It's "Lima Time" in Norfolk
August 13, 2006

It was a pleasant evening last night at Norfolk’s Harbor Park, home of the Mets AAA team, the Norfolk Tides. After sweltering the last few weekends in 90+ degree heat and humidity, sitting in the stands overlooking the Elizabeth River was a real pleasure. The breeze blowing off the river was invigorating to say the least.

Harbor Park was opened in 1993 by the Tides, who beat the Ottawa Lynx 2-0, christening the brand new stadium in perfect fashion for the home team. The stadium was designed by HOK Sports Facilities Group of Kansas City, which also designed Camden Yards as well as other stadiums in use throughout the major and minor leagues. There was plenty of room on the concourses, the seats were wide and had plenty of legroom and I don’t think there was a bad seat in the house. Pity the poor Richmond Braves, who toil in the concrete mausoleum named The Diamond, where the best seats are aluminum benches. Some of them even tilt forward and down.

Last night's game between the Tides and Toledo Mud Hens featured a match up between former major leaguers Colby Lewis and Jose Lima. Lewis was the Rangers first round draft pick in 1999, as well as one of their top pitching prospects. He was claimed off the waiver wire by the Detroit Tigers after the 2004 season, when he underwent surgery to repair two tears in the rotator cuff of his pitching shoulder. After missing all of the 2005 season, Lewis returned to the majors earlier this year in a relief role before being optioned to AAA Toledo shortly thereafter.

Last night Lewis was throwing his fastball in the upper 80s and occasionally he was hitting 92 MPH. His fastball got up in the strike zone, which allowed the Tides to tee off on him in the fourth inning. Up to that point he had not allowed a hit. He also showed a changeup, which he threw in the mid to upper 70s and low 80s. His curve was in the mid 80s.

The Tides countered with veteran Lima, who was recently DFA’ed by the Mets and assigned to Norfolk. The 34-year-old Lima began pitching in the majors in 1994 as a member of the Detroit Tigers. He has seen MLB time with the Astros, Royals, Dodgers and Mets. In addition, he has played in the Independent Atlantic League with the Newark Bears. Lima was throwing his heater in the upper 80s last night and proved adept at spotting the ball until Josh Phelps caught up to him and crushed a home run over the center field fence.

The game began as a pitchers duel, with both teams’ offenses being held in check until the middle innings. In the bottom half of the fourth, the Tides reached Lewis for four runs and came within two hitters of batting around. The inning started with Ruben Gotay smoking a line drive single into left. He went to third when Jose Offerman pulled a ball into right for a single and scored when Victor Diaz knocked another single.

After Edgardo Alfonzo struck out, Bobby Malek pushed a ball into left which scored Offerman. Ryan Ludwick threw Diaz out at third with a nice throw to Mike Hesseman, who administered the tag in a close play. Chris Basek and Sandy Martinez continued the hit parade with a single and double, respectively. The inning mercifully ended when Lewis fanned Petersburg, Va. native Rashad Eldridge.

Lima kept the Mud Hens under control until the top of the sixth when Chris Shelton led off with a single to right. Phelps was up next and he teed off on a Lima fastball for his 21st home run of the season. After Mike Rabelo struck out, Dustin Mohr pulled a ground ball triple down the left field line which the home fans felt was foul.

After a visit to the umpire by Tides manager Ken Oberkfell, Jack Hannahan walked and Ludwick chased Lima with a double that scored both Mohr and Hannahan to tie the game. Oberkfell had seen enough and pulled Lima, who was ejected on his way to the dugout by the home plate umpire for continuing to dispute his call on Mohr’s triple. Lima put on a show for the hometown fans, walking slowly to the dugout on a path which angled toward home plate. Flapping his arms, gesturing and continuing to jaw jack the umpire the whole way, Lima raised the fans interest with his antics until he disappeared into the dugout for the evening. Mitch Wylie entered the game and restored order, shutting down the Mud Hens.

The game remained tied at four each until the bottom of the ninth when 36-year-old catcher, and former Mud Hen, Sandy Martinez hit a Chris Spurling offering over the right field fence for a walk-off home run.

Lots of prospects and former prospects on the field for both teams. Former Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians prospect Ludwick is still working to make it back from injuries, the latest being a knee injury which has required two surgeries in 2004. Some of his earlier health problems included a fracture in his hip joint which was screwed back together, an ulcer, and a broken arm which ended his 2005 season.

Shelton has just been sent down by the Tigers. After being selected in the 2004 Rule V draft from the Pirates, he split the 2004 season between Toledo and Detroit and then went to the AFL where he excelled. Last season was spent again between AAA and the majors. Shelton is carrying a .288 batting average in the majors with 19 homeruns.

Former number one pick Bobby Seay appeared in a relief role for the Mud Hens following Lewis. Seay was the White Sox’s top pick in the 1996 draft and after the deft work of Scott Boras, he became a free agent when the Sox failed to tender an offer to him within 15 days of the draft as required by the MLB collective bargaining agreement. He eventually signed with the Devil Rays and was traded to the Rockies for Reggie Taylor, became a free agent again and signed with the Tigers.

Former Brave Hesseman started at third for the Hens. Hesseman was a power hitting prospect when he played in the Braves organization and hit some tremendous shots while in Richmond. When the call came to Atlanta, major league pitchers found the hole in his swing and exploited it.

Leon Durham is the hitting coach for Toledo.

The Tides featured Edgardo Alfonzo, who started the season with the LA Angels of Anaheim, was cut after batting a mere .100, signed with the Blue Jays, got cut again and signed a minor league deal with his original team, the Mets.

Former Dodgers top prospect Offerman started at first for the Tides. Another ex-Dodger Steve Schmoll pitched out of the Norfolk bull pen. 2005 first rounder Mike Pelfrey is on the roster but is shown as a member of the disabled list. Pelfrey saw MLB action earlier this year as a member of the Mets rotation.

In addition, Tagg Bozied is a member of the Norfolk Tides. Bozied held the Arizona Fall League record for home runs until it was eclipsed by Brandon Wood last year. Bozied had a bright future as a slugger supreme until he broke his leg celebrating a game winning, grand slam home run during the 2004 season in Portland. Since then, he has labored to regain his stroke. The Mets signed him as a free agent this year when he was released by San Diego.

--- John Kazlo
(Kazlo is a diehard Orioles fan and Richmond Braves supporter from Virginia)