Goedert Loves to Slam Lynchburg and Niuman Possessed Part II

This all went down after Kinston lost the first game of a double-dip in the Hill City, they come out firing and don't let up winning 9-2.

Fourth of July Fireworks!

Kinston was mired in their longest losing streak of the season going into the Fourth of July Holiday contest with the Wilmington Blue Rocks. They ended up salvaging the final game of the homestand and the series in front of a Grainger Stadium record crowd of 5,513. They ended up doing it with their latest of their recent home run carnage, and another masterful performance by 20-year-old pitcher Hector Rondon. Click below for the highlights.

Kinston Loses Lead, Sees a Dramatic Finish Going into the All-Star Break

The Kinston Indians jumped out to a 9-1 lead on Salem Sunday, capped by two home runs by a couple of home runs from their big boppers:



Salem then scored eight runs in four innings, and tied things at nine going to extras. It would take an unlikely source Kinston to go into the All-Star break with a win.


Kinston is 5-1 to start the second half, with pivotal series against Frederick and Potomac for their first real test after the break. A couple of names have been sent up to AA in Perdomo and Wright, but much of the core is still together to try and send the K-Tribe into contention for the second half title.

13 Run Inning, A Little Late

I know I'm late and some of you have heard about this, but for those that didn't, here's some of the highlights of Kinston's 13-run second inning against Lynchburg:

"Kinston Wins, Kinston Wins, I Can't Believe Kinston Won!"

Kinston trailed 2-0 going to the sixth against Lynchburg when Beau Mills came to the plate:


Kinston would trail until the bottom of the eighth when a couple of big hits sparked a five-run rally.



Lynchburg would keep things exciting in the ninth, and Chris and I can find no better way to describe the ninth like this:

Niuman is Hitting Like a Man Possessed

I know I'm a couple of days late with this, but I didn't realize how excited I was about this:


Course my partner called the game winner from a likely source:

A Big Lead, A Comeback and a Wild Finish

Despite the Pelicans clinching the division the night before, both teams played for keeps on Saturday Night.

The Indians jumped out in the first inning thanks to Nick Weglarz:


They then got a big inning from Niuman Romero, and was capped by a Beau Mills no-doubt visit to the deli:



The Indians relinquished the lead, only to tie things in the ninth:


That set things up with Luis Perdomo on the mound to try to hold things down in the 10th:

The heroics then came with the bases loaded in the bottom half:

Davis HR against Myrtle Beach

Adam Davis goes deep again, his second homer since coming back to the K-Tribe

Back to Back Jacks

Adam Davis and Alex Castillo give the Indians their first back to back homers on the season.

Cumby Grand Slam

Cumberbatch Grand Slam in the 10th to give the Tribe a 6-2 victory

Wild One in Potomac

Here's a couple of snipets from the wild game in Potomac. Kinston going for their sixth straight win against the first place Nationals. Second clip comes with two out and the bases loaded in a one-run game.

Denham's Homer Wins it for the K-Tribe

Kinston Wins Third Straight over Frederick

The K-Tribe won their third straight, beating the Frederick Keys 8-6 Tuesday afternoon. Here's some of the audio highlights:

First Set of Calls

Here's my first set of what will be known as calls of the day here's the first ones courtesy of Niuman Romero, Chris De La Cruz, Cirilo Cumberbatch, and Jerad Head.

Welcome to Kinston

I write this blog post sitting in the Hampton Inn in Kinston, the day before my first day as a member of the Kinston Indians broadcast team.
Despite losing the final game of a three-game set with Myrtle Beach, the K-Tribe are coming off a 4-2 road trip and sit just 6.5 games out of first place with 27 games to go in the first half of the season. They play five games in three days to complete two suspended games against Winston-Salem, before a key four-game series against Frederick, who sits a game out of first in the North Division.
The Indians hit the road for seven at Potomac and Wilmington, and it will be safe to tell by then whether Kinston has a shot to contend down the stretch of this first half, or whether the second half title is a better goal to shoot for. With series wins in five of their last six, however, the ship is starting to turn around.
The team is continuing to hit well with Nick Weglarz continuing to pace things. He's hitting .275 and now leads the team with five home runs. The Tribe sent second baseman Adam Davis down to extended Spring Training to try him out at catcher and received Chris de la Cruz from AA Akron to take his place. He will split time with Niuman Romero, who will be tough to get out of the lineup hitting .258 in just 20 games this season.
Carlton Smith turned in another impressive performance Wednesday in Kinston's romp against Myrtle Beach, winning 13-2 and improving to 2-2 on the season. Jim Deters has been an unsung workhorse in the bullpen, and got a win in a spot start of the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader in Winston-Salem.
Chris Hemeyer and I will take you through the rest of this first half with every pitch on the Kinston Indians Radio Network and kinstonindians.com. Just click on the radio page and see which stream works best for you. So long for now and hope to see you at the ballpark!

If We Win Tomorrow...

...that's called a winning streak, it HAS HAPPENED BEFORE." - Lou Brown, Major League II

The ode to Lou Brown brings about the fact that the K-Tribe went on their longest winning streak of the year last week, winning their last two games in Lynchburg and their first two games in Frederick. Kinston also received a big jolt by splitting their home series with Potomac, that saw the first wins for two of their front-line starters, Carlton Smith and Steven Wright. The first set of roster moves was made last week with the Indians gaining one player from above and one from below. They brought reliever Sung-Wei Tseng down from AA Akron, who failed to prove himself at the next level posting an ERA near 9. Tseng came on and recorded a six-out save against the Nationals on Saturday to clinch the split of the series. The K-Tribe also received Wentzville, Missouri native Mike Pontius from Low A Lake County. The Holt High School grad was knocked around in 2/3 of an inning Friday night against the P-Nats, but Josh Tomlin came in to limit the damage, and the Kinston bats provided enough insurance to ensure the victory for Wright and the K-Tribe. Both these players have a lot to prove, but with plenty of opportunities to do so.
More great output continues to come from Josh Tomlin who has allowed only one run in his last 10 appearances. Luis Perdomo, the man Chris Hemeyer calls the "Dominican Dominator," still has not allowed an earned run in 14 appearances with seven saves. Starter Jeanmar Gomez turned in his best start of the season going five innings and giving up three runs in his first win in Frederick.
Johnny Drennen's consecutive games on-base streak ended at 21 straight games on base and 31 games dating back to last season. Nick Weglarz had a big series in Frederick with two home runs, four RBI's and five runs scored. Carlos Rivero has made shortstop a key hitting position for Kinston collecting hits in eight straight games against Lynchburg, Frederick, and the first two games of the Potomac series.
How Kinston performed on this past stretch was a big test on how their chances to contend in the first half would be affected. Now that the K-Tribe has shown the ability to compete with the top teams in the Carolina League, they face a team tied for last in the North Division (Wilmington), and the team only a game ahead of them in the South (Winston-Salem). Both these series set up for a showdown with first place Myrtle Beach. Eight chances to move up in the standings are critical for Kinston to take care of business while only being six back in the loss column.
Following that Myrtle Beach series, I'll be joining the team for the first time as they host Winston-Salem. I'll probably post a couple of times while I'm home just to take care of the baseball withdrawal from finals. That said, you can catch all the Kinston action on the Kinston Indians Radio Network, or online at kinstonindians.com.

What a Difference a Week Makes

If the Kinston Indians based their whole season on how they played against the Salem Avalanche, they would be sitting pretty with a record comfortably over .500. The K-Tribe are 4-2 against the team from southern Virginia, and the latest series was a showcase for Beau Mills. Last week, I said that Beau was struggling and wouldn't know a clutch hit if it stopped him in the street. Mills busted out of his slump with a big opening game, homering twice and driving in six runs. His average has climbed over the Mendoza line to .212. Just because he has one great game, does not get him off the hook, however, as he's hitless in his last eight at-bats. You might think I'm picking on this guy, but the output from your team's best player generally dictates how the status of the team. This team will go as far as Mills will lead them. When I talked to Chris Hemeyer before the season about Beau Mills, he said I might be lucky to even see him play. The learning curve at this level seems to be so intense, though, that the ticket to Akron and beyond will have to stay at the airport. That being said, the onus does not fall on Mills, but the players in the supporting cast like Johnny Drennen and Jerad Head. It's things like scoring 16 runs in two victories over Salem and then failing to score in the finale that I'm sure is making K-Tribe manager Chris Tremie scratch his head. A characteristic of great teams is the ability to step on the necks of the opposition and kick them while they are down.
A minute on the pitching, and looking at the stat lines, one name stands out. Josh Tomlin is 3-1 in nine relief appearances. He has struck out 16 batters in 17 and 1/3 innings with an ERA just over two. He is the kind of stop-gap reliever the Indians need if they want to turn this around, as the starting pitching is still a work in progress.
Of course, it's not near the end for this team, they are still 8-15 at the end of April, and miles ahead of where they were when the season started.
The month of May provides stronger challenges for Kinston right out of the gate. They finish off their 10 game road trip in Lynchburg and Fredrick. The Indians were able to get a game each from both teams at Grainger Stadium, but lost a combined five games. The team with the best record in the Carolina League, the Potomac Nationals, greets the K-Tribe when they return home. The P-Nats swept the Tribe in Woodbridge behind the strong pitching of Ross Detwiler and scoring 29 runs in three games off K-Tribe pitching. After two more road series against Winston-Salem and Myrtle Beach, we reach May 23rd, and my first action seeing the team.
I can only tell you now what I see in the box score, what I read, and what I hear from Chris, but soon I'll be able to give you a first-hand account of what goes on. This team has the ability to turn it around, and the pieces are there to make a worst-to-first run at the first half title. It's also unfair to say that the team should focus on getting better this half and worry about a title in the second half. The more this team focuses on winning now, the better it will be for the players who come through here later in the year.
As I always say, you can check the Indians out every game on kinstonindians.com/radio.asp. If you can't get enough K-Tribe from me, read David Hall's recaps in the Kinston paper, he does a great job. Next post comes at the end of the road trip, and a preview of the series with Potomac.

Signs of Progress

Following their slow start, the Kinston Indians went 4-6 over their last 10 games. The progress didn't come without more disappointment. The K-Tribe only took one game in Wilmington to finish off their first road trip, and lost three out of four to Myrtle Beach to start a season-long 11-game homestand. The success began to show up in spurts this week, as Kinston won their first series of the year, taking two out of three against the Salem Avalanche, the team that held first place in the South Division going into the series. The pitching problems Kinston faced earlier in this young season seem to have been partially rectified. The K-Tribe bats, however, have gone cold.
The Indians' Beau Mills, thought to be one of the hottest prospects at the Single-A level can't seem to get on base. He went 1-for-12 in the Salem series, and is 2-for-27 on the current homestand with 2 walks. His average has dropped to .193 going into Thursday's action, not what is expected for a player ranked the #3 prospect in the organization by Baseball America player has more than one round-tripper on the year. Mills is not the only one in a hitting slump, in fact there is a team-wide power outage. The Indians have hit only four home runs in their first 16 games, and haven't visited souvenir city (courtesy Eric Young, Baseball Tonight) since April 12th, an 11-game drought. No Kinston player has more than one round tripper on the season. One bright spot of the Kinston offense is outfielder Johnny Drennen, who has been on-base in all 16 games this season. Also, Nick Weglarz is leading the league in on-base percentage at .484.
While the starting rotation continues to find itself, the Indians are finding great relief in the bullpen. The rotation has yet to pick up a win, going 0-7 with a 6.53 ERA. The organization standard 75-pitch limit to starters means that the relievers play a greater role in the outcome of a game. One of those relievers is Luis Perdomo, who in five appearances (8.0 IP) this season, has yet to allow a run. Dan Cevette has been a good addition to the 'pen since his call-up from extended Spring Training on April 17th. Cevette has struck out six batters in five innings of work.
K-Tribe radio voice and colleague Chris Hemeyer says the past week has been encouraging, and if the Indians have a respectable road trip, the fan base will take notice that this team can compete. Even as it stands now, the Indians are only four games out of first place in the South. The Indians finish up the homestand with a four-game series against the only North Division team they have not faced, the Lynchburg Hillcats. Kinston follows up the long home stretch with a lengthy road trip, with visits to Salem, Lynchburg, and Fredrick. Look for the next post at the end of the Salem series for a look back of the Indians' play in April and a May preview. Remember you can catch all the action on the Kinston Indians Radio Network or online at kinstonindians.com/radio.asp.

A Week to Forget

This is the first of what will be weekly reviews of Kinston's play until I go down there and see for myself. It will analyze the stats, games, players, and what the voice of the K-Tribe, Chris Hemeyer tells me in our many conversations.

A 1-5 start might not seem like the end of the world to some fan bases, but when it happens to a team that has won more games than any team in Minor League Baseball, it's more than a blip on the radar screen. The Kinston Indians lost 2 out of 3 to Fredrick, after their opening series against Winston-Salem was washed out and before being swept at Potomac. Three of the five losses were one-run games, and the K-Tribe had a lead in two of them.
The young pitching staff seems to be going through some growing pains, because Steven Wright, Kinston's opening day starter, is the only pitcher with any college experience. Hector Rondon was roughed up in his first two starts last week, giving up 12 runs in just 7 and one-third innings. Paolo Espino gave up 10 runs in the series opener against Potomac, taking the 12-5 loss. Wright picked up a no-decision in his only start of the year against Potomac, as Kinston blew a 7-0 lead to lose 8-7.
None of this is new for manager Chris Tremie, who managed many of these same players at Low-A Lake County last year. Tremie himself also 14 years of playing experience in the minor leagues, so he knows how fragile this situation is working with young players and a fairly new team. He also strives discipline, though, as Chris Hemeyer told me the team got an early wakeup call Sunday, in order to do some early batting practice before Sunday's matinée, a move not usually done for day games.
The hitting is coming from the usual sources; Beau Mills is hitting over .400 and the combination of Jared Goedert and Jered Head has both players in the top-five in on-base percentage on the team. The Indians have received a big spark behind the plate in free agent pickup Alex Castillo, who is hitting .417 with a homer and four RBIs.
Hemeyer thinks once the pitchers stop using the kid gloves and adjust to the new level of hitters, they will settle in. He feels that Fredrick and Potomac have two of the more stacked lineups in the Carolina League, plus the K-Tribe had to deal with Ross Detwiler of Potomac, the priced blue-chip draft pick of the Nationals farm system. I saw him pitch in person in college and in his September call-up with the Nationals. From watching the kid, he has talent that's ready for the Major Leagues.
This week the Indians finish out their first road trip in Wilmington against the Blue Rocks, before beginning an 11-game homestand on Thursday. Kinston will face Myrtle Beach for four games, Salem for three, and Lynchburg for four. Remember you can catch every Kinston Indians game on the Kinston Indians Radio Network or online at kinstonindians.com. To find your affiliate or listen online go to kinstonindians.com/radio.asp. That's this week's K-Tribe roundup, Let the comments roll on in.

Welcome to the Blogosphere

This site has been dormant since I've created it, and finally after much procrastination, let's start the party.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Will Palaszczuk and I will join Chris Hemeyer this year on Kinston Indians radio broadcasts. I grew up watching Carolina League baseball with the Potomac Nationals, back when they were the Prince William Cannons. I watched the K-Tribe on a couple of occasions in Woodbridge, but not enough to garner any comparisons to the current team on the field.

Moving to Kinston for the summer will be a new, challenging, but hopefully fun experience. I hope I can bring you the best coverage of the Indians by seeing them everyday.

For fans, feel free to come up to me and ask me anything, and for friends of mine who read this page, feel free to critique (within reason) what you think about the work I do.

This will be my first job in play-by-play, so I'm asking you to take my first few innings with a grain of salt.

I will be posting game recaps for the first month or so until I get down to Kinston on May 23rd, and observations I hear of from Chris. Once I get to Kinston I hope to post game notes, lineup cards, recaps, and audio highlights from every game I see. It might seem like a lot, but it's a labor of love. Baseball is a passion of mine and being able to work in it is a dream come true for me.

Look for my season preview with the next post, Catch Chris with the first pitch Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Grainger Stadium as the Indians open up with the Winston-Salem Warthogs.

Lastly, thank you for welcoming me to the blogosphere, it's gonna be a fun ride.