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Pitching Report: June 26
The bats have gone cold lately as Jamestown’s team batting averaged has dipped down to .254 (sixth in the league still). But, the Jammers pitching staff actually was on a decent roll until getting hit hard Monday night.
As reported earlier in the week, Drew Steckenrider was placed on the temporary inactive list. Today, Jamestown activated Blake Logan, a 13th round pick this year. I’m not sure how he’ll be used, but Logan was a starter as a sophomore this season at Eastern Oklahoma State.
Tuesday, June 26 at Auburn
Starter: Ryan Newell. He threw just two innings in his debut last week. Allowed a hit, walked two and let one run score. I’m sure he’ll be extended tonight.
Relievers: Jake Esch went four innings in relief of Newll last time out and hasn’t pitched since. I would expect to see Esch get at least an inning tonight. Closer Nick Wittgren has had three days off (all Jammers losses) and would likely see action tonight if Jamestown is ahead late. Besides that, Miguel Fermin, on two days rest, is likely to go tonight.
Wednesday, June 27 at Auburn
Starter: Matt Milroy or Blake Logan. It’s Milroy’s turn in the rotation, but I just figured he’d be a reliever for these guys. He only threw two innings last time out so there’s no reason to think he’s a fixture in the rotation. Logan, with starting experience, was just activated and should probably get some work soon.
Relievers: Whoever doesn’t start should probably get work anyhow. Brian Ellington and Bryan Berglund probably due for some work as well.
Thursday, June 28 at Batavia
Starter: Helpi Reyes. Reyes has a 5.63 ERA in two starts this year and is the de facto ace. Three innings on Opening Day. Five in his second. Espada will certainly expect at least five from him.
Relievers: They could go anywhere but from a pure schedule standpoint, Jheyson Manzueta might be targeted for Thursday. He threw three innings Sunday and I can’t imagine him going before then. Frankie Reed and Ellington — if not used Tuesday or Wednesday, which is unlikely for both — make sense here too.
Jammers fall in extra innings
No full recap tonight from me since I didn’t see or listen to the game, but here are a few quick notes from the box score.
The good: The pitching was solid again tonight, including another tremendous performance from the bullpen. Miguel Fermin tossed two hitless innings, which means the 27-year-old catcher-turned-pitcher has allowed just one hit and one walk in four innings. Frankie Reed also threw two scoreless innings. Meanwhile, the bats turned out 10 hits with two each from Viosergy Rosa, Matt Juengel and Jose Behar and a team-high three from Juancito Martinez. But…
The bad: They were all singles except one double from Behar. And as the Jammers spread out their hits, they went a combined 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 12 runners on base. Also, top of the order Cameron Flynn (0-for-6) and Anthony Gomez (0-for-4) went o-f0r-10.
Game was over when: Last play of the game again. Bryan Berglund walked Juan Romero with the bases loaded for the ever-exciting walk-off walk in the bottom of the 11th.
Next up: Jammers finish off their four game set with Mahoning Valley with another road game tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.
Fermin Redesigns Career As Relief Pitcher
Miguel Fermin last played for the Jamestown Jammers on Sept. 14, 2008. It was Game 2 of the Nader Cup, the championship of the New York-Penn League between the Batavia Muckdogs and the Jammers, a game Batavia won 9-3 to claim their first championship in 45 years.
But it was a bittersweet day for Fermin. Sure, the Jammers had lost the championship and Fermin went 0-for-4, but the 23-year-old catcher had just finished up one of the best seasons ever seen at Jamestown. He hit .347, clubbed 17 homeruns (both of which led the league) and had an OPS over 1.000. And on top of it all, he was a stout defensive catcher with a cannon for an arm.
Surely, he was on the radar of the Florida Marlins and was moving on to bigger and better things next year. Whatever the case, it was certainly the last time he had seen Diethrick Park and Jamestown.
Now fast-forward three years and nine months. After playing in Jamestown’s final game in 2008, he’s now playing in Jamestown’s first game in 2012. Now 27, after reaching as far up as AAA New Orleans, Fermin has been relegated to using that power right arm of his on the mound, instead of throwing back to it, because of injuring his left knee.
“I focus, I just try to do my job,” said Fermin through translator and Jammers first baseman Viosergy Rosa. “I try to work as hard as I can with every pitch.”
His work ethic showed on Opening Day, as did his arm. Fermin’s pitching debut was about to come against the 3-4-5 hitters for Mahoning Valley who had wreaked havoc all day long.
He got Aaron Siliga to pop softly to right field before striking out Charlie Valerio. Then, after getting ahead of Hunter Jones, Fermin got him to hit a broken-bat grounder back at the pitcher, before flipping to Rosa for the out. Not a bad trip through the heart of the order.
“I just try to stay ahead of hitter,” Fermin said. “Throw strikes and keep the ball down.”
The eighth was seemingly just as easy with another soft grounder to third followed by Fermin’s second strikeout. But he got a lesson from Juan Romero, who hit a first pitch fastball over the leftfield wall.
Still, it was the only hit Fermin allowed through two innings of work. Surely a guy with this arm, whose been playing baseball ever since growing up as a youngster in Samana, Dominican Republic, had thrown before, though, right?
“Three months,” Fermin said in English, while laughing. “Pitching for three months.”
He had a hard fastball moving, which seemed to set up his out pitch, a slider. Fermin said the slider has been the easiest pitch to pick up since redesigning his career on the mound.
“It’s just natural,” he said.
Fermin, who was also an all-star in 2009 and 2011 in the Florida State League for Jupiter, isn’t too thrilled to give up the bat, but is looking forward to helping Jamestown win this season.
“I feel good to be here (in Jamestown),” Fermin said. “I’m here to make the team win and help out as much as possible.”
But don’t think Fermin will be here for long. Although it’s been just one game, if he continues to throw like this, he’ll be moving through the system just like he’s already done so before.
“It definitely gives me confidence to know what it takes to climb through the system,” Fermin said. “No question about it.”
Opening Day Wrapup
It wasn’t pretty, but certainly to be somewhat expected, as some sloppy baseball from both teams ended in an 8-5 win for Mahoning Valley. Playing from behind most of the night, Jamestown erased deficits of 3-0 and 4-3 before finally falling short on Opening Day.
The good: Kentrell Dewitt went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and 2 RBI and rookie Anthony Gomez also had two hits in his professional debut.
The bad: Jamestown allowed 10 hits, walked seven and allowed three errors.
Game was over when: Juan Romero broke a 4-4 with a 3-run homerun that really looked like a routine fly that carried out of the park.
Grades
Yeison Hernandez (2B) C+ — Sure he went 0-for-5 but Hernandez hit the ball hard, just happened to not be in the right places. He led off the game with a shot up the middle, but was absolutely robbed by Jose Ramirez who went to his right and threw across his body all in one motion to nab Hernandez. Hit the ball on the ground, he’ll be fine.
Anthony Gomez (DH) B+ — Had two hits in his pro debut including an RBI double that scored Dewitt in the third. Also scored a run.
Austin Nola (SS) C- — 0-for-4 with a walk and also had an error. Tough to be too hard on the kid, didn’t arrive in Jamestown until two days ago. Should be the No. 3 hitter and played fine at short otherwise.
Matt Juengel (3B) B- — 1-for-5 with a nice piece of hitting in the fifth when Angel Espada put the hit-and-run on. Juengel ripped one into center with Gomez running. Mahoning’s CF Aaron Siliga’s throw to third was errant, allowing a run to score and moved Juengel to third.
Viosergy Rosa (1B) B — Rosa worked two great at bats for walks in his first two plate appearances. Did pretty well on two tough grounders, but did boot one to his right then went down for an error, but didn’t come back to haunt Jamestown.
Jesus Solorzano (RF) B — Went 1-for-3 and was also hit by a pitch. Came around to score twice. Wasn’t tested defensively.
Jose Behar (C) B- — A lot of good and not so good from Behar. Did a nice job behind the plate early as Helpi Reyes was rather wild. Threw out a runner on a wild pitch and also picked a runner off trying to steal third. Also allowed a passed ball to let a run score and went 0-for-3 at the plate. Overall, Behar looks like a fine defensive catcher. Jamestown will take any offense they can get from him.
Kentrell Dewitt B — Same goes for Dewitt. He cracked two doubles, knocked in two runs, walked and scored. But he badly misplayed a ball in the top of the fifth that probably could have been kept to a single, but he dove and the ball got by him moving the runner to third. Would have been an A+ if not for that.
Juancito Martinez (CF) C — Went 1-for-4 with a RBI. Didn’t notice defensively.
Helpi Reyes (SP) D — I don’t like to give F’s, especially not on Opening Day, but Reyes simply didn’t have it today. 5 hits, 1 walk in three innings for three earned runs. A two out walk to Siliga on four pitches in the first (with nobody on) derailed him early.
Jake Esch (RP) B — One inning of work, allowed a single, which turned into a double play one batter later.
Beau Wright (RP) D+ — Wright took the loss but was the victim of bad luck and was probably left in a bit too long. Also wasn’t helped out by his defense who committed three errors in his two innings. Allowed a three-run homerun to Juan Romero, but that was a routine fly ball that carried out. Wright can throw, but has to cut down the walks.
Miguel Fermin (RP) B+ — Fermin looked outstanding retiring the first five he saw with ease, but then grooved a fastball to Romero, which was crushed for a homerun. Still, he’s been pitching for three months. He might have a future as a short reliever.
Bryan Berglund (RP) B — Berglund came on in the ninth and threw a scoreless inning, while walking one.
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