Friedrich on a roll with Rockies

Vermont Mountaineers GM Brian Gallagher emailed this story this morning. Congratulations, (former Vermont Mountaineer) Chris Friedrich! Friedrich is one of six Mountaineers whose name is on the left-field fence sign celebrating the six Mountaineers who have made their MLB debuts in the nine years of the franchise's existance.

Another good outing for Chris!  7 shutout innings!!!!

Rockies stay hot behind Friedrich in Phoenix 
By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | 6/5/2012 2:20 AM ET 
Comments (28)

Friedrich holds D-backs scoreless over seven 
PHOENIX -- The Rockies are on a serious roll, and they continued their  
winning ways with a 4-0 victory over the D-backs at Chase Field to  
open a three-game series on Monday night.

The win was their second in a row and seventh in their last eight  
games. They are now a half-game behind the third-place D-backs and 9  
1/2 games in arrears of National League West-leading Los Angeles. When  
the stretch began, the Rockies were 14 1/2 games behind the Dodgers,  
who won in Philadelphia on Monday night.

"Adversity punched us in the face about as hard as you can be hit,"  
said Rockies manager Jim Tracy, whose club was 12 games under .500  
after losing on May 27. "But the beauty about this group is that they  
kept playing, they kept playing hard, and they kept playing for one  
another. We didn't point fingers. We're not going to do things like  
that.

"It's a tribute to those guys out there in that clubhouse. It's just a  
wonderful group."

Veteran first baseman Todd Helton made a bit of history with his  
leadoff double in the Rockies' two-run second. It was 952nd extra-base  
hit, tying him with Mickey Mantle for 47th all-time.

The Rockies reaped the fruits of their offense and their young  
pitching again on Monday night. It was their first shutout of the  
season, coming in game No. 54.

Offensively, the big blows came off D-backs starter Joe Saunders, who  
allowed a game-opening triple by Dexter Fowler and a fourth-inning  
homer off the bat of Wilin Rosario, his ninth of the season.

Fowler came home almost immediately on a Marco Scutaro sacrifice fly,  
giving the Rockies a lead after two batters that they never  
relinquished.

On the mound, despite a shaky beginning, left-hander Christian  
Friedrich (4-1) pitched seven innings of four-hit ball. He walked two  
and struck out four, making his fifth start since he was called up  
from the Minors and debuted on May 9.

Friedrich's four wins are a team high.

"I guess that's just the way it works," Friedrich said. "I don't put  
too much emphasis [on personal wins]. It's just the outcome of the  
game that matters. I've had worse records with better stuff than I'm  
throwing right now. Wins are nice, but as long as the team gets the  
win, that's the most important part."

Both of Friedrich's walks came in the first inning, as the D-backs  
loaded the bases with two outs. Jason Kubel flied out to end the  
threat. Aaron Hill doubled to open the Arizona half of the sixth, but  
wound up stranded on third as Friedrich struck out Paul Goldschmidt  
and Chris Young.

It was clear that Friedrich started finding the strike zone after his  
early problems.

"He was teetering a little bit in the first couple of innings," Tracy  
said. "His command wasn't quite where you wanted it to be, evidenced  
by the two walks in the first inning. But he made some pitches when he  
had to to get himself through. Not a lot of first-pitch strikes in the  
early going, but from the third to the seventh it all showed up."

Friedrich clearly took advantage of Arizona's sudden offensive  
malaise. Young is 6-for-46 in the 13 games since he came off the  
disabled list after nursing a bruised right shoulder. Justin Upton has  
four hits in his last 28 at-bats. It was the first time all season,  
the D-backs have been shut out and the first time they've been blanked  
at home since Sept. 6, 2010. They are 10-16 at home this season after  
a 51-30 mark last year.

"Whenever you get shut out, it's going to be frustrating," Goldschmidt  
said. "[Friedrich] had four different pitches working, and he was  
getting ahead. We had a few [opportunities], but we weren't able to  
capitalize and that's obviously going to hurt you."

Friedrich's outing came a day after another rookie, Alex White, shut  
down the Dodgers on two hits during his 6 2/3 innings of work at Coors  
Field in a 3-2 victory. The Rockies took two out of three from L.A.  
after a four-game home sweep of the Astros. They are 3-0 in the last  
three games White has started.

It should be noted that the five starters who broke camp at the end of  
Spring Training are no longer with the team.

"The competitiveness of our starting pitching has improved immensely.  
It's much better," Tracy said. "Over the course of two days that's 13  
2/3 innings from two young kids and two great efforts from both White  
and Friedrich."

 

 

More Mountaineers info than my story could handle

Naturally I had more notes and quotes than could possibly fit in my story for the print edition tomorrow, so here's a laundry list of all the good stuff I was unable to squeeze in:

Manager John Russo spoke with the team, giving his first official "address" to the 2012 squad:

"You're all here because you were pretty darn good at one point in your career," he told the pitching staff, explaining his philosophy of trusting his pitchers and pitching coaches.

Russo's wife, Stacey, gave birth to the couple's third and fourth children eight months ago, twins Chase (boy) and Palmer (girl). They also have an 8-year-old daughter, Hailey, and 6-year-old daughter Lainey. Russo's family is supposed to join him in Montpelier later this month.

Russo outlined two goals for the team, not related to winning games this summer (though a third league title would be awesome, of course): 1. to get better for their school teams. 2. to get better to make it professionally.

Russo also explained many times in many different ways how the team should act in public while out in Montpelier and surrounding towns: "Treat Montpelier correctly," he said. "It's why I came back."

He also said this organization/the NECBL are one of the top 30 places to play in the country - and there are well over 100 leagues for college baseball players around the country to spend their summers in.

"Come August 1st, guys aren't in a hurry to get home," he said.

The team picked up their uniforms later Monday night at a meeting at Montpelier High School. Russo reminded the guys to be sure to try on their pants.

More John Russo:

"It’s always my style. I let the kids play out, and I get a feel for who they are and what they can do. It’s hard for me to pinch-hit for someone when I’m just watching them play for the first time. I try to let guys have their games, pitchers have their innings, then I can put them in places where I think they’ll have success.

That was a little part of why I tried to work it out to come back here, just to be around this team and Brian, the history of it and having some more guys make the big leagues in the past year, and this summer with having the All-Star Game and the British National Team, and it being the 10th year, it could be pretty special. I’d hate to miss the chance to be here."

Johnny Mishu:

"Individually, I’d like to hit .300. I want to steal some bases, which is something Coach Russo is great at having us do. As a team, we got bounced in the first round last year, so I’d like to make it to the championship series this summer, see what that’s like. Especially here, I’d like to play it here.

That was a big factor when Russo told me about all the cool things happening.

I’m just excited. I’m staying with the same host family, they’re great people. I’m just really excited."

The Mountaineers open the 2012 NECBL season at Holyoke on Thursday. They open at home against Holyoke on Saturday.

-Anna Grearson

8 members of 2012 Mountaineers competing in CWS

The Vermont Mountaineers are slated to arrive tomorrow, but as far as I can figure, there will be eight guys who will join the team after their teams are A. eliminated or B. win the Division I College World Series.

They are:

RHP Casey Delgado & RHP Tyler Rogers of Austin Peay

INF Brett Johnson of Clemson (was also on 2011 VTM roster)

INF Ryan Karl & OF Michael White of Louisville

INF Sean Trent of Florida

OF Austin Green & OF AJ Robinson of San Diego

You can follow all the action here.

I'll try to keep up with these guys and their teams. Vermont has often had this "problem" of guys arriving late because of participation in the CWS. I guess it shows continued quality recruiting by manager John Russo!

-Anna Grearson

Hoar, Sweet, Chase in top 5 at Devil's Bowl tune-up

Proctor Scores Again in Carrara Race at Devil’s Bowl Speedway

Hoar beats 24-car Late Model field; Keith and Germain take wins

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                    DBS-060112-1

 

WEST HAVEN, VT – Ron Proctor and Brian Hoar each made a big statement on Carrara Masonry & Concrete Night presented by Mobil 1 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Friday night.  Proctor came from 11^thstarting position to grab the Bond Auto Parts Modified victory for the second week in a row, while Hoar beat the largest weekly field of J&S Steel Late Models in the track’s history.

Proctor, of Charlton, NY, scored a dominant win in the 35-lap Modified feature.  The defending track champion took the lead at lap 20 and cruised out front to the win.  The race ended in bizarre fashion, as Proctor had taken the white flag on the final lap just before a crash involving Paul Braymer drew the yellow flag.  Because Proctor had taken the while flag as the leader under race conditions, the race was deemed official.  Hunter Bates of Middlebury, VT held off a hard-charging Vince Quenneville, Jr., of Brandon, VT for the runner-up position.  Jessey Mueller of Olmstedville, NY recovered from a mid-race spin to finish fourth, and Leon Gonyo of Chazy, NY was fifth.

Williston, VT driver Hoar, an eight-time American-Canadian Tour champion, posted the first NASCAR Whelen All-American Series win of his long career against a star-studded field of 24 Late Models, several of which were making a final tune-up for next week’s Vermont State Late Model Championship Series “I Am Vermont Strong 100” event.  Hoar, who recently ran the Vermont City Marathon, persevered over a caution-riddled 30-lap race to outduel Devil’s Bowl point leader Craig Bushey of Fairfax, VT and Nick Sweet of Barre, VT in an exciting finish.  Sweet’s teammate, Eric Chase, finished fourth with Matt White fifth, unofficially.

Ryan Keith of Pittsford, VT posted his second-straight Renegade win in a 20-lap battle with former champion Bill Duprey of Hydeville, VT.  Duprey dogged Keith the entire distance and made an inside-lane bid on the final lap, but Keith held on for the win.  Jeremy Jones of Leicester, VT was third for the fourth consecutive week, followed by Frank Monroe and Robert Gordon.

Ray Germain, Jr., of Bristol, VT posted his first win of the season in the 20-lap Bomber feature.  Point leader Josh Masterson, also of Bristol, VT, was second.  Colchester, VT’s Matt Monaghan overcame mechanical troubles in qualifying to finish third, with Bobby LaVair and John McCarron completing the unofficial top five.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is back in action on Friday, June 8 at 7:30pm with the I Am Vermont Strong 100 for the Vermont State Late Model Championship Series, plus a full card for Bond Auto Parts Modifieds, Renegades, and Bombers.  General admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (62+), and free for children 12 and under.  Gates open at 6:00pm.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, VT, six miles north of Exit 2 on US Route 4.  For more information, call (802) 265-3112 or click www.devilsbowlspeedwayvt.com.

 

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Carrara Masonry & Concrete Night presented by Mobil 1

Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, VT

Friday, June 1, 2012

 

Pos.-Driver-Hometown

(# - denotes rookie)

 

Bond Auto Parts Modified Feature (35 laps)

1. 1.    Ron Proctor, Charlton, NY
2. 2.    Hunter Bates, Middlebury, VT
3. 3.    Vince Quenneville, Jr., Brandon, VT
4. 4.    Jessey Mueller, Olmstedville, NY
5. 5.    Leon Gonyo, Chazy, NY
6. 6.    Jamie Proctor, Schuylerville, NY
7. 7.    Cody Sargen, Greenfield Center, NY
8. 8.    Jason Bruno, Plattsburgh, NY
9. 9.    # Joey Roberts, Georgia, VT
10. 10.  # Jeff Haskins, Wells, VT
11. 11.  Chris Ross, Malta, NY
12. 12.  Alex Bell, Cambridge, NY
13. 13.  # Andy Smith, South Glens Falls, NY
14. 14.  Mike Bush, Hudson Falls, NY
15. 15.  Matt Atwood, Whitehall, NY
16. 16.  Dave Snow, Brandon, VT
17. 17.  Paul Braymer, Granville, NY

 

Heat Winners: Jamie Proctor, Vince Quenneville, Jr.

 

J&S Steel Late Models (30 laps)

1. 1.    Brian Hoar, Williston, VT
2. 2.    Craig Bushey, Fairfax, VT
3. 3.    Nick Sweet, Barre, VT
4. 4.    Eric Chase, Milton, VT
5. 5.    Matt White, Northfield, VT
6. 6.    Bryan Town, Charlestown, NH
7. 7.    Boomer Morris, Barre, VT
8. 8.    Aaron Fellows, Croydon, NH
9. 9.    # Emily Packard, East Montpelier, VT
10. 10.  Jamie Aube, North Ferrisburg, VT
11. 11.  Dan Petronis, II, Mechanicville, NY
12. 12.  Scott Carpenter, Waterbury Center, VT
13. 13.  Dave Wilcox, Swanton, VT
14. 14.  Kevin Elliott, Rutland, VT
15. 15.  # Robert Bryant, Jr., Brooklyn, CT
16. 16.  Norm Andrews, Northfield, VT
17. 17.  # Danny Sullivan, Morrisonville, NY
18. 18.  # Johnny Chesnut, Grantham, NH
19. 19.  Doug Hoar, Colchester, VT
20. 20.  Chris Wilk, Mendon, VT
21. 21.  # Jesse Carris, Rutland, VT
22. 22.  Phil Scott, Berlin, VT
23. 23.  Jerry Dawson, Lynnfield, MA
24. 24.  Jean-Paul Cyr, Milton, VT

 

Heat Winners: Nick Sweet, Chris Wilk, Craig Bushey

 

Renegade (20 laps)

1. 1.    Ryan Keith, Pittsford, VT
2. 2.    Bill Duprey, Hydeville, VT
3. 3.    Jeremy Jones, Leicester, VT
4. 4.    Frank Monroe, Granville, NY
5. 5.    Robert Gordon, Milton, VT

 

Heat Winner: Bill Duprey

 

Bomber (20 laps)

1. 1.    Ray Germain, Jr., Bristol, VT
2. 2.    # Josh Masterson, Bristol, VT
3. 3.    Matt Monaghan, Colchester, VT
4. 4.    Bobby LaVair, Gabriels, NY
5. 5.    John McCarron, Rennselaer, NY
6. 6.    Harold LaVair, Gabriels, NY
7. 7.    # Gerald LaFlam, Hinesburg, VT
8. 8.    Dan Collins, Rennselaer, NY
9. 9.    # Kyle Watrous, Niantic, CT
10. 10.  Jake Noble, Benson, VT
11. 11.  Kodi Sabins, Windsor, VT
12. 12.  Eddie Bruno, Fair Haven, VT
13. 13.  Garrett Given, Cornwall, VT

 

Heat Winners: Ray Germain, Jr., John McCarron

 

USA Hockey announces roster for women's national team camp...

...and no, Montpelier's own Amanda Pelkey is not on it (it's the only reason I ask to be on these email lists, to be sure we follow her hockey journey), but there is a relatively familiar, somewhat local face on the roster: Erika Lawler. She's the sister of Norwich men's hockey player Nevin Lawler, and much was written and broadcast about the Lawler family while the World Championships were being played in Burlington earlier this spring.

Here's the release from USA Hockey. Follow the link to the roster to check out the rest of those invited to camp. If you were in Burlington for the tournament, you'll remember lots of these women!

Twenty-Nine Players Participating in High Performance Camp in Colorado Springs, Colo.

USA Hockey Women's National Team June Camp Set to Begin

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Beginning Friday (June 1), USA Hockey will host 29 of the top female hockey players in the country during its sixth annual Women's National High Performance Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The training camp, which runs through Wed., June 6, is entirely off-ice and and features strength and conditioning, mental skills, team building, nutrition and elite-athlete wellness. Katey Stone, head coach of the 2012 U.S. Women's National Team, and Reagan Carey, director of women's ice hockey, will lead the camp.Mike Boyle, head strength and conditioning coach for the U.S. Women's National Program, will also be on-site and involved in the camp, along with other members of the U.S. staff, including Anthony Donskov, Kevin Neeld, and Sarah Cahill. The camp roster includes 17 Olympians and 22 of the 23 players from the U.S. Women's National Team that captured the silver medal at the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship in Burlington, Vt. NOTES: A full roster can be found here ...