Grizzlies Rolling Along; 15-7 Record To Start Season

Hello all!  Thanks for checking out the blog.  How about those Gateway Grizzlies?? A 15-7 start to the season & and the Grizzlies are currently rolling along with a season-high six game win streak.

Pitching & defense has been the key for Gateway so far this season.  Gateway's team ERA is 3.27
(franchise record is 3.57/set last season) and the starting pitching has been outstanding.  Among the Grizzlies five starters, four have an ERA of 3.10 or better.  Right-hander Ja'Vaun West is off to a 4-0 start and 23-year-old Tucker Jensen appears to be a consistent, front line starter.  Tim Brown continues to shine and Gregg Downing struck out 11 batters in a superb start today.

Gateway's defense has only committed 15 errors in 22 games and they only have two errors in the last eight games.  The Gateway infield is as good as you will see..

The Grizzlies offense has been up and down so far.  The team average is just over .250, but the Grizzlies have certainly had some strong games offensively, including a 15-run outburst Tuesday night.

Jon Myers is pacing the Grizzlies offense with a .350 average that includes 5 HR's and 15 RBI.  Landon Hernandez has been turning it on as of late.  Lando drove in two of the three runs today and now has 4 HR's and 14 RBI.

Overall, not much to complain about if you're Phil Warren.  After today's win, the Grizzlies were only a half game back of Normal in the West Division..and guess what???  The Cornbelters come to GCS Ballpark for a three-game series this weekend.

Yes, it's early..but a great start to the season for the Grizzlies nonetheless.  Go Grizzlies!

   -Voice of the Grizzlies, Adam Young

Grizzlies Begin 2013 Season Friday Night In Ohio

Hello all!  After months of waiting, it is finally here.  Opening Day is upon us and the Gateway Grizzlies are in Avon, OH this weekend as they take on the Lake Erie Crushers.  Can't wait to get things

Paul Baillargeon/ActionImaging

started Friday night!

The Opening Day roster is set of course.  Grizzlies manager Phil Warren put together a competitive spring training and the skipper feels like he has a great group of 24 players ready for battle Friday.  12 pitchers and 12 position players make up the roster.  Here's the rotation..

  RHP Tim Brown
  RHP Tucker Jensen
  RHP Ja'Vaun West
  RHP Chris Enourato
  LHP Gregg Downing

The position players consist of numerous guys who can play different positions..there are also a handful of switch hitters.  While the Opening Day lineup isn't set yet, Warren stuck with a consistent lineup during the preseason and I think it's safe to say we will see Johnson, Frias, McClendon, Flores, Hernandez, Butler, DeJesus, Myers and Guthrie in the starting lineup Friday..in no particular order.

The closer job belongs to veteran RHP Richard Barrett to start the season.  Richard closed 17 games in 2012.

Paul Baillargeon/ActionImaging

Friday night is the night.  Tim Brown will get the start for the Grizzlies in the season opener.  The St. Louis native went 12-2 last season and is poised for another great year.

I'll have the call Friday and all season long on the Grizzlies Radio Network and online at www.gatewaygrizzlies.com.  Talk to you Friday on the radio.  Go Grizzlies!

   -Voice of the Grizzlies, Adam Young

Baseball 'Offseason' Complete; Grizzlies Season Begins

Photo courtesy of Paul Baillargeon/ActionImaging

Professional baseball season is here!  It was a long offseason for Grizzlies players/coaches/fans after a heartbreaking Divisional Series loss to the Florence Freedom in 2012.  Tuesday marks the beginning of the games as the Grizzlies travel to Marion to take on the Southern Illinois Miners in the first of four EXH games leading up to the regular season.  I'll have full coverage on here and on the Grizzlies social media pages (facebook/twitter).  I'm ready to get started!

Here's hoping I'll be calling playoff baseball once again in 2013.  Last season was an unbelievable ride and I can honestly say I had more fun calling baseball in August/September last year than I've ever had.  I still listen to this broadcast open (below) I did before Game 5 of the Divisional Series last season whenever I get a chance..here's hoping we are talking playoffs in September of 2013.

GRIZZLIES BROADCAST OPEN (GAME 5 2012 DIVISIONAL SERIES)

If you know me, you are aware of my love for the game of basketball.  I've been in love with the game since I played and it has carried over to the microphone.  I thoroughly enjoyed the offseason, which

involved a lot of basketball games for me.  With that said, I've always told people whichever sport I'm calling I'm locked into.  My full attention has turned to baseball and the upcoming Grizzlies season.  I can't wait to hit the air for the first time next Saturday when the Grizzlies wrap up EXH play @ home.  You can hear that game on 590 AM KFNS and 1400 AM KJFF..also online @ gatewaygrizzlies.com and on the KFNS app.

It was a long, busy offseason for me.  Tomorrow (Sunday) wraps up my 'offseason' broadcast schedule.  It was my busiest offseason yet, calling 112 games.  I called Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Soccer and Volleyball in the offseason.  I received calls from new companies and was given the chance to announce/broadcast over 100 games.  I love this business and continue to say yes to every

opportunity presented my way.  You never know who will be listening and you never know which job will be your last.  I'm blessed to get to do this for a living and will never take it for granted.

If some of you are Grizzlies fans and first time readers of my blog, keep close tabs here throughout the season.  I will be posting consistently throughout the season and will include my thoughts, highlight clips, etc.  Feel free to email me @ ayoung@gatewaygrizzlies.com anytime during the season.  I will be happy to talk/exchange emails about the Grizzlies and the season. 

Tuesday and Wednesday's EXH games will not be broadcast on radio, but I'll have blog posts and pregame/postgame audio interviews posted here, on the Grizzlies facebook/twitter (@gatewaygrizzlie) pages and on my personal twitter (@youngpbp) page.  Every single regular season/playoff game will be broadcast on the Grizzlies Radio Network. Talk to you this week.  Go Grizzlies!

    -Voice of the Grizzlies, Adam Young

Phil Warren Talks About Grizzlies Roster

Paul Baillargeon Photo

Hello all!  Opening Day is getting closer and closer.  Gateway opens up EXH play on May 7th @ Southern Illinois against the Miners.  The season opener is May 17th in Avon, OH @ Lake Erie.  Can't wait!

I had my monthly Manager's Chat with Phil Warren this morning @ GCS Ballpark.  Below is the link to
the full interview with the Grizzlies skipper.

Manager's Chat with Phil Warren

Great stuff from Phil, as usual.  As he mentioned there is A LOT of pitching on the roster heading into Spring Training, which should make for some excellent competition.  There is roughly 10 guys who will be competing for 5 rotation spots.  With that said, some of the guys competing for rotation spots have bullpen experience and could end up being placed there.

Speaking of pitching, right-hander Jason Sullivan has been at the ballpark the last couple of weeks working out and getting ready for the season.  Sullivan was acquired in the Alex Kaminsky trade earlier this offseason.  Richard Barrett (who is also an instructor at the Grizzlies Baseball Academy) and Jason have been at the ballpark every day throwing and working out in preparation for the season.  I love to see that...guys who report to camp early, show dedication and a strong desire to succeed, are always guys I pull for.

Phil had an intriguing signing recently.  He brought in Mt. Zion, IL native Ryan Hartman, who is only 20 years old.  Hartman has been in professional baseball since 2010 after getting drafted in the 16th round by the Chicago Cubs out of High School.

He's a 6-3 lanky right-hander with three years of professional experience.  Hartman is by far the youngest player on the Grizzlies roster.  In High School he was one of the top pitchers in the state and averaged over two strikeouts per inning during his JR year.  Reports I have read say he has an outstanding curveball and a heater in the low 90's.  I'm interested to see how he performs in Spring Training.  

For more Grizzlies news follow me on twitter, @youngpbp.  Go Grizzlies!

     -Voice of the Gateway Grizzlies, Adam Young

Grizzlies Build Roster; Opening Day Approaches

Hello all!  Opening Day is only 48 days away and we are exactly one month away from the start of Spring Training at GCS Ballpark..baseball will be back shortly Grizzlies fans!

Photo courtesy of Paul Baillargeon

Grizzlies manager Phil Warren has been extremely busy filling up his roster.  Numerous acquisions lately with the biggest one being the return of pitcher Logan Mahon.  Logan spent the entire '12
season with the Grizzlies before getting picked up by the Baltimore Orioles following the season.  He was released last week and now returns.

Logan was an integral part of the stellar Gateway bullpen from a season ago.  The 24-year-old went 2-1 with a 2.54 ERA in 33 relief appearances.  Logan is a former SEMO Redhawk who was drafted by the Rockies in the 22nd round of the 2011 draft.  One of the interesting things Phil Warren told me the either day is "Logan could be used as a starter or reliever for us..he's versatile enough to do both."  So we'll see how he is used.  Either way this is a great addition a month before the team gets going.

Phil also signed pitchers Tucker Jensen and Danny Martony.  Jensen went to Embry-Riddle University
(same college as Grizzlies reliever Phil Reamy) and spent the last two seasons in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, reaching High-A Dunedin.  He went 5-6 with a 4.31 ERA in 26 appearances (22 starts) over the two seasons.  His strikeout/walk ratio was excellent and the Grizzlies skipper has high expectations for this 23-year-old right-hander from State College, PA.  Don't be surprised if he is a front of the rotation starter out of the gate.

Martony enters pro ball after a nice college career at Division I Oral Roberts University (Summit League) where he went 9-1 in his three seasons @ ORU.  He only had one start in college so expect him to come in as a bullpen guy.

Don't forget fans, single game tickets are on sale NOW.  Call 618.337.3000.

   Go Grizzlies!

     -Voice of the Grizzlies, Adam Young

Grizzlies Make Moves; Infield Looks Strong

Hello all!  Opening Day will be here before you know it!  Only 54 days away from the Grizzlies preseason opener.  While some moves will certainly still be made, it's getting to be the time when we have a good idea of what the Grizzlies Spring Training roster will look like.

Photo courtesy of Paul Baillargeon/ActionImaging.com

Overall, the current roster looks outstanding.  What jumps out to me is the Grizzlies infield experience.  Chris McClendon is penciled in as the starter at third, Vlad Frias at shortstop and Jonathan Johnson at second.  Landon Hernandez, who manager Phil Warren says can be the best player in the league, returns as the catcher.  The only question mark right now is who will start at first base after the Jerod Yakubik trade?  The natural first baseman would be rookie Trey Holmes who had a stellar collegiate career at Appalachian State, but he will certainly have to earn that spot.  Two other options could be experienced guys Jet Butler OR Jon Myers.  Warren has said he might flirt with Myers at first base.  Whether he's at first or in the outfield, we know his bat will be in the lineup.  The starting infield for the Grizzlies projects to be strong.

Photo courtesy of Paul Baillargeon/ActionImaging.com

Rogelio Noris was traded recently to the Washington Wild Things for their first round pick in 2013 and a player to be named later.  Rogelio was a fan favorite and a big part of the Gateway surge in the second half of the 2012 season.  He smashed 18 home runs in just 58 games for the Grizzlies and recorded a three home run game in Traverse City in the final week of the regular season when the team needed a win.  Phil Warren has said this is a financial move that needed to be made.  While Phil would love to keep him, the bottom line is you can't keep everyone, especially experienced players.  Rogelio will be missed on and off the field.

Minor League veteran Jose Flores was acquired by the Grizzlies in late February.  He will serve as a utility infielder/outfielder and Warren says he can truly play anywhere on the field.  The 25-year-old Venezuela native has seven years of MILB experience, all coming with the Giants from 2006-2012.  He appeared in a combined 81 games @ Double-A Richmond in 2011 & 2012.

Be on the lookout for Mananger's Chat with Phil Warren for the month of March.  It will be posted on Friday.

Here's the audio I have for today.  Below is the broadcast open on radio for Game 5 of the Divisional Series last season.  Hope it helps you get ready for baseball season.  Go Grizzlies!

   Grizzlies Broadcast Open Game 5 Divisional Series
   
    -Voice of the Grizzlies, Adam Young

 

Grizzlies Bring Back Hernandez, DeJesus & Brown

Hello all!  The Grizzlies and manager Phil Warren have been busy the last couple of weeks re-signing a trio of players who were key members of the 57-win team in 2012.  Landon Hernandez, Antone DeJesus and Tim Brown are all returning to the Grizzlies for the upcoming season.  Below is my interview with the Grizzlies skipper, regarding the signings.

Adam Young Chats With Grizzlies Manager Phil Warren

2013 will mark the fourth season @ Gateway for Hernandez, who was an all-star last season.  Hernandez has hit 36 home runs and driven in 107 runs in 206 career games over three seasons with the Grizzlies.  Last season he put .247/16/49 in 75 games while dealing with an injury midway through the season.  Known for his defense as well, Hernandez has thrown out 36% of attempted base stealers in 3 seasons.  The veteran catcher has had a steady career, but Warren is challenging Hernandez to be even better in 2013.  He thinks 'Lando' can be the best player in the league.

DeJesus returns for his second season.  He was a solid player for the team playing in 93 games and batting .270 with 5 home runs and 46 RBI, which is right at his career averages.  DeJesus has hit .271 in his six-year career with 98 extra base hits and 66 stolen bases in 481 games.  He was drafted in the 16th round of the 2007 MLB Draft by St. Louis, reaching Double-A Springfield in 2010. 

Brown was arguable the leagues top pitcher in 2012, going 12-2 with a 2.27 ERA in 20 starts, finishing second in the Frontier League Pitcher of the Year voting.  He led the league in wins and ERA while finishing second in innings pitched and complete games (4).

How about these numbers on Tim Brown.  He went 8-1 in his last 11 starts and didn't lose at hitter-friendly GCS Ballpark during the regular season.  Tim suffered his last regular season loss on June 6th and pitched into the seventh inning in 19 of his 20 regular season starts.  Brown was named the Grizzlies Pitcher of the Year.  He is currently pitching in Australia during the offseason. 

More news coming soon.  Go Grizzlies!

    -Voice of the Grizzlies, Adam Young