Archive for the ‘BlueClaws Post-Season’ Category

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Brothers With Rings

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

It was quite the year for the d’Arnaud brothers. Travis and Chase got to play against each other eight times this year, play together in the 2009  South Atlantic League All-Star game, and the this fall, each won a championship.

Travis, 20, playing with Lakewood, hit .391 for the BlueClaws in the post-season after hitting .306 in the second half. He caught every game in the post-season and won a ring the night after his brother won his. He was a supplemental first-round pick of the Phillies in 2007.

Chase, 22, was a Pirates fourth-rounder in 2008 and played West Virginia in the first half. After playing with Travis in the SAL All-Star game, he was promoted to hi-A Lynchburg, where he spent the second half. He hit .295 with Lynchburg and drove in nine runs in eight playoff games from the leadoff spot in the lineup, earning the MVP of the Carolina League playoffs.

Lance d’Arnaud, father, was in from California for the post-season and saw Chase play Wilmington in the first round of the playoffs. He was with Travis during the second round and saw the clincher in Greenville on Friday.

“The fact that they are 3,000 miles away makes it tougher to see them but I try not to miss a beat,” Lance d’Arnaud said. During the season from California, “I see them on the Internet, and I try to listen to two games at a time. My wife goes crazy with that and has to get out of the house.”

Travis likely heads to Clearwater next year in the Florida State League, while Chase will probably try Double-A Altoona in the Eastern League. Pittsburgh’s Triple-A club is Indianapolis in the International League . The Phillies do have affiliates in the Eastern League (Reading) and International League (Lehigh Valley) so the opportunity to play against each other in the minors is certainly there.

Travis is in Florida for the Instructional League, while Chase will soon head off to Arizona for the prestigious Arizona Fall Leauge, one of the few players there who did not get above A-ball this year.

And now they both have rings.

Posted in 2009 BlueClaws, BlueClaws Post-Season, General Baseball, Travis d'Arnaud | No Comments »

Now THAT’s Devotion

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

The following comment from Rob & Ella (snipped) appeared in the Championship Photos post a few down the line…

I am with the Quartet Evolution who sang the National Anthem for your 1st two games which you won, so not singing for your 3rd game and you lost. My wife Ella had me sing the National Anthem at 7PM. on Friday in my motel room and you WON. So I want to think that I helped.

Thanks Rob!

Anybody else have any superstitions they followed during the BlueClaws playoff games?

Posted in BlueClaws Post-Season | No Comments »

One More…The Ball

Saturday, September 19th, 2009

In 2006, the Matt Thayer caught the final out, a fly ball to right field, and promptly threw the ball into the seats.

Tonight, second-baseman Harold Garcia caught a pop-up to shallow center. And kept the ball. Good job Harold.

Posted in 2009 BlueClaws, BlueClaws Post-Season, Harold Garcia | No Comments »

Podcasts: Listen to What the Champs Had to Say

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Greg Giombarrese caught up with several of the SAL Champions after the game, here is a quote from each and a link to hear the entire podcast, enjoy:

Starting Pitcher Korey Noles:

On pitching in front of his family and friends:

“It means a lot, having all this support and all the people behind just really helps you to get over that hump and really dig deep”

Link here.

BlueClaws Hitting Coach Greg Legg:

On seeing the ball hit for the final out:

“All year long, even through spring training, I told the guys that Harold Garcia was my favorite player…because he played second and so did I, so when the ball was hit to him I yelled ‘It’s my favorite player!’ it’s euphoria, and I think its the journey that makes it worth while…”

Link here.

BlueClaws Third Baseman Travis Mattair:

On seeing the final out:

“I started jumping around, I was so excited that’s the moment you’ve been working for the whole season. One-hundred and forty games plus the playoffs, that’s what you grind for throughout the season to get to that moment and when it happened it was kind of surreal, but it’s a great feeling and such a great group of guys and I’m so thrilled to be a part of this team.”

Link here.

BlueClaws Outfielder Anthony Gose and Catcher Travis d’Arnaud:

“It was one of the best feelings in the world” - d’Arnaud “This was my first time being part of a championship team and it was amazing.” - Gose

Link here.


Posted in 2009 BlueClaws, Anthony Gose, BlueClaws Post-Season, Enjoying a Game, Freddy Galvis, Korey Noles, Lakewood BlueClaws, Travis Mattair, Travis d'Arnaud | No Comments »

Championship Photos!

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Here is a look at the BlueClaws in all their glory:

(more…)

Posted in 2009 BlueClaws, BlueClaws Post-Season | 31 Comments »

SAL Championship Series, Game 4

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Welcome back to rainy Greenville, SC for game four tonight, and take two for Lakewood as they try to wrap up the 2009 South Atlantic League Championship…game notes here…audio here (at 6:50)

LWD: LHP Korey Noles (1-0, 1.17)
GRE: LHP Fabian Williamson (10-5, 2.42)

Importance of RISP…The BlueClaws went 2-16 last night in their game three loss with runners in scoring position…Greenville went 3-19 over their first two games, both losses.

Road, Sweet Road…The BlueClaws had the best road record in the league this year at 41-25, and it would be fitting if they wrapped this thing up away from home.

Like 2006…Just like in 2006, the BlueClaws won games one and two and lost game three…In 2006, they won game four.

5:59: We’ll keep you posted obviously but don’t be surprised if we start in a delay. Tarp still on the field.

6:22: We’ll start at 7:35 tonight.

7:30: Greenville 3B Will Middlebrooks (7 HRs and 51 RBIs) scratched with a migrane headache and blurred vision.

7:42: On the board…Gose singles, bunted to second, steals third, and scores on a groundout by d’Arnaud. Perfect.

7:49: 1-2-3 in the first for Noles…good start all around.

8:03: Noles gets a DP…looks sharp.

8:21: Lots of stuff in a busy 3rd…Garcia after a foul pop is misplayed gets a SAC fly to make it 2-0…Then d’Arnaud singles to left-center…Gose goes to third, but the ball gets past the new 3B Gentile, which allows Gose to score…3-0!

8:27: 1-2-3 in the third for Noles who looks great. He’s faced the minimum nine through three.

8:37: Four more hits yields the fourth run…Hanzawa doubles down the RF line…4-0 Lakewood.

9:08: Noles puts two on w/ none out…gets out of it…4-0 to the 6th.

9:28: Noles sticks his glove out and a ball flies in…1-3 DP.

9:42: 7 outs away…Noles is dealing…4 hits, 0 walks.

9:49: Noles gives up a run, but a superb outing for the lefty…7 innings one run on six hits…4-1 to the 8th.

10:00: Another run thanks to Gose on a groundout…Mattair led off w/ a walk and comes into score. 5-1 top 8

10:06: Here’s Hyatt for the 8th…6 outs away…5-1

10:15: No issues in the 8th for Hyatt…3 outs away.

10:30: Uneventful top of the 9th…Hyatt out for the bottom.

10:45: That’s all folks…The BlueClaws are South Atlantic League Champions!

Posted in 2009 BlueClaws, BlueClaws Post-Season, Korey Noles | 2 Comments »

Friday Nuggets and Notes

Friday, September 18th, 2009

First off, here are today’s game notes. What’s been the key to the series? Easy. Hitting with runners in scoring position.

RISP Note: Greenville outhit Lakewood in games one and two, but lost both games, going just 3-19 with RISP…Lakewood lost game three, despite outhitting Greenville, since they went 2-16 with RISP.

–It’s 12:56 pm and it’s pouring here. Rain is supposed to continue all day long. But we’ll see. Everyone still hopeful of playing tonight. If, by the way, the game is postponed tonight, there would be no DH on Saturday, but rather game four on Saturday and game five on Sunday. We would expect that Lakewood would throw Matt Way on Saturday and Jesus Sanchez on Sunday, on normal rest. Greenville will likely keep their rotation as is, but that’s an educated guess. Update: 3:32…still raining…we’re iffy for tonight. No BP today and the bus was pushed from 2:30 to 4:00.

–It’s been 1,099 days since the BlueClaws last won the South Atlantic League title, September 15th, 2006.

–Like in 2006, the BlueClaws won games one and two of the finals, and then lost game three.

–Finally, watch Austin Hyatt. He’s thrown four shutout in the playoffs, and with two days off, we wouldn’t be shocked if Dusty Wathan tries to get maybe even a third inning out of him if needed tonight. Remember, he’s had two days off with one game after tonight, as opposed to this time yesterday, he had one day off after back-to-back with two games to go…Hyatt had a 0.66 ERA over 52 innings with Williamsport before a promotion at the end of the regular season.

Posted in 2009 BlueClaws, Austin Hyatt, BlueClaws Post-Season | No Comments »

Friday’s Pitchers

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Greenville wins game three tonight 3-2…so there will be a game four on Friday, 7:05…

Lakewood…LHP Korey Noles (1-0, 1.17)…went 3-2, 2.34 with Williamsport before a late-season promotion…Including his last four starts w/ the Crosscutters, he’s allowed just seven earned runs in his last 32.2 innings pitched…Dusty says: “He throws strikes, keeps the ball down, and can get deep in the game…Even though he only started one game for us, we have no issues moving him right in to start game four.”

Greenville…LHP Fabian Williamson (10-5, 2.42)…Acquired in January from Seattle for big league pitcher David Aardsma…gave up two runs in 4.2 innings in game two of round one vs Asheville…Has thrown five innings in seven of his last nine starts (4.2 and 9 in the other two).

Posted in 2009 BlueClaws, BlueClaws Post-Season, Korey Noles | No Comments »

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