IL Playoffs

[GOYA]

Bats vs Bulls and Yankees vs Braves

Bulls callups:

Tampa Bay Rays recalled SS Reid Brignac from Durham Bulls.
Tampa Bay Rays recalled RHP Wade Davis from Durham Bulls.
Tampa Bay Rays recalled RHP Jeff Bennett from Durham Bulls.
Tampa Bay Rays recalled C Shawn Riggans from Durham Bulls.
Tampa Bay Rays recalled RHP Andy Sonnanstine from Durham Bulls.

Bats v Bulls history:



The Bats expected starting rotation for the Bulls series:

Travis Wood
Ben Jukich
Sam LeCure
Camilo Vazquez
Tom Cochran

[dougdirt]

So history tells us the Bats will lose?

[Joseph]

It sure looks that way doesn't it.

[NC Reds]

Work permitting, I'll be there for Game 1. Looking forward to it.

[GOYA]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

So history tells us the Bats will lose?

It tells us that when we beat them, it will feel very good.

One thing is for sure, the Bats will not roll over the Bulls like it has against the IL West lately. The offense is strong and Wood and Jukich are strong. A few members of the bullpen are strong as well but LeCure, Vazquez and Cochran are not.

A split of the first two games in Durham is needed. Two wins would make me feel much better. When the series gets to Louisville, our starting pitching drops off considerably.

But it is baseball. Anything could happen.

[roborobj]

Originally Posted by GOYA

It tells us that when we beat them, it will feel very good.

One thing is for sure, the Bats will not roll over the Bulls like it has against the IL West lately. The offense is strong and Wood and Jukich are strong. A few members of the bullpen are strong as well but LeCure, Vazquez and Cochran are not.

A split of the first two games in Durham is needed. Two wins would make me feel much better. When the series gets to Louisville, our starting pitching drops off considerably.

But it is baseball. Anything could happen.

What day will game 3 be played? Friday? Or do they have a day off for travel?

[GOYA]

No days off except 1 day between the end of the regular season and the playoffs.

First game at Louisville is Friday, 9/11

LeCure sure looked a lot sharper tonight than he has been lately. That's a good sign.

[roborobj]

Durham has seen 9+ innings of Jukich this year, 5+ innings of Lecure and a very limited amount of Kennard and Baez. Otherwise, all of the Bats' pitching will be new to them.

[GOYA]

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/n...=.jsp&sid=l117

Momentum often plays a large role in postseason baseball, and the Durham Bulls are hoping that's the case in 2009. The Bulls went 12-3 over the final weeks of the season to overtake the Gwinnett Braves and win the South Division for the third straight year.

However, Louisville boasts some momentum of its own heading into the first round. The Bats went 5-2 in September despite clinching the West Division on Aug. 29, and recently received an influx of highly touted Reds prospects that have had no trouble adjusting to Triple-A. Juan Francisco is hitting .359 with 19 RBIs in 22 games with the Bats, while Todd Frazier is hovering around the .300 mark 15 games into his Triple-A career. On the mound, Travis Wood -- whose 1.77 combined ERA ranks second in all of Minor League Baseball -- has posted an impressive 3.14 ERA in eight starts with the Bats thus far.

Over the course of the year, Durham has had the consistent firepower offense, leading the league in home runs and RBIs. The Bats on the other hand, ranked second in ERA, second in WHIP and tied for third-to-last in walks allowed.

[lollipopcurve]

Do we know for sure if Alonso will be on the Louisville roster? Last I heard the Reds had not decided.

[GIDP]

hes not on the roster yet if that matters

[GOYA]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

Do we know for sure if Alonso will be on the Louisville roster? Last I heard the Reds had not decided.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/n...=.jsp&sid=t416

Louisville, KY - Cincinnati's top prospect, IF Yonder Alonso, joins the Bats Wednesday as they open the first round of the Governors' Cup Playoffs against the Durham Bulls in North Carolina tonight. LHP Travis Wood squares off against RHP Jeremy Hellickson at Durham Bulls Athletic Park at 7:05 p.m.
The Bats and Bulls are squaring off for the fourth time in the post-season since Louisville joined the International League in 1998. Durham defeated the Redbirds in 1998, 3-0, defeated the Bats in 2003, 3-1, and then eliminated the Bats, 3-1, last season. The only IL Championship came in 2001 when the RiverBats were named champs after defeating Norfolk in the first round (3-2) and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (1-0) in the finals; the finals were shortened that year due to the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Alonso, drafted seventh overall in the first round of the 2008 draft, will be making his Triple-A debut when he appears for the Bats. The first baseman began the season with Single-A Sarasota (49g, .303-7-38) and was promoted to Double-A Carolina on June 1 (28g, .287-2-14). Alonso was placed on the disabled list June 18 with a fractured right hamate in his hand and played six rehab games with the GCL Reds (8/4, 8/17-8/21) before being reinstated from the DL Aug. 22. He went to Sarasota for two games (8/22-23) and then back to Carolina (8/24-pres) to finish the Mudcats' season. Overall, he hit a combined .289 (84-291) with nine homers and 52 RBI.

Outfielder Jay Bruce, who is with the Bats on Major League rehab, will remain with the team through at least their series with Durham. Bruce fractured his right wrist while diving for a ball and has been on Cincinnati's disabled list since July 26. Catcher Ryan Hanigan left Louisville to join the Reds on their road trip and will not be with the team in Durham. Hanigan was with the Bats on Major League rehab to recover from a concussion he suffered Aug. 23; hit safely in all five rehab games with the Bats.

The Bats return home for games three through five Friday, Sept. 11; games four and five will be played, if necessary, Sept. 12-13. The winner of the Louisville/Durham series will play the winner of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Gwinnett series that also opens Wednesday.

[lollipopcurve]

Cool -- thanks Goya.

Hellickson has been pitching very well. Could be a tough one tonight.

[GIDP]

I really really want to watch these games.

[GOYA]

It looks like they're not going to be free this year but, it should only cost $6.95 for all of the playoffs.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/m...edia/video.jsp