L.I. Ducks ~ 2012 Positional Players Preview

From the desk of:   THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Long Island Ducks

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Many New Faces Will Be Wielding a Bat for the Ducks This Season.  But Can the New Members be as Formidable as Last Year's Line-Up?


L.I. Ducks - Gearing Up for Another Run at Title




CATCHER  - J.R. House  .305 AVG  19 HR  81 RBI  ~  GONE.

 Replacements:

1) - The Ducks will primarily go with JOSH JOHNSON behind the dish.  He's 29 years old with AAA experience.  He played last season for the Road Warriors.  Last season, his nine home runs and forty-six rbi were career bests.

2) - SHAWN WILLIAMS is a twenty-eight year old switch hitter who played with the Brockton Rox last season where he batted .316 in 69 games.  He has A-level experience.

Analysis:  The Ducks will clearly not be getting the same production out of their backstop they received last season.





FIRST BASE/DH - John Rodriguez  .313 AVG  18 HR  81 RBI  ~  GONE.

Replacements:

1) - Freddie Thon returns from last season and will see action at first base.

2) - BRANDON SING has resoundingly been considered the American Association's top slugger over the last four seasons.  The 31 year old's best season came in A-ball when he batted .270, stroked 32 home runs, and drove in 94 runs.

Analysis:  John Rodriguez wielded a very productive bat last season.  But he was injured far too often.  What better we to replace him than with independent ball's top slugger.





SECOND BASE - Ray Navarrete will be back.  He has been a Long Island Duck for the majority of the last six seasons.  Ray will turn thirty-four years old in May.  Last year he tied his career best with twenty-seven home runs.  However, he posted his lowest career batting average as a Duck.  Last season Ray Navarrete continued to etch his name into Long Island's record books.  During the 2011 season, Ray became the Ducks' all-time hits leader as well as becoming the team's all-time runs scored leader.  He also lays claim to being the team's all-time home run leader and all-time rbi leader.  For a single season, he holds their record for doubles and games played.  And he also holds the Ducks' record for hits in a single game, and rbi in a single game.  The long time Ducks favorite will be a pleasant sight for Duck fans when this new look team takes the field.





SHORTSTOP - Javier Colina  .309 AVG  25 HR  90 RBI  ~  GONE.
THIRD BASE - Matt Padgett   .282 AVG  11 HR  67 RBI  ~  GONE.

Infield Replacements:

1) - BRYANT NELSON is 38 years old and will serve as a middle infielder off the bench.  This will be his third season with the Ducks.  He gained MLB experience with the Red Sox.  With eighteen years of minor league experience, he is a career .285 hitter.

2) - WILBERTO ORTIZ has six years as a pro with AAA experience.  He's 27 years old and comes to the Ducks from the L.A. Dodgers organization.  Signed more for his glove than his bat, he possesses no real power to speak of, and is a .265 career minor league hitter.

3) - RYAN GARKO has six years of MLB experience. He is 31 years old. His best seasons came in 2007 and 2008. He's a .275 career hitter, with 55 home runs, and 250 rbi on his pro resume.

Analysis:  Dan Lyons also will be back for another season.  But the new infielders will be hard pressed to replicate the kind of offense last season's Ducks generated.  Matt Garko may have something to say about that however.





CENTER FIELD - Kraig Binick returns for his second season in the Pond.  He was last season's Atlantic League's batting champion.  Kraig split time leading off, and hitting in the sixth and seventh spots in the order.  Prior to suffering a facial injury in a collision at second base, Kraig was off to a blazing start batting as high as .409 as of June 6th.





LEFT FIELD - Kennard Jones   .292 AVG  8 HR  54 RBI  ~  GONE.
RIGHT FIELD - Matt Esquivel   .328 AVG  15 HR  69 RBI  ~  GONE.

Outfield Replacements:

1) - REID GORECKI is a nine year AAA pro.  He is 32 years old with a career .267 average.  Doubles to the gap is his thing.  But he has no real power to speak of.

2) - PAUL KARMAS is a 22 year old who is fresh out of Rookie ball.  Prior to that, he was a .300 hitter for St. John's.

3) - JAMES McOWEN is 27 years old with AA experience.  If he can keep his strikeouts down, he'll be another doubles machine with occasional home run power.  In five seasons, he's a career .289 minor league hitter.

Analysis:  Most of the Ducks' power last season came from the infield.  But Matt Esquivel's numbers will be hard to make-up.  The spotlight seems to be on James McOwen.  Lew Ford will turn thirty-six in August.  This will be his third season in the Pond.

2012

ATLANTIC LEAGUE SEASON

GAME ONE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

vs.

Somerset Patriots

From

TD Bank Ballpark

New Jersey

OPENING DAY

Somerset Patriots

Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ Your Liberty Division Champions!

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Liberty Division Champions!

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:

Eliminate Wild Card Team.

Next Stop; Atlantic League Championship Series.

Related Posts:

Season Ends With Dual Division Titles ~ BTB

It's Playoff Time ~ BTB

Ducks Take Game One ~ BTB

Game Two Final; Off to Southern Maryland ~ BTB

Aiming to Clinch Sunday ~ BTB




Ducks defeat Blue Crabs in Game Four; Win Series 3-1.


The Ducks' offense scratched and clawed as best as their little Webbed Spikes could after their bullpen was rushed into near immediate action Sunday.  The Ducks were pressed for a response to Southern Maryland's alarmingly early onslaught against starter; Valerio De Los Santos; in Game Four of the Liberty Division Championship Series.




The day was looking promising when Kinard Jones led off the game with a triple and scored, giving the Ducks a 1-0 first inning lead.  But in their first turn at bat, Southern Maryland sent De Los Santos to the showers before he was able to complete a full inning of work.  After just 0.2 inning(s); four hits; a walk; and allowing four runs, Coach Baez was forced to remove his starter because this is not June when you can just let your starter correct himself on the fly.  At this time of year, time is of the essence and getting outs from your pitcher is paramount.  So deservedly, give Coach Baez heaps of credit for managing Sunday's outcome and maneuvering six pitchers throughout the game.


Four consecutive singles by Freddy Thon; Danny Lyons; Kinard Jones; and Ray Navarrete plated two more runs for Long Island in the top of the second.  That made it a 4-3 game.  However, just removing Valerio De Los Santos from the game didn't alleviate Long Island's problems.  The Blue Crabs continued their offensive against the next Ducks' pitcher; Chris McCoy.  The Crabs matched Long Island with another two runs in their half of the second making it a 6-3 game.


The Ducked remained quiet over the next three innings.  But in the bottom of the fifth, Southern Maryland tacked on another run against Chris McCoy to make the game 7-3; Crabs.


In the sixth, Blue Crabs' starter; Nick Green; prepared his exit from the game.  He faced four batters.  Matt Padgett singled; Matt Esquivel walked; and Freddie Thon singled to load the bases.  Dan Lyons worked out a walk to force in a run, and Nick Green was outta there.  Another run scored when Kinard Jones drew yet another walk with the bases loaded.   And Ray Navarrete then bounced into a double play with the third run of the inning scoring on the play.


The Ducks were within one run again in a 7-6 game after six completed innings.  In the next frame, the teams traded runs again.  J.R. House hit a solo home run for the Ducks.  But the Crabs still maintained an 8-7 lead after scoring against Tyler Walker.


But that's all they'd get; the Crabs that is.  The Ducks bullpen combined on a marvelous job keeping Southern Maryland sedated after their opening outburst.  Jason Monti; Tyler Walker; Bubbie Buzachero; and Jon Hunton combined on 4.1 innings pitched; one run; one hit; four walks; and six strikeouts.  Tyler Walker allowed the last run Southern Maryland would score.  Bubbie Buzachero was responsible for three of those walks allowed and which directly leads to the reason why it was up to the newly anointed Long Island closer; Jon Hunton; to ultimately shut the door on the Blue Crabs.  He struck out the last two batters of the game to end the night in grand style for the visiting Long Islanders.


Bubbie Buzachero, amusingly gets credited with Sunday's win.  Jon Hunton earned the save.


Indeed, it was the bullpen that kept the Ducks around long enough; enabling a comeback Long Island persistently mounted throughout this game.  They were still down 8-7 after seven.  But in the eighth inning, Mr. Long Island Duck himself; Ray Navarrete; continued his Swan Song of sorts, by launching a home run to tie the baseball game at eight runs apiece.  The All-Time Ducks' Home Run King may have never hit one bigger than this.  That remains to be discussed.  But coming when it did, where it did, there's nothing quite like making another team's crowd go silent.  It's the golden silence of rounding second base in the course of the home run trot, and the only audible noises are coming from your team mates in the dugout.  That's sweet.


And like a dominoes display falling perfectly as designed, the latest in a long line of Duck heroes this season; Freddie Thon; stepped in and finished off Southern Maryland with a two-out RBI double to score Erick Monzon (singled) with the go ahead; the game winning; and the Liberty Division Championship winning run.


Many team members have stated this Ducks team is a very tightly-knit group with a genuine affinity for one another.  And so it was, together as a team, they just didn't save themselves from having to play a decisive Game Five on the road by winning Sunday afternoon.  The Long Island Ducks mounted a comeback that laid to rest some second guessing; like deciding to potentially play three games on the road with just two games at home.  And choosing to do so when the Ducks have gone 0-7 since their last playoff win on the road; not to mention not playing very well in Southern Maryland this season either.  I questioned that.  The Long Island Ducks answered by winning two straight in Southern Maryland after splitting the first two games in Long Island.


They are moving on because offensively, the Ducks are relentless.  Sunday's win is a classic example of that.  But pitching was everything for Long Island in their three wins this series.  Mike Loree did his part by winning Game One.  And no, Josh Banks didn't have the success all parties concerned were looking for.  But it presented another moment to be seized upon.  That came in Game Three via Bob Zimmermann who pitched six, really superb innings Saturday night.  He allowed the Blue Crabs only one unearned run off three hits, while striking out six.  And then of course, Long Island's bullpen work in Game Four Sunday was, as it has been all season long; solid as a rock.


And now the Ducks get what the Ducks' players want; a chance to win a title..., Together.

Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ Take Opening Game

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:   GAME ONE FINAL

S. Maryland Blue Crabs     3

LONG ISLAND DUCKS   6

Ducks Lead Series 1-0

Best of Five

 

The Webbed Nine Employ An Old Formula in Tonight's Win Over Southern Maryland.

 

In one of today's tabloids (Newsday), today's Long Island starter Mike Loree revealed that upon signing his contract with the Pirates organization, he requested he be allowed to pitch with the Ducks during their post-season run.  Of course, PITT kindly obliged.  Mike said the guys in the Ducks   clubhouse were a very tight bunch and that winning a Championship with them would be extremely special.  The idea is to excel and graduate from a team like the Ducks; hopefully up into affiliated Baseball.  But he wanted very much to be here; now; with the Long Island Ducks; where he pitched masterfully for them for most of the regular season, and now wants to see it all the way through.


Tonight was a step in the right direction.  Mike Loree hasn't been quite the same dominant hurler he was prior to leaving the Ducks.  Maybe lack of run support was to blame.  But it shouldn't be anything to be too concerned about.  Tonight, the Ducks had to settle for him just being damn good.  He was looking a little hittable early on.  Southern Maryland touched him for five hits and two runs over his first three innings pitched.  But Long Island didn't leave him pondering a 2-1 deficit on the mound for too long.  The Ducks scored five more times for Loree before the fourth inning even began.


In a sense, the game was a welcome return to a proven formula the Ducks relied on all season long.  As Mike Loree set down opponents and accumulated scoreless innings pitch, the Long Island offense was busy building up handsome leads.  The Blue Crabs actually out-hit the Ducks Wednesday 13-9; but Long Island was able to string theirs together consecutively and clearly more effectively.  And Matt Padgett was able to turn up some power for good measure.


In the Ducks' home first and with one out, Ray Navarrete doubled, then advanced to third on a wild pitch.  John Rodriguez; back in the clean-up spot; drove him home with a sac-fly to left for the first run of the game.  The Blue Crabs followed that up by making Mike Loree sweat through a tough second inning with four hits leading to two earned runs and a Blue Crab lead.


But like I said, the lead was short lived.  Long Island went to work against Southern Maryland starter; Virgil Vasquez in the bottom half of the second and effectively ended Vasquez' night.  With one out, Matt Padgett blasted the first home run of the series to tie the game at two apiece.  Three consecutive singles from Freddy Thon; Kraig Binnick; and Kinard Jones; and a Blue Crab throwing error allowed the Ducks' third run to score.  Then Ray Navarrete grounded out but Kraig Binnick scored an unearned run on the play to make it a 4-1 game heading into the third.


John Rodriguez led off the home third with a single.  J.R. House followed with another single.  A fielder's choice hit into by Matt Esquivel made it first and third with one out.  Then, Matt Padgett promptly singled to center driving in Rodriguez from third.  Kraig Binnick came up and slapped another Ducks' hit driving in Esquivel for the Ducks' second run of the third inning and a 6-2 lead.


Mike Loree settled down.  After the shaky start and striking out only one batter over the first three innings, he struck out three batters over his last three frames while allowing just three more hits and a walk after six completed trips to the mound.  He left the game staked to a 6-2 lead as Coach Baez decided to go to his bullpen and put the ball into the hands of Jeremy Hill for the seventh.


Jeremy Hill kept the Blue Crabs quiet over his two innings pitched.  Although he gave up three hits, he allowed Southern Maryland nothing more.


In to pitch the Long Island ninth inning came Jon Hunton.  It was a strange call in my opinion.  He was a late September acquisition who made three regular season appearances prior to the playoffs.  He allowed the Blue Crabs to get within 6-3, but then shut down the remaining batters to face him; and striking out the last.  A little bump withstanding; it was a good call....I guess.  But I do question Coach Baez' trust in Bubbie Buzachero right now.


The Long Island Ducks win Game One of the Liberty Division Championship Series.  Game Two of this best of five match-up is scheduled for Thursday evening at Bethpage Park, Long Island.

*   *   *   *   *

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

September 22, 2011

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

LIBERTY DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Best of Five

AtlanticLeague.com

LongIslandDucks

GAME TWO

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs  (0-1)

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS  (1-0)

From

The Ballpark at Bethpage

LONG ISLAND, N.Y.

Mike.BTB

L.I. Ducks ~ Turn Back The Road Warriors

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE



LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Winning Streak Hits Seven Games.


A first inning 1-0 deficit meant little to Long Island.  Picking up where they left off before Monday's break in the schedule, the Ducks waisted no time erasing that deficit with two runs in the second inning, and for good measure, two more in the third.


Freddie Thon doubled home both runs for Long Island in the second inning scoring Matt Esquivel and Matt Padgett.  In the third inning, back-to-back doubles by J.T. House and Matt Esquivel scored Javier Colina and John Rodriguez respectively, making the game a 4-1 affair favoring the Ducks.


After that first inning, starting pitcher Dave Williams kept things quiet and departed the game on the winning side after five innings against the Road Warriors.  In only his second start for the Ducks in seventeen appearances this season, the Road Warriors touched him for eight hits, but only mustered the one run against him.  He walked one batter and struck out five before giving way to Bob Zimmermann for the sixth.


That's when the Road Warriors made things close.  After pitching a scoreless sixth inning, Zimmermann needed help from Valerio De Los Santos and Jeremy Hill to keep the Ducks on top after being charged with two earned runs in the top of the seventh inning.  De Los Santos allowed a hit and one of those runs while Hill allowed a hit and plunked a batter before getting the third out.


The Ducks struck again in the home half of the seventh.  Kinnard Jones led off the inning with a double.  He advanced to third and then scored on a Javier Colina sac-fly to make it a 5-3 game.


Jeremy Hill stayed in to pitch the eighth inning and struck out two of the three batters he faced.  Then, Ehren Wassermann was called upon to close the game for Long Island in the ninth inning.  The Road Warriors made a go of it.  But Wassermann finally closed out the game after giving up a run for his tenth save of the season.

The Ducks are now winners of seven straight.  They improved their second-half record to 24-7; 4.5 games ahead of second place Bridgeport.  Overall, the Ducks are now 64-30 this year.  So far this season, they are the only Atlantic League team above sixty victories.





Mike.BTB

L.I. DUCKS ~ Waddle Back Into A Tie For First Place

From the desk of:  A BROOKLYN QUACK  (Waddling Through Brooklyn)


LONG ISLAND DUCKS:

FINAL:
Somerset Patriots......2
Long Island Ducks....5


Since getting back from a near disastrous road trip, the Ducks have been fattening up at home.  After defeating the Somerset Patriots tonight in the opening game of their series and winning their third in a row, they finally regained a tie atop the Liberty Division standings as the South Maryland Blue Crabs  lost Friday night to the Lancaster Barnstormers.


Mike Parisi made the start for Long Island tonight and kept the Patriots under wraps all night.  Outside of Somerset's Wayde Lydon, who went 3 for 3 Friday, no Patriot had an answer for Parisi.  It was a highly economic game for the Duck's pitcher.  In 7.1 innings he only threw 87 pitches and 59 of them went for strikes.  He improved his record to 3-1.


Mike Parisi's Line:
7.1 ~ innings pitched.
87 Pitches ~ 59 strikes.
6 ~ hits.
2 ~ runs/earned
2 ~ walks.
3 ~ strikeouts.
1 ~ home run allowed


The Duck's bullpen shut down the Patriots over the final 1.2 innings.  Eric Wasserman got two outs; one a strikeout, while Bubbie Buzachero pitched the ninth to earn his 6th save of the season.


Long Island started the scoring in the home second inning.  Matt Padget walked with one out.  With two outs, Freddie Thon singled and Padget stood at second.  Then one of the hottest hitters in the League this season, Kraig Binick, singled, scoring Padget and sending Thon to second base.  Kennard Jones drew a walk to load the bases.  Ray Navarrete then stepped to the plate who yesterday sat out his first game off this season, and who incidentally is still struggling at the plate, and hit the second pitch he saw up the middle scoring Thon from third and Binick from second.  Kennard Jones was caught trying to steal third base and killed Long Island's two out rally cold.


Hasn't anyone ever taught him you don't make the first or third out at third base?


Moving on.


In the third inning the Ducks added more.  John Rodriguez doubled with one out.   The next batter, Lew Ford, double him home.   Then Matt Padget singled for the Duck's third consecutive hit.   Ford scored on the play giving Long Island a 5-1 lead.


The New York Federals scored one run in the third and one run in the sixth inning; but nothing else. Long Island pitching held them to six total hits Friday night.


Kraig Binick got his batting average back to .400 on the nose again after going 1 for 2 Friday night.


In Lancaster, starting in the first inning, the Barnstormers just kept tacking on runs against the Blue Crabs.  The Barnstormers scored three runs in the first; one in the second; four in the fourth; and another two in the seventh inning as they romped over South Maryland by a score of 10-4.


The Ducks win, coupled with the Crabs loss, means both teams get to share first place together for at least a day until games resume again Saturday.


a/o 6-4-2011

LIBERTY DIVISION ~ First Half Standings:
1) - Long Island Ducks.......................18-12   .600   --
2) - South Maryland Blue Crabs.......18-12   .600   --








Mike.BTB

L.I. DUCKS ~ 12th Opening Day For Ducks

From the desk of:  A Brooklyn Quack

LONG ISLAND DUCKS BASEBALL CLUB

est. 2000

OPENING DAY

12th at Bethpage Park

TONIGHT

Bridgeport Bluefish (1-3)

vs.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS (4-2)

First Place; Liberty Division

After starting the season on the road in Bridgeport and Camden, the Ducks open up their 12th season at renamed Bethpage Park.  The Ducks have taken their first two series two games to one and have won two in a row.  They'll go for three tonight in front of their own fans for the first time this season, and as usual a full house of 6,000+ is expected to welcome back the Ducks.

Atlantic League

Long Island Ducks

Bridgeport Bluefish

As Of  ~ Thursday, May 5, 2011
LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Defeat Camden In Series Final.  Head Home For Opening Day.

The Ducks took the rubber game of their series against the Camden River Sharks before heading back to Long Island for their Home Opener against Bridgeport.  They have now won their first two series of the season.

Winning pitcher for the Ducks, Joselo Diaz, pitched a superb game until he unravelled a bit in the 9th inning in an attempt to secure a shutout.
8.1 ~ innings pitched
7 ~ hits; all singles
1 ~ runs/earned
1 ~ walks
4 ~ strikeouts
**Perfect game broken up in the 6th inning.  Raul Pedron of Camden broke up the bid at perfection.
Bubbie Buzachero relieved Diaz to finish out Camden.

For The Ducks:
2nd Inning ~ Matt Padget started off the scoring for Long Island with a home run.  1-0; Ducks
4th Inning ~ Freddie Thon hit a solo home run.  2-0; Ducks
5th Inning ~ Kraig Binick scored on a wild pitch; Matt Padget scored on a Freddie Thon single.
4-0 Ducks.
7th Inning ~ JR House scored on a Jon Kourie double.  5-0; Ducks

FINAL
DUCKS  5
River Sharks  1



Mike.BTB

L.I. DUCKS ~ Stop Two Game Skid In Camden

From the desk of:  The Brooklyn Quacker

LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  The Quack Attack Erupted For Five Runs In First.  Even Series Against River Sharks.


The Ducks jumped out to a five run lead in the first inning by sending ten men to the plate and the pitching made it hold up.  Tonight's final score in Camden N.J. was Ducks 5; - River Sharks 2.


Mike Parisi picked up the win in his Ducks' debut; pitching six innings while giving up six hits; allowing one run; three walks and striking out three.  Ehren Wasserman came on to pitch in the seventh inning.  He promptly pitched himself into a second and third base situation but escaped with only one run scored.  Valerio De Los Santos and Bubbie Buzachero finished things out for Long Island.  For Buzachero, it was his first save in three appearances this season.

1B-Freddie Thon drove in two runs for Long Island tonight and was 2 for 4 in the game.  LF-Kraig Binick was 3 for 5 (three singles) on the night.  Ray Naverret had his second consecutive three-hit night (3 for 5) with a run scored.  John Rodriguez, Matt Padget, and Dan Lyons had an RBI each for Long Island.

The Ducks avoided losing their third game in a row while gaining their third victory of the season.  They are now 3-2 for the season.  Tomorrow they'll play the rubber game of the series against the Camden River Sharks before going home for the first time this season and having their Season Opener on Friday against Bridgeport.

The Von Hayse managed Camden River Sharks are now 1-4 to start the season.




Mike.BTB