The Annual Post Deadline Counting Crows Game Notes

I’m not a fan of reusing themes when it comes to game notes’ headlines, but the #1 Counting Crows’ album title is too timely to disregard. In case you missed last year’s “August and Everything After” edition, here’s a refresher: http://salemsox.mlblogs.com/2011/08/02/august-and-everything-after-the-human-side-of-the-deadline/

The post-Travis Shaw era, not to be confused with Anna, begins at 7:05 tonight in Woodbridge.

May you enjoy some fine tunes, gold medals, and perhaps a little baseball too on this premier August Wednesday.

Since we’re near DC, hopefully it’s not Raining in Baltimore,

Evan

*****

August 1, 2012 7:05 Salem Red Sox (55-52-1, 14-24) vs Potomac Nationals (50-58, 19-19) Game #109

Pfitzner Stadium                     Woodbridge, VA                          Road Game #56

Probable Starters: RHP Brandon Workman (7-6, 3.28) vs RHP Alex Meyer (1-0, 0.00)

August and Everything After: Salem begins the new month with 32 games remaining in the regular season, and the Sox trail first-place Myrtle Beach by eight games in the quest for the final playoff spot in the Carolina League’s Southern Division. While the Pelicans have been the top team in the league since the All-Star break, two of their top players were traded to the Chicago Cubs in the Deadline’s deal that moved Ryan Dempster to Texas. Third-baseman Christian Villanueva and pitcher Kyle Hendricks had been with Myrtle Beach all season until Tuesday. While no Salem players changed organizations, the dominoes of the Lars Anderson deal help to facilitate the promotion of Travis Shaw to Double-A Portland.

Time and Time Again: It’s a reality of minor league baseball: your best players are never around forever. Salem lost Jackie Bradley, Jr. to Portland at the All-Star Break, and first-baseman Travis Shaw learned of his promotion after Tuesday’s game in Potomac. Although Shaw went 0-for-3 on Tuesday and slumped to a 1-for-20 skid in his last seven games with the Salem Sox, he leaves the Carolina League having been, undoubtedly, one of the top offensive producers the circuit has seen this season. His .305 average in 99 games is seventh overall and fourth among active players (as of Tuesday),  while his 16 home runs are third and his 73 RBI are second. He shares the league leads with 31 doubles and 69 runs scored, while he’s also second with 51 extra-base hits, 193 total bases, and 59 walks.

Round Here: Meanwhile, Keith Couch continues his resurgence that makes him look like a worthy pitcher in Double-A or beyond. With six scoreless innings on Tuesday night,  Couch has now allowed just two runs over his last 21 innings, a 0.86 ERA spanning his last three starts. During this stretch, Couch has struck out 17 and only walked two. This is a stark contrast to his previous three starts, when he allowed 15 earned runs in 13.1 innings, an ERA of 10.13. With the Sox hanging on for the 5-4 victory on Tuesday, Couch now has wins in consecutive starts for the first time all season.

Omaha: Both starting pitchers in tonight’s contest were accomplished collegiate righthanders, but only one of the two ever advanced to the Mecca of NCAA Baseball. Salem’s Brandon Workman led the Texas Longhorns to Rosenblatt Stadium in Nebraska in 2010, taking his team to the brink of a national title before dropping the deciding game against LSU. Potomac’s Alex Meyer never advanced to Omaha during his three years at Kentucky, but earned All-SEC Honors as a junior and was drafted 23rd overall in the 2011 draft.

Ghost Train: While Jackie Bradley, Jr. has not been in the Carolina League since June 17, the star center-fielder still is #1 atop the circuit’s batting leaders. With a .359 clip in his 67 games, Bradley has appeared on the league’s official list for almost the entire season, a phantom leader who will disappear this week. He accumulated enough plate appearances to remain on the list through 112 games, but when the Sox play their 113th contest, Bradley’s reign atop the batting chart will end.