Category: General News

Atta Boy Goldy!!

Guess who had the game-winner in the NL West Clincher for the Arizona Diamondbacks? Hmmm … I will give you three, and the first two don’t count!

Here’s Paul Goldschmidt growing his legend even more in the desert.

The D-backs were one of three teams to clinch playoff spots tonight, joining Texas (AL West) and Milwaukee (NL Central).

Vote now for Goldy, BayBears

The 2011 MiLBYs are now being voted on by minor league baseball fans … with voting going on now through October 20. Usually, we have a few current or former Osprey to brag about, but this season, quite frankly … we got jipped.

(OK, truth be told … Edwin Carl was just that good, but not to see Taylor Siemens among the best starters in short-season ball, or Eric Groff’s 24-game hit streak, which was the longest in any of the stateside short-season leagues (there was a 36-game hit streak in the Dominican Summer League, and a 25-game streak in the Venezulean Summer League) get any kind of mention whatsoever was, well, not cool.)

So, we’re left with loading the ballot box for former Osprey Paul Goldschmidt (2009), who was nominated as one of the best hitters in Double-A, and for the Mobile BayBears, who were nominated as one of the best teams in Double-A.

Head here to vote for Goldy, and head here to vote for the BayBears. Voting goes on now through October 20.

Congrats to the BayBears!

This note just posted on the Missoula Osprey page on Facebook:

Congrats to Double-A Mobile, who won the Southern League crown today. The BayBears include several former Osprey, including Adam Eaton (2010), Charles Brewer (2009), Jarrod Parker (2007), Taylor Harbin (2007), Jake Elmore (2008), Ollie Linton (2008), Bryan Henry (2007), Clay Zavada (2006), Yonata Ortega (2007), Kyle Greene (2008) and hitting coach Alan Zinter (2008). Paul Goldschmidt (2009) was also on that squad before his promotion to the D-backs.

The Mobile BayBears won a 6-4 decision over the Tennessee Smokies to take their first Southern League crown since 2004, winning the series in four games.

Seeing some of the celebration pics … well, I could get all sorts of critical and point out a lack of, um, thought in the picture taking, because, after all, it’s in the clubhouse, and guys don’t necessarily care if cameras are in there or not. (Now the subject of the column, definitely good.) I think I was also struck a bit by the amount of hair on Ollie Linton’s head, but that is a story for a different day …

I do want to point out the trophy pic (at the top of the story), however, which is surrounded by, clockwise from Noon, Taylor Harbin, Jake Elmore, Adam Eaton and the before-mentioned Linton (to the left of the trophy). Yes, you will have to click on it to see it, or … well, we’ll try to post the pic a little later.

Anyway, Goldy celebrated with a two-hit, three-RBI day in the D-backs’ 5-1 win at San Diego.

 

Postseason update

The Osprey are going to have to carry the mantle for the D-backs affiliates in the postseason, at least for today. Both Triple-A Reno and Double-A Mobile lost their playoff games today.

The Aces not only lost their game to Sacramento, 13-2, they also lost all of their 2-0 lead as they were swept in three game by the homestand River Cats, who take the Pacific Coast League Pacific Playoff, 3-2. Sacramento will now play Omaha for the PCL title.

The BayBears, however, live to play another day. Birmingham used a 7-1 win today to draw even in their Best-of-5 Southern League South Division Series at two games apiece. They will play the decider on Monday in Mobile.

Lineups for the decider tonight in Missoula

Here are tonight’s startig lineups for the deciding Game 3 of the North Division Playoff Series

Great Falls Voyagers
6 Qualon Millender CF
7 Joe De Pinto 2B
21 Kevan Smith C
25 Mark Haddow RF
11 Michael Earley LF
30 Martin Medina 1B
2 David Herbek SS
18 Kyle Eveland 3B
4 Andrew Douglas DH
44 Stephen McCray RHP

Missoula Osprey
23 Fidel Pena SS
19 Ryan Court 1B
12 Eric Groff 3B
35 Jon Griffin DH
38 Stephen Cardullo RF
11 Tom Belza 2B
24 Roidany Aguila C
17 Tyler Linton LF
30 Chris Ellison CF
43 Raymond Hernandez RHP

Pre-Game will begin at 6:50 tonight, and we should know who tonight’s winner will be playing in the Pioneer League Championship Series before first pitch in Missoula.

Starting Lineups for Game 2 of North Series

Here are tonight’s starting lineups:

Great Falls Voyagers

7 Joe De Pinto 2B
2 David Herbek SS
21 Kevan Smith C
25 Mark Haddow RF
11 Michael Earley LF
30 Martin Medina 1B
4 Andrew Douglas DH
18 Kyle Eveland 3B
6 Qualon Millender CF
41 Pete Gehle LHP

Missoula Osprey

23 Fidel Pena SS
19 Ryan Court 1B
12 Eric Groff 3B
35 Jon Griffin DH
38 Stephen Cardullo RF
11 Tom Belza 2B
24 Roidany Aguila C
17 Tyler Linton LF
30 Chris Ellison CF
26 Jesse Darrah RHP

First pitch will be around 7:05, we’re on with pre-game at 6:50.

Starting Lineups for tonight’s playoff lidlifter

Here are tonight’s starting lineups for Game 1 of the North Division Playoff Series between the Osprey and Great Falls Voyagers:

Missoula Osprey (41-35)

30 Chris Ellison CF
19 Ryan Court 1B
12 Eric Groff 3B
35 Jon Griffin DH
38 Stephen Cardullo RF
23 Fidel Pena SS
11 Tom Belza 2B
24 Roidany Aguila C
17 Tyler Linton LF
41 Taylor Siemens LHP

Great Falls Voyagers (42-34)

7 Joe De Pinto 2B
2 David Herbek SS
21 Kevan Smith C
25 Mark Haddow RF
11 Michael Earley LF
30 Martin Medina 1B
4 Andrew Douglas DH
18 Kyle Eveland 3B
6 Qualon Millender CF
34 Blair Walters LHP

More coming shortly …

Are you ready for some playoff baseball??

by Ben Catley

As one Osprey said on the bus before the team pulled out for Great Falls … Boys, we get four wins and we get a ring. I haven’t seen this kind of energy or have felt this vibe from the team since mid-July. Let’s hope the real 2011 Missoula Osprey are ready to show what they are all about.

Osprey vs. Great Falls Playoff History:

Just one series, in 2009, when the Osprey made the playoffs via the wild-card format, and took Game 1 at home, lost in Game 2 at Centene Stadium, then exploded for 16 runs in Game 3 to win the North going away.

Lineups to come soon … and more notes. Should have the preview article up on http://www.missoulaosprey.com shortly.

Lineups for the return home

Here are tonight’s starting lineups:

Great Falls Voyagers

Great Falls Voyagers
6 Qualon Millender CF
2 David Herbek SS
7 Joe De Pinto 2B
25 Mark Haddow RF
11 Michael Earley DH
30 Martin Medina 1B
20 Jimmy Jacquot C
18 Kyle Eveland 3B
1 Randall Thorpe LF
33 Brandon Parrent LHP
Missoula Osprey
30 Chris Ellison CF
19 Ryan Court 1B
12 Eric Groff 3B
35 Jon Griffin DH
11 Tom Belza 2B
23 Fidel Pena SS
38 Stephen Cardullo RF
24 Roidany Aguila C
17 Tyler Linton LF
28 Dexter Price RHP

Lineups on the board for Tuesday

And away we go …

Missoula Osprey

30 Chris Ellison CF
19 Ryan Court 1B
12 Eric Groff 3B
35 Jon Griffin DH
11 Tom Belza 2B
23 Fidel Pena SS
38 Stephen Cardullo LF
7 Jeremia Gomez RF
16 Bryan Henry C
37 Robby Rowland RHP

Billings Mustangs

67 Juan Perez SS
14 Steve Selsky LF
43 Ryan Wright 2B
16 Robert Maddox 1B
53 Spencer Dickinson CF
15 Kyle Waldrop RF
24 Junior Arias DH
40 Danny Vicioso C
4 Sammy Diaz 3B
13 Tony Cingrani LHP