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Muckdogs Win Big in Seventh Straight Win

By Mollie Radzinski

The Muckdogs (26-16) offense scored ten two-out runs with fourteen total hits in the game to take down the State College Spikes (9-32) by a score of 12-7.  Arquimedes Nieto got the start, going four and two-thirds innings with six hits, three runs, one walk and three strikeouts.  LaCurtis Mayes (2-0) pitched two-thirds of a scoreless ball to get the win.  State College’s Maurice Bankston (0-5) suffered the loss in his four and two-thirds innings with nine hits, six runs and a walk and a strikeout.

Batavia jumped off to an early lead in the 1st on a Jermaine Curtis single and Shane Peterson double.  They added another in the 3rd when Jose Garcia doubled, stole third and scored on a double-play ball.  The Spikes got on the board in the 4th after Jeremy Farrell reached on an error, advanced on a wild pitch, then came around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Andrew Biela.  They took the lead in the next inning when Andy Vasquez singled and scored on Chase D’Arnaud’s double.  The bases were then loaded and D’Arnaud scored when Biela was hit by a pitch.

But the Muckdogs wouldn’t stay down long, as they rallied for five runs in both the 5th and 6th innings.  In the 5th, Charley Cutler singled, Curtis walked and Peterson had a RBI double.  Jon Edwards then hit two in on a single before Domnit Bolivar doubled and Frederick Parejo singled to score the other two runs.  In the next inning, the bases were loaded and a run was scored after Garcia singled, Colt Sedbrook was hit by a pitch and Peterson and Edwards had back-to-back walks.  Bolivar then singled to plate two.  Batavia’s last two runs scored when Parejo reached on a throwing error.

State College tried to rally back in the 8th, scoring four runs with the help of four Muckdog errors, but it was not enough.  Batavia goes for the sweep and their eighth win in a row tonight at 7:05.  Ryan Howard bobble-heads will be given away to the first 500 in attendance.

Muckdogs continue hot streak

By Howard B. Owens

A gallon of gas is $4. A ticket to the Muckdogs is only $5. Conclusion? Why waste a lot of money on gas when you could  stick close to home for some inexpensive fun tonight at  Dwyer and watch the NY-Penn league's hottest team.

Batavia smacked down the Spikes last night 12-7, to move the team's record to 26-16.  The Muckdogs are a game behind Jamestown in the race for the Pinckney Division crown. The team also has the second best record in the entire NY-Penn league.

Tonight's game against lackluster State College is scheduled for 7:05  p.m. Tomorrow's game against Williamsport is at 4:05 p.m.

Big time banker has roots in Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

Slate profiles Ronald Hermance Jr., CEO of Hudson City Bancorp. Hudson is based in Jersey, but Hermance is originally from Batavia.

Despite the proximity to Manhattan, Hermance and his 140-year-old bank have never been part of the fast-money Wall Street scene. And thanks to its geographic and cultural distance, this bridge-and-tunnel bank has thrived amid the mortgage debacle.

Hudson City in late July reported that second-quarter profits were up 52.3 percent. In the 2008 first half, mortgage originations rose 50 percent from 2007. And yet its balance sheet is pristine. "Only 328 out of 79,929 loans are nonperforming at the end of the second quarter," he said. (But who's counting?) Last Thursday, Hudson City sported a market capitalization of $9.46 billion, twice the size of the Blackstone Group.

...

Hudson City banks the old-fashioned way: It takes deposits and makes mortgages to people who buy homes in which they plan to live. And then it hangs on to them. No subprime, no securitization. Hudson City's bankers are steady daters in a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am era. "We don't have Wall Street bundle up the mortgages and sell them to someone in Norway," Hermance says. "We're going to live with those loans."

...

CNBC's motormouth James Cramer has dubbed Hermance a modern-day George Bailey. And while it has been a wonderful life of late for Hermance (last year he was paid a total of $8.45 million, and his shares in the bank are worth about $114 million, according to Hudson City's 2007 proxy), comparisons between the balding, mustachioed banker and Jimmy Stewart only go so far.

It's a fascinating story even if the world of high finance isn't your thing. Read the whole thing.

jack veach memorial to run today at genesee speedway-full stock car program

By chris johnson


DIRT Pro Stock Tour Group to Race in Jack Veach
Memorial at Genesee Speedway

WHAT: As part of a regional racing series, the best of the Pro Stock racers from Western New York and Southern Ontario will be showing their superior racing abilities on the1/3rd mile oval track at Genesee Speedway in Batavia. The racing program begins at 6pm with 5 others classes competing in addition to the Jack Veach Memorial Pro Stock event. The spectator gates open at 5pm

Jack Veach was a well-known racing official in this area, respected by competitors and his peers alike. Jack passed away two years ago July 11th, from cancer. He left a legacy in his wife, Bonnie, son John and daughter Dawn who have continued on in Jack’s spirit at the Speedway.

Race fans and drivers alike have a well-earned reputation of taking care of their own. Cancer is a disease that touches everyone no matter what their walk in life. This is a way for the racing community to show their unity in raising awareness in the fight against cancer.


WHEN/WHERE:
Saturday, August 2, 2008
• The racing program begins at 6:00 p.m.
Genesee Speedway
5058 East Main Street, Rt. 5 – Batavia at the Genesee County Fairgrounds

WHO:
• Race fans
• Cancer survivors, Caregivers, and their families
• The Community

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
###

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives,
diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. The American
Cancer Society Eastern Division has 46 community-based offices, involving thousands of volunteers throughout NY
and NJ. For 24-hour cancer information, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org/nynj

 

 

 

 

Bidding adieu to Main Street Coffee

By Philip Anselmo

All good things must come to an end.

I don't know about you, but I've seen that maxim proved time and again in my life. Like when they took Duck Tales off the air. Or when I discovered that Santa Claus was not a resident of the North Pole, but, in fact, my grandmother's hairy neighbor who smelled of bottom-shelf scotch and foot cream. Nice guy, though.

Well, it's about to happen again.

Main Street Coffee is closing shop. Yes, that's right. Everybody's favorite hometown proprietor, Rob Credi, is saying goodbye to No. 111 Main Street, perhaps as soon as September. He has not confirmed the closing date for the cafe, but the month-long music festival farewell kicks off tonight and ends in a blowout on Saturday, August 30.

Rob told me today that Main Street Coffee owes its success to the patrons who came back day after day, week after week to support good coffee and better people. That's what I found there, I can tell you that. Especially in Rob, who — no questions asked — let me settle in and make a table corner my office for more than two months, which I was happy to do. He served good coffee, cooked a mean breakfast sandwich and offered regularly hilarious commentary on the goings-on inside and outside the cafe.

I would urge anyone with a heart and a penchant for caffeinated beverages to stop by Main Street Coffee at least once in the next month.

Check back with The Batavian over the next couple weeks for exclusive video interviews with some of the band members performing at Main Street Coffee this month.

Where do your state taxes go?

By Philip Anselmo

A new Web site called See Through NY promises to deliver "a clearer view of how ... state and local tax dollars are spent" by quite literally connecting users with the state's financial tax data. Launched by the Empire Center for New York State Policy on Thursday, the site has already made quite a splash. When I visited it this morning, it took about ten minutes to load because the site traffic has been so overwhelming.

All visits to the site today come with this disclaimer:

Due to heavy traffic, SeeThroughNY is experiencing technical difficulties and may be performing slowly.  We apologize for this inconvenience and are taking every step to correct these issues as quickly as possible.

We anticipate full functionality by mid-day on Friday, if not sooner.

It's pretty simple to use the site. Say you want to find out about how much money a state employee earns. Click on the bright green Payrolls button, follow the links to search the state payroll database, and... Voila! Or, at least, it would be voila if the search wasn't "timed out" after every effort to browse the salaries of the legislative branch, for example.

You can do the same for information on Contracts and Expenditures — and the data seems comprehensive — when the site is working, that is.

An article from the Johnson News Service, published in today's Daily News goes a little more in depth, behind the scenes. Reporter Tom Wanamaker talks with several people, including a municipal journalist's best friend, Robert Freeman, the executive director of the state Committee on Open Government.

"Thirty years ago, 'high-tech' meant electric typewriters and carbon paper," Freeman told Wanamaker. Freeman went on to call the site a "treasure trove of information on how public money is spent."

Barbara Bartoletti, legislative director of the League of Women Voters of New York State, hopes the site will spark a "rich debate about how governments spend taxpayer money."

Just a thought: The timing for the site's launch seems almost too perfect considering the governor's recent announcement that the state will need to start cutting staff and services to avoid a complete fiscal meltdown. We can now see in the barest and most unforgiving of languages — mathematics — just how each and every person, project and contract stacks up. Is this a good thing? Or a bad thing?

Police Blotter: July 28 through July 31

By Philip Anselmo

All of the following calls were reported by the City of Batavia Police Department. Listed offenses do not imply that charges were filed. Calls may result in no official action.

Monday:

  • 12:58pm, 315 W. Main Street, accident
  • 1:10pm, Columbia Ave., accident
  • 3:29pm, 3 Treadeasy Dr., harassment
  • 4:01pm, 7 Central Ave., burglary
  • 5:11pm, 2 Olyn Ave., harassment
  • 9:25pm, 14 Union St., harassment

Tuesday:

  • 12:03am, 24 Porter Ave., harassment
  • 12:51pm, 260 State St., larceny
  • 2:21pm, 12 Ellicott St., harassment
  • 2:53pm, 8351 Lewiston Road, accident
  • 4:01pm, 5 Osterhout Ave., harassment

Wednesday:

  • 5:09am, 4 Swan St. (Lower Rear), burglary
  • 7:59am, 218 Ellicott St. (Lower), larceny
  • 2:27pm, 196 Oak St., accident
  • 5:26pm, 128 Jackson St., fraud
  • 6:18pm, 12 Oak St., criminal mischief
  • 8:37pm, 33 Dellinger Ave., reckless endangerment

Thursday:

  • 12:33am, 433 E. Main St. (Apt: 5), harassment
  • 9:16am, North Street, accident
  • 1:28pm, 419 W. Main St., accident
  • 5:11pm, W. Main Street, accident
  • 7:26pm, 115 S. Main St., larceny

Note: We don't include noise complaints, domestic disputes and routine police business.

Arrests: July 28 through July 30

By Philip Anselmo

State police reported the arrest of Michael A. Soliday, 30, of Niagara Falls, Monday in the town of Lewiston. Soliday was stopped on Route 31 shortly after 9:30pm and discovered to be driving without a license and allegedly under the influence. He was charged with driving while intoxicated and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation.

When police searched Soliday's vehicle, they allegedly discovered more than 20 ounces of marijuana, hydrocodone tablets, codeine pills and a hypodermic needle.

Soliday was subsequently charged with a felony count of criminal possession of marijuana, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and two counts of criminally possessing a hypodermic instrument. He was sent to Niagara County Jail on $5,000 bail.

Batavia city police charged 33-year-old Jodylynn Wetmore, of 33 Dellinger Ave., with second-degree reckless endangerment Wednesday afternoon. Police were told that Wetmore drove into someone standing in a driveway.

That same night, the Genesee County Local Drug Enforcement Task Force searched the apartment of 29-year-old Joshua S. Gaylord at 11 Wood St. (Lower), in Batavia, and allegedly found a third of an ounce of cocaine. He was charged with one felony count of third-degree and another of fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Officers then searched the upper apartment of 30-year-old Aaron J. Gaylord and allegedly found about an ounce of marijuana. Aaron Gaylord was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

All reports were issued in published releases by the respective departments.

News roundup: Charter Review Commission meets Monday

By Philip Anselmo

We're back! After an intensive three-day video training workshop in Fairport, Philip is back in Batavia, more capable than ever to get out there and record the news. In the meantime, here's what you'll find at WBTA this morning:

Batavia's Charter Review Commission will meet Monday at 6:30pm at City Hall.

Batavia families welcome some inner-city kids to the open country as part of the Fresh Air Fund experience.

Professional Turf Services breaks ground today on the company's 12,000-square-foot facility in Pembroke Commerce Park. The company based in Grand island and Lockport distributes fertilizer to golf courses.

Check out WBTA.com for more on these and other stories.

Oil boom fuels growth for Batavia-based Graham Corp.

By Howard B. Owens

High oil prices are pushing refinery upgrades and expansion, which is good news to Batavia-based Graham Corp. Its revenue and profits are soaring, reports the Buffalo News.

Graham is coming off a fiscal year where profits and sales were the highest ever by a wide margin. The company’s stock, which traded for just over $10 in January 2007, now stands at $89.

And Graham’s order backlog and new order bookings are running at a record pace, prompting Lines to predict that the company’s growth spurt is far from over, with sales expected to rise by another 15 percent to 20 percent during the fiscal year that began in March. That would push revenues to around $100 million for the first time ever.

The article indicates that Graham is continuing to expand its work force, at home and aboard.

Muckdogs Continue Win Streak to Six

By Mollie Radzinski

It was a back-and-forth game, but Batavia (25-16) prevailed to beat State College (9-31) 8-5.  Hector Cardenas (3-0) got the win on the mound, throwing two innings with two hits and three strikeouts.  Adam Reifer came in to pitch a scoreless 9th with two strikeouts for his twelfth save.  Rudy Owens (1-5) suffered the loss and blown save in three innings with five hits, four runs, one walk and two strikeouts.

 The Spikes scored first in the 3rd when Ciro Rosero hit a solo homerun.  Batavia answered back in the bottom of the inning on a Charley Cutler single and Jose Garcia double.  But the Spikes came back again in the 4th to score two.  Andrew Biela and Quincy Latimore both had singles then Miguel Mendez cleared the bases with a double.

 They added to their lead in the 5th when Chase D’Arnaud started off the inning when he reached on a throwing error.  Jeremy Farrell then singled before Latimore singled to plate the two.  However, the Muckdogs started their comeback in the bottom of the 5th on back-to-back-to-back doubles by Frederick Parejo, Cutler and Xavier Scruggs.  Scruggs came through to score on a throwing error later that inning.

 Batavia came through with the win in the bottom of the 8th after Jermaine Curtis, Shane Peterson and Jon Edwards all singled.  Peterson came through to score the go-ahead run when Cutler ground-out.  Scruggs added some insurance with a two run double.

 

Muckdogs Sweep Williamsport

By Mollie Radzinski

The Batavia Muckdogs ended their road trip strongly, taking all three games from the Crosscutters of Williamsport.  Here is a look at those games:

  • Monday, July 28: Batavia 4, Williamsport 3:  Ramon Delgado (2-1) got the start and win, going five innings with six hits, one run, one walk and four strikeouts.  Jameson Maj closed out the game and got his first save with four hits, two runs and four strikeouts in his four innings of work.  Jermaine Curtis went 1-for-4 with a three-run homerun.  Christian Rosa went 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
  • Tuesday, July 29: Batavia 6, Williamsport 4:  On the mound, Scott Gorgen (2-0) pitched five innings with three hits, one run and four strikeouts in his start for the win.  Adam Reifer let up two hits, one run and a walk in the 9th, but was still good enough to earn his eleventh save of the season.  Offensively, Frederick Parejo went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI.  Jon Edwards also had a multi-hit night, going 2-for-3.
  • Wednesday, July 30: Batavia 8, Williamsport 1:  The Muckdogs excelled in both parts of the game to complete the three-game sweep of the Crosscutters.  Thomas Eager (2-3) threw the first five innings with three hits, one run, four walks and three strikeouts to get the win.  George Brown was impressive in the last three innings, letting up only two hits and one walk with six strikeouts for his second save.  And the Batavia bats were hot, totaling twelve hits on the night.  Edwards went 1-for-5 and Xavier Scruggs went 1-for-4, each with a homerun and two RBI.  Shane Peterson went 1-for-4 with a double and three RBI.  Colt Sedbrook went 2-for-3 and Curtis went 3-for-5 with a stolen base.

Batavia is back in action tonight, starting a long homestand.  The State College Spikes come into town to play a three-game series.  The Muckdogs hope to keep-up their impressive stretch.  Here is where we stand right now:

  • We are on a 5 game winning streak, winning 8 of our last 10 games.
  • We are tied for 2nd with Auburn in the Pinckney Division, 2 games back of Jamestown.
  • Jermaine Curtis's .324 batting average is 7th in the New York Penn League (NYPL).
  • Arquimedes Nieto has record of 4-0 and an ERA of 1.41 to put him 2nd in the NYPL.
  • Thomas Eager is right behind him with a 2-3 record and 2.12 ERA to place him 5th in the NYPL.
  • Adam Reifer leads the NYPL with 11 saves.
  • The team is 3rd in batting, with an average of .262.
  • Colt Sedbrook is tied with two others for the league lead in triples; he has 5 on the season.

This week, we also lost pitcher Lance Lynn, as he was moved up to Quad Cities. Blake Murphy also got the call up and Louis De La Cruz has also left Batavia.  However, Nick Vera is back on the roster and new infielder Brett Lilley has joined the team.  Lilley, oringinally from North Canton, Ohio, went to school at Notre Dame.  He has a .308 batting average with Johnson City.

Stay tuned for more information on games, players and everything else Muckdogs!

For All You Muckdog Fans...

By Mollie Radzinski

First, I want to let you all know that Lance Lynn was moved up to Quad Cities.  He had a great start on the road, going four innings with seven strikeouts.  We all wish him the best of luck!

We have a long homestand coming up starting this Thursday.  Here is some info on those games:

July 31-August 2: State College

  • Thursday- Team Photo Giveaway
  • Friday- Launch-a-ball to benefit the Hillside Family of Agencies; post-game fireworks
  • Saturday- Ryan Howard Bobblehead giveaway to the first 500 fans

August 3-August 4: Williamsport

  • Sunday- Game starts at 4:05; dog bowl giveaway to the first 500 fans, courtesy of Invisible Fence; post-game run the bases
  • Monday- "First Pitch Fly In" to benefit Mercy Flight; Muckdog Monday presented by the Daily News

August 6 & August 8: Auburn

  • Wednesday- Doubleheader starting at 5:05; Genesee County ARC Night; reusable shopping bag giveaway courtesy of Genesee County ARC; Family Four Pack
  • Friday- Launch-a-ball to benefit the Hillside Family of Agencies; post-game fireworks

Keep checking in for game updates! I will have video after each home series! I hope to have a few player one-on-one interviews up during this homestand, too! Hope to see you at the ballpark!

Training today

By Philip Anselmo

Note: The Batavian will not be posting a Daily News roundup this afternoon. We will be in video training all morning and afternoon. Please, if you see any news, report it. Get on the site, post a blog, put up video. We'll be back in full force soon.

Fiscal crisis means state legislators get called back to work

By Philip Anselmo

I've liked Gov. David Paterson since the first time I saw him. He's erudite, knows his facts, and he's got a sense of humor and a capacity for reason that about every other politician in the state, and many across the country, lacks to a fault. I'm not well versed enough in the political scene to get much more into my appreciation than that. That is, I can't say with any real authority if he's doing well or poorly at his job, though I would cautiously lean towards the former.

Proof:

Now that the news is out that the state accrued another $1.4 billion in debt over the past 90 days, he's calling our legislators back to work. How could the state be $1.4 billion in debt? City Council President Charlie Mallow alluded to it some the other day, in a comment appended to our initial story about the impending fiscal crisis, when he said that there are simply far too many special interest groups hankering after a piece of the pie. What looms is a question that ought to have been asked a long time ago in this state: What are we spending our tax money on... really?

Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, told WBTA's Dan Fischer that the state need to perform more regular audits. Sounds good to me. Let's find out the gritty details of what money is going where.

Here are some details from Paterson's address last night, courtesy of the Buffalo News:

The state’s projected deficit for next year has swollen by another $1.4 billion in the last 90 days, Gov. David A. Paterson warned Tuesday during a statewide television address in which he summoned the State Legislature back next month for a rare, midsummer special session.

He issued the call for greater fiscal discipline just three months after he approved the current state budget, which provides for raising spending at twice the rate of inflation projected by state officials.

“New York’s families are already making the tough choices — New Yorkers are prioritizing spending every day,” Paterson said Tuesday in the five-minute address. “Now, your government is going to follow your lead. We are going to end legislative vacations and bring them back to Albany to reprioritize the way we manage New York State’s finances.”

So, he can talk a good game. But what now? What happens now?

Paterson did not offer specific ideas for controlling spending. Whether he will make such proposals before the Legislature returns Aug. 19 remained uncertain.

How aggressively the Legislature will cut spending also remained unclear. The special session will meet less than three months before all members are up for reelection.

If Paterson hoped legislative leaders would rush to his side to make serious cuts in the current budget, Tuesday evening must have been a disappointment.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Manhattan Democrat like the governor, went so far as to draw up a list of programs — the biggest items in the state budget — that should not be cut. It included education and health care, which, together, account for 63 percent of the budget.

First, I would be interested in knowing what accounts for the other 37 percent of the budget. Second, I would like to see how the education and health care funds are allocated.

The governor made no mention of education or health care. Nor did he discuss the state’s ballooning debt levels and other rapidly rising costs, such as pension and health care benefits for state workers.

The state’s worsening fiscal problems are twofold: spending that has risen 45 percent over five years to $122 billion in this year’s budget and a softening economy that is evaporating tax revenue to pay for these costly programs.

Despite the gloom, Paterson did not say whether he would consider layoffs or a hiring freeze. Under the current budget, the state work force is projected to add 1,400 positions to 201,000 workers.

But he did say that, in coming weeks, he will look at the size of the work force, which immediately raised red flags among some state worker unions.

Danny Donohue, president of the Civil Service Employees Association, the state government’s biggest union, called any talk of trimming the work force “a sham.”

“We will not stand by for knee-jerk political solutions that diminish our quality of life and create more misery,” said Donohue, whose union has major leverage with legislators, especially in an election year.

For the full story, see the article by Tom Precious.

Cardinal's blog reviews season so far of several Muckdogs

By Howard B. Owens

Future Redbirds takes a look at the progress of several Cardinal Prospects.   Part 1. Part 2. Part 3.

Here are what they say about a few of the Muckdogs.  There's more coverage on the links above.

Pick #2, Supplemental First Round, #39 Overall - Lance Lynn

  • Batavia - 14.2 ip, 15 k’s, 3 BB, 1 ER

Lynn pitched 89.2 innings for Ole Miss this season already, so it is my guess (hope) that the Cardinals are going to get him 30-40 relatively easy innings at Batavia this season before starting him at Quad Cities next year.  He has looked pretty dominant at Batavia so far, but there’s no need to rush him this year.  He hasn’t walked anyone in his last three appearances (11 innings) and he’s only given up one extra base hit (a double) in his time at Batavia.

Pick #3, Second Round, #59 overall - Shane Peterson

  • Batavia - .352/.455/.429 14.4 BB%, 20 LD%, .471 BABIP

Shane has certainly torn up Batavia in his first twenty-seven games (take a look at that BABIP, though). He played three years in college at Long Beach State and has shown that he can play at this level, so I’d like to see him challenged by a move up to Quad Cities.  He has played all three outfield positions and a little bit of first base, but it seems to me that he profiles best in center field if he’s got the fielding chops to play there.  His power numbers have never really fit for a corner outfielder or first base and that has continued at Batavia (.077 isolated power).  He is, however, still only twenty years old, so he could still grow into more of a power stroke as he moves up the ladder.

Pick #5, Fourth Round, #125 overall - Scott Gorgen

  • Batavia - 16 ip, 19 k’s, 5 BB, 4 ER

Gorgen put up outstanding numbers at UC-Irvine and has continued with similar rates at Batavia.  Like Lynn, Gorgen put in quite a few innings in college (115.2), so the Cardinals will probably not want to give him too many more innings this year.  I would bet that if Gorgen was 6′2″ with the same numbers he would get a lot more hype than he has, but continued success at higher levels will be the only antidote to the size bias.

Pick #6, Fifth Round, #155 Overall - Jermaine Curtis

  • Batavia - .315/.390/.438 8.0 BB%, 14 LD%, .360 BABIP

Jermaine is a third baseman with a similar offensive profile to Shane Peterson (with the exception, of course, that Curtis is a righty and Peterson is a lefty).  He has hit well, but doesn’t seem to have the power to stay at third base (.123 ISO).  It has been suggested that he may be converted to second base, where his bat would play a lot better.  Of course, like Peterson he is still only twenty years old, so the power could still come.

Pick #20, Round Nineteen, #575 Overall - Xavier Scruggs

  • Batavia - .189/.262/.305 7.4 BB%, 18 LD%, .266 BABIP

Xavier was a power hitting first baseman for UNLV, but he hasn’t yet lived up to his reputation in his first 95 at bats at Batavia. He’s got good size and had outstanding plate discipline in college, so it is a little disappointing that he has struggled so much.

Pick #43, Forty-second Round, #1265 Overall - Blakely Murphy

  • Batavia - .253/.337/.471 3 hr, 10.1 BB%, 9.0 LD%, .365 BABIP

Blake has been called one of the great sleepers of the draft. Looking at his college numbers, he played four years at Western Carolina University, I can’t understand why he didn’t get more interest in the draft. He had a very solid junior year in college and then put up a line of .367/.495/.683 his senior year, hitting 16 homers in 221 at bats. He isn’t undersized (or oversized for a catcher) at 6′1″, 195 lbs, he’s got good patience at the plate and hits for good power. Maybe he’s a black hole on defense, but those numbers should play anywhere. He hasn’t quite put up the same numbers thus far at Batavia, but he has been solid.

Also covered (see links above):

Pick #15, Round Fourteen, #425 Overall - Charles Cutler

Pick #18, Round Seventeen, #515 Overall - Joshua Hester

Pick #23, Round Twenty-two, #665 Overall - Colt Sedbrook

Pick #25, Round Twenty-four, #725 Overall - Zachary Pitts

Pick #26, Round Twenty-five, #755 Overall - Jason Buursma

Pick #27, Round Twenty-six, #785 Overall - Christopher Swauger

Pick #28, Round Twenty-seven, #815 Overall - George Brown

Pick #39, Thirty-eighth Round, #1145 Overall - Daniel Richardson

Video: Key Players from Oneonta Series

By Mollie Radzinski

Here is a quick video of the key players from the two home games against Oneonta last Tuesday and Wednesday.  More (and better) video is to come!

I also want to start a "Meet the Muckdogs" feature where I do interviews with the players.  Feedback would be great to see who you all want to hear from and learn about!

Enjoy!

 

News roundup: Crime is up in LeRoy

By Philip Anselmo

LeRoy has seen an increase in crime over the past week or so, especially over the weekend. LeRoy Police Detective John Condidorio told WBTA's Dan Fischer that the burglaries — one car was stolen, several others were broken into — may be related. Police do have one suspect, described as a white male, slender, between 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-9, wearing white shorts and a tee-shirt. Residents are advised to lock their homes and cars and report to the police any suspicious activity.

Note: The Batavian will not be posting a Daily News roundup this afternoon. We will be in video training all morning and afternoon. Please, if you see any news, report it. Get on the site, post a blog, put up video. We'll be back in full force soon.

Top Items on Batavia's List

City of Batavia, NY Position: School Crossing Guard (Salary: $15.00/hr.) The City of Batavia is accepting applications for part-time School Crossing Guards. Qualifications: Graduation from a standard senior high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma. Civil Service employment applications may be downloaded from the website https://www.batavianewyork.com/home/files/genesee-county-civil-service-application or picked up in the Human Resources Department, City Hall, One Batavia City Centre, Batavia, NY 14020. Please submit completed applications to Human Resources or e-mail: tdean@batavianewyork.com. Background check and physical/drug testing are required. Candidate must become a resident of the County of Genesee or any adjacent town to the County of Genesee within 6 months of the date of conclusion of the probationary period for the City of Batavia. EEO
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AUTOMOTIVE MECHANIC CITY OF BATAVIA SALARY $25.54-$30.08 DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: Assignments in this Class require the exercise of specialized skills in tasks pertaining to the maintenance and repair of a wide variety of machinery and equipment used in public works activities, as well as to other vehicles owned or operated by the municipal employer. In smaller agencies, an Automotive Mechanic may exercise a degree of supervision over assistant mechanics or Equipment Operators performing minor maintenance and repair on equipment, with general supervision being received from a supervisor, superintendent, or other such official or designee. Does related work, as required. TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: Repairs motorized and non-motorized equipment, such as trucks, tractors, mowers, graders, loaders, sweepers, rollers, compressors, and automobiles; Adjusts, repairs, and rebuilds gasoline and diesel engines; Repairs and replaces components of equipment, such as suspension systems, drive assemblies, brake systems, fuel systems, electrical systems, and cooling systems, and makes necessary adjustments to same; Carries out sanding, sandblasting, filling, painting, and related body-work tasks; Makes minor welding repairs; Operates drills, grinders, and other metal-working machines related to automotive repair functions; Performs preventative maintenance tasks which may include vehicle inspections; Attaches and removes snow plows, blades, and other attachments for motorized equipment; Maintains records of tasks performed, and other pertinent records; Requisitions parts and materials, to ensure adequate supply to maintain workflow; Acts as Equipment Operator, or wingman, as directed; May drive buses, cars, or trucks; May deliver fuel to job sites; Keeps shop area neat and clean. The above examples of duties are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position. FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITY AND/OR PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Thorough knowledge of standard automotive repair and maintenance methods; thorough knowledge of automotive repair terminology and tools; working knowledge of welding techniques; ability to make difficult repairs to heavy automotive and other mechanical equipment; ability to work from plans and specifications, and to follow rough draft sketches and oral instructions; good motor and hand eye coordination; manual dexterity. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee constantly is required to stand; walk; and use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: One year of full-time paid experience as a skilled automotive repairman. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:  Some jurisdictions may require appointees to receive and maintain certification as a NYS Motor Vehicle Inspector, within six months of appointment. SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT AND CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT: 1.     Possession and maintenance of appropriate valid license(s), as required. 2.     In school districts where incumbent may operate a school bus, possession of a valid appropriate level New York State Driver's License is required. 3.     Drivers must be at least 21 years of age. NOTE:  In addition, candidates must satisfy the requirements for School Bus Driver set forth in the Rules and Regulations of the New York State Commissioner of Education. Non-Competitive Class Civil Service Applications are due to Human Resources no later than October 18, 2024.
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