L.I. Ducks: Rival Somerset Patriots Invade The Pond

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LIBERTY DIVISION

SHOWDOWN

SOMERSET PATRIOTS

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

FROM

THE POND

The Long Island Ducks enter Tuesday's action with an Atlantic League best 27-15 (.643) record.

They presently hold a precarious 1.5 game lead over the Somerset Patriots, who on Sunday won their sixth straight.  The two rivals will be facing each other nine times over the next twenty days beginning with Tuesday's series opener at Bethpage Ballpark.  After taking two of three this past weekend from the Ducks, the High Point Rockers enter Tuesday's action just 2.5 behind the leaders.  After Long Island wraps up this coming series with Somerset, they'll be heading down to High Point for another four game weekend series against the Rockers.  With 27 games left before the break, it appears to me the first-half winner of the Liberty Division flag will very likely distinguish itself over the remaining weeks of June.


PITCHING PLUNDER CONTINUES:

As expected, starting pitcher Sean Nolin last week had his contract purchased by the Seattle Mariners organization.  At the time he was leading the circuit with six victories and ranked fifth with 45 strikeouts.  He made eight appearances this season for the Ducks posting a perfect 6-0 record with a stellar 1.10 ERA and 0.927 WHiP through 41 innings pitched.

• The departure of Sean Nolin makes him the eighth starting pitcher this season plucked from the Flock's fold.  Congratulations to Jon Niese; Tim Melville; Darin Downs; George Kontos; Bennett Parry; Tim Adleman; Jose Cuas.

Thus Alec Asher was pressed into making his sixth start of the season against the Rockers on Saturday.  He allowed three earned runs through five innings on six hits and four walks with five strikeouts in a losing effort.

Despite Sunday's 5-3 loss against the Rockers, Long Island's newly acquired right-hander Travis Banwart (signed as a free agent via the Mexican league) pitched seven strong innings allowing just one run on four hits and one walk with eleven strikeouts.  He threw 118 pitches to 27 batters with 73 (65%) going for strikes.  The now 33-year old is largely a product of the Oakland A's system, with time spent in the Cleveland Indians organization.  He's otherwise a 13 year professional of affiliated minor league, international, and independent baseball with a career 4.18 ERA over 996.2 innings pitched.

The Ducks also signed St. Louis Cardinals product, 24-year old free agent right-hander Mike O'Reilly.  He started the season making five relief appearances for the Cardinals AA affiliate where he posted a 7.94 ERA over just 11.1 innings pitched.  Otherwise he owns a 20-13 record and 3.44 ERA and 1.106 WHiP in 305.2 innings pitched over four full minor league seasons.  He appears to keep walks at a minimum and owns a 7.7 K/9 average.


Former Met Hangs Em Up:

Off-season acquisition Matt den Dekker decided to hang up his spikes and retire from the game.  In 29 games for the Ducks the 31-year old outfielder slashed .268/.336/.446, with 12 doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI, and four stolen bases.

• BaseballReference
• LIDucks