Friday, April 1, 2011
TWINS NO-HIT CLEVELAND
Arietta silences Indians bats, throws first no-hitter
The Twins celebrate an incredible performance by their staring pitcher
Minneapolis, MN (AP) - History was made at Target Field Monday night, as Jake Arrieta threw the seventh no-hitter in the organization's history. Eric Milton was the last Twins pitcher to throw a no-no back in 1999 against the Los Angeles Angels. Arietta wasn't perfect. He gave up five walks. He also pretty much had to throw the no-hitter, as the offense only managed one run on five hits. Still, there was plenty of reason to celebrate in the Minnesota clubhouse afterwards. "What an amazing night. I honestly wasn't thinking about it that much until the 7th inning, because I figured I'd give a hit up at some point," said Arietta. "But after that, I started to get nervous when I realized it could happen. Unbelievable!"
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Arietta's final out in the 9th - an easy pop out to complete the no-hitter
Indians right fielder Brian Happel seems to have a nose for being a part of history. In his first week and a half in the Major Leagues, Happel hit a walk-off homer in his first career at-bat, a game-tying home run in the top of the ninth in his second at-bat, and struck out against Arietta in his third at-bat. Happel had a chance to tie it up in the top of the 8th inning when he was put in as a pinch hitter again. But, maybe getting a bit over anxious after his previous heroics, he swung at two balls outside the zone and struck out. "We just couldn't get anything going all game long," said Cleveland third baseman Michael Young. "Give the kid credit. We were able to work some walks and get a couple of good chances late, but we just never took advantage."
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel was one of Arietta's 8 strikeouts
Tribe starter Brandon Leary continues to suffer from some bad luck. The 23-year-old rookie pitched well enough to win, going 6 strong innings and giving up just the one run. He's now 0-6 on the season with a 5.79 ERA. Minnesota's win keeps the Twins 3 games up on Detroit in the A.L. Central standings.
| CLE at MIN - Target Field | ||||||||||||
| Jul 30, 2012 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Cleveland Indians (41-62) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minnesota Twins (64-39) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| W: Jake Arrieta (3-3) L: Brandon Leary (0-6) | ||||||||||||
| Cleveland Indians | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| Cabrera SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .283 |
| Young 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .282 |
| Santana C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .269 |
| Hafner 1B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .290 |
| Brown LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .247 |
| LaPorta DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .246 |
| Grimsley RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .232 |
| Theriot 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .252 |
| Francis CF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .244 |
| HAPPEL PH-CF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .667 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 | |
| BASERUNNING: SB: A. Cabrera (9), R. Theriot (16) | ||||||||
| Minnesota Twins | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| Span CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .328 |
| Young LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .267 |
| Mauer C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .293 |
| Morneau 1B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .284 |
| Kubel RF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .252 |
| Johnson 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .330 |
| Sweeney, DH | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .265 |
| Escobar, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .248 |
| Robinette 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .242 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 27 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
| BATTING: RBI: M. Sweeney (41) HBP: J. Kubel GIDP: D. Span | ||||||||
| Cleveland Indians | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| B. Leary (L, 0-6) | 6.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5.79 |
| C. Rivera | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.45 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 8.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
| Minnesota Twins | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| J. Arrieta (W, 3-3) | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 3.48 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 | |
Happel ties game in 9th, Royals still walk-off with win
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel ties in 9th for Cleveland, Arias wins it for K.C.
Kansas City, MO (AP) - To say it's been a memorable week for Indians rookie right fielder Brian Happel would have to be the understatement of the century. As if he wanted to prove his pinch-hit, walk-off home run earlier this week against the Angels was not a fluke, Happel struck again in the clutch. Leading off the ninth inning, with Cleveland trailing by a run, Happel dug in against closer Joakim Soria, and promptly sent a 2-0 fastball out of the park to tie the game up. "This really is unbelievable," said Happel. "All I wanted to do was get on base. I was able to get in a good hitters count, was looking for a fastball I could turn on, and sure enough, that's what I got."
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel smashes his second homer of his career, in his second at-bat of his career.
Despite Happel's heroics, the Indians couldn't capitalize. The next three batters were all retired. And, Kansas City still managed to pull out the win in the bottom of the ninth, when Arias doubled home the game-winning run. Still, it's been quite an amazing start to the career of Brian Happel. So far, he's seen 5 pitches in the big leagues - and smacked two of them out for home runs. While that's an amazing accomplishment as it is, the fact that one was a walk-off homer and the other bomb tied the game in the ninth makes this start not only extraordinary, but historic as well. "We're creating a new position for him," said manager Manny Acta, "He's the D.C.H. now - the Designated Clutch Hitter. It really is amazing to watch. But, what I'll be interested to see is how the kid responds when he faces some adversity. He's had quite a start, but he'll go through bad stretches, too. That will be key."
Joaquin Arias answers Happel's heroics with clutch hitting of his own, doubling home the game-winner
While Happel remains a bright spot, the Indians still are having trouble closing out games. Even after the home run, Cleveland promptly gave up the game in the bottom of the ninth. Joaquin Arias smacked a double to left-center field, bringing home the game-winning run. He's played well in limited action, hitting .335 so far this season. Jack Cust and Seth Smith both hit home runs for the Royals in the victory.
| CLE at KAN - Kauffman Stadium | ||||||||||||
| Jul 27, 2012 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Cleveland Indians (40-60) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
| Kansas City Royals (40-61) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| W: Greg Holland (2-3) L: Carlos Rivera (1-1) | ||||||||||||
| Cleveland Indians | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| Cabrera SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .289 |
| Young 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .290 |
| Santana C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .272 |
| Hafner 1B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .287 |
| Brown LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .248 |
| LaPorta DH | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .244 |
| Grimsley RF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .237 |
| Theriot 2B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .249 |
| Francis CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .242 |
| HAPPEL PH | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 35 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 1 | |
| BATTING: 2B: R. Theriot (12) HR: B. HAPPEL (2) RBI: R. Theriot 2 (30), T. Hafner (41), B. HAPPEL (2) SAC: C. Santana 2 | ||||||||
| FIELDING: E: A. Cabrera (12), R. Theriot (8) | ||||||||
| Kansas City Royals | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| Getz, 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .292 |
| Abreu, LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .290 |
| Mesoraco, C | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .252 |
| Cust, DH | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .249 |
| Ka'aihue, 1B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .258 |
| Smith, RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .241 |
| Valencia, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .256 |
| Hudgins, CF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .231 |
| Arias, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .335 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 34 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | |
| BATTING: 2B: K. Mesoraco (19), D. Valencia (14), J. Arias (10) J. Cust (9) HR: S. Smith (5), J. Cust (15) RBI: S. Smith 2 (16), J. Arias (23), J. Cust 2 (45) HBP: K. Ka'aihue | ||||||||
| BASERUNNING: CS: J. Arias (2) | ||||||||
| FIELDING: E: L. Hochevar (1) | ||||||||
| Cleveland Indians | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| J. Gomez | 5.2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6.09 |
| J. Germano | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.45 |
| G. Infante | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3.38 |
| C. Rivera (L, 1-1) | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.71 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 8.1 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | |
| Kansas City Royals | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| L. Hochevar | 7.0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 5.11 |
| P. Rincon (H, 5) | 0.2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.73 |
| K. Texeira (H, 1) | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| J. Soria (BS, 5) | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.38 |
| G. Holland (W, 2-3) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.46 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 9.0 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 1 | |
Happel Walks Off With Win After 1st MLB At-Bat
Cleveland, OH (AP) - Talk about a dream debut. It really doesn't get any better than this when it comes to a first at-bat in anyone's major league career. Memorable moment? Check. Intense drama? As much as there can be in a regular season game, check. Potentially heroic situation? Check. Game-winning home run? Well...
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel's heroics - a walk-off bomb to right-center field in the bottom of the ninth with 2 outs
Yup, had that, too. It was the bottom of the ninth, nobody on, with two outs, when Tribe manager Manny Acta decided to put Brian Happel, who had just been called up last week during the All-Star break, in as a pinch hitter. Talk about making your manager look good. Happel smashed the second pitch he saw in his big league career over the fence in right-center field, sending the crowd at Progressive Field into a frenzy. Hollywood couldn't have come up with a much better script. "This really is like a movie," Happel said after celebrating with his teammates on the field. "I know I've got a lot to learn, but wow, what a way to start my career! It's really a dream come true. Now, I've given the fans, and my coach, a lot to expect. I just hope I can live up to the expectations."
A behind-the-batter look just after Happel connected on his walk-off home run
Late-game heroics aside, this really was a great game. It was a pitcher's duel from the start. The Angels were the first to get on the board when Maicer Izturis singled home Vernon Wells in the fifth inning. Cleveland answered back in the sixth with a Myles Grimsley home run. Other than those 2 mistakes, both starting pitchers were masterful. Jered Weaver struck out 9 in 8 innings for Los Angeles. Justin Masterson matched Weaver pitch for pitch, going 8 strong innings as well, striking out 10 and giving up just 5 hits. "I'm really glad we were able to pull that one out," commented manager Manny Acta afterwards, "Justin really pitched his butt off and gave us the chance to win it in the end." The Tribe close out the brief two-game series with the Angels later today, with rookie right hander Brandon Leary getting the start for Cleveland.
| LAA at CLE - Progressive Field | ||||||||||||
| Jul 24, 2012 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Los Angeles Angels (49-48) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Cleveland Indians (40-57) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| W: Rafael Perez (6-7) L: Alfredo Aceves (4-6) | ||||||||||||
| Scoring Summary | ||||
| SCORING DETAILS | LAA | CLE | ||
 | 5 | Izturis SINGLE to center field, Wells scores | 1 | 0 |
 | 6 | Grimsley HOME RUN to right field, Grimsley scores | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | HAPPEL HOME RUN to right field, HAPPEL scores | 1 | 2 |
| Los Angeles Angels | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| Aybar, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .212 |
| Taveras, PR-SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .261 |
| Callaspo, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .285 |
| Morales, 1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .265 |
| Joyce, RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .246 |
| Murphy, LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .292 |
| Hunter, CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .222 |
| Wells, DH | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .268 |
| Izturis, 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .286 |
| Mathis, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .156 |
| Romine, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .222 |
| Wilson, C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 30 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 0 | |
| BATTING: 2B: V. Wells (26) RBI: M. Izturis (30) GIDP: D. Murphy 2 | ||||||||
| FIELDING: E: E. Aybar (14) | ||||||||
| Cleveland Indians | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| Cabrera, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .293 |
| Young, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .291 |
| Santana, C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .278 |
| Hafner, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .281 |
| Brown, LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .251 |
| LaPorta, DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .232 |
| Grimsley, RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .243 |
| Theriot, 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .251 |
| Francis, CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .242 |
| HAPPEL, PH | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 35 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 2 | |
| BATTING: 2B: A. Cabrera (24) HR: M. Grimsley (4), B. HAPPEL (1) RBI: M. Grimsley (26), B. HAPPEL (1) | ||||||||
| BASERUNNING: SB: E. Francis (18), R. Theriot (15) | ||||||||
| Los Angeles Angels | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| J. Weaver | 8.0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 3.69 |
| A. Aceves (L, 4-6) | 0.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3.16 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 8.2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 2 | |
| Cleveland Indians | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| J. Masterson | 8.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 4.98 |
| R. Perez (W, 6-7) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7.14 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 9.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 0 | |
Cleveland, OH (AP) - The Indians made a significant trade before the deadline at the end of the month geared towards the future. It appears the future is now. Right Fielder Brian Happel was called up from AAA Columbus after playing less than a week with the Clippers. "This is incredibly exciting," said Happel as he arrived in Cleveland yesterday afternoon, "It's tough getting traded, but hey, that may have given me my shot at the big leagues. Now, I just hope I can perform well enough that I stay up here a while!"
| Brian Happel | RF Cleveland Indians | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height: 6-2 | Bats/Throws: L/R | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: 210 | Age: 19 years old | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Happel played in just 5 games with Columbus after the trade earlier this month that sent Shin-Soo Choo packing to San Francisco. He was 9-22 at the plate, scoring 3 runs, smashing a home run in his debut with the team and driving in 5 runs. The 19-year-old outfielder has been tearing up AAA pitching all season. In 79 games, he hit .416 with 31 doubles, 17 home runs and a whopping 89 RBI. "He certainly has a lot of promise," said Cleveland Manager Manny Acta, "We're looking forward to watching what he can do at this level. But, he's still got a lot of work ahead of him. He's very young, and I'm not sure he's really ready for this. At least we'll get a good look at the kid."
Cleveland Indians Depth Chart - 2012
- ***cher
- Carlos Santana
- David Ross
- First Base
- Travis Hafner
- Matt LaPorta
- Second Base
- Ryan Theriot
- Luis Valbuena
- Third Base
- Michael Young
- Shortstop
- Asdrubal Cabrera
- Left Field
- Jordan Brown
- Center Field
- Elias Francis
- Right Field
- Myles Grimsley
- BRIAN HAPPEL
- Odell Rodney
- Starting Pitcher
- Jair Jurrjens
- Justin Masterson
- Brandon Leary
- Donnell Mitchell
- Jeanmar Gomez
- Aaron Laffey
- Relief Pitcher
- Rafael Perez (MR)
- Carlos Rivera (MR)
- Justin Germano (MR)
- Gregory Infante (MR)
- Peter Moylan (SU)
- Closer
- Chris Perez
- Designated Hitter
- Matt LaPorta
- Ryan Theriot
- Disabled List
- Joe Smith (RP)
Happel will be starting off on the bench for Acta once the All-Star break wraps up. Happel may get a chance to make his debut in front of the home fans at Progressive Field. The Indians kick off the second half of the campaign with a three game set against Minnesota. They then host the Angels for a short 2-game series.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Fresno, CA (AP) - With just a few weeks left before the trading deadline, the Giants decide to make a move aimed at the present, upgrading at right field while giving up a major prospect. San Francisco sent Brian Happel to Cleveland in exchange for Shin-Soo Choo.
CLEVELAND GETS:
| Brian Happel | RF Columbus Clippers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height: 6-2 | Bats/Throws: L/R | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: 210 | Age: 19 years old | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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SAN FRANCISCO GETS:
| Shin-Soo Choo | RF San Francisco Giants | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height: 5-11 | Bats/Throws: L/L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: 200 | Age: 29 years old | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Giants certainly gained by adding Choo to their roster. Choo is hitting a solid .300 on the season. He's also a better fielder than Happel right now. But, that's the perplexing thing. Happel looks like he's ready for the majors right now. His average is comfortably over .400, with 17 HR and closing in on the 100 RBI mark more than a week before the All-Star break. "I'm not sure why they decided to trade me," said Happel in the Fresno locker room as he packed up his things, "But, they have their reasons. It's too bad, I was really looking forward to working my way up to the Giants. Hopefully, I can have a positive impact on Cleveland, now."
| MLB Standings - Updated: Jul 12, 2012 | |||||
| AL CENTRAL | W | L | GB | RS | RA |
| Minnesota Twins | 56 | 34 | --- | 454 | 365 |
| Detroit Tigers | 52 | 37 | 3.5 | 451 | 374 |
| Chicago White Sox | 42 | 47 | 13.5 | 426 | 433 |
| CLEVELAND INDIANS | 37 | 53 | 19.0 | 399 | 478 |
| Kansas City Royals | 34 | 55 | 21.5 | 403 | 513 |
| NL WEST | W | L | GB | RS | RA |
| Colorado Rockies | 59 | 31 | --- | 418 | 325 |
| SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS | 46 | 43 | 12.5 | 360 | 357 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 45 | 44 | 13.5 | 345 | 377 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 41 | 47 | 17.0 | 371 | 384 |
| San Diego Padres | 39 | 50 | 19.5 | 358 | 377 |
Happel will likely start out at AAA Columbus. But, the question is, how long will he remain there. He's the top rated right fielder in the minors, so he'll likely be among those getting called to the big club in September. However, if the Indians keep struggling, they may move him up sooner to get more of a look at him for next year.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Fresno, CA (AP) - It all depends on how you look at it. The glass is either half full or half empty if you are a Grizzlies fan. On the half full side - you've got the play of prospects like right fielder Brian Happel, who is tearing the cover off the ball. Then, you have the team's performance overall. After making the playoffs last year, Fresno is a disappointing 22-26 heading into June.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel has been clutch all season long, here picking up a late inning pinch hit single against Oklahoma City last night.
Happel is easily one of the best storylines of the season so far, both for Grizzlies fans, and fans of the big club. The right fielder is certainly giving San Francisco supporters something to drool over. In 41 games, Happel is hitting just a shade under .400 with 10 home runs and 46 RBI. Also on the offensive side, first baseman Miguel Aguilar and second baseman Cristian Amaya have been impressive. Both are hitting over the .300 mark and have scored 25+ runs. As for the pitchers, Giants fans can likely rest easy, even if closer Brian Wilson goes down. Saul Imperator is having a great 2012 so far, with an ERA well below 1.00. He's also 14 of 14 converting save chances. Right hand starter Lindsay Fortune has also been impressive, despite his losing record. The 22-year-old has an ERA just north of 2.00 with 8 quality starts.
| Player | Age | Pos | Class | Stats | |
| BRIAN HAPPEL | 19 | RF | AAA | .396 10 HR, 46 RBI, .717 SLG | |
| Miguel Aguilar | 26 | 1B | AAA | .324 8 HR, 24 RBI, 25 R | |
| Cristian Amaya | 24 | 2B | AAA | .318 AVG, 10 2B, 20 RBI | |
| Saul Imperator | 21 | CP | AAA | 0.61 ERA, 14 SV, 100% SV Chances | |
| Lindsay Fortune | 22 | SP | AAA | 4-5 2.08 ERA 8 QS | |
| Brian Happel | RF Fresno Grizzlies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height: 6-2 | Bats/Throws: L/R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: 210 | Age: 19 years old | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Friday, March 18, 2011
Fresno, CA (AP) - April is upon us, and that means another exciting season of baseball is about to begin. The games will finally start counting. And, this year proves to be very promising for Grizzlies fans. There are some good young prospects to keep an eye on, and who may be getting a chance to show their stuff with the big club. Fresno is coming off a good season last year, having won the Pacific Coast League's Pacific South Division. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies bowed out in the first playoff series against Colorado Springs. Now, Fresno will look to improve on that performance, while at the same time developing the Giants stars of tomorrow.
Right Fielder Brian Happel hopes to have another solid season at the dish
The top rated prospect on the AAA club heading into the season is 21-year-old closer Saul Imperator. The young right hander certainly has some promise, especially with his curveball that just falls right off the table. The issue with Imperator is that he is waiting behind Brian Wilson, so he might become trade bait at some point later in the year. 24-year-old center fielder Peter Bourjos already has some limited experience in the big leagues, though he has struggled up there a bit - hitting .246 with 14 homers and 46 RBI in abour 400 at bats. Second baseman Christian Amaya is another one to watch for. He is a good contact hitter, putting the ball into play often. He can also bunt and move the runners over and is able to work some walks.
- Catcher
- William Wilkerson
- Manuel Peralta
- Buck Lawrence
- First Base
- Miguel Aguilar
- Second Base
- Cristian Amaya
- Third Base
- Emmanuel Burriss
- Jeff McArthur
- Shortstop
- Manolo Kepuha
- Left Field
- Darren Ford
- Jeremy Brown
- Johnnie Rogers
- Center Field
- Peter Bourjos
- Right Field
- BRIAN HAPPEL
- Starting Pitcher
- Juan Abreu
- Lindsay Fortune
- Monty Mudd
- Manny Lopez
- Morris Ashburn
- Santo Arnez
- Relief Pitcher
- Richard Gaspar
- Jordan Norberto
- Waldis Joaquin
- Andrew Cashner
- Dan Runzler
- Closer
- Saul Imperator
The Giants are drooling over starting pitcher Lindsay Fortune. The 22-year-old righty needs some seasoning, but is showing a lot of promise. He's got great velocity on his fastball and can hit his spots pretty well. His control of his changeup is spectacular, though there's not enough difference in velocity with his fastball. And, he can get a lot of ground ball outs with the sinker. Right Fielder Brian Happel turned out to be a stud last year in AA between Binghamton and Richmond. But, he had trouble finding his power stroke once he got promoted to AAA last season. Happel was able to really come through in the playoffs however, hitting above .500 in the 4 games with 4 doubles, a home run and 10 runs batted in. Expect to see him in the major leagues - if not this season, then certainly by next season, barring any kind of big injuries.
| # | PITCHERS | POS | B/T | AGE | HT | WT | SALARY |
| 8 | Juan Abreu | SP | S/R | 25 | 6-4 | 191 | $416,000 |
| 35 | Lindsay Fortune | SP | R/R | 22 | 6-1 | 201 | $193,000 |
| 19 | Monty Mudd | SP | R/R | 19 | 6-2 | 189 | $359,000 |
| 17 | Manny Lopez | SP | R/R | 26 | 6-5 | 215 | $199,000 |
| 5 | Morris Ashburn | SP | R/R | 22 | 6-2 | 201 | $368,000 |
| 33 | Santo Arnez | RP | L/L | 24 | 6-4 | 215 | $169,000 |
| 31 | Richard Gaspar | RP | R/R | 19 | 6-0 | 193 | $368,000 |
| 39 | Jordan Norberto | RP | L/L | 25 | 6-0 | 195 | $415,000 |
| 60 | Waldis Joaquin | RP | R/R | 25 | 6-2 | 235 | $415,000 |
| 50 | Andrew Cashner | RP | R/R | 25 | 6-6 | 210 | $287,000 |
| 45 | Dan Runzler | RP | L/L | 26 | 6-4 | 230 | $415,000 |
| 25 | Saul Imperator | CP | R/R | 21 | 6-0 | 206 | $416,000 |
| # | CATCHERS | POS | B/T | AGE | HT | WT | SALARY |
| 26 | William Wilkerson | C | R/R | 25 | 5-11 | 184 | $116,000 |
| 21 | Manuel Peralta | C | R/R | 21 | 6-0 | 178 | $66,000 |
| 18 | Buck Lawrence | C | R/R | 21 | 6-3 | 193 | $30,000 |
| # | INFIELDERS | POS | B/T | AGE | HT | WT | SALARY |
| 36 | Miguel Aguilar | 1B | L/L | 26 | 5-11 | 171 | $97,000 |
| 1 | Cristian Amaya | 2B | S/R | 24 | 6-1 | 202 | $416,000 |
| 2 | Emmanuel Burriss | 3B | S/R | 27 | 6-0 | 190 | $569,000 |
| 84 | Jeff McArthur | 3B | S/R | 27 | 5-10 | 200 | $32,000 |
| 76 | Manolo Kepuha | SS | R/R | 24 | 6-0 | 200 | $64,000 |
| # | OUTFIELDERS | POS | B/T | AGE | HT | WT | SALARY |
| 32 | BRIAN HAPPEL | RF | L/R | 19 | 6-2 | 210 | $275,000 |
| 27 | Peter Bourjos | CF | R/R | 24 | 6-1 | 180 | $1.4M |
| 34 | Darren Ford | LF | R/R | 26 | 5-11 | 195 | $605,000 |
| 10 | Jeremy Brown | LF | S/R | 24 | 5-11 | 185 | $49,000 |
| 51 | Johnnie Rogers | LF | L/L | 19 | 5-7 | 166 | $30,000 |
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Colorado Springs, CO (AP) - What looked to be a promising chance at a championship was quickly dashed Sunday, after Fresno suffered a gut-wrenching loss to Colorado Springs in game four, allowing the Sky Sox to clinch the series three games to one. The Grizzlies surely didn't give up in this one. Colorado Springs jumped out to a 4-2 advantage in the second inning. But, the next inning, Happel blasted one of his three doubles to knock in two runs and tie the game up. The Sky Sox plated three more runs in the fourth. But, Fresno came storming back to tie it up in the top of the ninth, again in part thanks to their right fielder, Brian Happel. Happel hit a double to right field that scored one run and put himself in scoring position as the tying run. But, Colorado Springs was able to get the game winning run in the bottom of the tenth. "It's disappointing, to say the least," said Happel after the game. "We really thought we had a chance at winning the series. It just wasn't meant to be."
Happel certainly did his part in the series, his first playoff appearance as a professional. In last night's game, Happel went 3-5 with 3 doubles and 4 runs batted in. In four games in the series, Happel batted .526 with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run and 8 runs batted in. His OPS was an astounding 1.526, which is a combination of slugging percentage and on base percentage. Grizzlies fans certainly have a lot to look forward to. Happel is easily the best prospect in the organization, and maybe the best prospect in all of baseball. It will be interesting to see how long the big club keeps him down at AAA to get more seasoning.
| Brian Happel | RF Fresno Grizzlies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height: 6-2 | Bats/Throws: L/R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: 210 | Age: 18 years old | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Fresno, CA (AP) - It's already been an exciting summer of baseball for Grizzlies fans, and that excitement will only continue now as Fresno gears up for the post season. The Grizzlies finished the regular season with back-to-back wins in Tacoma, clinching their spot in the playoffs. The Grizzlies will be taking on the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in the first round of the Pacific Coast League playoffs.
While post season baseball is certainly exciting, fans also had the benefit all year of watching some possible future stars working to earn a spot on the big club. Closer Saul Imperator certainly held his own at the AAA level, posting 39 saves and a 2.29 ERA in 52 appearances. Christian Amaya's play at second base was very encouraging, and the 23-year-old had a quality year at the dish, hitting .328 with 69 runs batted in. "There's certainly plenty to be happy about," said skipper Steve Decker, "We've got some good young talent that I believe will make an impact on the big club in the near future. These guys just have to keep putting in the work." VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel hit his first home run in AAA with Fresno back on August 10. He only hit one other HR in his time with the Grizzlies One of the more pleasant surprises has been the emergence of right fielder Brian Happel. "The Kid" truly is a kid still - he's only 18 years old! But, he has played like a seasoned pro, for the most part. Since joining the Grizzlies at the beginning of August, he hit a whopping .354 with an above average slugging percentage of .566. He lost a bit of the power he had in AA ball, maybe due to the long season he is certainly not used to playing this early in his career. Happel really struggled with runners in scoring position, hitting a disturbingly low .182. "I know that's definitely one area I have to work on. There's still plenty of my game that needs to get better. But, I need to be able to get guys home, especially when I'm batting in those RBI spots in the lineup."
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Fresno, CA (AP) - The inevitable finally happened. After crushing the ball in AA ball all season long, right fielder Brian Happel finally got called up to the next level. Happel was promoted yesterday to join the club here in Fresno, where he'll likely finish out the season. "We didn't get to keep him here long," said Richmond manager Dave Machemer, "But, he was certainly impressive while he was here. I don't expect to see him back around these parts." Happel was only with the Flying Squirrels for a month, but he left his mark, smacking 7 HR and driving in nearly 20 runs. Happel was quite dominate in AA, splitting his time between the Binghamton Mets and the Richmond Flying Squirrels. His power was well above the rest of the league, as was his ability to hit. He was flirting with a .400 batting average, hit 25 HR and had 101 RBI, which is almost unheard of at this level.
Happel is certainly ready for the next challenge. "This is incredibly exciting. I had been getting kind of frustrated, just because I was dominating so much. I'm glad to get this promotion, and hopefully I can keep playing at the same high level and maybe even make a September call up to the big club." While applauding Happel's enthusiasm, Fresno Grizzlies Manager Steve Decker wasn't ready to send him on to the next level, just yet. "He's got a lot of potential, but frankly, all that means is he hasn't done anything, yet. So, let's see how he does for a while. The pitching's a little better at this level. He already struck out 50 times against AA pitching. I expect that number to be higher for a while as he adjusts. Let's just wait and see." Happel showed why he may be a star of the future, but he also wants to be a star of the present, at least for Fresno Happel will start off his AAA career coming off the bench, backing up right fielders Terry Evans and Brad Eldred. He's also behind Nate Schierholtz on the depth chart, who is playing a bit out of his position in left field right now for the Grizzlies. Fresno Grizzlies Depth Chart - 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Phoenix, AZ (AP) - Talk about launching your career. That's just what Richmond right fielder Brian Happel did yesterday at the Futures All-Star game at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. In the bottom of the tenth, with the score tied at three, Happel put himself in the national spotlight, sending a 1-2 slider over the fence in right-center field, ending the Futures All-Star game in memorable fashion with a game-winning home run. "Unbelievable. I honestly don't know what to say," said Happel, who at this time last summer had just barely been drafted by the New York Mets out of Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. VIDEO HIGHLIGHT OF HAPPEL'S WALK-OFF HOME RUN Happel actually came into the game in the 7th inning as a pinch hitter. He had a chance to knock in a run and add to what was then a 3-1 lead. Instead, he weakly popped up. The World all-stars came back to tie the game, setting up the incredible finish, which was televised nationally by ESPN. "All I wanted to do was get on base, really, that's it. I figured the pitcher would try to come at me with something off speed, he made a mistake, and I'm just thankful I was able to capitalize on it. This is truly a day I'll never forget." A close up view from behind just moments after Happel connected Happel is already having a season that's hard to forget. He's hit 20 home runs, knocked in more than 80 runs, and was traded from a team dominating the Eastern League to a team near the bottom of the league. "The Kid" has already showed a flair for the dramatic. In his very first game with Richmond last week, he went 5-6 with a majestic home run, a game-tying 2 RBI double in the eighth, and he nearly hit a walk-off home run in the tenth, hitting the top of the fence. Yesterday's homer in the Futures game was the first walk-off of his short career. VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: The blimp's view of Happel's home run Happel is already ranked as the top right fielder in AA ball. He's still pretty raw, especially in the field. But, his arm is getting only stronger, and Happel is certainly a force to reckon with at the dish. He's still having some trouble working the count, walking just 3 times and striking out nearly 50 times already this season. He likely won't stay in AA for very long. San Francisco Giants fans certainly have plenty to be excited about. The pitcher's perspective as Happel crushes the ball, and the World's chances of winning Richmond, VA - After dominating the Eastern League for the first half of the season with Binghamton, right fielder Brian Happel wasted no time getting to work for his new team, here in Richmond. Happel nearly carried the team on his back to an exciting win. Unfortunately, the Flying Squirrels came up just short, losing 9-6 in 11 innings against Harrisburg. "We didn't give up, and that's the important thing," said Happel afterwards, "Losing games like this can be tough, but the beauty of it is we'll be right back at it tomorrow." VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel started his stint with Richmond hot, getting 5 hits The game didn't start very well for Happel. He came up in the first inning with runners at first and second. But, "The Kid" popped up, leading to an out via the infield fly rule. His teammates did come through the next inning though. A single to left by Charlton knocked in two runs to give Richmond the early lead. Happel then came up in the third and surely won over a lot of fans when he turned on a 1-1 fastball, blasting it over the wall in right-center field for a solo home run, his 19th of the year overall. "That one felt good, especially after I missed out on that opportunity in the first. I just wanted to get on, but I was really able to explode on that inside pitch and send it over the fence," said Happel. VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Happel comes through in the clutch, hitting a game-tying double in the 8th. Happel showed off his ability to come through in the clutch, as well. The Flying Squirrels blew a four run lead and entered the bottom of the eighth inning trailing by 2. But, with the bases loaded, Happel stepped up to the plate and came through. He crushed the first pitch he saw down the right field line for a double, sending two runs home to tie the game, his fourth hit to that point. Even Manager Dave Machemer was impressed, "To come in like he did and knock the ball all over the place, with a brand new team, needless to say, he didn't wait around to win over his new teammates, or his manager for that matter." Happel just misses a walk-off homer in the 10th by mere feet, instead settling for his second double of the game. Happel nearly capped it with a walk-off home run. In the tenth inning, he smacked an 0-1 fastball to deep right field. It hit off the wall, missing a game-winning home run by just a couple of feet. The runner at first had to hold up initially to wait and see if the ball would be caught, then scampered to third when it went off the wall. Had he been able to run the whole time, he would've easily scored and the game would've been over. Unfortunately, Happel and Palmeiro were stranded at second and third. And, the Senators managed to put together three runs in the top of the 11th for the win. Happel finished the night 5-6 with 2 doubles, a home run and 3 RBI. Not too bad for a debut.
Richmond Flying Squirrels Depth Chart - 2011
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