Contemplating the Crawdads

(pictured, David Paisano)

Yeah, so I thought this game would have awesome weather from start to finish....well, that prediction was a bit off. During the first 4 innings we were dry, and enjoying a mountain lightning storm in the distance, but after 5 innings that lighting storm was directly overhead and it was time to run for shelter. Time for some observations from those 5 interesting innings.

The game opened with a thud. Here's my transcript from the first inning:

-Groundball to SS. Martinez overthrows Murphy. Error on the throw, man safe at 1st.
-Baserunner steals 2nd
-Bleier hits the batter. Men on first and second.
-Sac bunt laid down on third base line. Murphy misses the catch on a perfect throw. Error on Murph. Run Scored.
-Fly ball to RF. Bianucci catches the ball to record the out then unleashes a missile to get the tagging baserunner at the plate.
-Groundball finds it's way between the thirdbaseman and the SS. Single.
-Groundball out to SS.

The 5' 9" Edward Martinez committed his team leading 5th error in this inning. He's supposed to be a little guy that's a defensive wiz but a liability at the plate, but again I leave a game thinking Martinez's glove is overrated. It's not just the errors; in the games I have attended the guy has "stone hands." I have seen him knock down too many balls (hit right at him) rather than catching them. The guy is 21 now and needs to show more.

Bianucci has a track record of being barely average defensively. His outfield assist on the second out of the 1st inning really surprised me--really, really surprised me. He was at 3/4 depth when he caught the ball and threw a no-hop missile to the plate. Catcher Doug Hogan caught the ball over his head and applied the tag.

Murphy continues to look clumsy at 1B and struck out looking like he was confused. Murph did get a single later in the game and scored on the Hogan triple. The rollercoaster ride continues for Clark.

I got my first look at David Paisano this year. He missed the opening series as he traveled to mourn the death of a family member. I was impressed. First off, the dude runs like the wind. 'Runs' isn't the right word, he glides. He has a long stride and looks like one of those racing motorcycles as he leans at a 45 degree angle when turning at 1b. David had a very competent approach at the plate, fouling away bad pitches and waiting for good ones (compared to the younger players that flail at bad pitches and watch good ones go right into the glove without swinging). David is 21 now and I think this could be his year to start moving up if he can stay healthy. A ball did hit Paisano on the hand during his second AB but he stayed in the game and knocked an RBI single right up the middle later in the game.

One of my main goals this night was to watch Richard Bleier. First off, I have read reports saying that Richard throws his sinker as high as 91mph....on this night Bleier never touched above 83 on the stadium gun. Because the stadium gun is 3-4 mph slow, it's probably safe to say he was actually at 86-87 consistantly. Give the man credit though, he was crafty as a fox producing a groundball to flyout ratio of 10-2. Bleier used his curveball and slider very well. His curve ball moved more and more as the game went along. What started as a Millwood baby curve turned into a Zito-esque (well, probably not Zito-esque, but you get the idea) 12-6 curve by the end of the game. I am concerned about the velocity if it doesn't pick up. By the second time through the order, batters were sitting on that low to mid 80's sinker and hitting it hard (luckily right at waiting defenders). It was only Bleier's craftiness with his offspeed pitches that kept batters on their heels just enough. Bleier just turned 22 in April.

As if they knew the game would be called after 5 innings, the Hickory offense came alive scoring all three of their runs in the bottom of the 5th. 24 year old, Doug Hogan plated 2 runs on a triple off the CF wall. Paisano brought Hogan home on an RBI single up the middle.

Until next time, enjoy the only video I was able to capture, a somewhat boring AB by Mike Bianucci (who will probably be the first position player promoted). Nothing special here, but it's something to fill 1min of your weekend downtime.