L.I. Ducks: Open Season at the Pond

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

The Atlantic League ... Land of Opportunity,

but not without occasional, untimely, 

and certainly frustrating moments for fans.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Jack Snodgrass Plucked from Flock by Texas Rangers.

The Atlantic League is a fine circuit, and indeed a land of opportunity in a manner of speaking.

Just ask Ducks fans about Mickey Jannis and Mark Blackmar, to name two, who've previously pitched very effectively for the Long Island Ducks, and in turn had their respective contracts purchased by an MLB organization - Blackmar last weekend by the Nationals and Jannis last season by the Mets.

Even Mike Loree parlayed his time in Long Island several years ago into a trip overseas.

The Ducks announced on Friday the contract of southpaw Jack Snodgrass, 28, was purchased by the Texas Rangers organization.

Through July 5, Jack was 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA, and a 1.430 WHiP in 14 starts for the Ducks, with 85 strikeouts in 78.1 innings pitched.  His longest outing of the season came on June 20 in which he tossed 6.2 innings against York.  He otherwise pitched six full innings in ten other starts.  Atlantic League batters were hitting .272 against him.

Congratulations to Jack, Mark, and all who've returned to the big show via the Atlantic League.

Sometimes, however, these transactions can be a little deflating, as a fan of the team that is..

So how important was winning the first half pennant looking now?

Goes without saying ...

The onus is now on remaining starters John Brownell, Darin Downs, Bobby Blevins, and Bruce Kern, to carry an even heavier load until general manager Michael Pfaff can seek out capable mound reinforcements - yes, more than one arm is necessary, especially on the heels of clinching a first half pennant.  Literally and figuratively, the Ducks have till the playoffs to rearm their staff.

• Together, Downs, Snodgrass, and Brownell formed the top three league leaders in strikeouts.

In the meantime, on Thursday, July 7, Coach Baez implemented a pitcher by committee in Long Island's series opener at Southern Maryland.  Kevin Vance made his first start of the season, charged with pitching the first three innings of the game (after making 20 prior appearances as a reliever).   Coach Baez then matriculated six other relievers through the box en route to a 5-3 victory.

On Friday, John Brownell led the Ducks in a 6-2 victory with seven innings pitched over the Blue Crabs.  He limited Southern Maryland to just one earned run on six hits and a walk, with six strikeouts.  It was Brownell's franchise record extending 41st victory as a member of the Ducks.  He is now 6-3 this season with a 2.77 ERA in 13 starts.

L.I. Ducks: Flock Earns First Half Flag With Strong Finish

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

FIRST ~ HALF

LIBERTY DIVISION

CHAMPIONS

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: It's not how you start, it's how you finsh! Flock overcome Somerset Patriots' 13-0 season start to clinch Liberty Division first half pennant.

In a classic wire-to-wire pennant race against the Somerset Patriots, Long Island entered the weekend with their own destiny in hand, but not before June proved to be a month of extreme peaks and valleys.  They finished strongly, however, going 8-2 down the stretch and winning their last three games to secure a place in this Autumn's post-season.

The first half truly was a 68 game struggle ... the Ducks entered Saturday's action with a magic number of one over the Somerset Patriots, who never made things easy down to the last by defeating the Bridgeport Bluefish ensuring the Liberty Division race would remain banjo tight.

After Saturday's clincher, Ducks fans rewarded their team's pennant with a franchise record setting 7,602 in attendance during Sunday's series sweep over the Sugar Land Skeeters and first half finale.

Post-Game pic/AtlanticLeague.com 

Long Island ended the first half with a 40-30 record, two games ahead of the perennially contending Somerset Patriots, and tied with the Freedom Division champs York Revolution for the best record in the league.

Saturday's 6-1 clincher over the Skeeters featured John Brownell's franchise record setting 41st victory as a member of the Long Island Ducks.  After facing 33 batters, and throwing 125 pitches with 81 going for strikes through 8.1 innings pitched, Coach Baez removed Brownell from the game so as to let his starter walk off to a well deserved home crowd ovation.

The Ducks veteran ace allowed a lone earned run on seven hits and two walks, with six strikeouts, improving to 5-3, while lowering his ERA from 3.10 to a 2.90 mark.  Now in his fifth season with the Ducks, Brownell owns a career 41-30 record with a 3.43 ERA over 641 innings pitched.

The Long Island Ducks will begin relying on John Brownell, Jack Snodgrass, and Darin Downs, a whole lot more from here on out.   That's because MLB eyes noticed the work of starter, and Atlantic League's second best ERA leader Mark Blackmar, whose contract was purchased by the Washington Nationals.  While this is yet another Atlantic League mission accomplished story (..and good luck to him!), this is nonetheless a big blow to the Ducks.

In Blackmar's absence, John Brownell is now tied for second in league ERA behind Bridgeport's Mike Antonini.

L.I. Ducks: Thanking Patriots for Happy First of July

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

FIRST HALF

Magic Number

3

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Despite Missteps, Flock Hold on to First Place; First Half Division Title Still Theirs to Lose.

The Somerset Patriots can not have been any more benevolent than they've been.

Over the last week, they lost three of four road games against the Sugar Land Skeeters, then returned home only to lose three of four games against the New Britain Bees, underscored by Thursday night's cardiac arresting 8-7 loss at TD Bank Ballpark.

But the Ducks continue looking their gift horse in the mouth.

Long Island almost pulled off their own comeback during Thursday's series finale against the York Revolution, but wound up bowing to the visitors, and ultimately settling on a four game split.

York hit Ducks' starter Jack Snodgrass early and often, knocking him out of the box after just two innings of work, in which he allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits and three walks, with three strikeouts.  He faced just 15 batters, and saw his ERA inflated to a 3.98 mark.

Third baseman Matt Wessinger got the Ducks within 8-7 with a two run home run in the home sixth, but three York relievers kept Long Island scoreless the rest of the way preserving the Revs' victory.

Only by default do the Ducks retain their precarious one game lead over the Patriots, with just three games left to play before the first half expires.  Game #70 of the season is fast approaching this coming Sunday.  At this point, any combination of Ducks wins and Somerset losses totaling three gives Long Island the first half title.

Easier said than done...

The Long Island Ducks are now 15-14 in June, during which time they previously failed to stay in first place on several occasions, much less separate themselves from Somerset in the standings.

It also bares keeping in mind the Somerset Patriots own the head-to-head tie breaker over the Ducks.

That in turn makes the Ducks mission very clear - stay even with the Patriots, or win out.

Long Island will now host the Sugar Land Skeeters for three, while the Patriots host the Bridgeport Bluefish.

L.I. Ducks: No Place Like Home

From the desk of: THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Saturday Twin-Bill at Bethpage Ballpark

TODAY

Lancaster Barnstormers

vs.

Long Island Ducks

FROM

THE POND

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: A sweep of the Bees, and even a five game winning streak still barely enough to distance themselves from Somerset Patriots.

Heading into Saturday's double-header against the Lancaster Barnstormers, the Ducks are winners of five in a row, and remain undefeated during their current home stand.

By virtue of one more loss in the Liberty Division standings, the relentless second place Patriots are similarly 7-2 over their last nine games, and enter today's action against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs a mere half game behind Long Island.

Including today's double-header, the Ducks have 14 games remaining in June, then 10 games to go in July before the first half expires.

Flock Rock

The indefatigable Lew Ford continues leading the Atlantic League with a .348 average, while Fehlandt Lentini is still third with a .345 mark, and is 7th in the league with 31 RBI.

Three Ducks starting pitchers rank among the league's top six in ERA.  Mark Blackmar leads all with a stellar 1.94 ERA; Jack Snodgrass is fourth with a 2.97 mark; John Brownell is heating up and now rates sixth with a 3.09 ERA.

Meanwhile, Jack Snodgrass leads the circuit with 67 strikeouts, with Darin Downs a close second with 62 strikeouts.

In his last three starts, John Brownell has only allowed five earned runs through 23 innings pitched, while fanning 24 batters and only walking four.  On June 11, he struck out double-digit batters for the second time this season.

M*A*S*H

Tyler Colvin and Sean Burroughs are in the midst of serving a 7-day stint on the disabled list, with shortstop Dan Lyons ailing from a strained hamstring as well.

New Kids in the Pond

General Michael Pfaff signed two players during the week that was.

• Pitcher Dustin Richardson, 32, gained 29 games of MLB experience between the 2009 and 2010 seasons with Boston.  Drafted by the Red Sox in the 5th round of the 2006 amateur draft, he additionally went on to serve in the respective systems of Florida, Atlanta, L.A./Anaheim, and the L.A. Dodgers.  Now an 11 year minor league and independent circuit veteran, he formerly pitched for the Sugar Land Skeeters during the 2012 and 2013 seasons.  At all levels, he boasts a career 46-36 record and 4.35 ERA through 776 innings pitched.  He owns a career 1.394 WHiP, and a 9.5 K/9 average covering 378 games, and 84 career starts.

• Second baseman Carlos Hughes, 27, was reacquired, after appearing in 35 games for the Ducks last season.  He previously played for the Sussex County Miners of the CanAm League, and for the Camden RiverSharks.  In 2014, he also played for the Las Vegas Train Robbers(!) of the independent Pecos League.

Last Licks

Revisiting a favorite pet peeve of mine  -  had the Atlantic League not realigned the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and Somerset Patriots, the Ducks could presently be leading the Liberty Division by six games over second place New Britain.  In fact, we could even be speaking of a mini dynasty were it not for Somerset's division presence over the last few seasons... perchance to dream.

Just gotta play the game...

By The Way...

Nice appearance by Long Island closer, and eight year major league veteran Todd Coffey on MLB Network last week, giving the Atlantic League and the Ducks a lot of exposure.

L.I. Ducks: Gone Barnstorming

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

NEXT

Long Island Ducks

vs.

Lancaster Barnstormers

Prince Street

PENNSYLVANIA

Long Island Ducks: Flock Forging Ahead While Somerset Patriots Remain in Retreat.

Joining the millions of Memorial Day travelers hitting the road Monday, the Ducks were Pennsylvania bound for a month of June opening series against the Lancaster Barnstormers.

Long Island's John Brownell will face off against Lancaster's J.D. Martin in Tuesday's opener. Brownell, 32, will be making his sixth start of the season.  He is 3-0 with a 3.37 ERA, and has allowed 31 hits, nine walks, and fanned 25 over 29.1 innings so far this season.

The Barnstormers are presently in third place in the Freedom Division, playing at par with an 18-18 record.  Not coincidentally, they are 5-5 in their last ten games, and four games out of first place behind the York Revolution.

The Ducks recent home stand featured a series win over Bridgeport, and a four game split against the New Britain Bees.  They'll enter Tuesday's action in first place of the Liberty Division with a 1.5 game lead over the Somerset Patriots, whom lost in extra innings Monday to York.

Somerset has lost their last two, and eight of their last ten games.  After starting the season 13-0, they've been in free fall since with an 8-17 record over their last 25 games.  Long Island, on the other hand, is 17-9 over their last 26 games, and are 21-9 since tripping out of the starting gate with a 1-6 record.

Waddling Around the Bases Like a Bunch of Mad Mallards...

The Ducks line-up lists three top ten hitters.  Lew Ford's .348 mark is second in the league, while Fehlandt Lentini (.310) and Dan Lyons (.308) rank seventh and eighth respectively.

Lentini also leads the league in games played, at-bats, and runs scored.  He's also second overall in hits, and tied for second with 25 RBI.  Lew Ford ranks among the top four with 24 RBI.

What Long Island lacks in home run potential, they more than make up for with offensive balance and relentlessness.  The Ducks are tied for last in the Atlantic League in home runs, and drawing walks.  Yet, they lead the league in runs scored, hits, team average, and triples, and rank second in doubles, total bases, team OPS, and team slugging.

Hurlers Quacking Down on Opposing Hitters

Long Island hurlers have combined to lead the Atlantic League in strikeouts, shutouts, fewest hits allowed, and average against.  They're additionally second in least earned runs allowed, team ERA, and WHiP, and rank third in slugging against.

Jack Snodgrass leads the Atlantic League in strikeouts, with his staff mate Darin Downs close behind in second.  They're presently the only two pitchers to have surpassed 40 strikeouts so far this season.   Starter Mark Blackmar's 1.77 ERA is good enough for third in the circuit.

L.I. Ducks: Look Who's Number One

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Ducks win series over Bluefish 2-1

I - BPT 5; LID 1

II - LID 15; BPT 5

III - LID 10; BPT 9

Long Island leads 2016 Ferry Cup Series over Bridgeport 5-1

Long Island Ducks: Flock Waddles into First Place After Pounding Out Fish at the Pond.

The Flock is waddling strong, and wielding a big stick.

In winning their series against the Bridgeport Bluefish, the Ducks outscored the Fish by a 25-14 margin over the final two games.  In fact, the Long Island Ducks have now scored the most runs in the league, surpassing the Patriots.  Meanwhile, Long Island has now won five of the six games played against Bridgeport this season.

Where has it gotten them?

Answer: atop the Liberty Division ... finally.

The Somerset Patriots, meanwhile, lost Thursday against Sugar Land, thus allowing Long Island to climb atop the division.  The Patriots continue encountering increasingly tougher times of late, losing three in a row, and seven of their last ten games.

Otherwise, I can't help but think of the grief suffered by Ducks fans in recent years ever since league realignment placed the Patriots in the Liberty Division.

I digress...

Thursday Final

Fish       9

Ducks  10

After jumping out to an early four run lead in Thursday's finale, the Ducks were faced with a 9-4 deficit after four innings.  But Long Island clawed back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, and three more in the fifth to tie the game at nine.

Catcher Mike Dowd's double in the home seventh plated the decisive run in a 10-9 Ducks victory. Dowd went 3 for 4 on the night with three RBI overall.

Fehlandt Lentini went 3 for 5, with a home run and a pair of RBI.  On Tuesday, he went 2 for 5, with a triple and two RBI.  He and Lew Ford are now tied for second in the league with 21 RBI.

After turning in two straight extended effective performances, Starter Darin Down fared poorly during his seventh start of the season, allowing eight runs (six earned) on 11 hits in just 3.2 innings of work.

A crew of six relievers summoned from the bullpen, however, quite literally saved the day with 5.1 innings in which they surrendered one unearned run on just two hits and no walks, with three strikeouts.

Next

New Britain Bees

vs.

Long Island Ducks

FROM

THE POND

The Ducks need relief ... for their bullpen that is.  After Monday's day off, the Bridgeport Bluefish levied a heavy tax on Long Island's bullpen, particularly in Thursday's game.  And the Ducks also have a double-header to contend with on Saturday.

Long Island is in need, then, of lengthy starts from the trio of Bobby Blevins, Jack Snodgrass, and Mark Blackmare, in their upcoming series against the New Britain Bees.

Snodgrass presently leads the circuit with 44 strikeouts, while his staff mate Mark Blackmare is second in the league with a 1.26 ERA.

L.I. Ducks: Jack Snodgrass hurls gem over Somerset Patriots

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Patriots @ Ducks tied 1-1

I - SOM 4; LID 1

II - LID 1; SOM 0

Game Three

Somerset Patriots

vs.

Long Island Ducks

FROM

The Pond

Long Island Ducks: Jack Snodgrass tosses gem to snap five game losing streak against Somerset Patriots.

Ducks three games back of 1st place.

Somerset got the better of the Ducks during Tuesday's series opener at Bethpage Ballpark.  The 4-1 loss to the Patriots brought Long Island's eight game winning streak to a screeching halt.

Starter Bobby Blevins lasted 5.2 innings in a losing effort.  He allowed 4 earned runs on 7 hits and 2 walks, with 4 strikeouts.  Long Island's lone run came on Mike Blanke's solo shot in the 7th inning.

In Game Two, the Ducks took an early lead in the 2nd on Mike Dowd's 2-out RBI single.
After which, the Ducks required a gem from their starting pitcher, and got just that en route to a 1-0 whitewashing of the Patriots.

Jack Snodgrass won his third straight decision in impressive fashion, fanning 12 Patriots batters over 6 scoreless innings of 2 hit baseball, while issuing just one walk.  He now sports a 3-1 record and 3.27 ERA, with 33 strikeouts over 22 innings pitched.

Reliever Todd Coffey faced the minimum during a scoreless 9th for his 3rd save of the season.

• The Ducks are presently the hottest team in the Atlantic League, having gone 9-1 over their last 10 games.  After stumbling out of the gate with a 1-6 record, the Ducks have gone 10-1 since.

• After starting the season 13-0. the first place Patriots have cooled off of late, with just a par 5-5 record over their last 10 games.

After the Patriots retreat upon conclusion of Thursday's series finale, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs will move in for a four game weekend series.

L.I. Ducks: Gone Fishing; Ferry Cup Series 2016

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

FERRY CUP 2016

Bluefish lead all-time series over Ducks 

158-154

The Bridgeport Bluefish last qualified for the playoffs in 2010, when they advanced beyond the first round only to get turned back in the Atlantic League championship series by the York Revolution.  The following season, Bridgeport then lost a Liberty Division play-in game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  The times have been relatively quiet at Harbor Yard since.

The Bridgeport Nine captured their lone Atlantic League title in 1999, but own the distinction of winning the most games all-time of any member club in Atlantic League history.

That said, they have certainly enjoyed better starts in previous seasons.  The Fish are now losers of four straight games after dropping a double-header on Wednesday against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  They enter this weekend's Ferry Cup series in last place of the Liberty Division with a sub-par 5-9 record.

However, there's seemingly never a dull moment whenever these rivals meet.  This weekend in Bridgeport should be no different.

Six game winning streak

The Ducks have officially put their 1-6 start behind them.  After Wednesday's rain postponement, Long Island won both games of Thursday's abbreviated make-up double-header, completing a series sweep over the Lancaster Barnstormers.

After having won 6 straight games, they'll enter this weekend's series against rival Bridgeport with a 7-6 record.

Bobby Blevins toed the rubber in Thursday's first game against Lancaster.  He threw six scoreless innings, allowed just 4 hits, walked none, and fanned 4 batters, but walked off to a no decision.  The Ducks and Barnstormers traded zeroes right up to the moment Lancaster reliever Scott Gracey walked home the winning run in the bottom of the 7th inning.  Todd Coffey earned the victory in relief.

In Game Two, starting pitcher Jack Snodgrass earned his second consecutive victory of the season.   He hurled 6 innings for a second straight game as well, allowing 3 earned runs on 7 hits and 2 walks, with 7 strikeouts.  In his previous start against Southern Maryland, Jack allowed just one earned run on 5 hits and 3 walks, with 9 strikeouts.

After being limited to just 3 hits in Game One, the Ducks exploded for 14 hits and 13 runs in the night cap.  Lead-off hitter Fehlandt Lentini was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI.  Delta Cleary Jr. went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI.

L.I. Ducks: Patriots pick up where they left off; sweep Flock to open season

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Patriots run Ducks out of town;

complete four game sweep.

Long Island Ducks: The Flock already sporting an early limp in their waddle.

The first series of the new season is now a matter of record.  The Long Island Ducks, however, remain the lone Atlantic League team still without a victory.  Although we're only talking about four games, Flock fans hope their opening weekend flop against the Somerset Patriots was not an omen of things to come.

Patriots fans would argue the team simply picked up where they left of last season, after winning the Liberty Division flag outright, then eliminating the Ducks from the first round of playoffs.

The Somerset Patriots completed a rather one-sided sweep of the Ducks with a 6-1 victory Sunday afternoon, while outscoring them 26-11 over the four games.

I have a saying - you can't win pennants in April, but you sure can lose them.  In a half-season format, the Ducks are now four games back of the leaders.  Just saying...

• Batting lead-off - Fehlandt Lentini went 8 for 16 with a walk against the Patriots.

• Souvenirs - Lew Ford, Cody Puckett, and Dan Lyons, all hit their first home runs of the season.  The Patriots hit 6 home runs against the Ducks.

Disturbing the Bees' Hive

Next stop on the Ducks 7-game season opening road trip is New Britain, where they'll play their first ever games against the newly created Bees baseball club.

The Camden Riversharks are no longer members of the Atlantic League ... as we once knew them.   The team was unable to reach a lease agreement with the owners of beautiful Campbell Field, thus necessitating their move to the state of Connecticut.  The team now operates as the New Britain Bees.

Opening Day at Bethpage Ballpark is scheduled for Thursday, April 28, against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.

The Starting Rotation

Coach Baez' initial starting rotation appears set.

• John Brownell started Game One
• Darin Downs started Game Two
• Bobby Blevins started Game Three
• Jack Snodgrass climbed the hill for Game Four

Next up - Right-hander Mark Blackmar, 23, is tentatively scheduled to pitch Monday's opener against the New Britain Bees.  He was originally drafted in 2011 by the Baltimore Orioles, where he spent four years in their organization making his way to A+ level.  Last season, he played a full AA season with the Chicago White Sox organization.  He pitches to contact, and posted a 3.71 ERA over 448.1 combined minor league innings pitched.