Fireflies Game Notes - May 18 at Rome (Game 42)
May 18, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL) - Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies (15-26) @ Rome Braves (20-21)
RHP Jose Butto (0-4, 4.36) vs. RHP Alan Rangel (2-2, 5.13)
Sat., May 18, 2019 - State Mutual Stadium (Rome, GA) - First Pitch 6:00 p.m. - Game 42
LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App
WATCH: MiLB.TV
LAST TIME OUT: Columbia dropped Friday's series-opener to Rome, 11-3.
ELEVATE TO CELEBRATE: Fireflies catcher Juan Uriarte hit a two-run homer in last night's loss to Rome. It was Uriarte's second home run of the season, and Columbia's third consecutive game with a round-tripper. The three-game home run streak is the longest for the Fireflies in 2019.
BRING IT, BUTTO: The Fireflies will send righty starter Jose Butto to the mound on Saturday. Last time Butto faced Rome, he tied a career-high in strikeouts (8). The Venezuelan native currently holds the second-highest punchout total among Fireflies pitchers, with 35.
NICE TO MEET YOU, TYLOR: Columbia newcomer Tylor Megill has impressed out of the bullpen thus far. Since joining the Fireflies roster on May 13, Megill has tossed two consecutive scoreless outings. The California native has struck out eight opposing batters in four innings of work.
GETTING CRAFTY: Andrew Mitchell may describe himself as a "crafty" lefty, but that's not a knock on his stuff on the mound. The southpaw reliever has tossed seven consecutive scoreless innings in his last four appearances out of the pen. During the streak, Mitchell has struck out 12 and only allowed two hits.
FOLLOW THE LAW: Keith Law, senior baseball writer at ESPN, ranked Columbia's roster as the 7th-most "Loaded Roster" in all of Minor League Baseball. Law recognized the fact Columbia's roster includes the Mets' third, fourth and fifth-rated prospects (infielders Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos and Shervyen Newton, respectively), New York's past two second-round draft choices (RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson, Vientos) and the system's ninth-rated prospect, left-hander Thomas Szapucki (drafted in the fifth round in 2015). The roster also features 26th (Baseball America) and 27th-rated prospects Chris Viall and Christian James. The prospect rankings are according to MLB.com unless otherwise noted.
NEW STAFF: Fireflies second-year manager Pedro Lopez notwithstanding, Columbia has an entirely different coaching staff in 2019. Former big leaguer and Mets pitcher Royce Ring assumes the role as pitching coach and former Eastern League champion Luis Rivera is the new hitting coach. One-time Mets farmhand (and former player for Lopez in Binghamton in 2014) Gilbert Gomez is the team's first-ever bench coach. Daichi Arima (athletic trainer), Sam Nickelsen (strength and conditioning coach), Nicole Collins (assistant athletic trainer) and Dave Williams (mental skills coach) complete the Fireflies coaching staff in 2019.
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