The NEW Durham Bulls Are Back

This season's post-All-Star rosterizing by Tampa Bay seems to be even more frantic than usual. The break ended on July 12. Since then the Bulls have seen 26 transactions (and this list could miss a couple).

• 7/12 INF Willy Adames optioned to Durham from Tampa Bay
• 7/12 INF Christian Arroyo had his MLB rehab assignment transferred to Durham from Charlotte 
• 7/12 OF Johnny Field optioned to Durham from Tampa Bay
• 7/12 OF Jeremy Hazelbaker cleared waivers and was outrighted to Durham
• 7/12 RHP Ryan Weber optioned to Durham from Tampa Bay
• 7/12 RHP Jacob Faria had his MLB rehab assignment transferred to Durham from Charlotte 
• 7/12 RHP Chih-Wei Hu recalled by Tampa Bay
• 7/12 INF/OF Ji-Man Choi recalled by Tampa Bay
• 7/13 C Adam Moore activated from disabled list
• 7/13 C Roberto Pena transferred to Princeton
• 7/15 RHP Ryan Weber designated for assignment by Tampa Bay
• 7/16 INF Christian Arroyo completes MLB rehab assignment and optioned to Durham
• 7/17 RHP Chih-Wei Hu optioned to Durham from Tampa Bay
• 7/17 INF Michael Russell transferred to Double-A Montgomery
• 7/19 RHP Andrew Kittredge optioned to Durham from Tampa Bay
• 7/19 OF Jeremy Hazelbaker traded to Minnesota for cash considerations
• 7/20 C Adam Moore had contract selected by Tampa Bay
• 7/20 OF Johnny Field designated for assignment by Tampa Bay
• 7/20 C Roberto Pena assigned to Durham from Princeton
• 7/21 C Mac James assigned to Durham from Double-A Montgomery
• 7/21 INF/OF Micah Johnson activated from disabled list
• 7/21 RHP Ryan Weber outrighted and assigned to Durham from Tampa Bay
• 7/21 C Roberto Pena placed on disabled list
• 7/21 OF Justin Williams recalled by Tampa Bay
• 7/22 INF Willy Adames recalled by Tampa Bay
• 7/22 OF Justin Williams optioned to Durham from Tampa Bay

Not to put too fine a point on it, this seems a bit nuts. By the way, Hazelbaker now playing for the Rochester Red Wings.

With this kind of turmoil, no surprise that since the break the Bulls are 5-6. It says something about the coaching/managing crew that it has not been worse. Note that Norfolk's on a run.

Query: Last night Weber started, pitched 2 innings, and gave up 1 earned run. Jake Faria came in, pitched 3⅓, gave up 4 runs. The Bulls lost 3-5. Weber took the loss. Why?


The Toledo Mud Hens come to town on Tuesday. They lead in the IL West Division and match up well against the Bulls, except for their pitching. But then who knows who will be pitching for the Bulls by the time the game starts.

Speaking of pitching, Bulls starting pitching has been slipping. In the last 8 games, not one starter has achieved an "average" Game Score. That is not good. ERAs have been ticking upwards as well.

The Importance of Pitching; Matchup Bulls v Bisons

These last two games up in Syracuse (Box Game 94, Box Game 95) provide great examples of the importance of pitching. In the first game, rehabbing Jake Faria and struggling Chih-Wei Hu combined to give up 11 hits, 5 walks, and 11 runs (8 earned) over 6 innings. In the second game, Andrew Moore's five hits (2 home runs) and 2 walks resulted in 4 runs, enough to lose the game. This is continuing an unfortunate trend that started back on Game 91 that has seen the team ERA rise from 3.21 to 3.34. Not the end of the earth, but worrisome.

Today the Bulls are over in Buffalo playing against Toronto's AAA team, the Buffalo Bisons. They can surely expect a few more fans in the seats (one of the Syracuse games only had a paid attendance of 2,600 fans).

The Bisons are in 3rd place in the IL North, but their stats indicate they should be doing a bit better.

Hazelbaker!

Jeremy Hazelbaker
Photo Credit

July 15, 2018
Durham Bulls 7; Charlotte Knights 6
Wrap, Box

We have noted, if only indirectly, that Jeremy Hazelbaker was not having a good year. At the All-Star break, he was carrying a poor .189 batting average and a .647 OPS. He had just been Designated for Assignment by the Rays and it wasn't clear if he'd be back after his July 5 game in Charlotte.

He did make it back and if the two games he played since his return are any indication, he may have turned a corner. Including his walk-off double last night, he has 6 hits in 9 at-bats (3 doubles last night). He's pushed his batting average above the Mendoza Line to .210 and his OPS up 42 points to .689.

Good for him. Good for the Bulls.

The NEW Durham Bulls

What else can you call a team that had 8 (count 'em 8!) transactions over the All-Star break? All but one of them had spent at least some time with the Bulls this year. But even the best need to have a bit of playing time with each other.

In the starting lineup was:

• Jacob Faria on a rehab assignment as starting pitcher
• Christian Arroyo on a rehab assignment at 3B (he did have some time as a Bull earlier this year)
• Willy Adames back at shortstop (commentary about that event here and here)
• Johnny Field batting leadoff and playing right field.

Not playing, but back on the roster were

• Pitcher Ryan Weber
• Outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker who cleared waivers and has been outrighted.

Missing were:

• Pitcher Chi-Wei Hu went to the Rays and came on in relief of Blake Snell last night and did OK
• Infielder Ji-Man Choi, who DH'd for the Rays last night and was 0-fer with 2 Ks.

The latest roster is here.

Also missing was broadcaster Patrick Kinas, who was "called up" doing pre- and post-game shows for the Rays.

Oh, the Bulls lost 4-2 to Charlotte. Box. Wrap.

Fortunately, I was watching on TV at home. I'm guessing that if I were at the game (unless listening on the radio) I'd have to wait for the video board to tell me who the players were because they were yet again wearing my least favorite jersey without nameplates.

Congratulations are due Kean Wong who earned IL-MVP honors at the All-Star game. About the game: The IL lost to the PCL 7-12. Wrap. Box.

The Durham Bulls at the All-Star Break; Charts!

The All-Star Break for the International League is not at mid-season. That happened quite a few games ago, but 88 games into the season is not a bad time to take a look at how the team is doing. Only 52 games to left!

Overall, the Durham Bulls have been doing very well this year and at the break are 4½ games ahead of Norfolk in the South Division.

click on chart for larger view

Pitching

Twenty-six different pitchers have stepped up on the mound for the Durham Bulls this year. Ranging from infielder Brandon Snyder (1 inning) to Forrest Snow (88 innings).

As a team, they have the best ERA in the International League. In previous seasons, the comparison of starters and relievers provided some mild insights to the team. In this season, the Tampa Bay style of using "openers" and the Bulls' need to have occasional bullpen days are messing with those comparisons.

The team's WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched) is, by a few hundredths of a point, second to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the IL. Pretty good.

Runs

Another way to look at team performance is to track run differentials. That is, how many runs are scored compared to runs allowed. In that race, the Bulls are also doing very well this year.

And not only this year. This chart shows run differentials for the last five years at this point in the season. Looking pretty good.

Hitters

Although I am not a big fan of the OPS stat, it does seem to be a decent measure of overall team performance. This chart shows the cumulative team OPS over the last 20 games. The Bulls rank second in the IL, just behind the Indianapolis Indians.

Twenty-three players have come to bat for the Bulls this year. Their plate appearances range from the visiting Tampa Bay rehabber Adeiny Hechavarria (4) to Justin Williams (327). This table is sorted by wOBA, weighted on-base average, and includes another newish stat called RC+, weighted runs created plus. Important to all is just how truly spectacular those numbers of Rob Refsnyder and Brandon Lowe are, but also to note the very small sample size. Neither has been with the team very long at all.

Name	Age	PA	AVG	OPS	wOBA	wRC+
Brandon Lowe	23	128	.330	1.084	.470	203
Rob Refsnyder	27	57	.373	1.007	.447	187
Joe McCarthy ˆ	24	143	.265	.863	.386	145
Brandon Snyder	31	252	.251	.839	.376	138
Kean Wong	23	310	.316	.843	.376	138
Ji-Man Choi †	27	86	.270	.766	.348	119
Andrew Velazquez	23	280	.262	.725	.328	105
Jason Coats	28	276	.245	.736	.327	104
Justin Williams †	22	327	.266	.711	.323	101
Jeremy Hazelbaker	30	226	.189	.647	.295	82
Nick Ciuffo	23	107	.257	.646	.291	79
Roberto Pena	26	36	.265	.600	.278	70
Michael Russell	25	106	.260	.602	.275	68
Adam Moore ˆ	34	151	.225	.595	.271	66
Micah Johnson ˆ	27	137	.197	.572	.259	57

Source: https://www.fangraphs.com
†=on 40 Man; ˆ= on DL; Hazelbaker has been DFA'd

Defense

Lastly, here's my homebrewed measure of team defense. For much of the year, the Bulls were giving up a lot of runs as measured by unearned runs per game. Lately, they've been doing better. Let's hope that keeps up.

Nameplates!

One more kvetch about the uniforms. Names! Names! Names! I really don't like digging into my program to find out who's on first.

Bulls Return With a Solid Lead in IL South

You really can't have a better outcome when you visit your closest rival and take four games from them in their home park. That's what the Durham Bulls just did over in Norfolk and opened up their lead in the International League South to 5½ games.

The buzz, as it should be, is the continued stunning performance of young (23) Brandon Lowe. His OPS has soared to 1.147 and he has contributed 23 RBI in his 22 games as a Bull. Not far behind is another new guy, Ji-Man Choi who is carrying an OPS of .990. Not to mention All-Star Kean Wong whose batting average of .317 is 2nd in the International League. Choi and Lowe do not have enough ABs to get on the list.

Meanwhile, down in that great bandbox-near-the-sea in St Petersburg, Florida, the Bulls parent club, had a homestand nothing short of amazing. They took 8 out of 9 games against the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, and Houston Astros! And with only a couple of legitimate starting pitchers. They seem to be having fun.