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Thursday, September 11, 2014

Test

Posted on September 11, 2014 at 11:21 PM.

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MLB 13 RTTS Starting Pitcher (Year 3 / GM 19)

Posted on December 11, 2013 at 01:38 PM.

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HAPPEL STRIKES OUT 19 IN MINNESOTA
Youngster Sets 2 Records, Ties 3rd

Tuesday, July 14, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (OS) - On a team filled with historic moments and performances for the ages, Yankees starter Brian Happel hurled one of the greatest outings ever by a player wearing the pinstripes. The 20-year-old righty collected 19 strikeouts en route to a dominating 9-1 victory over the Twins.

From the very first inning, it was clear that this night in Minneapolis was going to be a special one. Happel came out firing on all cylinders by striking out the side in the first inning. He did it again in the second inning. Then, three more batters went down via the K.

A single by Irving Falu to lead off the fourth finally broke up the string of strikeouts. But, Happel set two American League records and tied a Major League record in the process. His 9 consecutive whiffs shattered the previous A.L. high of 8 in a row held by four pitchers. The same accomplishment to start the game also set the standard in the A.L. and tied the Major League record.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: A look at Happel's 9 straight strikeouts to start the game.

"I certainly wasn't going into the game looking to strike everyone out," commented Happel afterwards. "I was just focusing on executing good pitches and trying to get outs. The fact that they were all strikeouts to start the game was great. But, it wouldn't have meant much if we lost. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to have had such a good game, but I'm just as happy, if not more so, that we won."

"That was a pitching clinic and then some," said Yankees Manager Joe Girardi. "You could tell early on that he was on top of his game. By the third inning, I actually wondered if he might just strike out all 27 batters, his stuff was that electric."

As good as Happel was, the single by Falu to start the fourth seemed to rattle the second year starter a bit. He gave up another single to put runners at the corners with nobody out. But, Happel got Justin Morneau to ground into a double play. Falu was able to score from third, but that was the only run the right-hander would allow the rest of the way.

The only other threat came in the fifth, when Happel gave up a lead off triple. But, the runner would stay there after a pop out to first baseman Ryan Howard in foul territory and two more strikeouts.

Happel walks off the mound after yet another inning-ending strikeout. He'd finish with 19, 1 shy of the MLB record for a game.

"As a player in the field, when you're watching something like this, it's just an amazing boost," said Yanks second baseman Robinson Cano. "Brian had a great pace, and you just felt like even if he got into a bases loaded, nobody out jam, he'd find a way out of it without giving up a run. It was just an awesome thing to watch tonight."

Those two K's to end the fifth propelled Happel on another potential record setting journey. Two more batters went down swinging in the sixth and seventh innings. Another strikeout got the youngster to 17 after eight innings. Back-to-back whiffs in the ninth had him within reach of tying the Major League record of 20 in a game held by Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood.

But, Happel would have to settle for second place, as Morneau popped out to end the game. The complete game effort was Happel's third of the season. And, the mind-numbing amount of strikeouts has him on pace for 300 this season. Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson are the last pitchers to reach that milestone, both accomplishing the feat in 2002 with Arizona.

"I'm not worrying about numbers right now. I just want to get outs and help the team win," said Happel. "I'll reflect on any other accomplishments in the offseason. Right now, it's all about winning."

New York Yankees at Minnesota Twins
Jul 14, 2015	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (44-47)	2	0	2	0	2	0	3	0	0	9	13	0
Minnesota (31-59)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	2
W: Brian Happel (9-6) L: Trevor May (2-5)

New York Yankees
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Williams CF	6	1	1	0	0	0	.271
Brignac SS	4	3	2	1	1	0	.230
Cano 2B	5	1	1	2	0	1	.300
Granderson DH	2	2	1	1	3	0	.243
Austin RF	5	1	0	0	0	0	.200
Beltre 3B	5	1	2	1	0	0	.212
Howard 1B	5	0	3	2	0	1	.247
Buck C	4	0	3	2	1	1	.231
Peguero LF	5	0	0	0	0	3	.193
TOTALS	41	9	13	9	5	6
BATTING 2B: J. Buck 2 (6), C. Granderson (20), R. Brignac 2 (13) HR: R. Cano (31) RBI: A. Beltre (28), R. Howard 2 (18), R. Cano 2 (67), J. Buck 2 (9), C. Granderson (59), R. Brignac (22)
FIELDING PB: J. Buck (2)

New York Yankees
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
B. Happel (W, 9-6)	9.0	4	1	1	0	19	2.37
TOTALS	9.0	4	1	1	0	19

Minnesota Twins
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Falu SS	4	1	2	0	0	2	.217
Dozier 2B	4	0	1	0	0	2	.260
Morneau 1B	4	0	0	0	0	2	.239
Plouffe 3B	3	0	0	0	0	2	.245
Arcia RF	3	0	1	0	0	2	.218
Buxton CF	3	0	0	0	0	1	.189
Guyer DH	3	0	0	0	0	3	.227
Ramirez LF	3	0	0	0	0	2	.212
Smith C	3	0	0	0	0	3	.198
TOTALS	30	1	4	0	0	19
BATTING 3B: O. Arcia (2) GIDP: J. Morneau
FIELDING E: T. Plouffe (3), B. Buxton (6)

Minnesota Twins
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
T. May (L, 2-5)	4.1	7	6	6	2	5	4.55
P. Walters	1.2	2	0	0	1	0	5.31
B. Duensing	2.0	3	3	2	2	1	6.75
J. Howell	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	4.47
TOTALS	9.0	13	9	8	5	6

Monday, December 9, 2013

MLB 13 RTTS Starting Pitcher (Year 3 / GM 12)

Posted on December 9, 2013 at 03:43 PM.

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HAPPEL GETS ROCKED IN THE ROCKIES
Yankees Lose 5th Straight

New York Yankees at Colorado Rockies
Jun 5, 2015	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (29-27)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	7	1
Colorado (25-29)	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	X	3	9	1
W: Drew Pomeranz (5-3) L: Brian Happel (6-4) S: Jordan Swagerty (18)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			NYY	COL
COL	2	McBride HOMERED (3) to left, Fowler scored	0	2
COL	4	Arenado GROUNDED OUT 4-3, Fowler scored	0	3
NYY	6	Cano HOMERED (21) to center	1	3

DENVER, Colorado (OS) - The fact that balls fly around Coors Field in Denver is no secret. While Yankees starter Brian Happel didn't get lit up to the extent that some pitchers do, the Rockies still managed to rough him up enough to pull out a 5-3 victory and extend New York's losing streak to five games.

"It's been a tough week for us, no doubt," admitted Yanks Manager Joe Girardi. "We just have not played good baseball. Brian was not terrible out there tonight. I mean, 3 runs will usually be good enough to get a win. But, our bats are just really struggling right now to get anything going."

Dexter Fowler's triple in the fourth set up an insurance run that gave the Rockies a 3 run lead at the time.

The young righty did get knocked around a bit, giving up seven hits without being able to get through the sixth inning. He allowed three extra-base hits, including a 2-run shot to Matt McBride in the second that proved to be enough for Colorado. Happel was still dominating at times, striking out 10 batters along the way. Still, with just the one run coming off the bat of Robinson Cano and his 21st dinger, Happel suffered his fourth loss of the year.

The loss was New York's fifth straight and now drops the team into fourth place in the A.L. East at 29-27, five games back from first place Boston. With the Bronx Bombers getting two days of much needed rest in the schedule next week, Happel will have to wait a week before he takes the mound again at Yankee Stadium against Oakland.

MLB 13 RTTS Starting Pitcher (Year 3 / May 2015 Update)

Posted on December 9, 2013 at 02:36 AM.

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2015 Brian Happel May Starts
DATE	TEAM	DEC	IP	H	R	ER	ERA	BB	K
May 31	VS	Win	9.0	3	1	1	1.00	2	11
May 26	VS	Win	6.0	8	3	3	4.50	1	10
May 21	VS	N/D	6.2	2	0	0	0.00	2	10
May 14	@	Win	8.0	6	1	1	1.13	2	9
May 9	VS	Loss	5.2	4	5	5	7.94	1	7
May 3	@	Win	7.0	8	2	2	2.57	4	7
TOTAL		4-1	42.1	31	12	12	2.55	12	54

MLB Standings - Updated: May 31, 2015
AL EAST	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Boston Red Sox	32	19	---	243	208
New York Yankees	29	22	3.0	229	199
Toronto Blue Jays	27	25	5.5	202	194
Tampa Bay Rays	26	24	5.5	225	228
Baltimore Orioles	21	29	10.5	218	240
AL CENTRAL	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Detroit Tigers	31	19	---	262	205
Kansas City Royals	26	24	5.0	179	189
Chicago White Sox	25	24	5.5	229	248
Cleveland Indians	21	28	9.5	170	216
Minnesota Twins	18	32	13.0	162	203
AL WEST	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Oakland Athletics	30	20	---	228	179
Houston Astros	27	24	3.5	225	212
Los Angeles Angels	26	24	4.0	225	204
Texas Rangers	25	26	5.5	215	196
Seattle Mariners	20	30	10.0	189	223
AL WILD CARD RACE	W	L	GB	RS	RA
New York Yankees	29	22	---	229	199
Houston Astros	27	24	---	225	212
Toronto Blue Jays	27	25	0.5	202	194
Tampa Bay Rays	26	24	0.5	225	228
Los Angeles Angels	26	24	0.5	225	204
Kansas City Royals	26	24	0.5	179	189
Chicago White Sox	25	24	1.0	229	248
NL EAST	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Atlanta Braves	28	22	---	193	176
Washington Nationals	23	27	5.0	204	187
New York Mets	21	29	7.0	167	211
Philadelphia Phillies	21	29	7.0	163	195
Miami Marlins	20	30	8.0	189	221
NL CENTRAL	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Cincinnati Reds	31	20	---	235	178
Chicago Cubs	24	25	6.0	208	191
St. Louis Cardinals	23	27	7.5	177	191
Milwaukee Brewers	22	28	8.5	187	209
Pittsburgh Pirates	21	29	9.5	186	256
NL WEST	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Los Angeles Dodgers	33	17	---	239	160
San Diego Padres	32	18	1.0	205	181
San Francisco Giants	25	26	8.5	192	205
Arizona Diamondbacks	22	26	10.0	185	181
Colorado Rockies	21	28	11.5	169	214
NL WILD CARD RACE	W	L	GB	RS	RA
San Diego Padres	32	18	---	205	181
San Francisco Giants	25	26	---	192	205
Chicago Cubs	24	25	---	208	191
Washington Nationals	23	27	1.5	204	187
St. Louis Cardinals	23	27	1.5	177	191

American League Leaders - Updated: May 31, 2015
Batting Average		AVG	Home Runs		HR
	1. Prince Fielder	.369		1. Robinson Cano	19
	2. Dustin Pedroia (BOS)	.343		2. Chris Davis (BAL)	18
	3. Evan Longoria (TB)	.331		3. Mike Trout (LAA)	14
	4. Jose Altuve (HOU)	.331		4. Prince Fielder (DET)	14
	5. Mike Moustakas (KC)	.328		5. 2 Tied at	13
Runs Batted In		RBI	Stolen Bases		SB
	1. Prince Fielder	52		1. Jose Altuve	14
	2. Robinson Cano (NYY)	46		2. Dustin Pedroia (BOS)	12
	3. Evan Longoria (TB)	45		3. Michael Bourn (CLE)	12
	4. Chris Davis (BAL)	43		4. Brian Dozier (MIN)	12
	5. Austin Jackson (DET)	40		5. 4 Tied at	10
Wins		W	Saves		SV
	1. Jered Weaver	8		1. Joel Hanrahan	18
	2. Anibal Sanchez (DET)	8		2. Jose Veras (HOU)	17
	3. Jordan Lyles (HOU)	7		3. Addison Reed (CWS)	16
	4. Ivan Nova (NYY)	7		4. Edward Mujica (TB)	14
	5. BRIAN HAPPEL (NYY)	6		5. Greg Holland (KC)	14
Earned Run Average		ERA	Strikeouts		K
	1. Jeff Samardzija	1.51		1. BRIAN HAPPEL	94
	2. Jered Weaver (LAA)	2.04		2. Jeff Samardzija (LAA)	78
	3. Matt Cain (TEX)	2.11		3. Yu Darvis (TEX)	78
	4. C.C. Sabathia (NYY)	2.17		4. Trevor Bauer (CLE)	76
	5. Brett Anderson (MIN)	2.30		5. Jered Weaver (LAA)	75

Sunday, December 8, 2013

MLB 13: RTTS Starting Pitcher (Year 3 / GM 10)

Posted on December 8, 2013 at 11:45 PM.

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HAPPEL BATTLES FOR 5TH WIN OF SEASON
Yankees Slip Past Rival Red Sox

TUESDAY 05/26 - FINAL
TEAM	R	H	E
	3	11	0	� BOS (28-19) � NYY (26-20)
	7	10	1	� BOS (28-19) � NYY (26-20)

Tuesday, May 26, 2015
BRONX, New York (OS) - It was utter domination combined with a frustrating struggle for Yankees starter Brian Happel, who gave up 8 hits in 6 innings, but also struck out 10 on the way to his 5th win of the season.

"It's not how I drew that one up, but a win is a win," admitted Happel, who improved to 5-3 on the season and leads the American League in strikeouts with 83. "There are definitely things I can improve on, I missed a lot of spots, so that's what I'll be focusing on before my next start."

The win improves the Yankees to 26-20 on the season and moves them to within 1.5 games of the division-leading Red Sox.

GAME HIGHLIGHT REEL

MLB 13 The Show: RTTS Starting Pitcher Career (Year 3/GM 9

Posted on December 8, 2013 at 09:23 PM.

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HAPPEL CAN'T DODGE NO-DECISION, LA STEALS WIN

Wednesday, May 20, 2015
BRONX, New York (OS) - Despite a brilliant performance by Yankees starter Brian Happel, the Dodgers come from behind with an eighth inning explosion to earn a split in the Interleague series with a 5-3 victory.

It's been the same story all season long for Happel, who has continued to come out and dominate in many starts but does not get much offensive support and ends up losing or taking a no-decision because of a bullpen blowup. On this night, the young righthander hurled 6 and 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while collecting 10 strikeouts.

"That's just one of those things where you don't have any control over it, so you can't worry about it," said Happel. "I am just trying to stay focused on what I'm doing and make sure I keep my team in the game and give them a chance to win."

The 20-year-old flamethrower actually got some early support and a lead to work with. It came off the bat of Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano in the bottom of the first inning. Reid Brignanc had already singled to left with one out when Cano blasted his 13th dinger of the season out to the short porch in right field to give the Bronx Bombers a 2-0 advantage.

Happel made that lead hold while dodging a couple of Los Angeles scoring chances. In the fourth inning, he struck out Alex Gordon, but Gordon still reached first base on what was ruled a wild pitch from a Happel fastball. Matt Kemp followed with a ringing single to left, putting runners at first and second with just one out. But, Adrian Gonzalez went down swinging for a big second out, and then Happel got Andre Ethier to fly out to left and escape unscathed.

Happel gets David Wright looking, one of 10 strikeouts on the night.

In the fifth inning, an error and a single with two outs had the Dodgers threatening once again. But, once again, Happel came through by forcing a groundout to end the inning.

"You have to give him a lot of credit," said New York Manager Joe Girardi. "Brian really steps it up when he gets in trouble. He's got ice water in his veins, and that's really impressive for a pitcher who is so young like he is. It's unfortunate we couldn't hold it for him."

The second year starting pitcher finally got knocked out in the seventh inning after issuing back-to-back walks with two outs that included a few close pitches not going Happel's way.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel shows that he can field his position, jumping off the mound to grab a grounder and throw the runner out at first.

"That was certainly frustrating. I at least wanted to finish out the inning, and I really felt like I had the corner on a couple of those pitches. But, the umpire disagreed, and he's the one that matters when it comes down to it."

Shawn Kelley came in and got the final out to keep the lead in tact. But, after struggling all game long to get any offense going, L.A. exploded in the eighth with 5 runs. Three of them came off the bat of Andre Ethier to give the Dodgers the lead for good.

2015 Brian Happel Career Interleague Stats - Pitching
DIVISION	G	IP	W-L	PCT	R	ER	ERA	QS	BB	BB/9	K	K/9	AVG	H/9	WHIP
N.L. West	4	24.1	1-2	.333	7	5	1.85	3	3	1.11	29	10.73	.235	8.51	1.07

The comeback capped off another frustrating Interleague outing for Happel. Despite posting an ERA under 2.00 and striking out 29 batters in 24 and 1/3 innings, the 20-year-old still only has a 1-2 record. All of those numbers come against the National League West.

Next Start \| May 26, 2015
	@
Jon Lester \| Boston (3-3 4.39 60 K 24 BB, Away)		Brian Happel \| NY Yankees (4-3 2.34 73 K 9 BB, Home)

As for Happel, his next start will come on the hill at Yankee Stadium against New York's hated rivals, the Boston Red Sox. The start could be a key one in the young season, as the Yanks trail the Sox by 3 games in the A.L. East right now. It also promises to be a huge pitching matchup, with Boston likely countering with veteran Jon Lester.

Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Yankees
May 20, 2015	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Los Angeles (26-14)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	5	7	0
New York (22-19)	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	9	1
W: Shawn Tolleson (4-2) L: Boone Logan (2-1) S: Jim Johnson (10)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			LAD	NYY
NYY	1	Cano HOMERED (13) to right, Brignac scored	0	2
LAD	8	Kemp SINGLED to left, Rodriguez scored	1	2
LAD	8	Ethier HOMERED (5) to right, Gordon and Gonzalez scored	4	2
LAD	8	Ellis BASES LOADED WALK, Ramirez scored	5	2
NYY	8	Granderson HOMERED (5) to right	5	3

Los Angeles Dodgers
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Rodriguez 2B	5	1	1	0	0	1	.239
Gordon LF	4	1	0	0	1	1	.296
Kemp CF	5	0	2	1	0	2	.288
Gonzalez 1B	5	1	0	0	0	2	.291
Ethier RF	5	1	1	3	0	1	.304
Ramirez SS	4	1	1	0	0	1	.353
Wright 3B	3	0	1	0	1	1	.273
Coyle DH	2	0	0	0	2	1	.214
Ellis C	3	0	1	1	1	0	.212
TOTALS	36	5	7	5	5	10
BATTING HR: A. Ethier (5) RBI: M. Kemp (24), A. Ethier 3 (28), A. Ellis (11)
BASERUNNING SB: H. Ramirez (5)

Los Angeles Dodgers
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Z. Britton	5.2	6	2	2	3	3	3.74
S. Tolleson (W, 4-2)	1.1	0	0	0	0	3	2.61
K. Jansen	0.0	1	1	1	0	0	2.60
A. Liberatore (H, 2)	1.0	1	0	0	1	1	4.15
J. Johnson (SV, 10)	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	4.22
TOTALS	9.0	9	3	3	4	8

New York Yankees
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Williams CF	3	0	0	0	2	2	.285
Brignac SS	5	1	1	0	0	1	.243
Cano 2B	4	1	3	2	1	0	.282
Granderson DH	4	1	1	1	0	1	.226
Beltre 3B	4	0	1	0	0	0	.246
Austin RF	4	0	2	0	0	2	.183
Howard 1B	3	0	1	0	0	0	.261
Cervelli PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	.325
LaRoche 1B	0	0	0	0	0	0	.330
Buck C	3	0	0	0	1	0	.164
Peguero LF	3	0	0	0	0	1	.207
Rodriguez PH-LF	1	0	0	0	0	1	.233
TOTALS	35	3	9	3	4	8
BATTING 2B: R. Howard (4), T. Austin (7) HR: R. Cano (13), C. Granderson (5) RBI: R. Cano 2 (34), C. Granderson (23) HBP: C. Granderson
FIELDING E: A. Beltre (2)

New York Yankees
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
B. Happel	6.2	2	0	0	2	10	2.34
S. Kelley (H, 3)	0.1	2	2	2	1	0	6.12
B. Logan (L, 2-1)	0.1	2	3	3	0	0	2.33
P. Neshek	0.0	1	0	0	2	0	6.86
R. Montero	1.2	0	0	0	0	0	0.89
TOTALS	9.0	7	5	5	5	10
PITCHING WP: B. Happel (2)

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

MLB 13 The Show: RTTS Starting Pitcher Career (Year 3/GM 1)

Posted on November 26, 2013 at 12:00 AM.

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HAPPEL DOMINATES, YANKS WALK OFF ON OPENING DAY

April 7, 2015
Bronx, New York (OS) - It doesn't get much better than this for a start to the season, at least from the average fan's perspective. Pitching prevailed in this low-scoring affair, as the Yankees were able to slip past Minnesota in dramatic fashion with a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the tenth inning.

"That's not exactly how we drew it up before the game," admitted Yanks Manager Joe Girardi. "But hey, a win is a win. We'll certainly take it!"

It all started when Mason Williams was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Reid Brignac was retired on a fly out. Robinson Cano singled to put runners at the corners with one out. That set the stage for Curtis Granderson, who singled to left to bring Williams home with the game-winning run.

"We certainly have a lot of baseball to play, but tonight was definitely awesome," said Granderson. "I'm glad we were able to pull this one out for the fans, and that we were able to pull it out for Brian (Happel). He was just unbelievable. Hopefully we can start scoring some more runs for him."

Right-hander Brian Happel records his first strikeout of the season in the bottom of the second.

In fact, Yankees starter Brian Happel was lights out through the first six innings. The second year flamethrower made his first Opening Day start, but any potential nerves didn't seem to phase him. Happel racked up eight strikeouts without issuing any walks. He also only allowed four hits off Minnesota bats. And, the only run the youngster gave up actually came AFTER he was taken out of the game.

Girardi sent Happel out to start the seventh. But, the 20-year-old gave up an infield single on a scorcher that was stopped by a diving Andy LaRoche. Unfortunately, LaRoche dropped the ball on the transfer to throw, and the runner was safe. Girardi came out to get Happel, and Eury de la Rosa promptly walked the next batter and gave up an RBI single to tie the game at one.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel collects K's in bunches against the Twins on Opening Night.

"That's entirely on me," said Happel. "I didn't make a good pitch to my guy in the seventh, and he reached because of it. Andy did everything he could to save my butt, it just didn't work out. Frankly, none of that matters. What matters is that we were able to come back and get the win. That's all I care about."

De la Rosa recovered after that, and the bullpen held the Twins off of the scoreboard the rest of the way, allowing Granderson and company to eventually work their magic at the plate in the 10th.

The two teams will be back at it tomorrow night at the Stadium. C.C. Sabathia gets the nod for New York, while Minnesota counters with Vance Worley. Happel will have to wait until Sunday to get back on the mound and try for his first win of the season.

Next Start \| April 12, 2015
	@
Brandon Morrow \| Toronto (1-0 1.17, 7 K, 1 BB)		Brian Happel \| NY Yankees (0-0 1.50, 8 K, 0 BB)

Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees
Apr 7, 2015	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Extras	R	H	E
Minnesota (0-1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	8	1
New York (1-0)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	9	0
W: Shawn Kelley (1-0) L: David Aardsma (0-1)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			MIN	NYY
NYY	1	Peguero SAC FLY to center, LaRoche scored	0	1
MIN	7	Buxton SINGLED to left, Plouffe scored	1	1
NYY	10	Granderson SINGLED to left, Williams scored	1	2

Minnesota Twins
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Falu SS	5	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Dozier 2B	4	0	2	0	0	0	.500
Morneau 1B	4	0	0	0	0	2	.000
Plouffe 3B	4	1	3	0	0	1	.750
Kepler LF	3	0	0	0	1	3	.000
Arcia RF	3	0	0	0	0	2	.000
Buxton CF	4	0	2	1	0	0	.500
Laird DH	4	0	0	0	0	2	.000
Ruiz C	4	0	1	0	0	0	.250
TOTALS	35	1	8	1	1	11
BATTING RBI: B. Buxton (1) SAC: O. Arcia GIDP: B. Laird
BASERUNNING SB: B. Dozier 2 (2) CS: I. Falu (1)
FIELDING E: I. Falu (1)

Minnesota Twins
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
B. Anderson	8.0	6	1	1	2	8	1.13
D. Aardsma (L, 0-1)	1.1	3	1	1	0	2	6.75
TOTALS	9.1	9	2	2	2	10

New York Yankees
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
Williams CF	4	1	2	0	0	1	.500
Brignac SS	5	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Cano 2B	4	0	2	0	1	1	.500
Granderson DH	5	0	1	1	0	2	.200
Austin RF	4	0	1	0	0	1	.250
Romine C	3	0	1	0	1	1	.333
Schafer PR	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Cervelli C	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
LaRoche 3B	3	1	1	0	0	0	.333
Howard 1B	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Rodriguez 1B	4	0	1	0	0	1	.250
Peguero LF	3	0	0	1	0	2	.000
TOTALS	35	2	9	2	2	10
BATTING 2B: T. Austin (1) RBI: C. Peguero (1), C. Granderson (1) HBP: M. Williams SF: C. Peguero SAC: A. LaRoche GIDP: R. Brignac

New York Yankees
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
B. Happel	6.0	4	1	1	0	8	1.50
E. de la Rosa (BS, 1)	2.0	2	0	0	1	1	0.00
S. Kelley (W, 1-0)	2.0	2	0	0	0	2	0.00
TOTALS	10.0	8	1	1	1	11

Monday, November 25, 2013

MLB 13 The Show: RTTS Starting Pitcher Career (Year 3)

Posted on November 25, 2013 at 03:05 PM.

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HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL: HAPPEL, YANKS RETURN TO FLORIDA
Fans, Team Searching for Better Season in 2015

February 14, 2015
TAMPA, Florida (OS) - Pitchers and catchers reported for Spring Training today at George Steinbrenner field in Tampa looking forward to a new season and, hopefully, a much better 2015. Among those doing everything they can to forget about last year's horrible season and look ahead to this year was second year starting pitcher Brian Happel. The 20-year-old right-hander has been in Tampa training for several weeks now.

"Honestly, I just couldn't wait to get back. Last season was tough for all of us. But, that's in the past. I want to do whatever I can to make sure I'm prepared for the new year, and help my teammates get ready, as well."

Happel had a banner year as a rookie, leading the league in both ERA (2.14) and WHIP (0.92). He also had an eye popping 223 strikeouts and finished second in voting for American League Rookie of the Year in his inaugural campaign. C.C. Sabathia returns for a potentially lethal one-two punch at the top of the rotation, and Robinson Cano is looked as good as ever last year. But, in an offseason in which New York was unusually quiet, many are wondering how this year can be different.

"We're looking for big things from some young guys we've got coming up. Plus, with Brian, C.C. and Robbie, we think we've got a good core. I think we'll be much more competitive than last year," said Yanks skipper Joe Girardi.

MLB Major Free Agent Signings
POS	PLAYER	TEAM	YEARS	MONEY
C	Buster Posey	Boston Red Sox	1	$4.1 Mil.
SS	Elvis Andrus	Tampa Bay Rays	3	$10.5 Mil.
SP	Brett Anderson	Minnesota Twins	5	$23.3 Mil.
1B	Paul Goldschmidt	Milwaukee Brewers	1	$12.6 MIl.
SS	Troy Tulowitzki	Cincinnati Reds	8	$131 Mil.

There were clearly a few blockbuster deals in the offseason around the majors, including the signings of Buster Posey in Boston and Troy Tulowitzki in Cincinnati. One thing the Bronx Bombers were able to do was lock up Happel for a few years, anyway. The team signed its young ace to a three-year, $1.5 million deal in mid-November. One thing to look for this Spring is the pitcher's development of the slider. He says he learned it during the winter and had an incredible teacher: Randy Johnson, one of the best to throw a slider ever from the left side.

Brian Happel Pitch Ratings
PITCH	VEL	CTL	BRK	STATUS
4 Seam FB	99	92	93
Curveball	94	92	91
Circle Change	89	91	92
Slider	77	78	77

Expect Happel to continue working on that slider, which right now tops out at a ridiculous 91 miles per hour, all part of plan to devastate hitters even further in 2015. As for the rest of the Yankees squad, time will tell.

MLB 13 The Show: RTTS Starting Pitcher Career - Stats and Ratings

Posted on November 25, 2013 at 01:47 AM.

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Brian Happel Career Stats - Pitching
YEAR	GP	IP	W-L	ERA	QS	CG	SO	BB	K	H	AVG	WHIP	HR	SLG	OBP
2014 (NYY)	38	214.2	12-9	2.14	26	2	2	26	223	172	.215	0.92	12	.312	.242

Brian Happel Overall Ratings
OVR	STA	PCL	H/9	HR/9	K/9	BB/9	CTL	VEL	BRK	FLD	STR	ACC	REAX
99	76	76	76	76	92	78	88	99	93	34	62	61	36

MLB 13 The Show: RTTS Starting Pitcher Career Intro

Posted on November 25, 2013 at 01:36 AM.

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After a long hiatus, I'm coming back to do a Dynasty - in this case, a Road to the Show starting pitcher career. I've already started it up and in fact just completed my 1st year in the big leagues. Below are some of the specific details. I'll begin adding stories as we go along. Hope you enjoy and feel free to give feedback or comment on my player's progress.

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2014: Lead American League in ERA (2.14) and WHIP (0.92)
2nd in American League Rookie of the Year voting
August 6, 2013 - Made AAA Debut for Scranton Wilkes-Barre
July 31, 2013 - Traded from Philadelphia Phillies to New York Yankees
July 14, 2013 - Played in Futures All-Star Game
July 10, 2013 - Played in AA All-Star Game
April 8, 2013 - Debuted at AA Reading

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Phillies Franchise 6/30/11 Update

Posted on September 6, 2011 at 12:13 PM.

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Philadelphia, PA (AP) - After being red hot for much of June, the Phillies offense seems to be running out of gas before the All-Star break, as Boston beats the Phils 4-3 in the rubber match of the series.

Philadelphia just couldn't seem to solve the Red Sox young starter, Jason Bergmann, who is filling in for the injured Clay Buchholz. Bergmann was flat out dominant, holding the Fightins' to just three hits over 7 innings, while striking out six batters.

"He really had good stuff working out there," said Chase Utley. "He may be young, but he didn't pitch like it today. Give him credit. We couldn't make the adjustments we needed as the game went on."

Chase Utley finally put the Phils on the board in the 7th with his 21st home run of the year.

Utley was actually one of the few Phillies who accomplished anything at the plate against Bergmann. He hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning that tied the score at two. However, he only really got that chance because of an error that allowed Placido Polanco to reach.

The Phillies bullpen has been struggling lately, as well. As soon as Philadelphia tied the game up, David Herndon gave the lead right back to Boston. In the top of the eighth, Carl Crawford led off with a stinging double to the gap in left center field. Then, J.D. Drew smashed a shot over the wall in right field for a 4-2 advantage. That was paricularly frustrating for Phillies fans, who constantly boo Drew every chance they get for him refusing to sign with the team when the organization originally drafted him.

"David's (Herndon) been having some trouble as of late," admitted manager Charlie Manuel. "But, he's not going to get better if he doesn't get put in some tight spots. He didn't do too good this time, but that doesn't mean he won't come in and strike out the side next time."

The Phillies came close to cashing in on more late-inning magic against Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, however.

In the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Howard cut the deficit to one with a massive solo home run to left center field. Raul Ibanez worked a walk and Shane Victorino reached with a single. That brought Ross Gload to the plate. He crushed a ball down the right field line, trying to wave it fair a la Carlton Fisk in game 6 of the 1975 World Series. But, it was not to be, as the ball just sailed foul.

"I really thought I had another one," said Gload. "I knew I got all of it, it was just a matter of whether it would stay fair. Unfortunately, it did not."

Gload hit an unprobably walk-off home run a couple weeks prior against Florida, and he just missed doing it again. Instead, he settled for a walk to load the bases, putting the winning run in scoring position with just one out. But, Papelbon got Carlos Ruiz to ground into a double play to end the game.

The Phils "D" helped Cliff Lee early. Here, Jed Lowrie is thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple in the third inning.

"It looked like it was going to sneak through up the middle. But, Pedroia made a nice play. Too bad, that would've been a real nice win for us."

Despite a 19-7 record in June, the Fightins' enter July having gained just one game on second place Atlanta. The Braves sit just four games back. Just when it seemed the Phils were going to run away with the division, they've come back to Earth a little bit.

"There's still a lot of baseball left to play," said Manuel. "But, if we keep fighting like we do, we'll be fine."

Phillies fans did witness a bit of history during the game. Ryan Howard picked up career hit number 1,000.

"It's nice to get a milestone like that in front of the fans. But honestly, I'm really disappointed that we lost. The hit thing is a significant accomplishment, but it doesn't mean as much when you lose. I'd easily have gone hitless if it meant we could've won today," said Howard afterwards.

The Phils fans are hoping to see Howard mark another milestone before season's end. He's just 18 homers shy of 300 for his career.

Philadelphia wraps up interleague play with a trip to Toronto in a rematch of the 1993 World Series. We'll just leave it at that. The Phillies then travel to Florida for a three-game set with the Marlins and finish up at home against Atlanta before the All-Star break.

FULL BOX SCORE

Saturday, April 9, 2011

RTTS (MLB Season 1) 8/4/2012

Posted on April 9, 2011 at 11:08 PM.

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BULLPEN BLOWS ANOTHER ONE

Cleveland, OH (AP) - Fans may have expected growing pains this season with so many young players on the squad. But, this is starting to get downright frustrating for many. Cleveland gave up two more runs in the 9th inning to lose against Texas 4-2 at Progressive field. The weather was gloomy, which was probably appropriate given the way the entire team played yesterday. Matt LaPorta was the one bright spot, smacking a two-run home run to tie the game at two in the bottom of the sixth. However, Moylan once again couldn't hold it in the ninth. Indians right fielder Brian Happel had his worst game of his young Major League career, going 0-4 with 2 strikeouts. Moreland came through in the clutch for the Rangers, knocking in the go-ahead runs with a 2 RBI double in the ninth. The win brings Texas back up to the .500 mark. The teams close out their series this afternoon at Progressive field.

TEX at CLE - Progressive Field
Aug 4, 2012	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Texas Rangers (54-54)	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	2	4	11	1
Cleveland Indians (43-65)	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	6	1
W: O'Day (6-2) L: Moylan (2-5) S: N. Feliz (34)

Texas Rangers
HITTERS	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	HR	AVG
Andrus SS	3	1	2	0	1	1	0	.325
Kinsler 2B	4	1	1	1	1	2	0	.271
Moreland 1B	5	0	2	2	0	0	0	.258
Hamilton LF	5	0	1	0	0	2	0	.225
Cruz RF	5	1	2	0	0	3	0	.239
Grissom DH	4	0	1	1	0	0	0	.227
Mench CF	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	.242
Davis PH-CF	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	.315
Russo 3B	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.214
Beltre PH-3B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.241
Laird C	3	1	0	0	1	1	0	.218
TEAM TOTALS	36	4	11	4	3	9	0
BATTING: 2B: Kinsler, Moreland 3B: Cruz RBI: Kinsler, Moreland 2, Grissom SAC: Andrus, Russo
BASERUNNING: SB: Andrus 2, Davis
FIELDING: E: Kinsler

Cleveland Indians
HITTERS	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	HR	AVG
Cabrera SS	3	0	0	0	1	1	0	.279
Young 3B	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	.277
Santana C	3	0	0	0	1	2	0	.272
HAPPEL RF	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.375
Hafner 1B	4	1	1	0	0	0	0	.285
LaPorta DH	4	1	1	2	0	1	1	.245
Grimsley LF	4	0	0	0	0	1	0	.221
Rodney CF	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	.352
Theriot 2B	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	.255
TEAM TOTALS	32	2	6	2	2	7	1
BATTING: HR: M. LaPorta RBI: M. LaPorta 2
BASERUNNING: CS: Rodney
FIELDING: E: Theriot

Texas Rangers
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Marquis	7.0	6	2	0	2	4		5.79
O'Day (W, 6-2)	1.0	0	0	0	0	2		2.85
Feliz (S, 34)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1		1.41
TEAM TOTALS	9.0	6	2	0	2	7

Cleveland Indians
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Leary	5.1	8	2	2	2	4		5.53
Infante	1.2	1	0	0	0	3		3.85
Rivera	1.0	1	0	0	0	1		3.44
Moylan (L, 2-5)	0.1	1	2	1	1	0		3.49
Perez	0.2	0	0	0	0	1		3.74
TEAM TOTALS	9.0	11	4	3	3	9

RTTS (MLB Season 1) 8/2/2012

Posted on April 9, 2011 at 10:24 PM.

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INDIANS OFFENSE SPUTTERS, ANOTHER EXTRA INNINGS LOSS

Cleveland, OH (AP) - The Indians bullpen struggles continued at Progressive Field, giving up 3 runs in the 10th inning to lead to a 4-1 defeat against Texas. Jair Jurrjens was solid on the hill for Cleveland, going 7.2 innings and giving up just 3 hits and 1 earned run. He's been solid all year, posting a 3.08 ERA, which is impressive considering he's pitching in the American League. The one run he gave up was in the eighth on an RBI double. "We just didn't give him enough offense." said Manager Manny Acta in his post game press conference. "We got a nice run in the first, but couldn't do anything after that. You can't win games scoring one run and getting just 4 hits."

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel was the only bright spot on offense, knocking in a run in the 1st inning

The one run Cleveland did get came on an RBI single to right by Brian Happel in the bottom of the first inning. He had a good game, hitting 2-4 at the plate. He did strikeout once, however. Cleveland and Texas hook up for game two of the series later tonight at Progressive Field. Justin Masterson will start for the Tribe, while Jeff Francis takes the hill for Texas.

TEX at CLE - Progressive Field
Aug 2, 2012	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Texas Rangers ()	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	4	8	0
Cleveland Indians (42-64)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0
W: T. Sipp (5-3) L: G. Infante (0-1) S: N. Feliz (33)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			TEX	CLE
	1	HAPPEL SINGLE to right field, Theriot scores	0	1
	8	Davis DOUBLED to center field, Andrus scores	1	1
	10	Moreland SINGLED to center field, Andrus scores	2	1
	10	Hamilton HOMERED to right field, Moreland and Hamilton score	4	1

Texas Rangers
HITTERS	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	HR	AVG
Andrus SS	4	2	1	0	1	0	0	.322
Davis CF	4	0	1	1	1	1	0	.312
Moreland 1B	4	1	2	1	1	0	0	.257
Hamilton LF	5	1	1	2	0	3	1	.226
Cruz RF	4	0	0	0	1	0	0	.238
Beltre 3B	5	0	0	0	0	3	0	.244
Grissom DH	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	.224
Martin C	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	.226
Kinsler PR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.274
Laird C	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.226
Russo 2B	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	.218
TEAM TOTALS	38	4	8	4	4	7	1
BATTING: 2B: R. Davis (34) HR: J. Hamilton (13) RBI: J. Hamilton 2 (52), M. Moreland (63), R. Davis (54)
BASERUNNING: SB: E. Andrus (58), N. Cruz (11), K. Russo (5)

Cleveland Indians
HITTERS	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	HR	AVG
Theriot 2B	4	1	1	0	0	1	0	.252
Young 3B	3	0	0	0	1	1	0	.278
Hafner 1B	3	0	0	0	1	1	0	.286
HAPPEL RF	4	0	2	1	0	1	0	.500
Brown LF	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	.247
LaPorta DH	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	.245
Ross C	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	.337
Rodney CF	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	.323
Valbuena SS	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.245
Grimsley PH-SS	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.225
TEAM TOTALS	31	1	4	1	5	4	0
BATTING: 2B: M. LaPorta (13), R. Theriot (15) RBI: B. HAPPEL (3) GIDP: O. Rodney

Texas Rangers
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Myers	6.0	3	1	1	2	3		5.18
Camp	2.0	0	0	0	1	0		5.15
Sipp (W, 5-3)	1.0	1	0	0	1	1		1.33
Feliz (S, 33)	1.0	0	0	0	1	0		1.44
TEAM TOTALS	10.0	4	1	1	5	4

Cleveland Indians
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
J. Jurrjens	7.2	3	1	1	2	6		3.09
P. Moylan (BS, 5)	0.1	1	0	0	1	0		3.33
J. Germano	0.2	1	0	0	1	0		5.73
G. Infante (L, 0-1)	0.2	2	2	2	0	0		4.50
C. Rivera	0.2	1	1	1	0	1		3.56
TEAM TOTALS	10.0	8	4	4	4	7

RTTS (MLB Season 1) 8/1/2012

Posted on April 9, 2011 at 08:50 PM.

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CLEVELAND BLOWS LEAD LATE, WINS IN EXTRA INNINGS

Minneapolis, MN (AP) - The Cleveland Indians haven't made things easy for themselves all season long, and yesterday was no different. The Tribe took a lead early, gave it up, pulled ahead again, only to blow it in the bottom of the ninth. But, the Indians managed to pull it out in extra innings to avoid the sweep in Minnesota, winning 8-6 in 12 innings. One of the bright spots was right fielder Brian Happel, who got the first start of his Major League career. Happel performed well at the dish, going 2-5 and drawing a walk. "It felt good to get my first start under the belt. What a game, I'm glad we were able to pull it out late! We just have to keep looking for ways to get better every game and hold on to those leads better late." The Indians come back home for a 7 game homestand, hosting Texas and then Seattle.

CLE at MIN - Target Field
Aug 1, 2012	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	R	H	E
Cleveland Indians (42-63)	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	8	12	3
Minnesota Twins (65-40)	0	0	4	0	0	2	0	0	0	6	8	1

Cleveland Indians
HITTERS	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	HR	AVG
Cabrera SS	6	3	3	0	0	0	0	.284
Young 3B	6	1	1	0	0	1	0	.279
Santana C	3	1	1	2	1	0	0	.272
HAPPEL RF	5	0	2	0	1	0	0	.500
Hafner 1B	5	2	2	3	0	2	1	.289
LaPorta DH	5	0	1	1	1	1	0	.245
Rodney LF	4	1	1	1	1	1	0	.357
Theriot 2B	4	0	1	1	1	2	0	.251
Francis CF	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.244
Grimsley PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.226
TEAM TOTALS	43	8	12	8	5	9	1
BATTING: 2B: Cabrera, LaPorta, Rodney HR: Hafner RBI: Santana 2, Hafner 3, LaPorta, Rondey, Theriot SF: Santana 2, Hafner
BASERUNNING: SB: Santana CS: Theriot
FIELDING: E: Cabrera 2, Theriot

Minnesota Twins
HITTERS	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	HR	AVG
Span CF	6	0	1	0	0	0	0	.327
Kubel RF	5	1	0	0	1	0	0	.250
Morneau 1B	6	1	1	0	0	1	0	.281
Jones LF	4	0	1	0	1	1	0	.262
Johnson 2B	4	1	1	2	1	1	0	.329
Sweeney DH	5	2	3	2	0	1	1	.269
Escobar SS	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	.243
Mauer PH	1	1	1	2	0	0	1	.297
Cortez SS	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.277
Cuddyer 3B	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250
Butera C	5	0	0	0	0	2	0	.134
TEAM TOTALS	45	6	8	6	3	8	2
BATTING: 2B: Morneau, Jones, Sweeney HR: Sweeney, Mauer RBI: Johnson 2, Sweeney 2, Mauer 2 GIDP: Morneau, Escobar

Cleveland Indians
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Gomez	6.0	5	4	4	2	4		6.08
Rivera (H, 4)	1.0	1	0	0	0	1		3.33
Moylan (H, 7)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1		3.35
Perez (BS, 4)	0.0	2	2	2	0	0		3.81
Perez (W, 7-7)	4.0	0	0	0	1	2		6.66
TEAM TOTALS	12.0	8	6	6	3	8

Minnesota Twins
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Maine	4.2	7	5	5	2	2		3.16
Blackburn	2.1	2	1	1	0	2		2.48
Jansen	3.0	1	0	0	1	3		3.69
Balfour (L, 0-2)	1.2	1	2	0	2	2		2.64
Capps	0.1	1	0	0	0	0		4.12
TEAM TOTALS	12.0	12	8	6	5	9

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

RTTS (MLB Season 1) - Everyday Starter

Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:40 PM.

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INDIANS LOOK TO AVOID SWEEP, HAPPEL NAMED EVERYDAY STARTER

Minneapolis, MN (AP) - There's no better time for the future - than right now. That's likely to be the theme for the last 2+ months of the regular season for the Cleveland Indians. Cleveland finished out a dismal month of July with another loss, falling to the Twins 8-2 yesterday. That meant the Tribe ended the month with a 7-15 record. So, Cleveland appears to be waiving the white flag and giving a closer look at some of its younger players. Manager Manny Acta named Brian Happel as the everyday starter in right field. "We have to get a closer look at these guys and see if they can handle the big leagues," said Acta. "He has certainly impressed in his limited time here. Let's see if Brian and some of the other younger guys can handle the everyday life of playing in the big leagues."

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel didn't wait to impress, smacking a walk-off home run against the Angels.

Happel is already well known for his apparent flair for the dramatic. In his first major league at bat, seeing just the second pitch of his career, he hit a walk-off home run against the Angels just over a week ago. What does he do in his second at bat? Hit a game-tying, solo home run in the top of the ninth in Kansas City. "Those were certainly great moments," commented Happel. "But, that was last week. And we still lost the Kansas City game. I had a little bit of luck on my side. Now, I can't wait to see what I can do getting a shot in the lineup on a regular basis."