VS LONG ISLAND DUCKS
Bill Pulsipher (NR) vs.
James Lira (7-6, 6.50 ERA)
A few things have changed since the last time the Barnstormers played the Ducks on July 21. Frank Klebe is no longer Lancaster’s manager. Jose Offerman is known more for swinging at opposing pitchers than baseballs. Reggie Taylor is being referred to as Reggie Traitor by some of Lancaster’s fans. One thing that hasn’t changed is Long Island’s place in the standings. It’s still in first and is still headed toward a playoff showdown with Newark next month.
Pre-game notes:
– Pulsipher is making his first appearance in the Atlantic League this season. The lefthander, who helped the Ducks win 
their only championship in 2004, has made two career starts against Lancaster and has allowed 17 runs in eight innings.
– Dionys Cesar, acquired from the Ducks on Tuesday, was activated prior to last night’s game and could make his Barnstormers debut. According to Mike Solano, the Ducks head of media relations, Taylor is expected to be in uniform for Long Island. A little drama at the Clip.
– Somerset begins a three-game series at York tonight. The second-place Revs are 2½ games behind the Patriots. The Barnstormers are five back.
– In case you missed it, former Surf star Lincoln Mikkelsen signed with the Patriots. That won’t exactly help Lancaster’s playoff push.
Lineups:
DUCKS (27-17): Reggie Taylor, CF; Ray Navarrete, 2B; Bryant Nelson, 3B; Pete Rose, Jr., 1B; Edgardo Alfonzo, SS; Norm Hutchins, RF; Rob Cafiero, DH; Estee Harris, LF; Jared Price, C.
STORMERS (21-22): Mike Woods, 2B; Danny Gonzalez, SS; Jutt Hileman, CF; Dominick Ambrosini, LF; Lance Burkhart, C; Jeremy Todd, 1B; Dionys Cesar, 3B; Felix Martinez, DH; Chris Van Rossum, RF.
Scoring summary:
FINAL: Ducks 7, Barnstormers 2
Ducks 1st: Rose’s double-play grounder scores Taylor.
Ducks lead 1-0.
Stormers 1st: Hileman’s single scores Woods.
Game tied at 1.
Ducks 5th: Rose’s home run scores Navarrete.
Ducks lead 3-1.
Ducks 8th: Hutchins’ sacrifice fly scores Rose. Harris’ home run scores Alfonzo and Cafiero. Ducks lead 7-1.
Stormers 8th: Todd hits solo home run.
Ducks lead 7-2.
RECORD: 21-23 (50-57)
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Pete Rose Jr. (2-for-5 with a two-run homer in the fifth inning that put the Ducks ahead to stay).
SOME HIGHLIGHTS: Reggie Taylor returned. Barnstormers fans were surprisingly indifferent about the All-Star’s first game at the Clip since winning the championship here in October. There were a few boos and a few cheers, but the ballpark was mostly quiet. Taylor went 1-for-5 with an infield single and a run scored.
*Taylor said he agreed to return to the Barnstormers, but his agent – Steve Weinberg, negotiated a deal with the Ducks. The outfielder decided to play for Long Island because it’s in first place and because he believes he’ll get greater exposure in his quest to return to a big-league organization.
“I had made a commitment to come to Lancaster,” Taylor said. “I feel bad in a way. At the same time, I made my decision and that’s the decision I chose to stick with.”
*James Lira took the loss. The righthander went six innings and allowed three runs. He issued six walks, but was mostly able to pitch out of trouble.
*Mike Woods went 4-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored. The second baseman has shown great improvement in the second half as he tries to make up for not playing at all last season. Woods is hitting .348 this month.
*Dionys Cesar went 0-for-4 in his Barnstormers debut.
*Jeremy Todd belted his team-leading 23rd home run.
*The Barnstormers left 11 runners on base and struck out 10 times. The recurring them recurs.
*Lancaster had its three-game winning streak snapped and fell six games behind first-place Somerset, which walloped York 17-2 Wednesday night. The Patriots are pulling away. Their lead is 3½ games.
“We’re well aware of how many games back we are and how many games are left,” interim manager Rick Wise said. “We see it every day in the stats and in the paper. It’s a very difficult uphill climb.”
*Good crowd at the Clip: 5,224. Only 2,800 at Sovereign Bank Stadium in York.
Hey Stormin…I hear you are wearing a Reggie Taylor jersey tonight…hahaha.
Actually I can’t make this game. My wife and daughter will be there. Of course it is going to be a doosy.
It is almost turning in to be a Soap Opera. I am going to look into buying the rights to “As the Atlantic League Turns”. Could make for good viewing.
Wow, I just realized that Dawes is a big Reggie fan and was so excited about him coming back. Hope he does’nt turn from us and go out and buy a Ducks jersey and start cheering for them.
It would be interesting to hear his views on this.
If Reginald shows up at the game tonight I think he will hear a lot of boos, at least from my section.
IT will be ashame if Steve is on the bench tonight, he has a couple of really good outings.
I think we were all Reggie fans until this sordid turn of events. I know I was looking forward to his return regardless of the fact that I never fully believed it would happen. And again, I have nothing personal against Taylor any more than I have any of the rest of the current Ducks. They don’t suck, their team does. Sucks hard, too. But you can’t yell at a team so I’ll yell at Taylor. What’s the worst that can happen, he throws down his bat and exclaims that he’ll never play in Lancaster again?
Mark…true on your last post. Its the way this was done that I have a problem with. He didnt want to come here…thats plain to see but the way it was done in secret and announced the day before he was supposed to meet up with the team?
On a brighter note… James is starting and it looks like a nice [warm] night for a baseball game.
After we’re done booing Reggie Traitor we’ll cheer our Stormers on to victory like we did in Ddddddoork last night !!!!
I don’t agree that it’s a black and white issue: because he’s in LI, he didn’t want to come here. Especially when you consider that nearly every player in the AL talks about how great a place Lancaster is to play.
It very well could be the case – that he had no desire to come back. But I’m suspecting there’s other motivating factors. With money being #1 on the list.
I doubt it was money. We’re not talking millions. I don’t doubt LI could offer more than anyone else, but I’d have to guess that first and foremost, he wanted to play for a winning team and Lancaster is a long shot at best.
Yeah…I mean he was playing in Mexico where the money is clearly better. For three weeks of a season he’s not going to be making a whole lot more. Like Mark says… I am thinking that making the playoffs and playing for a better (?) team was the draw for him. Plus he could go where his ego fits in better than here. With the amount of ex major leaguers on the Long Island roster…he will fit right in.
Actually I could really care less about the whole mess. We are going to show these guys that you do not need a lot of ex-major leaguers to win games. It about a burning desire to win and our guys are hungry.
Say what you want about York being down but the Stormers played three great games and put a spark back into everything.
One at a Time.
I hope we win it all… just to bite Reggie in the A$$
Booing Reggie will make him think we care he chose those Ducks. Ignore him. Cheer our team – that’s what we’re there for.
We could all just turn our backs to him when he is batting.. that is, if they have the nerve to put him in the line up
I have been told if you ignore it, it goes away.
hey, nice picture
Like the new avatar Rad.
I change with the weather, player, my mood… Now I’m an Avatar expert…. LOL, thanks to you .
Most people in the stands wont even know anything about this Reggie thing. Was there ever anything in the newpaper about it? I dont remember seeing anything this weekend about it. If so can anyone link to it for me?
There was a small write-up in the Intell on page C8.
Todays paper only
Since you are the expert Jason, what should our hopes be out of the York-Somerset series?
For the record…
I am a huge fan of Reggie Taylor as a fan, and I can’t fault him for wanting to play in what I’m sure he sees as a better opportunity to be recognized by major league scouts in Long Island.
However, I am deeply disappointed in his actions. I have followed his career pretty closely and this doesn’t seem like the kind of thing he would do. However, because of his actions, I can no longer cheer for him. It’s the same thing as Johnny Damon for me. I will never cheer for him again. I will never cheer for Reggie again.
I was a huge Reggie fan.
I am a bigger Barnstormers fan.
I can in all sincerity say that my rooting interests in ALL of professional sports go as follows…
1. Red Sox
2. Barnstormers
3. Syracuse basketball
If I am insane enough to put that much stock into an independent baseball team, nothing is going to take me away from rooting for them.
Lineups are posted. Taylor hitting leadoff for Ducks. Cesar batting seventh for Stormers.
I’m no expert, but it’s probably best if Somerset loses to York since the Pats are in first.
my hats off to you dawes.
thanks jg. it’s good to see dom back in the line up.
travis is in the latest gochenours ad. we all know what that means.
what’s it like so far? i am unable to be there.
It’s like any other game. Taylor was greeted with general indifference.
kind of a sloppy first inning for both sides but now it’s slowed down. Lira is pretty hit or miss so far.
thanks. lets go james, it’s lira time.
go stormers.
todd’s having an off night, that’s for sure.
Sounds like Dave Collins is having some fun with the zooperstars.
i like the taylor/cesar watch. cool feature.
Does anyone know why Ducks traded Dionys Cesar? Why him of all people?
The Barnstormers were interested in Cesar before he signed with the Ducks. So, once the Taylor situation unfolded, they asked for Cesar as compensation. The Ducks agreed.
Yeah, I see that, but then why did the Ducks agree to trade him? Is that they wanted Taylor that bad they were willing to give whatever Lancaster asked for?
I’m pretty underwhelmed with Cesar so far. then again, Taylor hasn’t done much either. slow game in general.
I am online finally. Go Stormers.
Ouch.
Thanks Todd. One at a time guys.
Can we have another Slam?
Can Dom make it hurt to his old team? I think so.
Why is Barry starting tomorrow? Is something wrong with Henkel?
Poor Stormin… you were all alone out here in cyber world tonight. The troops are home now . WE really can’t complain about tonights game… We swept Ddddoorrk and that’s all that mattered lately !!! While in Dddoorrk the guys played like it was the play-offs and they deserve a break
I miss Brett’s smilling face in the pen
Henkel has a sore shoulder. That’s why Armitage is starting Thursday.
I miss Brett in the bullpen too. Hey, Rad cool picture!!!
Thanks.
Come on Stormers! Roast those DUCKS!
(For my own reasons….but for you guys too!)
On a completely different note: those of you AL gear collectors–there are a bunch of Red Bluefish jerseys up for auction on ebay:
here’s a link to Matt Beech’s but they are all up there.
Bidding starts at $49.99 and 100% goes to the Disabled Veterans of CT. In case anyone is interested.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:B:BCA:US:11&Item=280147998904
Yeah general indifference to Taylor…I didnt hear much of any kind of reaction to him being announced if you want the honest truth. Like I said earlier most people really had no idea that anything “underhanded” even went on.
Stormin…was that in todays paper? Of course I rarely get to see the Intell. I guess we didnt want to make a big specticle about it considering that it was a pr move to announce him coming a month ago….and now that he’s not…well, lets just hide the fact that we made an error by even announcing it in the first place without him actually signing. I think thats a pretty interesting way to handle it…just pretend that it never happened a month ago. Had this been more publicized…the reaction would have been different tonight. Pretty much only the people that read this blog had an idea of what happened.
Dawes.
Stop by the window Thursday night and we can talk about a picture.
Like to meet you.
Tom
There was a story about Taylor in today’s New Era and there was a 400-word story on this blog that received few hits. People just didn’t seem to care.
Hey Tom,
I can come by Friday night. Thursday I have a graduate school class at night.
Will that work for you?
-Dawes
DAWES,
No unfortunately I won’t be there Friday or Sat. but will return on sunday.
Sorry
Hey Tom,
I will also be there Sunday.
-Dawes
Hey.. I’ll be there too !!
i think i may be there too, cause i have nothing else to do that day then to go see the guys!!!!
good luck tonight!!!!!
News Flash… Patterson just got called up to Triple A. He is on his way to Syracuse right now !!!! Yippeeeee
About Time.
I am just beside myself. If/when he goes to Yankee stadium I will need valium
Time to change the Avatar.
Great news Rad.
this avatar is Patty in his Yankee uni. this spring.
Stormin. It must be the Red 33 you gave me… good karma
See you all tonight.
With Scott it is a shorter trip from AAA to yankee stadium
Go Stormers!!!!!!
That is grea Rad!!! Thanks for the update on Patterson!!!
Good luck Patterson
Yeah but a little longer road trip up to Scranton next week for play-offs!!!!
Interesting… I changed my avatar {Patterson, of course}using the home computer but I’m seeing Lira on the office computer. What’s up with that Stormin?
Bad karma.
HA HA … LOL
maize (if you’re reading),
Cards sent P Chris Lambert to the Tigers to complete that Mike Maroth trade. Lambert is a former first-round pick — 19th overall — that never panned out. St. Louis just hasn’t drafted very well. Maybe Lambert will put it together at some point. He obviously has talent.
Jason.. The Cardinals and Astros both have a pretty weak farm system right now. They both seem to have not drafted real good of late (Astros traded away the few top prospects we did have in bad trades). I usually get a feel of how the Cardinals system is because a lot of their farm teams are in the same league as the Astros.
Thanks for the update. The Tigers and the Barnstormers have a common need. They both need a nine or ten game winning streak.
Phils leading the Mets 2-0 in the 3rd. Ryan Howard 2 run Hr. Just think, in about 15 years maybe he can tale advantage of the short porch at the Clipp!
Patterson is a class act… and now he’s closer to the Yanks and actually in the state of NY… Yahoo!
There was one person calling out “Reggie Traitor” over behind the home team dugout… ME! What a joke. Like aa mentioned, most have absolutely no idea what transpired over the past few weeks. That’s okay… it takes all types of people to fill the stands. Some are dedicated baseball and ‘Stormer fans, but most are there for a nice night at the park.
I got to stand in line with autograph amy and mom last night… nice to have met you aa.
I just hate seeing PJ (formerly know as Petey, Jr.) hitting home runs at The Clip.
That dang thing he does when the Ducks are on defense and there are two outs just gets to me… It looks like he’s taking a right handed hook shot in a basketball game, but what he’s doing is actually throwing two fingers up to let the outfielders know that there are two outs. Guess what Petey… None of your teammates are watching at you!
There was a family sitting beside us last evening and the father asked me what the heck was PJ doing. I just shook my head and said that Petey’s strange that way… LOL!
We had a good game up until PJ hit that two run shot.
James was falling behind in a lot of pitches last evening. Luckily, the defense turned a couple and we were out of some potential problems early on.
We had the bases loaded with no outs and only scored one run! That was not good at all.
There is one thing that I don’t understand. Someone please explain it to me…
Last night, we were down a run when we first came to bat. Michael gets a nice lead-off single and is now on first. Up comes Danny G and they have him swinging away.
In my playing days, we always had a speedster leading off and when he got on base, the second batter’s job was to advance him to second any way possible, especially when we were down a run.
Now, luckily Michael stole second successfully and Danny got a broken bat single with two strikes in the count. In worked out that time.
Please help me understand that move.
dad
Well, I love baseball but I am in the mood for college football this weekend so I signed up on here for I can put an Avatar up and will put my favorite college football team on it fir now but I will have a baseball one during the week.
It great to see Patterson go up to AAA. He seems like a great guy. I just wish he was not in the Yankee’s systems. I hate the Yankees.
I hate the yanks too but love what ever team Scottie’s on. dadTB.. he’s only in NY state for ….. today, LOL. After tonight’s game they head over to Pawtucket for the final series before the play-offs.
Let’s hope the Yanks realize what they have and bring him on over for a stint in the big leagues
dadtb…yes..nice talking to you and the wife! thanks for iding yourself! And yes that stupid thing Pj does ..I agree with you. When he takes the field in the bottom of the first…when he first runs out on the field watch him….he will run out to the edge of the grass around first and quickly write something in the dirt….sometimes its “hit king” and the number of hits his father had..whatever that number is. I notice that he does this every game before he throws the ground balls to the other infielders. He only does it the first time he’s in the field and its really quick!
Stormin…is there anyway that you can make me a couple of copies of those photos that you sent me yesterday?
Football? What the hell is that? Sounds like a huge waste of time to me.
dad: I was on the 3rd base side yelling and the only people that appeared to care in the least were looking at me with some slight irritation on their faces, so I said screw it, I’ll save my breath for something that matters. Overall, if the crowed was any less into it last night, EMS would be checking them for a pulse.