Bird homers in penultimate game of SI’s season

Some notes to pass along…

• 1B Luke Murton was promoted from Double-A Trenton to Triple-A Empire State to fill the spot vacated by the recently-released Kosuke Fukudome. That’s a huge loss for the Thunder on the eve of the postseason, he led the farm system in homers this year.
• VP of Baseball Ops Mark Newman confirmed to Baseball America (subs. req’d) that OF Slade Heathcott will be turned loose in Spring Training next year. This summer he did not play consecutive days in the outfield and was told not to go all out with his throws following his second left shoulder surgery.
• Based on their Twitter conversation, RHP David Aardsma taught RHP Dan Burawa how to throw a splitter while the two were rehabbing in Tampa earlier this year. The Yankees really like Burawa — he was in big league camp this spring despite not being on the 40-man roster — and he had a chance to help the club out of the bullpen this year before suffering an oblique tear. Curious to see how the split works out going forward.

Short Season Staten Island (4-2 win over Connecticut) their season ends tomorrow and they have already been eliminated from postseason play
LF Taylor Dugas, 3B Matt Duran & 2B Jose Rosario: all 0-3 — Dugas walked, scored, and struck out … Duran walked and committed a fielding error
SS Claudio Custodio: 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 SB
C Peter O’Brien: 0-4, 2 K, 1 PB — that’s his ninth passed ball in 36 games behind the plate
DH Ravel Santana: 0-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 SB, 1 HBP — stuck in a 1-for-23 rut (.043)
1B Greg Bird: 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 E (fielding) — second homer of the year and his second in the last ten games
CF Danny Lopez: 1-2
RF Exicardo Cayones: 1-3, 1 R, 1 K, 1 SB
RHP Pedro Feliciano: 1 IP, zeroes, 1/2 GB/FB — had a little more on him earlier
RHP Gabe Encinas: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3 WP, 2/2 GB/FB
RHP Cory Arbiso: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 3/1 GB/FB
LHP James Pazos: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GB/FB
RHP Taylor Garrison: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HB

The regular season is over for both Triple-A Empire State and Double-A Trenton, who won their divisions. Their first round best-of-five playoff series start tomorrow night. RHP John Maine will get the ball for Empire State, though the early weather forecast doesn’t look so great. RHP Brett Marshall will be on the bump for the Thunder and will be followed in the rotation (in order) by LHP Shaeffer Hall, RHP Mikey O’Brien, and LHP Nik Turley.

The season is over for High-A Tampa, Low-A Charleston, and the Rookie GCL Yanks. None of the three qualified for the postseason.