Game 13 Recap: Trying to Find Positives

In Minor League Baseball, it's not all about winning. You try to look for standout performances, and guys who can achieve at the next level. But when you lose 7-0 like the Fireflies did this game to rival Charleston, that has to mean everybody played bad, regardless of position. So what can you point to for a positive outlook on the game?

This was my 5th ever game at Spirit Communications Park, and I try to get a different type of seat for each game. So on this night I decided to spend $5 and get a berm seat. And the early arrivers on the berm get a special treat, a rocking chair on the right field concourse. The rocking chair is much more spacious and comfortable than any in the main seating bowl, even the padded ones. But you know there is a catch when you spend about as much on a professional ticket as a high school one. Obviously, the right field concourse is a long way from home plate. Even most seats in MLB stadiums are closer to home plate than Spirit Communications Park. I was also worried about hyperactive kids on the berm as well, There weren't really hyperactive kids as much as hyperactive adults. These adults all seemed to be part of one group of a few dozen people. All of them seemed to be young, fairly well-dressed, and there to drink a lot of beer. And it wasn't even Thirsty Thursday! These people epitomized what people don't like about yuppies. They talked very loud and were completely oblivious to being at a baseball game. I had to ask two of them on different occasions to sit down and not block the view of the game. Many just stood on the concourse behind me and didn't pay attention at all. Most Fireflies fans have been better than your typical MiLB fan from what I've seen, but not these folks. They reminded me a lot of the old Budweiser "What Are You Doing?" commercial.

As for the game, as I mentioned the Fireflies lost 7-0. And to our in-state and New York affiliate rival the Charleston RiverDogs as well! So let's take a rundown of the performances:

As for hitters, there were only three Firefly hits all game. And with no runs, that would also mean no RBIs as well. The only extra-base hit of the game was by Tucker Tharp, on a bloop double to right center where he out-hustled Charleston's fielders. Tharp was 1 for 3 with that double, so if one Firefly was the best it would be him. Considering his expectations going into the season, Tharp has done reasonably well since coming off the DL. The other hits were by Milton Ramos and Dash Winningham. The other times reached base for the Fireflies were by Vinny Siena on an error and later on a walk. The bright side of that is Siena has continued to reach base every game so far. The Fireflies went three up three down five times and never had more than four batters in an inning. That's not very good at all. That's about like the RiverDogs when the Fireflies no-hit them (the RiverDogs were also nearly no-hit in an exhibition loss to High A Myrtle Beach earlier that week as well).

The pitchers really didn't fare any better. Chase Ingram, who had been solid previously, set the tone by giving up a homer to Thairo Estrada to start the game. Ingram could not pitch to Trey Amburgey at all, who in three at-bats against Ingram had a double and two triples. Other than that Ingram did okay, allowing four runs (one unearned however) and 8 hits in 6 innings. Ingram got the loss, and certainly did not have a good game. But Ingram did not ruin his ERA, which is at 2.81 now. The same could not be said for Craig Missigman, who gave up three runs including two homers in tow innings pitched. Nicco Blank did alright, going 3 up 3 down in the 9th. Blank has done well so far with a 2.25 ERA, but he has mostly pitched in blowouts so far.

Overall, not a good night. Some players, particularly Blank and Tharp, had okay nights. Some players did bad, but not too bad like Ingram. The game at least went quick unlike other recent games. That allows time for improvement, and hopefully in the end things will pan out for some Fireflies at least.

Now, the updated standings of Fireflies all-time:

Player	Position	TB	R	RBI	BB/HBP	SB	CS	0 for 1	SO	Outs	K	R	ER	H	BB/HBP	W	S	L	Score
Joe Shaw	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	36	16	2	2	9	0	2	0	0	223
Chase Ingram	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	48	20	6	5	17	3	1	0	1	171
David Thompson	3B	22	9	13	7	0	0	32	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	165
Thomas McIlraith	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	32	8	3	3	2	7	1	0	1	138
Vinny Siena	2B	17	11	4	13	0	0	27	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	135
Seth Davis	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	30	10	3	3	7	6	0	1	0	127
P.J. Conlon	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	32	5	2	2	12	2	1	0	0	119
Joe Tuschak	LF	17	3	7	4	0	1	22	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	92
Johnny Magliozzi	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	5	3	3	4	0	0	2	0	85
Tyler Bashlor	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	5	1	1	3	4	0	1	0	83
J.C. Rodriguez	DH	11	4	6	6	2	0	34	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	67
Nicco Blank	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	45
Tyler Badamo	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	33	5	7	7	16	0	1	0	1	45
Dash Winningham	1B	11	6	4	4	0	0	35	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	41
Kevin Canelon	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	27	13	5	5	10	6	0	0	1	41
Alex Palsha	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	17	10	6	5	5	5	0	1	1	40
Milton Ramos	SS	9	3	7	3	0	0	28	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	37
Ivan Wilson	CF	12	4	4	5	1	2	33	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	34
Kevin Kaczmarski	RF	10	7	3	7	0	2	36	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	29
Tucker Tharp	RF	8	2	1	1	0	0	11	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	29
Craig Missigman	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	23	8	6	6	7	7	0	0	0	23
Tyler Moore	C	7	5	1	3	0	1	21	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	23
Natanael Ramos	C	2	1	0	1	0	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12
Vicente Lupo	LF	2	1	1	1	0	0	6	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7
Jose Garcia	C	3	1	1	2	0	0	10	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5
Jeff Diehl	DH	4	2	1	6	0	0	20	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
Christian Montgomery	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	5	6	5	5	6	0	0	0	-18
Witt Haggard	P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	2	3	3	3	3	0	0	2	-58