August 10, 2019

Tempe Knights: 54-63  20.5 GB 6th place

Apr: 10-18

May: 16-12

Jun 8-19

Jul 15-10

Aug 5-4

With a little over half of the 2019 season in the books, the Tempe Knights are holding up the Desert Hills Division on it’s shoulders. That may sound good, but that’s because we’re at the bottom of the leader board. Maybe holding up the likes of Bakersfield, Yuma, Palm Springs, Reno and run away Aurora is not the right catch phrase to use. It’s more like we’re getting stomped on from those above us here in the tough Desert Hills. Tempe does have some bright spots and some darker than the mighty Vader himself spots. On the bright side, the Knights have a pretty strong lineup. On the Vader side……………….Pitching.

The Bright Side:

The lineup leads the league in Batting AVG and in OBP and is second in runs scored. A pretty potent combo. 26 year old OF Tony “The  Fig” Figueroa leads the team and the league with a .345 batting avg. 26 year old 3B Javier “Pound em” Padilla is runner up on the Knights hitting at a .322 clip and 27 year old 1B Ken “Nightie” Knight is 3rd on the list @ .299. Nightie Knight leads the team in HR’s with 13 and Pound em Padilla leads Tempe with 76 RBI’s. How Ken Knight got his nickname you ask? Well, let’s just say he”s a little on the strange side. Although other players have complained to upper management about Ken’s odd clubhouse etiquette, the team has refused to restrict Nightie Night from wearing lingerie in the locker room. GM Rory Collins was quoted as saying, “as long as he keeps hitting like he is, he can wear whatever he likes. This team kinda reminds me of the Oakland Raiders of the 70’s. Except for the winning part.” Although Ken makes it uncomfortable for his teammates, he is the first one the female reports go to in the locker room after the game. Not to talk to him about the game, but to discuss makeup, the newest fashions etc…. I haven’t seen Nighty Night in a bench brawl yet, but I bet that’s gonna be one sight one must not miss.

The Dark Side:

The whole game of baseball revolves around the Pitcher. Without good ones your team is dead in the water. It’s not a secret and as the great Sheldon Cooper would say, “Everybody Knows”. Tempe does not have this most important ingredient for the recipe to a championship. The Knights picked up P Gerardo Soto, P Bartolo Esquivel and 2 tickets to the Nutmeg convention in Connecticut  from the Nutmeggers for P Clayton Lewis. It’s turned out to be a win-win trade for both sides as both Soto and Lewis are pitching lights out for their new teams. Tempe GM Collins was also quoted as saying, ” I’m not sure that was a real nutmeg convention. There were a lot of hippies around and my wife and I left there high as a kite. The doughnuts tasted funny too”. Esquivel has been struggling down on the farm so far but the Knights are hoping he develops into a major league starter. Cause lord knows Tempe needs help on the mound. They are 10th in both starter and reliever ERA and 11th in runs allowed. The defense isn’t exactly helping the cause as the Knights are 10th with the glove.

Round Up:

Tempe recently called up 26 year old P Marcos Olivas  and he immediately produced in his first start. He threw 7.0 innings gave up 7 hits and 1 run in that start. He’s scheduled again to pitch against Fargo in the opening game of the 3 game series, mon. Aug 12, 2019.  There are some bright spots down on the farm with the exception of Tempe’s 2019 1st round and 6th overall draft pick 18 year old P  Hector Rivera who has been lost for the season with a torn rotator cuff. Could be a career altering injury. But he’s young and time will tell. And to top the whole season off so far, we get swept by state rival Yuma for the 2nd straight series. All is not well in Tempe. GM Collins has reportedly ordered 2 dozen cases of Aspirin for himself.