Why not give Jirschele a playoff caliber roster?

Johnny Giavotella hit .338 with 9 HR and 72 RBIs
in 110 games for Omaha this season.
(File photo: Brad Williams Photography)

The Omaha Storm Chasers are poised to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999 – the team’s second year in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). 

They currently lead the PCL American North Division by five games with 17 games remaining in the regular season. And of those remaining 17 games, 12 are against NL affiliates (Omaha is 61-38 against those teams) and just five are against American League affiliates (Omaha is 10-17 against those teams).

But the truth is, with the latest round of call ups that included Salvador Perez and Johnny Giavotella, the Chasers lineup is extremely thin with guys like Lance Zawadzki (.242 average), Joaquin Arias (.212 average) and Kurt Mertins (.242 average) seeing so much playing time. Yamaico Navarro (.196 avearge) is not exactly tearing up the PCL either.

Zephyrs three-run rally sinks the Chasers

Danny Duffy gave up four runs on seven hits in six innings
(File photo: Lee Warren)

Omaha, Neb. – The New Orleans Zephyrs rallied for three runs with two outs in the top of the seventh inning Thursday night, knocking off the Storm Chasers 7-5 in front of 7,766 fans at Werner Park. The late surge took the luster off the one-night return of Danny Duffy, who pitched six innings in his first Triple-A start since early May.

Duffy, 22, used just 78 pitches in a tune-up start before he makes his expected return to the Kansas City rotation next week. He allowed four runs on seven hits in his six innings of work, striking out five without walking a batter. He now has a 48-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 42.0 innings this season with the Chasers.

Chasers split in OKC, take 1.5 game lead into the break

Vin Mazzaro
(File photo: Lee Warren)

Oklahoma City, OK - Vin Mazzaro threw seven solid innings to pitch Omaha past Oklahoma City, 4-1, Sunday afternoon in the last of a four-game set at Bricktown Ballpark. The Storm Chasers held the RedHawks to four hits in winning the last two games to earn a series split and head into the All-Star break with a 1.5 game lead over Memphis in the PCL American North.

Koby Clemens doubled home Robinson Cancel with two outs in the fourth inning to produce the game’s first run before the Chasers took the lead for good in the fifth.

Mazzaro then blanked the hosts on two hits over the next six innings to earn his fifth win of the season. The right-hander walked one and fanned three and was followed by Brandon Sisk, who retired all six hitters he faced to close out the victory and earn his first Triple-A save.

J.J. Picollo talks about KC's youth movement

J.J. Picollo, the Kansas City Royals assistant general manager, has been at Werner Park the past couple of days. On Friday, he was Brett Pollock's guest on Storm Chasers Live! – a video program that runs before Omaha home games. The Storm Chasers provided Omaha Baseball 360 with a copy of the interview:

Pollock: There was so much talk about the talent on this team this year and about who would be the first to get the call to go up. Hosmer was first and Moustakas joined him about a month later. When you looked at Moustakas’ progression over the last month, what did you see that warranted the call?

Picollo: Well, all year long Mike has really been swinging the bat fine. He’s been a run producer which is really the number one thing we need Mike to do. He was knocking in runs all year. I think over the last couple of weeks, he started swinging the bat a little more consistently. And the roving coaches – some of our front office personnel kind of thought he hit his stride and it was just a matter of time.

Eric Hosmer (Photo: Minda Haas / Royal Blues)

Pollock: I mentioned Eric Hosmer. He was batting over .400 here and he did it with the glove as well. He seemingly had a very smooth transition to the big leagues. Picked up right where he left off and I think one of the interesting things about Hosmer – the thing that really jumped out at you, aside from his talent on the field was the way he carried himself. And it seems like already he’s kind of taken up the mantel of being the face of the franchise.

Picollo: He’s a very mature guy. He’s been that way since high school. He’s just continued from the time he signed until the time he got called up to the major leagues. He’s been the same guy he always has been. He’s a winner. He’s a competitor. We’re excited about having him there. We look forward to having him in the middle of our lineup for a long time.

Werner Park firsts (chronological order)

This list will be updated as the season progresses.

First	Date	Inn.	Player	Team	Facing	Team	Notes
Pitch	04/16/11	T1	Danny Duffy	OMA	Eric Farris	NAS	7:11 pm/called strk
Strikeout	04/16/11	T1	Danny Duffy	OMA	Eric Farris	NAS	Swinging
HPB	04/16/11	T1	Mat Gamel	NAS	Danny Duffy	OMA	Hit on 3-1 pitch
Hit	04/16/11	B1	David Lough	OMA	Manny Parra	NAS	Infield single to 1B
WP	04/16/11	B1	Manny Parra	NAS	Eric Hosmer	OMA	Lough to 2B
Walk	04/16/11	B1	Eric Hosmer	OMA	Manny Parra	NAS
K the side	04/16/11	T2	Danny Duffy	OMA	Nashville	NAS	4th K in a row
SB	04/16/11	T3	Chris Nowak	NAS	Danny Duffy	OMA	Stole second base
DP	04/16/11	T3	Mike Moustakas	OMA	Brett Carroll	NAS	5 Unassisted
Double	04/16/11	B3	David Lough	OMA	Manny Parra	NAS	Liner off RF wall
OF Asst.	04/16/11	B3	Brett Carroll	NAS	David Lough	OMA	Putout 8-2
Run	04/16/11	B3	Eric Hosmer	OMA	Manny Parra	NAS	Moustakas double
RBI	04/16/11	B3	Mike Moustakas	OMA	Manny Parra	NAS	Drove in Hosmer
Triple	04/16/11	B3	J. Giavotella	OMA	M. DeFelice	NAS	Moustakas scored
Error	04/16/11	B7	A. Machado	NAS	Eric Hosmer	OMA	Throwing error, E6
Win	04/16/11		Jesse Chavez	OMA	Nashville	NAS	Escaped jam in 8th
Loss	04/16/11		Manny Parra	NAS	Omaha	OMA	2 runs in 2.2 inn.
Save	04/16/11		Louis Coleman	OMA	Nashville	NAS	K'd the side in 9th
HR	04/17/11	T2	Taylor Green	NAS	Vin Mazzaro	OMA	Solo shot

Suppan pitches well, Duffy on his retirement, and more

There is rain in the forecast for the home opener tomorrow
(Photo: emples)

Jeff Suppan looked much better in his second start of the season last night in Round Rock than in his first start this season. In his first start on April 8 at Albuquerque, he gave up 7 ER on 7 H in 4.0 IP. Last night he gave up just 1 ER on 6 H in 5.1 IP.

Rob White from the Omaha World Herald wrote a feature about LHP Danny Duffy, who is scheduled to start tomorrow night for the first ever Storm Chasers game at Werner Park. The feature includes this quote about Duffy's brief retirement last year: “I knew I wanted to come back a while before I did. Watching 'Baseball Tonight' (on television), and seeing people I had faced kind of lit that fire. Baseball has always been what I was meant to do. I just had to go home for a while to realize that.”

Storm Chasers win in extra innings

Greg Holland in action last season. Holland, Blake Wood,
Jesse Chavez and Louis Coleman have not allowed a
baserunner this series.

The Storm Chasers saved the best for last in their 10-4 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes last night in New Mexico. They scored 7 runs in the top of the tenth to run away with the game.

The Chasers took advantage of a baserunning blunder by Albuquerque in the bottom of the ninth, five walks in the top of the tenth (two of which forced in a run) and a throwing error by pitcher Jon Huber in the tenth.

• Lance Zawadzki hit his first home run of the season, and drove in four runs.

• Danny Duffy, who was making his Triple-A debut, got the no-decision. He gave up 2 ER in 5.0 IP. He walked one and struck out four.

Storm Chasers win Futures Game against the Naturals

Eric Hosmer signs autographs after the
game (Photo: Kansas City Royals)

While the Kansas City Royals were staging their second straight come from behind victory against the Angels this afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, players from the Omaha Storm Chasers and NW Arkansas Naturals watched in anticipation – knowing they would get their shot soon enough in the Futures Game that started at 3:40 pm.

Behind extraordinary efforts on the hill from Mike Montgomery and Danny Duffy, the Storm Chasers won the game 4-1. The two teams continued to play for three additional innings, after the game was final, to give the pitchers some extra work. The Naturals scored an additional run in the eleventh inning.

• Mike Montgomery got the start for the Storm Chasers. He was sharp in the first inning, prompting this response on Twitter from Terez Paylor, who covers the Royals for the KC Star, “Mike Montgomery is filthy. Just blew away Wil Myers with some 96 MPH heat that drew oohs and aahs from the crowd.”

Kansas City announces preliminary Omaha roster

David Lough in action last season
(Photo: Lee Warren)

Kansas City announced the preliminary Omaha Storm Chasers' roster yesterday. The following information comes from a press release:

The 24 players on the roster are relatively young by Triple-A standards, with no players in their thirties and 15 players aged 25 or younger, including a quartet of young stars aged 22 and younger.

Leading the youth movement are 21-year-old first baseman Eric Hosmer and 22-year-old third baseman Mike Moustakas, the most highly-regarded duo of prospects in the entire minor leagues at No. 8 and 9 in “Baseball America’s” Top 100. Joining them in the infield are Irving Falu, Johnny Giavotella, Clint Robinson and Lance Zawadzki. Behind the plate will be Manny Piña and Cody Clark.

Q & A with radio broadcaster Brett Pollock

(Photo: Dave Schofield/Lakewood Blueclaws)

The Omaha Storm Chasers and NRG Media announced recently that they extended their broadcast agreement, which means KOIL-AM 1180 will broadcast all 144 games this season. KMMQ-AM 1020 will air all 24 Friday and Sunday home games in Spanish.

Mark Nasser, the Storm Chasers director of broadcasting, also announced recently that Brett Pollock will join him in the radio broadcast booth for all 72 home games this season. Pollock has broadcast games in the past for the El Paso Diablos (1998-2003), Lakewood BlueClaws (2004) and Huntsville Stars (2005-09). He took last year off.

Before last season started, Nasser and his former broadcast partner Kevin McNabb, graciously agreed to a Q & A interview as part of a “getting to know you” series for OmahaBaseball360. Yesterday Pollock was just as gracious with his time. Hope you enjoy the interview.