Former Chukars climbing organizational ladder

As the Kansas City Royals’ full-season minor league clubs open their 2010 campaigns today, loads of former Chukars find themselves on opening-day rosters up and down the organization.

Billy Butler still remains the only former Chukar on the Kansas City Royals’ roster, but five sit one step below at Triple-A. And the Royals just placed two of them, right-handed pitcher Blake Wood and outfielder Jordan Parraz, on the 40-man roster to start the MLB season, making them the most likely to get called up next.

Moving down the organizational ladder, more and more former Chukars appear on opening-day rosters.

The Chukars are the Royals’ highest affiliate to play a short season and don’t open the season until June 21. Four clubs are higher on the organizational ladder and play a full-season schedule, which starts today.

A full list of former Chukars opening the season on Royals-affiliated clubs is below. The year they played in Idaho Falls is listed in parenthesis.

Caldwell sent home; Dwyer joins Chukars

The Chukars made a pair of roster moves Wednesday as outfielder Allen Caldwell left the team to recover from a shoulder injury at his home in South Carolina and fourth-round draft pick Chris Dwyer, a left-handed pitcher out of Clemson, was added to the pitching staff.

Dwyer’s selection by the Kansas City Royals was a historical one. The lefty became the first player drafted out of a four-year college after his freshman year.

According to the rules of the First-Year Player Draft, a player from a four-year college must have finished their junior season or be 21 years old. Dwyer was born April 10, 1988. A freshman had not been selected, or even been eligible, since the draft was instituted in 1965.

The Massachusetts native made 17 starts for Clemson in 2009, finishing 5-6 with a 4.92 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 86 innings.

Caldwell leaves the Chukars after being the mainstay in right field for most of the 2009 season. In his second professional season, and first in the Pioneer League, Caldwell hit .255 in 41 games. Caldwell had 11 extra-base hits and he had 17 walks compared to 22 strikeouts. The strong-armed southpaw will see the Royals team doctor in Arizona later this month and is expected to be ready in time for the Royals Fall Instructional League.

Chukars roll to third straight over Billings

If only the Idaho Falls Chukars played the Billings Mustangs every night.

The Chukars swept the first three games of a four-game series against Billings with a 11-2 romp Wednesday night.
The Chukars hope to sweep the series tonight at 7:15 p.m.

For the Chukars (4-4 for the second half, 24-20 overall), the swing has given much needed momentum as the Chukars try to keep up with the streaking (7-1 for the second half). For Billings (3-5, 15-31) the loss was more of the same.

The Chukars outscored Billings 22-8 in the three games.

The Chukars outhit Billings only 11-10, but benefited from 10 walks issued by Billings pitchers.

Centerfielder Hilton Richardson, who was recently moved to leadoff from the No. 9 hole, did exactly what leadoff hitter should do: get on base. Richardson finished 1-for-1 with four walks and two runs. He’s hitting .325 on the season.

Richardson, who has batted leadoff most of his career, said he’s relishing time back at the top of the order.
“It’s nice to get back and comfortable in that roll,” Richardson said. I had to get back inot the mindset not only of not being a free swinger, but being in the mindset of getting on base, on scoring runs.”

Left fielder Julio Aparicio, who has struggled at the plate most of the season, posted his second-straight big game, batting 3-for-4 with a monster solo home run to straightaway centerfield.

Aparicio has batted 5-for7 in the two games to raise his season average from .192 over the Mendoza Line to .220.
Right fielder Allen Caldwell batted 3-for 5 with two runs and two RBIs.

Chukars starter Nick Wooley picked up the win despite giving up nine hits in six innings thanks in part to the Chukars defense, which posted its third straight error-free game. With only one strikeout, Wooley didn’t miss many bats. Billings put the leadoff batter on bas four of the six innings Wooley pitched, but only once did the baserunner come around to score.

Reliever Scott Kelley pitched for the first time since joining the team this week. Kelley struck out three, walked two and gave up a hit over the final three scoreless innings.

The game was also the first appearance with the Chukars for catcher/first baseman Joey Lewis, who batted sixth as the designated hitter. Lewis finished 1-for-4 with a run scored.

Chukars lose another one-run game

Ben Theriot

The Idaho Falls Chukars wrapped up its six-game road trip Saturday with what else but a one-run game.

The Chukars came out on the wrong side with a 4-3 loss at Ogden in its fifth one-run game of the trip and fourth one-run loss. The sixth game of the road trip was a two-run win in Orem and all three games in Ogden finished with a 4-3 final.

“It was a tough series,” Chukars manager Darryl Kennedy said. “All three games were close. They could have gone either way. We could have swept and they could have swept us.”

While two of the losses on the road trip came directly from errors that lead to unearned, winning runs, the Chukars defense shined Saturday.

Allen Caldwell

With Ogden leading 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth and loading the bases with nobody out, right fielder Allen Caldwell did his best Carlo Testa impression. He caught a fly ball for the first off and then threw home to nail Ogden’s Brian Cavazos-Galvez trying to score on a sacrifice fly. Catcher Ben Theriot held onto the throw as Cavazos-Galvez plowed into him.

“That was real big,” Theriot said. “It was a perfect throw. It definitely put some momentum on our side.”

The throw was eerily similar to Testa throwing out a runner at the plate Friday night to preserve a one-run win.

Instead of a big inning for the Ogden, the league’s No. 1 offense, the Chukars stayed in the game trailing 1-0.

Caldwell doubled in the sixth to bring home Angel Franco and give Idaho Falls a 2-1 lead, but the wildness of its pitcher eventually caught up to the Chukars.

A Santiago Garrido four-pitch leadoff walk in the sixth turned out to be the tying run at 2-2 and a Ryan Morgan leadoff walk came around to score the game-winning run in the seventh.

But despite his team’s 2-4 record to start the second half, Kennedy is pleased with the way his team is playing.

“I know some think it’s hard to believe when you’re 2-4 that you’re playing good baseball,” Kennedy said. “But we played three outstanding ball games in Ogden. We’ve just got to keep playing the way we’ve playing the last three and take it to the next team.”

The Chukars are off Sunday before hosting a four-game series against Billings starting Monday.

Unearned run puts Ogden over Chukars 4-3

For the third time in four days, the Idaho Falls Chukars lost a one-run game, this time on the road 4-3 to the Ogden Raptors on Thursday.

The go-ahead runs in all three losses came from unearned runs for the struggling Chukars, who have lost eight of their last 11.

“It feels like its slipping away,” Chukars right fielder Allen Caldwell said. “We’re right there eighth and ninth inning. Right now, we’re having a hard time closing it.”

Unlike the previous two losses, when the Chukars committed a total of eight errors, the defense committed only one error. However, because shortstop Deivy Batista’s throwing error allowed the go-ahead run to score in the bottom of the eighth, the Chukars picked an unlucky time for a slipup.

Chukars manager Darryl Kennedy said the Chukars played a solid game despite the loss.

“Errors are going to happen,” Kennedy said. “Unfortunately, the error came in eighth to cost us go-ahead run. But that’s going to happen. We talked about it afgter the game tonight, and that wasn’t even mentioned. We have to move forward, keep playing like we did tonight.”

Chukars starter Pernell Halliman and reliever Nick Wooley were handed the tough task of keeping Ogden’s offense in the park. Ogden leads the Pioneer League with 55 homers, 14 more than second-place Missoula. Not only that, but 40 m.p.h. gusts were blowing directly out of the park most of the night.

But Halliman and Wooley kept the ball down, kept Ogden in the yard and kept Idaho Falls in the game. The pair combined for three earned runs on eight hits while striking out eight and walking three.

Kennedy said his pitchers overcame a difficult circumstance.

“When I walked into the clubhouse, if you would have told me there would be no home runs, I’d have said you were crazy,” Kennedy said.

The Chukar offense did its part, outhitting Ogden with 10 base hits. Caldwell hit a fly that turned into a wind-assisted RBI triple as well as a rocket double needing no assistance to finish 2-for-4 on the day.

In fact, the bottom of the Chukars lineup did the bulk of the damage. The No. 6-9 hitters, Caldwell, Julio Aparicio, Tito Espinosa and Ryan Stovall, combined to hit 7-for-14 with three doubles, a triple and two RBIs.

Chukars take thriller 8-7 over Ogden

The Idaho Falls Chukars won a see-saw battle, taking a come-from-behind 8-7 win over the Ogden Raptors Saturday night at Melaleuca Field.

The night saw plenty of excitement.

The lead changed hands four times before the eighth inning.

In the fourth, Ogden cleanup hitter Jerry Sands took exception to a fastball thrown by Chukars starter Nick Wooley. Sands, who is second in the Pioneer League with 11 homers, turned on the pitch and send it arcing high over not only the left field wall, but the left field foul pole. That tied the game at two.

That was exciting.

The Chukars did some damage in the sixth inning. With two runners on, Deivy Batista ran the count full and fouled off a pitch. Then he fouled off four more. On the ninth pitch of the at bat, Batista roped a single between short and third, scoring two runs and pulling the Chukars and tying the game at five. That was exciting.

Allen Caldwell tied the game at 7-7 in the seventh with a 2-RBI single. Then Caldwell tied the game when he raced home from third on a wild pitch.

That was exciting.

Chukars manager Daryll Kennedy lost his mind in the top of the seventh inning. The umpire broke up a mound meeting, and Kennedy took exception to something. Who knows what. The ump gave Kennedy the heave-ho as Kennedy continued to adamantly express his opinion. He felt strongly.

That was exciting.

Then Kennedy kicked dirt on home plate before making the long, slow walk down the first base line to the Chukars clubhouse.

That was exciting too.

In the top of the ninth, Chukars relief pitcher Patrick Keating was handed the task of putting the three hour, 37 minute saga to rest. After striking out Kyle Orr, he surrendered a single to Blake Smith. But catcher Salvador Perez gunned down the thieving-minded Orr at second base, and Keating struck out Bryant Hernandez to earn the win.

And that was exciting.

Chance at first half title slips away as Chukars lose 4-1 to Ogden

The Idaho Falls Chukars lost a shot to win the Pioneer League South Division first half title Friday by losing 4-1 to the Ogden Raptors at Melaleuca Field.

Ogden (23-13) secured the first half crown with the win. The Chukars (19-15) needed to sweep the three-game home series from Ogden, but the Chukars were mathematically eliminated by losing the series opener.
Ogden secured a berth in the playoffs by winning the first-half title. The Chukars can advance by winning the second half title. Or, if Ogden repeats as second half champion, the Chukars can advance by finishing with the second-best complete-season record in the four-team division.

Ogden took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI sacrifice fly by Brian Cavazos-Galvez and an RBI double by Gorman Erickson. After giving up three hits in the first, Chukars starter John Lamb settled down, striking out the side in the second.

As it turned out, a two run head start was all Ogden needed.

Three Ogden hitters held the Chukars to five hits. Ogden issued five walks but allowed one or zero baserunners in seven innings.

The lone Chukars run came when Salvador Perez scored Franco on a groundout in the third.

That inning was one of several squandered opportunities. Following a walk by Angel Franco and a double by Carlo Testa, the Chukars had runners on the corners with only one out. But Perez grounded out, and Tito Espinosa struck out to end the inning.

In the first inning, the Chukars made use of two walks, a single and a hit batter to load the bases. But Franco was caught stealing, giving away the second out, and Allen Caldwell struck out to kill the threat.

Luck was against the Chukars in the eighth. Down three runs, the Chukars again had runners on the corners with one out. Tito Espinosa, the tying run, fouled off several two-strike pitches, then hit the ball sharply but directly to the Ogden third baseman. The ensuing double play preserved the 4-1 Ogden lead.

The Chukars play Ogden Saturday and Sunday night at 7:15 at Melaleuca Field.

Chukars fall two games back with 2-0 loss

The Chukars fell two games out of the division lead Tuesday with a 2-0 loss at Melaleuca Field to the Orem Owlz.

The Chukars could only muster four hits of Orem’s pitching trio of Garrett Richards, Patrick Corbin and Jonathan Garret to suffer its second shutout of the season.

Corbin picked up the win and was particularly impressive, throwing five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out five. He and Garret’s seven scoreless innings out of the pen extended the Orem’s bullpen scoreless streak to 22 consecutive innings for.

Tuesday night problems were the opposite of Idaho Falls’ woes on the road, where it went averaged 6.4 runs a game. The trouble was a pitching staff that allowed eight runs a game and the club went 2-3.

But on Tuesday, despite giving up 10 hits and having the defense surrender three errors, pitchers Justin Garcia, Carlos Arias, Aneidy Toribio and Mitch Hodge combined to strand 11 runners and hold Orem to two runs.

“They pitched a good ball game,” Chukars manager Darryl Kennedy said. “They didn’t deserve to lose. But still, we’re making too many stupid mistakes, everywhere, the whole game, too many stupid mistakes.”

But fixing one problem to trade it for another isn’t helpful when Ogden, the current division leader, is pulling off eight-run eighth innings for a comeback win in Casper to extend its division lead.

The Chukars held a team meeting for 20 minutes in center field after the game.

Orem’s only runs came via its No. 9 hitter, Travis Witherspoon. Witherspoon, who went to high school and college with Chukars outfielder Allen Caldwell, tripled into the left-field corner to lead off the fifth inning of Arias.

The next batter, Jean Segura, grounded out to Angel Franco at second, allowing Witherspoon to score and make it 1-0.

Segura doubled in the third inning and singled in the ninth to extend his hitting streak to 21 games, 11 off the league record of 32.

Witherspoon struck again in the sixth inning. After third baseman J.D. Alfaro threw out a runner at home plate, Witherspoon followed with his second triple in as many innings. This time it went into the right-field corner, bringing home catcher Braulio Pardo.

The Chukars squandered their best run-scoring opportunity in the top of the eighth, when Angel Franco doubled with one out. But Alfaro and Deivy Batista both promptly struck out on a diet of low-and-away sliders from Garret.

Box score

Five-run seventh pulls Chukars even with Ogden

Ben Theriot

The Chukars trailed 7-3 entering the seventh inning before scoring five runs with two outs to pull even with the Ogden Raptors at top the Pioneer League’s South Division.

After Ogden pitcher Antonio Castillo walked Tito Espinosa and Allen Caldwell to load the bases, Ogden pulled Castillo for Fredy Quintero. Quintero induced Julio Aparicio into a line out for the second out.

But catcher Ben Theriot ignited the rally with a two-run single into center field. Second baseman Ryan Stovall followed with the big blow, a triple to center field that brought home two more runs and tied the game. An inning earlier, Stovall, who went 2-for-5, recorded his first hit in his first start as a Chukar since joining the team Thursday. He was 0-for-2 in two pinch-hit at-bats entering the game.

But Stovall wasn’t done. With Marvin Cooper at the plate, Ogden catcher Jeremy Wise let a pass ball slip by and Stovall scored the go-ahead run.

Theriot, who went 3-for-5, extended his hitting streak to eight games in limited playing time.

Left-handed pitcher John Lamb gave up five hits and five runs (three earned) 4.2 innings in his first outing with the Chukars. Ryan Morgan relieved him in the fifth only to give up a walk and then a three-run home run to Chris Jacobs.

Ryan Stovall

But that was the last time Ogden would score as right-hander Cole White threw three shutout innings for the win. He allowed one hit, walked one and struck out one.

Patrick Keating allowed two runners to reach base in the ninth before recording his second save of the season.

At 18-11, the Chukars move into a tie with the Ogden Raptors (19-12) in first place of the South Division. Remember, because the Chukars didn’t make up two games with Casper, winning percentage will not be the tiebreaker if both teams remain tied after the first-half finale August 2. Head-to-head record will instead serve as the first tiebreaker.

The Chukars finish up a three-game series in Ogden at 7 p.m. Monday before returning home for three games against Orem, and then closing out the first half with three games at home against Ogden.

Morales’ triple caps Chukars comeback

The Chukars avenged their worst loss of the season Thursday night with a gritty, come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Helena Brewers Thursday at Melaleuca Field.

For the Chukars (13-7), the win was a bizzaro world version of the 17-5 loss to Helena the night before.
Instead of an enabling performance by the pitching staff, the Chukars hurlers were stingy, working out of bases loaded jams three times.

Instead of noodles, the Chukars swung hardwood when it counted, knocking seven hits after the fourth inning.
The biggest blow was struck by first baseman Jason Morales. Trailing 3-2 in the eighth inning, Morales turned on a first-pitch fastball and sent it bouncing inside the chalk down the third base line and into the corner in left. The triple brought home two runs and capped a gritty comeback, the Chukars eighth come-from-behind win of the season.
Morales said that from the moment the ball left his bat he knew it was fair.

“With guys in scoring position, I was just trying to swing at anything around the plate,” Morales said. “I got a hold of it good. I just had to get on my horse to try to get three.”

Morales’ triple capped an inning of superb hitting by the middle of the Chukars order. Allen Caldwell led off the inning by fighting of an inside pitch the other way into left field. The next batter, Hilton Richardson, hit a grounder in the neighborhood of short. But since Caldwell was in motion, the Helena shortstop was covering second and watched as the grounder trickled into the outfield.

That brought up Morales, who got the job done.

“’That was a great comeback,” Chukars manager Daryll Kennedy said. “A great job by the middle of the order. Guys kept fighting. We made some things happen and found some holes.”

In his first start of the season, Pernell Halliman pitched four excellent innings for the Chukars. Halliman struck out five and walked two without giving up a run. Helena put together three hits off of Halliman and loaded the bases twice. But Halliman got out of the jams with a strikeout and a lazy fly ball.

Deivy Batista, Caldwell and Richardson each had two hits for the Chukars.