TRADE - Benitez In To Lock Down 9th Inning

The Baltimore Stouts completed a blockbuster trade over the weekend, acquiring RP Armando Benitez and RF Larry Walker in an eight-player trade with the New York Rippers.  It's a bold move that has made it clear that Stouts management is serious about putting a winning team on the field as soon as possible.

The Stouts sent outfielders Shawn Green and Rondell White as well as pitchers Joe Mays and Turk Wendell to New York in the trade.  Baltimore also acquired outfielder Ruben Mateo and first-baseman Eduardo Perez to complete the deal.

The centerpiece of the trade from the Baltimore perspective was closer Benitez.  With a bullpen that had already blown five saves in eight chances in the first 18 games of the season, the team was in the market for someone who could get the job done in the 9th inning.  Benitez fits the bill and then some.  He had yet to allow a single run in 10.2 innings of work prior to the trade from the Rippers.  He will replace Antonio Alfonseca in the closer's role for the Stouts.


Also into the fold is Walker, who brings his cannon of an arm to town to man right-field.  He was batting .249 in 20 games for New York.  A career .313 hitter, Walker will man a middle of the order spot in the batting lineup.  Mateo and Perez look to provide depth on the bench for the Stouts.

Gone is Shawn Green.  Baltimore's 4th round selection in the recent Millennium League dispersal draft, Green was looked at as a cornerstone for the franchise.  He ends up being traded before the team has played 20 games.  For the season, Green was hitting .250 with a pair of homers and 18 RBIs.  New York will not be Green's final destination though.  He was dealt shortly after his acquisition by the Rippers in a multi-player deal with the Arizona Apaches.

TRANSACTION - Schneider's Stay Short-Lived

In the never-ending pursuit to fill the second catcher position on the roster, the Stouts have added Gary Bennett off the waiver wire.  He takes the place of Brian Schneider, who was released just days after being picked up.  Bennett was the original target to fill the platoon with Ed Taubensee, but he was snatched up by the Boston Beaneaters.  Matt ended up making a trade to acquire Eli Marrero, making Bennett expendable.  Once he was released, Bennett was immediately snatched up for the Baltimore roster.  The main reason for Bennett over Schneider is handedness - Bennett being right-handed.  He will fill the platoon against LHP for the immediate future.  He is very limited AB wise though so his stay with the Stouts may be short-lived.

TRADE/TRANSACTIONS - Kelly Stinnett Stay Short-Lived

Kelly Stinnett didn't even make it to the active roster of the Baltimore Stouts before he was shipped to his third Millennium League team in less than three weeks.  Stinnett was swapped to the St. Louis Sliders of the Western Division in exchange for SP Bryan Rekar.  The move was not so much a reflection on Baltimore not wanting/needing Stinnett, but more of a chance for the Stouts to improve their shaky starting rotation.  In essence, Baltimore traded Todd Stottlemyre for Rekar, which is an upgrade on paper (Stottlemyre was traded for Stinnett last week).  Rekar was currently on the St. Louis minor league roster, having started one game for the Sliders before his demotion.  His start wasn't a pretty one as he lasted only three innings, allowing five earned runs and getting tagged with a loss.  He brings his stat-line to a Baltimore rotation in need of some help.  Stouts starters currently have a 5.83 ERA through the first 18 games of the season, ranking in the bottom third of the league.  Rekar has a very shaky 2001, so it's now or never for the right-hander as far as the Stouts are concerned.  He is slotted to slide into the 4th spot in the rotation going forward.  Depending on how he pitches, he's likely to stay in that spot.  Jason Bere and Joe Mays wait in the wings in case he falters.

The move did leave the Stouts back in the same boat though at the catcher position - still in need of a compliment for Ed Taubensee, who is replacing the injured Ivan Rodriguez in the Stouts lineup for eight weeks.  Into the fold from the waiver wire comes Brian Schneider.  Known mostly for his defensive ability, he'll provide Taubensee some rest against left-handed pitchers.  Schneider's best years are a couple years away.  He was a 23 year-old rookie in the year 2000.  He is very limited in ABs so his time with the Stouts may be short lived as well.  He is a left-handed hitting catcher though who was stellar defensively in both 2003 and 2004, season's which saw him throw out more than 50% of runners trying to steal against him.  Not likely the Stouts, or any other Millennium League team for that matter, will be able to stash him away for the next couple years waiting for him to become an MLB regular.  He's likely to be back in the draft in 2001.

In another move, the Stouts cut loose both Rey Ordonez and Charlie Hayes and replaced them with Donnie Sadler from the waiver wire.  This was a move based solely on roster numbers.  Sadler will basically replace both Hayes and Ordonez, a two-for-one swap.  While Sadler is not the fielder either of the other two are, he is quite adequate with the glove.  His hitting leaves a lot to be desired (so did Ordonez), but he is a demon on the base-paths.  His role will be emergency backup at the two positions mentioned as well as an excellent pinch-runner.  

SERIES #6 at TORONTO REDCOATS - Bullpen Implodes. Two 9th Inning Losses.

Baltimore heads North of the border for their rematch with division rival Toronto for a three game set.  The Stouts come into the game having won six of their last nine after dropping their first six to open the season.  The Redcoats are hot as well, having just swept Minnesota and winners of six of their last seven games.  They sit atop the Continental Division coming into this series sporting a 9-6 record.  The Stouts are three games back at 6-9.  It promises to be an exciting series.  Let's get to the action.



Game 1
Skydome

April 18, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Baltimore Stouts (7-9)	2	0	0	0	3	0	2	0	0		7	12	0
Toronto Redcoats (9-7)	0	1	0	2	0	0	1	0	2		6	11	0
	W: A. Embree (1-0)   L: K. Rogers (1-3) SV: A. Alfonseca (2)

Baltimore has been jumping out to early leads lately and this game no different as they strike for a pair in the 1st off Toronto starter Kenny Rogers.  The Redcoats respond, taking the lead with a run in the 2nd and a couple more in the 4th to take a 2-1 lead heading into the 5th.  The Stouts were not to be denied though, and they responded behind the bat of Garrett Anderson.  He launched a homer in the 5th to help plate three runs in that inning.  He belted another HR in the 7th to score two more, handing the Stouts a commanding 7-3 lead.  But as has been the case so far this season and will be the case in the future, no lead is safe against the Baltimore bullpen. Toronto scores one in the 7th to cut the lead to three.  Latroy Hawkins opened up the 9th on the hill for the Stouts, but Ben Grieve led off with a double, then Will Clark homered to make it a 7-6 game with no outs in the inning.  Baltimore brought in Antonio Alfonseca to try and stop the bleeding.  The first batter he faces, Luis Gonzalez, rips a double to left center to put the tying run in scoring position.  After an Eric Chavez fly out, Mark Loretta walks to put the go ahead runner on base with only one out.  With his hair on fire, Alfonseca somehow induces Melvin Mora to ground into a game-ending double-play to pickup the save.  Baltimore escapes with the win in the opener.


Game 2
Skydome

April 19, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Baltimore Stouts (7-10)	0	0	1	0	0	1	7	0	0		9	14	0
Toronto Redcoats (10-7)	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	4	1		10	11	0
	W: D. Brocail (1-0)   L: L. Hawkins (0-2)

Luis Gonzalez Grand Slam

Ben Grieve Grand Slam

Game two is a tale of two games.  The first half was a marvelous pitchers duel between Kevin Appier and Andy Pettitte.  A Todd Helton solo homer was the only scoring between the teams through five innings.  Both teams plated runs in the 6th to make it 2-1 Stouts heading into the 7th.  And that's when the flood gates opened.  First it was Baltimore, who chased Pettitte by bringing 12 batters to the plate in the 7th inning, scoring seven runs to take a comfortable 9-1 lead.  But the Coats were not to be denied.  They chased Stouts starter Appier in the bottom half of the 7th, scoring four runs of their own on a Luis Gonzalez grand slam off reliever Steve Kline.  Hippolito Pichardo set the Stouts down in the 8th without incident.  Still leading 9-5, Baltimore's bullpen couldn't hold it down, giving up another grand slam in the bottom of the 8th, this time to Ben Grieve, to tie the game at 9-9.  Doug Brocail took to the mound for Toronto to open the 9th, and after giving up a leadoff single to Bill Mueller, he retired the next three batters he faced to preserve the tie.  Latroy Hawkins came in to pitch for the Stouts in the 9th, but that lasted three batters.  Leadoff hitter Ed Sprague singled, moved to second on a fielders choice, and scored when Melvin Mora singled to left.  The Redcoats scored ten runs in the final four frames to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  Baltimore relievers once again can't close out a game.  Series is tied one game apiece heading into the finale.

Game 3
Skydome

April 20, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Baltimore Stouts (7-11)	0	0	2	2	1	0	1	0	0		6	14	0
Toronto Redcoats (11-7)	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	2	1		7	10	0
	W: D. Brocail (2-0)   L: A. Embree (1-1)

Luis Gonzalez ANOTHER grand slam

Another game, another blown lead by the bullpen, yet another loss in the bottom of the 9th.  This time the Stouts jump out to a 5-0 lead.  Todd Helton and Bill Mueller both connect for homers off Coats starter Jeff Suppan.  Baltimore starter Kirk Rueter was humming along, carrying a shutout into the 6th.  But Luis Gonzalez strikes again, belting his second grand slam in as many days to cut the lead to 5-4.  Stouts respond in the 7th with and insurance run to make it 6-4, but then the bullpen happened.

Melvin Mora heading home
with the game-winner

Turk Wendell replaced Rueter in the 7th and retired Toronto in order.  In the 8th, David Ortiz singled to lead off the inning.  After two ground outs, it looked like Wendell might have things under control.  Think again.  Gabe Kapler blasted a homer to left to tie the game heading into the 9th.  Baltimore got a one-out double by Jay Bell in their half but couldn't get him home so the game remained tied into the home half of the inning.  Alan Embree opened the 9th for the Stouts, but he gave up a leadoff infield single to Melvin Mora and was replaced by Antonio Alfonseca.  El Pulpo, "The Octopus", proceeded to give up a single to Mark Loretta, sending Mora to 3rd.  An intentional walk to David Ortiz loaded the bases with nobody out.  Carlos Beltran completed the comeback with a sac fly to deep center to drive in Mora.  Redcoats win the rubber game 7-6 and take the series 2-1.  The two teams have split their first six games three wins apiece.

For the series, Toronto scored 20 of their 23 runs in the 6th inning or later.  They scored in the 9th inning in every game, securing both their wins with walkoff ABs.  Baltimore bullpen has been horrendous through the first 18 games of the season.

Next up is a trip to Colorado to take on the Western Division leading Briar Jumpers.  Jason has his team playing well.  It will be the first games outside of the Continental Division for the Stouts.  Hopefully the bullpen likes the change.

SERIES #5 vs MILWAUKEE PHANTOMS - Kris Benson's Arm Falls Off

The final series of a nine-game homestand sees Shannon bring his Milwaukee team to town.  The Stouts are out for revenge in this one as they were swept by the Phantoms earlier in the year on the road.  Milwaukee comes to town with a 7-5 record, but have lost three of their last four.  Regardless, they sit tied atop the Continental Division.  Baltimore has a 4-8 record, but have won four of six after starting the season 0-6.  Let's get to the action.

Game 1
Memorial Stadium

April 14, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10		R	H	E
Milwaukee Phantoms (7-6)	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0		2	7	2
Baltimore Stouts (5-8)	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1		3	8	1
	W: A. Osuna (1-0)   L: B. Kim (0-1)

Baltimore comes into this game with four wins, and they have scored in the 1st inning in each of the victories.  This game would be no different as they strike for an early run off of Phantoms starter Matt Clement.  Milwaukee actually comes back and takes the lead with runs in the 3rd and 6th, but the Stouts respond to tie it up in the bottom of the 6th.  The game remained tied heading into the 10th.  Milwaukee put men at 1st and 2nd against reliever Antonio Osuna, but Michael Tucker grounded into a fielders choice to end the top half of the inning.  Byung-Hyun Kim got the first out in the bottom half, but after a single by Todd Helton, he hit Shawn Green with a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd for the Stouts.  Lance Berkman ended the game as he rapped a walk-off double to plate Helton.  Baltimore takes the opener 3-2.  It's the first extra-inning win for the Stouts in four chances.

Game 2
Memorial Stadium

April 16, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Milwaukee Phantoms (7-7)	0	0	4	0	0	0	1	0	1		6	8	3
Baltimore Stouts (6-8)	0	0	0	2	2	3	3	7	X		17	18	1
	W: K. Rueter (2-1)   L: K. Benson (0-1)

The original game #2 pitted Milwaukee starter Chuck Finley against Baltimore call-up Jason Bere.  The Phantoms had a 5-1 lead going into the top of the 5th when the game was called because of rain.  In the contest, Finley was ejected for doctoring the baseball with a foreign substance and was suspended for nine games.  Stats erased but his suspension stands.  Unlucky break for Shannon and the Phantoms.

The makeup game was all about Phantoms starter Kris Benson, and not in a good way.  He actually started the game out decently, holding Baltimore scoreless through his first three innings of work.  Then the wheels fell off.  Up 4-0 on a Wendell Magee pinch-hit grand slam in the 3rd inning, Benson took to the hill in the bottom of the 4th with a bit of a lead to work with.  Four runs wouldn't be nearly enough.  Baltimore scored in every inning the rest of the game.  Two in the 4th.  Two more in the 5th to tie the game.  Three in the 6th to take the lead.  Three more in the 7th.  By the 8th, Benson's arm was a wet noodle.  Shannon made the decision to leave him out there to take the abuse and save his bullpen for the finale.  Benson coughed up seven more runs in the 8th.  The final tally saw the Stouts bring 54 batters to the plate, bashing out 18 hits and scoring 17 times. Garrett Anderson went 3-5 with three runs scored, six RBI and a pair of homers.  Lance Berkman and Ed Taubensee also connected for dingers off the beleagured Milwaukee starter.  Kirk Rueter pitched 6.2 serviceable innings to pickup the win.  That's six wins in their last eight for the Stouts.



Game 3
Memorial Stadium

April 16, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Milwaukee Phantoms (8-7)	0	1	0	0	0	3	1	0	0		5	7	2
Baltimore Stouts (6-9)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	3	0		4	4	2
	W: J. D'Amico (2-2)   L: S. Estes (1-1) SV: R. King (4)

Jeff D'Amico took to the hill for the Phantoms on short rest in effort to avoid the series sweep.  He shutout the Stouts in his earlier outing a week earlier.  Milwaukee posted a run in the 2nd, but Baltimore evened the score in the 5th with a run of their own.  The Phantoms though took the lead for good in this game in the next half inning, powered by a Tyler Houston homerun blast.  The Stouts made it interesting in their half of the 8th, getting within one when Shawn Green launched a 3-run homer.  But Ray King shut the door in the 9th, preserving the victory and picking up his 4th save on the young season.  King has yet to allow a run in five appearances.


Series ends with Baltimore taking two of three.  They edge within two games of Milwaukee in the Continental Division.  Next up a trip to Toronto to take on the Redcoats.

TRADE - Baltimore and Miami Confirm Swap

In a deal necessitated by the injury to Ivan Rodriguez, the Baltimore Stouts made a trade today, shipping starting pitcher Todd Stottlemyre to the Miami Panthers in exchange for catcher Kelly Stinnett.  While not a blockbuster by any means, this is a deal that should help both teams going forward.

Stottlemyre was selected in the final round of the Millennium League's inaugural draft.  He worked his way onto the Stouts opening day roster and was slotted in as the team's 5th starter.  In two starts for Baltimore, he had mixed results.  In his first start, on the road against the Milwaukee Phantoms, he lasted only three innings, allowing seven earned runs and getting hung with the loss.  His next start was much better, at home against Toronto.  He pitched into the 9th inning in that game, picking up a win and also providing some pop with the bat, belting a homerun in the contest.  With his departure, the 5th spot in the rotation will most likely be manned by Elmer Dessens, who up to this point has been pitching in long relief.


In Stinnett, Baltimore gets a dependable option against LHP to platoon with Ed Taubensee behind the plate.  He provides much better defense at the position than Robert Fick, the other option on the roster.  This will be a two month stopgap platoon until I-Rod returns.  Hopefully the duo can hold down the fort until that time.



This is the first deal made in the 2000 Millennium League baseball season, making it the first deal in the history of the league.  A 5th starter drafted in the 30th and last round for a third string catcher who wasn't even on the active roster of the team that dealt him.  Again, not a blockbuster by any means.  But it's the small deals like these that can make a difference for a team in the short term.  Hopefully both players involved can help their new teams.

SERIES #4 vs MINNESOTA MILLERS - I-Rod Injured. Out Two Months.

Back at home for a rematch with Continental Division rival Minnesota.  Walt brings his Millers squad to town with an impressive early season record of 6-3.  They swept the Stouts in the season opening series with three extra inning triumphs. Minnesota is coming into town off taking two of three on the road in Milwaukee against the Phantoms.  The Stouts just finished taking two of three against Toronto, so both teams are playing well of late.  Let's take a look at how the teams fared this time around.


Game 1
Memorial Stadium

April 11, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Minnesota Millers (6-4)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	2		4	9	0
Baltimore Stouts (3-7)	1	2	0	0	0	0	2	2	X		7	10	0
	W: K. Rueter (1-1)   L: C. Holt (0-2) SV: S. Kline (1)

Looking for some revenge after the season opening sweep at the hands of the Millers, Baltimore jumps out in front in this game, scoring one in the first and a pair in the second.  They never look back en route to a relatively easy 7-4 victory.  Kirk Rueter was near masterful in this one, tossing 7.2 innings, allowing two earned runs while lowering his ERA for the season to 1.96.  Steve Kline came in and closed the game out but not without incident, giving up two runs in his 1.1 innings of work.  He did "earn" the save for his efforts.  Fernando Vina set the table for the victors, going 3-4 from the leadoff spot, scoring twice while also knocking in a pair.  The Stouts have won three of four after starting the season with six consecutive losses.


Game 2
Memorial Stadium

April 12, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Minnesota Millers (6-5)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	5	0		6	12	1
Baltimore Stouts (4-7)	2	0	0	0	1	0	5	0	X		8	12	0
	W: J. Wright (1-0)   L: A. Lopez (1-3) SV: A. Alfonseca (1)

This game will be remembered not so much for the outcome but for the injury to star catcher Ivan Rodriguez.  It was inevitable given his injury history in 2000, but it stings nonetheless.  I-Rod will miss two months of action, leaving the Stouts scrambling for help behind the plate.  Robert Fick fills in this game and got a hit and drove in a pair, but it will be impossible to replicate I-Rod's production for an extended period.  Ed Taubensee is on his way up from Indianapolis to be the everyday replacement.  The rest of the lineup will need to step up.

The game itself was never much in doubt.  Minnesota starter Albie Lopez couldn't make it out of the 1st inning, injuring himself before retiring a single batter.  Baltimore called up Jaret Wright to start the game for the home team and he pitched well, allowing a single run in 5.1 innings of work.  The Stouts were up in this one 8-1 heading into the 8th inning when the bullpen made it a little interesting, surrendering a five spot to the Millers in the top half of the inning.  But lo and behold, Antonio Alfonseca came in and pitched a scoreless 9th to secure the victory, picking up a save for himself in the process.  Fernando Vina hot again, going 3-5.  He's raking at a .438 clip early in the season.  Todd Helton goes 3-4, raising his season average to .458.


Game 3
Memorial Stadium

April 13, 2014

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Minnesota Millers (7-5)	6	0	1	0	0	1	0	1	0		9	12	0
Baltimore Stouts (4-8)	0	4	1	0	2	0	0	0	0		7	11	0
	W: B. Simas (1-0)   L: E. Dessens (0-3) SV: D. Weathers (1)

Minnesota jumped all over Stouts starter Shawn Estes in this one, batting around and posting a six spot in the 1st inning.  Baltimore responds, plating four in the 2nd, another in the 3rd and a pair in the 5th to tie the game up at seven apiece.  The bullpen, yet again, fails to deliver for the Stouts.  Elmer Dessens, who releived Estes in the 3rd by promptly giving up a run, is chased in the 6th after giving up another.  Steve Kline continues his early season woes by giving up an insurance run to the Millers in the 8th.  His ERA in the early going sits at 13.50 through 6.2 innings of work and seven appearances.  Dessens, sporting a 4.50 ERA in 12 innings and six appearances, loses for the third time already, all against the Millers.

This game had an interesting side battle going on, one that was somewhat hard to imagine.  Catcher Jason Kendall went 4-5 with three doubles for the Millers, raising his season average to .458.  He actually went 8-13 in the series.  What was surprising in this game though was that Stouts catcher Ed Taubensee, just called up from the minors prior to the contest, went 3-3 himself with a pair of doubles, a walk and two runs scored.  So the catchers in this game reach base a combined 8 times in 9 plate appearances with five doubles between them.  Not too shabby.


Up next for the Stouts is another rematch with a team who swept its way to victory the first go around, the Milwaukee Phantoms.  Shannon has his team sitting a half a game back in the division.  Baltimore will be looking to exact more revenge in the matchup.