Having attended more than a dozen Rancho Cucamonga Quakes games last season, I had developed a pretty good feel for the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate. The team was loaded with mashers such as Joc Pederson, C.J. Retherford, Leon Landry (until the Dodgers traded him to the Mariners for Brandon League), Jonathan Garcia and some guy named Yasiel Puig.

In spite of the 20 MPH winds, it was an absolutely gorgeous evening in the High Desert on Saturday evening.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

The Quakes also started the 2012 season with pitchers Zach Lee, Chris Reed, Eric Eadington, Angel Sanchez and Andrea Santiago. In other words, the 2012 Quakes team was loaded with talent, nearly all of whom were promoted to Double-A Chattanooga at some point during the 2012 season, or who began the 2013 season there.

As such, I had no idea of what to expect when I showed up for my first Quakes game of 2013 at Mavericks Stadium on Saturday evening to watch the Quakes take on the High Desert Mavericks (Mariners). Actually, I kind of did know what to expect with sustained winds of 20 MPH blowing out to straight away left field.

The Quakes starter was 23-year-old left-hander Garrett Martin, who had actually pitched briefly with the Quakes at the end of the 2012 season after recovering from a pinched nerve in his neck while with the Low-A Great Lake Loons. The Dodgers acquired Martin in the trade that sent left-hander Dana Eveland to the Orioles in December of 2011. In his 4 innings of work, Martin allowed 5 runs on 5 hits with 5 walks and 4 strikeouts. Unfortunately, one of those hits was a three-run home run that followed a pop foul that got caught up in those 20 MPH winds and blew back onto the field and over Quakes third baseman Elevys Gonzalez’s head and dropped untouched. (Funny how those things always seem to come back to bite you). Aside from the raw numbers, Martin actually pitched relatively well.

Battling high winds, Jarret Martin actually pitched better than his line appears.

Martin was followed on the mound by Quakes veteran Jon Michael Redding, who did not pitch well – relatively or otherwise. Redding allowed 3 runs on 3 hits with a walk, hit batsman and no strikeouts in 0.2 innings. And while this is an ugly line, Redding pitched well for the Quakes in 2012 and will no doubt quickly put this rough outing behind him.

Jon Michael Redding is the veteran on the Quakes pitching staff and will undoubtedly rebound quickly from his rough outing on Saturday night.

Where things got interesting is when Quakes new manager Carlos Subero brought in right-hander James Campbell who, in spite of allowing 2 runs on 3 hits with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts, pitched well in the windy conditions in his 2 innings of work.

21-year-old right-hander James Campbell also has a great deal of potential.

The surprise of the night for me was left-hander Daniel Coulombe, who allowed no runs and only one hit in his 1.1 innings of work. Coulombe throws very hard and has a nasty slider that helped him strikeout 2 while walking only one. Under the watchful eye of former MLB pitcher and current Quakes pitching coach Matt Herges, the 23-year-old Scottsdale, Arizona native could very well prove to be one of the Quakes best relievers.

Although only a small sample size, I was most impressed with 23-year-old Daniel Coulombe. His slider reminds me of Scott Elbert’s.

As for the game itself, the Quakes lost 10-5, but here again, the wind had a lot to do with the final score. Whereas the balls seemed to fall for the Mavs, the Quakes seemed to hit a lot of at’em balls – this in spite of home runs by Gonzalez and center fielder Noel Cuevas, his second of the young season.

Noel Cuevas’ home run in the top of the 7th inning was a no-doubter, as evidenced by the look on everyone’s face.

All-in-all, the 2013 edition of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes is one that could do well in the Cal League South. At 6-4, they are currently in second place only .5 behind the Lancaster JetHawks (Astros).

(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)