The Lakeland Ledger articles

[hueytaxi]

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070329/NEWS/703290498/1002/SPORTS

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MICHAEL WILSON/THE LEDGER
Raymond Allen, 94, who has a long association with the Detroit Tigers, retired to Lakeland and is now an usher for spring training games at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Published Thursday, March 29, 2007
ALWAYS A TIGER
Former Detroit Resident, 94, Now An Usher At Lakeland Stadium

It was 80 years ago when a lanky teenager showed up at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, and asked for a job. He was hired that year to be an errand boy and do whatever else needed to be done to help out. Eighty years later, he's still helping out. If you take the Joker Marchant Stadium elevator to the second level at a Tiger spring training game, he'll be there to assist you.

Meet Ray Allen, a 94-year-old cancer survivor and lifelong baseball fan who has probably seen more Tiger teams and players play than anyone else.

His 80-year affiliation with the Tigers began in 1927 when he went to the ball park seeking a job. It wasn't that hard to get one.

"You just showed up," he said. "It's probably like here (at Marchant Stadium). People want a job and they get in line for one. As a kid, I did that."

He worked for the Tigers for five years, three of them (1929-31) as the visiting team's batboy.

"I could tell you stories," he said. "Some of them, you couldn't print."

But some you can. Like the time Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack, dressed in his trademark suit and tie rather than a baseball uniform, asked his advice on a new Tiger player that Mack didn't know.

"The Tigers had a shortstop named Heinie Schuble. They'd just got him," Allen recalled. "I was standing in the dugout next to Connie Mack, and he said, 'Son, how's he hit the ball.'

"I said, 'He hits most of them to right-center.'"

"Well, he always signaled (to his team) with a scorecard, so he went this way (to his right) and the center fielder moved over into right-center. The first pitch, he (Schuble) hit it right to him."

Allen remembers talking often with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig when the Yankees came to town.

Some of the Ruth stories are ones that can't be printed. But some can.

"Ruth was quite a character," Allen said. "He was really nice to me. I never once asked him to sign a ball or an autograph that he didn't do it."

It was at the onset of the Great Depression, and his affiliation with the Tigers at times proved to be somewhat profitable.

"I was a hustler," he said. "I'd hustle for a nickel."

He would find lost golf balls on area courses and sell them to the players. Tiger Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer was one of his best customers.

He also sold all of the balls that Ruth had signed.

"I remember selling (autographed) baseballs for a dollar, dollar and a half with Ruth's name on them," he said.

He did keep one ball signed by all of the Washington Senators, including Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson. That will one day go to his grandkids.

And he was a good enough baseball pitcher himself to play for a local pro team in the Detroit area. He got $5 a game, "and you got $10 if you won."

In 1933, he went to work for General Motors, where he worked for the next 40 years. In the 1940s, he served in the Navy during World War II and he spent two years in Australia (1949-50) helping GM open a plant there.

In 1951, with three weeks of vacation in March, he and his wife Margaret came to Florida, where he renewed his contacts with the Tigers.

He and his wife checked into The Circle motel, which also happened to be where some of the Tiger players stayed. Through the years, the Allens developed relationships with several Tiger players, many of whom stayed at the same motel. He remembers Ray Narleski and Don Mossi and Vic Wertz and Dick McAuliffe.

He played golf with pitcher Harvey Kuenn the day he was traded to Cleveland for Rocky Colavito.

In 1973, when he retired from General Motors, he moved to Lakeland where his son, Jay, was then a freshman at Florida Southern. In 1978, he went to work at Marchant Stadium, working not only spring training games but some Lakeland Tiger games as well.

He's dealt with his share of health issues during that time. In 1987, he had knee replacement on both knees. Then in 2002, at the age of 90, he was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus.

"I was in the hospital for a couple of months and a nursing home for four months," he said. "I don't know how I beat it, but I beat it."

He's been back at work since. And if you stop by the elevator, he can tell you stories about the Tigers of the past.

Mike Cobb can be reached at mike.cobb@theledger.com or at 863-802-7552.

[hueytaxi]

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070329/NEWS/703290532/1002/SPORTS

Published Thursday, March 29, 2007
Tigers Set Attendance Record in Lakeland Stop

By Mike Cobb
The Ledger

LAKELAND
It didn't go unnoticed inside the Detroit clubhouse that more people have watched the Tigers play this spring than any of the previous 70 years they've trained in the city. Wednesday's crowd of 5,972 at Joker Marchant Stadium that saw a 3-3 tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers established a spring attendance record of 108,150, surpassing the mark of 107,507 set in 1989. With home games left today against Houston and Friday against the Yankees, this spring's mark should top 120,000.

"It means more to Mr. (Mike) Ilitch (the Tigers' owner), but it means something to me, too," manager Jim Leyland said. "I'm proud of that."

What it means is this: A year after the Tigers won the American League pennant before losing to St. Louis in the World Series, expectations are higher heading into a season than they've been in 20 years.

"It means positive things happened last year," first baseman Sean Casey said. "People love winners, so it's a reflection on this team."

It's a reflection of the expectations following this team that has a 19-10 spring record with three games left.

"I like expectations for one reason. That means you've got a good team," Leyland said.

A year ago, almost nobody expected the Tigers to have the type of season they had.

"That would include me," Leyland said. "My brother last year told me we were going to win the pennant."

He was clearly in the minority. This year, he would have company, and that's fine with Leyland.

"Sure, why not? We're a decent choice," Leyland said.

"There are a lot of people picking the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Angels. If someone's picking us, yeah, why not? We've got a good team," Leyland said.

That feeling has spread throughout the clubhouse.

"It's a good feeling to know that when teams like Boston and New York come to town, they're going to have to put on their best game to beat us, whereas before, they'd just come to the house, walk over us, win three and go," third baseman Brandon Inge said. "Now, any team that sees Detroit, it's going to be a battle. It's nice to finally get that respect."

Wednesday's game was halted after nine innings because the Dodgers have already broken camp and had a flight to California on Wednesday evening.

Detroit scored three runs on a Gary Sheffield home run in the third inning and Los Angeles answered with three runs off Tiger starter Nate Robertson in the fourth.

[hueytaxi]

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070330/NEWS/703300426/1002/SPORTS

This article is about one of the female Umps and officiated the FSL in 2005.


Published Friday, March 30, 2007
EXHIBITION ROUNDUP
Female Umpire Impressive

The Associated Press

The most intriguing person on the field at spring training Thursday has no shot at being in the big leagues next week - she'll be making close calls in the minors.

Ria Cortesio became the first female umpire to work a major league exhibition game since Pam Postema in 1989 when she was on the bases as the Chicago Cubs beat an Arizona Diamondbacks split squad 7-4 in Mesa, Ariz.

Cortesio hustled all over the infield and made her calls with an emphatic fist pump. Always in the right position, she did what every umpire hopes to do during a ballgame: She blended in.

Her performance before a HoHoKam Park record crowd of 12,917 was pretty much like the sunny 64-degree day. It was flawless.

"It was pretty uneventful. I didn't have much," Cortesio said.

At least not on the field. Her phone started ringing early Thursday morning as the hype surrounding her assignment began to build.

"When I found out I had this game, my plan was to sneak in, work the game and sneak out and hope no one noticed," she said. "That didn't happen."

With a dark blue hat, light blue short-sleeved shirt and gray slacks, Cortesio looked very much like the other two umps - just a bit thinner.

Cortesio knew several players in the game because they were also in the minor leagues where she worked.

"I got a lot of, 'Hey Ria, where are you going to be this year?' That's the question. As of right now, I'm going back to the Southern League, but that's subject to change at any minute. As soon as a spot opens up at Triple-A, it's mine," she said.

Cortesio is the only female umpire in professional baseball. At 30, she is starting her ninth year overall and fifth in Double-A.

No female umpire has ever worked a regular-season game in the majors. Cortesio obviously hopes to be the first. That's her plan.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella, known for his run-ins with umpires over the years and tantrums that included kicking dirt and throwing bases, saluted Cortesio's pursuit.

At Bradenton, Freddy Sanchez went 2-for-8 in a minor league intrasquad game, the first time the Pittsburgh Pirates' infielder ran the bases and played in the field since hurting his knee March 6.

"I just tried to get out there and push it," Sanchez said.

The NL batting champion (.344) thought he did that successfully - increasing the chances he might be able to play in the Pirates' season-opening series that starts Monday in Houston.

At Jupiter, Edmonds finally looked ready for opening day, just in time for the St. Louis Cardinals to begin making their way north.

Edmonds got his first hit and RBI of spring training in the Grapefruit League finale for the World Series champions, who tied the Florida Marlins, 4-4. It was only the fourth game for Edmonds, who missed much of the exhibition schedule while recovering from shoulder and toe surgeries.

But afterward, manager Tony La Russa said he's still being cautious with the eight-time Gold Glove winner.

"He's getting closer," La Russa said. "I think you live with doubts. When you walk around with no doubts, that's when you get sucker-punched. We'll watch him closely and we'll try to do the right thing."

In other news, Los Angeles Angels reliever Scot Shields agreed to a $14.6 million, three-year contract extension through 2010, and Oakland first baseman Dan Johnson will begin the season on the DL with torn cartilage in his left hip.

Cory Lidle's wife and son will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Monday on opening day at Yankee Stadium. The 34-year-old pitcher was killed in a plane crash Oct. 11 in New York after finishing last season with the Yankees.

In other games:

Devil Rays 3, Red Sox 3

At Fort Myers, Tampa Bay starter Edwin Jackson allowed one run in six innings. He finished spring training with a 1.74 ERA and was named the Devil Rays' fifth starter on Wednesday.

Indians 8, Braves 2

At Kissimmee, Fausto Carmona pitched six hitless innings and Cleveland touched up Tim Hudson for three runs in the fourth. New Atlanta setup man Rafael Soriano gave up two-run homers to Trot Nixon and Casey Blake in the fifth.

Mets 13, Dodgers (ss) 2

At Vero Beach, Lastings Milledge, fig

hting for one of the final spots on New York's roster, returned to action after missing three games because of a bruised right hand and went 1-for-2 with an RBI. David Newhan had four hits, including two solo homers, for the Mets.

Phillies 5, Pirates 5

At Bradenton, Ryan Howard hit a long home run that landed on a practice field. Pat Burrell followed with another shot off Pittsburgh starter Shawn Chacon.

[grandma g]

Ria Cortesio has been an umpire in the MidWest league...very impressed with her....

[hueytaxi]

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070401/COLUMNISTS0301/704010371/1042/COLUMNISTS

Published Sunday, April 1, 2007

Lonnie Brown
Yankees Find Buzz in Joker Marchant
By Lonnie Brown
lonnie.brown@theledger.com

The New York Yankees came to Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland last Sunday to play the Detroit Tigers in spring training.

But the boys in pinstripes hadn't planned on going a half inning during batting practice with the Lakeland Swarming Bees.

Ledger Sports Writer Mike Cobb's game article noted that the Yankees' "batting practice before the game was disrupted" by the swarm. We'll pick up the story from there:

The first of three groups of Yankee players - including Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez - was at the batting cage at home plate. Yankee manager Joe Torre was close by. It was shortly after 11 a.m., and the first of what would be more than 9,000 fans was coming into the stadium.

Bob Donahay, assistant parks and recreation director, and stadium manager, said he was standing near the cage "when suddenly, a swarm of bees - it must have been 50 feet wide - was around the cage. Bees were everywhere."

Rodriguez reportedly swung at three bees, fouling back two and missing the third. Bah-da-bing.

(Added Cobb: "And he caught two - but he dropped them." Bah-da-bum.)

Donahay said the swarm chased the players away from the batting cage, then started to drift toward the dugout area. "We were trying to wave fans away, but all they cared about was getting autographs," said Donahay. Fortunately, the swarm started back to the infield. "The players in the infield bailed to the outfield," said Donahay.

The swam gravitated toward a portable screen that is placed at second base during batting practice. The bees started congregating on the screen. "It was a dark cloud, moving around the field," said Donahay. "It was clearly visible."

Donahay's cell phone rang.

"It was a buddy of mine," said Donahay. "I'm telling him, 'Let me call you back, I have this problem right now.'"

To Donahay's amazement, the reply came back: "I know you do. I'm up here in the stands watching it. My dad was a beekeeper. Here's what you need to do."

Donahay really wasn't prepared for what came next. The bees, said Paul Gornoski on the other end of the cell phone, were trying to form a natural hive on the portable screen. Pick up the screen and slowly carry it to the outfield gate. The bees will go along with it.

Donahay said when he told his two co-workers what they needed to do to help him, "They looked at me like I had three heads."

First, however, the Yankees had to stop batting practice. "Every time they'd hit the ball near that screen, the bees would just get mad," said Donahay. So Torre halted practice.

Donahay, Larry Glass and Kurt Thomas went to the screen and began the slow walk toward the centerfield gate. "There must have been 5,000 to 10,000 bees," said Donahay, "Probably more." They had formed a cluster that was about a foot wide and 2 feet long. Donahay said in his 29 years with the city - 20 with the stadium - "I have never seen such a thing."

From the "Things He Wished He'd Known at the Time Department" comes this tidbit from the Central Beekeepers Alliance in Canada: "In fact, however, bees are at their most gentle when they're swarming. Honey bees sting only as a defensive behavior. Sluggish and gorged with honey, and with no hive to protect, swarming bees tend to be especially mild-tempered. They are very unlikely to sting, unless they are physically provoked."

Donahay and his helpers made it to the other side of the gate without anyone being stung. He said about 20 minutes or so had elapsed since the bees appeared and the time the screen was out of the playing area.

Halfway through the game, the cluster of bees had grown to about 3-feet long and a foot and a half wide. "It was about 8 inches thick," said Donahay.

At the end of the game, which ended about three hours after the swarming started, "They were gone."

He has no idea where they came from. No hives had been seen around the stadium. He has no idea where they went.

He added that Torre told him that a few days before, in Sarasota, a swarm of bees came through the infield and briefly stopped play. "But he said he'd never seen anything like what happened here," said Donahay.

No word yet if Lakeland's trademark swans will be replaced by bees on the city logos and letterhead.

But Donahay said he's told the grounds crew they can now add "beekeepers" to their resumes.

Lonnie Brown, The Ledger's associate editor, recently became manager of the Lakeland Swarming Bees. He is in the process of cutting 12,872 players from the roster.

[whitecapwendy]

That is hilarious, Huey. I loved the Lakeland swarming Bees reference.

[hueytaxi]

Lonnie Brown doesn't do sports. He normally has a humorous political column along with his pet Raven, Nevermore. Writes from a coffee shop and his waitress is always Lois Molasis

[209A12]

Lonnie Brown doesn't do sports. He normally has a humorous political column along with his pet Raven, Nevermore. Writes from a coffee shop and his waitress is always Lois Molasis

You've got to work on this name a bit, but the coffee shop is called: "Sam and Ella's".

[hueytaxi]

You've got to work on this name a bit, but the coffee shop is called: "Sam and Ella's".Yeah..I like his columns, but I recycle and didn't have the correct spelling. Hope David is back this year.

[209A12]

Huey Taxi & Team Mom: The Lakeland Flying Tigers' most loyal fans and best friends.

http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070403/NEWS/704030454/1037/EDIT

Published Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Lakeland Flying Tigers

The Lakeland Flying Tigers, the Class A+ affiliate of the American League Champion Detroit Tigers launch their 2007 mission Wednesday night under the lights with their new team and manager, saluting the history of the World War II veterans of fame.

The first game will be against the Tampa Yankees on Thursday night.

The staff has worked hard to bring better entertainment to our summer ballpark. Being able to chat with Justin Verlander, a Lakeland veteran, and be recognized by Jordan Tata, Brent Clevlen, Omar Infante, Curtis Granderson and many others at all levels from their time in Lakeland is wonderful.

It all starts Wednesday night, meeting the new team.

No, I don't work for the Tigers, I enjoy my Tigers. Join us for a great evening and then come back with friends.

ROGER DeWITT

Lakeland

[redshark63]

Very nice, Roger.

[fyrftrjim]

Huey Taxi & Team Mom: The Lakeland Flying Tigers' most loyal fans and best friends.

http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070403/NEWS/704030454/1037/EDIT

Published Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Lakeland Flying Tigers

The Lakeland Flying Tigers, the Class A+ affiliate of the American League Champion Detroit Tigers launch their 2007 mission Wednesday night under the lights with their new team and manager, saluting the history of the World War II veterans of fame.

The first game will be against the Tampa Yankees on Thursday night.

The staff has worked hard to bring better entertainment to our summer ballpark. Being able to chat with Justin Verlander, a Lakeland veteran, and be recognized by Jordan Tata, Brent Clevlen, Omar Infante, Curtis Granderson and many others at all levels from their time in Lakeland is wonderful.

It all starts Wednesday night, meeting the new team.

No, I don't work for the Tigers, I enjoy my Tigers. Join us for a great evening and then come back with friends.

ROGER DeWITT

Lakeland



Nice Article Roger, hope to see more fans come out this year then we have in years past, should be an exciting year. See you at the ballpark.

[fyrftrjim]

Flying Tigers Open Season Tonight

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent


LAKELAND - Lakeland's Florida State League baseball team hopes to get off to a flying start when the season opens at Joker Marchant Stadium tonight.

Sporting a new nickname (Flying Tigers), a new manager (Kevin Bradshaw), and a lineup that includes two first-round picks, the team will play host to West Division rival Tampa at 7:15 in Lakeland's 55th FSL home opener.

"We're taking advantage of Lakeland's great aviation history, especially as a flight training ground in World War II," said General Manager Zach Burek about the change in the team's name.

"We also want to give the Flying Tigers their own identity even though we are still an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers," added Burek.

Bradshaw, who has lived in Lakeland since his first stint as Lakeland manager in 2001, will field a potent lineup which won the Midwest League Championship with an impressive 89-48 record a year ago.

Right-hander Burke Badenhop (14-3, 2.84) and outfielder Cameron Maybin (.304, 69 RBIs, 27 SB) anchored that powerful West Michigan team.

Twice named North Carolina prep baseball player of the year, Maybin was Detroit's first selection in the 2005 draft and is considered a five-tool sure bet to make it to the majors.

Badenhop was not picked up until the 19th round that same year but earned the organization's minor league pitcher of the year honors with an outstanding 2006 season for West Michigan.

Badenhop's numbers would make him the No. 1 starter were it not for Andrew Miller's presence in the Flying Tigers' starting rotation.

Detroit's first pick last year, Miller pitched in both the College World Series (for North Carolina) and the major league World Series (for the Tigers).

The 21-year-old Gainesville southpaw was unhittable in the five innings he pitched for Lakeland before finishing out the season in Detroit.

"Most teams are lucky if they have one starter with the stuff Badenhop and Miller throw, and we have two of them," said Bradshaw.

As an Ohio State product, Florida is probably the last place third baseman Ronnie Bourquin would like to play but the 2006 Big Ten Player of the Year earned his spot in Lakeland's lineup by being selected a New York-Penn League All-Star with Oneonta a year ago.

When it came to promotions, Lakeland turned it up a notch last year and Burek plans to make Marchant even more fan friendly this summer.

"We will salute our military heroes each Thursday night, are offering our season ticket holders even more incentives and will again hold Education Day games for area youngsters," said Burek.

"Our theme is 'Every Game is a Mission,' and our mission is to provide inexpensive but fun family entertainment," said Burek, who reports that merchandise sporting the new logo sold exceptionally well throughout Detroit's spring training games.

For more information about Flying Tiger promotions and to learn more about the players on the team, fans should visit www.lakelandflyingtigers.com or call 686-8075.



http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070405/NEWS/704050513/1002/SPORTS

[209A12]

http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070406/NEWS/704060396/1002/SPORTS

Published Friday, April 6, 2007

Flying Tigers Take Off With a Victory in Opener
Andrew Miller helps Lakeland shut out Yankees at home.

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent

LAKELAND 3, TAMPA 0

LAKELAND - Lakeland's first mission was cut short by bad weather Thursday but not before the Flying Tigers made off with a 3-0 opening night Florida State League win over Tampa.

First round draft pick Andrew Miller fired five shutout innings and Ryan Roberson, Justin Justice and Michael Hernandez belted key extra base hits at the F-Tigers entertained a Joker Marchant Stadium crowd of 1,438.

"We hit the ball well, played solid defense, and had Miller pitching and you're going to win a lot of games with that combination," said Lakeland Manager Kevin Bradshaw.

It hadn't rained on opening night in at least 19 years but the heavens opened up with Lakeland coming to bat in the home half of the fifth inning.

Fortunately for the Flying Tigers they had raced out to an early lead when Roberson doubled to start the third and came around to score on Dusty Ryan's drive to deep center and Mark Haske's sacrifice fly.

Haske would have had a hit on the SF were it not for a spectacular diving catch by Yankee outfielder Tim Battle.

Justice led off the fourth with a homer to right, Hernandez followed with a double, and Wilken Ramirez delivered an RBI single to center.

Miller (1-0), meanwhile, breezed through the Tampa line-up aided by a good defensive plays, especially by Will Rhymes in the second, and a double play in the third. The North Carolina All American southpaw, who was college baseball's top pitcher in 2006, allowed three singles while striking out three and walking no one.

The four-game series will shift to Legends Field tonight at 7 and then back to Marchant Saturday at 6.

Detroit's minor league pitcher of the year, 6-foot-5 right-hander Burke Badenhop is expected to start tonight's game for the Flying Tigers.

Every Saturday home game this season will be followed by fireworks.

Tampa 000 00 -0 3 1

Lakeland 001 2X -3 4 0

TAM: Villalona and Cervelli; LAK: Miller and Ryan. WP: Miller (1-0); LP: Villalona (0-1). E: TAM - Battle. LOB: LAK 1, TAM 2. DP: LAK 1. 2B: LAK - Hernandez (1), Roberson (1). HR: LAK - Justice. SF: LAK - Haske. Time: :54. Attendance: 1,438. (game called with no outs in bottom of 5th)

[hueytaxi]

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070408/NEWS/704080468/1002/SPORTS

Published Sunday, April 8, 2007
FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE
Hernandez Paces Lakeland

By DAVID YATES
Ledger correspondent

LAKELAND - The Flying Tigers used the baseball bargain of the century and more superb pitching to defeat the Tampa Yankees, 3-1, in Florida State League action on Saturday night.

Outfielder Michael Hernandez homered, doubled, and drove in all three Flying Tiger runs as Lakeland thrilled a Marchant Stadium Easter Vigil crowd of 1,075.

A 23-year-old Oklahoma State product, Hernandez slipped in under the radar in the 2005 Major League draft but has been paying big dividends for Detroit since being signed as a free agent in March of 2006.

Hernandez belted 13 homers and drove in 63 runs in just 87 games for Midwest League champion West Michigan a year ago.

He's already hit two out in the first three Flying Tiger games of 2007.

"I was looking for something away so I could take advantage of the wind blowing out to right," Hernandez said of his two-run, opposite-field blast in the third.

In Lakeland's first three games, the New York native is 5-for-10 with two home runs, two doubles, and four RBIs.

"If you talk to Detroit scouts, they'll tell you that Hernandez is one of the purest hitters in the organization," Lakeland Manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw was equally proud of his pitching Saturday as Luke French (1-0) and Eleazor Aponte (SV) held the Yankees to seven hits and a lone run.

In the first three games, the Flying Tiger staff has allowed a total of two earned runs. That translates to a team ERA of 0.82.

"French was right on target for his five innings, and Aponte showed no signs of a ankle sprain that bothered him earlier this spring," Bradshaw said.

The entire Florida State league is off for Easter today and the four-game series between the Yanks and Flying Tigers will conclude with a Monday night game at Legends Field.

Lakeland will then open a three-game home stand against Fort Myers Tuesday at 7.

Tampa 000 010 000 - 1 6 0 Lakeland 002 000 00x - 3 8 0

TAM: Kontos, Kroenke (7), Martinez (8) and Cervelli; LAK: French, Aponte (6) and Ryan. WP: French (1-0); LP: Kontos (0-1); SV: Aponte (1). LOB: LAK 6, TAM 4. DP: TAM 1. 2B: TAM - Miranda (1), Russo; LAK - Hernandez (2), Justice (1). HR: TAM - Tabata (1); LAK - Hernandez (2). SB: TAM - Tabata (2). LAK - Suervo (1). Time: 2:06. Attendance: 1,075.

[Mr.MelissaG915]

Great story on my AAT!

[hueytaxi]

Mike was the story Saturday as Will was on Thursday.

[fyrftrjim]

Flying Tigers, Fort Myers Washed Out



LAKELAND - The Lakeland Flying Tigers' scheduled game with the Fort Myers Miracle at Joker Marchant Stadium on Tuesday night was postponed due to wet playing conditions.

It will be made up made up as part of a double-header at 5 p.m. today.

Left-handed pitcher Andrew Miller, the Detroit Tigers' No. 1 draft pick in 2006, is scheduled to start the first game

http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070411/NEWS/704110521/1002/SPORTS

[fyrftrjim]

Flying Tigers Lead, Then Falter, Lose 2

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent


LAKELAND - The Flying Tigers had some big hits Wednesday night but Fort Myers had more of them and swept a Florida State League double-header from Lakeland, 5-4 and 6-4.

Most fans in the Joker Marchant Stadium crowd of 486 probably thought the first game was in hand when the Flying Tigers built a 3-0 lead and had Andrew Miller on the mound heading into the fourth inning of a seven-inning game.

But the Miracle reached Miller for two runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth and earned their first victory of the season.

Trailing again, this time by a 4-2 score in the sixth inning of the nightcap, Fort Myers rallied once more to earn its first sweep of Lakeland since Sept. 1, 2004.

The Flying Tigers lost despite two home runs apiece by Cameron Maybin and Dusty Ryan. Michael Hernandez also contributed four hits and drove in two runs.

Left fielder Erik Lis was the biggest hero for the Miracle, belting two doubles and a single, while driving in three runs. It was Lis' clutch two-run single in the sixth that tied the second game, and he scored the go-ahead run moments later when Caleb More also singled.

"You might question some of our pitch selection decisions but you also have to tip your hats to their players for coming up with more big hits than we did," Lakeland manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw and the Tigers will entertain area youngsters in today's special Education Day game at 10:30 a.m.

Right-hander Burke Badenhop (0-0, 1.80) is expected to oppose Miracle hurler Oswaldo Sosa (0-0, 0.00), with each pitcher making his second start of the season


http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070412/NEWS/704120561/1002/SPORTS

[fyrftrjim]

Great Expectations
In Lakeland Today; in Detroit Tomorrow - That's the Plan

By Mike Cobb
The Ledger

LAKELAND

When his catcher has trouble catching him, that means Lakeland Flying Tiger left-hander Andrew Miller is on.

It means he's finding the right arm angle.

When he can consistently do that, plus throw more strikes and develop confidence in his changeup, then he'll be more ready to take on major league hitters.

Miller is a 6-foot-6, 21-year-old from Gainesville who is expected to be pitching for the Detroit Tigers some time in the not-too-distant future.

A first-round draft pick out of North Carolina in June, Miller had a taste of the majors after being called up last September. He struggled, giving up eight hits, 10 walks and nine runs in 10 1/3 innings.

"You can't learn any better way than failing," Miller said. "Those are the best hitters in the world, and I failed plenty of times when I was up there."

This spring, the Tigers never suggested he would make the 25-man roster out of spring training, but they did consider taking him after left-hander Kenny Rogers was placed on the disabled list at the end of spring training.

They decided, instead, not to rush him along and felt it would be better for him to start the season in warm weather at the Class A level with Lakeland where he can pitch every five days and learn by having success.

"He's working on some things, so we think that we want him to get some starts under his belt (in Lakeland)," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said at the end of the spring. "He's an unbelievable talent."

While Leyland said early in the spring that it was unlikely that Miller would make the major league club in the spring, he added, "It would not surprise me if at some point this year, he might make the jump."

One of the things he's working on, Lakeland pitching coach Joe Coleman said, is how to use his arm angle, which is one of the things that sets him apart from other pitchers.

"He's 6-foot-6 and when he catches his (arm) angle the right way, it's pretty electric," Coleman said.

That's what sets him apart from other pitchers.

"He's the toughest guy I've ever caught," Lakeland catcher Dusty Ryan said. "It's hard for me to pick the ball up sometimes."

Learning how to use that arm angle takes time and experience.

"Right now, he fights his angle a little bit and he gets to the point where he flattens out a little bit," Coleman said.

"It's (a matter of) getting a feel for your own body, what it can do and what it can't do. Once you feel what you can do with your body and your arm, you've got it pretty well mastered."

Miller doesn't possess an overpowering fastball. Right now, he's around 92 to 93 mph. He also throws a hard slider, and this summer, his goal is to become more consistent with his change up.

"Everybody's telling me how important a pitch that is," he said. "That's what the organization has me focused on, the changeup."

He didn't throw any in his first outing with the Flying Tigers. He threw a half dozen or so Wednesday against Fort Myers and used some to get out of jams


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Maybin Powers Flying Tigers
Ramirez also collects three hits in 10-4 victory over Fort Myers.

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - An Education Day crowd of 2,405 area youngsters got a good look at the real potential of the 2007 Flying Tigers as Lakeland pounded Fort Myers, 10-4, in Florida State League Baseball Thursday.

Top draft pick Cameron Maybin had three more hits, including his third home run in 18 hours, and Burke Badenhop tossed six solid innings as the Flying Tigers captured the finale of a three-game series with the Miracle.

Maybin has six hits in his last 10 at-bats, including three homers and a double.

Badenhop is rapidly establishing himself as a potential Detroit ace.

The former Bowling Green right-hander was the franchise's Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2006, when he led West Michigan to the Midewest League championship with a 14-3 record. He is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his first two starts.

Wilkin Ramirez also enjoyed an impressive afternoon, tripling, singling twice, driving in three, and scoring three

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Flying Tigers Top Clearwater



CLEARWATER - The Lakeland Flying Tigers scored runs in each of the first two innings off of Clearwater starter Carlos Carrasco and went on to defeat the Threshers, 7-3, Friday night at Bright House Networks Field.

Lakeland catcher Dusty Ryan's two-run homer, his third of the season, highlighted the three-run first. An RBI triple by Justin Justice was the big in a three-run second. Mark Haske also singled home a run.

Lucas French pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, to pick up the win and improve his record to 2-0 on the season.

The Tigers and Threshers meet again tonight in Clearwater at 6:30.

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Brauer Grounds Flying Tigers



CLEARWATER - Clearwater starter Daniel Brauer limited the Flying Tigers to just one hit in six scoreless innings to lead the Threshers to a 10-1 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers Saturday night at Bright House Networks Field.

Brauer, 2-0, struck out nine and walked three in his six innings of work.

Lakeland got on the board in the seventh when catcher Dusty Ryan hit a solo home run, his fourth of the year. By that point, Clearwater already had a 7-0 lead.

Clearwater broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning. A single by Gregory Golson and walks to Mike Spidale and Jeremy Sladen loaded the bases.

Clay Harris drove in a run with a ground out and Welinson Baez capped the rally with a three-run homer.

The Flying Tigers and Clearwater wrap up their three game series today at 1:30 p.m., at Bright House Networks Field.

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Flying Tigers Blank Miracle, 5-0



FORT MYERS - Ovandy Suero went 4-for-5 at the plate and Burke Badenhop pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings to help the Flying Tigers defeat the Fort Myers Miracle, 5-0, on Tuesday night.

Michael Hernandez also homered for Lakeland (5-7), which will finish a three-game series with Fort Myers tonight at 7:05.

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Flying Tigers Explode In 13-6 Win Over Jays

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - Their names aren't as familiar as the Yankees' famed murderer's row of 1927, but the top of the Lakeland line-up was just as potent Thursday.

Cameron Maybin, Justin Justice, and Michael Hernandez, the No.s 2, 3 and 4 hitters in the Flying Tigers' potent batting order, were a combined 9-for-13 with 11 RBIs and 6 runs scored as Lakeland clobbered the Dunedin Blue Jays, 13-6, in Florida State League Baseball.

A Joker Marchant Stadium crowd of 621 saw Manager Kevin Bradshaw's F-Tigers fly bang out 16 hits - seven of them for extra bases, - and steal five bases.

It was the most runs scored by a Lakeland team since the 2005 team that pounded Dunedin 15-6 in the first round of the FSL playoffs.

Cameron Maybin was the big scorer Thursday, touching home plate five times in his first five plate appearances.

Justin Justice, who hails from just up the road in Leesburg, drove in a career-high six runs. Justice also belted Lakeland's third inside the park home run in the first two weeks of the FSL season.

"He was pulling off the ball early down in Fort Myers so we had him work with Hondo and take extra batting practice and it paid off in a hurry," said Bradshaw, referring to hitting coach Larry Herndon.

Herndon work with the entire Flying Tigers batting order is working because the team leads the FSL in homers (16) and stolen bases (19), is second in team batting average (.273) and third in runs (62).

The same two teams will meet at Marchant Stadium again tonight at 7 and Saturday night at 6.

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Justice Helps Tigers Rally

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - The RBI machine known as Justin Justice was back at it again Friday as Lakeland roared from behind to beat Dunedin, 7-5, in Florida State League baseball.

Already having driven in six runs the previous game, Justice worked the count to three balls and no strikes when he came up in the third before singling to right center to plate Lakeland's first two runs of the game.

"Kevin has been giving me the green light on 3-0 counts all spring and I've been fortunate to be successful in those situations," Justice said, referring to Lakeland Manager Kevin Bradshaw.

The Flying Tigers (7-8) fell behind the Blue Jays (3-11) by a 4-0 score but scored seven unanswered runs to send a Joker Marchant Stadium crowd of 503 home happy.

Adrian Casanova had the other big hit of the game, a two-run single on a two-strike slider from Dunedin reliever Danny Core in the bottom of the sixth."

"That was a good piece of hitting," Bradshaw said of his catcher, who also through out former Florida Southern College speedster Adam Calderone trying to steal second in the fifth inning.

The same two teams will meet at Joker Marchant Stadium again tonight at 6, a game that will be followed by fireworks.

Players from both teams are expected to wear pink armbands in support of the American Cancer Society. Lakeland players will also be using pink major league bats.

Dunedin 103 000 001 5 6 3

Lakeland 002 013 10x 7 9 2

DUN: Savickas, Core (6), Barbara (8) and Jeroloman LAK: Vasquez, Righter (6), Tomey (8), Dolsi (9) and Casanova. WP: Righter (1-0); LP: Savickas (0-1)... E: DUN - Garibaldi (3), Kreuzer (3), Core (P); LAK - Righter (P). LOB: DUN 11, LAK 7. DP: DUN 1, LAK 1. 2B: DUN - Garibaldi (1), Jeroloman (2); LAK - Casanova (1) Roberson (3). HR: LAK - Ramirez (2). SB: LAK - Suero 2 (10), Maybin (7). CS: DUN - Calderone (by Casanova) HBP: Kreuzer (by Vasquez). WP: Vasquez Time: 2:42. ATT.: 503

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Sloppy Play Dooms Miller, Flying Tigers

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - The Flying Tigers didn't look good in pink Saturday night, falling to Dunedin, 8-1, in Florida State League baseball at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Dunedin abused Lakeland ace Andrew Miller and the F-Tigers played sloppy defense as the Blue Jays salvaged the finale of a three-game series before 1,042 Breast Cancer Awareness fans.

Detroit's first pick in the 2006 draft, Miller (1-2) breezed through the first two innings but surrendered five singles and plunked a batter in Dunedin's four-run, third inning uprising.

Three more singles produced an insurance run in the fourth, although Jays' starter Kurt Isenberg could have won with the game with far less offensive support.

Isenberg, who is in his fourth year in the FSL, pitched nothing like his 0-2 record and 6.52 ERA suggested the 25-year-old Virginia southpaw would.

He allowed Ovandy Suero a single up the middle leading off the first and singles to Miguel Linares in the fifth and seventh innings, but that was it.

In and around those three hits he struck out 10 Flying Tigers, including player of the week candidate Justin Justice three times.

"I think we may have been too aggressive at the plate tonight because it seems like we swung at a lot of pitches that were out of the strike zone," Lakeland manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

Justice did drive in his 10th run in the last three games with an RBI single through the hole on the right side of the infield in the eighth. The hit plated Cameron Maybin, who had lined a one-out double down the line in left.

It was feast or famine in the field for the F-Tigers, who committed four errors but also turned in three spectacular defensive plays, one each by first baseman Ryan Roberson, Justice in left, and catcher Dusty Ryan.

After an off day today, Lakeland will head to Sarasota for three games with the hottest team in the league. The Reds have won 12 of their first 16 games.

The Flying Tigers' next home game will be Thursday at 7 against Clearwater


http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070422/NEWS/704220543/1002/SPORTS

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Sarasota Flies Past Flying Tigers, 7-2



SARASOTA - Michael DeJesus went 3-for-4 with two doubles to help Sarasota beat the Lakeland Flying Tigers, 7-2, on Monday night.

Lakeland will play Sarasota again tonight at 7 in the second game of a three-game series.


http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070424/NEWS/704240507/1002/SPORTS

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Lakeland Gets Road Win Over Sarasota


SARASOTA - Michael Hernandez went 4-for-4 with two doubles to help boost the Lakeland Flying Tigers past Sarasota, 7-5, on Tuesday night.

Lakeland will finish a three-game series with Sarasota tonight at 7. The Flying Tigers will make their home return on Thursday at 7 p.m. against the Clearwater Threshers.


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Flying Tigers Grab 2nd Straight Win






SARASOTA - Justin Justice led Lakeland's offensive attack with two hits and two RBIs and the Flying Tigers beat Sarasota, 4-1, for their second consecutive victory.

The Flying Tigers return to Lakeland today to face the Clearwater Threshers at 7 p.m.


http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070426/NEWS/704260635/1002/SPORTS

[hueytaxi]

This I found interesting. A local University, the Fire won last years Div II NCCAA National Title and was allowed to vie in Div I.
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070426/NEWS/704260630/1002/SPORTS

Published Thursday, April 26, 2007
'I'M A COMPETITOR'
Who Cares If He's Quirky; Fire Pitcher Is a Winner

By Rick Brown
The Ledger

http://llimg.ny.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=LL&Date=20070426&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=704260630&Ref=AR&MaxW=250
DAVID MILLS/The Ledger
Southeastern's ace pitcher, Tommy Sutton, delivers in the first inning against Atlanta Christian in a recent game.

NCAA II SOUTH REGION TOURNAMENT
The schedule for National Christian College Athletic Association II South Region Tournament being played at Jack Russell Field in Clearwater today through Saturday:


LAKELAND
Southeastern senior pitcher Tommy Sutton is quirky, some say. He's had entire conversations with himself on the mound. He's dropped his pants on the mound to tuck in his shirt. He's run to the store for a bag of Skittles candy minutes before a start. His coach compares his antics to former Detroit Tigers pitcher Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, who was known for talking to the baseball between pitches and getting on the ground and arranging the mound to his liking. While some may question his antics, no one questions that Sutton is the ace on the Fire's staff.

The 22-year-old lefthander, who will leave Southeastern with nearly every major pitching record, leads the No. 1-seed Fire (40-17) into today's first round of the National Christian College Athletic Association II South Region Tournament against No. 4-seed Clearwater Christian. The game is at 7 p.m. in Clearwater.

If Southeastern wins, it will play the winner of the Atlanta Christian-Toccoa Falls game Friday at 4 p.m.

The championship game will be Saturday at 2 p.m., with the winner advancing to the NCCAA II National Tournament.

"I know my job is a little easier when he's on the mound," Southeastern coach Jason Beck said. "He almost guarantees a win after a loss. He's a bulldog.

"He's so loose on the mound. He's like a lunatic. He's very emotional. We've tried to tone it down and tell him not to let his opponents see his emotions but that's what makes him special."

Sutton is 10-1 on the season. He will leave the Fire with season records in wins (13), complete games (10), strikeouts (108), innings pitched (106) and career records in wins, complete games, strikeouts, ERA, innings pitched and batting average against.

"He's the ace on this team," Fire infielder Will Gonzalez said. "We always look to him. He gives our bats a little calm."

This season, Beck has carefully monitored the 6-foot, 170-pound Sutton's pitches so as not to overwork him.

Sutton pitched in two games in last year's NCCAA II National Tournament, winding up with a win and save.

The 2006 NCCAA II Pitcher of the Year and NCCAA II National Tournament Oustanding Player could not pitch in the Division I (scholarship) tournament, however, because of a dead arm.

He's bounced back from that setback, and his value to the team is more than to add comedic relief.

"I'm a competitor," he said. "I remember when I was a little boy and watching Lake Brantley play Apopka. With the game on the line, I remember Lake Brantley bringing in a new pitcher. I turned to my dad and said I wanted to be that guy.

"When the game is on the line, I want to be that guy."

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Threshers Win Battle of '06 Champs

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - Clearwater won the battle of the league champions Thursday night as the Threshers defeated the Flying Tigers, 11-3, in Florida State League baseball at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Comprised of most of the players on last year's South Atlantic champion Lakewood (N.J.) team, the Threshers roughed up Lakeland pitching for 14 hits, five of them for extra bases.

Most of the Flying Tigers played on the 2006 Midwest League champion West Michigan team but that honor didn't seem to help them Thursday.

Playing before a USO night crowd of 529, Lakeland managed only six hits against a trio of Clearwater pitchers and fell to 9-11, four games behind West Division-leading Sarasota.

Michael Spidale and Clay Harris powered the Threshers attack with three hits apiece, while Jeremy Slayden doubled and rocketed a 425-foot two-run homer off the batter's eye wall in center field.

Lakeland designated hitter Justin Justice upped his FSL-leading RBI total to 18 with a sixth-inning triple to right center that scored Ovandy Suero.

The Flying Tigers scored one more run during the sixth inning but Clearwater starter Andrew Carpenter (2-1) retired Miguel Linares on a fly to right with the based loaded to end the rally.

The same two teams will meet at Marchant again tonight at 7 when Detroit's No. 1 pick from last year's draft, southpaw Andrew Miller (1-2, 3.04) is expected to start for the F-Tigers.

Miller is coming off his worst start since being drafted, an 8-1 loss to Dunedin on April 21.


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Threshers Take Bite Out Of F-Tiger
s
By DAVID YATES
Ledger correspondent






LAKELAND - The Clearwater Threshers have certainly lived up to their team slogan the past two games with Lakeland.

Playing "Baseball with a Bite," the Threshers chewed up Lakeland ace Andrew Miller for 10 hits and eight runs in 4 2/3 innings as Clearwater grounded the Flying Tigers, 8-1, Friday.

The Threshers have belted out 25 hits and scored 19 runs in the first two games of the three-game series. Lakeland, meanwhile has managed a total of 10 hits and four runs, while committing six errors.

"Our fielding is killing us and our pitchers have not been able to work around the errors," Lakeland Manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

A Joker Marchant Stadium crowd of 476 had very little to cheer about Friday because Miller's counterpart, Pat Overholt (3-2), limited the F-Tigers to three hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings.

The first two Clearwater batters, designated hitter Matt Thayer and center fielder Greg Golson produced five hits and three runs between them, while the five walks issued by F-Tiger hurlers only complicated matters more.

But, help may be on the way for Lakeland because, when the same two teams meet at Marchant again tonight at 6 , Detroit's 2006 Minor League Pitcher of the Year Burke Badenhop will be on the mound.

Badenhop (2-1, 1.59), who is ranked sixth in FSL pitching stats, is expected to oppose Clearwater southpaw Josh Outman (1-1, 4.19).

Fans who bring their motorcycles to tonight's Bike Night game will be admitted free and everyone will be treated to the usual Saturday night fireworks display.


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Long HR Leads to Whipping

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - Lakeland right-hander Burke Badenhop made only one bad pitch in the Flying Tigers' Florida State League game with Clearwater on Saturday night.

But slugger Jeremy Slayden rocketed a 3-0 Badenhop fastball 425 feet to straightaway center field for a three-run, first-inning homer and the Threshers were on their way to a 7-1 victory over Lakeland before 476 Bike Night fans at Joker Marchant Stadium.

"We had a base open and were trying to keep the ball away from him," Lakeland Manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

"But Burke got a little too much of the plate with that pitch and it's a shame really because he pitched a heck of a game otherwise," Bradshaw added.

Slayden, who had hit an almost identical blast off the batter's eye wall in the first game of the series, also singled and walked twice Saturday, while Greg Golson singled twice and doubled in a pair of runs.

Clearwater (14-8) used its first three-game sweep of Lakeland in at least 13 years to remain in a first-place tie with the Sarasota Reds atop the West Division.

It was also the most lopsided sweep by an opponent in just about the same number of years.

The Threshers outscored the F-Tigers 26-5, while outhitting their hosts 35-17.

It doesn't get any easier for Lakeland because the Reds will visit Marchant for a day game today at 1, a night game Monday at 7, and a special Education Day game Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

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Bear Hug Spurs Win, Snaps Trio Of Losses

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - The Flying Tigers used a booming bash and a birthday bear hug to snap their three-game Florida State League losing streak Sunday afternoon at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Mark Haske belted the pivotal two-run, sixth-inning triple moments after third baseman Ronnie Bourquin snuffed a rally by hugging Sarasota runner Chris Kroski for the third out in the top of the inning, as Lakeland outlasted the Reds, 8-7.

With the two teams tied at 4, two outs, and Kroski on second, a ground ball from Sarasota leadoff hitter Mike Griffin somehow got lodged inside Bourquin's shirt. Rather than risk allowing Griffin to reach third safely, Bourquin celebrated his 22nd birthday by wrapping Griffin in a hug. Umpires ruled Griffin out, and that was the end of the rally.

"Their manager said the ball should have been dead at that point but I've only seen something like that happen one other time in my career and I don't think the umps ruled the ball dead in that one either," Lakeland manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

In the home half of the inning Haske drove in Ryan Roberson and Bourquin with a triple and the Flying Tigers were on their way to knocking Sarasota (14-9) from atop the West Division standings for the first time this season.

The same two teams will meet at Marchant at 7 tonight.



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Reds Get Revenge on Flying Tigers

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - It was as if the two teams switched uniforms and pitchers from the last time they met.

Right-hander Richie Gardner and his Sarasota teammates got their revenge Monday night as the Reds whipped the Flying Tigers, 7-2, in Florida State League baseball at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Just five days ago, Lakeland hurler Eleazar Aponte had shut out the Reds for six innings in the Flying Tigers' 4-1 win at Ed Smith Stadium.

This time around, Sarasota hitters seemed to know what was coming, belting out 17 hits, including eight for extra bases as the Reds (15-9) kept pace with Clearwater (16-8) in the two-team West Division pennant race.

Danny Dorn and Eric Eyeman paced the Sarasota attack with three hits apiece, while Jay Bruce, Adam Rosales and Craig Tatum had two hits each.

Aponte (2-2, 4.81) lasted only four innings, while Gardner (3-1, 2.20), who was the losing pitcher in that 4-1 game on April 25th, allowed only four hits and two runs in six innings this time out.

Cameron Maybin doubled, Justin Justice doubled and Michael Hernandez lofted a sacrifice fly to produce Lakeland's first-inning run.

Ryan Roberson accounted for the other one with the team's longest home run of the young season, a towering solo shot in the fifth that landed on the concrete picnic area atop the berm in left field.

But Gardner was unhittable otherwise and the Flying Tigers faired no better against relievers Derrik Lutz and Josh Roenicke, who combined for three scoreless innings out of the Sarasota bullpen.

The Flying Tigers and Reds will close out their three-game series at Marchant at 10:30 a.m. today in a special Education Day game.


http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070501/NEWS/705010431/1002/SPORTS

[hueytaxi]

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070501/NEWS/705010441/1002/SPORTS

Published Tuesday, May 1, 2007
ATLANTIC LEAGUE
Big League Hopefuls End Training at Tiger Town

By Lisa Coffey
The Ledger

Baseball fans know the names.

They are players like Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Juan Gonzalez, Dante Bichette and Curtis Pride.

http://llimg.ny.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Avis=LL&Dato=20070501&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=705010441&Ref=AR&MaxW=100&MaxH=100

They are well known Major League baseball players.

But what most fans don't know is that these players are not in the majors any more.

Some are here in Lakeland.

For 200 or so baseball players and another 25 staff members, who include Sparky Lyle, Tommy John, Al Bumbry and Rick Wise, today is the last day of the Atlantic League's spring training.

The Atlantic League is a professional, independent baseball league in its second spring using the Lakeland Flying Tigers' minor league facilities after five years in Homestead.

"An opportunity presented itself through Ron (Myers, director of Florida operations with the Detroit Tigers) and we jumped at it," said Atlantic League executive director Joe Klein, who was once general manager of the Detroit Tigers. "It's more convenient between Tampa and Orlando."

The Atlantic League, marking its 10th anniversary this year, offers affordable entertainment outside major cities while providing a venue for players who can't let go of the game or who want one last shot to make The Show.

The Atlantic League is one of 10 independent leagues in the U.S. Its eight teams are based in the Northeast in cities like Camden, N.J., Bridgeport, Conn., Long Island, N.Y., and Lancaster, Pa. It's the only league with spring training.

In nine years, Klein has sent more than 350 players to the major leagues. The league has also sent more than 80 former players on to major league organizations and the league has drawn two million fans a year. This year's hopefuls include John Halama and Carl Everett.

Klein, who once played for the Washington Senators (the ones who became the Texas Rangers), knows what it's like to hold to a major league dream.

"I used to pick up my phone two or three times a day to check the dial tone,'' he said referring to when his playing career was over. "I wondered how come no one was calling me. Now they come to the Atlantic League."

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Dorn's Blast Sinks Flying Tigers on Education Day
By David Yates
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - It was Education Day at Joker Marchant Stadium on Tuesday and 3,543 area youngsters could see that Sarasota needs remedial work on how to handle Lakeland speedster Ovandy Suero.

The Reds tried to contain Suero all afternoon and, although they were hugely unsuccessful, still managed to defeat the Flying Tigers, 5-3.

Sarasota fielders committed five errors trying to throw out the 24-year-old fleet-footed Dominican. Despite their misguided efforts, Suero managed to steal three bases and scored all three Lakeland runs.

"I talked to Toby Harrah and Larry Herndon on the bench and neither of them had seen anything like it during their careers in the minors or majors," Lakeland Manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

Unfortunately for the F-Tigers, Suero's efforts were offset by one swing of Danny Dorn's bat. The 22-year-old Californian took Lakeland starter Matt Righter deep with two men aboard in the fourth inning.

The big blow, which came on a 2-2 change-up, produced the last runs the Reds would score.

Lakeland now hits the road for three games in Dunedin before the team returns to Marchant for a four-game series with the Jupiter Hammerheads starting Saturday night at 6.


http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070502/NEWS/705020513/1002/SPORTS

[fyrftrjim]

Published Friday, May 4, 2007
FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE BASEBALL

Flying Tigers Defeated at Dunedin



DUNEDIN - The last-place Lakeland Flying Tigers gave up three-run innings in the second and fourth and couldn't make up the 6-0 deficit in a 6-3 loss to Dunedin on Thursday night.

Burke Badenhop (2-3, 4.01 ERA) took the loss.

Michael Hernandez hit a solo homer for Lakeland in the sixth inning to break a shutout. William Rhymes doubled in the Flying Tigers' other two runs in the eighth.

The same two teams meet at Dunedin at 7 tonight.

Lakeland 000 001 020 - 3 11 0

Dunedin 030 300 00x - 6 10 1

WP: K. Isenberg (2-3, 3.81); LP: B. Badenhop (2-3, 4.01); SV: D. Harang (1)

HR: LAK: M. Hernandez (5). DUN: J. Kreuzer (2). 2B: LAK: Roberson, Rhymes; DUN: Kreuzer, Jeroloman, Nielsen. RBI: LAK: Hernandez (19), Rhymes 2 (5); DUN: Kreuzer 3 (15), Jeroloman (10), Nielsen (8). LOB: LAK 9, DUN 5. CS: LAK: Suero. E: LAK: Cota. DP: DUN: Sanchez-Cota-Kreuzer. Umpires: Chris Hamner, Travis Brown. Time: 2:26. Att: 634.


http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070504/NEWS/705040480/1002/SPORTS

[Chaz]

I was at last night game and maybe 5 other Tiger's fan!!! talk about out numbered!!! The Tigers blew a lot of scoring opportunities and only scored after Isenberg left the game.. the family will be going back again in a couple hours and hopefully the outcome will be in our favor...

[209A12]

Would appreciate a few words of recap when you get home, if you please.
Enjoy the game, and bring home a winner.

[Chaz]

Flying Tigers vs Dunedin Blue Jays, May 4th

Just got back from the game and here is a small recap to a wild ending game.. French was the starter tonight and threw IMO, 5 good innings, even if he gave up a couple of runs in the second inning.. one score was a sharp hit down the third base line with a guy on second and one score was a result of 2 dropped balls in the outfield (not good). The scary part was French was hit with a line drive to the wrist by the second batter in the game. In the
5th, the Tigers had bases loaded and could not push anyone home and this seems to be continuing from last night. The Jays had a solo run in the 5th, but the Tigers finally came back in the 6th with a run. Maybin scored on a fielder's choice DP. Jays scored a couple more times and going into the 9th, Jays were up 6-1 and Jim Leyland baseball took over. I can't remember every play, but after 2 errors committed by the Jay's second baseman with 2 outs and poor manager decision, the Tigers scored 9 runs!!! all 10 Tiger's fans went wild and we were trying to find the Jay's mascot after he came out with a broom in the 6th and even started sweeping the Tigers dugout! Maybe this will be a turning point for the Tigers as the dugout went wild after the win..I was impressed with Ricky Steik.

Final: Tigers 10, Jays 6

[209A12]

Thanks. Sounds like a remarkable finish. Hope they have more rallies for this upcoming home series.

[fyrftrjim]

Rallies Fall Short for F-Tigers

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - The Flying Tigers celebrated Cinco de Mayo by battling back from a five-run deficit but still lost to Jupiter, 8-7, in Florida State League baseball on Saturday night.

Just 24 hours after the team scored nine runs in the ninth inning against Dunedin, a Joker Marchant Stadium crowd of 1,638 saw Lakeland rally repeatedly but come up a run short in the opening game of FSL interdivisional play.

The first F-Tiger rally came in the seventh, when Hammerhead reliever Mauro Zarate entered the game with his team up by two runs, one man out and two men on base.

He immediately surrendered an RBI double to Michael Hernandez but then recorded two of the biggest outs of the game.

With Justin Justice at third representing the tying run and Hernandez at second the go-ahead run, Zarate got slugger Ryan Roberson to fly to shallow left field and Will Rhymes to ground out to second to end the rally.

Lakeland threatened again to tie it in the eighth and ninth.

"We had so many opportunities to win this game that it is painful to start counting them," Lakeland Manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

Hernandez, Justice, and Rhymes had three hits apiece as a part of the Flying Tigers' 16-hit attack. It represented the most hits in a Lakeland loss since 1999.

The Flying Tigers (11-18) and Hammerheads (13-16) will meet at Marchant again today at 1 in the second game of the four-game series.



Jupiter 100 104 002 - 8 11 0

Lakeland 100 002 202 - 7 16 1



JUP: Volstad, Zarate (7), Doolittle (9) and Hayes; LAK: Aponte, Hammond (6), Benitez (9) and Casanova. WP: Volstad (3-2); LP: Aponte (2-3); SV: Doolittle (8). E: LAK - Bourquin (4). LOB: JUP 8, LAK 9. 2B: JUP - Jenkins (4), Harvey (2), Septimo (6), Sanchez (9); LAK - Bourquin (2), Hernandez (11). 3B: JUP - Septimo (2); LAK - Hernandez (3), Roberson (1). HR: JUP - Hayes (1). SF: JUP - Septimo (3);. CS: LAK - Haske (2). Scott (by Hammond). PO: Rhymes (by Volstad). WP: Benitez 2 (6). Time: 2:59. Att.: 1,638.


http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070506/NEWS/705060505/1002/SPORTS

[fyrftrjim]

Flying Tigers Rally at Home

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent

LAKELAND - Bash the ball won out over peck away as Lakeland came from three runs down to edge Jupiter, 5-4, in Florida State League baseball on Sunday afternoon.

A brief but heavy shower curtailed the game after 5 2/3 innings, one inning after Michael Hernandez put the Flying Tigers ahead with a solo homer onto the berm beyond the left field wall at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Lakeland took a 1-0 lead in the first in typical Flying Tiger style. Ovandy Suero walked, stole his 21st base, and motored home on an RBI single to right by Justin Justice.

But the Hammerheads pushed across four runs in the third without benefit of an extra base hit or without a runner advancing more than one base at a time. The rally featured five singles, a walk and a hit batsman, and took 30 minutes.

It took Ryan Roberson about 30 seconds to get three of those runs back in the home half of the third. With two outs, Justice doubled, and Hernandez reached on a pivotal error by first baseman Brad McCann. Roberson then belted one of his specialties, a towering three-run shot into the Jupiter bullpen.

"I knew it had a good chance of going out because of the way the wind was blowing from left to right but he can hit it a ton wind or no wind," Lakeland Manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

Roberson is now tied for second in the league with Hernandez in home runs (6), and is third on the team in RBIs (17) behind Hernandez (24) and Justice (22).

Suero stole three more bases and upped his league-leading total to 23.

The Flying Tigers (12-18) and Hammerheads (13-17) will meet at Marchant again tonight at 7 in the third game of the four-game series.

First round (2006) draft pick Andrew Miller (1-3, 3.93) is expected to oppose Jupiter southpaw Aaron Thompson (1-2, 3.78), who was also taken in the first round one year before Miller.

http://theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070507/NEWS/705070407/1002/SPORTS

[fyrftrjim]

Flying Tiger Bats Almost Silent on a Smoky Field
By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - Perhaps the smoke from the Green Swamp fire that settled over Joker Marchant Stadium obscured their vision.

Whatever the reason, Flying Tiger hitters enjoyed no success against Hammerhead pitching as Lakeland fell to Jupiter, 4-0, in Florida State League baseball on Monday night.

Starter Jesus Silva and a pair of relievers combined on a three-hit shutout, with only one of those Lakeland hits even making it out of the infield.

The Hammerheads didn't exactly pound Flying Tigers starter Andrew Miller but still managed six hits and three runs, one of them earned. The 6-foot-6 North Carolina southpaw didn't help his own cause by walking five and is a surprising 1-4 with a 3.48 ERA after seven starts.

Perhaps even more important, the Flying Tigers are 1-6 in those seven starts.

The Flying Tigers looked like they were going to get their ace off the hook Monday when Justin Justice walked and Cameron Maybin singled to start the seventh inning.

But reliever Tim Wood retired the next three batters to end the threat, Lakeland's first of the game.

An inning later, Adrian Casanova and Ronnie Bourquin singled with one out and Ovandy Suero worked Mauro Zarate for a walk to load the bases.

Justice, who made a spectacular catch along the right field line in the top of the inning, then flew to medium left field. Casanova didn't budge from third; Bourquin took off for third and was easily caught in a rundown.

The Flying Tigers (12-19) and Hammerheads (14-17) will meet at Marchant again tonight at 7 in the finale of the four-game series.

Burke Badenhop (2-3, 4.01) is expected to oppose Jupiter right-hander Jim Brauer (0-0, 0.00), who will be making his first start for the Hammerheads. Jupiter 010 002 001 - 4 6 0Lakeland 000 000 000 - 0 3 1JUP: Silva, Wood (6), Zarate (8) and Hayes; Miller, Steik (8) and Casanova. WP: Silva (2-1); LP: Miller (1-4); SV: Zarate (1). E: LAK - Miller (P). DP: JUP 1, LAK 1. LOB: JUP 9, LAK 5. 2B: JUP - Guerrero (2), Sanchez (10). 3B: JUP - Hayes (1). SF: JUP - Septimo (4). SB: JUP - Harvey (2), Scott 2 (6). CS: JUP - Hayes (3). HBP: Restko (by Miller). PB: Casanova. Time: 2:24. ATT.: 380

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[fyrftrjim]

Flying Tigers Let Big Lead Fly Away Vs. 'Heads
By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - The Lakeland Flying Tigers let one get away Tuesday night, falling to Jupiter, 9-7, in 14 innings of Florida State League baseball at Marchant Stadium.

Behind Burke Badenhop's solid start, the F-Tigers were in total command of the game through the first seven innings with a 6-1 lead.

A Wilkin Ramirez homer was the highlight of a five-run Lakeland uprising in the first inning and Badenhop mowed down the Hammerheads in relative ease until giving way to the Lakeland bullpen to start the eighth.

Detroit's Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2006, Badenhop held the Hammerheads to six hits and one run.

In marked contrast to that performance, however, Flying Tiger relievers gave up seven hits and six runs over the eighth and ninth innings as Jupiter rallied to send the game into overtime.

Two untimely Lakeland errors in the ninth inning didn't help matters, rendering half of those six runs unearned, including the final three runs in the Hammerheads' four-run, game-tying ninth.

Jupiter scored their two winning runs in the 14th when Vince Harrison drew a leadoff walk, Andrew Jenkins doubled, and Tampa native Steve Gendron singled.

Lakeland will now hit the road for four games against the East Division-leading Cubs in Daytona.

The Flying Tigers' next home game will be Monday at 7 against Sarasota. The Reds are in quite a first-half West Division pennant race with Clearwater, with each team sporting a 21-10 record when play started Tuesday.

Jupiter 010 000 024 000 02-9 15 0

Lakeland 500 100 010 000 00-7 11 4

JUP: Brauer, Gogal (4), Mobley (6), Jarrett (8), Talbott (10), Doolittle (14) and D'Antonio; LAK: Badenhop, Piccola (8), Witt (8), Dolsi (9), Hammond (10), Benitez and Casanova.

WP: Talbott (1-0); LP: Benitez (1-1); SV: Doolittle (9). E: LAK - Hernandez (2), Bourquin (5), Rhymes (9), Linares (4).

DP: LAK 4. LOB: JUP 12, LAK 11.

2B: JUP - Guerrero (3), Jenkins (5); LAK - Roberson (7), Ramirez (1). HR: LAK - Ramirez (3).

SAC: JUP - Scott (6), Septimo (6), Restko (1). SF: JUP - Jenkins (3); LAK - B ourquin (1). SB: LAK - Rhymes (3), Bourquin (1), Haske (2). HBP: Restko (by Badenhop), Bourquin . WP: Brauer, Doolittle. Time: 4:26. Att.: 339.


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[hueytaxi]

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Sports/Headlines/sptCUB01051007.htm


SPORTS: News

May 10, 2007

Daytona rallies for win over Lakeland
By SEAN KERNAN
Staff Writer

DAYTONA BEACH -- Just call them the Cardiac Cubs because the Daytona Cubs pulled out another victory in their final at-bats Wednesday night.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/downloads/DCUBS051007.JPG
N-J | Ji-Eun Lee
Lakeland Flying Tigers' Ovandy Suero is tagged out by Daytona Cubs' Nate Spears at Jackie Robinson Ballpark Wednesday.


The Cubs scored five runs in the eighth inning to beat the Lakeland Flying Tigers 5-3 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. It was Daytona's fourth comeback win in its last six games and each time the Cubs took the lead or won the game in their last swings at the plate.

The Cubs trailed 3-0 before Matt Matulia broke up Lakeland's shutout bid with a two-run triple off the right-field wall after Nate Spears and Chris Amador had walked. Daytona tied the game on Jesus Valdez's two-out double, and after another walk to Mark Reed, Alberto Garcia doubled home two runs.

"We were frustrated in the sixth and seventh innings when we couldn't get anything going, but things have been turning out for us late in the game," Matulia said. "I think we feel like we're never out of it. Obviously, we'd like to be winning by six or seven runs going into the ninth, but in order to be a good team, be competitive in this league, and to win a championship, you have to win these close games. And so far we've done a pretty good job of it.

"I think the more we can win 'em, I think the more confidence we're going to have later in the season."

The Cubs (18-14) have used their late heroics to move into a first-place in the Florida State League's East Division with the Palm Beach Cardinals. Daytona beat the St. Lucie Mets twice last week at home with walk-off hits and toppled the Tampa Yankees with a ninth-inning run Monday night.

Cubs manager Jody Davis wasn't around to see Wednesday night's comeback because he was ejected after the fourth inning for arguing with home plate umpire Jordan Baker. Davis was more than happy to give to the "W: to hitting coach Richie Zisk.

"Richie can have it," Davis said with a smile. "It's all about us. All I did was hand him the lineup card."

Lakeland (12-21) showed why it's in last place in the Florida State League's West Division by blowing a 3-0 lead in the eighth inning, aiding Daytona's rally with three walks to batters who scored.

"Leadoff walks in a close game like this can kill you," Matulia said. "In a game like this, you walk two guys like they did, and they got hurt."

The Flying Tigers also showed why they lead the league in home runs, taking that 3-0 lead on three solo homers early in the game. Lakeland now has 29 home runs for the season.

Daytona starter Mitch Atkins had given up just two home runs in his previous five starts covering 25 innings. But the right-hander gave up home runs to left-handed batters Justin Justice, Will Rhymes and Mark Haske before exiting with one out in the sixth inning.

Daytona's relievers -- Grant Johnson, Darin Downs and Jerry Blevins -- combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Downs (1-0), who joined the team Monday from extended spring training, got the win and Blevins picked up his sixth save.

sean.kernan@news-jrnl.com

Lakeland Flying Tigers at Daytona Cubs

WHEN: 7:05 p.m.

WHERE: Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

RECORDS: Flying Tigers 12-20, Cubs 17-14.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Tigers, RHP Eleazar Aponte (2-3, 5.16 ERA); RHP Jeff Samardzija (0-1, 3.52).

REASON TO GO: It's Thirsty Thursday. All 12-ounce draft beers and sodas are $1.

[hueytaxi]

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Sports/Headlines/sptCUB01051107.htm

SPORTS: News

May 11, 2007

Relievers give Cubs big boost
By SEAN KERNAN
Staff Writer

DAYTONA BEACH -- For a little while Thursday night it looked as though it was going to be Jeff Samardzija's night.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/downloads/CUBS3051107.JPG
N-J | Nigel Cook
Daytona Cubs' Matt Matulia scrambles safely back to first in an attempted pick-off tag by Lakeland Flying Tigers first baseman Ryan Roberson at Jackie Robinson Ballpark Thursday.

Unfortunately for the Chicago Cubs' pitching prospect, because of command issues and a fielding miscue behind him in the third inning, what could have been his first win of the season turned into his shortest outing of the season.

But a trio of Daytona relievers pitched in for six strong innings, allowing just one run, and the Cubs went on to a 9-4 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers (12-22) before a Jackie Robinson Ballpark crowd of 2,869. It was Daytona's fourth straight win and seventh in its last 11 games.

The Cubs (19-14) jumped out to a 4-0 lead after Samardzija -- the former Notre Dame All-America wide receiver -- had a 1-2-3 first inning and faced just four batters in the second.

However, with the help of three walks and a fielding error, the Tigers sent nine batters to the plate while scoring three runs in the third. With the Cubs ahead 4-3 going into the bottom of the third and Samardzija's pitch count high, manager Jody Davis made the decision to change pitchers to start the fourth inning.

"The first inning he went out there and I thought I saw a different guy," Davis said. "It looked like he was more focused. But when we scored the (four) runs it was almost like he let up a little and just tried to get through instead of trying to go right at guys. His pitch count was way high and I didn't see any way he could get through five innings (with his pitch limit)."

Reliever Jon Mueller (4-1) came in and worked three scoreless innings for the win.

"I knew I was coming in to eat some innings," Mueller said. "I just wanted to get ahead with my fastball and fill up the (strike) zone, get early contact, and keep my pitch count low so I could have a chance to give them three or four innings. I know (manager) Jody (Davis) loves it when you get a lot of first-pitch outs."

Daytona's Scott Koerber gave two innings of one-hit relief and Matt Avery set the Tigers down in order in the ninth.

Samardzija said he felt fine physically after the game. He appeared frustrated over the walks when he was on the mound and several borderline pitches were called balls.

"Overall you want to go out there and make quick innings to get your hitters back up there," Samardzija said. "When that's not happening you have to figure something else out, so I was a little frustrated with myself. I just have things I have to improve on."

Davis said it's a learning process for Samardzija, whose time playing baseball was limited because of his success in football.

"You can see how good his stuff is when you get his good stuff," Davis said. "He's just wild enough that when he does throw a borderline pitch the umpire doesn't give it to him. He hasn't shown that he can stay right there and get those pitches, so everything's kind of magnified. There were a bunch of pitches in that (third) inning that were close."

Daytona's offense was paced by third baseman Matt Matulia, who went 3-for-5 with two runs, and center fielder Tyler Colvin, who was 2-for-5 with two runs and a RBI.

sean.kernan@news-jrnl.com

Lakeland Flying Tigers at Daytona Cubs

WHEN: 7:05 p.m.

WHERE: Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

RECORDS: Flying Tigers 12-22, Cubs 19-14.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Tigers, RHP Kyle Denney (0-0, 6.75); RHP Jesse Estrada (0-0, 4.94).

REASON TO GO: The Cubs are the hottest team in the league right now. A four-game winning streak has Daytona in first place in the FSL East.

[fyrftrjim]

Tigers soar past Cubs in 17 innings

By SEAN KERNAN
Staff Writer
DAYTONA BEACH -- Seventeen innings proved to be just a little too much baseball for the Daytona Cubs Friday night.

And it was just right for the Lakeland Flying Tigers.


Former Daytona Beach Community College player Mark Haske scored the game-winning run. Haske had singled with one out, and two batters later came first base on Cody Collet's double to the left-field corner.

"That was a long time out there," Haske said after the four-hour, 45-minute marathon. "I didn't care who scored (the winning run) as long as it was someone from our team. But it's cool that I scored it."

Daytona manager Jody Davis used every position player and pitcher available -- 19 in all. The only non-starters who didn't pitch for Daytona were Scott Koerber and Jon Mueller, each of whom had pitched Thursday night and weren't available.

Five Cubs relievers -- Darin Downs, Mike Phelps, Jerry Blevins, Grant Johnson and Matt Avery -- combined for 11 2/3 scoreless innings before Davis had to move Garcia from left field to the mound.

"That was my first time putting in a non-pitcher," said Davis, who managed the Peoria Chiefs last season in the Midwest League. "I hope once is all it happens this year. We actually went with Avery for three innings because we're off Sunday."

A crowd of 2,697 was on hand for much of the game, but less than 150 fans stuck around until the end at 11:55 p.m. It was Daytona's longest game of the season in innings and time.

The Cubs had plenty of opportunities to take the lead or win, especially in the eighth through 11th innings. In all, Daytona left 17 runners on base, including nine in those four innings.

"We had our chances," Davis said. "You figure you keep putting 'em up there and someone will bloop (an RBI hit) in, but it didn't happen."

Nate Spears and Jake Muyco had two-out singles in the eighth inning before Matt Matulia grounded out.

Daytona left the bases loaded in the ninth as Tigers reliever Paul Hammond coaxed Ryan Norwood into a pop foul to end the inning.

In the 10th, Spears was hit by a pitch and Muyco bunted him over to second. Matulia was intentionally walked before Robinson Chirinos ripped a line drive that Lakeland second baseman Will Rhymes snagged and threw to first for an inning-ending double play.

Garcia and Chris Amador stroked two-out singles in the 11th before Hammond got Norwood to ground out.

Lakeland (13-22) snapped a four-game losing streak and the Tigers put themselves in position to earn a split in the four-game series that concludes with tonight's finale at 7:05.

The loss ended Daytona's winning streak at four games. The Cubs (19-15) slipped out of first place by a half game because the Brevard County Manatees (20-15) beat the Fort Myers Miracle 4-2 Friday night in Viera.


sean.kernan@news-jrnl.com

Lakeland Flying Tigers at Daytona Cubs tonight

WHEN: 7:05 p.m.

WHERE: Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

RECORDS: Flying Tigers 13-22, Cubs 19-15.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Tigers, RHP Andrew Kown (0-0, 0.00 ERA); Cubs, RHP Joel Santo (3-2, 3.86).

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Sports/Headlines/sptCUB01051207.htm

[fyrftrjim]

Lakeland Wins in 17



DAYTONA BEACH - Cody Collet doubled home Mark Haske in the top of the 17th inning Friday night to lead the Lakeland Flying Tigers to a 6-5 win over the Daytona Cubs.

Haske had singled and advanced to second on an infield groundout by Maxwell Leon.

Jacob Ramos the sixth out of seven Flying Tigers' pitcher of the night, pitched two innings to earn the win. Freddy Dolsi came on in the 17th to earn the save.

The game was gied, 5-5, after five innings before they played scoreless baseball for the nest 11 innings.

The two teams play again tonight in Daytona at 7 p.m.

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[hueytaxi]

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Sports/Headlines/sptCUB01051207.htm

SPORTS: News

May 12, 2007

Tigers soar past Cubs in 17 innings
By SEAN KERNAN
Staff Writer

DAYTONA BEACH -- Seventeen innings proved to be just a little too much baseball for the Daytona Cubs Friday night.
And it was just right for the Lakeland Flying Tigers.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/downloads/CUBS051207.JPG
N-J | Jessica Webb Sibley
Daytona Cubs' Kyle Reynolds rounds second after hitting a triple against the Lakeland Tigers at Jackie Robinson Ballpark Friday.

The visiting Tigers took advantage of a golden opportunity in the 17th inning as Cubs outfielder Alberto Garcia was called on to take the hill because Daytona's bullpen was spent. The Tigers got two hits and the only run in the last 12 innings to beat the Cubs 6-5 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Former Daytona Beach Community College player Mark Haske scored the game-winning run. Haske had singled with one out, and two batters later came first base on Cody Collet's double to the left-field corner.

"That was a long time out there," Haske said after the four-hour, 45-minute marathon. "I didn't care who scored (the winning run) as long as it was someone from our team. But it's cool that I scored it."

Daytona manager Jody Davis used every position player and pitcher available -- 19 in all. The only non-starters who didn't pitch for Daytona were Scott Koerber and Jon Mueller, each of whom had pitched Thursday night and weren't available.

Five Cubs relievers -- Darin Downs, Mike Phelps, Jerry Blevins, Grant Johnson and Matt Avery -- combined for 11 2/3 scoreless innings before Davis had to move Garcia from left field to the mound.

"That was my first time putting in a non-pitcher," said Davis, who managed the Peoria Chiefs last season in the Midwest League. "I hope once is all it happens this year. We actually went with Avery for three innings because we're off Sunday."

A crowd of 2,697 was on hand for much of the game, but less than 150 fans stuck around until the end at 11:55 p.m. It was Daytona's longest game of the season in innings and time.

The Cubs had plenty of opportunities to take the lead or win, especially in the eighth through 11th innings. In all, Daytona left 17 runners on base, including nine in those four innings.

"We had our chances," Davis said. "You figure you keep putting 'em up there and someone will bloop (an RBI hit) in, but it didn't happen."

Nate Spears and Jake Muyco had two-out singles in the eighth inning before Matt Matulia grounded out.

Daytona left the bases loaded in the ninth as Tigers reliever Paul Hammond coaxed Ryan Norwood into a pop foul to end the inning.

In the 10th, Spears was hit by a pitch and Muyco bunted him over to second. Matulia was intentionally walked before Robinson Chirinos ripped a line drive that Lakeland second baseman Will Rhymes snagged and threw to first for an inning-ending double play.

Garcia and Chris Amador stroked two-out singles in the 11th before Hammond got Norwood to ground out.

Lakeland (13-22) snapped a four-game losing streak and the Tigers put themselves in position to earn a split in the four-game series that concludes with tonight's finale at 7:05.

The loss ended Daytona's winning streak at four games. The Cubs (19-15) slipped out of first place by a half game because the Brevard County Manatees (20-15) beat the Fort Myers Miracle 4-2 Friday night in Viera.

sean.kernan@news-jrnl.com

Lakeland Flying Tigers at Daytona Cubs tonight

WHEN: 7:05 p.m.

WHERE: Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

RECORDS: Flying Tigers 13-22, Cubs 19-15.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Tigers, RHP Andrew Kown (0-0, 0.00 ERA); Cubs, RHP Joel Santo (3-2, 3.86).

REASON TO GO: The Daytona Cubs Booster Club will have a silent auction featuring items autographed by Carlos Zambrano, Sean Casey, Jim Leyland, Gary Carter, Juan Pierre and more.

TICKET INFO: Go online to www.daytonacubs.com or call (386) 257-3172

[hueytaxi]

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Sports/Baseball/sptCUB01051307.htm

SPORTS: News

May 13, 2007

5-run fifth lifts Cubs
By KEN HORNACK
Staff Writer

DAYTONA BEACH -- Oh, what a relief Scott Koerber turned out to be Saturday night for the Daytona Cubs.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/downloads/DCUBS3051307.JPG
N-J | Justin Yurkanin
Daytona Cubs first baseman Ryan Norwood catches the ball for an out against the Lakeland Flying Tigers at Jackie Robinson Ballpark Saturday.

After losing a 17-inning marathon at Jackie Robinson Ballpark to the Lakeland Flying Tigers less than 24 hours earlier, the Cubs had only two relief pitchers -- Koerber and Jon Mueller -- available if starter Scott Taylor got into trouble.
Taylor didn't fool many batters over six innings, giving up home runs to Ryan Roberson and Wilkin Ramirez as well as 13 hits overall. But a five-run rally in the bottom of the fifth enlivened the Cubs and a crowd of 3,074, and Koerber handcuffed the Tigers over the final three innings of a 9-7 victory.

"We went into the game knowing that (Taylor) was going to have to get his 90, 95 pitches one way or the other, whether he gave up 10 (runs) or had a shutout going," Cubs manager Jody Davis said. "He just had to do it for the bullpen. And Koerber really was the only guy down there that we had."

As it ended up, Koerber was the only guy down there the Cubs needed.

Except for a one-out single by former Daytona Beach Community College player Mark Haske in the eighth, the 24-year-old left-hander faced the minimum number of hitters while earning his first save of the season. Taylor was touched for all seven runs, but was still able to improve his record to 2-3.

"Taylor battled," Davis said. "He didn't have much, but he did battle. And Koerber pitched great."

The Cubs (20-15) trailed 6-2 going into the bottom of the fifth inning. They had runners on second and third with no one out in the fourth, but managed just one run, with Ryan Norwood's flyout to right not being deep enough to cause Kyle Reynolds to tag up and try scoring from third base.

Norwood atoned for that the next time he was up. His double off Tigers reliever Ricky Steik (0-4) scored Reynolds and Jesus Valdez and capped a rally that put the Cubs on top 7-6.

"That's just a situation where, regardless of what you've done in the game or the past two games, you've got to say, 'You know what? I've got to get this done and help the team out,' " said Norwood, who went into the game batting only .178.

The Tigers (13-23) pushed across a run in the top of the sixth before Tyler Colvin's two-run double in the bottom half gave the Cubs the lead for good.

"It was a long game last night," Davis said. "Everybody got out of here late. And we came back and swung the bats pretty well. It's always good to get those hits with guys on base."

Although both teams combined for 16 runs and 26 hits, the game took a scant two hours and eight minutes to complete.

"After (Friday) night, it just seemed quick," Davis said. "After four hours and 45 minutes, anything was quick."

The Cubs open a three-game series Monday at Vero Beach.

ken.hornack@news-jrnl.com

Cubs 9, Tigers 7

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Flying Tigers Lose Slugfest

Compiled From Ledger, Wire Reports






DAYTONA - The Lakeland Flying Tigers wasted a 14-hit performance and lost, 9-7, to the Daytona Cubs on Saturday night. The Cubs (20-15) are a half-game out of first place in the Eastern Division of the FSL, while the Flying Tigers are 11 1/2 out in fifth place in the Western Division.

Michael Hernandez had three hits for Lakeland and William Rhymes, Cameron Maybin, Ryan Roberson and Mark Haske had two each. Roberson homered.

Andrew Kown started for Lakeland and Ricky Steik (0-4) took the loss.

The league is off today.Lakeland 300 121 000 - 7 14 2Daytona 100 152 00x - 9 12 0WP: S. Taylor (2-3, 6.51); LP: R. Steik (0-4, 6.10); SV: S. Koerber (1).HR: LAK: R. Roberson (7), W. Ramirez (4).


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Lakeland Drops Top Team in Division

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - Max Leon didn't wait long to make his mark in a Lakeland uniform.

Promoted from Extended Spring on Friday, the 22-year Mexican infielder singled in a pair of runs in his first at-bat and added two sacrifice bunts and another single as the Flying Tigers sailed past Sarasota, 8-1, on Monday.

A Florida State League crowd of 312 at Joker Marchant Statium saw Lakeland starter Burke Badenhop (3-3) get a much-deserved win against the top team in the West Division.

Just five days ago, Badenhop's teammates had squandered a 6-1 lead in a 9-7, 14-inning loss to Jupiter. Badenhop had fired seven innings of six-hit, one-run ball only to end up with a no decision.

"Burke got the win he should've gotten the last time out," Lakeland pitching coach Joe Coleman said.

"We did everything right tonight and played the way we should be playing every night," Lakeland manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

This time out, there was no bullpen or defensive collapse and Badenhop was able to even his record at 3-3).

The Bowling Green right-hander did walk five Reds, but maneuvered out of the trouble that those walks got him into and again allowed only one run.

Paul Hammond and Matt Righter tossed three shutout innings in relief of Badenhop, as the Flying Tigers won for only the fifth time in the last 18 games.

Ovandy Suero and Will Rhymes each hit a two-run single and seven different Lakeland players scored a run.

Luke French (2-1, 2.75) is expected to oppose Sarasota right-hander Daryl Thompson (0-0, 12.27) tonight at Marchant at 7 in the second game of the three-game series

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Solid Pitching Boosts Flying Tigers to Win

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - Luke French, Derek Witt, and Freddy Dolsi combined on a seven-hitter as Lakeland tripped Sarasota, 2-1, in Florida State League baseball on Tuesday night.

A Joker Marchant Stadium crowd of 410 saw French (3-1) extend his shutout innings streak to 12 with six more scoreless frames.

"The development of Luke's curveball and the two miles per hour that he has added to his fastball with a rigorous conditioning program represent the biggest improvements in his pitching," Lakeland pitching coach Joe Coleman said.

"He had a two-to-one strike to ball ratio and was not afraid to pitch inside and that's almost always a win-ning combination," added Coleman.

Derek Witt was also unhittable in his two innings out of the bullpen and, although Dolsi did give up a solo home run to Danny Dorn in the ninth, he earned his fifth save by retiring everyone else he faced.

Ovandy Suero led off the home half of the first by singling to left field. The Dominican speedster then stole his league-leading 25th base, advanced to second on Sill Rhymes' sacrifice bunt, and scored easily on Cameron Maybin's sacrifice fly to right field.

The Flying Tigers scored their other run in the fifth when Max Leon singled to left, stole second, and motored home on Mark Haske's double.

Suero added three more stolen bases, another single and two walks.

The game marked only the third time this season that Lakeland has won back-to-back games.

Eleazar Aponte (2-4, 5.88) is expected to oppose Sarasota right-hander Ramon Ramirez (2-0, 5.05) tonight at Marchant at 7 in the finale of the three-game series.

The Dunedin Blue Jays will then visit Lakeland for three games, including Saturday's 6 p.m. contest, which will be preceded by a home run derby and the Shining Star Softball Challenge.

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Flying Tigers Post 1st 3-Game String
By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - The Lakeland Flying Tigers continued to do all the little things right Wednesday, completing a three-game sweep of the West Division-leading Sarasota Reds, 7-4.

The 315 Florida State League spectators who turned out at Joker Marchant Stadium saw Lakeland pitchers strike out 11, Lakeland runners steal six bases and Lakeland batters come up with big two-out hits as the Flying Tigers won three in a row for the first time this season.

Michael Hernandez and Wilken Ramirez had three hits apiece as the catalysts in the Flying Tigers' 12-hit attack, but it was more a case of the timely hit that told the story of Lakeland's success.

Adrian Cassanova had a two-out RBI single in the second, and Ramirez did him one better with a two-run two-out single in the third.

Reliever Jacob Ramos inherited three runners when he entered the game in the fifth but allowed only one of them to score and then got a big strikeout an inning later that stranded two runners.

Ramos (2-0) earned his second win in the week since joining the team.

Right-hander Kyle Denney (0-0, 6.75) is expected to start against Dunedin tonight at Marchant at 7 in the opener of a three-game series with the Blue Jays.


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Long Balls Spark Win By Lakeland
By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - The ospreys that nest on the light towers at Joker Marchant Stadium better keep their beaks down when Ryan Roberson comes to the plate for Lakeland.

The Flying Tigers slugger rocketed another one of his rainmakers Thursday night, a towering two-run shot that landed at the top of the left field berm and propelled Lakeland to a 7-4 win over Dunedin.

One of the most consistent players since opening day, Roberson now leads the league with nine home runs, although most of them have gone high enough and far enough to count as two homers.

A bases-clearing double to center by Will Rhymes didn't go quite as far as Roberson but was just as important, as the Flying Tigers won their fourth game in a row.

Matt O'Brien (0-0, 4.50) is expected to oppose Dunedin right-hander Kristian Bell (2-2, 4.21) in the second game of the three-game series at 7 tonight at Marchant.

O'Brien was called over from Extended Spring when Andrew Miller was promoted to Class AA Erie, Pa., last week.

Miller made one outstanding start for the Sea Wolves (8 IP, 6H, 0ER, 7 K, 0BB) before being called up to Detroit for a spot start tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of interleague play.


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Flying Tigers Extend Streak

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent



LAKELAND - The Flying Tigers used dramatic late-inning rallies to extend their winning streak to five games Friday night.

Lakeland tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the ninth and won it, 4-3, over Dunedin an inning later on Max Leon's bases-loaded single.

"Their pitcher fell behind, 3-1, and put one right down the middle of the plate," said Leon, who tripled to start the ninth-inning rally and made an outstanding play at third.

"This was a big win, to come back like this, especially with young players like we have," Lakeland Manager Kevin Bradshaw said.

"They're starting to believe in themselves and a win like this can go a long way toward building confidence."

A Joker Marchant Stadium crowd of 381 saw Lakeland take a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Ryan Roberson singled, Leon sacrificed him to second, and Wilkin Ramirez delivered an RBI single.

But Dunedin scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings before Leon's triple jump-started the comeback in the ninth.

The Flying Tigers will close out their six-game home stand tonight at 6 against these same Dunedin Blue Jays.

Burke Badenhop (3-3, 3.28) is expected to oppose major league veteran Victor Zambrano (0-0, 0.00), who is making a rehab start.

Tonight's game will be preceded by the Shining Star Softball challenge featuring teams from the Polk County Sheriff's office, and the Lakeland Police Department, as well as Tampa Bay tight end Alex Smith, and the Lakeland Dreadnaught football team

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It's Lights Out for Lakeland

By DAVID YATES
Ledger Correspondent






LAKELAND - It was almost lights out for Lakeland's five-game winning streak Saturday night.

The Dunedin Blue Jays were comfortably ahead, 10-2, in the top of the sixth inning, when light-tower failure forced the game to be suspended.

The Blue Jays do not play in Lakeland again in the first half, so the game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on June 18 in Dunedin.

A festive Joker Marchant Stadium Student Appreciation Night crowd of 1,635 saw the Jays abuse Lakeland ace Burke Badenhop for six runs and eight hits in the first three innings and then put the game on cruise control.

Dunedin leadoff man Luke Hetherington singled three times, stole a base, scored once and drove in a pair, while Cory Patton also singled three times as part of the Jays' 14-hit attack. The first eight batters in the Dunedin lineup scored.

Badenhop (3-4) was opposed by major league veteran Victor Zambrano, who was making his first professional start after being sidelined by elbow surgery for most of 2006. Zambrano gave up only one hit and two runs in four innings but walked seven. He escaped major trouble in the first inning when Friday's hero, Max Leon, lined hard to left fielder Jacob Butler with the bases loaded.

The Flying Tigers will now hit the road for four games in Vero Beach against the Devil Rays. IThe Vero Beach FSL franchise was associated with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the past 26 years and this is the first year that that association changed to Tampa Bay.

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Devil Rays' Walton helps snap skid

By staff report
May 21, 2007
VERO BEACH — The Vero Beach Devil Rays broke their four-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Sunday afternoon at Holman Stadium.

The Devil Rays scored one run in the first inning on an RBI double by Sergio Pedroza and broke the game open with four runs in the second. Neil Walton had an RBI triple, Jackson Brennan an RBI double and Christopher Cunningham and Erold Andrus had RBI singles in the inning.

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Walton added a solo homer for Vero Beach in the fourth.

Jacob McGee (4-1) pitched six solid innings, striking out eight for the win. Kevin Lynn pitched the final three innings to pick up his first save of the season.

ON DECK: The series continues today at 7 p.m. on Day 2 of the Mustache Growing Contest and Awful Night.

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Minor leagure baseball: Pedroza rips three HRs

By staff reports
May 22, 2007
VERO BEACH — Sergio Pedroza had only one home run this season before Monday night, but connected for three and drove in six runs to lead the Vero Beach Devil Rays to a 15-4 rout of the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Monday night at Holman Stadium.

The Devil Rays, who had 17 hits, built up an 11-0 lead in the first three innings and coasted the rest of the way.


Erold Andrus also had a big game as he went 3-for-4 with an home run and two RBIs and J. T. Hall went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs for Vero Beach, which won its second straight over Lakeland. Wade Davis (3-0) remained undefeated as he went five innings, gave up six hits, two runs and struck out five.

ON DECK: The series continues today at 7 p.m. on Mustache Growing Contest Day 3 at Holman Stadium.

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Flying Tigers Take Close One



VERO BEACH
Ryan Roberson's two-run double in the seventh inning gave the Lakeland Flying Tigers a see-saw, 4-3 victory over the Vero Beach Devil Rays on Tuesday night.

Roberson also homered, his 10th of the season.

The Tigers had broken a 1-1 tie in the sixth, only to have the Rays score two for the lead in the bottom of the inning before the winning rally.

Kyle Denney (2-0) got the win, going six innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out five and walking three. Freddy Dolsi tossed a perfect ninth for his seventh save.

Also for Lakeland, William Rhymes went 3-for-4 and Ovandy Suero stole three bases, giving him 33 for the year, tops in the minor leagues.Lakeland 000 101 200-4 11 0Vero Beach 010 002 000-3 6 1WP: Denney (2-0, 5.75); LP: J. Gonzalez (2-3, 2.92); SV: Dolsi (7). HR: LAK: Roberson (10). 2B: LAK, Rhymes, Roberson; VB: Cottrell, Andrus. 3B: VB, Vick. RBI: LAK, Roberson 3 (27), Ramirez, W (23); VB, Hughes (29), Andrus, Er (23), Cottrell (21).

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Tigers claw past D'Rays

By staff reports
May 23, 2007
VERO BEACH — Ryan Roberson hit a two-run double in the top of the seventh inning to rally the Lakeland Flying Tigers to a 4-3 win over the Vero Beach Devil Rays on Tuesday at Holman Stadium.

The Devil Rays had taken a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth when Hunter Vick tripled and scored on an RBI double by Erold Andrus, and Andrus then scored on an single by Patrick Cottrell.

Vero Beach scored its other run in the second as Rhyne Hughes singled in Cottrell, who had doubled.

Jino Gonzalez (2-3) took the loss in relief of starter Michael Wlodarczyk.

ON DECK: The series concludes today at 7 p.m. on Mustache Growing Contest Day 4, and Pirates of the Caribbean Night — wear a pirate's outfit and get in for half price.

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Flying Tigers Hold Off Vero Beach



VERO BEACH - Ryan Roberson homered and Jacob Ramos struck out five in 2 1/3 innings to help the Lakeland Flying Tigers edge Vero Beach, 5-3, on Wednesday night to earn a split of a four-game series.

Lakeland will be at home tonight at 7 to host the Palm Beach Cardinals in the first of four games between the two at Joker Marchant Stadium



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Flying Tigers win, split (series)

By staff reports
May 24, 2007
VERO BEACH — The Lakeland Flying Tigers rallied for a 5-3 win over the Vero Beach Devil Rays on Wednesday night at Holman Stadium and earn a split of the four-game series.

The game was scoreless until the fifth inning when Lakeland scored two runs to take a 2-0 lead. Vero Beach came back to tie it in the bottom half of the inning on RBI singles by Rhyne Hughes and Christian Lopez.


The Devil Rays took the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Jason St. Clair scored on a fielder's choice.

But the Flying Tigers s