Reno Triple XXX Dealer (Issue 3 -7/25/09)
An Insider's Look at the Reno Tenpinners
Saturday, July 25, 2009
WHAT'S GOIN' ON??? WELL….:
The home stand against Omaha started out great, winning the first two games at home. Omaha pounded the Pinners in game 3. Reno went on to lose 6 out of the next 9, making it 7 losses out of 10 games. No major injuries during the past two weeks for Reno. Don’t expect much wheeling and dealing the rest of the season, as Reno management tries to get a good grasp of what they have in their organization prior to the end of contract extensions. Insiders within the organization say that Reno is a long ways from contention – so any free agency movement will probably be a part of a rebuilding project rather than a quick fix for 2010.
LINES, LINES, AND MORE LINES:
THE GOOD
July 13 – SP Loren Mathis was outstanding in a win over Omaha. 7 IP, 1 ER, 5 H.
July 16 – Talk about a big game for a sub… Joe Hubbard came in the game in the 7th inning during an 8-2 win over Canton. Three innings was all he needed to pull off this line – 1-for-1, 2 runs (scored as a pinch runner), 3 RBI – that’d be a 3-run HR.
THE BAD
July 19 – Aurora needed some good batting practice so they got some before a 19-7 whoopin’ of Reno. They also got some good BP during the game as well – José Reyes made sure of that. In two not-so-impressive innings, he allowed 8 hits and 7 earned runs – three of those hits managed to clear Aurora’s outfield fence.
THE UGLY
July 14 – MR Pedro Guzmán had quite the curious line in relief during an 11-3 waxing by Omaha. 1 2/3 innings, 32 pitches, one hit, four walks, 4 earned runs – that’s almost impossible to give up one hit and four earned runs, but yes, my man Pedro sure pulled that one off.
July 17 – In honor of his July 14th outing, the same Pedro Guzmán had a quite a bounce-back game (that's bounce-back as in when someone punches you in the mouth and you hit a wall, you will probably bounce back) in a 10-3 loss vs. Canton. No walks this time…. but he managed to give up 4 hits and 4 earned runs in one third of an inning (including 2 bombs).
IN THE TRAINING ROOM:
Mario Martínez is out for the year. No other injuries right now.
TENPINNER INSIDER:
Each issue, the Dealer will take an insider look at a key member of the Reno roster – someone who should wear a Tenpinner uniform for a long time to come. This week, we'll look at Brian O’Donnell. Billy Krause was supposed to be our insider player, but an illness (rumors are peanut butter poisoning) kept him from meeting with us this week.
A 9th round pick in the inaugural draft by Crystal Lake, the 32-year old was signed to a three-year deal with Reno in 2008. Brian’s offensive stats aren’t going to win any awards, but he plays great defense at a premium position and can flat out fly. He has hit .256 as a Tenpinner with decent power numbers. If his strikeout numbers were better, he’d definitely be an offensive threat. He has 133 steals in three seasons so far, 37 steals short of the all-time PEBA leader Powell Clark of Crystal Lake. Brian is probably more well-known for his off-field romances, which he’ll briefly describe in his interview.
In a lunch interview, we asked him three questions (these questions will be the same for each interview for each Insider portion of the XXX Dealer):
- Describe life before the Tenpinners.
- Describe life as a Tenpinner.
- The Big Lebowski or Kingpin? And what scene was the clincher?
1. My hometown is El Paso de Robles, California, but most locals just call it Paso Robles. It’s about 75 miles southwest of Fresno. I was a three-sport athlete, playing baseball, volleyball and water polo at my high school. I considered playing baseball after high school, but since the PEBA wasn’t created yet I decided to focus on my other love of acting. I never really got into any major films; I was basically an extra in lots of movies. I’m sure if you’ve stood in line at the grocery store, you’ve probably seen my face on magazines… some of my rumored romances include Amanda Peet, Rosario Dawson and Tara Reid.
2. Obviously, we’ve struggled a little. So I’m not too happy about the situation. If things don’t get better, I doubt I’ll re-sign for an extension. I’d like to wind up closer to Southern California.
3. I like both movies a lot… but I guess I better go with Lebowski since my friend Tara is in it. I can pretty much say she didn’t have to do much to get into character – if you catch my drift. I can also say the “proposal” she makes in the movie – that’s not a first either.
FARM-FRESH GOODNESS
Last time, we looked at the first base position in terms of minor league prospects. Today, let's look at the 2B situation.
Major League Starter: Hank Bailey. He has split time this year between the majors and AAA Glendale. He has hit .268 this year. Hank is probably not the long term solution at second base.
Prospect to Watch: Mario Salinas. Baseball America ranks Mario as the top-ranked prospect in the entire Reno organization. He is currently hitting in the 2-hole at AA Red Deer. At 23 years old, his time in the minors is probably limited. He is certainly a five-tool player – with the only negative in his game right now being heavy strikeout projections in the future.
Likely Scenario: Probably 2nd base by committee for 2010. Expect Salinas to be promoted in late 2010 and be the full time starter in 2011 and for years to come. If he doesn’t pan out, there are other 2B prospects that might work out as well – like José Morán, Robert Reed and Gerard Dailey. It’s definitely the deepest position in the Tenpinner organization.
PLAYER OF THE MONTH:
Manuel González – Since the June trade with the Calzones, Manuel has been the rock of the offense. In July, he’s hitting .367, with a .457 OBP and an OPS over 1.000.
Next Week:
- Insider's Look at Billy Krause
- Farm-Fresh Goodness Look at the third base situation