Posts Tagged ‘Mahoning Valley Scrappers’

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers had a perfect homestand adding four wins to their season total.  The Scrappers again defeated Auburn on Monday night, 4-1.  Preston Guilmet had yet another good start for Mahoning Valley.  Jason Kipnis, the #2 draft pick of the Cleveland Indians made his professional debut with the Scrappers.

Ryan Schimpf led off the game with a homer to right to put Auburn on top 1-0.  The next twenty-seven outs would yield nothing on the scoreboard for the Doubledays.  Preston Guilmet picked up his third win (3-0) against Auburn this season.  Guido Fonseca pitched two scoreless and Cory Burns pitched the last two to remain perfect in save opportunities this season converting all six of his chances.

Trailing 1-0, the Scrappers did not wait too long to rally as Jason Kipnis, in his first professional at-bat, singled home Jordan Henry.  Henry singled and stole second (photo above, courtesy of Nick Mays) before scoring on Kipnis’ first hit.  Kipnis then scored after he stole second on a Greg Folgia RBI double to put the Scrappers up 2-1.

Kipnis went back to work as he tripled in the third and scored on another Folgia hit to push the lead to 3-1.  Kipnis was pulled after he scored that run.  “It felt good to get into a game and contribute, I like it here, the players are all good people and I really like this coaching staff”, remarked Kipnis after the game.  If Kipnis keeps hitting that way, he may not return with the rest of the team for their next home game in a week.

The Scrappers start a six-game roadtrip in Troy, NY.  Tuesday’s game starts at 7:05 and can be heard on AM 1390 with Marc Means calling the action.

Marty Popham has to be close to leaving Youngstown and his Mahoning Valley Scrappers team for good reasons.  Going into the month of August, Popham is 3-1 with a 2.05 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched.  He has flirted with perfection and leads a pretty solid Scrapper staff loaded with potential.

Popham will be celebrating a birthday, his 22nd, on Tuesday.  The 235-pound rightie took a moment to grant me an interview which proved to me that he can handle success without losing his focus or acting bigger than the team.  He is a classy guy who always has a smile on his face whether he is charting pitches, running, or just talking with the fans.

Paneech:  Talk about the transition you are making from reliever to starter.

Popham:  Well, I had been a starter all throughout my high school and college career.  The first year going into professional baseball as a reliever was just about trying to get my feet wet at the profesional level.  Now I am starting again like I was in college where I had all of that success.

Paneech:  The day after you pitch, how much running do you do?

Popham:  The day after we pitch is usually our long distance day.  The strength and conditioning coach will change it up throughout the week just to keep our bodies guessing as to what type of running we will do.

Paneech:  After you are pulled out of a game, you disappear back to the locker room.  What is the postgame ritual?

Popham:  After the game when I come back to the locker room and I do twenty minutes on the bike, and then I’ll get some ice on my shoulder for about fifteen minutes.  I usually don’t get to watch the rest of the game because I have more work to do in the locker room and keep my body fresh.

Paneech:  Tell me when you realized you were good enough to do this.

Popham:  I guess it would have been when I was in college.  I went to a smaller school [Union] and had a lot of attention on me because I was having a lot of success at that level.  I never really thought about playing professional baseball until they started sending me letters, and after that I just kept working.  I worked my butt off, and it has paid off so far.

Paneech:  Talk about a host family and what it is like living with one.

Popham:  This is my third host family that I have been a part of.  Fortunately for me, I have paired up with some really good people.  My host family here, they are about fifteen minutes away, so we aren’t too close to the field but we are in Youngstown by Youngstown State University.  They treat me really nice.  They’ve got everything that you need, we got a pool and a hot tub, everything possible.  It’s just a blessing to be with such nice host parents.

Paneech:  Is it weird to be interviewed and have people solicit for autographs after games?

Popham:  It’s not weird at all.  I love it.  If I wasn’t being asked for an autograph or an interview, I wouldn’t be doing my job.  I’m here to compete, I’m here to put on a show for people and it’s a good feeling for people to want to know your name and for them to want to talk about you.

Paneech:  How did it feel to be named New York Penn League pitcher of the week?

Popham:  I really didn’t even know until the trainer told me a couple of days after.  It’s a good feeling.  It makes me feel like the work I have put in on the field and the work I have put in off of the field are paying off.  It’s getting me places where I want to go.

Paneech:  Talk about Coach Fryman and the direction he is taking this team.

Popham:  Fryman, he is a great coach, great guy on and off of the field.  He really listens to his players and tries to help everyone out and gives everyone equal opportunity to succeed on the field.  He’s a manager, he’s well respected for paying his dues in the Major Leagues.  He’s one of the better managers I can say I ever had.

One Word Answers

 

Paneech:  Favorite Meal                      Popham:  Breakfast

Paneech:  Favorite Music                    Popham:  Little of everything, Lil’ Wayne

Paneech:  Watching on TV                  Popham:  That 70’s Show

Paneech:  Video Games                      Popham:  Tiger Woods Golf

Paneech:  Favorite Athlete                 Popham:  Josh Beckett

Paneech:  Favorite Vegetable             Popham:  Celery

Paneech:  Closest Friend On Team    Popham:  Don’t have one favorite, like ’em all

Paneech:  Favorite Holiday                Popham:  Christmas

Paneech:  Favorite Area Restaurant    Popham:  BW3

Popham is enjoying his time in Youngstown.  He respects all of his coaches as well as fellow players.  He enjoys digging deep to make himself better and works hard to attain his success.  I look for Popham to rise through the organization, he is really proving himself as a worthy prospect.  The birthday he will celebrate Tuesday will definitely not be his last in a baseball uniform.

 

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers continued to roll on their current homestand as they again outpitched the Batavia Muckdogs.  Clayton Cook was tonight’s Scrapper starter and turned in an impressive performance.  The Scrappers continue to struggle on offense, but remain solid on defense.

The Scrappers scored in the second inning.  Greg Folgia opened the inning with a double and would come around to score on a Casey Frawley RBI single.   Kyle Smith singled home Frawley in the eighth for the other Scrapper run.

Smith (pictured above) has been improving over the past three weeks with the bat and is starting to get comfortable at the plate, “I haven’t really made any changes.  I think it is more about the pitches that I am swinging at.  I’m really focused on swinging at strikes and making sure I get my pitch and not their pitch.”

Manager Travis Fryman feels blessed by the great defense Smith and Kyle Bellows are providing on the left side of the infield, “The left side of our defense has been really, really good this year.  Kyle Smith is a very mature and composed leader on the field at shortstop and Kyle Bellows is a converted shortstop and is learning third base and showing great potential over there at third.”

Clayton Cook looked good despite Fryman saying he didn’t have his best stuff.  Cook pitched six scoreless innings yielding just three hits and a walk.  He also ran his scoreless streak over the Muckdogs to 18 innings this season.  Antwoine Hubbard worked the seventh and eighth and Tyler Sturdevant pitched the ninth earning his second save of the season.

Mahoning Valley wished every day were a Saturday as they ran their 2009 record to 7-1 on that day of the week.  Game three of the four game homestand has Auburn coming to town to face the Scrappers.  First pitch is scheduled for 5:05.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers returned to Niles to open a four-game homestand.  The Scrappers got a great start from Vidal Nuno and held off Batavia to take a 2-1 verdict and remain in first place in the New York Penn League for the 28th day in a row.

Ben Carlson (pictured) hit a bomb over everything and into the right field parking lot to give the Scrappers a 1-0 lead.  Jason Smit then walked and stole second.  Smit scored the Scrappers second run when Jordan Henry hit into an apparent double play, but, Batavia shortstop Ryan Jackson floated his throw over the head of the first baseman allowing Smit to score from second.

Cory Burns had a shaky ninth giving up a run on a bases loaded double play.  Burns was able to escape without further harm to preserve the victory for Nuno and garner a save.

“We weren’t expecting to get that many inning out of him [Nuno] tonight.  We put him in the rotation, he has a spot there now.  We have to work on building his pitch count”, said Scrappers Manager Travis Fryman.

Ben Carlson talked about his long home run after the game, “I had two strikes on me and was actually looking to go the other way.  He [Batavia starter Chris Corrogan] came inside for the first time all night and I just kind of reacted and hit it good enough to go out.”

The Scrappers continue the weekend homestand tonight at Eastwood Field.

Smit-O-Meter:  1-2, BB, SB (7), R, Currently Batting .286

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers improved to 2-1 on their current road venture with a 2-0 victory over the Auburn Doubledays.  The Scrappers upped their 2009 record against the Doubledays to 4-0. 

The pitching on the road trip has been outstanding to this point.  Preston Guilmet went six strong innings and recorded five strikeouts while allowing just four Doubleday hits.  Guido Fonseca, Nick Kirk, and Tyler Sturdevant worked an inning each.  Sturdevant struck out the side in the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.

The Scrappers posted both of their runs in the second inning.  Ben Carlson (pictured) singled to left and scored on Jason Smit’s 2-run homer to left.

The Scrappers wrap up the series and the road trip tonight at 7:05 and can be heard on AM-1390 with Marc Means calling the game.  The Scrappers return home to open a four-game homestand against Batavia and Auburn starting with Fireworks Friday.

Smit-O-Meter:  1-4, HR (1), 2 RBI (22), Currently Hitting .284

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers returned home from a five game road trip to post a 4-0 victory over the Williamsport Crosscutters.  The first game of the short two-game homestand against Williamsport was highlighted by the great pitching of Scrapper starter Marty Popham.

Popham pitched five solid innings, racking up nine strikeouts and yielding only three hits, to lead the great pitching performance displayed at Eastwood Field.

The Scrappers got on the board in the third inning on an RBI-single from Kyle Smith and an RBI-double from Jason Smit for a 2-0 Scrappers lead. 

In the fifth inning, Chun Chen led off the inning with a double and would score on a Kyle Bellows RBI-double.  Ben Carlson’s single plated Bellows to close the scoring with the Scrappers in command 4-0.

Austin Adams and Cory Burns pitched the final four innings to preserve the shutout for Popham’s third victory of the 2009 season.    The Scrapper trio of pitchers ended the game with 13 strikeouts.

I have a nice profile piece on Scrapper starter Marty Popham to post, but I have to get a good picture of him to go with the piece.  That article will be up real soon.

Smit-O-Meter:  1-4, Double (7), RBI (18), Currently hitting .273 

There was no shortage of power, walks, errors, or hits.  The fireworks were supposed to start after the game, but there were plenty of explosions before the game ended.  The Mahoning Valley Scrappers and Oneonta Tigers played a long contest which started fifteen minutes late due to rain.  In the end, the Scrappers came away with a 10-8 victory.

Tigers starting pitcher Jeff Gerbe only lasted two-thirds of an inning as the Scrappers loaded the bases on a walk and two hit batters.  A Kyle Bellows groundout to short drove home Jordan Henry.  A Greg Folgia groundout plated Kyle Smith.  Ben Carlson then drilled one toward the pitcher that deflected into left field driving in Bellows and giving the Scrappers the early 3-0 lead.

Oneonta scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game at 3 apiece.  In the bottom of the fifth,  Juan Aponte homered to reclaim the Scrapper lead at 4-3.  Henry later singled, stole second, and scored on a Smith double pushing the lead to 5-3 in favor of Mahoning Valley.  Bellows then homered to left to push the lead to 7-3.  Rafael Vera got in on the action and drove home Folgia making it 8-3.

The Tigers tacked on a couple of runs in the sixth cutting the Scrapper lead to 8-5.  Guido Fonseca came in to pitch with the bases loaded with just one out and got out of trouble with an inning-ending double play minimizing the Tigers potential threat.

Oneonta clawed back into the game tying the score at 8 runs each on a two-run double from John Murrian.

The Scrappers took a 9-8 lead in the bottom of the eighth when Henry scored again on an error from the Tigers shortstop, Jim Gulliver.  Jason Smit stole second and scored on another Gulliver error to close the scoring at 10-8.

Bellows spoke about the Scrappers being a team that got two home runs in the game, but only have eight for the entire season.  ” It’s great to hit home runs, but we’re pretty much a small ball team.  It just feels good to win.”

Travis Fryman was mostly pleased with his team.  “We need to continue working on consistency.  It was nice to put the losing streak behind us against a hot team.  Oneonta and Staten Island are probably the two hottest teams in the league, so it felt good to get the win tonight.  I like winning the first game of the series.”

Smit-O-Meter:  0-4, Run Scored, SB (5), HBP, Currently Hitting .299

Travis Fryman was fun to watch as a Detroit Tiger and a Cleveland Indian.  The Travis Fryman coaching the Mahoning Valley Scrappers is patient, clever, and a great motivator.  Having followed the Scrappers very closely this season, I can really respect the job that Fryman does.  Fryman took a few minutes from his hectic schedule to talk about anything and everything with me.

The name Squeaky Parker triggered a smile from Fryman’s face.  Parker was someone who helped Fryman’s development as a hitter.  “When I first signed, I struggled with the bat.  Squeaky Parker told me he would work with me by throwing me batting practice all Winter.  In return he wanted a new car when I signed my first big contract”, chuckled Fryman.  The Parker promise lasted for three years.  Parker would throw pitches to Fryman all Winter for three seasons to make him a better hitter.  The catch was that the type of car he would ask for when Fryman got that first big contract was upgraded and a little more luxurious each year.  When Fryman finally got that big contract, he delivered on his end of the deal and parked the new vehicle in Parker’s garage as a Christmas present.  That story told me some stuff about Fryman that I suspected but wasn’t sure about.  He is as honest and loyal as they come.  Without hesitation, here is my interview with Travis Fryman.

Paneech:  Tell me about a day in the life of Travis Fryman.

Fryman:  Well, when we are on a homestand, there is a pretty hectic and normal pattern to my day.  I usually get up at about nine and have my morning coffee on the deck.  I then start to play around with the starting lineups for that night’s game.  I make a couple of different starting lineups because sometimes the pitching gets switched up, so I want to be ready.  I spend time with my wife and kids.  We usually go to eat a good lunch and share some valuable family time at around noon.  I usually get here to the ballpark at around 1:30 or 2:00 and start working on other things.  We stretch and take batting practice, then we have a little downtime before the game.  At 7:00 we hit the field to play the game.  After the game is over, I talk to you, and then I can head home.

Paneech:  I know your three sons are in attendance showing the importance of family to you.  How important is it that you coach a short-season team compared to going for eight straight months?

Fryman:  Very important.  I feel baseball has given me plenty and I want to give some back.  We live in a house for the Summer not far from here and there is a good balance between the important time I spend with my family and the amount of time required to coach here.  The shorter season has enough flexibility to allow me more quality time with my family.

Paneech:  Who can we expect to see in an Indians uniform out of this year’s Scrapper team?

Fryman:  Well, I think if all of them didn’t have a shot, they wouldn’t be here.  I see good in all of these guys.  There is such a big learning curve in such a short period of time.  Jordan Henry is probably the best baserunner I have ever coached here, he also hits good deeper into a count. 

Paneech:  Is winning more important than individual statistics at this level?

Fryman:  Actually, player development is the most important thing at this level.  Winning games is always a good thing, but our job is to make these guys better players so that the Indians can win games, which is more important than us winning games here.  Individual statistics don’t always tell the story on how a player is doing.  To me, the development is the most important thing at this level.

Paneech:  I have learned by watching you that you don’t expect these guys to do everything right.  Where is the line between “He is still learning”, and “He should make that play”?

Fryman:  Again, they are learning things every day.  If a player makes the same mistakes over and over and over again, then it is our job as a coaching staff to work with that player to correct the problem.  Understanding that this is A-level baseball helps me get through mistakes a little easier.  Expectations at this level are not what they would be at higher levels because development is the key.

Paneech:  Tell me your thoughts on steroids in baseball and whether or not they exist at this level.

Fryman:  The steroid issues that Major League Baseball are dealing with are being monitored better than they were.  There was a year when Cal Ripken [Jr.] and I were the only two shortstops to hit 20 HR and have 90+ RBI.  Ten years later you see the numbers for shortstops and everyone is hitting at least that many home runs and you start to realize that there is a problem.  I don’t think there are problems at this level.  There are a bunch of safeguards in place to make sure that it doesn’t happen and I feel that baseball is doing better with the problem.

Paneech:  Did getting traded from Detroit to Arizona in 1997 come as a shock?

Fryman:  Yes it did.  I was told by Detroit that I would be offered something to stay but it never materialized.  They [Detroit] brought in Cecil Fielder as a high-dollar free agent and didn’t want to have to pay too many guys large amounts of money.  I got a call out of the blue that said I was traded to Arizona, and then I got another call two weeks later out of the blue that said I was traded to Cleveland.

One Word Answers

Favorite Meal Of The Day:  Lunch

Favorite Music:  Country

Favorite Area Restaurant:  Yoder’s Amish Restaurant

Player You Got To Be Close With:  Paul Shuey

What Do You Watch On TV:  Fox News

Who Was Your Favorite Player Growing Up:  Dave Concepcion

I Love What I’m Doing -or- I Need To Move Up:  I Love What I’m Doing

Do You Play Video Games?  No

In conclusion, Travis Fryman has his life prioritized the way he wants it.  He is giving back to the game of baseball and able to spend quality time with his family.  The players know when it is time to work, and when it is OK to kick back and have a laugh.  He takes his position as a developmental league manager to heart and wishes nothing but the best for every player he has.

Fryman is a class act and the Mahoning Valley is lucky to have him here.  I hope he stays for many years because his mission is so well-spelled out.  He is a refreshing alternative to the arrogant athletes on display in so many sports.  He stays grounded and will make these guys better players, but more importantly, better people.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are happy to see Staten Island go home, especially Yankee prospect Neil Medchill.  Medchill homered for the third consecutive game helping the Yankees complete a three-game sweep of the Scrappers.

Medchill put Staten Island on the scoreboard in the second inning with a two-run bomb to deep right field.  “I thought he [Clayton Cook] was going to throw a change-up, he ended up coming with a fastball inside and I just reacted to it”, said Medchill after the game. 

The Scrappers got it going in the third as Jordan Henry and Kyle Smith singled to start the inning.  Henry scored on a Jason Smit sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 2-1.  A Ben Carlson single scored Smith to tie the game.   Chun Chen scored on a Kyle Bellows fielders choice coupled with a throwing error to give the Scrappers  a 3-2 lead. 

The Scrappers added a run in the fourth as Tim Palincsar doubled and later scored on a Kyle Smith double-play groundout to up the Mahoning Valley lead to 4-2.

In the sixth, Scrapper-killer Medchill doubled and scored as SS Kyle Smith mishandled a throw that would have ended the inning.

With the score at 4-4, Staten Island struck in the top of the eighth when Luke Merton delivered with an RBI single to give the Yankees the lead for good at 5-4.

“It’s frustrating getting beat by a team’s seven, eight, and nine hitters, and they have been coming through the whole series.  It [this series] gave me a feel for where we are at as a club”, remarked Scrappers Manager Travis Fryman after the game.

 

Smit-O-Meter:  1-4, 3B (4), RBI (14),   Currently batting: .311

The Batavia Muckdogs got the best of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers Saturday night in Batavia, winning the game 5-4.  As a result of the loss, the Scrappers five game winning streak comes to an end.  Batavia pushed all five of their runs across the plate in the bottom of the third and held on for the victory.

The Scrappers got on the board first in the top of the third inning on a Jordan Henry RBI single to make it 1-0.  Brett Brach, the Mahoning Valley starter,  then had a nightmare of an inning in the bottom of the third as the Muckdogs offense exploded for five runs.  The five runs given up by the Scrappers were the most scored in an inning this season against them.

The Scrappers tried to fight back, scoring two runs in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Jason Smit and a throwing error to cut the lead to 5-3 in favor of Batavia.  Smit added an RBI double in the seventh, his third hit of the game, driving home another Scrapper run and slicing the lead to 5-4.  Unfortunately, Mahoning Valley could not tie the game in their final two at-bats, and ultimately came out with a loss.

The Scrappers wrap up the short road trip with a 5:05 game in Batavia before returning home to the friendly confines of Eastwood Field.

Smit-O-Meter:  3-5, 2 RBI, currently batting .333