Bulls Bash 'Em; Coming Home

Season: 33-42; Trip: 5-3; Bulls v. Red Wings: 3-1

Box, Wrap

These last four games were by far the most productive of the year. 65 hits, 92 total bases, and 34 runs. Today’s game just topped it off with the most hits and most runs of the year. Every Bull got at least one hit, most got a bunch, Stephen Vogt got four. Amazing, amazing few days. 

Montoyo keeps moving guys around. So much so that it will be hard to put a position label on these guys. Today Chris Gimenez, normally a catcher, played outfield. Brandon Allen, very much a first baseman in his career, played outfield until today, when he started at 1B. Rehabbing Jeff Keppinger DH’d today, but he played 3B for a couple of days and 1B in the first game of the series. 

This was the first really hot day of the season and, according to broadcaster Patrick Kinas, the players were feeling it. Certainly the heat seemed to take a toll on the pitchers. Between Rochester and Durham, they used up 10 of them. 

Can we look forward to a better home series than last time? I sure hope so. I hope even more that I’ll be able to get out to the games.

Outside the game

• Left-handed relief pitcher Frank de los Santos is coming to Durham from the Montgomery Biscuits. Stats and more stats. He’s not on any top prospect lists that I’ve seen, but it looks like he’s having a good year. It will be his first time at AAA. The Bulls have a vacancy in their roster and will probably have another now that Rays reliever Joel Peralta has been given an 8-game suspension.
• The Rays claimed an infielder, Brooks Conrad, from Milwaukee. Coming to Durham? Can’t tell.

Chart/Table of the Day

Yesterday I mentioned that regular reader Chris D has been looking at Bulls hitters’ OPS numbers and comparing them to their historical averages. Several weeks ago most were well below their average performance. Chris has updated their numbers, with additions and subtractions. Just about everyone is still below average. Note: this table does not include today’s performances. Except for Vogt, who was not with the Bulls back then, I’d guess there was some, but not too much, movement. Thanks, Chris!