MAY 2017
BEST RECORD: Rochester Union, 23-6 (now 40-17)
Syracuse Maples, 19-10 (now 28-29)
Queens Diamonds, 18-11 (now 34-23)
Yonkers Sixers, 16-13 (now 28-29)
Manhattan Victory, 15-14 (now 31-26)
Albany Dragons, 15-15 (now 29-28)
Staten Island Bulls, 11-18 (now 23-34)
Brooklyn Knights, 11-18 (now 29-28)
Bronx Phoenix, 11-18 (now 20-37)
WORST RECORD: Buffalo Bruisers, 8-21 (now 23-34)
1st May: The Staten Island Bulls snatch a last-innings victory against the Bronx Phoenix, with a 7-5 win helped massively by Alex Mercado’s 2-RBI, 3-on double. “Sometimes being bottom of the pile isn’t such a bad thing,” said the 27-year-old Dominican, “because once in a while, it lets you do something like that – and even for someone like me, for a bit, you’re a little bit of a hero.” Mercado is currently on 0.304 AVG with 2 home runs.
5th May: Queens felt a little bit gloomier today, as Jeff Michaux, joint-top of the home runs leaderboard with 11 at the end of April, was confirmed to have broken his kneecap in the Diamonds’ 7-3 defeat to Albany on the 3rd. Manager Matt Neumeyer said on the news, “it’s a savage blow in all honesty to lose Jeff – it’s a blow to me, it’s a blow to the team, and it’s a blow to the fans. But mostly, it’s a blow to Jeff. He’s contracted here until 2022, so he doesn’t half to worry about that – we’ll welcome him back on his return.” Michaux is expected to be out for 5 months, effectively missing the season.
The first major trade of the year took place today, as the Albany Dragons picked up SP Evan Kilgore from the Bronx Phoenix. 30-year-old Kilgore, a slider/changeup specialist, is said to be “sad to leave The Bronx for the short time [he was] there, but looking forward to a new start in Albany.” He is contracted through until 2018, and is currently on a 3.71 ERA with a 3-2 record from 6 starts. In return for Kilgore, the Phoenix receives a long list of minor leaguers, including C Brian Muns, SS Jimmy Hatfield, SP Cody Yeager, LF Mark Preziosi, and C Matt McAlary. Etelson Daninos, the Bronx’s GM, has been quiet, but maintains he is happy with the additional prospect depth.
6th May: Young pitcher Steve Allen had something to smile about today, as he kept the Albany Dragons to 3 hits and no runs in the Bronx Phoenix’s 5-0 victory today. “It’s been an okay season so far,” said the major league rookie, currently on a 4.89 ERA, “but it just felt like everything was coming together today. My fastball, my curveball, my slider, my fork… everything worked.”
7th May: The Buffalo Bruisers have what is probably their finest day of the month, winning two away games against Staten Island – a 3-0 shutout, followed by a 14-5 thrashing. They will only win 4 more games in the final 21 of May.
Curveball-favouring Nick Russo had a great game against the Yonkers Sixers, recording only 3 hits and 8 strikeouts in their 5-0 shutout. The Suffern native, who currently sits on a 4-1 record with a 3.23 ERA, said afterwards “I’m happy with the way things turned out. 8 strikeouts is a good day for me even without the scoreline being mentioned.”
Finally, the ballot for the 2017 NYLB All-Stars game opened today! The game is currently scheduled for the 12th June, weather permitting.
8th May: Queens slugger Edward Sanchez claims Player of the Week despite questions arising over his fast-expiring contract surrounding him. He hit a 0.375 batting average (9 from 24), but managed 4 home runs, 5 RBIs and 6 runs overall from those 9 hits. “I’ve had better weeks in terms of contact, but 4 home runs in 9 hits is something I’ll always be proud of. I’ll probably tell my kids about this week, maybe even their kids.”
11th May: In a day of crushing victories (or harrowing defeats), the back pages the following morning marked it as “Bloody Thursday”. After going 4-0 up in the opening two innings, Yonkers saw themselves cut down to 5-4 in the final three; a superlative performance from Phil Williams (featuring 5 base hits and a home run) saw Albany trash Brooklyn 13-2 (the 2nd was the only innings in which Albany didn’t score); Kyle Last held Staten Island to one hit, as Rochester ran rampant over the Bulls 10-0; and Queens put 4 home runs past the Bronx in a 10-1 demolition job, courtesy of Justin Stenke, Omar Negron, Miguel Longoria, and Edward Sanchez. “Fans of the Bruisers and the Maples are probably breathing a sigh of relief that their game was cancelled,” said pundit Leonardo Totti. “One of them would have gotten crushed.”
12th May: Manhattan Victory received the expected news today that 3B Marty Ruvalcaba will be out for an estimated 7 months with an ACL tear. Ruvalcaba was on a rich run of form, having found 9 runs, 3 home runs and 7 RBIs in his last 5 games, and had a run to his name before his knee buckled in Manhattan’s 5-4 win against Yonkers yesterday. The 41-year-old Venezuelan said to reporters “I’ve been playing baseball for 35 years this year, and professionally for 20. As much as it pains me to say it, this might be the end for me. But we’ll see.” Ruvalcaba is currently contracted to Victory until 2018, and has a .255/.366/.474 clip.
Elsewhere, it was a good day for Brooklyn’s 4th pitcher Doug Frazier, as he kept his team in the Knights’ eventual 1-0 victory over the Albany Dragons. The 35-year-old managed 4 strikeouts and only relinquished 4 hits in his shutout performance.
13th May: Keith Schmeling found 2 home runs from 2 at-bats today, helping the Rochester Union trash the Syracuse Maples 12-2 in Syracuse – his home-run total currently stands at 15. Schmeling, who also aided with 4 RBIs in the game, said “the season’s going really well so far; starting to develop a lead in our division and it feels good to be a part of that.”
In other news, Queens and Yonkers slugged it out for 14 innings before the 2-2 deadlock was broken by stand-in Diamonds catcher Daniel Pace – it wasn’t pretty either, Pace having to rely on a base-on-balls call and a cataclysmic error from 3B Bobby Pines to make his way around. “I don’t get to play at this level all that much these days,” Pace noted afterwards, “but it’s nice to make a difference when I do.” He has spent most of his 14 games this season in AAA baseball, recording an overall batting average of 0.222.
14th May: In a moment of baseball poetry, the Syracuse Maples thumped Rochester Union by the same scoreline as they themselves were beat yesterday, 12-2. While it was Rochester catcher Raymond Acret who opened the scoring with a 2-man home run, 3-man home runs in the 3rd and 7th innings by Bryan DeMond and Nathan Redfern respectively went a long way to burying the home side’s woes of the 13th. Redfern, matching the single-game runs record of 4 and voted Player of the Game, said to reporters “after yesterday’s car crash, it was awesome to get some real revenge on Rochester today. I’m very glad that I was able to contribute a good part of that.”
To make matters worse for Rochester, 3rd starter Bobby Santillan will almost certainly miss the rest of the season with an apparent hyperextended elbow injury. Despite only managing a 5.15 ERA, Rochester manager Manuel Flores expressed his regret at losing him.
15th May: Buffalo rookie Andrew Wheeler was voted Player of the Week this week, after the 23-year-old third baseman chalked up a spectacular 0.652 (15-for-23) batting average – finding one home run and 6 RBIs along the way. On hearing the news he seemed reflective, stating “I’d sooner see us get some consistent form going than any personal stuff, but I’ll admit the recognition is nice.” Wheeler is currently batting 0.352 with 9 home runs and 30 RBIs.
17th May: The Queens Diamonds dealt damage to the Brooklyn Knights today, Justin Stenke’s 10th home run of the season helping them on their way to a 12-2 thrashing of April’s leaders. After a shaky start seeing the Diamonds go 0-2 down in the 1st, they soon found their stride and Stenke in particular found his killer instinct – hitting a bases-loaded double in the 3rd and a 3-man home run in the 7th. The Brooklyn-born slugger said afterwards, “I just kept finding the ball today, and finding it well. To have scored 3 and had a hand in 5 today is a great feeling, and it’s nice to get back to winning after three straight defeats.” Queens are currently 10-6 in the month May, and find themselves with a one-game lead in the City Division, on 26-18.
18th May: The Syracuse Maples beat Manhattan Victory 14-5 today, in a game rightly being described as ‘mad’ in the press. With 4 home runs hit by the Maples and 3 by Manhattan, including Bryan DeMond’s grand-slam in Syracuse’s 8-run 4th, it was the kind of match that spectators dream about. Afterwards, Player of the Game DeMond said “I had fun out there today – 2 home runs including a grand slam doesn’t come along all that much, but it feels really good when it does.” The centre-fielder hit home-run number 15 in today’s game.
19th May: The Brooklyn Knights make mincemeat of the sorry Buffalo Bruisers in a 2-13 drubbing, which saw all but one Brooklyn player claim at least a run from the game. Victor Juarez stamped his name on this match, not only recording a 2-man HR in the 3rd, but an RBI triple in the 8th and an RBI single for good measure – asked after the game about his performance, he responded “it would have been nice to have gone for the cycle! But really, by the time I realised it was on my chances were almost gone anyway. I’m delighted with the win.” The Buffalo Bruisers are now 7 games without a win.
Additionally, the Yonkers Sixers are quickly gaining a reputation as party-poopers this year – their 5-4 victory over Staten Island in the 9th is the fifth game this month alone that sees them win a game in the last innings. “The Bulls actually made a lot of errors today [note: 5] so the fact we won in the end only seems fair,” said Sixers' manager Travis Webb after the game. “As for being described as party-poopers – maybe, but I make it abundantly clear to my boys that a game isn’t over until the umpire says so. If we beat a few times like that along the way, that’s their problem.”
22nd May: The Bronx Phoenix’s Barry Tutterow (seen below in Staten Island Bulls’ colours) was awarded the Player of the Week this time around, thanks to his 0.480 batting average, 5 home runs and 7 RBIs in the last 6 games. Tutterow, 32, said afterwards “it’s not going so well at the moment for us, although our 6-game win streak a week back still gives us belief that we
can do better.” Bronx Phoenix are currently bottom of the City Division on 17-31, and are currently on 8-12 this May.
In other news, the Syracuse Maples landed a press-stopping deal today in the Bronx’s 30-year-old leader, 3B Quincy Kennedy. While not performing quite as expected, Kennedy nevertheless joins the Maples with an 0.282 batting average, 8 home runs, 30 RBIs and 22 runs to his name; Syracuse GM Dave Long was enthusiastic in revealing the news, noting that “we’ve had to sacrifice some talent, but we’re confident that Kennedy will make a big difference.” Sceptics have questioned Long’s manoeuvre, noting that the pay Kennedy initially asked for will prove a stumbling block if the Maples want to keep him for longer than the end of 2017. They also query the relinquishing of 20-year-old catcher Antonio Garza, believing him to be highly promising for the future.
23rd May: Two high-profile injuries were revealed today. The first, as expected, is the extent of Yonkers CF Edgar Herrera’s elbow injury, now confirmed to have broken while sliding for base in Yonkers’ 10-6 victory over Syracuse on the 21st. He will miss 4 months, ending any chance of further competing this season (unless the Sixers manage to make the All-New York finals). The second, Manhattan’s gap-hitter Ryan Sauer, will be out for 3 or 4 weeks with a fractured thumb, which happened in today’s 3-5 defeat to the Bronx Phoenixes. Sauer, currently on 37 RBIs, urged his team to “focus in the weeks ahead” – perhaps on making up the now 5-game deficit to the Queens Diamonds.
25th May: For the second time this month, a deal between the Syracuse Maples and the Bronx Phoenixes ends with the Maples acquiring a first-team quality player, and the Bronx adding to their already-impressive youth roster. Reliever Brian Mackenzie, who had managed 18 innings from 20 games and an ERA of 5.50 (1-3 and 8 saves) for Bronx, joins Syracuse as setup reliever from 7th; in return, the Phoenixes get SP Alex Villa (23), CL Jose Gonzalez (18) and 1B Raul Garcia (17). When asked about the apparent lack of potential of his new recruits, Bronx GM Etelson Daninos said “Mackenzie was making noises about leaving pretty much from Day 1, so it’s been a long time coming. We just did what we needed to do to make it happen.” The reliever was unavailable for comment.
26th May: Queens pitcher Joey Idrizi is more used to starting out with AAA team Franklin Square White Sox, but after reports of the Diamonds’ three-man pitching rotation suggest fatigue, Idrizi has seemingly made it his mission to prove himself indispensable – and with today’s 7-0 victory over Syracuse, he may well have done just that. Allowing just 4 hits and striking out 7, the 29-year-old Queens native seemed humbled afterwards, saying “I got helped out a lot by Alex [Inzunza, the Diamonds’ catcher] and I didn’t feel I was pitching all that well. But I’m glad it ended like it did.” Having only dropped one run and recording an ERA of 0.88 in his first two major league games, manager Matt Neumeyer has something to think about.
In other news, it’s now apparent that Syracuse are on a mission to improve their relieving ability, as they announce that Japanese-American Yoshihiro Knitt joins them today from the Yonkers Sixers. Knitt, currently 2-3 with an ERA of 3.47, 20 K’s and a WHIP of 1.54, brings a sinker and a top-class curveball to the Maples’ endgame, and is reported to be excited for what play upstate will bring. The Sixers gain 33-year-old LF Jason Hartman (currently 0.253 with 7 runs from 110 PA’s) and rookie-league reliever Nick Jones as a result.
28th May: The Albany Dragons welcome 1B Matt Gilbert into their ranks today from the Syracuse Maples, who is currently batting a 0.255 with 36 RBIs from 188 AB’s. A solid, inoffensive character that goes out of his way to help those in need, Gilbert is sure to become as popular in Albany as he was in Syracuse, despite his modest baseballing ability. The interesting part of the deal, however, is the acquiring of 17-year-old hot prospect C Brett Swenson into the Maples’ youth ranks. On trading such a potential talent, Albany GM Tony Gutierrez said “we obviously want to wish Brett the very best, and it’s not to say he won’t ever return – but we need to make quick improvements to our infield, and Matt really offers that.”
29th May: Despite being 42 years of age, Player of the Week this time around went to Albany Dragons shortstop Terry Harris. Harris, born in Crompond, Westchester County, hit an excellent 11-from-20 (0.550), 2 home runs, and 6 RBIs over the past week’s play. Asked for comment, he replied “it’s been a good week for me, definitely, but we’ve been super patchy with our form and that needs to be what we’re looking at as a team going into June.” Albany have alternated between wins and losses for the past 7 games now.
30th May: In a move which is almost undoubtedly poor business from Bronx GM Etelson Daninos, 1B Barry Tutterow gets traded to the Staten Island Bulls, only 8 days after being announced as Player of the Week in the NYBL. Tutterow, at the time of writing the only Bronx player (former or otherwise) to be hitting more than 0.300 this season, is signed on at the Bulls until the end of 2018. When asked about the move, he replied “I’m a little disappointed to be leaving the Phoenixes for sure, but it is what it is. Time to make my mark somewhere else!” In return, the Bronx youth systems get 20-year-old 1B Kevin Offord and 18-year-old 3B Chris Shastid – neither are particularly notable prospects at all.
31st May: In a last-minute deal between the Yonkers Sixers and the Staten Island Bulls, the Sixers gain 97-mph reliever Larry Pioch on a deal that sees him stay for the rest of the season. Upon arriving in Yonkers, Pioch said to reporters “I understand being traded. I’ve not had a good season so far with the Bulls and the longer it goes on, the harder it is to break out from. I’m grateful to Yonkers for giving me a chance to start again.” The 26-year-old is currently on a 7.53 ERA from 15 appearances, with no saves. Staten Island gain 19-year-old RF David Watts and 24-year-old SS Jim Price.
Daniel Rijo gave Albany fans a chance to end May on a high, recording a 4-0 silencing job with 1 walk and 4 hits against the Syracuse Maples. The Dominican-born Swiss Army Knife said afterwards “I didn’t feel like I was throwing all that well today, but that’s why I’ve learned so many pitches – if my stuff’s failing, I can try and outwit batters instead. And today, it worked.” Rijo, on 6-4 with a 3.36 ERA, has thrown competent fastballs, cutters, sliders, changeups, splitters and forkballs this season.
A final anecdote for the day, as both Rochester Union’s 2B Jose Marquez and Manhattan Victory’s SS Matt Campbell become the first players in NYBL history to breach 50 runs in a season.
While perhaps overlooked last month, Rochester Union’s Keith Schmeling easily wrapped up the Batter of the Month award for May, batting a 0.336 with 7 home runs, 29 RBIs and 25 runs over the past 4 or so weeks. Rochester’s DH, 31, said upon receiving the award “as a team, we’ve had a massive month and it doesn’t look like we’re slowing down. It feels amazing to be a part of that, and I just wanna assure fans that I’ll keep putting the hours in to get the results.” Rochester are currently 40-17 (a .702) and haven’t lost in 8 games now.
Going 5-0 from 6 starts, 28 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.93 for the month, it’s no wonder that Pitcher of the Month was won by Queens’ Aubrey Beals. The 34-year-old from New Westminster, British Columbia, seemed to be happy with the accolade, saying afterwards that “I think I’ve deserved it this month, and it’s nice to get the recognition – so yeah, thank you!” Aubrey has played a direct role in 6 of Queens’ 18 win in May, although the Diamonds haven’t won a game in 3.
After his Player of the Week award earlier in the month, one might expect that Buffalo’s Andrew Wheeler would be a shoe-in for Rookie of the Month; however, consistency is the name of the game, and the award instead goes to the 24-year-old Rochester LF Andy Nichols, who managed a 0.330 with 1 HR and 13 RBIs. The #13 OSA prospects rank was unavailable for comment.
Standings at the end of May
Team batting and pitching stats
Player batting, pitching and fielding stats
