Posts Tagged ‘Mahoning Valley Scrappers’

Chase Burnette was drafted by the Cleveland Indians this past June.  The Indians seem to have gotten their money’s worth by nabbing Burnette in the 18th round of the draft.  The 22 year-old Buford, Georgia native has been the most consistent power threat the Scrappers have introduced, arguably, in franchise history.  Heading into Friday’s game, Burnette was leading the team in home runs (4), RBI (12), and has done a good job in the field bouncing around first base and the outfield.  Last year, a Scrapper did not have four home runs until August.  I recently had a chance to meet Burnette and asked him the tough questions.

Paneech: You played your college ball at Georgia Tech. What persuaded you to attend that school?

Burnette: It was nice to have a big Division I school like Georgia Tech recruiting me because it was right in my area where I grew up.  It was also nice for my parents to come and see my games.  My Freshman year, I was the first left-handed bat off of the bench, and our coach liked to pinch hit so I got some at-bats.  My Sophomore year, I got a few starts in the outfield, and by the midway point I was starting at DH the rest of the year.

Paneech: You have shown versatility by playing first base and in the outfield, where are you most comfortable?

Burnette: I spent most of my time playing in the outfield in college, that is where I feel most comfortable.  I feel like I can play wherever I am needed, but I say I am most comfortable in the outfield because of my time spent there.

Paneech: You are on pace to hit 20 bombs this season, a very good total for short-season baseball.  Are you keeping up with it?

Burnette: I really don’t pay attention to statistics.  Home runs never come when I try to hit one. The only time I seem to hit a home run is when I really just try to make solid contact with the ball.  I’m just gonna go out there and keep trying to square the ball up and what happens, happens.

Paneech: Growing up near Atlanta, were you upset that the Braves bypassed you a few times before Cleveland stepped up and chose you?

Burnette: (laughing) No, not at all.  I did grow up near Atlanta a Braves fan.  I was thrilled to get drafted and didn’t care by who as long as the phone rang, I was pumped.  I found out I was drafted in a pretty unique way.  I was watching the draft throughout the day and the wife and I decided to go do something and get out of the house for a bit.  We rode over to Target, and I was actually in the fitting room when my phone rang.  It was my buddy’s brother calling from Texas.  When I answered he was like ‘ Aaay, congratulations on being drafted’.  I was like, really?  By who?  He said, ‘Cleveland Indians’, and I was like ‘cool!’  That’s how I found out and the scout was beeping in on the call waiting.

Paneech: What is it like to play under Travis Fryman?

Burnette: It’s great, I remember playing video games when I was a kid and using him.  It’s awesome to have someone like him to learn from with so much knowledge and experience.  You also learn about the way he approaches the game and the way he conducts himself.  I think it is an awesome opportunity.

Paneech: Tell me what you think of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley so far?

Burnette: It’s a lot different from down South.  I’m staying with a host family in a small town called Newton Falls, and I am loving it so far.  I am kind of used to the whole host family experience thing, so that is nothing new.  I got married January 1 of this year, so the wife is staying with the host family too.  I have known her since we were six years old.

Paneech: Realistically, how far can you go with this, how far do you want to go?

Burnette: I believe that God has a plan for all of us. I’ll play this out as long as I can and see where it takes me.  I’ll see where God wants me to go with it.  I’m in it for as long as I can have fun and do the best that I can.  I majored in management in college and my father has an insurance business, so once I finish up a couple of semesters at Tech, I can fall back into a thriving and lucrative family business.  Baseball also has a way of presenting opportunities off of the field, so I may be fortunate and land something.

One Word Answers

Favorite Meal of The Day: Dinner.

Fast Food: Taco Bell.

Favorite Movie: Matrix.

Favorite Soft Drink: Coke.

Favorite TV Show: Lost.

Favorite Music: Country — Blake Shelton.

Least favorite Music: Jazz.

Biggest Phobia: Spiders.

Worst Habit: I talk a lot.

Dave Lubich is only 22 years old and is in a position to prosper.  He was awarded the Mahoning Valley Scrappers radio gig earlier this season and seems to be gaining valuable experience that will help him get to another level someday.  Lubich is still in college at Akron and will be done soon, but for now, realizes the opportunity in his home town of Niles, Ohio  is golden and is trying to work hard and take advantage of his unique situation.  I met with Lubich before a recent home game to discuss the past, present, and future.

Paneech:  You now have a major time commitment, as well as newfound traveling, that you must put in.  How are you adjusting?

Lubich:  At first, it all kind of caught me off guard.  I think I am starting to adjust and  I am getting used to the day-to-day routine.  I enjoy calling the games every day.  I have called football and basketball in the past but seem to like baseball more than everything else because it is slower paced and you have more time to talk.

Paneech:  What is your exact role with the team and what responsibilities are you handling?

Lubich:  It is important to have everything ready and making sure that Travis [Fryman] has updated stuff.  I am also responsible for putting together game notes before each game, handling all of the media to make sure they can get interviews, and writing press releases following the game and sending that out. 

Paneech:  What is the part of your job that you like the least? 

Lubich:  The cram time that you have when leaving to go on a roadtrip or leaving one opposing stadium to go to another is tough.  You want to call the game and be prepared and sometimes there is little time to get ready.  Everything else has time devoted to it.  How many people can say that they did what so many greats have done?  I’m not Vin Scully or Ernie Harwell, but it is enjoyable to do what they have done.

Paneech:  Is this a stepping stone to get to the next level?

Lubich:  It’s hard to say right now.  I enjoy the games.  Having done the faster paced basketball stuff, you don’t really get to enjoy the game like you can with baseball.  I have written and done television for all three major sports.  If it came down to me calling baseball for the next however many years, I would enjoy it.

Paneech:  Having seen this team play all of their road games too, who stands out as someone who may have a chance to make it to the majors?

Lubich:  There are a bunch of top picks that still have not signed.  Of those who are here, I think that Chase Burnette has a real chance to become a big-time power hitter.  He is a guy who has shown versatility on defense and has really swung the bat well.  Tyler Cannon, the twelfth round pick, has come in and hit the ball really well.  I also think Giovanny Urshela has a chance to be a great third basemen.  He is making highlight reel plays as well as the routine ones. 

Paneech:  What is the best baseball movie ever made?

Lubich:  I’m a Yankees fan, so I will have to say ’61’.  Billy Crystal did a great job depicting that season.  It was the last legitimate race for a home run crown.  One of the all-time great Yankees [Mickey Mantle] and the Yankee that everybody gave a hard time [Roger Maris].  It was a great team… Elston Howard, Bobby Richardson, Mosse Skowran, Clete Boyer, I can go on and on about that Yankee team.  I also like Major League and Field of Dreams.  I did not care for Fever Pitch.

Paneech:  So far, the bullpen seems a bit shaky to me.  Do we chalk it up to the early season excuse or are we just weak there.

Lubich:  Take Doran Dickerson for example.  Travis likes the fact that he is a deceptive pitcher and location is important for a guy like that.  I say he is deceptive because he throws from the side.  In the middle to late innings of a game, if you throw a whole new look at the opposing team like Dickerson, it can be a tough adjustment.  The plan has not worked perfectly because Dickerson is just not hitting the spots he needs to yet.  He has put himself in a lot of hitters counts at 3-1, or 2-1, it allows the opposing batter to look for a specific pitch.

Paneech:  Give me some of the personals, the food and drink preferences, what you watch on television…

Lubich:  I like to eat at Vernon’s Cafe, I could eat their calamari for breakfast.  I also like to eat at the Hot Dog Shoppe.  As far as soft drinks go, I drink water, a lot of water.  On television, Entourage might be the best show ever made, I really like watching it.

 

 

 

The Jamestown Jammers got off of the bus in Niles on Thursday in first place, all by themselves.  After Friday night they found themselves in a tie with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, losing the first two games of the three game series.  When Saturday’s game was over the Jammers boarded the bus to go home back in first place after pasting the Scrappers, 13-3.

The Jammers raced out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the second.  Scrappers starting pitcher Michael Rayl (above) threw 31 pitches in the inning and seemed to struggle with his control.  For Jamestown,  Todd Muecklisch had an RBI single.  Aury Diaz then belted a two-run single.  Noah Perio closed out the scoring in the second with a tw0-run double.

Mahoning Valley fought back in the bottom of the third.  Jamestown made a couple of errors that allowed Dan DeGeorge and Jordan Casas to score.  Chase Burnette then connected with a clean RBI-single to right to make it a 5-3 game.

Jamestown manufactured a run in the fourth and tacked on three more in the fifth highlighted by a Sequoyah Stonecipher bomb to deep right center field to make the score 9-3 in favor of the visitors.

Not much seemed to go right for the Scrappers on this night.  Jamestown tacked on more runs in the seventh inning to take a 13-3 lead.

After the game, Travis Fryman commented on the effects of the loss.  “There wasn’t much good to take from this tonight.  I would be hard pressed to find anything positive to speak of.  Chase [Burnette] had three hits.  They [Jamestown] had five errors, but their hits offset that, obviously.  Everything they hit found a hole tonight.”

The Scrappers head to Connecticut before returning home for a six game home stand starting Thursday.

On an absolutely perfect night for a baseball game, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers looked to go above .500 and continue to improve.  The obstacle that stood between the Scrappers and that goal was Jamestown, first place Jamestown.  The Scrappers got good pitching and scratched out just enough offense to tie the Jammers for first place with a 2-1 win.

The Jammers scored first when Sequoyah Stonecipher homered off of Scrappers starting pitcher Jordan Cooper.  The solo shot was Stonecipher’s first of the 2010 season.

Mahoning Valley responded in the bottom half of the second inning to the the game at a run apiece.  Wyatt Toregas singled and moved to second when Tyler Cannon was issued a free pass.  Andrew Kinney (pictured at top) then doubled to right-center field knocking in Toregas and knotting the contest.

Chase Burnette (above) untied the score with one swing of the bat when he absolutely crushed an 0-1 pitch to very deep right-center to put the Scrappers ahead 2-1.  For Burnette, it was home run number three on the season.

In relief of Cooper, Dale Dickerson and Clayton Ehlert shut down the Jammers to preserve the win.  Nick Kirk came in with two down in the ninth to pick up his third save of the year.

Burnette talked about the fortunes of his team.  “Our pitching was great tonight.  For us to only get three hits and come away with a win is really fortunate.”  When asked about stepping into a leadership role, Burnette humbly deflected.  “I am a first year guy here and I am still learning how this all works, Wyatt [Toregas] is a veteran here and we respect him.”

Starting pitcher, Jordan Cooper, also shyly accepted congratulations after the game.  “My defense was great behind me tonight and me and Wyatt were on the same page.  I gave up a home run, but after that, I settled in and avoided mistakes.”

The win vaults Mahoning Valley into a tie with Jamestown with both teams at 8-7.  Saturday’s game is now a battle for first place.  It is also adult cap giveaway night… see you at Eastwood Field at 7:05!

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers promo department deserves props for a good turnout of 4,600 Thursday.  Not only was it buck night, but it was also the big “Keep Lebron in Cleveland” promo.  Scrapper pitching was also worthy of praise.  Mahoning Valley starter Owen Dew threw six perfect innings and the home team scratched out enough offense to win a 3-0 contest with Jamestown.

The Scrappers got on the scoreboard first when Giovanny Urshela (above) hit a line drive past shortstop knocking in Diego Seastrunk and Andrew Kinney.  With two outs in the inning, Jamestown starter Dallas Poulk walked Seastrunk and then gave up a ground-rule double to Kinney.  Urshela then connected for the two-out hit to put the Scrappers up 2-0.

Mahoning Valley pushed their lead to 3-0 in the sixth when Diego Seastrunk hit into a double play with nobody out.  Wyatt Toregas scored from third on the play.  Toregas walked to start the inning and advanced to second on a passed ball.

Dew, who had one previous start, kept his ERA at 0.00.  At this level, where individual development is the primary focus, the pitchers are held to a very strict pitch count.  Dew, a 6′ 2″ righty,  was drafted earlier this year in the 21st round out of Central Florida.  “It felt good, I was hitting spots with my two-seamer tonight,” commeneted Dew.

“I’m sure I will eventually give up a run.  Credit the guys behind me for making some good plays.  There are some differences here compared to college.  In college ball, when you jam someone using an aluminum bat, the hits will drop more frequently than they do here with the wooden bats,” remarked Dew.

The perfect game attempt came to an end when Takafumi Nakamura yielded a single with one out in the seventh.  Marcell Ozuna got the clean hit to spoil the celebration.  However, the Scrappers got out of the inning with their 3-0 lead intact.

After the game, Scrapper Skipper, Travis Fryman, praised his young pitchers.  “Owen showed a lot of composure and got outs.  I think he was very sharp the first couple of innings.  Yesterday we dang near got no-hit ourselves, so the guys do feel good about this one tonight.”

With the win, the Scrappers improved to .500 at 7-7 on the young season.  Jamestown comes back to Eastwood Field Friday and Saturday nights.  First pitch is set for 7:05 both nights.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are holding a rally tonight as a theme for their regular season game.  The theme is centered around keeping Lebron James in Cleveland.

• Commemorative rally towel giveaway to the first 1,000 fans.
• Any fan wearing Cleveland Cavaliers or LeBron James gear will get a free lower box seat ticket for the game.
• Anyone wearing New York, Chicago, or Miami gear will be denied entry into the stadium.
• If the Scrappers score 6 or more runs during the game, all fans will receive a free ticket to either the July 2 or 3 Scrappers game.
• A poster will be available for fans to sign showing their support for LeBron. The poster will be sent to Cleveland following the game.
• If LeBron resigns with Cleveland, the Scrappers grounds crew will cut LeBron James yard for a year and the Scrappers cleaning crew will clean his house for a year.
• If LeBron resigns with Cleveland, the Scrappers will name a section of the lower seating area after him. 23 game tickets will be donated for each home game for the remainder of the season to area youth or community organizations.

 

July 1 is also Buck Night presented by the injury attorneys at Plevin and Gallucci and CD 93.3. General Admission tickets, hot dogs and 12 oz. drinks are just $1 each.

 

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers took steps forward as a team on Friday night at Eastwood Field.  Having lost the first game of a two-game set to Batavia and winless on the season-opening homestand, the Scrappers had something to prove to the faithful fans. The bats, in particular, Chase Burnette’s wooden bat, supplied more than enough offense in support of a fine start by Alex Kaminsky as the Scrappers finally won one at home, 12-4.

Mahoning Valley (3-5) scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth to open up the scoring.  Chase Burnette and Tyler Cannon produced RBI-singles to put the Scrappers ahead.

In the bottom of the fifth with two outs, Kevin Fontanez hit a soft liner right at Batavia 2B Joey Bergman.  Bergman dropped the ball to keep the inning alive.  Andrew Kinney then knocked Jordan Casas home.  Burnette then promptly hit a 2-run homer (pictured, top) to put the Scrappers up 5-0.

After surrendering a run in the top of the sixth and the score sitting at 5-1 in favor of the Scrappers, Brian Heere hit a sacrifice fly and Casas delivered a nice two-run double down the first base line to put Mahoning Valley comfortably ahead, 8-1.

Scrappers starter Alex Kaminsky, who pitched at Eastwood Field before signing with the organization for Wright State, threw a nice game.  Kaminsky tossed five full innings and did not surrender a run.  Kaminsky threw 79 pitches and surrendered five hits with 3 K’s and 2 BB.

After Batavia put up two runs in the top of the seventh to make the core 8-3, the Scrappers responded by scoring three runs off of Batavia knuckleballer Houston Summers who struggled to find the plate.  Burnette would tack on a second home run in the bottom of the eighth to push the Scrapper lead to 12-3.

Burnette, who commented after Monday’s 12-0 home-opener beating that there would be a transition period of getting used to wooden bats after using aluminum through college.  ” It’s a big adjustment and will take some time, but we had eleven hits tonight and it really felt good to finally win one at home “.  Burnette finished the game 3-5 with two homers and four RBI’s.

After the game, Manager Travis Fryman was pleased with the hitting and pitching that the Scrapper provided in front of 5, 043 fans.  ” We got some very solid defense tonight and executed really well.  Coming in, I thought Chase [Burnette] had a great swing, tonight he showed it. “

The Scrappers head out to Auburn and Batavia for a five game road trip before returning home Thursday to host three against Jamestown.

The 2010 NY-Penn League season officially opened on Friday and the Mahoning Valley Scrappers fared pretty well taking two of three from the Jamestown Jammers.  Monday night, the Scrappers got to play host to the Auburn Doubledays.  In front of 5,099 fans, the Scrappers couldn’t generate any offense and couldn’t get an out in a seven run second inning in losing 12-0.

For the Scrappers starting pitcher, Casey Gaynor, what started as a promising night unexpectedly turned into a very early exit.  Gaynor struck out the side in the first inning and had the large Eastwood Field crowd cheering.  The second inning was a nightmare for Gaynor as he surrendered a 2-RBI double to Jack Murphy.  After a bases-loaded walk forced in another run, DH Carlos Perez took a Gaynor offering out of the park for a grand slam and a 7-0 Doubledays lead.

JD Goryl relieved Gaynor to start the third and struggled with his control.  Auburn tacked on three more runs in the next two innings, two of them on a throw Goryl couldn’t handle covering first base.

Meanwhile…  Doubledays starter Sam Strickland (pictured) cruised along, going six strong innings and yielding only four hits.  Strickland was replaced by Zach Outman who allowed three Scrappers to reach base in the same inning for the first time in the seventh inning.  Outman pitched out of trouble leaving the bases loaded and freezing Scrappers CF Kevin Rucker with a nasty curveball.

On a bright note for Mahoning Valley, LF Chase Burnette had a pair of hits. Burnette seemed unphased by the home-opening loss and knows that it is one game.  “We have to respond better to avoid big innings like the one they had on us tonight and have to be more responsive moving forward.”

Scrappers Manager Travis Fryman knows that these first few games are a feeling out process and that his team will be ready to play tomorrow.  “It’s early in the season and we are not real concerned about this loss.  If we were twenty-five games in there would be some concern.”

Fryman added that many of the new Scrappers will spend the Summer learning how to hit with a wooden bat.  “There will be a period of time, maybe all Summer, for some of these guys to learn how to hit with a wooden bat.”

A quality Summer baseball camp is being offered to the public for kids ages 6-13 at Eastwood Field.  The instructional camp will take place Wednesday, July 14 through Friday, July 16 and packages can be purchased in different increments.

The camp will feature superior instruction from YSU’s Head Coach, Rich Pasquale. Pasquale and two of his assistants, Craig Antush and Tom Lipari, will conduct several drills to enhance accuracy in development.

• Camp Option One: 9 a.m. – noon.  Fielding, throwing, base running, and hitting.  Cost $125 and videotaping to take place on Wednesday and Friday for hitting.
• Camp Option Two: 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m.  Pitching only.  Videotaping will take place on Wednesday and Friday and the cost for pitching camp is $50.
• Camp Option Three: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (all day)  Players to receive instruction in both hitting and pitching.  Cost is $150 and videotaping will take place during both the hitting and pitching sections.  Players choosing the third option are to bring a lunch.

Registration fot the camp starts Wednesday at 8:15 a.m. at Eastwood Field’s offices.  The camp is not a YSU or Mahoning Valley Scrappers promotion, but the attendees will be treated to the best of both worlds with supreme facilities and top of the line instruction.

The camp is limited to the first 75 players and will take place rain or shine.  Campers are encouraged to mark any equipment that they bring and may bring and use baseball shoes.

For more information, call the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at 330-505-000 or Craig Antush at 330-539-4577.

I have been at this blogging stuff for almost a year and I have tried to get credentialed to as many things as possible.  I have had moderate success, but the rejection I have received is for what I think are the wrong reasons.  Most of the time when I am denied a credential to a concert or major sporting event, I am handed the line that the performing party will only credential major traditional media such as television or newspapers.  I understand that advertising is a reason why those outlets receive preferential treatment and I respect both the local newspaper and the local television stations.

My first break for a credential came with the now defunct Mahoning Valley Thunder arena football team.  I called and asked, explained that I get some hits and outlined what I could do to help promote their product.  The powers that be issued the credential and I was extensive in my coverage of a team that would pack it in at the end of the year.  When I look at my hits and where they are coming from today, people are still looking at player profile pieces I did on Quorey Payne, Larry Harrison, Blake Powers, and Tom Zetts.  I took about 95% of my own pictures, made sure to have a player profile up every week, did game previews and summaries, and received the respect of the people who took a chance on me.

My next big break was the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.  The Scrappers are the short-season Single-A affiliate for the Cleveland Indians with Travis Fryman as their manager.  I embraced the Scrappers project much the same way I did the Thunder.  Profiles, pictures, game summaries, and extensive coverage.  Overall, I feel the Scrappers also liked the efforts I put forth to cover their team. 

I consider Youngstown State to be a sports school.  With a national reputation as the school where Jim Tressel came from, I was so honored to gain access to YSU sporting events.  I am currently covering football, but mens and womens basketball are right around the corner and I will be as extensive as I ever have.  This was the biggest credential I have received to date and it really keeps me busy.  I know players see their profiles because I receive favorable feedback from them.  YSU has “traditional media” covering their games and I am thrilled that I am rubbing elbows with the best in the area.

The most recent credential came from the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL.  Same deal as above in the sense that I am trying to cover this team to the best of my ability.  It is harder to take pictures at these games because of the glass, but I am doing my best to give the readers a good shot.  This season is young but I feel comfortable with the coaches, players, and front office people who have extended the olive branch to the blogger.

Toward the end of the 2009 baseball season, I decided to take a chance and call the Pirates and Indians to maybe get a credential to one game at each place and interview anyone I could.  Both markets refused to give me a credential stating non-traditional media with no affiliation could not be awarded credentials.  I didn’t argue because if it is their policy, then so be it.  The way I see it, baseball attendance in these two markets is not soaring and if they want to roil in disaster, it is obviously less pressure on me to find positive things to write about.  The 4500 people who went to a Pirates home game surely would have spotted me and filed some form of complaint with Bud Selig or Pirate Management.  That nearly empty press box would have needed a good cleaning after I got done with one game and I am well aware that cuts were made and it might be hard to send Ryan Doumit back up there with a broom with his shin hurting so badly.

My latest endeavor of credential seeking failure comes from the land of music.  Concert promoters carry the same belief as MLB, an unlikely Rock & Jock connection.  They too feel that traditional media is worthy of a credential.  Mind you, a credential at a concert means you have permission to take pictures for the first three songs, there are no interviews or backstage access.  To be denied the privelage to snap a few photos was upsetting.  Traditional media was allowed to do so.  This is brilliant for many reasons. 

Firstly,  I have no beefs with the local newspaper, I think they do tremendous work and the promotional articles are on time and to the point, they work.  However, when a guy in New York is looking for a review on Styx, Daughtry, or Kelly Clarkson (all denials for me ), I don’t think he is going to hop in the Jeep and drive to Youngstown to read the local newspaper for a review.  If these people were on the fence about buying a ticket, they would probably Google a specific band and maybe use a keyword of “review”.  I know that is the route I would take.  They find a website that reviewed the concert, they read the review, they are impressed that Styx played “I Am The Walrus” as their third song and want to hear it, so they buy tickets.

Will there be newspapers in 15 years?  No one can answer that.  I read mine every day and will continue to subscribe.  But is there anyone with a brain cell who doesn’t think that websites are turning into mainstream media?  There is an unlimited audience, it doesn’t cost a penny to visit most sites, and the coverage is adequate.  Writers like Jay Marriotti have blasted the internet contributions in the past, probably because they feel threatened.  Yeah, kudos to those who went to school for four years and got a journalism degree, they have my respect and write some intriguing pieces.  Should they be allowed to have websites?  Do they have programming certification and/or even know what a widget is? 

I will continue to seek media credentials for any event I feel will generate this site more hits.  I will also be as diligent and prompt as I can be to ensure exposure of a positive nature to the group or organization who issued a credential to me.  Thanks to those who have said yes! 

To those who will only cater to traditional media:  Welcome to the future where typewriter ink rolls are going through the roof and black and white film is getting harder to come by.