Posts Tagged ‘Mahoning Valley Scrappers’

The Dominican Republic has been a longtime hotbed for Major League Baseball talent. The Cleveland Indians are aware of the trend and their short-season affiliate, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers currently have eight players on their roster who call the Dominican Republic home.  One of these young men, Charlie Valerio, is really enjoying the chance and getting by just fine with everything, except, well, interviews.

While trying to interview Valerio, we came across that frequently crossed path of language difficulty.  Hunter Jones did his best to serve as interpreter (below) and I thought the interview went well, all things considered.  The ending impression you should take away about Valerio is that he is a very happy-go-lucky and free-spirited person who wants to get better and is willing to work hard to get there.

Paneech:  Which Dominican players do you admire that are currently playing in the majors?

Valerio: Carlos Santana.  I like the way he plays the game when he is hitting and catching.  He is very aggressive and I like the way he plays the game.  I think that Manny Ramirez was the best hitter to come from the Dominican Republic.

Paneech:  You have many choices of places to eat here.  What is your favorite place and do you have those choices in the Dominican Republic?

Valerio:  No, there are no restaurants there, I ate a lot of my mother’s home-cooked meals.  She made a lot of good dishes with rice, chicken, and beans.  I like Chipotle and have eaten there a couple of times.  I get the bowl with the chicken, rice, guacamole, cheese, and beans.

Paneech:  Are the fields you played on at home as nice as this field?

Valerio:  It is really the same, the field is nice, the big difference is that we didn’t have all the seating and bleachers that we have here.

Paneech:  You are married.  How difficult is it for you to be married and away from your wife?

Valerio:  It is very difficult.  I have a daughter too that I love with all of my heart.  I try to communicate with them every day.  I miss them both all of the time, she will be coming here in a month.

Paneech:  How far can you see yourself going with this whole baseball life?

Valerio:  I am working very hard to play in the Major Leagues someday.  I am enjoying the fans and I sign autographs all of the time.  I am getting used to these new people I am meeting on this team.  I am friends with people now like Hunter [Jones].

Paneech:   When the game is over at night, what do you like to go home and do?

Valerio:  I don’t play video games (laughs).  I watch Sportscenter every night.  I will also text and talk with my wife and talk with my mother.

Paneech:  What do you like to drink?

Valerio:  I like Red Gatorade!

Paneech:  What could you hope for for yourself and your new teammates this season?

Valerio:  I would be happy if my friends make it.  When my teammates are having a bad day, it hurts my heart.  Even if I have three hits, it hurts me if one of them have a bad day and do not get a hit.  We all want to do well and want to win, but most of us want each other to do well too.

Paneech:  Which current Scrapper that you did not know have you gotten close with?

Valerio:  Hunter Jones has become a good friend.  I have gotten closer with him faster than all of the American players.  All of the Spanish-speaking players sort of hang together because we can communicate better.  It isn’t because we don’t get along, but we are kind of grouping to understand each other, where maybe we can’t always understand a player who does not speak the same language.

Paneech:  Talk about your coaches.

Valerio:  Coach Ted Kubiak is very good, a good manager.  Coach Mansolino is a very good hitting coach and I am enjoying working with them.  Coach Hibbard is a joker, very funny man,  and keeps things fun when we need that sometimes.

Valerio says the speed of the game is much faster here, but he is doing all he can to adapt.  He is always smiling, win or lose, but more when the Scrappers are winning.  The free agent signed in 2011 and is really enjoying the experience of a new culture, a big opportunity to fulfill his childhood dreams, and a lifestyle he had never known.  It is hard not to root for Charlie Valerio.

The early-season position scramble was in full-effect Friday night at Eastwood Field.  Manager Ted Kubiak shuffled a few of his young Mahoning Valley Scrappers around to see if he could get a spark out of some guys from new angles.  Following a rain delay that lasted a little more than an hour, the Scrappers found a way to get it done and won, 3-2.

One of the experiments involved Joey Wendle (above).  Wendle saw action at third base for the first time as a Scrapper rather than the view he is used to from second.  Wendle had a productive night with the bat (3-4) and made all of the routine plays.  Experiment one clicked.

The Spikes picked up a run in each, the third and fourth innings.  The run in the third was scored by Chris Diaz on a groundout.  The fourth inning run was pretty much all Yhonathan Barrios.  The State College 3B singled and stole second.  He then advanced to third on a fly out and would eventually score on a Jared Lakind groundout.

Experiment number two was to get as many catchers on the field as possible.  Three of the four Scrappers catchers started.  Charlie Valerio started the game behind the plate.  Last nights hitting star, Jeremy Lucas, coming off of a 4-4 performance, got the start at DH.  Mitch Nilsson, the Aussie prospect, took a stab at first base.  The three catchers combined to go 0-8 at the plate.  Experiment two may need rethought.

Scrappers starter Jake Cisco went 6-1/3 innings.  He threw 76 pitches (50 strikes) and gave up two earned runs.  Cisco walked one and struck out three Spikes batters.  Jacob Lee was summoned from the bullpen to relieve Cisco.

The Scrapper bats came to life in the bottom of the seventh.  Wendle nabbed his third single in as many at bats.  Hunter Jones followed with a double that drove home a hustling Wendle to make it 2-1.  Aaron Siliga (above) followed that with a single that pushed Jones across to tie the game.

Tyler Naquin started the eighth with a way to get on as he hustled up the line and the first basemen dropped the throw.  Naquin ended up on second base.  Lucas then executed a nice bunt to move Naquin over to third.  Valerio then hit a sac fly deep enough to plate the speedy top draft pick, Naquin, from third to vault the Scrappers into a 3-2 lead.

Lee picked up the win for the Scrappers throwing 2-2/3 scoreless innings.

When you think of the word consistency, you visualize steady progress at regular intervals.  The hand that Manager Ted Kubiak has been dealt this year needs to develop more consistency with the bat, the gloves, and the mound.  Thursday, Mahoning Valley took a big step in the right direction and posted a 7-6 win after blowing an early four-run lead over the State College Spikes.

“I was thinking about that earlier”, stated Kubiak after the game.  “The whole game is consistency and despite the fact that we had a bad inning, we were able to overcome a deficit and pull out a nice win tonight.  But you are correct about consistency and in order for us to develop that, we have to keep having good pregame workouts.”

Mahoning Valley scored a run in the first inning to nab the early 1-0 lead.  Jairo Kelly started the frame with a single. Charlie Valerio then laced a double to the left-center gab allowing Kelly to show off the wheels and score from first base.

In the second inning, Kelly struck again when he connected for his first home run.  The bomb was of the three run variety and gave the Scrappers a nice 4-0 cushion.  Aaron Siliga and Jeremy Lucas were on base when Kelly hit the homer.

Consistency then made another disruptive appearance at Eastwood Field.  Staked to a 4-0 lead, the Scrappers gave it all back in the top of the third.  State College was able to tie the game on a passed ball and RBI hits from DJ Crumlich, Chris Diaz, and Ryan Hornbuck.

Scrappers starter, Geoff Davenport, pitched five complete innings and did not factor into the decision.  Davenport gave up four runs, all earned, on seven hits, while striking out three and walking one.  Michael Peoples took over for the Scrappers to start the sixth.

The Spikes took the lead in the sixth when Peoples walked Walter Gourley with one out. Gourley advanced to second when Peoples made an errant throw to first on a pickoff attempt.  David Valesente then singled to drive home Gourley with the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the eighth, back-to-back bloop singles by Joe Sever and Siliga put runners on first and third.  Lucas collected his fourth hit and second RBI with a liner over the shortstop to plate Sever with the game-tying run.  Joey Wendle then pinch hit and drove in his housemate, Siliga, with a deep sac fly to make it a 6-5 Scrappers lead.

Lucas had his best night as a pro, going 4-4 with two RBI.  Valerio and Kelly also had three hits each to lead the Scrapper highest hit total of 2012 with 13.

“We have been struggling with the bats”, said Lucas, who competes with three other catchers for playing time.

“I like that we are carrying so many [catchers], it makes it more competitive and forces me to work harder to get better.”

Enosil Tejeda came in and worked two scoreless innings for the Scrappers and earned the win in relief.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are having a problem that hitting coach Tony Mansolino informally addressed during a between innings chat with me in the home dugout.

“We need to start hitting”, said Mansolino.

Two-and-a-half hours later, and two hits later, the Scrappers assistant coach had a validated concern, the Scrappers are simply not hitting.

In the second inning, Williamsport took a 1-0 lead.  Larry Greene singled up the middle and advanced to third base on a force at first.  Greene would later cross the plate when Mitch Walding also singled to center.

Mahoning Valley tied the game in their half of the second.  Joseph Wendle walked with one out and advanced to third on a Hunter Jones single.  Crosscutters starter Delvin Perez balked allowing Wendle a jog home.

Crosscutters Manager Andy Tracy was ejected in the middle of the second inning.  Tracy argued that his player got back to third before the Scrappers Joe Sever caught a line drive and dove to the third base bag.  The umpire made the out call for the inning ending double play and Tracy hit the field running.  A few minutes later, to the pleasure of the Eastwood Field crowd, Tracy walked toward the showers.

Scrapper starter Robbie Aviles did well to get himself out of a couple of jams and left the game after throwing five complete innings.  Aviles threw 57 pitches (30 strikes), gave up one earned run on five hits, walked one and did not record a strikeout.

Williamsport greeted new Scrapper hurler, Josh Martin with quick problems.  Christopher Serritella, the first Crosscutter batter of the inning, hit a home run to right  to give his team a lead of 2-1.  Martin recovered well and struck out the last six batters he faced  to keep Williamsport within reach.

Through eight innings, the Scrappers were held to just two hits.  Williamsport was doing a good job mixing locations and speeds to Scrapper hitters.  The results were a lot of fly outs and routine groundouts.

Nicholas Hanson earned the win for Williamsport.  Zach Cooper pitched the ninth to earn the save.

 

Ted Kubiak had been promising for a week or so that his team was capable of scoring runs.  Tuesday night, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers delivered on Kubiak’s statement and posted a big number in a 6-2 win over the Williamsport Crosscutters.

Williamsport scored the first run of the game.  Speedy Diego Gonzalez reached first on a bunt single.  Gonzalez then stole second and went to third on a throwing error.  He then scored when the next batter, Chace Numata, hit a ball that second baseman Robel Garcia could not field cleanly.

The Scrappers answered in the bottom of the first.  Jairo Kelly singled up the middle and moved to second base on a Tyler Naquin single.  Kelly was caught stealing third which proved costly as the next batter, Juan Romero, hit his league-leading fourth home run of the season (below) to stake Mahoning Valley to a 2-1 lead.

The Scrappers tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the second.  Erik Gonzalez started the frame with a walk and stole second.  Evan Frazer and Garcia also walked to load the bases off of Crosscutter starter Jonathan Musser.  With one out, Naquin walked forcing in a run.  Charlie Valerio greeted new Williamsport pitcher, Luis Gonzalez with a two-run single increasing the lead to 5-1.

“I am really impressed with this bunch”, boasted Kubiak.  “They bring a lot of energy and attitude and our pregame workouts have gone really well.”

The Scrappers added a run in the bottom of the fourth to make it a commanding 6-1 lead.  Naquin recorded his third hit of the night, an RBI-double, that plated Garcia and seemingly put the Scrappers in the drivers seat in this one.

Ryan Merritt (above) pitched five complete innings for the Scrappers in picking up the win.  Merritt scattered six hits and gave up an earned run while striking out three Crosscutters and walking one.  The outing started shaky, but Merritt really dialed in after the rough first inning to keep Williamsport at bay.

“I am impressed with him [Merritt]”, said Kubiak.  “It seems that the longer the game goes, the better he gets.  He has good control, but we have to address this slow start thing, maybe we can get him to throw longer before the game starts to some fake batters.”

Jacob Lee ,Rafael Homblert, and Robert Wagner closed out the game yielding just one unearned run in the four innings combined.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers have been struggling for offense through the first week of the 2012 season.  Monday night, the Scrappers managed to score a couple of runs, but Williamsport scored a third to win the game 3-2.

“We just are not scoring runs”, said Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak.  “After losing the three on the road, I was very pleased from a developmental standpoint of the day workout we had here today.  These kids are all very upbeat and were in good spirits today, we just did not get the win tonight.”

In the bottom of the third inning, the Scrappers scored the first run of the game when Jairo Kelly found his way on base and trotted home on a Charlie Valerio single.

The Scrappers would double their lead in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 2-0 lead.  Aaron Siliga crossed the plate with the run.  Siliga reached base on a double and later scored when Williamsport SS Roman Quinn could not handle a hard hit ball by the Scrappers Erik Gonzalez.  Although Quinn was given an error, Gonzalez was still credited with an RBI because Siliga broke on contact for home.

Luis DeJesus was cruising right along with a no-hitter into the fifth inning when Crosscutter right fielder Mitch Pointer made it a 2-1 game with one swing of the bat.  Pointer hit a DeJesus offering into the right field Scrappers bullpen.  Michael Peoples pitched the ninth for the Scrappers.

DeJesus pitched six full innings for the Scrappers, yielding just three hits, and striking out eight while walking none.

“He [DeJesus] is a hard worker”, said Scrappers pitching coach Greg Hibbard. “He is doing a good job of throwing his fastball on both sides of the plate and gets his breaking stuff over.  When he throws strikes and relies on the defense behind him, he will do well.”

“My dad always told me not to get mad or show emotion”, said DeJesus.  “My mentality after the home run was to keep going.  I was still confident and was surprised to learn that I had eight strikeouts tonight.”

The Scrappers could not hold the lead DeJesus managed to garner before exiting.  Larry Green scored on Pointer’s double with one out.  Cody Penny was the Scrapper to relieve DeJesus.  Penny had Green down with an 0-2 count before losing that battle.

The next batter, Mitch Walding singled up the middle to score Pointer and give Williamsport a 3-2 lead.

The Scrappers had a couple of runners on in the bottom of the ninth, but failed to score.

Meeting for the fourth time in as many days, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers and Jamestown Jammers continued a pattern of alternating whose turn it was to win.  On Thursday, Jamestown jumped out to a three run lead and held on to earn a split with the Scrappers, posting a 6-2 win in Niles.

Jamestown scored in the top of the first inning when Anthony Gomez, a pest in the Scrappers sides all night, walked and stole second.  Gomez trotted home with the game’s first run when Viosergy Rosa doubled.

Mahoning Valley tied it up in the bottom half of the first when Jose Ramirez started with a single and stole second.  After advancing to third, Ramirez trotted home on a wild pitch.

Scrappers starting pitcher Ryan Merritt lasted four innings and had a shaky outing.  Merritt gave up nine hits and four earned runs before departing with his team trailing 4-1.  Merritt was relieved by Rafael Homblert.  Cody Penny started the seventh and  Luis Encarnacion finished for the Scrappers (2-2).

Brian Dice homered for the Jammers in the sixth to increase the lead to 5-1.

The Scrappers didn’t fare much better with the bats on “Buck Night”. Ramirez singled to start the game and doubled in the eighth, and Mitchell Nilsson, Juan Romero and Hunter Jones singled for the Scrappers only hits in the game.

Jacob Esch, who relieved Jamestown starter Ryan Newell to start the third, earned the win in relief.  Esch pitched five scoreless innings in picking up the win.

The Scrappers take to the road for a three-game series at State College before returning home Monday for six consecutive home games.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers opened the doors to Eastwood Field Wednesday night.  The fans, all 5,122 of them, were treated to extra innings against the Jamestown Jammers.  The Scrappers pulled out a dramatic 11^th inning 2-1 victory to raise their record to 2-1 on the young season.

The Scrappers loaded the bases with nobody out in the 11th.  Evan Frazar hit into a fielders choice for a force at home.  That brought Juan Romero to the plate, bases jammed, one out.  Romero walked on four pitches to force Joseph Wendle across the plate with the winning rub.

Tyler Naquin, the Cleveland Indians First Round Draft Pick (pictured above), showed why he was taken early a couple of weeks ago with a 3-4 plate performance.  Naquin collected his first professional hit in the first inning, stole second, and doubled in his next at-bat.  Proving he was not a one-dimensional player, the Scrappers young center fielder showed off his arm with a couple of very strong throws to third base after catches.

There are kinks to work out, but this will be a fun team to see.  The Scrappers got on the scoreboard first when Charlie Valerio doubled.  The next batter, Joseph Wendle, singled home Valerio to put the Scrappers ahead, 1-0.

“I have never played in front of this many people before”, said Wendle.  “It is going to be a fun Summer here and I like my host family, so far it has been a great experience.”

Scrappers starter Luis DeJesus had a good outing for Mahoning Valley.  DeJesus threw five scoreless innings, had a pair of strikeouts and yielded a walk in his debut before exiting with a knee problem.  Michael Peoples took over on the mound to start the sixth.

Jamestown rallied in the seventh when Juancito Martinez singled in Jose Behar to tie the game at a run each.

Louis Head came out of the Scrappers bullpen to start the eighth inning of the 1-1 game.   Head threw three scoreless innings in his relief stint, but the Scrappers could not get a run in the bottom of the ninth and play continued into extra innings.

“I thought Head and Peoples gave us tremendous innings out of the bullpen tonight”, said manager Ted Kubiak (above).  “Our guys in the middle made solid plays on hard chances and it was nice to hear these people here cheering for us tonight.”

One of last years returning players, Enosil Tejeda, started the 11^th for the Scrappers and picked up the win.

These two teams meet again on Thursday before the Scrappers get on the bus and head east until Monday.  The first pitch on “Buck Night” is scheduled for 7:05.

 The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are looking for host families for the upcoming 2012 season. Families have the opportunity to host a Scrappers player during the season, receive complementary tickets to each home game, discounts on team merchandise and more.

Scrappers host families share their home with a Scrappers player from June through mid-September.  The schedule of only 38 home games, practice, and other player obligations result in the player spending minimal time in the host family home.  Families wishing to be considered for the host family program are required to fill out a questionnaire.

If you would like more information about becoming a host family, are interested in hosting a Scrappers player for this season, or would like a copy of the host family questionnaire, please contact Tim Pozsgai with the Scrappers at (330) 505-0000 or email at tpozsgai@mvscrappers.com.

How many people can see they had Jason Kipnis, CC Sabathia, or Victor Martinez as a house guest?  You can help the Indians organization and enjoy a Summer at Eastwood Field!

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are proud to announce their most action packed promotional schedule in team history.  Highlighting the 2012 schedule will be seven post-game fireworks shows, five giveaway nights highlighted by a Jason Kipnis bobblehead giveaway on August 18 and celebrity appearances by Days of Our Lives Star “Brady Black” on July 28 and wresting superstars Matt Hardy and Carlito for a post-game wrestling show on July 29. The 2012 New York-Penn League All-Star Game will also be held at Eastwood Field for the first time on August 14.

Every Monday Matters presented by Grace Fellowship Church.  Bring a donation of new books, non-perishable food items, or clothing for a free ticket to the game.

$2 Tuesdays presented by Pepsi, Handel’s Ice Cream and Hershey’s. Fans can enjoy $2 hot dogs, 16 oz. drinks, appetizers and ice cream sandwiches all game long.

Military Wednesdays presented by Carter Lumber.  Show a Military ID at the Scrappers box office for 2 free box seat game tickets.

Thursday Buck Nights presented by PNC Bank.  Fans can enjoy $1 General Admission tickets, hot dogs and 12 oz. drinks throughout the game.

Fridays feature a Post-Game Fireworks Extravaganza presented by 21 WFMJ and WBCB.

Saturdays include the Scrappers Night Live Series, with a live performance or entertainment act each Saturday Night presented by House Medic.

Sundays are Family Fun Days presented by Vlad Pediatrics. Come out and enjoy family friendly entertainment all game long.  Be sure to stick around for post-game kids run the bases after each game.