CUP O' JO: Friday, May 29, 2009

JONNY GOMES (OF,Cincinnati Reds):
Day off yesterday for the Reds who aim to overtake second place Milwaukee in a head to head battle on the road.  This 7 game roadtrip ends with 4 against Division leading St. Louis before returning home to face the Cubs.  The next week could really unknot the NL Central.  St. Louis, a team weakened by injuries and a few slumping players, is in San Francisco this weekend. Come on Giants, soften 'em up some more.  For those wondering when Jonny might patrol the outfield in AT&T Park, it won't happen until August 7, 8, and 9.  It's part of my Half-Centurian Celebration as I celebrate a Really Big Birthday that week. 

JOEY GOMES (DH, Joliet Jackhammers, IND)
Joey had a 2-for-3 night with an RBI Triple Wednesday as the Kansas City T-Bones edged the Jackhammers 5-4 in KC.  Gomes pulled a quad sliding hard into third and will miss a few more games.  At least it happened in KC where there's plenty of good food to help pass the time.   He's batting .209.

LOUIS OTT (DH, A Jupiter Hammerheads, Florida Marlins Organization)
Louis signed with the Jupiter Hammerheads where he was 1-for-2 at DH Wednesday night in a 3-0 win over his former team, the Lakeland Flying Tigers.  Drought ending bad weather in Florida suspended play yesterday and it looks like more of the same today.  The team is in third place in the Florida State League South Division, 7 games out.  Attaboy Louis.  Good to see you back!

TOMMY EVERIDGE (3B, AA Midland Rockhounds, Oakland Athletics Organization)
1-for-5 Wednesday and 2-for-5 with a home run yesterday in a pair of wins for Midland.  They are now 2 games ahead of Frisco.  Tommy continues to lead the team in home runs, hits, and total bases as he transitions to 3B defensively.  With injuries continuing to plague Oakland infielders (Garciapara back to the DL... first an ankle, now recurring calf tightness) maybe things will start to shake loose in Sacramento so Tommy can have a shot.

KONRAD SCHMIDT (C, High A Visalia Rawhide, Arizona Diamondbacks Organization)
1-for-3 with a double in Wednesdays 3-1 win over San Jose. 0-for-3 last night in a 6 hit squeaker of a 2-1 win.  The Rawhide lead the Division by a two game margin.  Konrad is batting .255.

STEVE PEARSON (1B, Wichita WingNuts, IND)
2-for-4 hitting in last night's 5-2 win over St. Paul.  Wichita is off to a red hot start with an 11-2 record and a five game lead in the Division.  Steve is batting .362, just a few points shy of the league Leader Board.

SAM BANISTER (1B, Senior, Arizona Wildcats Softball)
The top seeded Florida Gators shut out the nations' top scoring offense 3-0 last night in the opening round of the Women's Softball College World Series, limiting Arizona to just two hits in a dominant appearance by pitcher Stacy Nelson. The Cats got something going in the first with back-to-back hits, but a strikeout and a pop out by PTown's Banister ended the Wildcats only rally. PHS Grad, Samantha Banister had seven put outs at first base on the night.  Arizona will face Alabama in an elimination game for the second straight season on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT .  Whew.  PTownJr's game will be in the books by then!

DJ GENTILE (DH, Sophomore,  Cal Poly Mustangs)
What a season for Casa Grad, DJ Gentile.  For the first time at the Division I level, the Mustangs, ranked 26th nationally, have earned an NCAA Playoff berth.  They face Oral Roberts University today at 2pm in the West Regional:  Bracket  DJ is batting .311 in 49 games with 16 extra base hits including 5 home runs and two triples.  He leads the team with 11 sac flies.  Earlier this week, DJ was awarded All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.

CHAD KRIST  (C, Freshman, University of California Golden Bears)
PHS Grad and Valley Vista Elementary Alum, Chad Krist, saw a lot of action as a Freshman, with 16 starts in 27 appearances.  He batted .197 with 12 hits including 4 doubles and two home runs. Defensively, he had a .993 fielding percentage with 115 put outs, 22 assists and only 1 error in his first college season.

CASA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL GAUCHOS
Uggghhh.  Clayton Valley got an early lead and never looked back Wednesday night.  I'll let Gauchos Beat Writer John Jackson tell you all about it: Bad Beginning Ends Casa Grande Baseball Season

Springin' Forward CUP O' JO - March 9, 2009

Ahhh...  Daylight Savings Time, 65 degree weather,  WhodaThunkIt exciting WBC baseball in high def and TWO pros from the 707 on the MLB Home Run leader board during Spring Training.

JONNY GOMES (OF, Cincinnati Reds Organization)
Jonny got a start at 1B yesterday and had a two run homer in the 4th to break a 0-0 tie of LHP Brett Cecil. He's batting .429 with 2 home runs. At 9 RBIs, he is tied for the MLB lead with Chicago's Hoffpauir.

JASON LANE (OF, Toronto Blue Jays)

Wow.  Where have I been?  Sebastopol's Lane, a non-roster invitee with a minor league contract is having a helluva spring with the Blue Jays.  Batting .500 in 20 ABs, and leads the MLB in total bases with 20.  He had a 3-for-3 day against the Reds Saturday. Keep mashing Jason.

BRANDON MORROW (P, Seattle Mariners)

Morrow had his second start pushed back due to forearm soreness and then came down with the flu late last week.  Hopefully he's on track for a start later this week. More from the Everett Herald.

ERIC BRUNTLETT (INF, Philadelphia Phillies)
Santa Rosa's Bruntlett is batting .350 including 2 doubles in 20 ABs this spring.  Bruntlett's spot on the 25man seems solid.  Here's a bit on how Charlie Manuel plans to use him this season. 

DJ GENTILE (OF, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Mustangs)
DJ is batting .360 with a double and  3RBIs so far this season.  The team had an 8 game win streak snapped on a 8 game road trip which winds up in Berkeley for a three game series.  The Mustangs are 8-2 on the season.

SAM BANISTER (University of Arizona Wildcats Softball)
She's batting .363 with 7 doubles, 5 home runs and 20 RBIs. Sam has played in every game and is perfect defensively.  The team is 21-5 on the season after smoking St. Joseph's 20-1 yesterday to win the Hillenbrand Invitational.  They're ranked 13th.

CASA GRANDE H.S. GAUCHOS
The Gaucho Varsity season is off to a 2-1 start.  You can follow them here: http://www.casagrandebaseball.com/ .

CUP O' JO: Sunday, March 1

The "pineapple express" has finally moved onshore bringing a bit of Hawaii to PTown.  Mahalo.  We need 9" of juice from this pineapple just to catch up to a normal year. Could happen.  A few years back, the first 6 weeks of the Little League season were completely rained out when the Express hulaed into NorCal. Talk about being a conflicted nature loving baseball fan. It takes a mighty big drought to celebrate ducks paddling where kids should be playing. Hate to say it, but we could use that kind of March Madness again. 

Today's Cup O' Jo will focus on PTown's up and comers...  a few of the college kids I follow.  If there's a player you'd like me to add to this list, just let me know. 

But first a quick glossing over of PTown Area Pros.

PTOWN AREA PROs

JONNY GOMES (OF, Cincinnati Reds Organization)
Jonny popped out to short and reached on a fielder's choice as the Reds' DH yesterday.  The Red Sox lost 16-5.  OF candidate Darnell McD*nald has had some shining moments in Spring Training.  McDonald is a Minor League contract player. And yes, there's a reason for the asterisk. 

Jonny didn't play in today's match against the Yankees. The Reds topped the Yanks 13-11 today as home run weather whisked 5 dingers over the fence. Minor league catcher Craig Tatum hit a grand slam and it was Nix and Hopper's turn to audition for the LF spot today. Nix got his first hit of spring training, a home run, and Hopper (.400) drew a walk and scored today.  Meanwhile, playing right field, Dickerson (.500) had another dazzling day, hitting a pair of home runs in a 3-for-3 day. Hmmm...

BRANDON MORROW (P, Seattle Mariners)
Brandon had a rough go in his first start of Spring Training.  Just couldn't find the zone. He pitched 1 1/3. Justin Thomas came on in relief with the bags loaded, got the Rangers' Ian Kinsler to ground into a double play and K'd Michael Young to keep Morrow's ERA out of the headlines  get the Mariners out of a jamb. No word on where Brandon is taking Justin for dinner tonight.  Matt Tuiasosopo is having a hot spring at the plate with a HR a double and an RBI single so far.  And Chris Woodward just hit his second dinger in two days. He had 3 in one game as a Bluejay in 2002.  If anyone follows Josh Hamilton, he left the game today in the 2nd inning with achilles tightness.  Uh oh.  Been there, done that.

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PTOWN's UP AND COMERS:

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DJ GENTILE (OF, Sophomore, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Casa Grande HS) BIO
DJ's season is off to a good start.  He's batting .333, slugging .400 and has a .389 OBP.  6RBIs in 5 games played.  Yesterday, he helped fuel the Mustang's 6th win in a row with an RBI single early in the game, a walk and a HBP later as Cal Poly topped Sac State.  The 6-1 record is the Mustangs' best start since 2001.  Cal Poly plays their next 8 on the road, beginning with 6-0 San Jose state and they travel to Texas for a non-conference tournament next weekend.  Study hard DJ.

SAM BANISTER (1B, Senior, University of Arizona Wildcats Softball, Petaluma HS) BIO 
Sam is off to a smokin' hot start batting .392, starting in all 16 games this season.  She has 3 doubles, 4 home runs and 17 RBIs and only one K.  She's "batting 1000" in the field as well. Go girl!  The Wildcats are 13-3 overall and have not yet begun Pac-10 conference play.

JOSH KRIST (Cal Poly Pomona, Petaluma High Grad)
Josh was named CCAA pitcher of the week after throwing a 3 hitter against Stanislaus in Pomona's only win of the series. He fanned 11. Wow!  Press release

Email me if there are other up and comers The Pearls should keep an eye on:  PTownBaseballMom@gmail.com