Manny ‘highly unlikely’ to play Tuesday

It appears Manny Ramirez’s three-game stint with the 66ers is over. In three games with the team, Ramirez was 3-for-7 (.429) with one home run, two walks, and four strikeouts.

66ers manager Carlos Subero said that Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti told him before the game it was “highly unlikely” Ramirez would play in the finale of the three game series with the Quakes Tuesday in an 11 a.m. game at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

Some thoughts from the Sixers’ thrilling 6-5 victory over the Quakes, their third straight win.

  • The Quakes were trying to pitch around Scott Van Slyke with the winning run on second and two outs in the ninth. But with the count 3-0, Van Slyke figured Eddie McKiernan would throw inside (after throwing outside) and Van Slyke made up his mind he was going to swing. The pitch was inside, and low, but higher than the other pitches. It would’ve been ball four, but Van Slyke ground the game-winning single to center. Pinchrunner Adolfo Gonzalez easily beat the throw home
  • Quakes scheduled starter Michael Anton was ill Tuesday, but manager Keith Johnson still thought he would he would be able to pitch. It wasn’t until two outs in the top of the first that Johnson found out Anton wouldn’t be able to go. Instead, it was Michael Kenney. “I was hoping to get three innings out of him,” Johnson said. Kenney gave him four great innings before tiring in the fifth. He allowed three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Mannywood is in Lake Elsinore, Ramirez doesn’t disappoint

For all the fans who made the trek to Lake Elsinore Saturday, they were not disappointed. Manny Ramirez, batting leadoff for the Sixers and serving as the designated hitter, hit a home run in his first at bat. He walked and scored in his second at-bat.

Kind of a circus atmosphere here — lots of cheers and boos for Ramirez. There seemed to be some boos in the third inning — I’m not sure if that’s because there were Storm fans who wanted to see their team get him out, or if it was Manny fans who wanted to see their man hit.

In his third at-bat, Ramirez lined a 2-0 pitch up the middle for a single. He left the game and the stadium moments after he was doubled off first to end the fifth inning.

Because Ramirez was the designated hitter, most of the fans didn’t realize Ramirez had left until Elian Herrera came up to hit for him in the seventh. At that point, many of them left too.

66ers, Quakes players cherish all-star experience

Certainly the dramatic 2-1, 10-inning win for the California League over the Carolina League on Tuesday was reason to celebrate for the three Sixers and Quakes players who played in the game in front of 6,689 fans at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore. But more than anything else, they enjoyed the opportunity to be an all-star.

“I’ll have to see if they’re booing me on Thursday (when the Sixers play at Lake Elsinore),” said Sixers outfielder Trayvon Robinson, who was 0-for-4 in the game. “I can’t describe the feeling. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in baseball.”

Said Sixers pitcher Tim Sexton, who pitched a shutout seventh, allowing one hit and striking out one: “I felt good. This was the best velocity I’ve had in a while. It was a great atmosphere, and to be here with these guys in this lockerroom.”

Quakes pitcher Alexander Torres, the team’s lone all-star, retired the side in order in the fifth inning, striking out one. “I felt great,” said the Venezuela native. “It’s my first all-star game in the states. It felt good (to be an all-star), that they know I’ve done a good job.”

A third Sixers all-star, Alberto Bastardo, was promoted to Double-A Chattanooga on Monday before the game and didn’t make the trip. But he asked Robinson to retrieve his California League all-star jersey so he would have a souvenir, even if he didn’t have the memories.

Manny might be Manny in S.B.; Mavericks clinch playoff spot

Most Dodger fans have been eagerly awaiting the return of Manny Ramirez from a 50-game suspension on July 3.

Inland Empire Dodger fans, however, have been not-so-secretly hoping that Ramirez might be coming to the Inland Empire 66ers for a rehablitation assignment before rejoining the Dodgers.

On Wednesday, Dodgers manager Joe Torre made comments suggesting Manny could be headed to the Sixers.

Here’s an excerpt of what our reporter, Doug Padilla wrote Wednesday night: “Calling it only a preliminary plan, manager Joe Torre said Wednesday that he thinks Manny Ramirez will play next week for the Inland Empire 66ers.
“I talked to Manny (Wednesday),” Torre said. “He’s still bothered by this sore throat stuff. We talked about probably next week, some time early next week that he’ll probably play some games in, I think, San Bernardino.”
“That’s what we’re thinking about just for the convenience of the whole thing,” Torre said. “That’s still conversational right now. Nothing has been scheduled. We have to get him back on the field first. Hopefully he can do a light workout (today).”

So, he could start his rehab with the Sixers when they open the second half with a three-game series at Lake Elsinore on June 25. They’ll be home for three games against the Quakes June 28-30. It seems unlikely Ramirez would make a trip with the Sixers to Visalia July 1-3.

Should Manny play for the Sixers, it could be the biggest rehab assignment ever to play for a San Bernardino club. Eric Karros, Tim Wallach and Orel Hershiser are some of the players to suit up for San Bernardino clubs on rehab assignments, but they don’t have Manny’s Hall-of-Fame numbers.

Manny’s possible arrrival overshadowed another story in the league Wednesday: the first half South Division title that was clinched by the Mavericks. The Mavericks’ 4-3 win clinched the title, and the franchise’s first trip to the playoffs since 2006. It is also their first half-season title since winning the second half in 2005 and their first first-half title since 1993, a year they won the league crown. By winning the first half, the Mavericks will receive a first-round bye in the playoffs, then play the winner of the first-round series between the second-half winner and the wild-card team.

 

 

Quakes’ Tim Kiely headed to Double-A

Tim Kiely didn’t earn a spot on the California League mid-season all-star team, but he certainly earned the respect of his organization, the Angels.

After the Quakes lost on Saturday to the Bakersfield Blaze 4-3, Kiely learned he was promoted to Double-A Arkansas. Kiely was 5-5 with a 4.44 ERA in 12 starts for the Quakes this season.

In his place, the Quakes will get 6-foot-4, 260-pound right-hander Jeremy Thorne from low Single-A Cedar Rapids. Thorne was 3-3 with three saves and a 2.39 ERA in 19 appearances this season for Cedar Rapids. He made only two starts at Cedar Rapids, but he will take Kiely’s spot in the rotation, Monday at first-place and notoriously pitcher-unfriendly High Desert. Welcome to the Cal League and good luck.

Great day at CIF State Track Championships

There was plenty to be proud of for San Bernardino County and Inland Valley at the CIF State Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Clovis Buchanan.

First, the facility. Beautiful, I think it served the event well. Attendance was 8.143 Friday and 9,517 Saturday. Down a little in years past, but the facility could’ve handled a few more with auxiliary stands set up at one end. Economy maybe played a part. Weather was very mild and no rain so that wasn’t a problem.

The highlights from the area:

Claremont’s Kori Carter wins both the 100 and 300 hurdles after finishing fourth and first last year. She’s only the fourth girl in 17 years of two hurdles races to win both at state. By winning both events, Claremont’s “team” (consisting only of Carter) finished in a tie for fourth in the team standings.

Diamond Ranch’s Karynn Dunn was third in the 100 hurdles, and won the long jump after taking second in the long jump last year. Diamond Ranch’s “team” (again, consisting only of Dunn at State) finished in sixth with 16 points.

The 100 hurdles also had Etiwanda’s Monisha Davis (fourth) and Carter’s Shanice Stewart (fifth), meaning four of the top five in the state in the event came from the Inland Valley.

Stewart also made the finals in the long jump, finishing eighth.

Ayala’s Obum Gwacham, the incredible athlete going to Oregon State for football, was second in the high jump after clearing 6-11, and finished third in the triple jump.

Chino Hills junior Josh Mance taking second on the 400, running a PR of 46.41 seconds.

Here’s how others from the area did at finals: Upland’s Tyler Brady (10th in 1600), Summit’s Devon Blackmon (ninth, 110 hurdles), Etiwanda’s Vanessa Jones (fourth, 400), Silverado’s Shawna Fermin (fifth, 400), Rancho Cucamonga’s Angelica Weaver (fifth, 300 hurdles), Barstow‘s Isaac Chavez (eighth, 3200) and Apple Valley‘s Daniel Rosales (19th, 3200), Rancho Cucamonga’s Ashley Henry (tie third, high jump), Etiwanda girls 4×400 relay (seventh), Colony girls 4×400 relay (ninth).

As far as outside the area highlights, Shafter’s Anna Jelmini winning the shot put (50-5 3/4) and discus (186-9) and setting a state meet record in the discus was a highlight.

Riverside La Sierra’s Reggie Wyatt won both the 300 hurdles and the 400, but he was unable to break the national record he set in the 300 hurdles on Friday.

San Luis Obispo Mission Prep’s Jordan Hasay finished off an incredible high school career, winning the girls 3200 meters for the fourth straight year.

Stage is set at CIF State championships

I’m here in Clovis at the CIF State Track and Field Championship for the Finals, at Buchanan High School in Clovis. I think a lot of people were nervous about holding the state championships at a high school facility, but this is no ordinary high school facility.

Great scoreboard (showing entries and instant finishing times), great track, adequate press facilities. I haven’t heard too many complaints except for the usual stuff about not knowing which gate to go through and the usual kinks that need to be worked out. So far so good. And the state championships will be here through 2011.

I wrote about San Bernardino County and Inland Valley highlights from Friday in the paper, but there were other notable accomplishments from outside the area that I wasn’t able to get in.

1) Reggie Wyatt of Riverside La Sierra setting a new national high school record in winning his 300 meter hurdles heat in 35.02 seconds, shattering the old mark of 35.28, also set at the state meet in 2007.

2) Anna Jelmini of Shafter set a new state record in the girls shot put when she went 53 feet, 8 inches in the Prelims

3) Jelmini is the top-ranked thrower in the country in both the shot and the discus, but on Friday’s she was upstaced by Bakersfield Stockdale’s Alex Collatz, who had the best discus throw of 177 feet, 0 inches, setting a national sophomore record.

More later as results start rolling in.

Very good Day 1 for area at CIF State Track

It was more the norm for area athletes to qualify for finals than not to qualify.

Here’s a look at how San Bernardino County and Inland Valley athletes did on Day 1 Friday at Clovis Buchanan High. Between the two areas, 18 of 23 prelim entries qualified for finals. Two others, Barstow’s Isaac Chavez and Apple Valley’s Daniel Rosales are in the 3200 finals today because there are no prelims.

BOYS

Obum Gwacham, Ayala No. 4 qualifier in triple jump (47-9 3/4), tied first high jump (6-8).

Josh Mance, Chino Hills won 400 heat (47.24) No. 1 overall

Charles Saseun, Rancho Cucamonga 6th in 100 heat (10.78) did not qualify for finals

Devon Blackmon, Summit 2nd in 110 hurdles heat (14.08), No .2 overall

Tyler Brady, Upland won 1600 heat (4:12.49) qualified No. 5 time overall

Mitchell Haag, Upland, did not qualify in high jump

 

GIRLS

Shanice Stewart, Carter 2nd in 100 hurdle heat (14.16), No. 7 overall; No. 2 qualifier in long jump (19-7)

Kori Carter, Claremont won 100 hurdle heat (13.99), No. 2 overall, won 300 hurdle heat (43.68) No. 7 overall

Colony 4×400 relay (Macea Malik, Bria Edwards, Ashley Cooke, Katie Wilson) 4th in heat (3:51.47), No. 9 overall

Karynn Dunn, Diamond Ranch won 100 hurdle heat (14.17), No. 8 overall; first overall in long jump (20-2 3/4)

Sakia Sailinuu, Eisenhower 4th in 800 heat (2:16.71) did not qualify for finals

Monisha Davis, Etiwanda won 100 hurdle heat (13.59) No. 1 overall

Vanessa Jones, Etiwanda No. 2 in 400 heat (54.82) No. 5 overall

Etiwanda 4×400 relay won heat (3:50.49),  No. 6 overall

Los Osos 4×400 (Kelly Rhines, Ashly Franklin, Tamia Hasan, Tiarra Collins) No. 3 in heat (3:57.05) did not qualify

Ashley Henry, Rancho Cucamonga tied first overall in high jump (5-5)

Angelica Weaver, Rancho Cucamonga No. 2 in 300 hurdles heat (42.88) No. 4 overall

Shawna Fermin, Silverado 2nd in 400 heat (55.62)  No. 8 overall; did not qualify in long jump (17-1 1/4)

 

 

66ers, Quakes beat top 2 in division

The 66ers and Quakes had been mired in third and/or fourth place in the California League’s South Division for much of the season, but on Wednesday, both teams knocked off the top two in the division.

The Sixers, behind Alberto Bastardo’s six inning, one earned run effort, knocked off the first-place Mavericks 6-2 to take three out of four in the four-game series at Stater Bros. Stadium.

The Quakes, meanwhile, outlasted second-place Lake Elsinore 1-0 in Brian Walker’s single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th at the Epicenter.

The Quakes start a four-game series at Lancaster on Thursday, while the Sixers are off before beginning a four-game series at Lake Elsinore on Friday.

REV’s Hanson to make big-league debut

Tommy Hanson, a 2004 Redlands East Valley High School product, was recalled by the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday and is scheduled make his big league debut on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Hanson, a 6-foot-6 right-hander, was 3-3 with a 1.49 ERA and 90 strikeouts and just 40 hits in 60 1/3 innings this season for Triple-A Gwinnett. He is ranked as the Braves’ No. 1 prospect by Baseball America.

The Braves also announced on Wednesday they were releasing 305-game winner and future Hall-of-Famer Tom Glavine. Sounds like they have a lot of confidence in Hanson, doesn’t it?