her. He has loyalty and he thinks about things like that. That's a testament to who he is."

It was Estela, a star in her own right, who inspired Yoenis to play baseball. She started keeping his stats when he was a boy and still does. It has taken years, but now the mother and son can laugh about the time she hit Yoenis, then 9 years old, in the face with a curveball in his first and only attempt to be her personal catcher.

"My mother is extremely proud of me," Cespedes said. "She raised me and taught everything I know. She taught me to respect others and have others respect me. I am who I am because of her."

When Cespedes isn't video-chatting with his family, he's usually playing Temple Run or Fruit Ninja on his iPhone.

Chapman's adventures are real and they often make headlines. There was a bizarre incident in late May when a woman who was in Chapman's hotel claimed to have been robbed. She was later charged with filing a false police report. Chapman was arrested more than a week earlier for driving 93 mph on a suspended license in Ohio. Around the same time, reports surfaced that Chapman was being sued for $18 million by a man who blamed the pitcher for his imprisonment in Cuba.

In June, he celebrated a save with two somersaults in front of the mound. The flips did not go over well, either.

But make no mistake, Chapman has been a force on the mound all season, racking up 38 saves and striking out 122 batters. He's a big reason why the Reds' bullpen is among the most dominant in the big leagues and the club is one victory away from advancing to the next round.

He also has a sense of humor and is comfortable in his own skin. Chapman sometimes wears a T-shirt that reads "This is how I roll" above a photo of him doing somersaults off the mound. He is among the most stylish players in the game, sometimes purchasing a new pair of shoes to reward himself for a job well done on the mound.

"We have been through a lot in a short period of time," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "He's confided in me in quite a few life-changing things. I really genuinely like him."

Chapman is liked by his teammates but has gained a reputation as a loner. There are nights he would rather relax at home accompanied only by King, his pit bull, and a cocker spaniel named Yuma.

"The family is great and the team is winning," Chapman said. "Life is good. What else can I say?"

Life could get better, especially if Chapman and Cespedes meet again, this time in the World Series.

"Chapman has the fastball and maybe I'll guess what pitch he'll throw me," Cespedes said. "Maybe he'll make a mistake or I'll just have a good at-bat."

Chapman smiles at the thought of squaring off against his old buddy.

"I would love to go the World Series and I know he would like to also," he said. "Best of luck to me and to him, we'll see what happens but it would be fun to see him again."

Rick Sweet announces the Caracas Leones starting defensive alignment

Sweet remains uncertain of the batting order
CARACAS. -

The 2011-2012 season of the Caracas Leones starts at the stadium Alfonso "Chico" Carrasquel of Puerto La Cruz, and the Caracas Leones already have defined their defensive alignment that will face the Caribes Anzoategui (7:30 pm .)

Through the team's Twitter account (@ leones_cbbc), the manager Rick Sweet was naming, position by position. "Carlos Rivero will be at third, shortstop Hernan Perez, Luis Rodriguez at second and Jesus Aguilar first ".

"Outfielders for opening day should be Darren Ford (LF), Brandon Barnes (CF) and Josh Kroeger (RF). I'll use to (Henry) Wrigley as designated at the beginning of the season. He can play first, third base and the outfield, but is here to hit, " continued Sweet. "The opening day catcher will be Jesus Sucre. The starting pitcher will be Negrin (Yoanner). I have not defined the order of the lineup " , topped the longhaired honcho.

Bravos starting rotation is set

Jean Carlos Granado will get the opening day start against the Tiburones
Monasterios will be the fourth starter | Photo: Edixon Gámez

CARACAS. -

The Margarita Braves already have set their starting rotation for the first week of the Venezuelan Winter Ball Season.

Jean Carlos Granado, Boof Bonser, Eric Berger and Carlos Monasterios . Granado will start on opening day on Thursday the against La Guaira Tiburones and will be followed by the imported Boof Bonser on Friday. Meanwhile lefty Berger and the righty Monasterios will be used in the series against Caribbean Anzoategui , to be played on Saturday and Sunday. Similarly, Tanner Roark opened the first game on the island, on Tuesday 16 vs. the Tiburones.

Baseball

Bartolo Colon promises to pitch for the Aguilas Cibaenas
Santiago.

Bartolo Colon visited the training camp of the Aguilas Cibaenas with one goal: Assure Winston Llenas and Felix Fermin he will be pitching with the Eagles in the upcoming winter season. "I kept practicing and I'm physically fit, I'll throw for the Eagles God willing this season, but I am yet committed to the Oakland Athletics, "Colon stated. Bartolo, who is serving a 50-game suspension for testing positive for steroids, he just needs 10 games to meet such suspension so there is the possibility that Oakland could remain in the playoffs and then to the World Series.

INTEGRATION

The Aguilas Cibaenas received several imported players
Tim Fedroff

Santiago

The Cibao Eagles, received on Monday at their training camp infielder Efren Navarro, Outfielder Tim Fedroff and pitcher Dustin Richardson who will train in the Cibao stadium, joining Tim Corcoran also imported.

Another that has entered the Eagles' camp was the pitching coach Rich Sauveur, who joined the team at noon to start his third season in charge of the Eagles pitching staff.

Felix Fermin, the Eagles leader and all his staff immediately began working with the new members, who an intersquad game, in which Navarro homered and singled in two at bats.

"I'm thrilled to be back in the league, playing here will be much help to my future career, I am also to give everything I can to the success of the Eagles," said Navarro.

In the summer, playing in Triple A, with the Salt Lake Bees, Navarro saw action in 141 games with 528 innings exhausted where he had 155 hits, batting average to .292

The left-handed hitter had 35 doubles online, 7 home runs, 79 runs scored, 74 RBIs, has negotiated 70 walks, 36 strikeouts, stole three bases and was caught in two attempted robberies and is slugging in 403 and an OBP of 336, adding an OPS of .740

For his part, Fedroff looked pretty good himself and said he'll be ready for action, and predicted that he will derive much benefit from his first appearance in the Dominican Baseball season.

"I have a very good understanding for this league, and that is why I have come here seeking a level of play that will help me to the next level when I continue my baseball career in the US," he said.

Notices

CMB III: Victor is the manager of Cuba. Remaining 41 men

by Ray Otero
October 6, 2012 announcement

Confirming Victor Mesa as Cuba's manager and the national team that will compete in the third edition of the World Baseball Classic, and ended the first phase of preparation of all Antillean which also saw the shortlist now reduced to only 41 men.

Villa Clara manager Victor Mesa (left in photor) will be the manager of the team that will represent Cuba in the III World Baseball Classic. Cepeda (right in the photo) remains a strong bulwark in the outfield for the Cuban team.

The following is a list of 41 men that will be representing the island

Catchers (6) : Ariel Pestano Valdés (Vcl), Frank Camilo Morejón Reyes (Ind), Yulexis La Rosa Águila (Vcl) y Yosvany Alarcón Tardío (Ltu).

Infielders (13): José Dariel Abreu Correa (Cfg), Yordanis Samón Matamoros (Lltu), Alexander Malleta Kerr (Ind), Juan C. Torriente Núñez (Ind), José Miguel Fernández Díaz (Mtz), Yulieski Gourriel Castillo (Ssp), Yurisbel Gracial García (Mtz), Michel Enríquez Tamayo (Ijv, Dayán García Ortega (Art), Erisbel Arruebarruena Escalante (Cfg), Yordan Manduley Escalona (Hol), Roberto Carlos Ramírez Puente (Ind) y Luis Yander La O. Camacho (Scu).

Outfielder (7): Alfredo Despaigne Rodríguez (Grm), Frederich Cepeda Cruz (Ssp), Rusney Castillo Peraza (Cav), Guillermo Heredia Molina (Mtz), Alexei Bell Quintero (Scu), Yasmany Tomás Bacallao (Ind) y Ariel Sánchez Sánchez (Mtz).

Pitchers (17): Yadier Pedroso González (Art), Odrisamer Despaigne Orué (Ind), Dalier Hinojosa Hernández (Gtm), Freddy A. Álvarez Sáez (Vcl), Ismel Jiménez Santiago (Ssp), Vladimir García Escalante (Cav), Norberto González Miranda (Cfg) (Z), Pablo Millán Fernández Rojas (Hol), Darién Núñez Arias (Ltu) (Z), Leandro Martínez Figueredo (Grm) (Z), Yoanni Year Montalvo (Mtz) (Z), Miguel Lahera Betancourt (Art), Alexander Rodríguez Matos (Gtm), Félix Fuentes Ortiz (Mtz) (Z), Yander Guevara Morales (Cav), Erlis Casanova Cabadas (Pri) y Carlos Juan Viera Álvarez (Ltu).

Manager: Víctor Mesa

WoW! That's a pretty damned good team the Cuban's will be fielding. I've highlighted a few of those players, should they defect, that Terry Francona will not allow the owner or the ront office we have in Cleveland to waiver. We turned our backs on Cespedes, Puig, and Soler, I hope we don't do the same again should we have any future major league wannabees in that group.

There are a few other good one's in that group, but I like the one's I highlighted the most.

Javs take opener behind Paxton's solid outing

Mariners left-hander strikes out five, allows one hit in three shutout innings

By Danny Wild / MLB.com | 10/09/12 6:48 PM ET
James Paxton didn't waste his opportunity to make a good first impression on his new teammates.

Taking the mound on Opening Day in the Arizona Fall League, the Mariners left-hander struck out the side in the first inning, setting the tone for a solid debut and a home win.

"It felt great to go out there and get those three strikeouts early," said Paxton, a 2010 fourth-round Draft pick. "It helped me set myself in a groove and it went well the other innings, too."

The Mariners' No. 5 prospect allowed one hit over three innings and Donald Lutz went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored Tuesday as the Peoria Javelinas held off the Surprise Saguaros, 5-2, in the Arizona Fall League opener for both teams.

Paxton, who went 9-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 21 starts for Double-A Jackson, held Surprise to a second-inning single by Red Sox prospect Michael Almanzar and a walk in the third, throwing 29 of 47 pitches for strikes. Fellow Mariners prospects Carson Smith, Logan Bawcom and Bobby LaFromboise combined with Matt Stites and Kevin Quackenbush (Padres) to close out the win.

"I felt really good," Paxton said. "I felt like I was a little rusty with some of my pitches, especially on the curveball; it wasn't breaking quite as much as I'm used to. But I felt pretty good for my first time out."

Paxton fanned three in the first, pitching around an error by Reds shortstop Didi Gregorius. He struck out two more in the second and erased his only walk when he got Cardinals prospect Kolten Wong to bounce into a double play in the third.

"It was big," Paxton said of the double play. "I think the third baseman [Cody Asche] came across and got it on a hop. He made a nice play and Nick Franklin turned it well at second. It got me out of that inning, so it was big."

Paxton said he thinks the AFL could present some more challenging situations than he faced this summer in the Southern League.

"I feel like there's definitely some really good prospects here. And in Double-A, the Southern League, it was really good, too, but I think as time goes, moving forward, we're going to see a lot of top prospects from each organization, so I expect the competition will be quite strong," he said.

Paxton, a 23-year-old drafted out of the University of Kentucky, said Peoria will give him a chance to work on some of his breaking pitches and off-speed offerings heading into what likely will be his Triple-A debut in April.

"Just for me, I feel like the second half of the season I got stronger and stronger. I felt like I finished strong in the playoffs, so that's something I'm looking to build off," he said. "And to work on pitches that I need to work on."

Paxton was 6-1 with a 2.40 ERA in 11 starts following the Southern League All-Star Break. Part of that success stemmed from working on refining his change-up.

"Making my curve more consistent and fastball command and just continuing to work on the change-up," he said. "That was my big project pitch this year."

And as for that first impression, Paxton probably made some friends after Tuesday's outing. The Javelinas are comprised of players from the Reds, Twins, Phillies, Padres and Mariners, and it'll take at least a few days for everyone to come together in the clubhouse.

"I think there's definitely some feeling out still going on, but we have a good group of guys here," he said. "We've been able to get a few practices in before the game today, the guys are melding in the outfield, getting to know each other, but it's a good group of guys."

Lutz, a Reds prospect who played four games with Germany in qualifying for the World Baseball Classic last month, hit an RBI single in the fourth and scored on a base hit by Zach Collier to cap Peoria's two-run fourth. Lutz doubled and scored again in the sixth before the Javs added a run in the seventh as the Twins' Evan Bigley hit a leadoff double and came around on Gregorius' sacrifice fly.

Royals lefty Justin Marks started for Surprise and held Peoria hitless for three innings before handing the ball to Red Sox right-hander Brock Huntzinger, who allowed both runs in the fourth. Fellow Red Sox prospect Chris Martin followed and also surrendered a pair of runs.

Brian Fletcher (Royals) and Darrell Ceciliani (Mets) drove in the runs for Surprise.

Adjusting to new position, Green delivers at plate

A's prospect collects two hits, two RBIs in Arizona Fall League season opener

By John Parker / Special to MLB.com | 10/09/12 7:02 PM ET
Pitching was the story early in Phoenix on Opening Day in the Arizona Fall League. But as the runs piled up late, it was a two-run double by A's prospect Grant Green that made the difference as the Desert Dogs edged the Scottsdale Scorpions, 4-3.

A 2009 first-round pick out of USC, Green began his professional career as a shortstop before the A's shifted him to the outfield. He played double-digit games at second, third, shortstop, left field and center field this season for Triple-A Sacramento, but he's returned to the AFL to get fully comfortable at second base.

"Everyone's a little bit rusty coming out and playing a real game for the first time in a few weeks, but it comes back quickly," Green said.

This is Green's third straight Fall League campaign. He was a part-time player for the Desert Dogs in 2010, then spent last fall adjusting to the outfield.

"It's not my first rodeo," Green said. "It's always fun to be here and compete. I'm just trying to get comfortable at second base, and it's going well so far."

Having taken care of business on the field, Green and his fellow A's prospects were gearing up for Game 3 of the American League Division Series against Detroit.

"Hopefully, we can get back into this thing," he said. "Gotta take it one game at a time."

The AFL campaign also got off to a good start for another A's farmhand, Phoenix starter Shawn Haviland. The 26-year-old Harvard product allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four over three scoreless frames.

Haviland was matched by Scottsdale's Chris Gloor. The Giants prospect pitched four shutout innings for the Scorpions, allowing one single while fanning five.

Scottsdale struck first in the fifth as Yankees catching prospect Austin Romine walked and later scored as Travis Witherspoon -- the Angels' No. 7 prospect -- bounced into a double play.

Phoenix answered with two runs in the sixth as Braves prospect Edward Salcedo doubled home catcher Max Stassi (A's), who opened the inning with a double, and Green, who drew a one-out walk. Green's two-out two-run double in the seventh extended the Desert Dogs' lead to 4-1.

Scottsdale scored twice in the eighth but left the bases loaded when Romine struck out.

Brewers prospect Kyle Heckathorn (1-0) notched the win after allowing one hit in two scoreless innings. He struck out two.

Dellin Betances, the Yankees' No. 17 prospect, continued his year-long struggles with his command. He yielded two runs on a hit and two walks in 1 2/3 frames to fall to 0-1.

Witherspoon was the only Scorpion with two hits. First baseman Matt Curry (Pirates) picked up Scottsdale's lone RBI.

Ronnie Rodriguez and Tyler Holt were both 1-4 for Scottsdale. Trey Haley pitched an inning gave up two runs on a hit and two walks.

Monday, October 08, 2012

Postseason TV viewership off to strong start

Press Release Major League Baseball

Fan enthusiasm from the exciting end to the regular season has continued through the first-ever Wild Card Games presented by Budweiser and into the start of the Division Series, with TV viewership up significantly.

Through its first two days of coverage, TBS is averaging 3.9 million viewers, up +26% over last year's first two days of Postseason coverage. The two Wild Card Games averaged more than 4.6 million viewers, up +61% over last year's first day of coverage and also exceeded the average 4.2 million viewers for the entire 19-game 2011 Division Series.

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Most-Watched Telecast in MLB Network History

Press Release Major League Baseball

MLB Network’s first-ever Postseason game broadcast -- Sunday’s 5-4 win by the Tigers over the A’s in Game Two of the ALDS -- set several records for the four-year-old network, including:

•Most-viewed telecast: 1.3 million viewers, up +107% over the previous high, Yankees vs. Red Sox last Tuesday night.

•Highest-ever coverage rating: 1.3, +63% greater than the previous high, the June 8, 2010 debut of Stephen Strasburg.

•By far its highest-rated game telecast ever in Detroit (+644% better than previous best) and Oakland/SF (+280% higher than previous best).

Continuing its great run this Postseason, TBS is averaging 3.6 million viewers through its first three days of coverage, +14% higher than its first three days of coverage in 2011, based on Fast National data from Nielsen.

In addition, social media comments regarding the 2012 Postseason have already surpassed the total from the entire 19-game 2011 Division Series. Through Sunday’s games, there have been 1.34 million public Facebook and Twitter comments vs. 1.28 million for the entire 2011 LDS, according to data from Bluefin Labs.