Minor league field trip starts today; input needed
Today, I’ll be meeting my dad in Charlotte for a six-day trip back and forth across North Carolina.
The original plan was to see all the Sox’s full-season minor-league teams, but the acquisition of a certain former Cy Young winner gets in the way. The Sox are roughly planning on giving Jake Peavy a rehab start on Thursday, but they’ll know more after Peavy gets through a bullpen session on Saturday.
Without Peavy in the picture, this was the original plan:
- Monday: Charlotte
- Tuesday: Kannapolis
- Wednesday: Birmingham (vs. Carolina in Zebulon)
- Thursday: Winston-Salem (at Wilmington)
- Friday: Birmingham (Zebulon)
- Saturday: Charlotte
If Peavy does make his scheduled Thursday start, then the second half is in flux. We could go Charlotte for all three games, Charlotte-Birmingham-Charlotte, or Charlotte-Kannapolis-Charlotte, as the Intimidators are just two hours in the other direction over in Asheville. That will probably depend on the weather, who’s pitching and who was(n’t) in the lineups we saw.
The Dash will be heading up to Maryland after Thursday. With apologies to Brent Morel, I think Peavy’s the slightly higher priority.
At any rate, three things I’m throwing out there:
No. 1: Video/photo requests. Besides Dan Hudson — I’d love to know what the hell he actually throws — which guys are you most anxious to see in action?
No. 2: Tips. This will be my first time in North Carolina, so please make me aware of any must-stops around Charlotte, Kannapolis, Raleigh-Durham, Wilmington, Asheville or points in between, if you know of any. Entertainment, eating, history, golfing … I’m all ears.
No. 3: Guest spot(s). If anybody wants to try their hand at writing recaps for State of the Sox, let me know.
Further bulletins as events warrant, and I’ll have something more extensive on the big-league club tomorrow before heading south.
Especially if something happens with Alex Rios.
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Minor league roundup:
- Indianapolis 10, Charlotte 3
- Tyler Flowers went 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, raising his average to .316.
- DHing Cole Armstrong went 2-for-4.
- Josh Fields, Brent Lillibridge and Stefan Gartrell all drew the collar.
- Wes Whisler was shelled for eight runs over 1 1/3 innings on eight hits and three walks.
- Justin Cassel wasn’t impressive, either: 3 2/3 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 B, 2 K, 1 HR.
- Birmingham 4, Tennessee 3
- Charlie Shirek allowed three runs on six hits over six innings. He walked one, struck out five and got 10 groundouts.
- Jimmy Gallagher singled, tripled and drove in two runs; Christian Marrero doubled, walked and had an RBI.
- Dayan Viciedo went 1-for-4; Jordan Danks went 0-for-4.
- Winston-Salem 4, Frederick 2
- Seth Loman went 4-for-4 with a double and three RBI.
- Brent Morel had a pair of singles in four at-bats.
- Tyler Kuhn went 1-for-3 with a walk.
- Anthony Carter allowed two runs (on one swing) over six innings. Six hits, no walks, four K’s.
- Hector Santiago picked up the win with two scoreless innings; Tyson Corley picked up the save with a 1-2-3 inning.
- Kannapolis 8, Lake County 3
- Josh Phegley’s starting to feel it, going 3-for-4 with a homer, walk and three RBI.
- Jared Mitchell doubled, walked, drove in run and scored two.
- Jon Gilmore went 3-for-4 with two runs scored; Kyle Shelton had three hits, a homer and three RBI.
- Nice start for Joe Serafin: 6 1/3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6K, 1 HR.
- Dan Remenowsky struck out one and allowed one hit over a scoreless inning.
- Bristol 2, Greeneville 1 (game completed from July 28)
- Daniel Holmberg pitched four scoreless innings, striking out three while allowing two hits and two walks.
- Santos Rodriguez struck out two over a scoreless inning, walking one.
- Leighton Pangilinan, Ryan Lee and Daniel Wagner each had two hits.
- Greeneville 3, Bristol 2 (7 innings)
- Trayce Thompson went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
- Steven Upchurch wasn’t great: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K.
- Trayce Thompson went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
- Great Falls vs. Missoula TBA
Author
Jim – I live in Charlotte and live & die with the Sox. If you’d like a great home-cooked meal while you’re in town, let me know! I can give you some touring tips for any of your NC destinations.
Even though I am from CT, I visit Burlington, NC on business a few times per year. Went to Kanny a couple of weeks ago to see Carter pitch. Even though he threw 6 shutout innings, he didn’t look overpowering. Would like your opinion on Gilmore and Black – neither looked good the night I was there. I walked up to the ticket window and got a seat in the 2nd row behind the Kanny dugout. I am shooting for Winston Salem before the season ends. If you find yourself driving through Burlington (exit at Huffman Mill Rd) try the Chop House for a good steak.
If you see Jared Mitchell, please give us your views of his hitting. Not sure but I think he’s at Kanny.
I’ll take care of the recaps… no worries
Jim- You definitely called dexter carter being a guy that would be a solid trade canidate at the deadline, but i may have topped that with my guess of a great buy low canidate that had been on kennys radar who may be available in a deal. The alex rios thing has me pretty excited I think we can either take him and the full contract and give back basically a bag of balls or we can do a thome/rowand type deal where if toronto wants some things of value back they eat a big chunk of his contract. I understand its not a great fit for 09 but its a very sound investment for 2010 and beyond with all the moving pieces the sox may have.
I’m going to have a Rios post up this afternoon, probably around 4 p.m. EST. I wasn’t a fan when you brought him up only because the idea of exchanging talent for that contract didn’t seem attractive. Under waivers, it’s a pretty simple set of circumstances, so I’m neither thrilled nor nervous.
I would love to hear about what Viciedo, Flowers, and Danks look like defensively in person. Everything that I had heard had billed Danks as a potential gold glove candidate and Viciedo as a butcher in the field, but these stats(http://futuresox.com/frontpage/?p=1148) seem to indicate otherwise. Have a good trip
Jim
Used to live in the Triangle, and Mrs. Fundman and I go to Durham every year. If you are planning on taking in a game in Durham I think the old park has been knocked down. IF it hasn’t, make a visit and see the bull and the old park. The new one is very nice. Right across the street is the best pizza place in town – the Mellow Mushroom – which also has a great selection of beer on draft.
In Chapel Hill, which is waaaay cooler, I recommend just about anyplace on Franklin Street to visit for a drink or meal. Sometimes the Smith Center gets left open to the public or for team practice. See if you can sneak in and get a pic of MJ’s jersey in the rafters.
For me, Charlotte is a truck stop. I got nothing for you there because it reminds me of Atlanta without the cool neighborhoods.
Asheville is beautiful – pick a park and go for a hike.
Golf – it’s all over. Pinehurst is the best, but make sure you play early because in August you’re roast after 10 am.
Enjoy the trip
Thanks for all the ideas (and if anybody has more, please share). Looks like I’m going to be in Charlotte for the second half of the trip unless Hudson starts on Saturday instead of Friday. I don’t know why that’d be the case.
The Smith Center? Come on, Fundman! If Jim makes it to the Raleigh-Durham area, he’s got to go to Cameron Indoor Stadium which is the mecca of college basketball. The Smith Center has no charm at all. And the Duke Chapel is a five minute walk from Cameron … well worth seeing, as are the Duke Gardens and the Duke campus in general.
As a UNC alum I can only recommend the Smith Center – and while Dook gardens are pretty, even the Dook students go to CH to eat and drink.
Cameron? Why would he want to see Jay Williams jersey?
Go Heels!
In all seriousness, I have a lot of friends at Duke, and Mrs. Fundman and I concur that a trip to that campus is nice……..I stick by my basketball recs!
Look like the Sox have indeed acquired Alex Rios: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/white-sox-acquire-alex-rios.html
I’m a long time reader from Charlotte and lifelong Sox fan. I’d recommend Cajun Queen @ 1800 E 7th St–an older place in Charlotte with live jazz and great food. It’s certainly not the most happening town, but the Plaza-Midwood area has some decent bars off the beaten path. Kannapolis (where my mom lives) is a real armpit, though. The Lake Norman area can be nice too–if you’ve got some free time check out Davidson a bit north of Charlotte.
I am immediately worried about the Rios acquisition because Phil Rogers seems to like it……..always a bad sign.
Jim,
If you need anyone to cover recaps for Tuesday or Wednesday’s games, let me know.
-Scott
I believe they’re spoken for, but I’ll shoot you an email with hopefully plenty of advance notice if that’s not the case.
First impression: Hot. Really, really hot.
Also, Charlotte is a good-looking city. Nice architecture, tree-lined streets, clean, easy to get around. It doesn’t appear that there’s a lot going on in it aside from financial stuff, but it looks like it has potential. Eventually.
Still, I believe between suggestions here, a couple others and some things I found, we should have enough to do. When it cools down enough to golf, especially.
We’re not spending much time in Kannapolis — just the game, really.