Outlawed Baseball

The Outlaws took advantage of some independent-league movement half a nation away earlier today. Because Desi Wilson, who took over as manager of the South Coast League's Anderson Joes after leaving the Outlaws in the offseason, activated himself as a player earlier this week, Chico was able to pick up pitcher Daniel Howard as a player-to-be-named in what turned into an intra-league transaction. As part of Wilson's release to manage the Joes, there was an agreement between both teams that Chico would receive a player if Desi did indeed decide to come off the bench to play.

Howard, a 6-foot-5 Tennessee native who joined the team in Long Beach earlier today and will likely see action at some point on this trip, is 2-1 with a 3.83 ERA in 10 appearances and 40 innings pitched. The right-hander made five starts and also had 41 strikeouts compared to 22 walks. At Lee College, Howard posted a 3.75 ERA and a 5-1 record in his senior season. The Chattanooga product also pitched in 16 games and had one save, had 49 strikeouts and walked 16 batters.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 07:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jake McLintock is about to make his first professional start against the Long Beach Armada, the GBL's hottest team with seven straight wins. The right-handed reliever, probably the most even-keel member on an Outlaw roster full of them, is filling in for Nick Singleton, who injured the index finger on his (right) throwing hand in his last start. Manager Mark Parent isn't looking for lights-out stuff from McLintock, just an efficient enough start to kill about five or six innings and get the team to tomorrow's game without too much of an adventure involving the bullpen.

In 15 relief appearances this season, McLintock is 2-1 with a 4.26 earned-run average and two saves. He did face Long Beach in that forgettable 16-0 Friday the 13th loss in Chico earlier this month, mopping up that night with four innings of work that saw him give up six hits, three walks, three runs and a home run. McLintock's girlfriend (I would mention her name here if I knew it — I know, I'm slacking) is also a resident of nearby Huntington Beach, one of the reasons he always enjoys the Southern California trips.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 06:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Apologies for no live blogging last night. Enterprise-Record Web extraordinaire Ryan Olson and I were at Nettleton putting together a few interesting future projects.

I also won't be at the park tonight or tomorrow, but I can promise a strong return next week.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Capping a three-game series that began with Mark Parent telling reporters umpire Steve Graves was the “worst umpire I’ve ever seen” after Tuesday’s loss, the third-year Chico manager, also a former 17-year major league veteran, was ejected by Graves tonight in the second inning. Graves appeared to react to something Chico’s head man said from the Outlaws dugout when making the gesture and strolled around as the 6-foot-7 Parent hunched over his side for a colorful conversation before exiting the field.

Parent’s description of how he earned the ejection: “I told him maybe he oughta carry some more baseballs in his pouch so he could quit wearing out the kids who were running back-and-forth from our dugout to give him new ones and he told me, ‘I don’t give a (expletive) about the kids.’ I asked him to say that again and he did, and I told him in my own way I didn’t appreciate him saying that.”

It's worth noting that one of those batboys helping usher in new balls was Parent's 12-year-old son Jake.

Photo credit: Jason Halley/Enterprise-Record

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This was probably worth reporting before tonight's loss, since that's when I actually found out, but Jesse Kovacs was crowned the winner of the team's "dirty moustache" contest. Kovacs, Chico's third-year starting shortstop, won despite admitting he used performance-enhancing methods — his moustache, clearly the darkest and dirtiest, was colored in by a black marker.

"I get blonde facial hair; I had to find a way just to actually get in on the competition," Kovacs said.

Tough to describe with no photos, but Kovacs actually pulled off the look pretty well for a realistic appearance. My personal choice would have been pitcher Nick Singleton, who for the record also had blondish-red facial hair AND didn't need the use of a Sharpie to mount a threat. Outfielder and fill-in DH Jake Ferris was another stong contender who could justifiably say Kovacs robbed him of a title.

Here's Kovacs tonight, post-pregame shower deleting the victorious effort:

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A handful of Outlaws players stared lacadazically out from their dugout onto the empty field as I talked to Dickert about his mastery of Chico tonight.

The Outlaws are indeed the Golden Baseball League's first-half champions, but they haven't won a series since topping Reno 2-1 in a three-game set from July 4 to July 6. In this 2-1 loss to Orange County, they were outscored 18-8 and outhit 31-18.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So Steve Boggs finally broke up the no-hitter by Dickert in the eighth inning (apologies for the delay), but...

...when Dickert fanned the Outlaws 10 times in the June 17 loss for Chico, the Flyers combined for 13 strikeouts against the Outlaws, setting a new Chico record. Dickert had No. 13 tonight in the seventh inning, when his legitimate attempt at a no-hitter was still in the works.

Boggs dashed it in the eighth, Nava added a second hit in the ninth and Dickert was finally replaced by Nick Casanova, who for good measure added another strikeout to round out Orange County’s triumph. Nine of the ten Outlaw hitters who batted had at least one strikeout, with Jesse Kovacs, Scott Dragicevich and Jason Alcott tagged for three apiece.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the second time this season, a legitimate no-hitter is in the works at the moment by Outlaw opponent at Nettleton Stadium. Reed Dickert has been phenomenal for the Flyers through seven innings, striking out 14 and walking just four. And yes, no hits, either.

It was July 14 that Long Beach's Jeff Heaverlo took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and ended up losing 1-0 on a home run to Jason Matteucci.

By the way, guess who's set to lead off the eighth for the Outlaws against Dickert? One Jason Matteucci. Be keeping you posted...

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I gave credit to Jesse Kovacs last night for doing a Michael Jordan impersonation he apparently didn't perform in his game-saving ninth-inning effort at shortstop.

Todd Gelatka added to his Golden Baseball League-leading save total of 13 because of the instrumental rescue by Kovacs. With one out, one out and Chico leading 6-5 in the top of the ninth inning, Kovacs lost his glove knocking down a Mark Okano line-drive, which could have very well been a double to the left-center field gap.

It was reported here Kovacs had to elevate to make the play that held Okano to an infield single and allowed Gelatka to recordehis 19th and 20th strikeouts of the year in the ensuing two at-bats to seal the win.

"I didn't get up that high because I didn't have to," Kovacs said before tonight's game. “(Okano) hit a screamer, I only felt it take off my glove. It wasn’t even that high, just straight. I didn’t have my hand up that high at all.”

Nice effort, though Gelatka wasn't exactly moved.

"He was doing his job," Gelatka said. "He was busting his (butt) out there for me the way I bust my (butt) for all the guys out there. I don't worry about what they do out there, it's their job and I let them do it without saying anything."

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was told this was already discussed on national sports talk radio Wednesday morning and it will probably surface in a few other prominent media hubs in the next few days. The GBL stands to benefit from the attention, though the cost of credibility to me seems rather expensive. More on that opinion to follow as this "story" in Long Beach unfolds.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 12:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Todd Gelatka picked up his league-leading 13th save after blowing an opportunity for the first time this year in his last appearance Friday. Half-credit for No. 13 should be given to shortstop Jesse Kovacs. On a lined shot by Mark Okano with one on and one out, Kovacs pretty much milked every last centimeter out of his vertical leap to knock down what certainly would have been a single and maybe even run-tying double.

Gelatka, the former Flyer, wouldn't buckle afterward. He struck out reigning GBL MVP Peanut Williams and Johnny Coit to end a come-from-behind win over the Flyers — the fifth in six games for Chico at home against Orange County.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Outlaws, seemingly deflated since Templeton's big blast, just came alive in the seventh inning to put a six-spot on the board in an 11-batter frame for their first lead of the night.

Holguin walked Jason Van Meetren to open the frame and then gave up a single to Todd Gossage and induced Brock Ungricht into an infield flyout. Jason Matteucci ended Holguin's night with an RBI single and Eric Pringle drove in another run on a sacrifice flyout against reliever Jason Howerton. Steve Boggs cut the deficit to 4-3 on an RBI single, Jesse Kovacs drew a walk and a Mark Okano throwing error from third base on a would-be Scott Dragicevich groundout brought in the go-ahead runs.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the Outlaws' game against the Flyers tonight, both teams were scoreless until Garry Templeton II’s grand slam in the sixth inning that stunned the home crowd about 10 minutes ago. If it were any other hitter in the Flyer lineup, it wouldn't quite as pulsating for Orange County — Templeton, after all, was homerless coming in, was 0-for-8 with the bases loaded this season and hitting .241 with runners in scoring position.

Until the surprise blast, Jake McKinley had dodged damage during a fine pitcher's duel despite putting five runners on base while OC's Nate Holguin simply overcame Daniel Nava. Nava singled to lead off the second inning and doubled with two outs in the third — the Outlaws’ only two real hits at that point considering Steve Boggs was gunned down at second base trying to extend a single in Chico’s first at-bat.

Nava in right field also was a major player in the defensive duel, robbing Johnny Coit of a potential two-out, bases-loaded triple in the first inning by leaping to catch a fly at full extension against the wall before later on sliding to snag an Aaron Davis line-drive with a runner at second base and one out.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Yuma Scorpions, who started the first half of the Golden League season 6-0 and went on to 11-1 before taking a nosedive, are now 6-0 in second-half play after last night's 9-8 win over Reno.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

No live blogging tonight as I will not be present at the game, which shall be covered by the Enterprise-Record's very own Leland Gordon.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When you have your bad day for the week, just think about St. George Roadrunners manager Cory Snyder. His team has 27 losses in 34 games. His Golden Baseball League season-maximum of 16 roster moves are all but gone and there are 25 games left.

One of those roster moves burned early in the season was to let go of outfielder Johnny Coit. So what does Coit, who was recently acquired by the Orange County Flyers, do to the Roadrunners when he plays them last Saturday? Hits for the cycle (4-for-5 for the game), drives in seven runs and lifts the Flyers to a 14-3 stomp on home St. George — the fifth straight loss for the Roadrunners since their "What the...?" 10-1 win over Yuma.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Before Mark Parent could get to his happy thoughts for the 9-6 win the Outlaws recorded last night, he couldn't help but bemoan the fact his team had just played the Reno Silver Sox a fifth straight game...with a sixth today on the horizon. Remember, the two teams also played six straight open the season.

"It was the same game as the last four," Parent said in reference to Sunday's victory. "It's ridiculous. What kind of schedule is this? It's the same story, you just change the names. The same thing out there. We're sick of playing them and they're sick of playing us. We just have to get through it one more day. It will be nice when it's over because we don't see them again until August 18."

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pearson wasn't majestic on the mound tonight, but he was perfect in regards to keeping the Outlaws in the game after they shot ahead 8-3. Reno went scoreless for five innings after going up 3-2 on a two-run home run from Mike Done in the second inning.

“I thought it was exciting to watch Tyler out there,” Outlaw manager Mark Parent said. “He was going slider, slider, fastball, slider, fastball, just really mixing it up well. The hitters couldn’t catch on.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Outlaw fans have fallen in love this summer with their team’s affinity for falling behind early in games before dramatically coming back to steal victories from death’s doorstep.

The players themselves aren’t quite as fond of that method.

They prefer wins like Sunday night’s 9-6 triumph, which featured the Outlaws constructing an early five-run lead over the Reno Silver Sox with a relentless offensive attack and maintaining it through the end with assertive pitching.

Both of those facets were embodied by shortstop Jesse Kovacs and pitcher Tyler Pearson. Kovacs, sparked by a two-run home run in the first inning, had five RBIs in his first four at-bats and Pearson kept Reno at bay in a fluid 7 1/3 innings of work to round out a comfortable win snapping Chico’s two-game losing skid.

“Ideally you want to go out and jump on top early because it just makes things easier for your pitching and even hitting as well,” said Kovacs, who finished the night with a single, a double and the homer that was his first of the season. “It just loosens up everybody out there. The pitchers aren’t worried about making mistakes and guys are going up to the plate not worried about doing too much.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With Jason Matteucci in need of rest to nurse a sore groin, Pierson as a fellow left-handed batter with an affinity for hitting well at Nettleton Stadium was a natural choice to get the start against Reno righty Matt Parris on the mound.

“I played some center in spring training and I shag fly balls all the time (in batting practice), but this is the first time ever in my life (being in the outfield) in a game,” Pierson said. “It’s something entirely new, it’s like being a kid again playing a position for the first time. I’m real excited to give it a shot.”
The Outlaws were given batting practice off, so Pierson took advantage of an open field by taking fly balls from Parent in center.

“Toochie’s groin is hurting more and more every day, it was time for a few games off and Pierson’s looked good when we put him out there in practice,” Parent said. “And (Pierson) can do some things with the bat. He can help us as long as he’s out there at any position.”

In time spent mostly as a spot starter for second baseman Eric Pringle and shortstop Jesse Kovacs, Pierson had appeared in 19 games this season going into Sunday’s game. His 14 hits and .275 batting average were bolstered by his team-high .450 home average recorded with nine hits in 20 at-bats.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pierson exited stage right a few minutes ago, but now Parent is holding an involved conversation with pitching coach Alex Carbajal and closer Todd Gelatka at first base. Gelatka blew his first save in 13 opportunities last night but remains the GBL leader with 12 ahead of Long Beach's Dane de la Rosa, who has nine.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 04:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's two hours before the first pitch of tonight's game and it looks like Parent gave the team off batting practice. Though some players are beginning to filter out onto the field for various individual pregame workouts, about 15 minutes ago Parent, his 17-year-old son Nick and middle infielder David Pierson took the field, where the Outlaw manager proceeded to hit flyballs to Pierson in center.

What looks like a possible position switch makes sense for Pierson. The 5-foot-7 speedster has had a tough time cracking the lineup this year with second baseman Eric Pringle showing the defensive prowess Parent brought him onto the team for and Jesse Kovacs maintaining his role as the everyday shortstop for a third straight season. Pierson is hitting .275 with 14 hits in 51 at-bats — at home in Nettleton Stadium, that average is a team-high .450 with nine hits in 20 appearances at the plate.

AND THIS JUST IN: It has been announced in the press box Pierson is starting in center. I'll follow up on this development in a bit...

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Eric Pringle has long professed his enthusiasm for being in Chico with the Outlaws since being acquired from the Yuma Scorpions in the offseason.

On Saturday night, it was finally visible at Nettleton Stadium for all the team’s fans to see.

The 25-year-old second baseman pushed aside his paltry .140 batting average in home games with two keys hits that nearly fueled an Outlaw victory over until the Silver Sox fired back.

Pringle, a stark-opposite .431 hitter on the road this season, cracked a two-run single that put Chico ahead 4-2 in the fourth inning before reaching first base to lead off the seventh, advancing to second on a passed ball, scurrying to third on a Steve Boggs sacrifice fly and scoring on a Jesse Kovacs groundout to provide the Outlaws with the go-ahead run breaking a 5-5 deadlock.

The Silver Sox shot out to a 2-0 lead off Outlaws starting pitcher Nick Singleton in the first inning that was erased by the five-run rally in the fourth spurred on by Pringle’s two-RBI single. Reno then thatched two more runs to Singleton’s line in the sixth and evened the affair on Victor Hall’s solo home run off reliever John Segovia on the first pitch of the seventh.

That’s when Pringle and his sleak ways went to work. Picked up by the Outlaws from Yuma because of his steady defensive presence and maneuverability on the basepaths, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Inglewood native put himself in position to score after getting to third base from second on a tag-up off a Boggs pop-out to the same side in left field.

“Some guys take chances on those plays and I knew Stevie Boggs was a good hitter who was going to move me up one way or another,” Pringle said. “I wasn't going to waste a good at-bat by him.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

GBL saves leader Todd Gelatka was called into the fray earlier than normal tonight, entering the game with two outs in the eighth inning and the Outlaws up 6-5. He had no trouble getting the third to preserve the one-run lead going into the ninth, which is when he unraveled amid the setting he has thrived in all year.

Despite receiving an insurance run from his team before heading back out with a 7-5 cushion, Gelatka with one out walked Victor Hall, gave up a hit to Juan Senreiso, watched both steal bases and then proceeded to give up a two-run single to Kane Simmons with two outs. And Gelatka couldn’t keep the game deadlocked, either, as Carlos Madrid punched a go-ahead single to elicit a roar from the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Outlaw right-hander when he was finally able to record the final out two batters later.

“I’m not the guy to talk to right now,” a visibly disappointed Gelatka, who is the Golden Baseball League leader in saves, said in the clubhouse afterward. “Someone else would probably be better.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A live update for those seeking one: 6-5 Outlaws in the top of the eighth after Chico blew a 5-2 lead but went back ahead when Eric Pringle scored on a Jesse Kovacs groundout in the seventh.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You have to expect the unexpected any time you head to a professional baseball game, but there was something tangible behind the fact that Outlaw leadoff hitter Steve Boggs hit his first two home runs of the season last night and Reno leadoff man Maurice Cole did the same in a 14-11 win for the Silver Sox at Peccole Park in Nevada last night.

Several Outlaws members talked before the game how the wind was blowing out in the direction of third base and carried fly balls further than usual. That's often the case in Reno, but last night seemed to be another extreme. Daniel Nava's game-tying shot in the eighth inning was a shot to the right-centerfield gap that ended up clearing the fence in dead center.

"It hooked like a golf shot," Nava said. "I knew I hit it hard enough to maybe leave in right field and it jumped over to center."

And never mind that his first home run of the season Friday was also wind aided, struggling Outlaw catcher Ricky Bambino admitted he will take production however he can get it these days.

“I hit it good, but it got a little carry under it” he said. “It felt good to get my first one. I think it just felt good, period, because I’ve been needing something to get me going.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Derrick Loop's eight-inning win last night moved his record to 6-2 and confidence to a similarly high place, I'm sure. Loop, even after some of those previous wins, had been lamenting not being able to go deeper into games (his cutoff point came more often that not around the fifth and sixth innings.) So he came out, went eight strong and allowed closer Todd Gelatka to slam the first-half door with his GBL-leading 12th save.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Outlaws have just kicked off their second-half campaign at Peccole Park, where reliever John Jefferson will come out of the bullpen for his first start of the season. Kind of funny, because it reminds me of a conversation John and I had in the Goodwin Field visitors clubhouse in June the day after he threw five innings of impressive relief against the St. George Roadrunners.

I asked him how he felt about moving into the starting rotation — an area the team had been struggling at that point — and he showed no desire whatsover to leave his bullpen role. I do recall him saying that about the same time starters Phil Springman and Nick Singleton were in earshot, but Jefferson has proven to be a middle-relief horse more than anything.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 07:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kane Simmons, who along with Juan Senreiso accounts for two reasons the Reno Silver Sox are going to be a tough horse to move off the track in the race for the second-half championship, was honored as one of the GBL's two players of the week. The other is a name Outlaw fans might have heard ringing in their heads still had the Long Beach Armada been able to successfully pull away for the first-half championship...

(From the league offices in Dublin):

The Golden Baseball League announced OF Kane Simmons of the Reno Silver Sox and RHP Jeremy Zick of the Long Beach Armada have been named Player and Pitcher of Week Five. Sponsored by Spalding Baseball, these weekly awards recognize the most outstanding position player and pitcher in the league each week.

Kane Simmons, 23, the Reno Silver Sox outfielder goes back-to-back as he repeats his last week’s award winning performance with even better numbers this past week. He is the first two-time winner of the award in the GBL this year. Just signed on June 27th after completing his collegiate career at NCAA Division 1 Belmont University where he led his team in home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage while garnering all-conference honors, the slugging lefty led the GBL in hitting for the week with a .522 average, in home runs with 3, in runs with 9, in RBIs with 11, and in Slugging Avg. at 1.087. Although joining the league late due to college graduation, he now leads the GBL in home runs with 9 while only having played 16 of the first 37 games.

Jeremy Zick, 24, was moved from the bullpen into a starting role for the Long Beach Armada early in the season and has responded by posting an undefeated record and leading the league in E.R.A. Last week he continued his dominance as he pitched 8 scoreless innings, giving up only 2 hits and striking out 8 while walking only a single batter as we went 1-0. Originally drafted in the 15th round by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004, he spent three years in their farm system advancing to the Single-A team before being released. All 57 of his games in the Cardinals organization were as a reliever where he utilized his mid-90s fastball as a closer and in middle relief. Starting for the first time in his career, he is now one of the top starters in professional independent baseball.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 06:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mark Parent gave days off to regulars Scott Dragicevich and Jesse Kovacs last night and may again rest some of the more warrior players of the past few weeks for tonight's game since the first-half title is all locked up and the second half starts tomorrow.

Nevertheless, there is still an accomplishment to be earned with a victory. Should the Outlaws (24-13) pull it out, they will have a 25th win to top the organization's previous high for a half — 24, set when the team went 24-16 in last season's second half.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 02:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Along with the thrill for young pitchers who possess an accurate fastball with speeds well into the 90-mph zone comes the inevitability of giving up home runs of embarassing distances to sluggers with quick bats. Outlaw right-hander Tyler Pearson, who to his credit doesn't seem to be taking too seriously the blasts he's giving up because of his rampant velocity, has found that out often this season.

The home run he gave up to Scott Goodman to right field in the third game of the Orange County Flyers' first series at Nettleton in June was an absolute monster, probably by quite a few yards the longest at the stadium so far this GBL season. Last night, the Reno Silver Sox in their 11-4 win hit three more off Pearson that weren't mistaken for lazy fly balls happening to drift out of Peccole Park with a pick-up in the breeze.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 02:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What would have happened had Long Beach closed the half strong with two victories over the Flyers while the Outlaws faltered with a pair of losses against Reno? We might never know for sure, but there seemed to be two underlying versions of the system the GBL would have used had the Outlaws and Armada both finished 24-14 and, because they were 2-2 against each other in head-to-head action, forced a second tie-breaker.

The one I was hearing about most would be run differential or runs scored from the four games the two teams played, and it wouldn't have mattered which one was implemented for the Outlaws, who would have lost outright either way. Friday's 16-0 spanking by the Armada sealed the deal on both fronts. In run differential, Long Beach held an edge of 17 after combining to outscore Chico 24-7 (6-3, 16-0, 0-1, 2-3). And then, yeah, as you see there, 24-7 runs scored also would gave closed the issue.

The other mandate I heard, and apparently this is one prevalent in some other independent minor leagues, would have the next meeting between the Outlaws and Armada on July 30 at Blair Field be the decider to break the deadlocked 2-2 season series. All parties would have to be appeased because the Armada would then finally receive something in return for getting its only four shots at the Outlaws in the first half in Chico. So the winner of that game would be the first-half champ, albeit nearly three weeks later. I'd still vote for this being the way to decide if I had a say.

The moral of the story, of course, is that the Outlaws treated themselves mighty fine by allowing themselves to be to clinch on their own.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As newly-crowned first-half champions, the Outlaws can relish the thought of beginning the GBL Championship series with the first two games at Nettleton Stadium.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Long Beach's Jeff Heaverlo had hands down the best performance of an opposing Outlaw pitcher when he allowed just a single hit Saturday night at Nettleton Stadium — it just happened to be Jason Matteucci's would-be game-winning homer in the 1-0 loss — in eight innings of mostly flawless execution. While spending some time in the Amrada clubhouse before yesterday's game, I was told Heaverlo thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing Sunday afternoon at Bidwell Park in a getaway from the team's quarters downtown.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 03:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There might be no need to wait. The Outlaws may become the Golden Baseball League’s first-half champions on their evening off tonight.

If the second-place Armada (22-14) lose to the Orange County Flyers in Fullerton tonight, the Outlaws (24-12) will have a place in the GBL’s version of the World Series in September. The team in the best-of-five series with the better overall record coming in receives home-field advantage.

Should Long Beach win tonight and tomorrow, the pressure on the Outlaws remains to win either tomorrow night's game in Reno or Wednesday's to take the title. I don't know that Outlaw fans should worry at this point about the Reno Silver Sox taking their club out of the postseason last year by taking six of the last eight games — handing the second-half title to the Flyers — but Peccole Park hasn't always been the easiest of road stadiums for Chico to win at. Mark Parent, of course, will tell you how much he genuinely loves playing there. If he does, check to see where he is crossing his fingers.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 02:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last night's dramatic comeback earned some rave reviews from Outlaw manager Mark Parent...

His thoughts on the team's inability to drive runs, a problem that plagued the Outlaws since Friday:

"It had to be a matter of time. I mean, look at what was happening with Long Beach (on Sunday). They were getting hits off Singleton, dinks and ducks just out of the infield. We were hitting it right at guys. But then it was us getting the short shots later on. It balanced out."

On the pitching of Singleton, Jefferson and Gelatka:

"Nick threw like 125 pitches. He settled down for us and was unhittable at one point. He gave us seven good innings and a chance to win."

"John Jefferson was hurting in there. His back was aching. Just like Nick, he gutted it out pretty good. They were getting the outs. Gelatka had some trouble in the ninth, he got a little wild, but he found the strike zone when it counted."

On Long Beach:

"They can pitch, man. Every guy on that team has a great fastball. It's a veteran group (of pitchers) who don't go easily. We were hitting grounders all weekend and once we started hitting, you saw how it was, getting singles and men on base however we could."

On the inability of the Long Beach bullpen to hold off the Outlaws on Sunday:

"Their bullpen is as good as ours. (Armada manager Darrell Evans) has as much faith in that group as we do ours. It's just one of those things that happens in baseball. Sometimes your relievers can't do the job. They're never going to be perfect, that's for sure."

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 02:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Blogging gets a late start tonight (my bad on that one) but it's worth announcing this crucial final game of the Outlaw-Armada series is shaping up to be warm-collar affair. It's 2-1 Long Beach in the bottom of the seventh. For a third straight, the Outlaws have struggled to get momentum at the plate.

It's a shame for Nick Singleton, who, despite not being nearly as automatic as Jake McKinley was last night, has pitched plenty well enough to win. He's retired 10 straight batters going into the eighth inning after giving up five hits. Four of them came in Long Beach's two-run effort in the second. He's also thrown 120 pitches, so we'll see how long he can take it.

So what's at stake here? If Long Beach wins, they will enter into another tie for first place with the Outlaws and have a 3-1 edge in the overall series between both teams this season. Should the two teams finish out the first half (which ends Wednesday) tied for first, the overall series is the next tiebreaker. Hence, this game here could decide it.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 08:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Several other clutch efforts through a nine-inning battle with the Heaverlo and the Armada made the spectacular moment possible.

A night after the Outlaws endured a 16-0 embarrassment at the hands of Long Beach, McKinley mowed down Armada hitters in a staunch seven-inning start. Third baseman Scott Dragicevich, who McKinley referred to as “my MVP,” made two potential run-saving plays in the early innings. Reliever Jesse Oster delivered a hard-fought scoreless eighth to hold the scoreless tie in place for Matteucci’s difference-maker.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mattuecci said his big blast came from a fraction-of-a-second adjustment off Heaverlo's 1-1 pitch. He figured the right-hander would go outside on him, so a poke to left-centerfield would be necessary. Instead, shortening his swing on a letter-high fastball, he rollicked the decisive hit over the right-field fence.

I got a quick barrel on a surprise fastball,” he said afterward.

“Considering I’ve only been playing professionally two years now, I would say yeah, that’s the best hit of my career.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

No-hitter — and possibly win for Long Beach — undone. Jason Matteucci struck a 1-1 pitch from Heaverlo that hooked inward toward the right-field foul pole and landed well over the fence for a 1-0 Chico lead.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Heaverlo hit Scott Dragicevich with his first pitch in the seventh inning before retiring Todd Gossage (strikeout), Brock Ungricht (groundout to shortstop) and Jake Ferris (groundout to pitcher) to keep his no-hitter intact. I don't like getting excited about a no-hitter until it gets through seven innings and Heaverlo hit the watermark (well, mine at least).

Btw, McKinley has been replaced by Jesse Oster. Huge outing for Jake, who allowed just three hits, two walks and had a hit batsmen. Oster recorded an out before walking Chris Klemm and Jorge Martinez on eight straight pitches. He just ended a streak of 10 straight balls with a 2-0 strike to Chris Wakeland. Count just went full, but Oster gets Wakeland to fly out to left field. 0-0 it remains.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cleanup hitter Daniel Nava — the Outlaws' leader in hits (39), RBIs (27), runs (33), home runs (6) and the reigning Golden Baseball League player of the month starting yesterday — is not in the lineup for the first time this season because of a commitment to be in a friend's wedding that he had prearranged with manager Mark Parent before he was even admitted officially on the 22-man roster.

He's always been considered a huge catalyst for Chico offensive outbursts and whether it's a coincidence or not, Long Beach pitcher Jeff Heaverlo has no-hitter in the sixth inning, though he has just walked Eric Pringle with one out and Jesse Kovacs with two to set the stage for Jason Van Meetren to break open this 0-0 affair.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 08:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's 0-0 in the top of the sixth right now and Jake McKinley is downright lights out, having the night Phil Springman wish he had Friday before things unraveled and a 16-0 Outlaw loss crashed down from the sky. There was little question Springman was physically bogged down and affected by an internal circumstance.

He looked like a flu victim sitting at his locker stall with a towel over his head, mouth open and dazed look on his face. He looked much more full of like when we talked before tonight's game and he let on that dehydration had dogged him in three-inning start that was the shortest of his two-year professional career.

“It was dehydration,” Springman said. “My delivery was wobbly. I wasn’t following through swiftly with my pitches.

“It didn’t feel that hot when I first went out there. I don’t know how I could have prevented it. I’ll do whatever I can not to let it happen again, that’s all I know.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 08:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not that starting pitcher Phil Springman would have enjoyed his three-inning outing that resulted in five runs, eight hits and the lighting of the Long Beach wildfire anyway, but it didn't help that he felt physically disgusted all night. At his stool in the clubhouse with a towel on his head draped over dazed eyes afterward, Springman seemed overwhelmed by nausea.

“I’ve had a concussion before and it kind of felt like that,” said Springman, who dropped to 2-1 on the year. “I didn’t feel good out there at all. I don’t what it is. I just wish it didn’t happen and I didn’t pitch this way in a game like this.

"I felt real dizzy, real weak. With the heat and everything else, I was totally uncomfortable out there. I never reached any kind of groove."

Manager Mark Parent couldn't pinpoint what might have been affecting Springman and is anxious to hear what team trainer April Ross can maybe find out about the potential ailment.

"We'll have April look at him," Parent said. "It's hard to tell. He had some dizziness."

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Does anything more need to be said, especially for Chicoans? Tonight's loss to Long Beach was a doozie for the Outlaws and one that will either a.) be the symbolic nail in the coffin if the team ends up flailing in its quest to wrap up this first-half championship or b.) provide the sniffing salt for a quick turnaround that members will ultimately point to as the ultimate triumph over adversity.

Whatever happens, here's some tidbits from the most lopsided defeat in club history:

*The club's previous most lopsided loss was a 10-1 defeat at the hands of the Fullerton Flyers on June 4, 2006.

*The Outlaws had been outhit 15-1 through 4 1/2 innings — the game's halfway point.

*Also through 4 1/2, Long Beach led 13-0 and every Armada batter except leadoff John Kaplan had a hit at the point. Kaplan got his first in the sixth anyway.

*The Outlaws hadn’t been shut out this season or held under five hits (they finished with two.)

*Their worst loss of the season coming in was six runs — an 8-2 setback to the Orange County Flyers in June. Other than that, they had fallen in three-run games on two occasions.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Armada locker room might have been the most happening place in Chico about an hour ago — not bad considering the Thursday night competition in a college town. One player kept calling for music (probably sarcastically) and couldn't get it since it was the visitor's locker room, but the noise level only seemed to rise as more and more players fed off eachother's energy.

"This has been real fun," Long Beach left fielder Chris Wakeland said above the din after his 2-for-4, two-RBI effort. "We've been able to do all the little things to keep ourselves in this race. Just a lot of the small details like icing down after games to stay healthy for the long haul, getting extra batting practice in here or there.

"Tonight was great, we got it done on the road against a team like Chico, in their home park, and with the Chicken out there getting everybody fired up. We fought through the distractions."

The Armada have won nine of its last ten games despite the recent losses of catcher Corey Myers, slugger Jeff LaRue and leading pitcher Rik Currier, who were all signed to contracts in major league systems over the past two weeks.

“We weren’t going to look at eachother and say, ‘What do we do now?’” said Wakeland. “We just had to tighten up in certain areas. We’re right how we want to be right now.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After last night's win over the St. George Roadrunners, Outlaw manager Mark Parent complained of a migraine-like headache during his postgame news conference in the clubhouse. Tonight his team endured a crucial 6-3 setback to the Long Beach Armada in the crucial series opener between the two teams and he seemed much more at peace.

Parent isn't about to panic, even if the Armada are on the verge of securing a tie atop the GBL standings (Long Beach can do so by winning again tonight.)

“Our MO this season (pitching) has been our ability to make adjustments,” Parent said. “The staff will have to take a look at what happened tonight and go at them accordingly.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Derrick Loop was just replaced by reliever John Jefferson for Long Beach's at-bat in the top of the seventh. With the Outlaws trailing 3-2, that means Loop won't add a win to his GBL-leading total of five (his record is 5-1). His six-inning effort could be called steady, he did strike out six, but we'll see how the three runs and six hits he allowed come out in the wash.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 08:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh yeah, the Chicken is here tonight. I'd attach a link to the story about this shindig that ran in today's Enterprise-Record, but it isn't available for reasons that will be looked into.

Whatever the case, the thousands in attendance at Nettleton tonight have been very receptive toward his presence. Check back here tomorrow for photos of what his first-ever visit to Chico.

And FYI: In this battle of the GBL's top two teams, Long Beach is up 3-2 in the top of the seventh,

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There was a time the Long Beach Armada was mired in the bottom half of the Golden Baseball League standings not showing too many signs of breaking out. Yet it has been over the past two weeks — when ace pitcher Rik Currier and top hitters Corey Myers and Jeff LaRue were all signed away to major league contracts — that the Armada have actually made the biggest charge.

Long Beach comes to Chico for this weekend's four-game title tilt 7-2 in July after a 13-10 June. The Outlaws, for those curious, are 6-4 in July after a 16-6 tear through June.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Outlaw clubhouse is usually a haven for good hip-hop music following victories, but after tonight's 4-1 win, only the voice of Chico play-by-play man Rory Miller could be heard over the loudspeakers. When one player called for center fielder Jason Matteucci to hit the music switch during Miller's postgame show, Matteucci had a terse response.

"Let's see how Long Beach did," he said.

With the win over the St. RoadRunners at Nettleton Stadium, the Outlaws positioned themselves in first place with the chance to wrap up a portion of the GBL’s regular-season championship when the second-place Long Beach Armada visit Chico for a four-game series beginning tomorrow.

The Outlaws are 22-10, the Armada come in two games behind at 20-12 after its defeat of the Reno Silver Sox and both teams have six games remaining before the first half of the GBL schedule ends next Wednesday. The Outlaws can clinch the title with three wins and Long Beach can make them sweat profusely going into next week’s final contests by doing the same, or sweeping all four.

“I’d much rather win the first half than the second,” Outlaw manager Mark Parent said. “The guys who have been around the past two years are the same way because they know how we haven’t gotten it done in the second half. And the guys who weren’t here, they want to win anyway just because they’ve had that attitude this whole year.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Catcher Ricky Bambino and relief pitcher John Segovia were both suspended three games by the Golden Baseball League on Tuesday in response to last week's bench-clearing brawl with the Reno Silver Sox at Nettleton Stadium.

Bambino's was pretty much expected by the Outlaws — after being hit by a pitch, he charged pitcher Dusty Bergman on the mound to help set off an incident that had been brewing throughout the game — but a coinciding punishment for Segovia proved to be a major surprise.

Though it wasn’t made clear once the brawl subsided, Segovia was ejected that night along with Bambino and Bergman by home plate umpire Jim Richins. Segovia, according to the explanation Richins gave Outlaw manager Mark Parent, was seen jumping over another player to attack a Reno member in the scrum that began at the pitcher’s mound and eventually broke up behind home plate minutes later.

But while Bambino and Bergman were clear targets for a multiple-game punishment because of their distinct involvement in the incident, Segovia’s shocked many teammates and coaches who believe his ejection — not the extent of his participation in the brawl — led to a suspension of similar length.

“John wanted to know if there is anything he could do,” pitching coach Alex Carbajal said regarding Segovia’s options for possibly appealing. “That was the league’s decision and he was probably better off accepting it.”

Of the three suspensions, Segovia’s may prove to be the most damaging to his team’s cause. His absence leaves the Outlaws short a solid middle reliever in the bullpen for the three consecutive games. Going into Tuesday, the right-hander was among the league’s top relievers with a 2-0 record and 2.49 earned-run average after allowing just six earned runs in 21 2/3 innings pitched.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pitcher Nick Singleton was battered around for five runs in the first three innings of tonight's loss, surrendering two home runs in the first two. They were the seventh and eighth homers he has given up this season.

“I didn’t hit my spots and they took advantage,” said Singleton (2-3), who gave up eight hits and four runs amid nine strikeouts in a seven-inning start that was his first since trimming his long-tailing, curly blonde hair fans often identify him with.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jason Van Meetren is known for working hard and Tuesday he got quite the load:

Van Meetren's day started with a lengthy session of infield work at first base after batting practice. Working with John Macalutas, the team's hitting coach and former part-time Chico Heat first baseman, Van Meetren tried to perfect the art of scooping low throws.

He had two to deal with in tonight's loss, but both were too wild and ended up being charged as throwing errors to third baseman Scott Dragicevich and second baseman David Pierson. Van Meetren cracked a long double, continuing his climb out of a long-term slump, and his night was literally just warming up.

He slid hard to take out Marcos Villezcas to break up a double play in the sixth inning — that ended up in helping the team get a run — but had to duck to get out of the way of reliever Mike Renery’s high fastball in his next at-bat. Van Meetren responded angrily to being subdued by home plate umpire Jim Richins in the eighth inning and was ejected.

“I don’t like getting my head taken off by a pitch and (Richins) told me to shut up,” Van Meetren said. “I told him not to tell me what to do.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The St. George Roadrunners are 1-16 at their home park, Bruce Hirst Field in Utah. Something about Chico — and my educated guess is it isn't the litany of lively bars downtown — feels like home back in St. George to them. With tonight's 6-3 victory over the Outlaws, they have now won three straight at Nettleton Stadium and have a 3-1 record there this season.

The Roadrunners, whose total of six wins would be considerably less porous than its current state without the trio of Chico victories, made a professional starter of rookie pitcher Eric Mattison in his first appearance only because the fourth member of their depleted rotation threw three innings of emergency relief the night before.

Yet Mattison’s outing went much smoother than fellow right-hander Nick Singleton, a proven performer for the Outlaws over the past two seasons. With Singleton battered around for five runs in the first three innings, Mattison kept it together long enough to leave a three-run lead in the sixth that St. George’s normally faulty bullpen held on to protect as the final score.

The Outlaws swept the Roadrunners handily in four games when the two teams last met in Utah. But St. George, dating back to its 2-1 series triumph at Nettleton in the June 15-17 set, now has the three straight wins under its belt in Northern California going into tonight's mini-series finale.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hats off to 2000 Corning High grad and Yuma Scorpion pitcher Evan White for notching a GBL Pitcher of the Week honor. White's sterling eight-inning, homecoming performance against the Outlaws was documented pretty thoroughly on this site two weeks back after he was pulled in the ninth of a blown save.

Sounds like he bounced back nicely...

(From the GBL office):

(Dublin, CA. July 9, 2007) The Golden Baseball League announced OF Kane Simmons of the Reno Silver Sox and RHP Evan White of the Yuma Scorpions have been named Player and Pitcher of Week Four. Sponsored by Spalding Baseball, these weekly awards recognize the most outstanding position player and pitcher in the league each week.

Evan White, 24, the right-handed starting pitcher for the Yuma Scorpions has been selected as Pitcher of the Week. The rookie native of Chico, CA and out of New Mexico Highlands University pitched back-to-back complete 9 inning games during the week, including a 3-hit shutout over the powerful Long Beach Armada squad, as he went 2-0 with a 0.50 E.R.A.. He struck out 15 and only walked 3 in the 18 innings pitched.

Kane Simmons, 23, the Reno Silver Sox outfielder was selected as Player of the Week. Simmons was just signed on June 27th after completing his collegiate career at NCAA Division 1 Belmont University where he led his team in home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage while garnering all-conference honors. The slugging lefty had a huge week at the plate as he hit for an average of .370 while leading the GBL in home runs with five and RBIs with 10.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 09:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Let's not forget, the Golden Baseball League's first half cuts off July 18, which is a week from Wednesday. That makes this week's six-game homestand for the Outlaws their last of the half. Taking care of business at -- something the team did to perfection during that 7-0 spurt over the Yuma Scorpions and Orange County Flyers two weeks back -- may deliver the first-half championship much sooner than the 18th.

St. George comes to town with its 5-24 record in hand. I hate to hype it too much by calling it a proverbial "trap series" for Chico, but the two-game series will have to be considered disappointing if the Outlaws don't come away with a pair of victories.

The Long Beach Armada (18-12), coming into the day three games behind the league-leading Outlaws (21-9), come to town for four contests at Nettleton after St. George and would like nothing more than to be within at least two games of striking distance. If Long Beach remains at three, there is the lingering possibility Chico can end it all by the end of the weekend.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 08:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jason Matteucci accounted for today's lone run with a solo homer in the seventh inning. It was just the third home run of his pro career and first since last July, when Matteucci hit one out in his very first at-bat and proceeded to do it again the next day.

FYI, because leadoff man Steve Boggs' 18-game hitting streak ended today (it collapses in Fullerton after beginning there on June 19), Matteucci would have taken over with the longest hitting string (nine games) had he not gone 0-for-4 in Saturday's win.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alex McRobbie's complete-game gem (nine innings, nine strikeouts, seven hits, two walks) in today's 4-1 win for Orange County limited the Outlaws to under two runs — the first time Chico has been held to a single run since a 3-1 loss to the Flyers on June 18.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's my Golden Baseball League column from the Enterprise-Record today on the general woes of pitchers throughout the league at the moment:

http://www.chicoer.com/sports/ci_6325400

Btw, always feel free to email me at pkinmartin@chicoer.com, or just post by clicking on the wonderful little "comments" option below.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A solo home run by Jake Ferris in the third inning of the 8-3 win last night that came on the heels of a three-run shot by Jason Van Meetren (more on that later) was his second as an Outlaw and came in the same Goodwin Field stadium where he used two impressive batting practice sessions (sprinkled with a few homers, I might add) to allure Mark Parent into signing him on in June. Ferris, a Whittier native, is the latest product from the Cal State Los Angeles-pitching coach Alex Carbajal pipeline.

Van Meetren now has two home runs, both on the road and for seven RBIs (his last was a grand slam in St. George). He is hitting .154 on the road with two of his six hits being the two bombs in 39 total at-bats. At home, Van Meetren has a .208 average with 11 hits in 53 at-bats.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So Springman did manage to get the quality start last night the team was seeking (seven innings pitched, seven hits, three runs, no walks, six strikeouts). He now has a 2-0 record in six starts with a 6.00 earned-run average starting to dip back and if he's on to something here the Outlaws would love to have him as the top gun in the rotation as he came to be down the stretch last year.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 01:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Loop's 5 2/3-innings effort last night wasn't bad by any stretch, but you get the feeling the Outlaws still haven't come close to excorcising the demons haunting their starting pitching. In fact, Phil Springman's eight-inning performance back on June 27 in which he limited the Yuma Scorpions to three hits and an earned run remains the last true quality start by an Outlaw pitcher.

Springman, remember, was shelled when he took the mound again last Monday in Reno. In 4 2/3 innings, he gave the same number of home runs as batters he struck out (four). He was also picked apart for 10 hits and need we even mention that he gave up eight runs in the fourth inning alone at this point?

The reigning GBL Rookie Pitcher of the Year takes the mound again today in Fullerton for his GBL homecoming — he's an Orange County boy by way of San Clemente — and can be "that guy" in the pitching staff by knuckling down to pitch deep into a game and not force manager Mark Parent to keep prodding that bullpen for all kinds of help.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

By knocking off Reno last night, this year’s Outlaw group became the quickest in the organization’s young history to reach the 20-win mark. In 2005, they didn’t reach that point until July 14 and last season they hit it on July 9.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hard to guage (no pun intended) how much weather affects the course of a baseball game since both teams are playing under the same conditions, but the Outlaws many times over the last three days of 100-degree heat in the north valley looked a step slower than usual.

They're in Fullerton at the moment, readying for a quick two-game series with Orange County beginning tonight, and it's 82 degrees. It may, if anything, border on 90 through the course of the day, but, unlike Chico, the Southern California heat generally isn't at its most powerful in the evening hours.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Golden Baseball League mirrors college baseball in many ways with its affinity for producing plenty of good hitting at the sacrifice of solid pitching. That being said, the difference between winning consistently and struggling to remain around .500 can easily be a solid bullpen.

The first-place Outlaws, by a mile, have the best one in the GBL at the moment and it was on display again last night. Derrick Loop left the game in the sixth inning with Chico leading 4-2 and — after John Jefferson, Jesse Oster and Jake Mclintock allowed just a single hit and a walk the rest of the way — the Outlaws ended up prevailing easily 8-2 thanks largely to the work of tidy relief.

Current Outlaw relievers Jefferson, Oster, Mclintock, Todd Gelatka and John Segovia have a combined earned-run average of 2.08 and 8-1 record in 78 innings pitched. They are also allowing an average of less than a hit per inning (0.79) and have walked just 28.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Let's hear it for the St. George Roadrunners, who tied their season-high win streak last night with a second consecutive victory. OK, maybe Outlaw fans are slow to applaud. The Utah-based club last won two straight in its lone visit to Nettleton Stadium for a three-game series in June.

On the season, the Roadrunners are 5-21 and have already been mathematically eliminated from contending for the GBL's first-half championship.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 07:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Batting practice is done, the infield dirt is being dragged and the 100-degree temperatures aren't just a HOT topic of conversation — it is the only topic of conversation among players and stadium workers alike. So the stage is set for the rubber match of this three-game series tonight that will break the 1-1 tie between the Outlaws and Silver Sox.

As good as their GBL-best 19-8 record looks, the Outlaws are a less flashy 4-3-1 in series play. Losing to the Silver Sox tonight would drop them to 1-2-1 in the teams' four series matchups even though Chico has won 8 of the 12 matchups this year.

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 05:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It wasn't so much that the Reno Silver Sox pinned down the Outlaws early tonight in a 7-2 win, it was the fact that they were able to keep the boisterous boys of Chico from doing their thing late in the game that was clutch. The victory was the first in six games this season for Reno at Nettleton Stadium and what I believe to be one of those huge barriers overcome by a team that has been on the verge of a few would-be wins in Chico this season before collapses, though apparently manager Les Lancaster disagrees.

"There was nothing to suggest we couldn't get a win on any given night," he said after tonight's triumph. "We’ve played well enough here before to win games consistently (a reference to his 2006 championship team’s 6-2 record at Nettleton). We had our chances to win here that first week of the season and just didn’t help ourselves. Tonight we got the right amount of pitching and good hitting to wrap it up.”

Posted by Patrick Kinmartin at 11:03 PM | Permalin