Eastern League update
Published on September 4, 2007 under Eastern League (EL1) News Release
Sea Dogs and Fisher Cats To Meet In A One-Game Playoff
Following a 142 game regular season schedule the Portland Sea Dogs and New Hampshire Fisher Cats finished in a tie for second place with identical 70-72 records. The two teams will play one more game at Hadlock Field on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. to determine which of these two clubs will qualify for the postseason.
The two teams split their 28 meetings during the regular season, with the Fisher Cats winning six out of the 10 games that were played in Portland. New Hampshire will send RHP Kyle Yates (9-8, 4.33 ERA) to the mound with their playoff hopes on the line, while Portland's starting pitcher will be left-hander Tommy Hottovy, who was 3-10 with a 5.77 ERA this season.
Whichever team is victorious will not have much time to celebrate, as they will open the Northern Division Championship Series less than 24 hours later against the Trenton Thunder at Waterfront Park on Wednesday night. The complete schedule for the Northern Division Championship Series is listed below.
Game One, September 5:
New Hamp./Portland at Trenton, 7:05 p.m.
Game Two, September 6:
New Hamp./Portland at Trenton, 7:05 p.m.
Game Three, September 7:
Trenton at New Hamp./Portland, TBA
Game Four, September 8 (if necessary):
Trenton at New Hamp./Portland, TBA
Game Five, September 9 (if necessary):
New Hamp./Portland at Trenton, 7:05 p.m.
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Southern Division Championship Series Kicks Off Wednesday
Southern Division Championship Schedule
Game One, September 5:
Akron at Erie, 7:05 p.m.
Game Two, September 6:
Akron at Erie, 7:05 p.m.
Game Three, September 7:
Erie at Akron, 7:05 p.m.
Game Four, September 8 (if necessary):
Erie at Akron, 7:05 p.m.
Game Five, September 9 (if necessary):
Akron at Erie, 6:05 p.m.
After finishing just 1.5 games apart in the final Southern Division standings, the Erie SeaWolves and Akron Aeros are set to meet in the best-of-five Southern Division Championship Series starting Wednesday at Jerry Uht Park. The SeaWolves held a slim 15-13 advantage in the 28 games the two teams played during the regular season.
The SeaWolves will be led offensively by first baseman Jeff Larish, who led the league in home runs (28) and RBI (101) and outfielder Clete Thomas, who led the league in runs scored (97) and batted .291 with three homers, 20 runs scored and 15 RBI in 27 games against Akron this year.
The Aeros, who are making their third straight trip to the postseason, will need to get continued outstanding play from E.L. MVP Jordan Brown, who won the league batting crow with a .333 average.
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Akron's Jordan Brown Named MVP and Rookie of the Year
Just one day after being named the Eastern League Rookie of the Year, on Thursday it was announced that Akron's Jordan Brown is the winner of the Eastern League MVP award for the 2007 season. Brown had an outstanding season for the Aeros, posting a league-best .333 batting average while collecting 161 hits, 36 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 85 runs scored and 76 RBI while leading Akron to their third consecutive trip to the playoffs.
Jordan was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 4th round of the 2005 draft after leading the Pac-10 Conference in RBI (80) and batting average .336 (88-for-262) while scoring 62 runs in 60 games during his junior season at the University of Arizona.
Erie's Jeff Larish finished as the runner up for both awards and Altoona's Steven Pearce was third in the voting for each award.
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Erie's Matt Walbeck Named Manager of the Year
On Saturday it was announced that Erie SeaWolves skipper Matt Walbeck has been named the Eastern League Manager of the Year. Walbeck led the SeaWovles to a first place finish in the Southern Division standings with a record of 81-59. It is the first time the SeaWovles have finished in first place in the division since the 2001 season and it is their first trip to the postseason since 2004.
Matt, who played parts of 11 seasons in the Major Leagues, began his managerial career in 2004 with the West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League and in three seasons with the Whitecaps and twice won the Midwest League Championship (2004 & 2006) while compiling a record of 231-185 (.555 winning percentage). Earlier this season on August 17th, he earned his 300th career managerial win and in each of his four seasons as a manager he has led his team to the postseason.
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New Hampshire's Eric Blanton Named Eastern League Sports Turf Manager of the Year
On Friday the Eastern League announced that New Hampshire's Eric Blanton has been named the 2007 Eastern League Sports Turf Manager of the Year. Blanton, who is joined on his staff with the Fisher Cats by Assistant Turf Manager Mike Josselyn, Todd Winton, Glenn Monnelly and Dennis Livoli, has served as the Head Turf Manager at Merchantsauto.com Stadium since the 2005 season.
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Eastern league Team News and Notes
For the week ending 8/30/99
Akron Aeros
2007 E.L. MVP Jordan Brown finished the season hitting .361 with one home run, seven runs scored and four RBI over his final 10 games. In 22 games during the month of August, Brown batted .349 (37-for-106) with 22 runs scored. The Aeros have qualified for the postseason for the third straight season and they have the chance to win the Eastern League Championship for the third time in the past five seasons.
Altoona Curve
The Curve are the only Eastern League franchise to post more than 70 wins in each of the last six seasons. This marks the first season that Altoona has not made the playoffs since their 2002 campaign. RHP Matt Peterson has established a new single-season franchise record and tied for the league lead with 29 saves this season. The previous franchise record of 27 saves was set by Brandon Knight during the 2006 season.
Binghamton Mets
A total of 230,053 fans passed through the turnstiles at NYSEG Stadium this stadium, which ranks as the second highest total in franchise history. The B-Mets played 11 games over the final eight days of the season, going 4-11 during that span. 1B/OF Brett Harper batted .358 (39-for-109) with nine home runs and 29 RBI during the month of August.
Bowie Baysox
E.L. Player of the Week Luis Antonio Jimenez batted .414 with a league-high four home runs and 14 RBI last week and also pitched his first career inning, throwing a perfect ninth inning against the Defenders on Saturday night. The Baysox set new franchise records for runs allowed in a game (21), runs allowed in an inning (15) and largest deficit (20 runs) in a 21-1 loss to Connecticut on Saturday.
Erie SeaWolves
With a 9-4 win against Altoona on Monday the SeaWolves clinched first place in the Southern Division for the first time since the 2001 season. 1B Jeff Larish went 2-for-4 with a grand slam on Monday to finish as the league leader in home runs (28) and RBI (101).
Harrisburg Senators
1B Josh Whitesell was selected as the Senators Most Valuable Player after hitting .284 with 21 homers, 78 runs scored and 74 RBI in 119 games this season. OF Rogearvin Bernadina was placed on the temporary inactive list for the Senators final two games of the season to play for his native Holland team at an Olympic qualifying tournament in Barcelona.
New Britain Rock Cats
OF Garrett Guzman concluded his 2007 season by collecting 10 hits in his last 10 at-bats. The Rock Cats won their last six games of the 2007 season, including a five-game sweep of visiting Portland. SS Trevor Plouffe was selected as the Rock Cats 2007 Player of the Year and C Kyle Geiger was awarded the 10th Player Award, as voted by the fans. The Rock Cats broke three franchise attendance marks in 2007: total home attendance (341,816), average per game attendance (5,341) and total sellouts (22).
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
OF Ryan Patterson homered in three of the last four games of the season for the Fisher Cats to finish the season with 18 home runs. Patterson is one of four Fisher Cats playing in the Arizona Fall League. LHP David Purcey, LHP Ricky Romero and SS Sergio Santos are also expected to participate.
Connecticut Defenders
In the top of the fifth inning of a 21-1 victory at Bowie on Saturday night, the Defenders batted around twice and scored 15 runs on six walks and nine hits. Three Defenders pitchers, RHP Nick Pereira, LHP Eugene Espineli and RHP Brooks McNiven, each finished ranked in the top seven in the league in ERA.
Portland Sea Dogs
LHP Jon Lester made a start for the Sea Dogs on Monday tossing six innings and allowing one run on five hits. Lester lowered his career Sea Dogs ERA to 2.57 making him the franchise career ERA leader surpassing the mark of 2.59 set by Marc Valdes. The Sea Dogs established a new franchise record in average attendance for a fifth straight season, drawing 6,521 fans per game. The team also had the third highest total attendance in franchise history (417,326).
Reading Phillies
OF Greg Jacobs tied the Reading Phillies record for doubles in a season with his 39th on Sunday. David Doster also had 39 doubles in 1995. 3B Mike Costanzo's 27 homers this season are the most by a third baseman in R-Phils history. Costanzo hit .364 (39-107) during the month of August with seven home runs and 20 RBI.
Trenton Thunder
The Trenton pitching staff finished the season ranked second in all of Minor League Baseball with a 3.18 ERA. C P.J. Pilittere led all Eastern League catchers this season with a .995 fielding percentage. The Thunder have a record of 21-2 on Saturday this season.
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Transactions
Akron Aeros
Placed C David Wallace on the Temporary Inactive List
Received C Matt McBride from Lake County (A)
Sent OF Nathan Panther to Buffalo (AAA)
Received OF Cirilo Cumberbatch from Lake County (A)
Sent LHP Eric DuBose to GCL Indians (R)
Activated RHP Jake Dittler from the DL
Sent LHP Rich Rundles to Buffalo (AAA)
Altoona Curve
Placed OF Alex Fernandez on the DL
Received OF Brad Corley from Lynchburg (A)
Sent 3B Russ Johnson to Indianapolis (AAA)
Activated INF Brandon Chaves from the DL
Received LHP Kyle Bloom from Lynchburg (A)
Sent RHP Wardell Starling to Lynchburg (A)
Placed INF Brandon Chaves on the DL
Activated C Justin Elliott from the DL
Binghamton Mets
Sent OF Endy Chavez to New York (NL)
Placed LHP Raul Valdes on the DL
Activated RHP Marcelo Perez from the DL
Sent RHP Carlos Muñiz to New Orleans (AAA)
Received RHP Joe Serfass from St. Lucie (A)
Sent RHP Kevin Mulvey to New Orleans (AAA)
Received C Sandy Alomar, Jr. from New York (NL)
Sent RHP Robert Paulk to Kingsport (R)
Received RHP Jeramy Simmons from St. Lucie (A)
Placed INF Wilson Batista on the DL
Activated INF J.E. Cruz from the DL
Bowie Baysox
Sent INF Travis Brown to Norfolk (AAA)
Received RHP Luis Lebron from Delmarva (A)
Erie SeaWolves
Placed LHP Jon Connolly on the Temporary Inactive List
Received RHP Eulogio De La Cruz from Toledo (AAA)
Sent RHP Jeremy Johnson to Toledo (AAA)
Activated LHP Jon Connolly from the Temporary Inactive List
Sent RHP Eulogio De La Cruz to Toledo (AAA)
Sent RHP Eddie Bonine to Toledo (AAA)
Received RHP Jeff Gerbe from West Michigan (A)
Received RHP Fredi Dolsi from Lakeland (A)
Sent INF Mike Hollimon to Toledo (AAA)
Received INF Daniel Worth from Lakeland (A)
Placed 3B Kody Kirkland on the Temporary Inactive List
Activated RHP Matt Rusch from the DL
Harrisburg Senators
Activated OF Tony Blanco from the DL
Placed OF Dee Brown on the DL
Placed OF Roger Bernadina on the Temporary Inactive List
Placed OF Frank Diaz on the DL
Activated OF Dee Brown from the DL
Activated Michael Hinckley from the DL
New Britain Rock Cats
Sent RHP Tim Lahey to Rochester (AAA)
Received RHP Eduardo Morlan from Ft. Myers (A)
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Received INF Raul Barron from Lansing (A)
Received INF Carlo Cota from Dunedin (A)
Received 1B Josh Kreuzer from Dunedin (A)
Placed INF Juan Peralta on the DL
Sent INF Raul Barron to Dunedin (A)
Received RHP Brandon League on a Major League Rehab Assignment
Connecticut Defenders
None
Portland Sea Dogs
Sent LHP Tommy Hottovy to Lancaster (A)
Received INF Tony Granadillo from Lancaster (A)
Activated RHP John Barnes from the DL
Placed OF Cory Keylor on the Temporary Inactive List
Received LHP Tommy Hottovy from Lancaster (A)
Placed RHP Kyle Jackson on the DL
Activated LHP Daniel Haigwood from the DL
Activated OF Cory Keylor from the Temporary Inactive List
Sent OF Cory Keylor to Pawtucket (AAA)
Sent RHP John Barnes to Pawtucket (AAA)
Sent LHP Jon Lester to Boston
Received RHP Blake Maxwell from Pawtucket (AAA)
Reading Phillies
Received RHP Bubba Nelson from Ottawa (AAA)
Received INF Carlos Leon from Ottawa (AAA)
Placed RHP Tim McCalskey on the Temporary Inactive List
Placed RHP Zack Segovia on the DL
Activated RHP Tim McClaskey from the Temporary Inactive List
Trenton Thunder
Placed C P.J. Pilittere on the DL
Activated C Jason Brown from the DL
Sent RHP Scott Patterson to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA)
Received RHP David Robertson from Tampa (A)
Sent C Jason Brown to Tampa (A)
Sent J.T. LaFountain to Tampa (A)
Received INF Marcos Vechionacci from Tampa (A)
Received RHP Eric Wordekemper from Tampa (A)
Eastern League Stories from September 4, 2007
- Sea Dogs top Fisher Cats 7-4 to earn playoff spot - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Sea Dogs Advance to Eastern League Playoffs - Portland Sea Dogs
- Eastern League update - EL1
- Akron Ready To Make A Run At Its Third Championship In Five Years - Akron RubberDucks
- Brown and Reddick Join Sea Dogs - Portland Sea Dogs
- Jimenez Selected As Eastern League Player Of The Week - Chesapeake Baysox
- Luis Munoz Named E.L. Pitcher of the Week - Altoona Curve
- Eastern League Announces Weekly Award Winners - EL1
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