Valentin Colon Strokes 2,000th Hit
Great First Half for G-E Mwaka
by Caitlen Sullivan
Vancouver Sun Sports Reporter
June 30, 2035
The Mounties won the rubber match of a series against Calgary giving them back to back series wins over division leader contenders. (They bested Mexico City in the previous series.) But then Vancouver struggled on the road against the slumping Edmonton Jackrabbits winning just one of three games. Losing that series was particularly galling since Edmonton’s two wins were their only wins in their past fourteen games. The week wound up with the Mounties at home splitting two with Valencia with the rubber game coming tonight at Northwoods Outpost.
Gebre-Egziabher Mwaka (pictured below left) had a productive week hitting three home runs, knocking in seven, and raking nine hits. The Kenyan native is on target for a thirty home run season. G-E is hitting .297 and his zone rating in left field has gone from -2.1 last year to +1.8 this season.
Valentín Colón (pictured above right) has struggled for playing time this year but is now starting at third base against left handers and sharing the second base job against right handers with Alfredo Bermúdez. Valentin checked in with his 2,000th career hit on June 29th.
- José Morales has struggled in the rotation this year (4-8, 4.90). He has moved his tack to the pen where he picked up his fifth victory in relief in a 4-3 eleven-inning win over Valencia.
- Twenty year old Alejandro Ramírez was promoted from Victoria (AAA) and made his first appearance a memorable one: three innings of one-hit relief against Edmonton in which he struck out four and walked no one. He will get a start in his next appearance, probably against Long Beach
- Closer Rodrigo Lugo spent the week on the disabled list, but he will be back in the pen tonight.
- It was rumored that first round draft pick José Bonilla, just seventeen years old, would be unlikely to sign a contract, but he did. Watch for the Mexican native to make his debut in the rookie league with Laramie this week.
- Second round draft pick Silvester Vizinho is a rare combination pitcher/catcher. He’s probably most valued as a future relief pitcher but any chance to see him will have to wait at least a year as he suffered a torn UCL and will be out of action for a minimum of thirteen months
Hahn doesn’t get much playing time these days, so to see him at the ballpark you have to peer into the dugout and check out the far end of the bench. He is increasingly seen out and about in Vancouver though. He and his wife Frieda are often seen dining at the Deutsches Haus Restaurant at the Vancouver Alpen Club. It’s lunch there when the Mounties play at Northwoods Outpost at night and a late dinner if there’s a day game. Bertram is also reportedly thinking of spending some of his $14.7 million salary by buying into the restaurant. Will he become a maître d' in the future?
