Blogs > Minor Matters

Run by Josh Norris, The Trentonian's Thunder beat writer, this blog will cover the team, as well as the Eastern League and Minor League Baseball as a whole.



Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Thunder Preview comes out tomorrow

With Opening Day mere hours away, the day has come for me to slave away on the Thunder preview section, which will be on newsstands in tomorrow's Trentonian. This means I will be working on features on Austin Romine (he'll be on the cover), D.J. Mitchell, Brandon Laird, as well as previews of each team in the Eastern League.

There may also be stories on Jeremy Bleich, Josh Schmidt's experience in the Venezuelan League, and much more. Check it out tomorrow.

For now, though, take a read of my stories yesterday on Wilkin De La Rosa and Lance Pendleton moving to the bullpen, and Josh Schmidt's reaction to coming back to Trenton to begin 2010. The latter is a newspaper-only story.

Also, former Thunder pitcher Kanekoa Texeira made his major league debut last night. He got his first strikeout, but also picked up the loss.

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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Bats, gloves and a ball

Monday, April 5, 2010

Get ready to meet the team

TRENTON — If you were hoping to see Pat Venditte on Thursday at Waterfront Park, you’re out of luck.

The Thunder’s preliminary roster was released to the media yesterday, and the celebrated switch pitcher’s name was nowhere to be found.

If you’re interested in laying your eyes on some of the top prospects in the organization, however — Austin Romine, D.J. Mitchell, Brandon Laird and David Adams, to name a few — then you’re in for a treat come Opening Day.

Romine, Mitchell, Laird and Adams are the marquee names, to be sure, but there were plenty of interesting players to be found on yesterday’s roster.

Take Damon Sublett, for instance.

He started last season as a second baseman, but was asked by the organization late in the season to take the Craig Biggio route and move into the outfield, where he will play in 2010.
While he’s adapted nicely enough to his new position, he’s been caught a little off guard by its intricacies.

“It’s harder than I thought it would be,” Sublett said. “I always used to think, ‘Oh, outfield, it can’t be that tough.’ It’s pretty tough out there, especially the corner positions. Center’s not too bad, but it’s fun, though. It’s a lot of fun."

Do you find pitchers more interesting than position players? Then Christian Garcia’s your man.
Garcia, already given the Opening Day assignment, is a right-hander with electric stuff who just can’t stay healthy.

To wit, the 24-year-old right-hander has pitched just 140 2/3 innings since 2006, yet still holds a position on the Yankees’ 40-man roster. It’s an honor that Garcia doesn’t take lightly.

“It’s awesome,” Garcia said. “It just shows that they still care and they’ve never forgotten about me. I’m pretty sure if I was with any other team, they would have dropped me already and said enough is enough. It’s amazing how they’ve stayed with me and stuck by my side.”

Sticking with guys on the 40-man roster, left-hander Wilkin De La Rosa will return to the club, but with a new role.

He and righty Lance Pendleton — both in the Thunder’s rotation last season — will move to the bullpen, instantly giving the team what appears to be, on paper at least, a very interesting collection of arms.

Manager Tony Franklin, who returns for his fourth season with Trenton, explained the move on Saturday at the Yankees Minor League Complex.

“In past years, when injuries occur, and at times when we think we need a spot starter, we’ve always had someone down there who was capable of doing that,” Franklin said. “I think either one of those guys are capable of doing that. In that regard, we’re well protected.”

Indeed, whether due to injuries or rain, the Thunder often found themselves in need of an extra arm in 2009. One man who filled that role more than capably was Josh Schmidt, an Eastern League All-Star and easily the Thunder’s best pitcher in 2009.

Astonishingly, after posting a 1.61 ERA and allowing just 57 hits — including just two home runs — in 83 2/3 stellar innings, Schmidt finds himself back in Trenton this April.

He joins Grant Duff, Wilkins Arias, Noel Castillo and Eric Wordekemper in a group of relievers who each spent time with the Thunder last season. The only newcomer to the bullpen is Cory Arbiso, a 23-year-old righty who spent most of last season with Low-A Charleston.

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Friday, April 2, 2010

Day 3 Wrap Up


This is going to be quick, but here's a rundown of what I did today and what I plan to do tomorrow.

I interviewed Ryan Pope (check The Trentonian for a feature tomorrow), Brandon Laird, Damon Sublett and Austin Romine. All were very good and well-spoken. Sublett had some interesting things to say about his transition from second base to the outfield, Laird talked with me about facing Stephen Strasburg in the Arizona Fall League, and Austin Romine ... well, you'll just have to wait for his feature in The Trentonian's special section, which prints on April 8, the day of the Thunder's season opener.

Tomorrow I plan to report to minor league camp around 9:00-9:30, as has been the case all week. This time, though, I'm not sure how long I'll be sticking around. One schedule I have says the Thunder are traveling to Dunedin tomorrow to play the Jays again. Another, however, says they are staying in Tampa for a camp day.

There's a Yankees vs. Future Yankees exhibition game across the street at George M. Steinbrenner Field, so that's always an option, if the game features Thunder players.

If I stay at camp, some interview targets will be David Phelps, Pat Venditte and the Thunder coaching staff. More importantly, I will be trying my best to cajole the preliminary roster, which was released today but kept away from the media, out of someone.

That's all for tonight. I'll check back in the morning.

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Thursday, March 25, 2010

Thunder Fall to R-Phils, 5-1

Once again, per the Thunder and Tim Lentych. Zach McAllister started in the Double-A work group today, probably because CC Sabathia started for the Triple-A work group. With that said, here are the results of today's loss.

PITCHERS
Zach McAllister: 3 2/3 innings, 2 runs
Lance Pendleton: 3 1/3 innings, 3 runs
Wilkins Arias: 2 innings, 0 runs

HITTERS
Austin Romine: Two singles
Brandon Laird: Two singles
Ray Kruml: Single, Triple, Run
Jeff Farnham: Single
Kevin Mahoney: RBI

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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Thunder top R-Phils, 9-6

Once again, per the Thunder via trainer Tim Lentych.

PITCHING
Christian Garcia: 5 shutout innings
Craig Heyer: 3 innings, 2 runs
HITTING
Austin Krum: Double, Single, HBP, 3 runs
Myron Leslie: 2-run HR
Austin Romine: Triple, 2 RBIs
Marcos Vechionacci: 2 singles, 2 RBIs
Brandon Laird: Single, RBI
Walter Ibarra: Single
Eduardo Sosa: Walk, Single, Run

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Thunder Lose to Blue Jays 4-1, Spring Training Coverage Update



Opening Day at Waterfront Park is just more than two weeks away, and there are many questions that still need answers.

How will the rotation shake out?

Will Brandon Laird play first or third base?

How about shortstop?

Where does Myron Leslie fit?

All these questions — as well as many others — will be addressed starting a week from today, when I travel to Tampa, Fla. to kick off The Trentonian’s coverage of Thunder spring training.
Over those four days, I’ll be working hard to glean every piece of information needed to provide the clearest picture possible of what the team will look like come April 8.

I’ll be in attendance at the Yankees game with the Minnesota Twins on March 31, the Thunder’s home games against the Pirates and Blue Jays, respectively, on April 1 and 2, and the Yankees vs. Future Yankees game on April 3 at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Look for coverage on Twitter (jnorris427), on my blog, through videos on The Trentonian’s Web site, and, of course, in the paper itself.
•••
The Thunder lost yesterday, 4-1, against the Blue Jays’ Double-A work group. Here are few notable stats from the game, provided by the team through trainer Tim Lentych.
Pitching
D.J. Mitchell: 3 IP, 3 runs
Noel Castillo: 2 IP, 1 run
Jonathan Hovis: 2 IP, 0 runs
Pat Venditte: 2 IP, 0 runs
Hitting
Austin Romine: Single
Walter Ibarra: Single
Ray Kruml: Single, RBI
Jeff Farnham: Double, run

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