I was mulling through some statistics from over the years and I wanted to find Shorebirds players that combined home runs, RBIs and stolen bases.  After looking through some numbers, I narrowed my search to…10+ home runs, 60+ RBIs and 20+ stolen bases.

How many players in Shorebirds franchise history have recorded 10+ home runs, 60+ RBIs and 20+ stolen bases?????

Answer: 4, Orlando Cabrera (1996) – 14 HR, 65 RBI, 51 SB, Jose Fernandez (1996) – 12 HR, 70 RBI, 23 SB, Miguel Abreu (2007) – 13 HR, 60 RBI, 22 SB & Tyler Henson (2008) – 11 HR, 62 RBI, 20 SB

Here is a list of a few other players that combined power and speed, just not to the degree as the four above.

• Tripper Johnson (2002) – 11 HR, 71 RBI, 19 SB
• Nick Markakis (2004) – 11 HR, 64 RBI, 12 SB
• Joe Nowicki (2008) – 19 HR, 78 RBI, 14 SB
• Eddy Garabito (1998) – 9 HR, 66 RBI, 25 SB
• Jayson Werth (1998) – 8 HR, 53 RBI, 21 SB
• Keith Reed (2000) – 11 HR, 59 RBI, 20 SB

I think it is pretty safe to say that no Shorebirds player has combined power and speed like Orlando Cabrera.  To give you some perspective as to how impressive his season was, digest this. Only two A-ball players (combines High-A and Low-A) in 2011 had 60+ RBIs and 50+ SBs – Gary Brown (San Jose Giants) – 80 RBIs/53 SB & Rymer Liriano (Lake Elsinore) 68 RBIs/66 SB.

I was thinking about Ty Kelly and approaching 100 hits for a second straight season and I wondering; has that been done before in franchise history?  Truth of the matter is that most guys that record 100+ hits in the SAL, move up the next season so it is unlikely to happen. 

It is happened only one other time.  Quincy Ascencion had 112 hits in 2005 and 104 in 2006. 

Assuming Kelly gets a 30 or so more at-bats, he will become just the second player in franchise history to record two 100+ hit seasons.

I know some of day one (1996) fans might be thinking of Gary Cates, but I looked and he had just one 100 hit season (2001).  He is the all-time career leader in hits with 360.

I always enjoying glancing at the other affiliates and seeing former Shorebirds players doing very well.  Here we go…

Frederick (Advanced-A)

Tyler Townsend – 7-game hit steak….322 batting average…leads team with 13 homers and 50 RBIs

Bobby Bundy – 8-5 record…3.16 ERA…Won two of his last three starts

Nathan Moreau – 9-6 record…won his last two starts…nine wins is by far a new career high (previous was five in ’09 with Delmarva)

Clay Schrader – 1-1, 0.92 ERA….Has allowed just two runs in 19.2 innings pitched…29 strikeouts…CL is batting .091 against him

Oliver Drake – 8-3, 2.14 ERA….Has won four straight starts and six of last seven…Tossed complete game (9.0) shutout against Wilmington on June 27

Bowie (AA)

L.J. Hoes – .304 batting average….341 in ten games in July…Went 5-for-5 against New Britain on June 21

Greg Miclat – 10-game hit streak…Eastern League Player of Week…Went 4-for-4 against Altoona on 7/8

Pat Egan - 1.17 ERA in first five outings…7.2 IP, 1 ER

Norfolk  (AAA)

Ryan Adams – .291 batting average…6-game hit streak…4-RBI game on 7/8 against Durham

Matt Angle – .271 batting average….6-game hit steak…4 hits against Durham on July 8

Cole McCurry – 7 consecutive scoreless innings…2.45 ERA in seven appearances

The Shorebirds have three relief pitchers that are performing at a very high level right now…

D.J. Ferguson – No runs in his last three outings (4.1 IP).  His ERA has gone from 5.27 to 4.55 during the stretch.

Randy Henry – The SAL is batting only .200 against the righty.  In his last nine innings, he has only allowed five hits and two earned runs.

David Walters – The closer has not allowed a run in nine of his last ten appearances.  He picked up save number 20 last night.

Adam Gaylord blasted his first homer of the season last night in Hickory – it was a shot.  It came on his 219th at-bat this season and it was his third professional homer.  He connected on two last season with the Ironbirds. 

He went his final 136 at-bats last season without a home run, so in total, he went 354 at-bats between home runs.  It was neat to watch. 

I’m going to interview Adam today for the pregame show on 960 AM.

I want to apologize first for my lack of posting on the blog of late.  The all-star game and the aftermath coupled with July 4th weekend at Perdue Stadium really buried me.  Anyhow, I’m on the road in Hickory and ready for a seven-day stretch against the Crawdads (Rangers) and RiverDogs (Yankees). We got in safe and sound at 6:00 a.m.  Plenty of time to rest up for game time (7:05 p.m.)

‘Birds are 5-6 in the second half after a 4-3 homestand.  There were 74 combined runs scored during that seven game homestand – high octane at Perdue Stadium.  Here are some news and notes about the Shorebirds…

HOTTEST HITTERS

• Brenden Webb -.344 (11-32) in last 9
• Garabez Rosa – .344 (11-32) in last 9
• Jeremy Nowak – .345 (10-29) in last 9

COLDEST HITTERS

• Adam Gaylord – .143 (3-21) in last 7
• Michael Mooney – .200 (6-30) in last 8

The Shorebirds are 19-20 on the road this season.  They have not played at either L.P. Frans Stadium (Hickory) or Joseph P. Riley (Charleston) this season. 

WHO’S FLYING UNDER THE RADAR

How about relief pitcher Ryan Palsha? He has not given up a run in six straight appearances and his ERA has dropped from 4.23 to 2.79 during the stretch.  He has not allowed a run in 14.1 consecutive innings.  Palsha has allowed only eight hits during the span. 

A CHECK OF PROMOTED SHOREBIRDS

• Manny Machado (Keys) - .171 (6-35), 3 runs, HR
• Jonathan Schoop (Keys) - .233 (21-90), 0 HR, 9 RBI
• Kipp Schutz (Keys) – .236 (29-123), 14 R, 2 HR, 21 RBI
• Justin Dalles – .400 (4-10), RBI
• Jason Gurka – 0-0, 2.00 ERA, 9 IP, 5 H
• Clay Schrader – 1-1, 1.10 ERA, 16.1 IP, 24 K’s

‘BIRDS IN THE SAL LEADERBOARD

• Ty Kelly (10th in batting average) – .303
• David Walters (1st in saves) – 19
• David Walters (3rd in games finished) – 25
• Jacob Pettit (5th in innings pitched) – 88.2
• Brenden Webb (6th in walks) – 42
• Brenden Webb (8th in strikeouts) – 84

Nice win last night over the Power, 5-3.  Bullpen held it together late to close out the Power.  Game two is tonight in West Virginia at 7:05 p.m.  Here are some news and notes…

*13 games remaining in the first half of the season and the Shorebirds are four games behind Hagerstown for first place.  The good news is that the Shorebirds play seven of the 13 games against the Suns.

*Randy Henry was touching 95 on the radar gun last night in West Virginia.  The broadcast location is field level so I could see the pitchers holding the radar guns.  I think he hit 95 about four to five times in two innings.

*Tim Adleman earned his first win last since April 30

*Walters is 4-for-4 in his last four save chances

*The Shorebirds are hitting .217 in the month of June (5 games), the lowest in the South Atlantic League

*Jonathan Schoop batted sixth in the Keys order last night in his debut.  He went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. 

*Ty Kelly ranks third in the league in lowest strikeout per at-bat ratio (9.84)

*Mikey Planeta played in 20 straight games before the day off yesterday.  The last time he missed a game was May 15.

Scott Copeland takes the hill for a big game three tonight (Friday) against Hickory. 

Mikey Planeta – CF

Jonathan Schoop – SS

Ty Kelly – LF

Mike Flacco – 1B

Kieron Pope – DH

Adam Gaylord – 3B

Mychal Givens – 2B

Brenden Webb – RF