King Sport

[Guest Edgy DC]

The K-Mets, not for lack of trying, open winless. Just wait until they get home. Just wait.

K-Mets clipped, start season 0-3 By Bill Lane Published June 23rd, 2011 KINGSPORT � Johnson City is off to a roaring 3-0 start in the Appalachian League baseball race. Kingsport, meanwhile, is 0-3. Just a hit or two here and there and it might have been the other way around. The Cardinals slipped past Kingsport 2-1 Thursday night in a game that could have gone either way. Four wild pitches figured in both Johnson City runs. It was a classic showcase of red-hot pitching and skillful defensive play. Kingsport hit the ball all over Hunter Wright Stadium only to see Cardinal gloves popping up everywhere. �Johnson City had a great series,�� K-Mets manager Frank Fultz said, �and things didn�t go as well for us. It was the old at-�em ball. We had 11 hard-hit balls and that usually translates into more runs than we got. Johnson City�s pitching was outstanding and our performance on the mound also was praiseworthy. We�ve had three good showings by our starters in their first chance to get their feet wet at this level.�� Johnson City broke on top 1-0 in the first inning. Tyler Rahmetulla worked pitcher Akeel Morris for a walk, stole second and romped home when the Kingsport hurler uncorked two wild pitches. Morris proved to be his own worst enemy again in the fourth. He struck Anthony Garcia with a pitched ball and threw two more wild pitches. Gary Apelian drove the runner home with a single. Kingsport�s lone run came in the fourth. Julio Concepcion singled, advanced on two errors and scored on a passed ball. The combination of strong pitching and defense on both sides was not characteristic of early-season play in the rookie league. Three double plays were turned. �It was the kind of recipe to win close games,�� Johnson City manager Mike Shildt said. �Pitching always sets the tone. Throwing strikes keeps the defense alert. It was a well-played game.�� Shildt pointed out that pro ball must be played on an even keel. �The 3-0 start is great,�� he said. �We just talk about the process � the way to play the game. We�ll take our best shot every night.�� Each team deployed four pitchers. Ryan Sherriff got the win with a three-inning stint that yielded just two hits. The loss was pinned on Morris, who allowed only one hit in three-plus innings. The game�s nine-hit total was scattered throughout the lineups. Concepcion was the only multiple hitter with two singles. Neither team scored over the last five innings. Fultz is hoping Lady Luck smiles on the K-Mets� dugout this evening when Bristol manager Pete Rose Jr. brings his Sox to town. First pitch is 7 p.m.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Your 2011 Kingsport Mets. (Som nice names here, too.)

Managers & Coaches
33 Frank Fultz, Manager
30 Jonathan Hurst, Pitching Coach
5 Luis Rivera, Coachy Coach

Pitchers
44 Peter Birdwell
29 Chasen Bradford
11 Dustin Emmons
47 Dawrin Frias (apparently not a typo)
?? Michael Hebert
36 Jonathan Kountis
17 Jacob Lugo
22 Brett Mitchell
23 Akeel Morris
35 Mark Picca
43 Hansel Robles (not German or Dutch or evean Curucaoan, but Dominican)
45 Domingo Tapia ("Sunday Wall")
51 Juan Urbina (Son of Oogy, genuine prospect)
9 Brian Valenzuela (lefty from California, but not, apparently, a son of Fernando)
?? Michael Weldon
16 Ernesto Yanez

Catchers
18 Tyler Carpenter
4 Jeffrey Glenn
7 Camden Maron (Huntington, Long Island's own)
21 Nestor Moreno

Infielders
1 Yucarybert De La Cruz, 2B (God, I hope he's good)
12 T.J. Rivera, SS
24 Alexander Sanchez, 1B
3 Chad Zurcher, SS

Outfielders
25 Julio Concepcion
20 Dustin Lawley
27 Gregory Pron
15 Tillman Pugh
2 Miguel Tejada

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'll carry Ernie, and Yucarybert.

[G-Fafif]

Yay, Cam gets to play on a real team! He's been a GCL Met for three seasons.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Get a new Tillman Pugh, from your authorized John Deere retailer.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Eight straight wins for the port in the mountains as three homers (Gregory Pron, Luke Stewart, Julio Concepcion) carry them to a 13-8 win over the Greeneville Astros. The hot streak gets them back to even at 13-13, and sitting in third place, 5.5 games behind the Johnson City Cardinals.