Do you remember Rox RHP Wayne Lundgren from the 2006 season?  The Rox signed him as a free agent, in a rather subtle move in the middle of June.  He spent the next two months in the Rox bullpen, pitching mostly in long releif situations, and at various times in a setup role.  In late August, Brockton had an open spot in the starting rotation and Lundgren was at the end of a stretch of 16 scoreless innings in relief.  He was inserted into the back end of the rotation and remained as a starter the rest of the way.  His regular season concluded with impressive, yet less-than-dominant numbers.  In six starts, he was 1-3 with a 3.75 ERA, with 22 strikeouts and 8 walks. 

In the 2006 playoffs, Lundgren was fantastic for the Rox.  His post-season numbers, which are stunning, don't do justice to his performances and to what he did to help put the team in position for a shot at the title.  His numbers: 2-0, 1.38 ERA in two starts.

First Round vs. New Haven County (Game 4)
(W) 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Rox won series 2-1 to move in to Championship Series

Championship Series (Game 4)
(W) 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Rox won to force decisive Game 5 after trailing 2-0 in series

This season Lundgren is 1-1, yet he has only allowed 2 earned runs in his first two starts.  He took a tough luck loss last night in Nashua as the Brockton offense just could not plate a run. 

Tonight, the Rox turn to RHP John Kelly (1-0, 0.00 ERA) to try and stop a three-game losing streak.  Kelly shut down the Pride in his first start of the season.  He pitched six scoreless innings and allowed just two hits while striking out eight on May 25th.

The Boston Globe takes a look at the interesting team names throughout minor league baseball.  The IronPigs are the team that used to play in Ottawa.

Ottawa is in New Jersey playing the Jackals.  I told you the other day that Nottle has thousands of stories from his years in baseball, and this is a good one about Yogi Berra and Don Mattingly.

In Atlantic City, Surf Manager Cecil Fielder has a well-documented history.  He is hoping that this opprtunity to manage the Surf will help get him back to the Major Leagues one day.

The Worcester Tornadoes opened Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field for the firs time last night, and did so in dramatic fashion with a 6-5 walk-off victory.  It was one ballplayer's first home game in more than a year.

I touched on this briefly in the broadcast a few nights ago, and fans who enjoy coming to the park need to remember to pay attention.  Especially in these cozy minor league parks, where one of the attractions is being so close to the field and the players.  Wooden bats are exploding dangerously throughout baseball right now as players shift to a different type of wood.  The maple bat is growing in popularity, and one fan at a Dodgers' game is suffering through a nightmare.  It's important not to blow situations like this out of proportion, but it is critical that baseball takes a close examination of dangers like broken bats.  Remember that 23,833,065 people have gone through the turnstiles at Major League stadiums already this year.  People are struck by foul balls and bats that slip from batters' hands throughout the season.  Thankfully in most cases they are paying attention to the game and usually wind up with a souvenir and good story.  Just remember to pay attention when you're at the ballpark.

Off to Nashua again for game two of a four-game series. I hope it looks like this again tonight.

The Rox take off on the first extended road trip of the season today.  The first four games are actually commuter trips back and forth to Nashua, but then it's off to Sussex County, New Jersey followed by the first stop in Atlantic City for the season.  The blog will continue from far and wide, and will attempt to give you an idea of what each stadium and community is like. 

While abbreviated, the Rox first home stand of the season was successful, by the numbers.  The team played five games at home (two against Nashua and three against Sussex).  It finished with a 3-2 record, and a 4-3 record overall.  Brockton finished with a bump last night though as Sussex thumped the Rox for a 15-4 victory.  RHP Mike McTamney had another tough night (4.2 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 4 K).  RHP Rich Babb was summoned for clean-up duty and pitched well until he ran out of gas in the eighth inning.  Most notable of the Rox pitchers was OF Joe Frazee who made his professional pitching debut with the game out of reach.  

Brief today...heading to Nashua.

The Rox first win streak of the 2008 season came to an end last night with a 5-3 loss to the Sussex Skyhawks.  A former Rox pitcher returned to Brockton and had a solid outing against his former team. 

RHP Gary Galvez was traded by the Rox last season with OF Joe Hough to the North Shore Spirit for LHP Bryan Morse.  The deal gave Brockton an additional reliable arm in the starting rotation.  Morse has been frustrated in his recovery from off-season shoulder surgery that has him currently on the inactive list.  I had the chance to chat with the left-hander briefly, and it was clear that he was anxious to get back on the field.  The southpaw from Maryland has been near the top of the pitching leaderboards in the Can-Am League almost every season and was a leader for a strong Spirit pitching staff for four seasons.  An already stout starting rotation will benefit greatly from the return of Morse once he is fully healed.

RHP Mike McTamney (0-0, 15.75 ERA) returns to make his second start of the season tonight at Campanelli Stadium in the third and final game of the series with Sussex.  McTamney will face Skyhawks' RHP Kyle Ruwe (1-0, 3.38 ERA).

Following the conclusion of tonight's contest, Manager Chris Miyake and the Rox will prepare to face the Nashua Pride for the second time this season.  Brockton took three of four games from the Pride in the first series of the season.  That series was geographically split with two games at each team's home ballpark.  This time, the Rox will have to do all of the travelling in another four-game series.

The Pride welcomed back an offensive catalyst from the 2007 championship team, and he responded by hitting a home run.  Unfortunately for Nashua, he doesn't play for them anymore. 

For most of the last 25 years, Nashua has been home to a professional baseball team, serving as the double-A affiliate for both the Angels and the Pirates in the 1980's.  But baseball may be leaving the site where Don Newcombe, Roy Campanella and Jackie Robinson came up through the Dodgers' minor league system in the 1940s.  The town rallied to Save the Pride in the offseason...and now they need to come to the park.

Missed this in the blog the other day, but Nashua hitting coach and former Major Leaguer and Red Sox hitting coach Richie Hebner spent all of two games with the Pride this season before being hired by a Baltimore Orioles affiliate.

The Worcester Tornadoes have a new General Manager.

Jim Wilson likes how the Worcester Tornadoes look five games into the season.  The 2005 Can-Am League Champs have struggled to get back to top form over the past three seasons.  In both newspapers, the Worcester Telegram and the Nashua Telegraph, former Manager Butch Hobson received a large amount of credit for Chris Colabello's revival from a sluggish first half last season.  Hobson is back in the Atlantic League managing for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  You will recognize some names on the Blue Crabs roster, including two former first round draft picks.  RHP Adam Johnson was the second overall selection in the 2000 amatuer draft by the Minnesota Twins.  OF Mike Conroy was the 43rd overall selection in the 2001 draft, taken by the Cleveland Indians.

Independent baseball gives fans numerous reasons to come out to the park.  An endless string of innovative promotions, the chance to play catch with your kids on a professional baseball diamond, the chance that Oil Can Boyd might sign a contract to pitch in spring training...and then make the team, and an opportunity for a kid from a small school to win his professional debut with a cheering section of friends and family right behind home plate.

LHP Chris McDonough did just that yesterday as the Rox celebrated Memorial Day with a pre-game concert by the 215th Army Band, and an offer to all service members to enjoy the game "on the house."  The Rox offense opened up with six runs in the first four innings to give McDonough cushion to work with.  Sussex battled back to tie the game in the top of the fifth, but the Rox countered with a run in the bottom half of the frame and the bullpen went to work with four scoreless innings.  RHP Jerry Dunn picked up his third save in three days.

The bullpen has been terrific lately.  Over the last three games, the Rox relief staff has pitched a full game and posts an impresive line: 9 IP, 5 H, 0.00 ERA, 5 BB, 9 K.  The math in baseball is really simple; it's pretty easy to win when you don't let the other team score.

The Ottawa Rapidz embarked on its first road trip of the 2008 season last night as they headed to Atlantic City for the Surf's Home Opener at Bernie Robbins Stadium, better known as "The Sandcastle."  Ed Nottle has thousands of stories to tell in his nearly four decades in baseball, but the one that transpired over the last 48 hours will likely be one he tells frequently.

If you enjoy reading about the various independent leagues and following the careers of the many, many plaers, read Bob Wirz.  It's amazing how well Mr. Wirz is able to follow absolutely everybody who plays or has played in the independent minor leagues.  At the end of each year, he publishes a book with all of his columns and it's a great read.
The Rox and Skyhawks play game two of the three game series tonight as Brockton goes for five in-a-row.  LHP Rolando Viera is looking to tie the record for most career wins in a Rox uniform.  He is a really fun pitcher to watch.  He throws strikes, and is actually a tremendous fielder.  First pitch tonight is 7:05 PM.  Get tickets here.

Take a moment today to recognize what our Armed Service Members offer, and in some cases, sacrifice in the name of our country. 

A local soldier is remembered here.  There are more stories similar to this, and not all of them can be told.  Keep our soldiers in your hearts today.

It's a beautiful Memorial Day today, and all Military Service Personnel are invited to Campanelli Stadium free of charge for the Rox game at 6:05 PM tonight.  Just bring a Military ID to the Ticket Office and receive your free ticket.

On to baseball...

The Rox are on a three-game winning streak after taking the first series of the season 3-1 from the Nashua Pride.  Yesterday, RHP John Kelly began his 15th professional season, and showed why he is one of the best pitchers in the Can-Am League.

The Rox pitching staff has not allowed an earned run in 18 innings.  The first two games and the last two games of the Nashua series were polar opposites.  The two teams combined to score 35 runs in the first two games.  The Rox almost scored more runs in the seventh inning of game two (8), than both teams did in Saturday and Sunday's games combined (9). 

RF Matt Maloney had himself a day yesterday; after returning from a bruised hand.  Maloney hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, which turned out to be the difference in the game.  Without his diving catch in the right-centerfield gap to end the game, the home run may have been a small sidebar.  Nashua 2B Ismael Castro drilled a 3-2 pitch to the gap with runners on first and second with two outs.  Both would have scored and given Nashua a 3-2 lead if the ball dropped in the gap. 

A local standout gets the ball today for the Rox in the opening game against the Sussex Skyhawks. 

After the Skyhawks dropped to 1-3 with a 13-5 loss to the Worcester Tornadoes, new Manager Hal Lanier was not happy.

The Skyhawks were created in 2006, and have had two disappointed seasons in the league.  The team has won a combined total of 66 games in two seasons.  Here's a look at how they finished the last two seasons:

2006:
Record: 32-58
Team Pitching: 4.65 ERA (2nd-worst in the league)
Team Batting: .258 AVG (3rd-worst in the league), 26 HR (fewest), 370 Runs (fewest)

2007
Record: 34-59
Team Pitching: 5.16 ERA (Worst)
Team Batting: .272 AVG ( 6th out of 10), 37 HR (fewest), 432 (fewest)