The Baseball Enthusiast: 4/27/2015 Indianapolis Indians 7, Louisville Bats 6

Monday, April 27, 2015

4/27/2015 Indianapolis Indians 7, Louisville Bats 6

Louisville Slugger Field, Louisville, KY

Game 1 of 3

Chihiro and I are back, just a couple of weeks after our first attempt at a game here this season was stalled by a rainout. It's still a bit early in the season to rely too much on standings, but Louisville is not playing so well and Indianapolis is one game behind Columbus to lead the IL West Division. What's troubling is that David Holmberg is starting for the Bats, he's 0-3 with an 11.27 ERA for the season so far; but there is hope...Chris Volstad, a haunting presence from my past, is starting for the Indians. Forget his record so far this season, he's a pitching train wreck - most of the time.

In other news, I get to see this guy tonight, so hey...what the heck!! PLAY BALL!

Ah, well...it was a close game, anyway. After the Indians chased Holmberg out with a 3-run 5th inning to take a 4-1 lead on the Bats, they Bats return the favor by chasing Volstad out of the same inning, at the bottom, eventually scoring 5 and taking a 6-4 lead on the Indians. Indy scores another run in the 6th, and the Bats are still on top of things when Sam LeCure enters the 7th. After facing 4 batters and not recording an out, his 2 runs allowed give the Indians a lead that will remain until the final out. Florimon leads the Indians in total bases with 3, and scores 2 of their 7 runs.

Pedro Florimon faces David Holmberg in the 1st

Ivan De Jesus Jr versus Chris Volstad...the result, a 2-out triple

In the 5th, with one on and one out, Florimon doubles off Holmberg; here is is racing to 3rd on Jose Tabata's opposite field seeing-eye single...

If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that Florimon's feet never touched the ground...

Volstad and former Royal Irving Falu in the bottom of the 5th; Falu would strike out swinging for the second out (stranding Bryson Smith at 2B). Three batters and 2 runs later, Volstad would be lifted for AJ Morris.

De Jesus faces Morris in the 6th

For me, the highlight of the game was an off-the-field event. Last year, my oldest daughter Kei and I were unexpectedly 'featured' on the Kiss Cam, to which my reaction was non-chalant (I was tallying pitches on my scoresheet) and hers was nothing short of morbid embarrassment.

In the middle of the 6th, with apparently not enough folks in attendance, Chihiro and I were featured, again unexpectedly, on the Kiss Cam. Of course, I'm a little too absorbed to notice.

"Hey Dad, look!! That's us!"

No morbid embarrassment this time around...instead, we both launch into a KISS CAM HIGH FIVE

BOOM!!

All the LOLzzz

It's hard for me to determine who won the Mystery Rookie Card game tonight, but if I were to establish #sparkle as a criteria, then I certainly won, hands down. I selected this adorable 2011 Topps Update US112 Lonnie Chisenhall Cognac Diamond Anniversary variant.

Chisenhall was a 4th round pick by the Cleveland Indians in the 2008 Draft (he was drafted by the Pirates in 2006, but did not sign) and made his MLB debut with the Indians on June 27, 2011 after appearing in 66 games for the AAA Columbus Clippers to start the season. Sure, I saw a lot of the Clippers that year, but only after Chisenhall had been called up. He's been shipped back to Columbus every year since his debut, and has averaged a nut hair under 0.9 WARP in 5 seasons. This card probably has more career WARP than Chisenhall.

Speaking of WARP, even Chisenhall's career value is higher than Jordan Pacheco's. Chisenhall's card has more value as well, and much more #sparkle.

This 2012 Topps Pacheco RC comes after Pacheco's MBL debut during the September expanded roster call-ups in 2011. He was a 9th round pick by the Rockies in 2007, and while he didn't blow cars apart during his movement through the Rockies' system he showed a lot of spunk and grit, I suppose. His most formidable MLB campaign occurred during the 2012 season, when he played in 132 games and compiled a .309/.341/.421 slash line. His 3.3 VORP that season was his highest in his 6 MLB seasons so far, and his only MLB VORP that wasn't at least -1.6. In June of 2014 he was placed on waivers by Colorado and was subsequently claimed by the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he compiled a .259/.315/.327 slash line and averaged just over -0.2 WARP. Pacheco is currently a free agent, and is no doubt looking forward to a robust minor league contract in 2016. My favorite thing about Pacheco is that his last name makes me think "Pachuco."

My scoresheets, using my pitch-counting method! Read about it HERE, download the scoresheets for free HERE!