Blame It on the Rain or Maybe Just Maya

Game 31; Monday, May 6; Durham Bulls Athletic Park

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Syracuse Chiefs (Nationals)	0	3	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	6	2
Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	2

Season: 20-11; Home Stand: 0-1

Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun

The last time the Bulls faced Syracuse’s Yunesky Maya (just last Tuesday) they really roughed him up — 5 hits for 5 runs. This time the Bulls never came close to figuring him out. The end result was the first Bulls shutout of the season. 

As regular readers know, many (most?) of WDBB’s opinions miss the point. However, last Friday’s post led off with a paragraph expressing our concerns about Jim Paduch. Things didn’t get any better last night. When Chris Archer couldn’t start, Paduch got thrown into the breach. Apparently, Montoyo had little choice in the matter. Let’s blame it on the weather. 

Let’s blame just about everything thing on the weather. I’m guessing that because of the rain the Bulls couldn’t take batting practice. Consequently new guy Shelley Duncan didn’t get any swings in. It showed. 2 K’s, 2 fly balls. The rain might have kept Archer from warming up properly or led to worries about, oh, everything. Maybe Myers wouldn’t have made an error or run into Bourgeois.

I confess that after 5 innings I climbed up to Tobacco Road to get a late supper. I watched most of the rest of the game from there. That meant that I got a slightly different view of the collision between Wil Myers and Jason Bourgeois in center field. That perspective leads me to what has to be labeled as pure opinion. For that play and for what we’ve seen so far this season, I’m unimpressed with young Mr. Myers. According to the Herald-Sun, Bourgeois and Myers were making nice to each other in the clubhouse, but from my view from up on the wall that ball was the center fielder’s without any doubt, not the right fielder’s. Myers had already botched the play in the 3rd inning that let a run score. And 2 Ks on the night. His .275 BA is unimpressive (6th on the team). Give him credit for 17 RBI and durability, he’s leads the team in game appearances. But he also leads the team in K’s, 37 of them. So, I’m not saying he won’t be a great ballplayer, he probably will. But seems like he’s pressing awfully hard and he isn’t, yet, a great Durham Bull.

After Bourgeois had to come out of the game, catcher Juan Apodaca went to first base, Leslie Anderson moved from first base to left field, and Rich Thompson moved to center field. In nine seasons as a pro, this was the first time Apodaca had ever played first base. In fact, the record shows exclusively catching experience. Wonder where he got the glove?

Outside the game —

• Catcher Craig Albernaz has been sent to “Hudson Valley”. For those new to WDBB and the Bulls, that means he’s off the Bulls roster and on the roster of a Rays short season team up in New York. But it doesn’t mean he’s gone anywhere. It was a paper move to make room for Shelley Duncan. As to why they moved Albernaz and not another ballplayer, ask the Rays.
• Only for the very strong of stomach. A video at Rays Index shows in graphic detail what one pitcher’s arm/elbow goes through throwing a ball. Baseball is not supposed to be a blood sport, but that video is really, really hard to watch and make me wonder a bit about what these guys go through just to entertain us.