Three games in Sioux Falls followed which opened with a 7-4 win led by Masini and Verlander, who ended up pitching 5 innings of relief after Mike Hamilton fell to injury. Portland had to deal with their own injury woes as Lee Miles was quickly beaned in the head by Verlander, and forced out of the series by concussion.

Portland retailiated by stomping the Giraffes in games 4 and 5 behind Owens and Hatch on the mound. The Lions even notchd their 2nd shut out of the series in game 5.

Game 6 saw Felix Hernandez and his fat wallet carry the Uber Giraffes to victory in his 9 inning complete game where he struck out 7, walked one, and spread 8 hits with 1 run, which he did match with his own solo shot in the 3rd inning. Felix hit 1 homer in the regular season, but the home run to break the 0-0 game open in the 3rd was the biggest hit in his career he would later say.

Game 7 ended up being one of the best games of CBU history. Mark Owens took the mound for the 3rd time of the series while Mike Hamilton came back to gut out some more innings for the Giraffes. The Giraffes scored a run in the first, third and fifth innings all on sacrifice flies, and added a 4th run in the 5th after a pick off error in the 5th as well.

The Lions were not out so easily however as Verlander was called upon again and quickly gave up a solo home run to Harrison Swain before settling in and getting through 3 innings of his own. Cameron Copeland then came in before the 9th inning in the biggest save opportunity of his career.

Fan favorite Harrison Swain worked a full count walk, then stood on first base as Alfredo Garcia swung horrendously at three straight pitches for the first out. Henry Lush stroked a 3-1 pitch into left field to bring the game tying run to the plate for the Lions.

Unlikely hero Kevin Barry came to the plate after stepping up for the Lions before in the series a couple times. Barry ended up hitting .381 in the playoffs, but struck out swinging on a Copeland pitch to give the Giraffes 2 outs.

2nd baseman Fernando Montero came to the plate looking for a pitch to hit and never got one and walked on four straight pitches. Copeland broke a sweat as the winning run was now at the plate, and young Cesar Garcia walked from the on-deck circle to possibly pinch hit his way into history.

Garcia watch the first pitch go by for a called strike 1. Garcia got the same pitch again and he turned on it, but Jose Ortiz was able to make a play on the ball and make the throw accross the diamond in time to Nick Donovan to give Sioux Falls its first Classic Baseball Union championship!

The series saw 5 road wins, in an unlikely turn of events as, the best of the CBU went toe to toe and watched the series stretch into the final out. 2013 is right around the corner, but 2012 will be long remembered in Sioux Falls history.

Sioux Falls GM and owner Jordan Gillis had nothing but praise to say about Copeland, it was only bad luck that he was on the wrong end of a bad deal, however he mentioned lots of changes would be taking place and they did quickly.  Not a day later Gillis head a team meeting, thanked the team for a great season, but mentioned that losing this way is unacceptable, and that moving forward everyone must be playing for their spot at all times. After the meeting individual meetings were held and River Gordon, Kun Kwan, Santiago Silva were among those let go. Changes are being made in Sioux Falls, however that does not replace the feeling the fans in Sioux Falls have right now after watching their Uber Giraffes go out again without much of a bang.

Defensively the Giraffes are still best in class as the pitchers are working with a opponents BABIP under .270. Hitting they are crushing the ball as well. Nick Donovan, Andrew Scott, and Ruggiero Masini have mashed 6 home runs a piece. Bryan Wigmore is holding steady, but had an April to forget as he was suspended for bumping and umpire, and hit under .300.

Rookie short stop Juan Ortiz suffered a strained oblique and is out for 6 weeks. In the meantime utility man Zak Simpson has stepped in and hit .291 including 8 doubles and a homer in 55 at bats over the last two weeks of April. Finally River Gordon looks all but done as he only managed 2 extra base hits over the month and showed lack of ability defensively numerous times.

Santiago Silva, Javier Esquivel you ask? They both hit like they always do. The club leads in hitting in most categories, also strikes out more than any team. Silva has an OPS of .924, but has struck out in a 3rd of his at bats.

The rotation has been much better this season. Ramon Cruz is 4-0 in 5 starts, Matt Kearns 3-1 in 5 starts, Salvador Roman 4-1 in 5 starts, Kun Kwan 2-2 in 5 starts, and Mike Hamilton is 2-1 in 4 starts. Cruz won the Landis League pitcher of the month award tossed 30 K’s while walking only 4 batters in his 32 plus innings. Kwan is the only struggling starter as he was prone to giving up the long ball with serving up 6 souvenirs.

Overall the Giraffes are tied for a division lead with the Oshawa Generals, but the tough first month schedule was little resistance to Sioux Falls’s overwhelming talented team.

Ramon Cruz the prize of the off-season opened up the 2011 season with a start that went 6.1 innings and he struck out 7. This was great for Sioux Falls on many levels as getting to the 6th inning alone was a challenge for rotation members of the past, but to add the ability to strike hitters out gave fans something to really cheer for.

Cruz then got his second Giraffe start in Peoria and went 7 innings allowing 7 hits, a home run, but striking out 6 in his second victory. Cruz has allowed just two runs in his two starts and put his signature on two Giraffe wins.

Matt Kearns last season did not have a very good one. At the major league level, Kearns kept his ERA above 6 and failed to do much of anything right. However in AAA he dominated hitters, and showed flashes of his talent. This season Kearns gained back some of the confidence in Spring Training after tossing a 2.25 ERA in his 4 spring starts that all went the 4 IP limit.

With the renowned confidence Kearns was handed the #2 spot in the rotation and like Cruz walked away with two wins. His first start wetn 5 innings pitched striking out 3 and giving up 1 walk while allowing 3 runs. Kearns was slightly discouraged but the hitters earned him the win by crushing the ball for 17 runs lifting some of the pressure.

Kearns responded in his second start, this time in Peoria, by throwing 6 innings allowing 1 earned run walking zero and striking out 5. If Kearns pitches like this all season, Landis League opponents will be overmatched.

The 3, 4, and 5 starters in the rotation all were featured in 1 start and they are currently 2-0 as a trio. Rookie Mike Hamilton went 7 strong innings giving up 1 earned run on 5 hits and 4 walks. Hamilton’s control was a bit shaky, but his start was nothing short of exceptional from a rookie.

Kun Kwan also twirled a quality start throwing 6 innings allowing just the solo home run while striking out 4. Kwan kept damage to a minimum and kept a lethal Boston lineup quiet. Finally the late February pick up Salvador Roman pitched 5.2 innings of his game allowing 2 unearned runs and striking out 5.

The Sioux Falls rotation has hit the fast track in 2011 and the team is winning because of it. The bullpen is just as strong as it has ever been each pitcher getting at least two apperances. Ochoa and Copeland each have 4, Ochoa has 3 holds and Copeland has 4 saves. Ochoa was responsible for the one loss of the season, however put into a tight situation, a single bled the winning run. That’s just baseball.

The fans in Sioux Falls will have a lot to look forward to as the ‘fight til the bullpen saves us’ days are over, and have been replaced with ‘we’re going to kick your teeth in the entire game’.

Luckily no bar fights were reported over people beliving they were more right than the other as they were all right. In fact in one week Sioux Falls spent just shy of 45 million dollars in contracts. Ochoa and Kurota are back to hold down the middle innings and giving Sioux Falls the lowest blood pressure CBU city in the league. Copeland was the biggest landing as he was a two time all star for Rapid City and added over 3 wins above replacement level each season. Copeland is a great addition to Sioux Falls who gets to move Garry Christian back to middle relief where he is likely better suited.

The Uber Giraffes last season had starters who had many issues even getting to the 5th inning in games, and although they revamped the entire rotation this off season, have the bullpen who can reliably get through 3 innings a night if needed.

Among the big spending week Sioux Falls signed back up infielder Zak Simpson who spent last season as a starter in Carson City. Simpson was looking for a starting job, but at his age of 35 signed with intentions of getting a CBU championship in any role he could find.

Also Sioux Falls added another reliable starter in Salvador Roman to a 3 year deal. Roman had a tough season last year in Colorado giving up 30 home runs, however is he projected to do much better than that, and as left-hander he was built for the ball park here in Sioux Falls. The Roman addition also allows Sioux Falls to give Conrad Jennings some more seasoning at East River (AAA) to hone in his control over his arsenal.

The Uber Giraffes were big spenders this off season via the free agent route and the trade route and they needed to be. Nashville now Honolulu got last years Cy Young and giraffe killer Domensco Corosi and resigned John Jewett making some major moves incredibly necessary.

Sioux Falls has serious depth at every position now and barring a major pandemic Sioux Falls is built to survive a 162 game season at a very high level. Not to mention that franchise player Bryan Wigmore is now 25 years old and likely just started hitting his prime as a player. He hit 41 home runs last season, does he have a shot at 50? Only time will tell, he shows flashes of that potential, if he can hone in his skills on a more consistent basis he may be the toughest player to get out in 2011.

SP - Mike Hamilton

Last week before the winter meetings Sioux Falls brought in ace pitcher Ramon Cruz. This week as the winter meetings close the Uber Giraffes unload some more depth to fill in some voids at starting pitcher. The Sioux Falls outfielders all knew that their stays in Sioux Falls may be coming to an end soon. Last week it was Bobby Moore packing his bags, this week its Tom Stewart buying plane tickets for a new home.

The front office is still very high on Tom Stewart’s potential, but GM JWay stated, “while we wish Tom the very best of luck in his new home, he was a right handed hitter and it came down between Tapia and Stewart to be our 4th outfielder.  Tapia is left handed and has proven to be a great hitter so far. Tommy had a great year last year as well, but he was expendable for the right starting pitchers and in Mike Hamilton we feel we have someone special.”

Mike Hamilton dominated AAA last season and projects to be a #2 starter in the CBU.  He has potential to be that ace for a team, but his control has yet to come around to be a true shut down starter. If Hamilton learns to control his pitches, his career will be very long and prolific. Vincent Young got a taste of the major leagues as a 20 year old in 2009 for the Burlington Phishheads.  His first 100 innings as a pro did not go so well with an inflated batting average on balls hit into play. However as a 21 year old in AAA Young pitched pretty well and did a great job of keeping the ball in the ballpark.  His control issues are also a potential fatal flaw, but he projects as a back end starter in the future.

Also sent in the deal were relief pitcher Brian Rose and catching prospect Juan Vazquez.  Brian Rose got a raise this off-season in arbitration that the team was not willing to allocate cap space for and knew he was on his way out. Vazquez projects to be a good defensive catcher in the future, and has potential to not kill the line up with his bat either. Sioux Falls paid a price for two very raw young talented starting pitchers, as Tom Stewart looks extremely promising, however Sioux Falls’s projected rotation is something to get excited for now.

If you are curious of how it projects take a look here:

1. Ramon Cruz — The ace acquired from New Orleans
2. Kun Kwan — The front office is still very high on him despite a poor showing again last year.
3. Matt Kearns — Over matched last season, got his confidence built back up in AAA.
4. Mike Hamilton — If he performs well in spring training, expect him to get the innings he deserves.
5. Jake Coffey, Miguel Ramos, Conrad Jennings, Vincent Young, Mike Thomas — Sioux Falls went from having no depth, to lots of depth in one week. Mike Thomas expects to go back to a relief role, Young and Ramos figure to spend the year at AAA, and Coffey and Jennings will likely be battling for the 5th spot vs long reliever positions.  Spring training and time will tell!

SP - Ramon Cruz

The Sioux Falls Uber Giraffes finally found a pitcher who can be a leader in former New Orleans starter Ramon Cruz. The 26-year-old right-hander from New York, NY will find a taste of farm life in South Dakota. Cruz this season had less luck than in 2009, but in two years in the Classic Baseball Union has started 33 games each season, won 32 games and lost 18 for the New Orleans Voodoo. his 3.06 carer ERA and 332 strikeouts will be a very welcome addition to the Sioux Falls club. Fans in Sioux Falls have become very used to not seeing many strikeouts until the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th innings. Cruz will fill in Christian Edgar’s void in the ace slot.

Leaving the Sioux Falls Uber Giraffes are short stop Nacho Tellez, outfielder Bobby Moore, and prospect Ramon Sanchez. Sioux Falls still has a overflow of outfielders, so the loss of Bobby Moore outside of his locker room antics is minimal, Nacho Tellez is going to be missed up the middle, however Sioux Falls management is confident in Juan Ortiz to make the transition to the major leagues an easy one. Ramon Sanchez as a prospect has faired pretty well in the minor league so far, he has a frame built for power and speed and has potential to fill out very nicely. Either way Sioux Falls fans should be very happy with this deal. Every 5th day Sioux Falls fans will have a shot to watch some great pitching, and if the hitting keeps chugging along, there’s an outside shot for a 20 game winner here.

In the bullpen names like Garry Christian, Roberto Ochoa, Manuel Soto, and Masaki Kurota all returned to a bullpen that for a second time finished 1st in the Landis League bullpen ERA category. All of the pitchers pitched extremely well despite being used more than any other bullpen in the Classic Baseball Union. 2011 will be a different year for the bullpen as Ochoa, Soto, and Kurota are all free agents, and unlikely to return to Sioux Falls. 2010 newbies Tagashaki Kono and Brian Rose will have to fill in.

3B-B. Wigmore

The hitters continued to hit and play good defense as they always have. Nick Donovan did not have the MVP like season he did in 2009, but his numbers were far from disappointing. Bryan Wigmore did put up MVP like numbers while winning his 2nd straight gold glove at 3rd base. Wigmore hit .326 with 41 home runs, 33 doubles, 107 runs batted in, and again notched over 200 hits. Wigmore in the last two seasons has 419 hits which leads all Classic Baseball Union hitters since the inception by 19 hits.

River Gordon, Javier Esquivel, Tony Tapia and Santiago Silva all put up above average seasons like usual, and helped solidify a great line up. Andrew Scott had a down season and also an injury plagued season that led to Ruggiero Masini’s early call up. Nacho Tellez held down his first full season as starting short stop with an incredible amount of success, however resides on the trading block as Juan Ortiz is knocking on the door at triple A.

OF-R. Masini

Newcomers John Middleton, Bobby Moore, Ruggiero Masini, and Tom Stewart all walked into the big show and made the most of their opportunities. All of them did exceptionally well in their own right. At 20 years old Ruggiero Masini hit .211 with 5 home runs and 19 runs batted in. While that is underwhelming to most, a 20 year old hit at a rate of 20 home runs a season, and still got on base at an average rate. Scouts like Masini’s chances to increase his home run potential close enough to doubling it. Sioux Falls GM, JWay, is extremely excited about having Masini in some spot in the 2011 outfield full time.

The 2010 season was a great one for the Sioux Falls farm clubs. None of them made the playoffs, however the prospects did rise to the occasion in their own levels.  #1 prospect Jeff Gordon looks like he will be ready soon enough to take River Gordon’s spot in 2012. #2 prospect Matt Kearns had a tough season at the CBU level in 2010, but during his minor league stint and his recall in September, Kearns flashed his top prospect ability and looks to make 2010 a thing of the past and will be apart of the 2011 picture.

Len Roberts at 19 years old dominated the A level ball with a 2.99 ERA in 150 IP with 190 strike outs. Len looks very good and may see major league hitters sooner than most, but will start 2011 in AA, and expects to be considered for that Uber Giraffes rotation in 2012. Other standouts were Juan Ortiz who may be the Giraffes 2011 starting short stop, Javier Benitez also looked great beating up single A hitters, and the dark horse was Sioux Falls native Casey Anderson who was the last Sioux Falls pick in the CBU initial draft. He showed some strides as an older player in the rookie league, and may land himself a starting job in the A level next season.

The 2011 season looks brighter for the Uber Giraffes, will they ship off some of their great talent for some starting pitchers, or will they dip into the free agent pool to find some aging stars. Either way, with their #2 rated minor league organization, there is no reason to look for the Sioux Falls Uber Giraffes to lose anytime time soon. But will they win a championship?

Christian Edgar staff ace is stuck at 5-5 in 14 starts with a 4.28 ERA. He is struggling in the last few months and has not been the leader Sioux Falls forced him into being.

Kun Kwan the free agent acquisition this last off season has failed to surprise anyone. He has been quite a bit unlucky according to team management has he has somehow allowed 17 home runs already, more than he allowed in more time pitching in Colorado. Kwan should see some regression to the mean, which in this case would be positive.

Albert Rosas just underwent Tommy John surgery and is done for 12 months or more. Its likely Rosas’s career at 37 is all but done.  He did not leave it on much of a positive note either as his 4.90 ERA was far from prize worthy.

Former top 100 CBU prospect Matt Kearns was forced into the major league role a bit early, and will have to stick due to depth issues on the team. Kearns is also likely to regress positively, but maybe not as much as his stuff looks flat.

Lonnie Cole has lost the ability to throw an out pitch and will likely be cut from the team when a replacement can be found.

All in all the Donovan’s, Gordon’s and Wigmores are all hitting really well, the bullpen is strong as ever, they tossed a 1 hitter  all by themselves in an emergency start made by Will Berry.  The team isn’t out of it yet, but they are walking a thin line at the moment time is running out. Nashville is playing above their heads, but there’s no reason for them to not continue that trend. Sioux Falls made a minor deal acquiring a AAA starter from Portland to fill in Rosas’s hole, but it may take more than that to get through this season on a playoff note.

The silver Strikers were next up and received no mercy as well as the WBC picked up its second series win but losing a big one in the middle by allowing 16 hits and 14 runs. This, however, was only a scratch on the surface as the heart of the rotation was able to keep the other two games in control. Martin took the award home as the biggest producer here picking up his second long ball of the season and the club maintained their lead in the division.
The final series against Peoria swayed back and forth but ended in two big nights of scoring and the series under the WBCs belt. Thus leaving plenty of smiles on the faces of our fans and making a positive stride towards possible end of the year expectations!