Results tagged ‘ Lee Gronkiewicz ’
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK (8/6 – 8/12)
BATTER OF THE WEEK: Chiefs OF Michael Vento earns the knod this week after putting together a 7-for-21 week (.333). Vento hit safely in the first four games he played of the week to run his hit streak to a personal season-high seven games. He began the week with a 3-for-6 day in Ottawa scoring two runs while smacking a double.
HONORABLE MENTION: C Robinzon Diaz had a team-high .357 batting average (5-for-14) with two doubles and a RBI.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK: The bullpen was terrific for the Chiefs over the past seven days so it only makes sense that a reliever takes home the honor this week. RHP Lee Gronkiewicz posted a 1-0 record in two games throwing four shutout frames. Gronkiewicz gave up only two hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
HONORABLE MENTION: A pair of relievers gave Gronkiewicz a run for his money this week. RHP Jordan De Jong went 1-0 in three appearances throwing 3.1 innings. He surrendered no runs on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts. RHP Justin James threw five innings without giving up an earned run in two appearances.
FISHER CATS UPDATE
Kevin Gray, who covers the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats for The New Hampshire Union Leader had a nice article Friday summarizing the Fisher Cats recent homestand.
During a eight game homestand New Hampshire won six games including four comeback wins. Including games this weekend the Fisher Cats are 12-7 and in second place in the Northern Division of the Eastern League, five games behind Trenton.
After a slow start Sergio Santos has heated things up. Over his last 10 games Santos is hitting .316 with 7 doubles, 5 HR and 10 RBI and now leads the Eastern League with 6 HR on the season. Santos has committed 5 errors in 17 games at shortstop. Arizona Fall League MVP Chip Cannon is hitting just .194 with 3 HR and 8 RBI.
David Purcey is off to a strong start on the mound with a 3-1 record a 2.81 ERA. Purcey ranks second in the Eastern League with 28 strikeouts and has show increased control this season, walking just four batters. Two other Fisher Cat hurlers also have 3 wins, Mike MacDonald (3-0, 2.19) and Jesse Litsch (3-1, 1.19).
In the bullpen 36 year old Rookie Jo Matumoto, a side-arming lefty, started the season with nine plus scoreless innings and currently boasts a 1-0 record and a 2.53 ERA while allowing just five hits in 10-plus innings. Jordan De Jong has allowed just six hits and one earned run in over 14 innings while striking out 18 opponents. Former Chiefs closer Lee Gronkiewicz (1-0, 2.25)has 3 saves in 9 appearances.
THIS AND THAT
Congratulations to infielder Ryan Roberts who becomes the third Chiefs player called up this season when Troy Glaus was placed on the DL. Roberts was taken off the 40-man roster this off-season but put himself back on the map with a solid Spring Training. Roberts joins Adam Lind and Jamie Vermilyea in Toronto.
It looks like Lind will be in Toronto for awhile because Reed Johnson will miss two months after having back surgery. Also closer BJ Ryan will miss 4-6 weeks with tenderness in his elbow. Former Chiefs Jason Frasor and Shaun Marcum will be called upon to close games in his absence.
Insidethedome.com is reporting that the Toronto Blue Jays have reached three year contract extensions, through the 2010 season, with Tony LaCava, Director Player Personnel, **** Scott, Director Player Development, Jon Lalonde, Director Scouting, Sal Butera, Special Assistant to the GM & Charlie Wilson, Manager Minor League Operations.
Taking a look at our Double-A affiliate the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (4-2)some former Chiefs are off to a hot start. Closer Lee Gronkiewicz has 3 saves in four outings. Outfielder Wayne Lydon is hitting .333 with 2 HR and 8 RBI in six games. Catcher Erik Kratz is hitting .583 with 2 doubles a HR and 5 RBI in five games played. Pitcher David Purcey is 1-0 and had 7 strikeouts and just one walk in six innings in his only outing.
Infielder Rob Cosby was hitting .278 in five games before being placed on the DL Saturday after being hit on the hand by a pitch.
CHIEFS GET FIRST WIN
The Syracuse Chiefs picked up their first spring training victory on Saturday 4-1, with the help of former Cy Young pitcher Roy Halladay. The Chiefs took on the Ottawa Lynx (Phillies farm team) and with the Jays major league club playing the Tigers, the Jays brass thought it would be better if Halladay got his work in a AAA-game instead. The Phillies countered with big league righty Jon Lieber who pitched against the Chiefs.
The lineup for the Chiefs included:
Jason Phillips C, Russ Adams 2B, Sergio Santos SS, Chip Cannon 1B, Ryan Klosterman DH, Dustin Majewski RF, Justin Singleton CF, Luke Hetherington LF and Brad Hassey 3B.
The Chiefs scored two runs off Lieber in the 4th on solo home runs by Jason Phillips and Sergio Santos. They scored two additional runs in the 10th-inning (the teams agreed to play 10) on a fielders choice and error.
Halladay went 5-innings allowing only 3-hits and struckout 7 batters and threw only 56 pitches. Mike MacDonald followed that up with 2-shutout innings with relievers Jamie Vermilyea and Lee Gronkiewicz tossing one shut out inning each. Jean Machi also pitched one-inning and allowed one un-earned run.
The Chiefs did committ 4-errors in the field, two by shortstop Sergio Santos. The Chiefs take on the Phillies (Ottawa) again today in Dunedin.
JAYS BEGIN TO DELETE ROSTER
The Toronto Blue Jays minor league camp opened last week and games for their four affiliates will begin on Wednesday vs the Philadelphia Phillies organization. At the major league level, the parent club has begun sending down players including seven pitchers. Lefty Jo Matumoto joins righthanders Beau Kemp, Josh Banks, Ismael Ramirez, and yesterday Ryan Houston, Jean Machi and Tracy Thorpe found their way back to the Englebert Complex.
Only shortstop Sergio Santos and catcher Erik Kratz have been assigned from the group of non-pitchers.
First glance at the Jays pitching staff only Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, Gustavo Chacin, B.J. Ryan, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and Brian Tallet seem to be locks. That leaves probably five spots available and righthanders Jeremy Accardo and Brandon League if healthy will take up two of those. The other three spots, two are starting pitchers and one long reliever.
The candidates, Tomo Ohka, John Thomson, Josh Towers and Shaun Marcum are leading contenders with Victor Zambrano, Pete Walker and Geremi Gonzalez also in the mix. Francisco Rosario is out of options and can’t return to Syracuse.
Pitchers most likely left out and headed back to Syracuse include Dustin McGowan, Davis Romero, who was injured early in camp, Matt Roney, Ty Taubenheim, Lee Gronkiewicz, Blaine Neal, and Brian Wolfe.
WINTERBALL
We wanted to give our readers a quick update on some potential Chiefs playing winter ball right now.
Rob Cosby has appeared in 19 games for Caguas in Puerto Rico and is hitting .284 with five doubles, two triples, one HR and 9 RBI.
Lee Gronkiewicz is pitching for Obregon in Mexico and is 3-2 with a 4.76 ERA and 5 saves with 3BB and 25K in 18 appearances.
David Purcey pitched in one game for Mayaguaz in Puerto Rico giving up one run in three innings.
Beau Kemp is pitching for Aragua in Venezuela and has appeared in 21 games going 3-2 with a 3.51 ERA, 12BB and 17K.
Geremi Gonzalez is pitching for Magallenes in Venezuela and is 1-1 with a 0.38 ERA, 10 saves and 7BB and 17K in 19 appearances.
