[EMSoccerCoach]

Pastime Baseball League – Baseball Bi-Weekly
Vol. 5, Monday, June 1, 2009 (cont.)

Southern League Profiles

Alabama Airmen

Record: Last 2 Weeks (2-9), Overall 20-28

2-Week Synopsis: Lost 3 of 4 vs Orlando, Lost both at Wichita, Lost both at Sacramento, Lost 2 of 3 vs Las Vegas

Leaders:
Avg - Joe Mauer .311
HRs - Mike Tiernan 12
RBIs - Mike Tiernan 34

Wins - Joe Corbett 5
ERA - Joe Corbett 2.97
Ks – Joe Corbett 111

Top Performance: We're going with a triple threat here: Mike Jacobs, Mike Tiernan and Jimmy Rollins for their combined efforts in a 21-4 drubbing of Las Vegas on May 31. Jacobs went 4-for-6 with 3 homers and 7 RBI, as well as 4 runs scored. Tiernan was 3-for-4 with 2 homers, 4 RBI and 5 runs. Rollins hit for the cycle, going 4-for-5 with 3 runs and 6 RBI.

Injuries: 2B Bobby Lowe was injured March 27, tearing a ligament in his thumb. He is expected back in about a week.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) Call it frustration, release, or whatever, but the 21-4 pounding of Las Vegas represented a release for an Alabama team frustrated by having dropped 8 straight. This team has been incredibly streaky, going 4-11, 14-8 and then 2-9.

2) George Van Haltren has been activated from the disabled list and says he is ready to go. The centerfielder, who started great before a 2-week stretch prior to going on the DL dragged his numbers down, is expected to be slotted right back into the lineup, meaning Nick Swisher (.203-1-13) will head back to the bench.

3) Ed Delahanty remains on the bench, as Jacobs' red-hot May (.351-5-17) and Van Haltren's return once again box him out. Skipper Earl Weaver has been pleased with the 20-year-old's acceptance of his role. The fans, however, are getting restless.

4) Nobody expected C Joe Mauer to keep up the pace he set in April, but the falloff in May was precipitous. April's numbers: .385, 7 HRs, 1.171 OPS. May: .226, 0 HRs, .613 OPS.

Arizona Sandmen

Record: Last 2 Weeks (6-5), Overall 26-22

2-Week Synopsis: Won 3 of 4 vs San Antonio, Swept 2 vs Philadelphia, Lost both vs New York, Lost 2 of 3 at Memphis

Leaders:
Avg – Nap Lajoie .333
HRs – Nap Lajoie 9
RBIs – Nap Lajoie 35

Wins – Ben Sanders 7
ERA – Ben Sanders 2.54
Ks – Clark Griffith 49

Top Performance: Ben Sanders scattered 8-hits in a 4-0 shutout win over Memphis on May 29.

Injuries: Alex Cintron, who was having a torrid spring, hitting .400, went down March 23 with a strained MCL. He is expected back in 2 weeks. Mike Koplove came off the DL May 3, threw a third of an inning on May 4 and was shelved with what has been diagnosed as bicep tendinitis. The injury is expected to keep Koplove out until August. Willie Keeler has been diagnosed with a torn elbow ligament, and will miss the remainder of the season and possibly the first half of next year as well.

Round Trip (Four miscellaneous points about the team):
1) The injury to RF Willie Keeler is horrible not only for the affable Keeler himself, but also for the team, which will attempt to replace Keeler's production (.292-5-20) with Frog Redus (.225-0-8). The change is one the league's 6th rated offense (out of 8) can ill-afford.

2) 3B Billy Nash won Southern League Player of the Week honors May 25, capping a week in which he went 12-for-21 with 2 homers and 7 RBI.

3) SS Pee Wee Butts has worked his way into the lineup, moving Kid Elberfeld over to third base in a platoon with Nash. Butts is now hitting .310. Nash is hitting .314. Elberfeld is at .242. The odd-man out is Jose Reyes, who is down to .225 after hitting .167 in May.

4) Nap Lajoie had his 13-game hitting streak snapped.