What happens when you cross Gainesville, Fla., with Topton, Pennsylvania? You get a name like Cedrick Bowers, 31-year-old left-handed reliever with the IronPigs.
What’s not to love about a 1.43 ERA and .169 BAA over 37 2-3 innings? Mr. Bowers, a name that if you yelled loudly at the Kutztown Folk Festival, no fewer than 10 men would turn and look, was once a fourth-round pick Chuck Lamar’s Devil Rays in 1996 and, much like Les Walrond (the name you get when you cross Muskogee, Oklahoma with ... Walrond) has basically amounted to a Triple-A lifer, spending his best years overseas from 2004-07, plus time in Korea. Gainesville, birthplace of Bowers and home of the University of Florida, may seem to have the better stock, but don't discount Topton, home of former Astros hurler Wade Miller and the 2009 State Champion Brandywine Bullets.
With Happ, pitches before poise: Following another strong start in last night’s game, starter J.A. Happ earned high marks for his make-up. It’s true; Happ does keep an even-keel, but I remember hearing the exact same thoughts about Kyle Kedrick early in his rookie season. That’s why I’m most enamored with Happ’s stuff. Big, tall, his pitches don’t arrive like anyone else’s in the rotation, especially his slider, which has that nice downward tilt. I like him a lot. I wouldn’t trade him.
Former Phillies pepper AAA All-Stars: Andrew Carpenter and some dudes will represent the IronPigs in the Triple-A All-Star game in Portland, Ore. (Some dudes referring to Andy Tracy and Mike Cervenak). Once there, they can reminisce with some former teammates and ex-Pharmhands about all the great times they had down on the Phillies’ chain, including R.J. Swindle, Yorman Bazardo (cut during spring training), Justin Lehr (traded to the Reds and assigned to Louisville earlier this season and 6-0 with a 1.88 ERA since the trade), Jorge Padilla, Randy Ruiz and Nelson Figueroa.
Mazone debuts: Brian Mazone took the loss for the IronPigs in today’s game, allowing one run over two innings. The veteran lefty pitched the entire season in relief for Los Angeles’ Triple-A team and was on a pitch count.
Other notes: There’s been some discussion on bringing back Brett Myers as a reliever. The idea there is that he’s done it before, it would take less time to build back his strength and the ‘pen could really use the extra help. If this is the only way to get Myers back for September, I’m all for it. His inclusion in the bullpen would prove to be a huge boost at the season’s most crucial time. As an aside, I wonder if we can expect to see Andrew Carpenter and Carlos Carrasco earn September call-ups for the same purposes.
Telling everyone to take the weekend off from following the team may not have been the best way to maintain site traffic.
Posted by: J.R. King | Friday, July 03, 2009 at 05:22 PM
For someone who said take your independence from the Phils, there seem to be an above average number of posts today.
Posted by: EastFallowfield | Friday, July 03, 2009 at 05:24 PM
Yeah, seems people took jw seriously when he told them to assert their independence from the Phillies. On a day when Jack Taschner gets DFA'd and a new pitcher is making his season debut, BL traffic ought to be at high tide.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Friday, July 03, 2009 at 05:29 PM
Mazone's probably next in line for the big club after Lopez fails.
Posted by: curt | Friday, July 03, 2009 at 05:36 PM
I think I raised Bowers name a few weeks ago... but that was purely from a stats reconnoiter when our pen started to take on water....
Posted by: MPN | Friday, July 03, 2009 at 05:42 PM
taschner > bako
Posted by: thephaithful | Friday, July 03, 2009 at 06:12 PM
Yo, yet another new thread!
Posted by: EastFallowfield | Friday, July 03, 2009 at 06:39 PM
Thanks for the Kutztown Folk Festival shout out!!!
Posted by: shizzy | Saturday, July 04, 2009 at 11:09 AM