Category: Dailies

Sudden impact

Big second, fifth innings help Isotopes top Omaha, 10-5

If Opening Night was any indication, Isotopes fans can expect a lot of offensive fireworks this season.

Two major outbursts from the ‘Topes — a four-run second inning and a five-run sixth inning — were more than enough this evening to turn back the Omaha Storm Chasers, 10-5, in front of a crowd of 7,742 at Isotopes Park.

After the Storm Chasers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, the ‘Topes answered back in their half of the inning with RBI singles from Jerry Sands and Damaso Espino and a two-run base hit from Trayvon Robinson.

Omaha responded with three runs in the top of the third, but Albuquerque took the lead back in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly from Russ Mitchell. Later on, the ‘Topes exploded in the sixth inning with RBI singles from Dee Gordon and Ivan DeJesus, Jr., followed by a three-run double from Jay Gibbons.

Omaha plated one more run before the Isotopes locked it up. Dana Eveland took the victory for Albuquerque, while Mike Montgomery took the loss for Omaha.

For more info on tonight’s game, check out our game story coming soon on the front page of AlbuquerqueBaseball.com. 

New ‘Topes manager: “We’re going to be aggressive”

As he becomes the fourth manager in the franchise’s history, new Albuquerque Isotopes skipper Lorenzo Bundy will be looking to implement a more wide-open style of play that’s built on speed and fundamentals.

In his first meeting with the local press earlier today at Isotopes Park, Bundy talked about a ‘Topes team that will “push the button” whenever the opportunity comes.

“Offensively, if you look at some of the names that are projected to be on our ball club, you’re probably going to see something you haven’t seen in Albuquerque in a while — there’s going to be a lot of speed,” he said. 

“…We’re going to be aggressive, we’re going to push the button and we’re going to go first to third. We’re going to make [other] teams [have to] execute defensively and put the pressure on them.”

Bundy, 51, is entering his tenth season of managing in the minors. Last season, he coached the Dodgers’ rookie-level squad in the Arizona League to a 30-25 record.

He has solid experience with the Pacific Coast League, having managed the Las Vegas 51s in 2007 and 2008. In 2006, he served as the hitting instructor for the Tucson Sidewinders as they captured the PCL title and Triple-A National Championship. His help was critical to the Sidewinders’ success that year as they boasted a .289 batting average, tops in the league for team batting average.

Bundy brought along his Triple-A title ring for today’s conference, which might come in handy as motivation for his new players — especially with Isotopes Park playing host to this year’s national championship on Sept. 20.

“This is a different team [than the Sidewinders], but I look at this team right here and — you
know, you’ve got injuries, you’ve got call-ups, you’ve got trades,
you’ve got everything and anything that goes on in baseball happening at
this level. On April 4 or 5, we have no idea who’s going to be in this
clubhouse come September. But hopefully, two weeks from then, we can be
playing a home game here in Albuquerque and that would be fun. That
would be really, really fun.”

“We know what it’s all about,” he continued as he showed off his ring. “We’ve been there and this is the reward, so maybe I can use that to pump some guys up a little bit.”

In addition, he plans on adopting a more vocal nature of managing, which may also serve to boost the ‘Topes in 2011.

“This club’s pretty young,” he said. “We’ve got some guys coming up from Double-A that have never been here before at the Triple-A level. There might be a tendency for me to be a little more vocal, a little bit more hands-on than you would be with a veteran Triple-A club with guys that have been in Triple-A for four or five years.”

That being said, he’s looking forward to coaching a younger ‘Topes squad in a city that he has fond memories of dating back to his playing days.

“As a visitor, I’ve had some memorable moments in your beautiful stadium,” he said. “Being an offensive player in my playing days, it was always fun to come here because you knew you would get some hits and you would hit some home runs. The question is, ‘How many are you going to give up?’

“Now I’m going to be here for 72 games here at home, so we’re going to see if we can keep the other guys down.”

— Chris Estrada 

New 'Topes manager: "We're going to be aggressive"

As he becomes the fourth manager in the franchise’s history, new Albuquerque Isotopes skipper Lorenzo Bundy will be looking to implement a more wide-open style of play that’s built on speed and fundamentals.

In his first meeting with the local press earlier today at Isotopes Park, Bundy talked about a ‘Topes team that will “push the button” whenever the opportunity comes.

“Offensively, if you look at some of the names that are projected to be on our ball club, you’re probably going to see something you haven’t seen in Albuquerque in a while — there’s going to be a lot of speed,” he said. 

“…We’re going to be aggressive, we’re going to push the button and we’re going to go first to third. We’re going to make [other] teams [have to] execute defensively and put the pressure on them.”

Bundy, 51, is entering his tenth season of managing in the minors. Last season, he coached the Dodgers’ rookie-level squad in the Arizona League to a 30-25 record.

He has solid experience with the Pacific Coast League, having managed the Las Vegas 51s in 2007 and 2008. In 2006, he served as the hitting instructor for the Tucson Sidewinders as they captured the PCL title and Triple-A National Championship. His help was critical to the Sidewinders’ success that year as they boasted a .289 batting average, tops in the league for team batting average.

Bundy brought along his Triple-A title ring for today’s conference, which might come in handy as motivation for his new players — especially with Isotopes Park playing host to this year’s national championship on Sept. 20.

“This is a different team [than the Sidewinders], but I look at this team right here and — you
know, you’ve got injuries, you’ve got call-ups, you’ve got trades,
you’ve got everything and anything that goes on in baseball happening at
this level. On April 4 or 5, we have no idea who’s going to be in this
clubhouse come September. But hopefully, two weeks from then, we can be
playing a home game here in Albuquerque and that would be fun. That
would be really, really fun.”

“We know what it’s all about,” he continued as he showed off his ring. “We’ve been there and this is the reward, so maybe I can use that to pump some guys up a little bit.”

In addition, he plans on adopting a more vocal nature of managing, which may also serve to boost the ‘Topes in 2011.

“This club’s pretty young,” he said. “We’ve got some guys coming up from Double-A that have never been here before at the Triple-A level. There might be a tendency for me to be a little more vocal, a little bit more hands-on than you would be with a veteran Triple-A club with guys that have been in Triple-A for four or five years.”

That being said, he’s looking forward to coaching a younger ‘Topes squad in a city that he has fond memories of dating back to his playing days.

“As a visitor, I’ve had some memorable moments in your beautiful stadium,” he said. “Being an offensive player in my playing days, it was always fun to come here because you knew you would get some hits and you would hit some home runs. The question is, ‘How many are you going to give up?’

“Now I’m going to be here for 72 games here at home, so we’re going to see if we can keep the other guys down.”

— Chris Estrada 

Free Agent Signings Update

It’s been a busy off-season for a number of former and current Isotopes, many of whom will have a change of address for the 2011 season as the minor league free agent signing period is cranking up. 

Many players from last year’s squad have re-signed with the Dodgers for 2011, however, and could very well return to Albuquerque next year.  They are: 

RHP – Tim Corcoran
LHP – Alberto Bastardo
IF – Travis Denker
OF / IF – Elian Herrera
C – J.D. Closser
IF – Juan Castro
OF- Trent Oeltjen

Here is a list of some notable former Isotopes and where they have signed for the 2011 season.  (Year they played for the Isotopes in parenthesis)

RHP – Charlie Haeger (2009, 10) – Seattle
RHP – Justin Miller (2007, 08, 10) – Seattle
RHP – Cory Wade (2009, 10) – Tampa Bay
LHP – Chris Seddon (2008) – Seattle
OF – Brett Carroll (2007, 08) – Kansas City 
IF – Dallas McPherson (2008) – Chicago White Sox
RHP – Ross Wolf (2006, 07, 08) – Houston
IF – Chase Lambin (2008) – Minnesota
OF – Jai Miller (2008) – Oakland
RHP – Yusmiero Petit (2006) – Seattle

  

 

 

A Celebration Worth Celebrating

With a 6-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians last night, the Minnesota Twins became the first team to reach the Major League post-season by clinching the American League Central Division. Among the jubilant Twins celebrating at Target Field was outfielder Jason Repko, who just a year earlier was involved in a similar celebration at Isotopes Park when the ‘Topes reached the post-season.   

Repko, who entered this year having spent each of his 11 professional years in the Dodgers organization, was brilliant for the ‘Topes in 2009, battling through injuries to post a .277 average with 20 doubles, 16 homers, 47 RBI, and 24 stolen bases in 110 games.  As the Isotopes were celebrating their clinching of the PCL’s American Southern Division, Repko was informed he would be joining the Dodgers, with whom he finished the season and where he celebrated again when Los Angeles won the National League West. 

The outfielder’s latest celebration comes after a season that started with his release by the Dodgers on March 31, near the last day of Spring Training, and his subsequent signing by the Twins, who assigned him to Triple-A Rochester. After batting .281 in 60 games for the Red Wings, Repko was called up to Minnesota on June 25 and has been in the Major Leagues ever since, providing a key component off the Twins’ bench. 

As one of the nicest people to ever don an Isotopes uniform, Repko’s latest celebration is definitely one worth celebrating, even here in Albuquerque.  

But that’s not the only Isotopes connection in last night’s division-clinching win.  In fact, the very field on which the Twins celebrated was partially the handiwork of former ‘Topes Head Groundskeeper Jarad Alley, who is wrapping up his first season as Assistant Groundskeeper at spectacular Target Field.  

Congrats to Jason and Jarad and go get ’em in the playoffs!