Can’t Even Get a Lump of Cole for Christmas…

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…

Most families are preparing for Christmas and the Holiday Season, and I am sure that the Yankees family is no different. The likelihood of any major Yankees news over the next few days is about as realistic as Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos graciously handing Manny Machado over to the Yankees. In other words, it is going to be very quiet as we try on our new Giancarlo Stanton jerseys.

I admit it. I reacted like a lemming to all of the rumors that percolated on Thursday night about renewed talks between the Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates about starting pitcher Gerrit Cole. It turned out to be nothing, and it would appear the Pirates are still trying to aim high (too high) with their asking price. I’ve seen suggestions of OF Clint Frazier, 2B/SS Tyler Wade, 3B Miguel Andujar, and LHP Jordan Montgomery for Cole. That’s ridiculous and not something that should be considered. To me, that’s akin to asking for Yankees soon-to-be starting second baseman Gleyber Torres. I strongly  believe the latest Cole rumors had their origin in the Pirates camp as the Pirates attempt to gain some leverage in talks. It’s not like GM Brian Cashman or his team to leak proposed trade details. Of course, it could also just be the Red Sox Nation trolling Yankees fans. 

At this point, I am so tired of the Cole rumors that I wish the Yankees would either pull the trigger (but not to the point they overpay) or walk away. There are things that I like about Cole but conversely I recognize the faults of a pitcher that has never lived up to his potential.  We did not like it during the stretch last year when Masahiro Tanaka was serving up batting practice during games and it wouldn’t be well received to watch Cole as a gopher ball pitcher in Yankee Stadium. Cashman should give Pirates GM Neal Huntington a ‘take it or leave it’ offer (perhaps throwing in Austin Romine for no other reason than the Pirates seem to like our catchers, ala Francisco Cervelli and previously Russell Martin and Chris Stewart) and be prepared to move on if Huntington responds negatively. I’ve felt all along that a package of Clint Frazier and Chance Adams is very, very fair, but many argue that’s too much. Anything more, for Cole alone, is too much.

I’ve wondered what the Yankees will do with their international bonus money that was accumulated for a failed run at Japanese superstar Shohei Otani. The Yankees didn’t sign any of the top international prospects that were recently released by the Atlanta Braves as part of their punishment by MLB so the obvious choices were the remaining unsigned players on Baseball America’s ranking of top international prospects, most notably tenth-ranked outfielder Raimfer Salinas, 16, and fifteenth-ranked catcher Antonio Cabello, 17. Sure enough, the two Venezuelan players have been signed by the Yankees according to Baseball America. The signings give the Yankees a total of five of the top 20 international players as ranked in the 2017 signing period. The Yankees had previously signed fifth-ranked OF Everson Pereira, eleventh-ranked SS Ronny Rojas and twentieth-ranked SS Robinson Chirinos. We’ll soon learn more about Salinas and Cabello in  future editions of Meet a Prospect by TGP’s own Daniel Burch I am sure, but for now, welcome to the Yankees family, Raimfer and Antonio!

Speaking of prospects, I was saddened to see the departure of Dante Bichette, Jr. He had six years to progress through the Yankees farm system, but the third baseman, 25, was unable to advance past Double A. If he had been able to develop into a Major League player, his timing would have been perfect to take over third base for the Yankees next season. But alas, it was not to be. Young Dante became a minor league free agent in November and has signed with the Colorado Rockies, the team his father once starred for. The Bichette family is very close to former Yankees manager Joe Girardi and young Dante grew up calling him “Uncle Joe”.  Girardi named his own son Dante after the elder Bichette. I wish Dante Jr the best as he tries to achieve his elusive MLB dream in the Mile High City.

Credit:  Martin Griff

For every Yankees blogger (myself included) that suggests the Yankees should find a way to unload Jacoby on the San Francisco Giants, there’s a Giants blogger writing why Ellsbury would be a very bad fit for the Giants. Bottom line, the Giants want no part of Ells. I hate it, but I think we’re stuck with #22 for the long haul. The biggest waste of a roster spot in my opinion. At some point, the Yankees will choose to cut bait but that’s probably not this off-season. I keeping hoping for a Christmas Miracle that takes Ellsbury away but I think I’ll be disappointed with that one.  

I was listening to MLB Network’s interview yesterday with former Miami Marlins second baseman and now Mariners center fielder Dee Gordon. He was asked if he had spoken with the other recently traded Marlins (Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna). We know that Stanton is now the big slugger in the lineup of big sluggers, while Ozuna went to the organization that holds the most World Series titles not named the Yankees, the St Louis Cardinals. The reactions conveyed by Gordon were very different. While Ozuna was saddened by the trade (despite the fact that he is going to a storied franchise with a long-standing history of baseball tradition and success), “G” is excited and ready to get after it. I love it. I can’t wait to watch Stanton in spring training wearing the perfect shade of blue.  

Go Yankees! 

Splitter showed up but Clippard did not…

Credit:  Charles Wenzelberg

Friday night was very disappointing...  

The disappointment certainly did not reside with Masahiro Tanaka who was able to put the horrific past couple of weeks in his rearview mirror, but it was the implosion of the bullpen.  Tyler Clippard picked a very bad night to have a bad night and Jonathan Holder didn’t do anything to help.  

Tanaka started the game with three strikeouts although he did give up a double to Oakland’s Jed Lowrie.  It went a long way for me to show that Tanaka was not going to be a punching bag on this evening.  Tanaka pitched into the eighth without allowing any runs, while striking out a season-high 13 batters.  The only problem was that Sean Manaea, moved up a day in the rotation after Kendall Graveman was scratched, was just as good. The Yankees could not muster any offense against Manaea, who only permitted one extra base-hit, a double by Austin Romine in the third inning.

Credit:  Mike Stobe/Getty Images

With the game still deadlocked at 0-0 in eighth inning, Tanaka struck out Mark Canha and was then pulled by manager Joe Girardi after giving up a single to Adam Rosales.  Using ‘ifs and buts’, if Aroldis Chapman had been healthy, the Yankees could have gone to Dellin Betances in that situation but Girardi had no choice but to go to interim setup reliever Tyler Clippard.  

From there, the game fell apart.  Rosales was safe at third following a throwing error by Clippard.  The next batter, Rajai Davis, hit into a fielder’s choice, and Rosales was erased at home.  Davis then stole second, but it didn’t matter because Clippard walked the next batter, Matt Joyce, a .194 hitter.  Jed Lowrie, 3-for-4 on the night, promptly singled to score Davis.  While I understand the rules for why the run was charged to Tanaka, this one was clearly on Clippard.  The next batter, Khris Davis, reached first on an infield single to Gregorius, scoring Joyce.  The Yankees challenged the call at first but lost.  Things could have gotten worse from there as Clippard threw a wild pitch to advance the runners to second and third but Ryan Healy flied out to left to end the inning.

Jonathan Holder replaced Clippard in the top of the ninth inning and was greeted by a single (Trevor Plouffe) and a home run (Stephen Vogt) which put the A’s up 4-0.  He stayed and got the next three outs, but by then the damage had been done.

The Yankees tried to muster a rally in the bottom of the ninth.  They had the bases loaded with just one out for Didi Gregorius.  Didi was unable to get the ball out of the park and the Yankees had to settle for a sac fly to put their first run on the board.  With two outs and the game-tying run still at the plate, Girardi pinch-hit Gary Sanchez for Chase Headley.  Unfortunately, Sanchez delivered the same result that Headley would have, a pop up in the infield to end the game.  

Numerous disappointments with this night.  Obviously, the bullpen.  The Yankees need Aroldis Chapman back.  Since he went on the DL, Betances is the only reliever to step up his game.  The others have regressed from the added work.  Chapman is scheduled to throw catch today if a visit to the doctor goes well so hopefully this is the start of his return.  Matt Holliday was a no-show.  He was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, leaving three runners on base.  Chase Headley is bringing nothing to the table.  He was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, and hasn’t been able to hit for a month as his batting average has fallen to .228.  

I know the calls for Gleyber Torres will soon begin but I think it’s more likely the Yankees would swing a minor trade for a Major League third base replacement at this point.  This is a direct reflection of how poorly the Yankees have drafted for third base.  Miguel Andujar is the organization’s best third baseman and he’s further away than Torres who most likely will be the eventual starter for the Yankees.  In 2011, the year they drafted Greg Bird, the Yankees first pick (51st selection) was Dante Bichette, Jr.  Had Bichette been able to develop, he would have been ready for a job in the Bronx.  As it is, the 24-year-old Bichette is batting .147/.213/.265 for AA-Trenton and is closer to a job outside of Baseball.  I recognize that 2011 was not a strong year for third basemen in general, but with the 292nd pick, the Boston Red Sox chose Travis Shaw who is currently the starting third baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers (9 HR, 34 RBI, .286 BA) .  The Yankees chose a few more third basemen in the 2011 Draft.  Matthew Duran was chosen with the 149th pick (Greg Bird wasn’t chosen until 30 picks later), Zach Wilson was picked 659th, and Connor Mach was the 1409th selection.  All three players are out of baseball.

I think the Yankees are stuck with Headley for the duration of the year.

Credit:  Elsa/Getty Images

The Yankees (27-18) maintained their 2 1/2 game advantage over the Baltimore Orioles, but lost ground with the AL East lead to two games as the hard-charging Boston Red Sox have moved up to second.  Baltimore lost to the very strong Houston Astros, 2-0, while the Red Sox were beating the punchless Seattle Mariners, 3-0.  

Here are the revised pitching match-ups for the remainder of the Oakland series with the scratch of Kendall Graveman yesterday:

SATURDAY

Athletics:  Jharel Cotton (3-4, 5.68 ERA)

Yankees:  CC Sabathia (4-2, 4.62 ERA)

SUNDAY

Athletics:  Andrew Triggs (5-3, 2.77 ERA)

Yankees:  Michael Pineda (5-2, 3.35 ERA)

I would have liked to have seen Sonny Gray this series given the trade rumors but Gray’s turn in the rotation doesn’t come up again until Tuesday in Cleveland.  

Credit:  Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees need to provide some offense today for Sabathia who, hopefully, continues his recent string of quality starts.  This is a series that the Yankees should be winning so if they lose two of three or worse yet, get swept, this will be looked upon as a missed opportunity.  Win the games you are supposed to win.  Apparently, the Red Sox got the memo but the Yankees didn’t.  Turn it around…today. 

Have a great Saturday!  Let’s find ways to beat the A’s!

Top Rookie Disappointments in 2015

Major League Baseball's 2015 season was quickly donned as the Year of the Rookie and the rookies that were called up did not disappoint. From Carlos Correa to Kris Bryant down to the 18 rookies that made their Major League debut in 2015 for the New York Yankees every rookie had an impact, some impacts a ton bigger than others. This is great for baseball, the future of the brand and the future of the game. Not every prospect made the immediate impact that they would have hoped and not every prospect, especially in the Yankees system, had a great 2015 season. The most disappointing prospect seasons are detailed here below.

Tyler Austin had the biggest disappointing season. Austin was thought to be knocking on the door to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and instead ended the season being demoted to Double-A with the Trenton Thunder. Austin did turn heads back in his direction with a strong Arizona Fall League showing but that all came after he was designated for assignment and went unclaimed after being sent off the 4 man roster.

Dante Bichette Jr. was another big draft signing for the New York Yankees and the team has not been rewarded for their patience with Bichette Jr. as of yet. Bichette finished with a .226 batting average and just three home runs in 112 games. Bichette finished in Trenton alongside Austin.

Angel Aguilar (SS) had a great 2014 season with the club hitting .311 with seven home runs in the GCL but injuries hampered much of his 2015 season. Aguilar did not make his debut until April and was forced to learn new positions, second base and third base specifically, which along with the injuries may have led to his .229 batting average in 2015.

Juan De Leon was one of those big international free agent signings out of the Dominican Republic and he did not immediately live up to the hype. It was his first professional season but he did hit just .226 in the Dominican Summer League. De Leon was signed as a "polished" hitter and looked anything but that in 2015. The good news for him though, and the Yankees, is that he's just 18-years old.

Looking Back at 10 Years of Yankees #1 Draft Picks

2006 – Ian Kennedy RHP

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 21

MLB Debut: 2007 

2007 – Andrew Brackman RHP

Round- 1 

Overall Pick- 30

MLB Debut: n/a

2008 – Gerrit Cole - RHP (did not sign)

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 28

MLB Debut: 2013 (Pittsburgh)

2009 – Slade Heathcott - OF

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 29

MLB Debut: 2015

2010 – Cito Culver SS

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 32

MLB Debut: n/a

2011 – Dante Bichette Jr. 3B

Round- Compensation A

Overall Pick- 51 

MLB Debut: n/a

2012 – Ty Hensley RHP

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 30

MLB Debut: n/a

2013 – Eric Jagielo 3B

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 26

MLB Debut: n/a

2014 – Jacob Lindgren LHP

Round- 2nd

Overall Pick- 55

MLB Debut: 2015

2015 – James Kaprielian RHP

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 16

MLB ETA: Late 2016/Early 2017

Yankees Have Added 13 to Spring Training Camp

The New York Yankees have added a total of 13 players to their major league spring training camp this week presumably to help with split squad games and the everyday grind of the schedule. Many "wrongs" have been righted with these call ups although many of these players are expected to go back down as soon as tomorrow. According to the transactions page on Yankees.com the following players have been added to Yankees camp:

LHP Matt Tracy

3B Dante Bichette Jr.

OF Michael O'Neill

OF Taylor Dugas

C Alvaro Noriega

RHP Caleb Cotham

RHP Mark Montgomery

3B Eric Jagielo

RHP Jaron Long

RHP Cesar Vargas

LHP Fred Lewis

SS Tyler Wade

RHP Taylor Garrison

Greedy Pinstripes Top 28 Prospects List: #19

Prospects Month is in full swing and we're already up to our 19th best prospect in the farm system, Dante Bichette Jr. I know I am probably higher on him them most and I almost put Ty Hensley here, or anywhere after him, but I needed to see more from Hensley. I felt the same way about Bichette Jr. coming into the season in 2014 and he bounced back in a big way in my opinion. Disagree if you want but D is #19 for me. 

Here is the write up from Kyle McDaniel on Bichette Jr.:

Dante Bichette, 3B Video: Bichette is the son of the slugger by the same name; Junior came on late in his draft spring out of an Orlando-area high school to be a sandwich round pick. He’s had a hard time since signing of controlling his at times out of control swing that produces above average bat speed and raw power. He’s slowly making progress by having a more controlled two strike approach, but the Yankees would like to see him use that approach on every swing. After some fiddling, he seems to be close to dialing it in, but he has an adjustment period at each level and still hasn’t tapped into his power in games as much as he could. He’s also fringy at third base, with some scouts wanting to move his above average arm to right field, but the Yankees will leave him at third, as they see enough tools to be average with some work.

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19. Dante Bichette Jr. 
20. Domingo German
21. Slade Heathcott
22. Nick Rumbelow
23. Jose Ramirez
24. Ramon Flores
25. Gosuke Katoh
26. Chasen Shreve
27. Taylor Dugas

28. Johnny Barbato

AFL Recap: New York Yankees Edition

The Arizona Fall League wrapped up its regular season this week and the Scottsdale Scorpions will not be headed to the playoffs unfortunately. Here is a final look at the stat lines for the members of the New York Yankees specifically.

Greg Bird - .313/.391/.556/.947 6 HR 21 RBI 31 H

Dante Bichette Jr. - .260/.317/.274/.591 0 HR 11 RBI 19 H

Tyler Austin - .304/.392/.449/.842 2 HR 13 RBI 21 H

Aaron Judge - .278/.377/.467/.844 4 HR 15 RBI 25 H

Eric Jagielo To Miss AFL< Dante Bichette Replaces Him

Eric Jagielo was hit in the face with a fastball in the face in the Instructional League and will require surgery to fix facial fractures. Jagielo is expected to miss six to eight weeks after the HBP and will miss the Arizona Fall League. Dante Bichette Jr. will replace him on the roster.

Five Tampa Yankees selected for 2014 FSL All-Star Team

TAMPA, FL. - The Florida State League announced today their selection for the 2014 North and South All-Star Teams. The 53rd All-Star Game will be played at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 7:05 p.m.

Tampa Yankees Pitcher Daniel Camarena, Infielders Dante Bichette Jr., Eric Jagielo, Zach Wilson and Outfielder Jake Cave, were selected to represent the Tampa Yankees for the North Division Team.

Dan Camarena was selected in the 20th round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego, California. He's started 11 games for the Tampa Yankees this season going 4-3 with a 2.31 ERA. He's pitched 58 and one third innings, striking out 43 batters.

Dante Bichette Jr. received FSL Player of the Week honors for the week of May 19 - 25, 2014. He has a .281 batting average, going 55 for 196 in 55 games. He's hit 14 doubles and seven homeruns with 35 RBI.

Eric Jagielo has a .256 batting average going 40 for 156 with 23 runs scored, eight doubles and ten homeruns. He was selected in the first round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Notre Dame.

Zach Wilson has played for the Tampa Yankees for parts of the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons and was on the DL for the majority of 2013. He was selected in the 21st round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Arizona State University. In 49 games, Wilson has a .298 average, going 45 for 151 with 19 runs scored, seven doubles, three triples and four homeruns.

Jake Cave was selected in the sixth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Kecoughtan High School in Hampton, Virginia. After 55 games, he holds a .309 average going 72 for 233 with 27 runs scored, 12 doubles, three triples, two homeruns and 15 RBI.

The Tampa Yankees are the Single-A Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees. For more information on the Tampa Yankees visit www.tybaseball.com or call (813) 673-3055.

For more information regarding the 2014 Florida State League All-Star Game please visitwww.fslbaseball.com.

Dante Bichette Jr. Named FSL Player of the Week

Tampa, Fla. - The Florida State League named Tampa Yankees Infielder Dante Bichette Jr. Player of the Week today. This honor was for games played May 19 - May 25, 2014.  

  

           Bichette Jr. played in eight (8) games during this span batting .357 with eight (8) hits in 28 plate appearances. He hit one (1) double and three (3) homeruns with 13 RBI's and five (5) runs scored. His OBP was .406 and his slugging average was .714. He currently leads the team in doubles and is second with 30 RBI.      

          This is the fourth year of professional baseball for the 2011 Supplemental Round A (51st overall) First-Year Draft pick from Orlando, FL. He was ranked No. 9 among Yankees prospects by MLB.com entering the 2013 season.

        The Tampa Yankees are the Single-A Advanced Affiliate of the New York Yankees. For more information about the Tampa Yankees call (813) 673-3055 or visit www.tybaseball.com.

Exclusive Interview With Yankees Dante Bichette Jr.

What better way to spend a slow and lazy Sunday morning then reading an interview with Yankees prospect and son of a former Major League player Dante Bichette Jr. right? Today we bring our latest interview as a part of Prospects Month here on the blog with Mr. DB Jr., enjoy!





The Greedy Pinstripes: Dante! How are you sir? How is the family? It's been too long since we've talked.

Dante Bichette Jr.: We are doing great man! Thanks for asking. My dad, my brother and I have been killing it in the weight room the entire offseason, and killing it on the field training. Pops is busy dropping bombs and getting intentionally walked in his mens league games, and Bo is about to start his high school season with a new team that seems like a lot of fun. My mom is "baseballed out" for the meantime. haha

TGP: I don't really need to ask because I follow your stuff on Twitter a lot but how important is family to you?

DBJr: Family is everything. No matter what happens, family will always be there for you and have your back.

TGP: I respect the heck out of you for your faith and being so open about it. How do you think it has helped you in your life and in your career?

DBJr: My relationship with God has become extremely important to me over the past year. I was raised to believe in God, pray every night, try to live like him...etc. But only over this last year have I really taken it upon myself to establish a relationship with him and really dive into his word daily. It took some failure in my life to realize a lot of things. I do know a couple things for certain, the first is that God has had huge plans for me ever since I was a little kid. The second is that he won't let me fulfill what I'm supposed to do unless I am going to be a good light for him to shine through. My agent Bill Rose and his wife have helped me along the way with that. I could go on, but bottom line is that now I know I am more than just a ball player.

TGP: Your dad, Dante Sr., pursuing any other hitting jobs since leaving Colorado?

DBJr: Nope! He is going to be with Bo and I this year. Which I couldn't be any happier about!

TGP: What are you doing this offseason to improve on your 2013 season?

DBJr: I have been in the gym, running sprints, and on the field everyday. I realize the opportunity I have this year is gigantic and I am ready to go!

TGP: What do you do during the offseason to keep yourself occupied?

DBJr: When I'm not doing any sort of training, I either am pwning newbs with Bo (what we call playing video games), or doing something with Morgan, my parents, or my grandparents. Not a whole ton of off time.

TGP: How is the group Navy 58 doing? Are you guys still pursuing the whole music thing as well?

DBJr: Well Mason and I haven't been in the same place for a little while now so haven't had any opportunities to get on the mic. But he did send me a video of some new turn tables he got, so you haven't heard the last of Navy58 ;)

TGP: Favorite restaurant to eat at?

DBJr: Well my favorite food is sushi by far but favorite restaurant is Texas de Brazil.

TGP: How tough is it to be on the road so much and know your girlfriend is at home waiting for you?

DBJr: Well actually she came to a bunch of games last year. Big props and thanks to her for all the driving she did. She definitely deserves some sort of award. I don't think they makes those. haha. But to be honest, it wouldn't be hard at all, all my focus is on the season and getting to the Big Leagues, and she is on board with that 100%. It was in her contract ;)

TGP: I see your a Hunger Games fan, I assume you read the books? How crazy is that last movie (or two more than likely) going to be? It's about go down, lol. 

DBJr: Oh man... Greatest question I've ever been asked. I love the Hunger Games. Even more than I loved Avatar. Which was a lot. I watched the movies first, and am now reading the books so no spoilers!

TGP: Speaking of Hunger Games I was kind of stalking your Twitter for this interview and saw that Christmas dinner spread you had. First off, nice work. Secondly, where was my invite D? Third, do you consider yourself a foodie?

DBJr: Haha! Thanks! I only recently started cooking. My Vovo' and Vovo^ have taught me absolutely every dish I know. Except for my dads famous hot dog sandwich.  

TGP: I think this answer may be obvious but in my time around social media I have noticed there are two kinds of fans when it comes to prospects. You have the "prospect humpers" (myself being a self professed prospect humper) and a name yet to be determined (due to my lack of creativity) describing those who want to sell all the prospects off for the 37 year old "sure thing." Which category do you think yourself as a fan falls into?

DBJr: That's a funny one. I don't actually know if I fall into the "fan" category at all. You can ask Bo. If we ever need to know any stat, score, name, anything he is the one we go to. 

TGP: What current Major League player do you think you compare to the most?

DBJr: In the past I would have gave you an answer, but I really don't think there is a comparison. I could be my own type of player.  When I make it, you'll see what I mean. 

TGP: I know you probably don't think of things like this but how long before you think we could see you in the Major Leagues? I have your ETA down as late 2016, is that accurate?

DBJr: The way things usually work is whenever the higher ups feel a player is Big League ready, they move him fast. I plan to be ready this year. But I don't make the moves so who knows!

TGP: If you could be the Yankees GM for a day what would you do? Don't have to really be realistic here. 

DBJr: Hmmmmmm... I don't think it would be smart for me to answer this one. But I will say I would move Bo Bichette to the top of my Draft Board. That's a no-brainer. 

TGP: We'll finish with this one, where do you see yourself in life and your career in five years?

DBJr: I see myself as a FEARLESS star in the Big leagues. Bringing glory to God with the spot light he has given me every day.

TGP: Like Ty Hensley, and many other Yankees beat writers and prospects, we just wanted to take a second to really thank you for being so gracious and generous with us. There are so many people either in the organization or covering the organization that do not understand the "social" part of social media and you are always active and willing to talk with us. This is the second time we have interviewed you and you are always a pleasure to talk with. I personally appreciate you and I know our readers do too, we just wanted to let you know that. Thank you!

DBJr: Awesome man! No problem. God Bless. 

We want to thank Dante again for taking the time to do this interview and for always taking the time out for his fans, it is appreciated more than you know. You can follow Dante on Twitter by following @DBJr19. I have a real feeling, and remember where you heard it first, this is going to be Dante's breakout season. Between him not letting anyone outwork him and having his father there to guide him all season long I think this will not be the last we have heard from Dante Bichette Jr. this season. 

Charleston's Ninth Inning Rally Comes Up Just Short

RiverDogs score two but strand the bases loaded in the ninth, lose 5-4

CHARLESTON, SC - The Charleston RiverDogs scored four runs in the final two innings, but stranded the bases loaded to the end the game and fell 5-4 to the Rome Braves on Sunday evening in South Atlantic League action in front of 5,217 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park in the penultimate game of the season.

With the loss, the RiverDogs drop to 35-34 in the second half and 74-63 overall. The Braves improve to 37-32 in second half play and 73-65 overall with the victory.

Rome jumped on Charleston's starter Eric Wooten early scoring three runs on four hits and a hit batter in the top of the first inning.

In the top of the third, the Braves plated another run thanks to a single, a walk, and two errors to push their lead to 4-0.

Wooten finished with a final line of six innings, four runs, three earned, six hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. He got tagged with the loss to fall to 2-3.

Charleston couldn't get anything going offensively because Lucas Sims was dominant on the mound for the Braves. Sims gave up just five hits and didn't walk anybody in five shutout innings with seven strikeouts. He earned the win to finish his season 12-4.

The RiverDogs' third error of the game and a base hit led to another run for Rome in the top of the eighth to advance their lead to 5-0.

That's when the Dogs finally got the bats going. A single by Jake Cave and a double by Ty Afenir had runners at second and third with out. A wild pitch brought Cave home, then a base hit by Dante Bichette, Jr. scored Afenir to make it a 5-2 contest.

In the ninth inning, Charleston really made it interesting. Danny Oh led the inning off with a walk. Then back-to-back one out singles by Wes Wilson and Fu-Lin Kuo brought Oh across the plate. Jake Cave then got hit by a pitch to load the bases and move the tying to second base. A wild pitch scored Wilson to make it 5-4. Then with the game on the line, Dante Bichette, Jr. flew out to left field to end the game.

John Brebbia tossed the final three innings for Charleston and allowed one unearned run on four hits to finish up his year.

BALLPARK FUN: It was Irish Heritage Night at the ballpark with the Irish National Anthem playing before first pitch, Irish music and dancing before and during the game, and PA announcer Ken Carrington even donned a kilt for the occasion!

COMING UP: The final game of the season is Monday night at 6:05 at Riley Park! Charleston will start RHP Rookie Davis (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and Rome will counter with RHP Wes Parsons (7-7, 2.78 ERA). We will end the night with a fantastic season finale fireworks show! Come out for the last supper featuring $1 hot dogs and $1 draft beers of always smooth Keystone Light. Fans can purchase tickets at www.riverdogs.com, over the phone at 843/723-7241, or in-person at the Riley Park Box Office. Fans may also listen to the game live locally on ESPN Radio 910AM or online at www.riverdogs.com.

Box Score: http://atmilb.com/17xIhC8

Being posted with permission from the Charleston Riverdogs organization. The original article can be seen HERE. 

Five-Run First Sends Charleston Past Rome

Five-Run First Sends Charleston Past Rome

RiverDogs jump on Braves early for 7-3 win

CHARLESTON, SC - The Charleston RiverDogs rode a five run first inning to a 7-3 victory over the Rome Braves on Saturday in South Atlantic League action in front of 4,222 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

With the win, the RiverDogs advance to 35-33 in the second half and 74-62 overall. The Braves improve to 36-32 in second half play and 72-65 overall with the defeat.

Dante Bichette, Jr. got the scoring started with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning, and Daniel Aldrich later drove in a couple with a double of his own. Two costly errors gave Charleston two more runs to cap off the inning and put the RiverDogs in the lead 5-0 after one inning.

In the second, the Dogs added another run on Ericson Leonora's RBI double to push the lead to 6-0.

It stayed that way until the seventh thanks to an amazing performance by starting pitcher Luis Niebla in his final outing of the season.

Niebla allowed just three hits and walked nobody in six shutout innings to earn the victory and improve to 5-6. Lefty Tyler Webb tossed two innings of relief and gave up three runs on three hits and fanned two. James Pazos closed it out for Charleston with a perfect ninth inning.

Rafael Briceno made the start for Rome and got rocked to the tune of seven hits, six runs, four earned, and three walks. He got tagged with the loss to fall to 5-9.

The first seven batters in the Charleston lineup collected at least one hit. Greg Bird also walked two more times to push his SAL league leading total to 105 on the season.

BALLPARK FUN: The Lowcountry Highrollers roller derby team was in attendance and entertained the crowd during the game all throughout the ballpark. The team even named RiverDogs mascot Chelsea an honorary roller girl at the conclusion of the game on the field. Also, fans may exchange a ticket from Saturday for a ticket to either Sunday or Monday's game free of charge as a thank for handling the traffic and parking issues on Saturday!

COMING UP: Game three of this four game series will see LHP Eric Wooten (2-2, 1.46 ERA) start for Charleston and RHP Lucas Sims (11-4, 2.74 ERA) throw for Rome on Sunday night at Riley Park with first pitched scheduled for 5:05. It is another Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission and Crews Subaru Kids Club Sunday. Every Sunday game features FREE PARKING, members of the Kid's Club get FREE entry to the game and kids eat for FREE (kids 12-under will receive a coupon for a hot dog, Pepsi and chips). Hang out with Charlie, Chelsea and the whole crew as tons of their mascot friends from all over the Lowcountry and beyond take over the park. It is also Irish Heritage Night where we salute all our friends with ties to the Emerald Isle. Fans can purchase tickets at www.riverdogs.com, over the phone at 843/723-7241, or in-person at the Riley Park Box Office. Fans may also listen to the game live locally on ESPN Radio 910AM or online at www.riverdogs.com.

Box Score: http://atmilb.com/18tT67o

Being posted with permission from the Charleston Riverdogs organization. The original article can be seen HERE. 

Braves Batter Charleston Bullpen, Win 8-4

Braves Batter Charleston Bullpen, Win 8-4

RiverDogs can't hold slim lead, fall in series opener

CHARLESTON, SC - The Rome Braves scored five runs in the seventh inning to erase a 3-2 deficit and cruise to an 8-4 win on Friday night over the Charleston RiverDogs in South Atlantic League action in front of 5,768 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

With the loss, the RiverDogs fall to 34-33 in the second half and 73-62 overall. The Braves improve to 36-31 in second half play and 72-64 overall with the win.

Both teams played long ball early with solo homers by Edison Sanchez for Rome and Ericson Leonora for Charleston in the second inning.

Still tied at 1-1 in the top of the fifth, Kyle Wren smacked just his second home run of the year to put the Braves up 2-1.

However, that lead didn't last long because after a walk to Greg Bird, righty slugger Dante Bichette, Jr. slammed his 11th homer of the year. The two-run shot gave the Dogs their first lead of the game, a 3-2 advantage.

RiverDogs' starter Brett Gerritse departed after six solid innings having allowed just four hits, two runs, two walks, and six strikeouts. The two homers were the first two he allowed all year. Gerritse wouldn't factor in the decision.

Righty Victor Beriguete came out of the bullpen to begin the seventh and was no relief for Charleston. In his debut for the Dogs, Beriguete allowed five run, four earned, on three hits, two walks, two wild pitches, and recorded just one out. He got tagged with the loss to fall to 1-0.

Lefty Matt Chaffee was great for Rome out of the bullpen tossing 2.1 scoreless, hitless innings. He walked two and fanned six en route to the win to improve to 2-1.

Greg Bird had another great game for the RiverDogs with three walks and a single. He now has a league leading 103 walks on the season.

BALLPARK FUN: The RiverDogs red, white, and blue digi camo jerseys were auctioned off during the game, and following the completion of the game were handed directly off the team's backs to the fans who purchased them via the silent auction.

COMING UP: Game two of this four game series will see RHP Luis Niebla (4-6, 4.99 ERA) start for Charleston and RHP Rafael Briceno (5-8, 6.34 ERA) throw for Rome on Saturday night at Riley Park with first pitched scheduled for 6:05. It's Roller Derby Night at The Joe! There will be roller derby-themed promotions throughout the night and the Lowcountry Highrollers team will be at the game. The RiverDogs will offer Baseball Bingo with a new twist to the classic game as it will be available to be downloaded as an app to your smartphone so you can follow the action and go for the win simultaneously via your mobile device. Fans can also enjoy craft beer specials that will be on tap including Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, Third Shift Amber Lager and more. The Blood Alliance team will be on-site from 4:30-7:30 pm and everyone who registers to donate will receive a FREE 4-pack of RiverDogs tickets. Plus, kids get the chance to have fun and run the bases after every Saturday home. Fans can purchase tickets atwww.riverdogs.com, over the phone at 843/723-7241, or in-person at the Riley Park Box Office. Fans may also listen to the game live locally on ESPN Radio 910AM or online at www.riverdogs.com.

Box Score: http://atmilb.com/19Uhe6i

Being posted with permission from the Charleston Riverdogs organization. The original article can be seen HERE.