Fireflies Waste Ten Strikeout Effort From Thomas Szapucki In Tim Tebow's Last Game

Kannapolis Intimidators @ Columbia Fireflies

June 25, 2017

Blake Hickman @ Thomas Szapucki

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Kannapolis	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0		2	7	1
Columbia	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	4	1

W: Hickman (1-1, 2.64 ERA); L: Griffin (0-2, 3.24 ERA); Save: Foster (2)

Boxscore

Last game for Tebow with the Fireflies

The Stats:

Pitchers

Thomas Szapucki (2.82 ERA) – 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 2B, 3 TB, 2 BB, 10 K (4 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 2 GB: 4 FB: 2 LD, 85 Pitches (56 Strikes), 12 Swinging, 14 Called, 14.1% SwStr, 28.6% Whiff/Swing, 14.2 Pitches/IP, 21 BF

Cameron Griffin (3.24 ERA) – 1 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 2B, 5 TB, 1 FB: 3 LD: 2 PU, 25 Pitches (17 Strikes), 4 Called, 25 Pitches/IP, 6 BF

Matt Pobereyko (0.00 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 TB, 2 BB, 3 K (3 K/Sw), 1 GB, 25 Pitches (16 Strikes), 7 Swinging, 4 Called, 28% SwStr, 58.3% Whiff/Swing, 25 Pitches/IP, 6 BF

Joseph Zanghi (3.51 ERA) – 1 IP, 2 GB: 1 FB, 9 Pitches (7 Strikes), 1 Swinging, 1 Called, 11.1% SwStr, 16.7% Whiff/Swing, 9 Pitches/IP, 3 BF

Table 1 – Szapucki pitch stats by inning

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	Total
Total	16	15	21	12	10	11	85
Strikes	10	9	14	6	8	9	56
Swinging*	2	4	1	0	4	1	12

*14.1% Swinging strike rate; 28.6% Whiff/Swing rate

Batters

CF - Gene Cone - 1-4, 1 K, 9.5% SwStr, 22.2% Whiff/Swing, 5.25 Pitches/PA

SS - Andres Gimenez - 0-4, 1 R, 1 K, 1 SB, 16.7% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 4.5 Pitches/PA

2B - Luis Carpio - 1-4, 1 2B, 2 K, 8% SwStr, 15.4% Whiff/Swing, 6.25 Pitches/PA

1B - Dash Winningham - 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K, 11.1% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 4.5 Pitches/PA

RF - Jay Jabs - 0-3, 1 BB, 2.5 Pitches/PA

DH - Brandon Brosher - 0-3, 1 HBP, 3 K, 27.8% SwStr, 62.5% Whiff/Swing, 4.5 Pitches/PA

LF - Tim Tebow - 0-2, 1 BB, 2.33 Pitches/PA

C - Ali Sanchez - 1-3, 1 K, 5.9% SwStr, 11.1% Whiff/Swing, 5.67 Pitches/PA

3B - Milton Ramos - 0-3, 1 GIDP, 2 Pitches/PA

Carpio

Recapish

            The Columbia Fireflies wasted a top-notch performance from their new ace Sunday evening against Kannapolis, taking a 2-1 loss in a game that Thomas Szapucki went six scoreless innings with ten strikeouts. A double-digit strikeout performance is nothing new for the Mets top-pitching prospect, as he struck out 10+ in five of his nine starts between Kingsport and Brooklyn last year, but it’s still the first time he did it in full season ball. Szapucki took a no-hitter into the 6^th, and some great defense behind him in that frame helped him leave with a 1-0 lead. But then the Intimidators jumped ahead with two runs against the Cola bullpen in the 7^th, and that was the difference in the game.

            Although Szapucki’s first three starts of the season were plenty effective, he was still shaking off the rust from his injury, and so he didn’t mix in as many secondary’s – I’m guessing the Mets were limiting him as he came back. If there had been any Mets imposed limitations for his first three starts, they were lifted before this start, because he came out throwing his full repertoire at the Intimidators (basically).

Szapucki is low-to-mid 90’s with his heater, has a nasty little curve, a changeup, and will throw a slider, but not often (don’t think it made an appearance Sunday, can’t be 100% without the unavailable PITCHF/x data or talking to Szapucki). He does not work at a quick pace, instead preferring a deliberate approach so he can bring more focus to each pitch. He came out and struck out the side in the 1^st on 16 pitches.

K #1

K #2

K #3

            The Fireflies then went out and got their starter a run in the 1^st on a pair of singles and a stolen base. Gene Cone led off the frame with a single, but was replaced on the bases by Andres Gimenez after a fielder’s choice. Gimenez would steal second base and then come around to score on a Dash Winningham single. The Cola offense then went ice cold, not collecting another hit until the 6^th inning.

Cone

Dash

            Given the way Szapucki was pitching, it didn’t matter early on that the Fireflies weren’t able to add on against Kannapolis, as they already held the lead, and 1-0 looks like 100-0 when your ace is shoving. Szapucki issued a walk in both the 3^rd and 4^th innings, but the second base runner was erased on a double play. He struck out Zach Remillard in the 2^nd, Daniel Gonzalez and Luis Gonzalez in the 3^rd, Mitch Roman in the 4^th, and then Brandon Dulin and Remillard again in the 5^th.

Cone in CF

K #4

K #5

K #6

K #7

543

Mechanics

K #8

K #9

            The Kannapolis 6^th inning started with a hot shot that got through third base baseman Milton Ramos, so everyone looked to the scoreboard to see whether it would break up the no-hitter. Eventually a one did appear on the board, but under the error column, which made the crowd happy. Unfortunately, the no-no bid would only last another two batters, and there was no question whether Luis Gonzalez’s double to center was indeed a hit. Fortunately for Columbia, Daniel Gonzalez (at second after the error and a sac bunt) held up a step too much on the play in case Gene Cone caught it in CF (his reputation is growing!), and he would be thrown out trying to score on the play. Cone recovered the ball quickly, made a strong throw to Andres Gimenez, and he made a perfect throw to the plate just in time for the out. After a huge play like that behind him, Szapucki responded by striking out Aaron Schnurbusch to end his outing.

Error

First out

K #10

            Luis Carpio doubled for Columbia leading off the 6^th, but he would be stranded at third, thanks in part to a pair of Cola strikeouts during the frame.

            Cameron Griffin came out for the Cola 7^th and quickly recorded two outs on pop ups to the left side of the infield. Unfortunately, the next four batters strung together three singles and a double, which gave Kannapolis a 2-1 lead. The inning might’ve snowballed further, but Daniel Gonzalez was again thrown out at home, this time by just Gene Cone and it ended the frame.

Griffin

            Ali Sanchez had the final Columbia hit of the game in the 7^th. Tim Tebow, who was promoted to St. Lucie after the start, was left in the on-deck circle when the game ended. The baseball fan in me was 100% expecting him to at least get a chance to be the hero in his final AB with the Fireflies, but it was not meant to be.

            Matt Pobereyko and Joseph Zanghi worked a pair of scoreless innings to finish the pitching side of this game for Columbia. Pobereyko struck out three more batters during his frame, though he did run into a little trouble as well. Two two-out walks and an infield single loaded the bases before he responded with his third strikeout.

K #1

K #2

K #3

Dash won the dash to first

Ramos at third

            After dropping three of four to Kannapolis, the Fireflies head on the road to Lexington to start a series with the Legends. No starter was listed for Monday’s game in the Cola notes, so I’m guessing it’s someone not on the roster (maybe Placido Torres or Luis Silva).

  

📡We are not alone, the Chilean Andes🏔️ are our companions. Photo by @BabakTafreshi #landscape pic.twitter.com/5a52v8pRKg

— ALMA Observatory (@almaobs) June 25, 2017