It’s been a near certainty for weeks now, but now the playoffs are an absolute certainty for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. This week, members of the Fisher Cats continued a path they hope will lead to Major League Baseball. Here’s what’s been going on this week on that path 400 miles to Toronto.
Leading Off
At Portland
Monday, Aug. 20 – Portland 4, New Hampshire 3
Tuesday, Aug. 21 – Portland 3, New Hampshire 2
Vs. Portland
Wednesday, Aug. 22: Game 1 – New Hampshire 4, Portland 2
Wednesday, Aug. 22: Game 2 – New Hampshire 6, Portland 4
Vs. Binghamton
Thursday, Aug. 23 – Binghamton 6, New Hampshire 0
Friday, Aug. 24 – Binghamton 12, New Hampshire 9
Saturday, Aug. 25 – New Hampshire 9, Binghamton 7
Sunday, Aug. 26 – New Hampshire 7, Binghamton 1
With Saturday’s come-from-behind win coupled with a loss earlier in the evening by Reading, the Fisher Cats finally punched their ticket to the Eastern League playoffs, a near certainty for weeks that is now a reality for the first time since 2011.
Fisher Cats manager John Schneider says it will still be business as usual moving forward, but he also finds satisfaction on his squad’s performance so far this season.
“It’s awesome for the guys, it’s awesome for us as a staff. Playing postseason baseball is something you don’t take for granted and you try to enjoy it,” says Schneider. “For a season like this that isn’t split up into halves that you have to kind of grind through it and know you’re going to play in the playoffs is cool.
The Fisher Cats will face the Trenton Thunder in the Eastern Division Championship Series, with home field advantage yet to be decided.
It will be a rematch of sorts for several players on both teams, who faced each other in last year in Florida State League Playoffs as members of the Dunedin Blue Jays and Tampa Yankees.
Although he didn’t enter to close out Friday’s close contest, Schneider says that Travis Bergin is still firmly cemented as the Fisher Cats’ closer. However, other roles may shift around depending on need as well as other factors.
“A lot of it is going to be dictated by who’s available that night, how each guy is going and game situations,” he said. And in the minor leagues, even at this level, you can probably count on two hands the games you can really match up the way before the game.”
Schneider believes that how things play out depends largely on that day’s starting pitcher, although developmental directives from Toronto will also play a role in certain situations.
With just under 100 walks so far, Cavan Biggio has shattered the prior single season franchise record of 79, set by Ryan Schimpf in 2013. Biggio is also still just one dinger short of the single season franchise home run record (27, set by Chip Cannon in 2006 and again by Eric Thames in 2010) as well as Thames’ 104 RBI mark, which Biggio can surpass with another six RBI in New Hampshire’s final eight games.
Harold Ramirez also has a legitimate shot at surpassing the Travis d’Arnaud’s .311 average set in 2011. After Sunday, he leads the Eastern League at .311 with Bowie’s Corban Joseph nipping at his heels with a .309 average.
Fisher Cats of the Week
Batter: Max Pentecost – The late home run on Saturday was icing on the cake in what was an outstanding week for the Fisher Cat catcher. Pentecost got a hit in each of the five games he appeared in this week, getting multiple hits In three of them and collecting seven RBI.
Starting Pitcher: T.J. Zeuch – Five scoreless innings on Tuesday, one run in five innings on Sunday, six hits between the two appearances. Enough said there.
Relief Pitcher: Francisco Rios – With all due respect to Andrew Guillotte’s brief switch from the outfield to the mound during Friday’s ninth inning collapse, this week’s honors go to the oft-injured former starter. In a pair of appearances this week, he recorded 11 outs with no earned runs and twice as many strikeouts to walks.
Around the Horn
Aaron Sanchez made a brief rehab appearance during the trip to Portland, leaving to make way for the return of Danny Young a few days later. Josh DeGraaf and Justin Dillion moved on and off the disabled list respectively, with Ryan Hissey and Patrick Cantwell switching spots on the DL for the second week in a row.
Justin Dillon also returned for the disabled list shortly after Guillotte earned a trip up to Triple-A Buffalo.
On Deck
The Fisher Cats have one last road series this week in Portland before completing the regular season at home against Hartford.
