4/14/08
It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again
Coal Sox drop season opener on the road
by Patrick Bailey, Charleston Gazette
Raise your hand if you’ve seen this one before. The Coal Sox open the season on the road and take a lead into the ninth inning. Armando Zamora sends his best reliever to the mound to preserve the victory and get the season off to a perfect start. The Coal Sox lose.
The roles have been recast since last year – the Calzones and Elysian Field took over for the Maulers and Whiten Field, and Steve Davis inherited the honor of blowing the game from Phil Mathis – but the end result was identical.
Alberto Semblano made his second consecutive Opening Day start, but this year he was wearing the red and white of San Antonio. The crafty southpaw pitched effectively but left the game in line for the loss. His former teammate, Steve Davis, apparently took pity on him. Protecting a two-run lead, Davis kicked off the ninth by walking the first two batters and hitting the third. Phil Mathis was not available, having been used in the eighth inning as the first reliever out of the pen for Zamora.
“Davis was our best reliever last year in the second half, so I want him out there when it matters the most,” Zamora said after the game. “He had a tough spring and this certainly stings, but he has the track record to show that this is just a blip.”
Davis’ “blip” still hurts for Coal Sox fans. Ralph Dean’s stellar start (7.1 IP, 5 H, 5 K) was wasted, as well as six hits from the Coal Sox infield.
He Doesn’t Hit With His Face: Jorge Ortiz could fill a book with all the disparaging remarks about his appearance he’s had to endure with opposing (and frequently hometown) fans. But the former Mexican League star will let his bat do the talking – also because he is only just starting to learn English. The Coal Sox plan to rotate Ortiz, Michizane Kouki, Glen Harris, and Lorenzo Ramirez through the 1B, 3B, and DH spots, getting each of the players significant playing time. Whether or not any of the positions are locked down permanently by any one player will be up to how they play in April and May, says Zamora.
Minor Update: Flobert Hoeks attempted to show the Coal Sox that he deserved the fifth spot in the rotation in his three September starts last year. Despite a 1.88 ERA in those three starts, Hoeks found himself in AAA Mansfield to start the year, demoted in favor of Rule 5 pick Kirby Ryan. Ryan’s grip on the rotation may be tenuous, though. Ryan had a mediocre spring and got knocked around in his first start to the tune of six runs in two innings. Hoeks opened his own 2008 campaign with a win (7.1 IP, 1 ER). If both pitchers continue on their current paths, expect to see Hoeks in West Virginia by late April.
Game of the Week: Wednesday, April 9. WV 4, SA 2. West Virginia’s only win in their first seven games came Wednesday behind the stellar pitching of Hamilton Cole. He dominated the Calzones hitters, going eight innings, giving up an unearned run, and striking out eight. Glen Harris led the offense, going 2-3 with 2 RBI and a home run.
Looking Ahead: Looking to improve on their 1-6 start, the Coal Sox wrap up their series against the Hitmen, then travel to Florida to take on the Featherheads before returning home for a brief three-game homestand against the Fishermen.
April 14 @ New Jersey: Cole (1-0) vs. Clancy O’Connell (1-0)
April 15 @ New Jersey: Crete (0-1) vs. Anthony Bagg (0-0)
April 16 @ Florida: Ryan (0-1) vs. Alfonso Contreras (0-1)
April 17 @ Florida: Dean (0-1) vs. Chris Saunders (0-0)
April 18 @ Florida: Reed (0-1) vs. Hector Gutierrez (2-0)
April 20 Gloucester: Cole (1-0) vs. Chi-ming Xian (0-1)
Yeah, I'll get this submitted to the home page later tonight.
