Inside Pitch

Ten years later, Herd's 19-inning loss resonates as 9/11 anniversary nears

Ten years ago tonight -- Sept. 9, 2001 -- the  Buffalo Bisons played their last game before the world changed forever. And what a doozy it was.

The Eric Wedge-led Bisons lost, 6-2, to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons in 19 innings in the decisive Game Five of the Governors Cup semifinals at then-Dunn Tire Park. It still stands as the longest game in both innings and time (5:13) in the ballpark's history.

A two-run triple in the top of the 19th by No. 9 hitter Jason Knupfer, who was 0 for 16 in the series to that point, snapped a 2-2 tie. Scranton went on to add two insurance runs to wrap up the best-of-five series, three games to two. The Buffalo offense struggled because cleanup man Chris Coste, who had a series-high eight hits, didn't play the last 15 innings after getting ejected arguing a call at first base in the fourth.

Scranton advanced to meet Louisville in the IL finals and lost Game One, 2-1, the next night at Slugger Field. That was September 10. The next morning was September 11.

Game Two was canceled due to the terrorist attacks and the entire series was called off the next day, with Louisville declared the winner. I've often pondered the 19-inning game because I would have been in Louisville on 9/11 had the Bisons won. All air traffic was grounded, of course, and I would have driven home from Kentucky. (I know some New York reporters who drove all the way home from Denver after the Giants' Monday Night Football game on Sept. 10).

"I talked to a lot of fans the day after we lost and you thought losing a 19-inning baseball game was devastating," Bisons GM Mike Buczkowski told me the day the IL canceled the series. "Then you get jolted to reality. Baseball games aren't significant given what's going on right now."

The Bisons made the finals the next year and hosted an emotional pregame ceremony prior to Game Two against Durham on Sept. 11, 2002, the one-year anniversary. Coste recalled starting the drive home to North Dakota the day after the 19-inning loss and stopping for the night in Toledo, Ohio, then watching events of 9/11 from his hotel room.

""We woke up in the morning and all that happened,'' Coste said. ""I thought about a million things and baseball was obviously way in the background but you wondered if they were going to finish the season. As the days went on, you started thinking, "I wonder what it would have been like if we had been stuck in Louisville.'''

When the calendar flipped to October, I was fortunate enough to cover the Yankees' emotional ALCS win over Seattle and the incredible '01 World Series against Arizona. And I got a first-hand look, even several weeks later, at the shocking aftermath at Ground Zero. 

Be sure to read about my reflections on baseball in New York and elsewhere in the wake of 9/11 in Sunday's Inside Baseball column.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington) 

Pascucci snubbed as Bisons shut out of IL All-Stars

It's four years and counting for the Bisons in terms of failing to place anyone on the International League's postseason all-star team. The team was announced Tuesday morning and the Herd's only real candidate, first baseman/designated hitter Valentino Pascucci, was not named.

The last Buffalo all-star was Ben Francisco in 2007. The Herd had an impressive 21 all-stars in their 14 seasons with the Cleveland Indians but have had none in three years with the Mets, although Jesus Feliciano (2009), Dillon Gee (2010) and Pascucci, the current co-RBI leader with 91, all were likely close in balloting done by IL front office members, managers, coaches and media (Disclosure: I did have a vote).

The first baseman named was Indianapolis Matt Hague, who leads the league in hits (157) and games played (136). The DH who nosed Pascucci out was Scranton's Jorge Vazquez, who leads the league with 30 home runs. Pascucci's own pitchers could have helped here: Vazquez, a .260 hitter for the season, is batting .302 against the Bisons with nine -- yes, nine -- of his home runs in 14 games. 

Durham third baseman Russ Canzler (.312-18-79) was named the league's MVP, following in the footsteps of Bulls teammate last season. It's the first time since 1984-85, when former Yankees prospects Scott Bradley and Dan Pasqua of Columbus were honored, that a team claimed back-to-back MVPs.

Gwinnett pitcher Julio Teheran (15-2, 2.22) was an easy choice as IL Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Gwinnett also took rookie of the year last year with first baseman Freddie Freeman and Teheran is the first player to take the pitcher and rookie awards in the same year since Scranton's Brandon Duckworth in 2001.

The manager of the year was Columbus' Mike Sarbaugh, who has led the Cleveland affiliate to 85 wins and a clear chance to defend its Triple-A National Championship. Ah, what we have missed here the last two years. Had to be a lot of sentiment in the voting for Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg of Lehigh Valley, who has the IronPigs in the playoff hunt for the first time.

The full squad:

1B -- Matt Hague, Indianapolis
2B -- Jason Kipnis, Columbus
3B -- Russ Canzler, Durham
SS -- Zach Cozart, Louisville
C -- Devin Mesoraco, Louisville 
OF -- Stefan Gartrell, Gwinnett; Alex Presley, Indianapolis; Dayan Viciedo, Charlotte
DH -- Jorge Vazquez, Scranton/WB 
Utility -- Luis Valbuena, Columbus
Starter -- Julio Teheran, Gwinnett
Reliever -- Tim Wood, Indianapolis

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington) 

Jeter on DL, sort of like Bisons' homestand

Derek Jeter tried to talk his way out of it but his balky calf that was strained last night has landed him on the 15-day disabled list. So that means the price of Yankee tickets on StubHub for the upcoming road trip to Wrigley Field and Cincinnati probably went down a little as those folks won't see Jeter's 3,000th hit.

Jeter will be eligible to return June 29, the second game at home against the Brewers. The Yankees then play three games against the Mets at Citi Field July 1-3 -- and play a three-gamer at Cleveland July 4-6. Lots of Buffalo folks have tickets for those games. You might be in luck if he struggles or doesn't make it back by June 29. So Jeter will be stuck at 2,994 for a while.

Just like the Bisons seem to be stuck on this homestand. They're 1-6 heading into tonight's finale against the Columbus Clippers, who reminded us all what we're missing without the Cleveland Indians with last night's 8-2 win.

The Bisons have lost four straight and nine of 10. The Clippers have won seven straight and have the IL's best record (43-22). Not a good combination. Here's the Buffalo lineup:

Luis Figueroa, ss
Michael Fisher, 3b
Fernando Martinez, rf
Valentino Pascucci, dh
Zach Lutz, 1b
Jason Botts, lf
Luis Hernandez, 2b
Mike Nickeas, c
Bubba Bell, cf
----
Pat Misch, p

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington) 

Ex-Bison Huff gets start against Herd

Former Bison David Huff (right) will start for the Columbus Clippers against the Herd tonight in Coca-Cola Field (It's a 7 p.m. game on Time Warner Cable 13). The Bisons (27-38) have lost eight of nine and this is clearly not a good time to be playing the defending Triple-A National Champion Clippers, who have won six straight and own the IL's best record at 42-22

Huff (4-2, 4.37) is the answer to a Buffalo trivia question, as he was the starter and winner in the Herd's last home game as a Cleveland affiliate, a 3-2 triumph over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Aug. 28, 2008. The Indians, of course, moved to Columbus for the '09 season. Huff and reliever Jensen Lewis are the only players on the Clippers' roster who once played Triple-A ball in Buffalo.

Huff was just 2-11, 6.21 in 15 starts for Cleveland last year and was most noted for getting smoked in the head by an Alex Rodriguez line drive. But he recovered from that and went 8-2 for Columbus in the regular season, then posted a 1.93 ERA in two starts in the IL playoffs and was the winning pitcher in the Triple-A National Championship victory over Tacoma.

Couple notes on the Bisons: Cleanup man Valentino Pascucci has 37 RBIs since May 10. No one else in the IL has more than 26 in that span. Dylan Owen will get the start for the Herd tonight. 

The Buffalo lineup:

Luis Figueroa, ss
Michael Fisher, 3b
Fernando Martinez, rf
Valentino Pascucci, 1b
Zach Lutz, dh
Jason Botts, lf
Luis Hernandez, 2b
Raul Chavez, c
Bubba Bell, cf
---
Dylan Owen, p

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington) 

Photo: Huff works for the Herd in a 2008 game at then-Dunn Tire Park (John Hickey-Buffalo News file photo).

A different kind of night for ex-Bisons

PITTSBURGH -- No David Wright, no Ike Davis, no Johan Santana. Where would the Mets be without ... Dillon Gee? 

Believe it. Gee improved to 7-0 -- a first for a Mets rookie starter -- with Friday's 8-1 win here over the Pittsburgh Pirates in PNC Park.

"I can't say enough good things about the job he's done on that mound controlling his emotions, keeping himself in the game and just making pitches," said manager Terry Collins. "It's been really amazing."

Click below to hear Gee's postgame session with reporters.

Dillon Gee

New York Daily News columnist Mike Lupica rang up Collins from the clubhouse in Pittsburgh Friday afternoon for this column in which he marvels that the ramshackle Mets are just 6 1/2 games behind the Phillies. Writes Lupica: "As big a reason as any is the job the manager has done, because nobody in baseball has done a better one than he has so far."

As for the opposite of Gee, we bring you the case of Fausto Carmona, a 19-game winner in 2007 for the Indians who's now going nowhere fast and quickly failing in his role of supposed ace for his skidding club. Carmona completely went haywire Friday night in Yankee Stadium, drilling Mark Teixeira high on the shoulder one pitch after a Curtis Granderson home run. The teams met near the mound, with Joe Girardi and Manny Acta having to be separated.

Here's the comments of Acta in the Cleveland Plain Dealer after the 11-7 loss. Here's Teixeira and Girardi, among others, in the Daily News. 

You can bet the Yankees will get their pound of flesh sometime this weekend and whichever Cleveland player gets drilled can thank Carmona, he of the 3-8 record and 5.71 ERA. Didn't Carmona pay any attention to what went on the last three days with the Red Sox and figure the Yankees were going to say they've had enough?

As for today's ex-Bison hurlers, R.A. Dickey meets the Pirates here tonight at 7 on SNY, Bartolo Colon goes for the Yankees against the Indians at 1 on YES and Cliff Lee goes for the Phillies against the Cubs.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington) 

Wedge back in C-Town, Yanks and Red Sox open series in Bronx

CLEVELAND -- We've made it three hours to the west for tonight's Indians-Mariners game at Progressive Field in what will be ex-Indians and Bisons manager Eric Wedge's first game here since he was fired following the 2009 season. Keep it here for some updates later today on Wedge's pregame chat with the media, set for 5:25 p.m., and perhaps an update on Grady Sizemore's latest knee injury.

It's a busy Friday around the majors as well. Among the highlights: 

---The Yankees and Red Sox meet for the first time this year as they open a three-game set in the Bronx. Tonight's game at is 7 on YES and features a pitching matchup of Bartolo Colon and Clay Buchholz. Lots of questions around both teams, with the Yankees coming off Thursday's 11-5 whipping at the hands of the Royals and the Red Sox still reeling below .500

---Calm and cool Tigers ace Justin Verlander is the latest to try to match Johnny Vander Meer as he faces the Royals in his first start since Saturday's no-hitter in Toronto.

---Jered Weaver goes for his seventh win as the Angels play the Rangers in Texas.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington) 

Herd's recent big RBI games

Val Pascucci's six-RBI night for the Bisons in Tuesday's win over Scranton-Wilkes Barre was a first for the Herd since Todd Linden had six in 2008 at Durham. Bisons PR maven Brad Bisbing quickly provided that nugget during the game Tuesday.

Bisbing did some more research today and found it's just the third time in the last 11 years a Bison had six RBIs at home. The record is 9, set by Dusty Wathan in his three-homer game in 2005 against Toledo. Sean McNally had seven against Norfolk in 2001. Here's the list of top RBI games in recent seasons, both home and away:

9 - Dusty Wathan vs. Toledo, June 2, 2005
8 - Earl Snyder at Syracuse, June 13, 2002
7 - Ernie Young at Rochester, April 29, 2004
7 - Sean McNally vs. Norfolk, May 20, 2001
6 - Val Pascucci vs. Scranton, May 10, 2011
6 - Todd Linden at Durham, July 31, 2008
6 - Ryan Mulhern at Columbus, April 16, 2007
6 - Mike Kinkade at Syracuse,  Aug. 25, 2005
6 - Ryan Ludwick at Pawtucket, Aug. 17, 2004 (became second Bison all-time and first since 1934 to homer twice in an inning)
6 - Ryan Ludwick at Syracuse, July 23, 2004
6 - Alex Escobar at Indianapolis, May 9, 2003

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington) 

 

Collins pens open letter to Mets fans; Wedge moving on from 2007

A few hours before tonight's season opener at Florida, the Mets have released this letter from new manager Terry Collins.  This was Collins' first spring training as a big-league manager since 1999 and all reports from Florida have been how impressive his energy has been in the face of what could be a long year for the Mets.

Collins' opening paragraph: "With our 2011 opener tonight in Florida, I want to make this pledge to Mets fans -- our team will play the game the right way." Hmmm, whether he meant it or not, that's a little bit of a veiled shot at how things looked under Jerry Manuel, isn't it?

I've known Collins for many years obviously. He believes what he says. He writes, "From Day 1 my message has been look ahead, not backward, and not to worry about what the people outside the clubhouse are saying. If we pitch and play defense like I know we can, we will surprise a lot of people, a lot of people."

The Mets certainly need to stay injury-free to have any hope and Jason Bay's early troubles don't help. But it's hard not to root for Collins this time, especially given how bad things ended for him in Anaheim.

Things ended badly for Eric Wedge in Cleveland, of course, when he was fired in 2009. But it seemed as though the Tribe never got over blowing its 3-1 lead to the Red Sox in the 2007 ALCS. Wedge starts a new run tonight in Seattle with the Mariners and this terrific Seattle Times column by Jerry Brewer fails to dent the impenetrable Wedge shell when trying to broach that topic.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington) 

It's Opening Day II

The season openers continue Friday with a 3:05 first pitch in sold-out Progressive Field for the Indians and White Sox and a 7:05 first pitch in the sold-out Rogers Centre for the Blue Jays and Twins and the managerial debut of ex-Bison John Farrell.

Check out the Cleveland Plain Dealer's preview section here. The Toronto Star has several stories looking ahead to the Blue Jays' season at this link

Cleveland.com will be hosting a live chat during the Indians' game. They also have a live Webcam into the Winking Lizard, a great pub on Huron Street by the ballpark that this corner has often frequented over the years. An odd little Opening Day addition (place opened at 9 a.m.!)

Broadcasting Live with Ustream.TV

The Mets, meanwhile, open the Terry Collins era tonight at Florida (7 p.m. on SNY). The Daily News' Mets section has all kinds of stories on the Amazins' season, both Madoff and non-Madoff variety. I like Andy Martino's look at how Collins and GM Sandy Alderson have quite a mess to fix. In terms of early impact on the Bisons is the fact that Jason Bay's trip to the DL means Lucas Duda has made the big club and won't take his big bat to Buffalo to start the year.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington) 

Great tribute to Feller in Tribe press box

When Indians legend Bob Feller passed away in December, several of you responded or emailed me regarding my post about listening and chatting with Feller in the press box at Progressive Field. He was a regular there and seat 84, usually 5-6 to my right from my normal spot, was his and his alone.

The Baseball Writers Association of America (I am a member of the Cleveland chapter) and the Indians agreed Feller should be honored in the press box in perpetuity and his seat will remain vacant. The Tribe is there today having a workout on the day of Feller's public memorial in Cleveland and longtime great friend of the blog Dennis Manoloff of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has tweeted some photos of the display case created to honor Feller in the press box.

Judging from the pictures, I can't wait to see this in person. Terrific job all around in honoring the greatest Indian of them all. The No. 19 patch with the trademark high leg kick, by the way, will be worn on the Tribe uniforms this year.

It's a very down time for the Indians. They're not expected to do much in the standings and the ballpark is going to be empty a lot of nights. But as someone who has covered every postseason game in Jacobs/Progressive Field history and covered every day of the Tribe's 14-year affiliation with the Bisons, I can vouch for the classy way they conduct their business almost without fail (OK, they should have never allowed our market to endure TV blackouts but that's a notable exception).

The Indians' baseball department never wanted to leave Buffalo. That was strictly a business decision with the advent of a new ballpark in the Ohio state capital in Columbus and a totally understandable one (although I got a good snicker at yesterday's Tribe-Clippers exhibition game getting snowed out there).

A night at Progressive Field is always fun. And the press box crew there features some longtime colleagues whom I respect greatly. Kudos to everyone involved in the Feller tribute.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)