Results tagged ‘ Max Peterson ’
40 hours of Minor League Baseball
Throughout the course of a 140-game season, teams are bound to go through plenty of ups and downs. With the season only 21 days old, the Dash have experienced many successes and failures. For instance:
- A road sweep after getting swept on the road.
- Being on both sides of a 15-run offensive showing.
- A 1-4 double play on a ground ball.
- A snow shower and a tornado watch.
- Giving up the cycle.
- Giving up just one hit in a game.
However, the last few days have truly encapsulated what it means to be a player in the minors. Here is a brief look back:
Thursday at 6:59 p.m.: Terance Marin throws the first pitch of the Dash’s homestand finale against the Lynchburg Hillcats.
Thursday at 8:31 p.m.: Winston-Salem takes a 4-1 lead into the fifth inning.
Thursday at 8:51 p.m.: The top of the fifth frame finally ends, but not before the Hillcats take a 6-4 lead. Winston would not take another lead in the contest.
Thursday at 10:36 p.m.: Lynchburg’s Matt Lipka singles in the ninth to complete the first cycle in BB&T Ballpark’s history.
Thursday at 10:53 p.m.: The Dash finish the homestand 4-4 by falling to the Hillcats 15-8 in the longest game (3:54) of the season thus far.
Friday at 12:17 a.m.: After packing up the bus, the Dash depart for an overnight trip to Wilmington, Del., in advance of a seven-day road swing.
Friday at 7:23 a.m.: More than seven hours later, the bus pulls into the team hotel in the First State. Many of the players grab a quick breakfast before heading to their rooms.
Friday at 4:15 p.m.: The team climbs onto the bus once again, with Frawley Stadium the destination for the opener of this three-game series with the Blue Rocks.
Friday at 7:07 p.m.: Less than 12 hours after arriving in Wilmington, the Dash begin their game with the Blue Crew.
Friday at 9:26 p.m.: Courtney Hawkins’ sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning knots the score at 4-4.
Friday at 9:47 p.m.: A few minutes after Jason Van Skike stranded the possible winning run at third base in the bottom of the ninth, a pair of Wilmington errors give Winston-Salem a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th.
Friday at 10:02 p.m.: Max Peterson retires Geulin Beltre with the bases loaded to preserve the Dash’s 11th win of the season.
Friday at 11:07 p.m.: The Dash return to the hotel after improving to 11-2 in their last 13 games at Frawley Stadium.
Saturday at 9:15 a.m.: Dash pitchers took off on the bus to the gym for another workout, with the position players following about an hour later.
What a day. What a win. Who knows what tonight will bring. Join me at 5:50 for the Pregame Dash here. Talk to you then.
- Brian
Opening Day roster breakdown
Top prospect Courtney Hawkins will receive plenty of attention in 2013 (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).
One of the final steps before the Dash’s season can begin is the release of the Opening Day roster, which happened today. Dash fans know about some of these 25 players, while others will suit up for Winston-Salem for the first time Friday at Carolina. Let’s take a look at all of these players and how they fit within the roster.
The top prospect:
OF Courtney Hawkins
No White Sox prospect will draw as much attention as Hawkins will during the 2013 season. Chicago’s first-round pick 10 months ago, Hawkins hit three homers and drove in seven runs in 12 High-A games last season. He will likely get a longer look at this level while trying to live up to the billing of being the Sox top prospect and one of the top 100 players in the minors.
The other ranked farmhands:
RHP Chris Beck, INF Joey DeMichele & C Kevan Smith
In addition to Hawkins’ place atop Baseball America’s White Sox prospect rankings, three other players who will open the season with Winston-Salem found themselves on the publication’s Top 30 list. Beck (10th) makes the jump from short-season Great Falls, while DeMichele (24th) is a player that many believe can climb the minor league ladder quickly. Most Dash fans remember Smith (27th) and his big grand slam in the SDCS-clinching win over Myrtle Beach last season. He will likely receive the majority of the playing time available behind the plate.
The returning hurlers:
RHP J.R. Ballinger, RHP Chris Bassitt, RHP Bryan Blough, RHP Justin Collop, RHP Terance Marin, LHP Max Peterson & RHP Steven Upchurch
The Dash’s pitching staff was one of the best in the Carolina League last season, and more than half of the Dash’s Opening Day pitchers suited up for Winston-Salem at some point last season. Pitching coach J.R. Perdew also returns after the tremendous 2012 season. All seven of these pitchers have had success at this level, which bodes well for the Dash in 2013.
David Herbek shined following a midseason promotion to the Carolina League (Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash).
The “prove it” player:
INF David Herbek
Herbek’s 2012 season was unique. He hit just .214 in 43 games with Low-A Kannapolis, but the White Sox moved him up to Winston-Salem in late June. The Virginia native responded by swinging at a .313 clip in 47 games. Herbek figures to see significant time with the Dash, so will he be closer to his Kannapolis form or his Winston-Salem self? You have to like his chances to be a scary hitter on this circuit like he was down the stretch a year ago.
The new White Sox:
RHP Jeremy Erben, OF Nick Giarraputo & INF Mark Tracy
Three men on the 25-man roster were not with the organization last season. The White Sox signed Erben in spring training, just a few days after Arizona released him. Giarraputo is back in affiliated baseball after three seasons on the independent circuit. Tracy joined the Sox organization following a trade with Colorado. Former Dash outfielder Kenny Williams, Jr., was shipped to the Rockies in that deal. This trio will be hungry to contribute early on as White Sox farmhands.
The acquaintances:
INF Chris Curley, OF Mark Haddow & OF Billy Rice
These three men all joined Winston-Salem at some point last season, but the threesome combined for only 11 regular season games with the Dash. Curley shined in the final week of the regular season before hitting .500 in the CL postseason, while Haddow and Rice struggled a bit in their limited at-bats after playing well for Low-A Kannapolis. How will these three swingers adjust to a prolonged stay in the Triad? That answer may dictate how effective the offense will be this season.
The Kannapolis kids:
INF Grant Buckner, LHP Jarrett Casey, INF Joe De Pinto & RHP Daniel Webb
These four players spent most or all of their 2012 seasons with Low-A Kannapolis. The jump from Low-A to High-A is not an easy one, but all four of these men will get the chance to do it following spring training.
How will the catching duties be split among Kevan Smith, Martin Medina and Brent Tanner? (Dan Barber/W-S Dash).
The catching couple:
C Martin Medina & C Brent Tanner
With Smith in the fold, how will skipper Ryan Newman find playing time for these two backstops? Both Medina and Tanner have shown promise in the minors, but there is only so many at-bats to go around. Last season, the Dash rarely had three catchers on the roster, so this will be a challenge for Newman and hitting coach Rob Sasser.
The comeback candidate:
RHP Cody Winiarski
Winiarski missed all of last season with a back injury, and he only has 17 career minor league efforts under his belt. Last season, Kyle Bellamy returned from a season-long injury to shine with Winston before heading to Double-A. Winiarski will look to do the same for the Dash in 2013.
Hopefully this gives you some more insight on the first roster for the Dash in 2013. The season is three days away, and we will have plenty more coverage leading up to Friday’s season opener here on the Dash Board.
- Brian
Playoff Perspective – Game 2
Winston-Salem rallied for a thrilling 5-4 victory over Lynchburg in Game 2 of the Mills Cup Championship Series Sunday afternoon at BB&T Ballpark. First off, hear from the man who gave the Dash their first lead in the series–catcher Kevan Smith.
Now, it’s time for our postgame analysis.
PLAYOFF PERSPECTIVE:
- Wow. Once again, the Dash’s collective back was against the wall in a Game 2, and this offense found a way to battle back for a narrow win. After five frustrating innings of offense, Smith, Daniel Wagner and Keenyn Walker came up with huge hits in the sixth, and Marcus Semien’s solo shot in the eighth proved to be the difference in the game. This offense, despite struggling at times in the playoffs, is so good.
- Everyone knew Dash skipper Tommy Thompson was going to be the Carolina League’s Manager of the Year, and he pushed the right button today when he submitted his lineup card. Winston’s catcher had hit in the seven hole in all four previous postseason contests, but Thompson switched Smith with Cyle Hankerd. Sure enough, Smith’s turn came around when the Dash needed a hit, and the former Pittsburgh star came through in a big way.
- As for Semien’s homer, credit the former sixth-round pick for coming up with the first run scored against Lynchburg reliever John Cornely at the High-A level. Semien is only 3-for-18 in the playoffs, but those three hits have been huge: solo homer in the first inning of Game 2 of the SDCS, game-winning two-run double in that same game and this homer today. Semien is a clutch player.
- How important has Chris Curley been to this playoff run? He is 8-for-16 with four runs scored, and the late-season acquisition made the defensive play of the game in the seventh. Curley, who was playing in on the grass, stabbed a Nick Ahmed liner and doubled off a runner at second to end the threat.
- Starter Justin Collop and reliever Taylor Thompson turned in gritty efforts Sunday, and both Max Peterson and Kevin Vance continued to pitch well out of the bullpen. All in all, a solid day for Winston’s pitching staff.
- Thank goodness Andrelton Simmons will be heading back to Atlanta tomorrow, according to multiple reports. It is incredible that this young man played in the CL last year. His ninth-inning double was one of the hardest-hit balls I’ve seen this year.
- Series tied at one game apiece. Momentum-shifting Game 3 on the horizon. Erik Johnson versus Gus Schlosser. It doesn’t get much better than that, and it’s 47 hours away.
The Dash and Hillcats have tomorrow off, but the Dash Board blog will be packed with more #Dash12 coverage in advance of Game 3 Tuesday. Talk to you then.
- Brian
Four More Roster Moves
Nick Ciolli hits the DL for the second time this season (Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash).
The White Sox announced four more moves affecting the Dash prior to the club’s series finale at Lynchburg. Winston-Salem receives outfielder Mark Haddow and southpaw Max Peterson from Low-A Kannapolis. To make room for the Intimidators duo, outfielder Nick Ciolli was placed on the disabled list and left-hander Matt Wickswat was promoted to Double-A Kannapolis.
Haddow led Kannapolis and was ninth in the South Atlantic League with a .306 batting average, and he had seven homers and 57 RBI in 108 games. A former 24th-round pick, Haddow was a midseason All-Star in the SAL.
Peterson returns to the High-A level after spending time with Stockton, Oakland’s California League affiliate, in 2011. The White Sox inked Peterson to a deal this year, and he has responded with a 1.33 earned run average in 13 appearances out of the bullpen.
Ciolli suffers another tough break, heading to the disabled list less than a week before coming off the DL following a two-and-a-half month stint due to a right wrist injury. This time, Ciolli hurt his left hamstring. In 46 games this season, the former Indiana State star is hitting .280 with four homers and 26 RBI.
Wickswat is heading back to Double-A Birmingham for his third trip around the Southern League this season. In seven appearances with the Dash, the lefty is 1-1 with a 7.82 earned run average.
Winston looks for its ninth series victory in a row tonight at 7:05 against the Hillcats. Listen live beginning at 6:50 here.
- Brian
