August 19, 2006 / Sports / Brooklyn Cyclones

A Cyclone worthy of A-Rod

By Nick Pauly, Gersh Kuntzman, and Lucky Ngamwajasat

The Brooklyn Paper

The Brooklyn Papers / Gary Thomas

Cyclones starter Jake Ruckle fires a strike during the team’s Saturday night victory over the Batavia Muckdogs. s

The Brooklyn Papers / Gary Thomas

Red, white & green: The Cyclones donned the “azzuri” of Italy’s triumphant World Cup team at this year’s Italian Night on Saturday, Aug. 12. Here, Jake Eisti models the alternative uniform, complete with Italian flag and red, white and green Cyclones logo on the cap. s

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One of the only hole in the Cyclones lineup during the team’s recent surge to first place has been Jonathan Sanchez.

The right fielder’s batting average has dipped below .200 even as his teammates are experiencing a power surge.

Yankee fans may think A-Rod is un-clutch, but they should count their blessings that Sanchez isn’t wearing pinstripes.

Despite his .198 average, Sanchez appears in the lineup almost every day, and has usually found a way to strike out with a runner in scoring position or overthrow the cutoff man with his cannon arm each game.

Sanchez’s failures are something of a surprise to the Mets organization, considering he batted .249 with 9 HRs and 25 RBIs for Class A Hagerstown earlier this year.

“He’s just a young player right now still struggling to figure out how to translate his early work and adjustments into a game,” said Cyclones hitting coach Scott Hunter. “He’s a very confident kid, but it’s easy to start struggling in games and [have it] get into your head a little bit. Right now we’re approaching the more mental aspect of the game than physical.”

Even the 21-year-old non-drafted free agent doesn’t know what’s going on.

“I feel like I don’t want to hit,” he said when asked about his confidence in big situations.

At least that matches the way Cyclones fans feel. They don’t want him up there either.

— Nick Pauly

Old-timers’ day

In tribute to the Cyclones’ record-setting 26-inning game last month, the team is giving everyone born in 1926 a free ticket to the home game on Saturday, Aug. 26.

Relax, granddad, it’s a bleacher seat.

Still, the old-timer-filled bleachers are just one part of the bizarre “tribute to all things 26,” as the Cyclones press office put it:

• For the first 26 minutes after gates open, hot dogs will cost just 26 cents.

• There will be 26 giveaways, including one for a 26-inch TV and another for 26 gallons of gasoline.

• A $26,000 prize drawing.

Now if the Cyclones could score 26 runs, that would be something.

— Gersh Kuntzman

Clones stars

Catcher Jason Jacobs, left-fielder Dustin Martin, shortstop Luis Rivera and pitchers Eric Brown, Jeremy Mizell and Jake Ruckle were all honored with a trip to Aberdeen, Maryland, for the Aug. 16 game (too late for this week’s issue).

Cyclones manager George Greer was named skipper of the National League squad by dint of the Cyclones’ league-leading record.

“It’s wonderful,” said Greer. “To represent the Mets and Brooklyn at the All-Star Game is an honor I’ll cherish forever.”

Greer’s players said the game was a welcome break from the grind of the season and a time to reflect on their successful first halves.

“It’s an accomplishment and one of the goals I wanted to do,” said Ruckle, who has a 4–1 record with a 2.64 ERA.

Brown, who also has four wins, plus a stingy 1.51 ERA, added: “It’s a pretty big honor. It’s good for me and my confidence.”

For Rivera, being named an all-star is sweet vindication. After all, he was dropped from the Cubs farm system last year.

“I wasn’t playing everyday,” said Rivera, who sports a healthy .295 batting average in 49 games with the Clones. “I had 24 at-bats and they released me, with no reason. The Mets gave me an opportunity.”

Jacobs also said it was a “great honor” to be named to the team, but said he had other reasons for enjoying the trip to Maryland.

“My girlfriend is going make the trip with us,” he said

— Lucky Ngamwajasat

August 19, 2006 issue  

©2006 Community Newspaper Group