Alex Dickerson named FSL Player of the Week

photo by Paul Videla

Marauders first baseman Alex Dickerson has been named the Florida State League's Player of the Week for July 23-29 after batting .462 during that time with two home runs, seven RBIs, four doubles and 10 runs scored.
He currently leads the league in RBIs (77) and total bases (175),  is third in hits (113), fourth in doubles (26) and eighth in slugging (.461) and hitting (.297). Dickerson is also batting .330 in July and .311 since the All-Star break.
Dickerson was a third-round pick of the Pirates in 2011.

What's a Baby Bobble?



photo courtesy of Bradenton Marauders

 It's been six months since Trevor Gooby delivered a memorable moment at McKechnie Field.
The Marauders plan on celebrating in style.
The team will host Babies on Deck Night on Tuesday, Aug. 28, six months to the day after Gooby, the Pirates director of Florida operations, delivered a baby boy outside the gates of the venerable ballpark during a Spring Training kickoff event.
The baby, a boy aptly named McKechnie, is the first one to be delivered at McKechnie Field, which opened in 1923 and has served as the Pirates' spring home since '69.
The first 1,000 fans that night receive a Baby Bobble figure of Gooby holding McKechnie. The night will also include baby-themed activties including a stroller obstacle course and a diaper changing relay.
The Marauders meet the Fort Myers Miracle at 6:30 p.m. Gates open at 5:30.

Pirates intend to promote Starling Marte

One of the original Marauders is going to be a Pirate.
The Pirates announced they will call up outfielder Starling Marte for Thursday's game in Houston.
Marte was rated baseball's 73rd-best prospect heading into the season by Baseball America and was batting .286 with 12 home runs, 61 RBIs and 21 steals in 98 games with the Pirates' Triple-A team in Indianapolis.
Marte hit .315 with 22 stolen bases and 70 hits in 60 games with the Marauders in 2010 before suffering a season-ending wrist injury.
He is a career .304 hitter in six professional seasons

Cain, Grossman dealt to Astros

photo by John Lembo

A current Marauder and a former one are on the way to Houston.
The Pirates announced Tuesday they have dealt Colton Cain and Robbie Grossman to the Astros in exchange for pitcher Wandy Rodriguez.
Cain is 3-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 16 starts with the Marauders. He was an eighth-round pick of the Pirates in 2009.
Grossman, above, earned the organization's Minor League Player of the Year award last summer with the Marauders and was invited to his first big-league camp in the spring. He began this season with Double-A Altoona, where he was batting .262 and was fourth in the Eastern League with 58 runs scored.
Pitcher Rudy Owens was also traded to Houston. Owens was never a Marauder but made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Pirates in 2007.
This is the second straight year a Marauder was dealt at the deadline: First baseman Aaron Baker was traded to Baltimore last year for Derrick Lee.

Joba Rules at McKechnie Field

photo by John Lembo

Joba Chamberlain's cameo at McKechnie Field is over.
The New York Yankees rehabbing reliever, who is working his way back from elbow and ankle injuries, allowed two runs on two hits in two innings and signed autographs at the visitors' bullpen on his way back to the clubhouse.
Chamberlain threw 32 pitches, 19 for strikes, while walking one and striking out one.
Marauders' outfielder Dan Grovatt, the first batter Chamberlain faced, homered on a 1-2 pitch.

Studs aplenty at McKechnie Field

Jameson Taillon, Gary Sanchez and Slade Heathcott are the headliners today as the Marauders welcome the Tampa Yankees for the first of a four-game set at muggy McKechnie Field.
Sanchez and Heathcott are two of the Yankees' prized prospects, and we all know about Taillon.
Lineups:

YANKEES
Mason Williams, cf
Ramon Flores, rf
Adonis Garcia, dh
Slade Heathcott, lf
Gary Sanchez, c
Kyle Roller, 1b
Zachary Wilson, 3b
Anderson Feliz, 2b
Jose Mojica, ss
Shane Greene, p

MARAUDERS
Dan Grovatt, lf
Gift Ngoepe, ss
Mel Rojas Jr., cf
Alex Dickerson, 1b
Carlos Paulino, c
Justin Howard, dh
Elevys Gonzalez, 3b
Andy Vasquez, rf
Benji Gonzalez, 2b
Jameson Taillon, p

They'll play two tomorrow

Tonight's game was postponed.
The Marauders and Manatees will meet in a doubleheader beginning 5 p.m. Saturday.

Looks like we're playing ball...

photo by John Lembo

If the saddest sight in baseball is a field covered with soggy tarp, then one of best sights is said tarp being removed.
Tonight's game against Brevard County will be delayed, but it looks it will be played, as the Marauders will try and pad their two-game lead in the South Division.
We are still awaiting an official start time, but here are the lineups:

MANATEES
Reggie Keen, cf
Nick Shaw, ss
Mike Walker, 3b
Brock Kjeldgaard, lf
Hector Gomez, dh
Shea Vucinich, 2b
Joey Paciorek, c
John Dishon, rf
Brooks Hall, p
MARAUDERS
Dan Grovatt, lf
Gift Ngoepe, ss
Mej Rojas Jr., cf
Alex Dickerson, 1b
Carlos Paulino, c
Justin Howard, dh
Kirk Singer, 3b
Andy Vasquez, rf
Benji Gonzalez, 2b
Matt Benedict, p

Mets vs. Marauders: A playoff preview?

The Marauders host the St. Lucie Mets tonight in about 25 minutes, and it's a matchup we may see again in the fall.
Bradenton (11-7) leads the FSL's South Division by a game while the Mets cruised to a division title in the first half. If the Marauders win the second half for a third consecutive season, they meet the Mets in the South Divsision championship series.
But let's not get too ahead of ourselves, shall we?

LINEUPS:
Mets
Alonzo Harris, lf
T.J. Rivera, ss
Zach Lutz, 3b
Cory Vaughn, rf
Blake Forsythe, c
Travis Taijeron, dh
Richard Lucas, 1b
Ryan Sandoval, 2b
Cesar Puello, cf
Yohan Almonte, p

Marauders
Dan Grovatt, lf
Gift Ngoepe, ss
Mel Rojas Jr., cf
Alex Dickerson, 1b
Elevys Gonzalez, 2b
Justin Howard, dh
Kirk Singer, 3b
Kawika Emsley-Pai, c
Junior Sosa, rf
Casey Sadler, p