Mariner Minors: 07/31/2005

Mariner Minors

Friday, August 05, 2005

Game Recaps (8/5/05)

Tacoma 3, New Orleans 7 (WAS – 8)
The Rainiers lost to Matt White. The same Matt White who spent two innings with the M’s back in ’03. Anyway, RHP Cha Seung Baek (6.38, L) went four and two-thirds innings and gave up five runs (one earned) on five hits (3 HR!!), a wild pitch, and a walk against a strikeout. LHP Chris Key (3.86) followed in his triple-A debut and went two and one-third innings, giving up a couple runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk. RHP Sean Green (4.99) gave up a hit and struck out one in the eighth. SS Ramon Santiago (HR, .248) and 1B Greg Dobbs (R, .321) both had two hits, and DH Ryan Christianson (2B, R, .251) had a double and a walk.

Corpus Christi 1 (HOU 0), San Antonio 13
RHP Yorman Bazardo (0.00, W) did quite well in his system debut, going seven innings and giving up three hits and a walk while striking out five. RHP Renee Cortez (3.71) went the next inning, giving up a hit and striking out the side, and RHP Mike Flannery (4.50) gave up a run on two hits and wild pitch against two Ks in the ninth. 3B Jesus Guzman (3B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, .268), RF T.J. Bohn (R, RBI, .312), DH Jon Nelson (HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, .220), C Luis Oliveros (2B, 2 R, .308), and 2B Ismael Castro (HR, 2 RBI, SB, .275) had two hits apiece, with 1B Jesse Hoorelbeke (2B, RBI, .254) and SS Adam Jones (HR, 2 RBI, .314) adding extra-base hits.

Rancho Cucamonga 6 (ANA + 1), Inland Empire 7 (ten innings)
RHP Brandon Moorhead (4.74) got through seven innings and gave up two runs on six hits (HR) and two wild pitches against seven strikeouts. LHP Nick Bourgeois (3.38) blew the save opp after that, giving up three runs on two hits (HR) and three walks against a K. RHP Aaron Trolia (4.40, W) would take it from there and eventually get the win, giving up a run on three hits and a walk against two Ks in two and two-thirds innings. The ninth and tenth innings were most important for the Sixers, so without further delay…

Inland Empire Bottom 9th
· Pitcher Change: Bob Zimmermann replaces Allen BuckleyJr.
· Matt Rogelstad flies out to right fielder Ben Johnson.
· Erick Monzon flies out to center fielder Jason Sugden.
· Justin Ruchti doubles (6) on a line drive to right fielder Ben Johnson.
· Samuel Bradford Jr. walks.
· Sebastien Boucher walks. Justin Ruchti to 3rd. Samuel Bradford Jr. to 2nd.
· Michael Garciaparra walks. Justin Ruchti scores. Samuel Bradford Jr. to 3rd. Sebastien Boucher to 2nd.
· Carlos Arroyo singles on a line drive to right fielder Ben Johnson. Samuel Bradford Jr. scores. Sebastien Boucher scores. Michael Garciaparra to 2nd.
· Pitcher Change: Richard Thompson replaces Bob Zimmermann.
· Bryan Lahair strikes out swinging.
Inland Empire Bottom 10th
· Wladimir Balentien singles on a line drive to left fielder Cody Fuller.
· Matt Rogelstad out on a sacrifice bunt, pitcher Richard Thompson to first baseman Matthew Pali. Wladimir Balentien to 2nd.
· Erick Monzon grounds out, shortstop Ivan Reyes to first baseman Matthew Pali. Wladimir Balentien to 3rd.
· Justin Ruchti doubles (7) on a sharp fly ball to left fielder Cody Fuller. Wladimir Balentien scores

South Bend 10 (ARI + 6), Wisconsin 7
RHP Aaron Jensen (5.54, L) let ten runs score on twelve hits (HR), a balk, a hit batter, and two walks against three Ks through five and two-thirds innings of work. RHP Jon Lockwood (1.38) let one of those score after two hits and a walk against four Ks in the next three and a third. CF Chris Colton (HR, .360) had three hits, LF Brent Johnson (2B, 2 R, RBI, A, .290) had two and a walk, and C Omar Falcon (2B, 3 RBI, .278) and 2B Oswaldo Navarro (2B, R, E, .274) had doubles.

Everett 2, Yakima 3 (ARI – 8)
RHP Roman Martinez (4.15, L) gave up a couple of runs on four hits, two wild pitches, a hit batter, and three walks against two Ks in four innings of work. LHP Lance Beus (3.86) went the next two innings and gave up a run on two hits and a walk against four Ks, and LHP David Asher (3.38) followed up walking one and striking out three over the final two innings. LF Casey Craig (2B, RBI, .295) and RF Mike Saunders (HR, .250) both had two hits, and CF Trevor Heid (2B, .312) doubled.

Tronconero #1 7 (PHI + 9), Aguirre 2
Sadly, unlike the last game of the season a year ago, there were no odd position changes or position players coming in on the mound, just your typical VSL baseball game. RHP Carlos Figueroa (11.42, PO, L) couldn’t follow up his previous outing and bombed this one, giving up five runs on three hits and five walks against a strikeout. To add insult to injury, LHP Edlando Seco (0.34), whose ERA was still perfect coming into the game, gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits and five walks against two strikeouts in the last four innings. There wasn’t much hitting for the offense, but 2B Rayon Lampe (RBI, .225) had a hit, a walk, and a RBI, and that’s worth some note. He was one of the top players in Aruba back when we signed him and I’m looking forward to seeing him tap that potential.

It’s been a while since we checked in with the DSL, and since I had the day off and no article on the immediate horizon, I decided to check in and see how they were doing. The Santo Domingo M’s have gone 12-9-1 since last note and have been playing better than they were previously, but they lost first place to the Athletics second team in the division. OF Wellington Dotel is still putting the hurt on the rest of the division, and as of this moment probably ranks as the second-best offensive prospect in the league (Arizona has a guy who’s a bit better in another division). The 19-year-old, who will turn 20 in the off-season, is hitting .392/.431/.653, and while those walk numbers aren’t great, he isn’t striking out a whole lot either (once every 5.2 at-bats). He’s currently tops in average, third in runs scored (32), second in RBI (31), first in hits (69), tied for second in doubles (11), and first in triples and home runs (7 each). As I noted earlier, OF Jairo Hernandez has been sent back to the DSL for unexplained reasons, and is currently hitting .319/.353/.511 in his first 47 at-bats in the league. For pitching, the story is still LHP Eddy Hernandez (0.80), who is second in ERA, first in punchouts (71), and has a 4-2 record, but a new pitcher has recently come on as the number two behind him in Carlos Javier. Though Hernandez has distanced himself quite a bit from the pack, averaging more than six innings per appearance, Javier is second on the team in most categories and has a 1.94 ERA, allowing 31 hits and 20 walks while striking out 45 in 46.1 innings. He might be someone to watch later.

Tomorrow’s Games:
Tacoma: LHP Bobby Livingston, at New Orleans, @ 4:05 PM
San Antonio: RHP Juan Sandoval, at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: RHP Chad Fillinger, at Rancho Cucamonga, @ 7:15 pm PT
Wisconsin: RHP Cibney Bello, at Appleton, @ 5:05 pm PT
Everett: RHP Jeff Gilmore, at Yakima, @ 7:05 pm PT
Peoria: TBA, at Peoria, @ 7:00 pm PT
Aguirre: Season over, playoffs soon

Tacoma Rainiers: 61-51, .545, 2 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 23-19 (61-51), .548 (.545), 1.5 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 18-22 (46-63), .450 (.422), 4.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 23-19 (62-50), .548 (.554), 1 GB in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 24-20, .545, 4 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 5-2 (14-20), .714 (.412), 1 GB in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 37-23-3, .617, 1st (1.5 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 27-21-1, .563, 3.5 GB in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 332-299-4, .526

posted by Jay Y. @ 11:02 PM

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Game Recaps (8/4/05)

Edit: 12:21 pm, Peoria recap posted
Tacoma 8, New Orleans 3 (WAS – 9)
LHP Damian Moss (4.15, W) went six innings against the Zephyrs (yes, that was an excuse to use the word), and gave up two runs on six hits and three walks against four Ks. RHP Jeff Heaverlo (5.14) went the final three and allowed one more runs to score after three hits and two strikeouts. 3B Hunter Brown (R, RBI, .284), C Rene Rivera (2 RBI, .500), and SS Ramon Santiago (R, .246) had two hits apiece, and CF Abraham Nunez (2B, R, 2 RBI, .258) and 2B Jose Lopez (2B, RBI, .286) both had doubles.

Corpus Christi 9 (HOU + 1), San Antonio 2
RHP Mike Bumstead (5.93, E) gave up seven runs (six earned) on ten hits, a wild pitch, a walk, and a strikeout through three and two-thirds innings. LHP Tim Rall (2.88) went the next four and a third, and score two more runs after four hits (2 HR!) and a walk against three strikeouts. RHP Nate Mateo (0.00) struck out one in the ninth. SS Adam Jones (HR, 2 RBI, .316) had his third double-A home run and three hits overall, but not much else going on. Jones is hitting well in a tough league, though.

Inland Empire 9, Lancaster 5 (ARI – 7)
Sweep. LHP Ryan Feierabend (3.93, PO, W) went six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits (2 HR!) against three Ks. LHP Troy Cate (2.93) gave up a run on a hit (HR), a walk, and a strike out in the next inning and a third, and RHP Craig James (0.77, S) struck out three, going the rest of the way. CF Sebastien Boucher (2 R, 2 RBI, A, .361) had three more hits, and 2B Michael Garciaparra (2B, R, RBI, .295), DH Carlos Arroyo (R, RBI, CS, .326), 1B Bryan Lahair (2B, R, RBI, .299), RF Wladimir Balentien (2B, 2 RBI, .276), and 3B Erick Monzon (2B, R, RBI, .274) had two each. C Rob Johnson (HR, .250) had a home run as well, his tenth of the season and the first in the California League.

South Bend 10 (ARI + 5), Wisconsin 8 (eleven innings)
RHP Mark Lowe (5.83) had some ugly numbers tonight, giving up six runs in four+ innings on seven hits (3 HR!!!), two wild pitches, two hit batters, and seven walks against just one strikeout. That he didn’t give up more runs is surprising. LHP Donny Langdon (4.86) went the next three and two-thirds and gave up a run on two hits and walk with two Ks, and RHP Stephen Grasley (3.30) went an inning and two-thirds after that, giving up a run on three hits while punching out two. LHP Eric O’Flaherty (4.22, L) would take the loss after giving up two runs on a hit, a wild pitch, two walks, and a strikeout in an inning and a third, and LHP Adam Brandt (12.00) would record the final out for the T-Rats pitchers. CF Chris Colton (2B, R, RBI, .349) and DH Matt Tuiasosopo (R, RBI, SB, .292) both had three hits, SS Oswaldo Navarro (RBI, .274), 2B Yung-chi Chen (E, .292), RF Mike Wilson (2 HR 3 RBI, .271), and 1B Marshall Hubbard (2B, 3 R, .301) each had two. Hubbard also walked twice, which means that his OBP is over .400 now, and he’s still slugging .500+. I was holding out hope that he might get a month in Inland at the end of the year, but right now it looks like he won’t.

Everett 2, Yakima 1 (ARI – 9)
RHP Nick Allen (4.15, W) went six innings and gave up a run on five hits (HR) and a hit batter against four Ks. LHP Justin Thomas (3.89), apparently in the ‘pen until further notice, went the next two, giving up a hit and two walks while striking out two. The guy drafted one spot behind him, RHP Stephen Kahn (8.10, S) would punch out two in the ninth for the save. CF David Hall (.294), DH Danny Santin (R, RBI, .331), and RF Mike Saunders (RBI, .240) each had two hits, and 3B Ron Prettyman (2B, R, .308), C J.B. Tucker (2B, PB, .242), and 2B Luis Valbuena (2B, .253) all had doubles.

Phoenix Brewers 12 (+ 1), Peoria Mariners 11
RHP Kevin Olore (6.00) pitched the first inning and gave up a run on three hits and a walk against a strikeout. RHP Miguel Marquez (9.00) went the next four innings, giving up four runs (two earned) after five hits (HR), a hit batter, and a walk against three Ks. LHP Jose Suriel (5.21) took on two frames, scoring a run on a hit and a hit batter, along with a strikeout, and RHP Toma Bonilla (4.84) struck out one in the eighth. Though the M’s had a five run lead going into the ninth, LHP Estelin Soto (7.06) collapsed, and gave up six runs on five hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. Three of those came around to score when RHP Juan Colon (2.45) gave up two hits before recording the elusive 27th out. 2B Juan Guzman (2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, SB, .281), CF Donato Ruiz (2 R, SB, .254), and LF Marquise Liverpool (2B, 2 R, RBI, CS, PO, 2 E, .279) each had three hits. DH Bucky Jacobsen (2 2B, 3 RBI, .308) added two doubles and a walk. C Kevin Gergel (HR, .303) and 1B Erwin Jacobo (2B, R, 2 RBI, .225) added some extra-base hits, and Jacobo also walked twice.

Venoco #1 6 (HOU + 9), Aguirre 2
LHP Jose Escalona (1.18) gave up a hit, walked one, and struck out one in three innings of work to start the game. LHP Hugo Castro (4.22, L) gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits, a hit batter, and two walks against two Ks, but three of those runs were the fault of RHP Jorge Acosta (3.56), who let two more score on three hits (2 HR!) and a strikeout in two-thirds+ of an inning. RHP Karlin Taylor (3.70) gave up a hit, walked two, and struck out two over the final couple of frames. 2B Humberto Espinoza (RBI, .286) had a couple of hits, and RF Greysom Berroterran (2B, PO, .255) doubled in his only at-bat. This may be a preview of the playoffs, and Aguirre is 4-4 against Venoco #1 this season.

Aguirre 5, Venoco #1 6 (+ 10) (seven innings)
LHP Kervin Montbrum (2.16, PO, E) went four and one-third innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits and walk against five Ks. RHP Kelvin Alarcon (1.54) went the next inning, giving up a run on a hit and walk, but LHP Jose Jimenez (3.86, L) let that one and one of his own score after a walk and a wild pitch. RHP Diomny Gaetano (0.61) scored Jimenez’ run after a hit while recording the final out for Aguirre. RF Rayon Lampe (SB, .223) had a couple of hits and 1B Gerardo Avila (3B, R, 2 RBI, .254) and C Franklin Tua (HR, 3 RBI, .239) had some extra-base knocks.

Tomorrow’s Games:
Tacoma: RHP Cha Seung Baek, at New Orleans, @ 5:05 PM
San Antonio: RHP Yorman Bazardo (!), at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: RHP Brandon Moorhead, at San Bernadino, @ 7:11 pm PT
Wisconsin: RHP Aaron Jensen, at Appleton, @ 5:05 pm PT
Everett: RHP Roman Martinez (?), at Yakima, @ 7:05 pm PT
Peoria: Off day
Aguirre: TBA, at Aguirre, @ 8:00 am PT (last game of regular season)

Tacoma Rainiers: 60-50, .545, 2 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 22-19 (60-51), .537 (.540), 2.5 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 17-22 (45-63), .436 (.417), 5.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 23-18 (62-49), .559 (.564), 1 GB in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 24-19, .558, 3 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 5-2 (14-20), .714 (.412), 1 GB in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 37-22-3, .627, 1st (2.5 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 15-12, .556, T-1st in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 318-286-3, .526

posted by Jay Y. @ 11:47 PM

Game Recaps (8/03/05)

Edit: 1:49 pm, now with Peoria recap
Corpus Christi 8 (HOU 0), San Antonio 1
Bazardo was not quite ready, apparently, and LHP Cesar Jimenez (3.35, PO, L) got a spot start, giving up three runs on five hits (HR) and two strikeouts. LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith (4.96) pitched the next four innings, giving up the other five runs on eight hits, three wild pitches, and a walk against three Ks. RHP Mike Flannery (0.00) made his system debut with an uneventful eighth, though he did hit 96 on the gun in the inning. LHP Tim Rall (2.76) gave up a hit in the ninth. 1B Jesse Hoorelbeke (2B, RBI, .257) had two hits, and RF T.J. Bohn (2B, R, .311) and 2B Ismael Castro (2B, .271) both had doubles, but there were a lot of zeroes next to names in the box score.

LHP Chris Key and C Rene Rivera got called up to Tacoma today. C Luis Oliveros will be headed up to San Antonio to take Rivera’s spot.

Inland Empire 18, Lancaster 2 (ARI – 6)
In the past three games, the Sixers have outscored the Jethawks 44-10. What. The. Hell? RHP Mumba Rivera (6.68, W) got to roll through this one, giving up two runs on five hits (HR), a wild pitch, a hit batter, and a walk against seven strikeouts. RHP Jeff Mault (6.00) and RHP Craig James (0.90) took the last two innings, and both gave up two hits, but James also walked one and struck out another. James’ ERA is back under one for this level as well (and is 0.89 combined for the season). It’s weird enough to have on hitter with a five-hit game, but the Sixers had two in 2B Michael Garciaparra (2 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 6 RBI, .292) and 3B Erick Monzon (2B, 2 HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, .271), which is all right, I guess, considering as a team, they had twenty-seven total. LF Sebastien Boucher (2B, 2 R, RBI, .350) had four, and is now hitting better than he was in Wisconsin, DH Carlos Arroyo (2 R, .325), 1B Bryan Lahair (3B, 2 R, 2 RBI, .298), and CF Wladimir Balentien (2B, R, 2 RBI, .275) had three each, and SS Asdrubal Cabrera (2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, .299) had two. C Rob Johnson (R, RBI, .250) went 1-for-4 with a walk in his Cal League debut, which would’ve been nice, had he not been overshadowed by just about everyone else. Sixers’ offense is just going NUTS right now. They were ranked third to last in most categories coming into the game, but they’re on the move. Oh yeah, just for kicks, I’ll tell you that eleven of the Sixers runs came off a rehabbing Russ Ortiz. Ouch for him.

South Bend 9 (ARI + 4), Wisconsin 12
Hmm… not exactly a pretty game, in that there were a lot of errors for both sides and hitting is what decided it. RHP Ivan Blanco (6.40, E) gave up seven runs (five earned) on eight hits, three wild pitches, a hit batter, and two walks against four strikeouts in five and one-third innings of work. LHP Adam Brandt (12.46, W) let two of those score and two more of his own in an inning and two-thirds on five hits, a walk, and a strikeout. RHP Jason Snyder (4.42), coming back from his injury, and LHP Eric O’Flaherty (4.01, S) split the last two, with Snyder striking out a pair and O’Flaherty giving up a hit. Good to see Snyder back, maybe he’ll be in the rotation again soon. CF Chris Colton (R, 2 RBI, CS, .340) and 2B Yung-chi Chen (2 R, RBI, .292) each had three hits and a walk in the effort, and SS Oswaldo Navarro (HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, E, .274), 1B Marshall Hubbard (2 R, 2 RBI, .298), and C Omar Falcon (R, RBI, .276) had two apiece. Navarro’s home run, in case you’re curious, was a grand slam.

Everett 9, Yakima 0 (ARI – 8)
LHP Paul Fagan (3.60, W) was dealing tonight, going eight innings and giving up just six hits and striking out five. RHP Eric Carter (6.48) had a hit and two strikeouts in the ninth. Lots of hitting for the Sox in this one, as SS Reed Eastley (2B, 3B, 2 R, SB, .345) and 1B Jeff Flaig (2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, .290) had three apiece, and 3B Ron Prettyman (2B, R, 2 RBI, .311), DH Danny Santin (R, .325), and RF Michael Saunders (2 2B, R, 2 RBI, .230) had two each.

Peoria Mariners 9, Surprise Rangers 4 (+ 1)
RHP Rich Dorman (5.40) pitched four innings in this one, walking one and striking out nine. Yeah, it looks like he’s about ready to come back. RHP Brian Stitt (6.00, W), not so much, as he gave up three runs on five hits and a walk against a K in two innings of work. RHP Marwin Vega (6.75, S) got the save, giving up a run on three hits, a wild pitch, a hit batter, and a walk against two Ks. 2B Ronald Garth (R, RBI, .333) had three more hits in this game, and 1B Andy Hargrove (2B, .347), CF Tim Auty (2B, R, RBI, .407), RF Eddy Hernandez (R, 2 RBI, .393), and LF Greg Halman (R, SB, CS, .262) had two hits each.

Cagua 1 (CIN - 12), Aguirre 1 (ten innings)
RHP Gerardo Esparza (2.56, PO, E) lasted only one+ inning, for some reason, and gave up Cagua’s only run (unearned) on a hit, a hit batter, and two walks. RHP Alejandro Gutierrez (1.80) got his first extended appearance after that, going seven+ innings and allowing runners to reach via two hits, a hit batter, and two walks against seven Ks. RHP Diomny Gaetano (0.61, E) walked one and struck out one in the ninth. 3B Deybis Benitez (2B, RBI, PO, .238) had a double, and LF William Ortiz (.286) had two hits and a walk, but this wasn’t a game that had a lot of hitting.

Cagua 1 (- 13), Aguirre 6 (seven innings)
RHP Ronald Uviedo (2.76, W) went all seven innings, giving up an unearned run on three hits, a wild pitch, and two walks against three Ks. C Franklin Tua (2B, R, RBI, .239) had two hits, and LF William Ortiz (2 R, .283) didn’t have a hit, but walked three times. Coming into the game, his OBP was .456, or .181 higher than his average. Crazy. Also, I think that the Aguirre M’s have officially sealed first place for the season.

Today’s Games:
Tacoma: LHP Damian Moss, at New Orleans, @ 5:05 PM
San Antonio: RHP Michael Bumstead (?), at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: LHP Ryan Feierabend, at Lancaster, @ 7:00 pm PT
Wisconsin: RHP Mark Lowe, at Appleton, @ 5:05 pm PT
Everett: RHP Nick Allen, at Yakima, @ 7:05 pm PT
Peoria: TBA, at Peoria, @ 7:00 pm PT
Aguirre: TBA, at Venoco, @ 8:00 am PT (doubleheader)

Tacoma Rainiers: 60-50, .545, 2 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 22-18 (60-50), .550 (.545), 1.5 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 16-22 (44-63), .421 (.411), 5.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 23-17 (62-48), .575 (.564), T-1st in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 23-19, .548, 4 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 5-1 (14-19), .833 (.424), T-1st in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 37-20-3, .649, 1st (4 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 15-12, .556, T-1st in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 315-281-3, .528

posted by Jay Y. @ 12:51 AM

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Callis on M's Trades

Jim Callis of Baseball America was asked about the quality of the arms pulled in from the recent Mariners trades and responded in the latest Ask BA column.

Yorman Bazardo ranks as the second-best prospect to change teams this year, and his comments on Flannery imply that he may be more than an organizational guy.

Check it out.

posted by Jay Y. @ 12:23 PM

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Game Recaps (8/2/05)

Edit: 1:59 pm
If you weren’t around for the M’s game tonight, go to MLB.com and watch Betancourt’s play. It’s a thing of beauty.

Omaha 7 (KC – 9), Tacoma 1
I don’t know why a team this bad (according to the standings) is giving the Rainiers so much grief, but the constant shuffling of players might have a hand in that. RHP Chris Buglovsky (4.74) went the first six innings, giving up just three hits while striking out seven. RHP Emliano Fruto (108.00, L) followed and got a rude introduction to triple-A, giving up four runs on two hits, a hit batter, and two walks, while striking out one, his only out. LHP Andrew Lorraine (4.59, PO) scored one of Fruto’s runs and three more of his own over the next inning and a third on three hits and a walk against two Ks. RHP Sean Green (5.16) recorded the final out of the eighth, and then RHP Joe Woerman (12.00), on the shuttle south again from Everett, walked a batter in the ninth. 2B Ramon Santiago (2B, R, E, .243) doubled and scored the only run for Tacoma.

Corpus Christi 4 (HOU – 1), San Antonio 10
After a hard series against Midland, it’s nice to be facing the team that the Missions have owned this season. LHP Thom Oldham (3.52, W) went seven innings and gave up four runs on seven hits (2 HR!) and a walk against five strikeouts. RHP Nate Mateo (0.00) pitched the eighth without incident, and RHP Renee Cortez (3.78) gave up a hit in the ninth. RF T.J. Bohn (2B, 2 R, .311) had three hits in this one, 1B Jesse Hoorelbeke (HR, 3 RBI, .254) and C Rene Rivera (2B, R, .278) had two, and DH Nate Espy (2 R, 2 RBI, .279) was 1-for-2 with a couple of walks.

Inland Empire 16, Lancaster 7 (ARI- 5)
The Sixers practically beat the Jethawks into submission by the third inning today. And by practically, I mean the score was 11-2 at the time and the Jethawks scrounged up five more runs, but really, it was over. First, on pitching, they had LHP Jason Mackintosh (4.13, W) went five+ innings and gave up five runs (four earned) on nine hits (HR) and five walks against two Ks. RHP Nibaldo Acosta (4.87) hit a batter and got two outs after that before being pulled for LHP Nick Bourgeois (2.56), who gave up a hit and struck out three in the next inning and a third. RHP Aaron Trolia (4.43) went the final two and gave up two runs on three hits and a walk. The Sixers had twenty-two hits in all tonight, but more than anything, I want to highlight the third inning…

· Michael Garciaparra doubles (7) on a line drive to left fielder Steve Garrabrants.
· Carlos Arroyo flies out to center fielder Alex Frazier.
· Bryan Lahair singles on a ground ball to center fielder Alex Frazier. Michael Garciaparra scores.
· Wladimir Balentien homers (19) on a fly ball to center field. Bryan Lahair scores.
· Matt Rogelstad walks.
· Asdrubal Cabrera singles on a line drive to right fielder Jeff Cook. Matt Rogelstad to 2nd.
· Luis Oliveros homers (2) on a fly ball to left field. Matt Rogelstad scores. Asdrubal Cabrera scores.
· Samuel Bradford Jr. grounds out, second baseman Danny Richar to first baseman Javier Brito.
· Sebastien Boucher singles on a line drive to center fielder Alex Frazier.
· Pitcher Change: Kyle Bono replaces Chad Scarbery.
· With Michael Garciaparra batting, Sebastien Boucher steals (16) 2nd base.
· Michael Garciaparra walks.
· Carlos Arroyo singles on a line drive to left fielder Steve Garrabrants. Sebastien Boucher scores. Michael Garciaparra to 2nd.
· Bryan Lahair homers (19) on a fly ball to center field. Michael Garciaparra scores. Carlos Arroyo scores.
· Wladimir Balentien doubles (27) on a line drive to left fielder Steve Garrabrants.
· Matt Rogelstad flies out to left fielder Steve Garrabrants.

To give some overall context to that whole thing, 2B Michael Garciaparra (2B, 4 R, RBI, .277) had four hits, LF Sebastien Boucher (HR, 2 R, RBI, SB, .333), DH Carlos Arroyo (R, 2 RBI, .321), and 1B Bryan Lahair (HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, .291) had three apiece, and CF Wladimir Balentien (2B, HR, 3 RBI, .271), C Luis Oliveros (HR, 3 RBI, .208), and RF Sam Bradford Jr. (HR, .217) had two each. Balentien and Lahair both have nineteen home runs on the season now.

South Bend 7 (ARI + 5), Wisconsin 8
LHP Julio Santiago (5.35) got kicked around for the first four and two-thirds innings, giving up seven runs (three earned) on ten hits, a balk, and two walks against two Ks. RHP Stephen Grasley (3.25) struck out one over the next inning and two-thirds, and RHP Justin Jordan (5.62, W) pitched the final three, giving up a hit and punching out two. RF Mike Wilson (HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, .270) had four hits and a walk, 2B Oswaldo Navarro (2B, RBI, .272) had two, DH Josh Womack (2B, R, .263) had a double, and LF Brent Johnson (2 R, RBI, SB, A, .287) had a hit and two walks. C Jeff Clement (R, .250) was 1-for-4 in his Midwest League debut.

Everett 10, Yakima 7 (ARI – 7)
LHP Robert Rohrbaugh (5.23) went five innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits (HR), a hit batter, and a walk against four Ks. RHP Edgar Guaramato (4.58) went the next two, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out two, and was in line for the win, but RHP Cory Koliscak (5.40), who has had his ERA blown up by two bad outings, gave up three runs on four hits, a walk, and a strikeout in the next two-thirds. The win would instead go to LHP Rollie Gibson (3.18), who got the final out of the eighth, and the save would go to RHP Stephen Kahn (11.57, S), who walked one in the ninth. LF Bryan Sabatella (2B, 2 RBI, .267) had three hits in the game, DH Reed Eastley (3B, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, .329) and C Danny Santin (2B, R, 2 RBI, .325) had two, and RF-LF Casey Craig (2B, R, RBI, E, .289) and 1B Jeff Flaig (2B, R, 2 RBI, .278) had extra base. Turning the spotlight to the Aqusox incredible league-leading on-base skills, Eastley and Flaig both walked once (along with three others) and Santin walked twice.

Peoria Padres 2 (- 2), Peoria Mariners 7
Monday night’s game. RHP Brian Stitt (2.25) went the first inning and gave up one run on five hits against a couple of strikeouts. If you’re wondering how that works out, well, one of runners was caught stealing. LHP Harold Williams (2.86) went the next four innings and gave up a run on four hits (HR) and two walks against six Ks. RHP John Sullivan (3.24) hit a batter and struck out three over the next two for the win, and RHP Juan Colon (2.57, S) picked up a save, giving up two hits and a walk but striking out five along the way. For the offense, you had CF Tim Auty (3 2B, R, 2 RBI, .400) and RF Eddy Hernandez (HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, .385) both had three hits, again. I’d make the argument that three of those outfielders down there have no reason to be hanging around in the desert: those two and Jose Graterol. If Jairo Hernandez hadn’t inexplicably been sent back to the DSL, I’d say the same for him. 2B Juan Guzman (2B, R, 2 RBI, .264) and LF Greg Halman (3B, R, .241) added extra-base hits, and DH Bucky Jacobsen (.000) walked once, but was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in his first game back.

Peoria Mariners 2, Mesa Angels 6 (+ 1) (five innings)
LHP Steve Uhlmansiek (5.19, PO) pitched the first inning yet again, giving up a hit and a walk. RHP Tyrone Lamont (4.91, L) went the next two innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a wild pitch while striking out three. LHP Worth Lumry (7.02, E) gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks against a strikeout in the next inning and two-thirds, and RHP Juan Zapata (4.50) got the final out of the fifth. Not much time for the offense to get rolling in this one, but 3B Ronald Garth (HR, 2 RBI, .326) had two hits and DH Bucky Jacobsen (2B, .167) doubled.

Venoco #2 4 (BAL + 7), Aguirre 5
Doubleheader today in the VSL. LHP Jose Escalona (1.25, E) went six innings and gave up four unearned runs on six hits and a walk against eight strikeouts. LHP Jose Jimenez (3.91) went the next inning+ and had a hit, a walk, and a strikeout, and RHP Kelvin Alarcon (1.32, W) picked up the win, giving up a hit and striking out two in the final two frames. SS Deybis Benitez (2B, 2 R, .242) had three hits in the game, 1B Gerardo Avila (R, RBI, .260) had two, and LF William Ortiz (HR, 2 R, .271) had a home run and two walks.

Aguirre 2, Venoco #2 0 (BAL + 6) (seven innings)
The Aguirre M’s just kept on winning, despite only three hits from the offense. Fortunately, the pitching kept pace and RHP Alfredo Venagas (1.96, E, W) went five innings, giving up three hits and a walk while striking out three. RHP Jorge Acosta (3.19) went the next inning, giving up one hit, and RHP Diomny Gaetano (0.64, S) technically got the save with an uneventful seventh.

I've also added a new blog to the sidebar, Taiwan Baseball. The guy who runs it is one of the few people who has seen Kuo-hui Lo in person, along with a number of other players, so it's interesting to read his views, and the blog could become quite valuable if/when the M's sign more Taiwanese players.

Tomorrow’s Schedule:
Tacoma: Off day
San Antonio: RHP Yorman Bazardo (!), at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: RHP Mumba Rivera, at Lancaster, @ 7:00 pm PT
Wisconsin: RHP Ivan Blanco, at Appleton, @ 5:05 pm PT
Everett: LHP Paul Fagan, at Yakima, @ 7:05 pm PT
Peoria: TBA, at Scottsdale, @ 7:00 pm PT
Aguirre: TBA, at Aguirre, @ 8:00 am PT (doubleheader)

Tacoma Rainiers: 60-50, .545, 2 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 22-17 (60-49), .564 (.550), 0.5 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 15-22 (43-63), .405 (.406), 5.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 22-17 (61-48), .564 (.560), 1 GB in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 22-19, .536, 4 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 4-1 (13-19), .800 (.406), T-1st in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 36-20-2, .643, 1st (3 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 15-12, .556, T-1st in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 312-279-2, .528

posted by Jay Y. @ 11:56 PM

Even More Moves

Edit: 1:48 pm, scroll down
With the bi-weekly pieces seeming to come out all the time, I've shied away from doing regular transaction notes in the blog and settled for maybe a word here and there in the recaps, but there are many moves out there in Marinerland right now, and a lot of them impact what's going on in other levels of the system.

First off, we have the major news of the day, namely, that RHPs Felix Hernandez, Jeff Harris, Masao Kida, OF Chris Snelling, and 3B Greg Dobbs are joining the Mariners and, in the exchange, RHP Joel Pineiro is down, and RHP Shigetoshi Hasegawa, 3B Dave Hansen, and 1B Scott Spiezio are now out entirely. It looks like five players being called up for four spots, but keep in mind that Jeff Nelson is on bereavement leave and Ryan Franklin is suspended.

There's a lot to be said for these moves, clearly. Felix, we all know and love, the same with Snelling and Dobbs... well, he has a nice swing that he hasn't been able to do enough with, though he did hit .333/.376/.473 in 129 at-bats in Tacoma this season, which is considerably better than what got him called up last year (aprticularly with regard to walks). Kida isn't quite as bad as I had anticipated he would be this season. He's still nothing special, and since he'll be 37 in September, he's not really a solution for any problem we're facing. Still, opponenets have only been hitting .214 against him and he's posted a 1.02 WHIP, and you can't really argue against results like that. Harris is the call up I was most looking forward to, considering he's never even had a cup of coffee in the bigs even though he recently turned 31. Compared to Kida, opponents are batting only .001 better against him and his WHIP is 0.01 worse, but keep in mind that he's been in the rotation a lot lately, and that says something. The guy's incredible in how rubber his arm has been, as he previously made a seven-inning start on two days rest back in Tacoma. If slow workers aren't your thing, Harris will drive you absolutely nuts, but he's been more than effective this season and still has some chance of hanging around with the club beyond this season.

Down in the minors, there are a few moves shuffling players around to try to fill the spots. The most notable (in terms of the M's immediate future) was the promotion of RHP Emiliano Fruto to Tacoma. Fruto's taken a long time to come around since being signed out of Columbia as a 16-year-old (and making the direct jump to U.S. ball), but he's finally gotten his work ethic back on track and seems to have more zip on his fastball than ever, which means he might be more than the middle reliever some of us had him pegged as.
Down in San Antonio, LHP Jared Thomas went on the DL after being nailed in the arm by a line drive, RHP R.D. Spiehs was released to make room for the pitchers coming in from the Marlins system (Bazardo, Flannery), and it seems as if LHP Cesar Jimenez will be coming off the DL today. I don't really like the release of Spiehs, considering he was doing pretty well in San Antonio this year, but I like the players coming in a little better. Flannery, for example, looked like roster filler based on his career stats, but in Carolina of the double-A Southern League this season, he had a 2.21 ERA, a sub-1.00 WHIP, and was striking out more than a batter per inning. He collapsed on reaching triple-A for the first time, but I'm hearing that he might be taking over as the Missions closer and he could be one to keep an eye on.
Finally, news from Inland Empire that, as far as I know, you can't find anywhere else at the moment. I've received word that C Rob Johnson is flying in from Wisconsin today, but I haven't yet heard the corresponding moves in terms of who's headed for Wisconsin as the backup and who's leaving Inland. Johnson hit .272/.319/.430 in 305 at-bats for the T-Rats, many of them as their cleanup hitter. It'll be good to see him get a month in the Cal League to see how he handles it. The system is suddenly developing a good number of viable catching options, which is always a plus. Jeff Clement has been promoted to Wisconsin.

And that's the news for now...

posted by Jay Y. @ 10:59 AM

Monday, August 01, 2005

Game Recaps (8/1/05)

Omaha 6 (KC – 10), Tacoma 0
I’m a little unclear on this, as Atchison was listed as the starter for most of the game, but now it says LHP Bobby Livingston (5.12, L) was the one who gave up six runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk against five strikeouts in four and one-third innings. RHP Clint Nageotte (0.83) went two and two-thirds after that, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out four (so why isn’t he getting the call instead of Kida?). RHP Jeff Heaverlo (5.25) struck out two in the final two innings. The Rainiers were no-hit until the seventh, and 3B Greg Dobbs (E, .333) and LF Shin-soo Choo (.257) had the only hits. RF Chris Snelling (A, .372) was 0-for-2, but walked, was hit, and had an assist from the outfield to get a runner at second.

Midland 4 (OAK + 6), San Antonio 8
RHP Juan Sandoval (4.16, E, W) went six innings+ and gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits, four walks, and four strikeouts, so this wasn’t really a typical start for him, though it did work out all right. LHP Chris Key (1.50) pitched the final three, giving up two hits and a walk and punching out a couple of batters. The one and nine hitters of LF Jaime Bubela (3B, 2 R, 2 RBI, .300) and 2B Ismael Castro (HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB, .270) did the most damage, with Bubela notching three hits and Castro getting four. RF T.J. Bohn (R, 2 RBI, .307) and DH Nate Espy (SB, CS, .278) added two hits apiece.

Balentien/Lahair 10, Lancaster 1 (ARI – 4)
Ok, technically, Balentien and Lahair didn’t do all the scoring in this game, but they came close… First, as for pitching, RHP Chad Fillinger (6.27, W) went eight innings, giving up one unearned run on five hits and striking out six. RHP Oliver Arias (5.91) gave up one hit and struck out the side in the ninth. As previously implied, 1B Bryan Lahair (3 HR, 5 RBI, .291) and CF Wladimir Balentien (2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, .269) appeared as if they could beat the Jethawks singled-handedly, hitting back-to-back home runs in both the first and the fifth. This single game jumps Lahair’s slugging percentage up by .025 and Balentien’s by .021, but more impressive is that Lahair struck out only once and Balentien, not at all. SS Asdrubal Cabrera (R, .303) quietly added four hits, RF Sam Bradford Jr. (2B, RBI, .167) doubled, and LF Sebastien Boucher (2B, RBI, .321) had two hits and a walk. A fine night all around for the Sixers offense.

Wisconsin 6, Burlington 4 (KC + 4)
RHP Randy Frye (8.34) only lasted an inning+, giving up four runs on three hits, two hit batters, and two walks, before being visited by the coaches and trainer and getting pulled from the game. RHP Cibney Bello (4.23, PO) went the next five innings, missing both bats (one hit, six strikeouts) and the strikezone itself (five walks, two wild pitches). RHP Jon Lockwood (1.86, W) struck out two and didn’t allow a runner to reach over the final three frames. It was the bottom of the order doing most of the damage, as 3B Yung-chi Chen (2B, 3 R, .288) and LF Josh Womack (2 RBI, .264) had two hits each, C Omar Falcon (HR, .267) had a home run and two walks, and PH-LF Brent Johnson (2 RBI, .287) drove in two while pinch-hitting for Womack.

No box scores for any of the Arizona League just yet.

Aguirre was rained out yet again. They aren’t losing any ground though, as the teams behind them continue to lose.

Tomorrow’s Schedule:
Tacoma: RHP Chris Buglovsky, at Tacoma, @ 12:35 pm PT
San Antonio: LHP Thom Oldham, at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: LHP Jason Mackintosh, at Lancaster, @ 7:00 pm PT
Wisconsin: LHP Julio Santiago, at Appleton, @ 5:00 pm PT
Everett: LHP Paul Fagan, at Yakima, @ 7:00 pm PT
Peoria: TBA, at Mesa, @ 7:00 pm PT
Aguirre: TBA, at Venoco, @ 8:00 am PT

Tacoma Rainiers: 60-49, .550, 2 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 21-17 (59-49), .553 (.546), 1 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 14-22 (42-63), .389 (.400), 5.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 21-17 (60-48), .553 (.556), 3 GB in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 21-19, .525, 5 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 3-0 (12-18), 1.000 (.400), 1st (1 GA) in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 34-20-2, .630, 1st (2.5 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 15-12, .556, T-1st in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 305-277-2, .524

posted by Jay Y. @ 11:14 PM

New Transactions

The latest transaction register was posted around midnight. Some of the info is slightly out of date with the trade deadline now passed, but it's mostly up-to-date (and contains what info I've heard on Kuo-hui Lo). The next update could end up being... pretty big (for example, Emiliano Fruto was just promoted to Tacoma and Jared Thomas just went on the DL), so I might be getting a head start on that shortly.

posted by Jay Y. @ 12:49 AM

Sunday, July 31, 2005

Game Recaps (7/31/05)

Omaha 7 (KC – 11), Tacoma 6
RHP Cha Seung Baek (6.60, L) went four+ innings and gave up five runs on five hits (HR), five walks, and five strikeouts. LHP Andrew Lorraine (4.41), apparently bumped from the rotation, went the next three innings giving up two hits and striking out three. RHP Sean Green (5.22) gave up two runs on a walk followed by a home run in the final two innings. For the offense, 1B Greg Dobbs (.336) had three hits, and CF Abraham Nunez (HR, 3 RBI, .264), LF Justin Leone (2 2B, 2 R, .259), and DH Aaron Rifkin (R, RBI, .259) having three each. Nunez also walked three times. RF Chris Snelling (2B, .375), who should be back in Seattle soon, had a double and a walk.

Midland 8 (OAK + 7), San Antonio 1
RHP Jon Huber (4.97) went the first seven innings, giving up a run on four hits, a wild pitch, and three walks against three Ks, which is pretty good for him. After that, the defense fell apart, and LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith (4.71, 2 E, L) was both the culprit and the one who suffered because of it, giving up five unearned runs in a third of an inning on three walks and a strikeout. Newcomer RHP Nate Mateo (0.00) gave up three of those and an unearned of his own on two hits and a strikeout while finishing the inning, and RHP R.D. Spiehs (2.81) gave up a solo home run in the ninth. SS Adam Jones (2B, .314) had a double, C Rene Rivera 92B, R, PB, .273) had two hits, and 2B Ismael Castro (.261) was 1-for-1 with a walk, but there was only one other hit from the Missions’ offense.

Rancho Cucamonga 6 (ANA + 4), Inland Empire 4
RHP Brandon Moorhead (4.90) did well, going six innings and giving up a couple runs on four hits, a wild pitch, and two walks against four strikeouts. LHP Troy Cate (2.73, L) would get the loss as he allowed four runs to score on three hits, a hit batter, and a walk against three strikeouts in two innings of work. RHP Craig James (1.00) gave up a walk and struck out one in the ninth. 2B Michael Garciaparra (R, CS, .265) and DH Matt Rogelstad (RBI, .319) both had three hits, RF Sam Bradford Jr. (HR, .154) had his first home run at the level, and CF Sebastien Boucher (R, CS, .317) had a hit and two walks. Boucher’s numbers in the Cal League are now almost identical to what they were at Wisconsin, and they just keep on climbing.

Wisconsin 4, Burlington 1 (KC + 5)
The good RHP Aaron Jensen (5.06) showed up today, going seven innings and giving up one run on six hits (HR), a wild pitch, and three walks against two strikeouts while facing a solid Burlington team (though hitting hasn’t exactly been their forte, and they’re second to last in that regard). LHP Eric O’Flaherty (4.08, S) went the last two innings, striking out a pair. 2B Oswaldo Navarro (2 2B, 2 R, SB, .272) had a three hits and a walk, RF Mike Wilson (2B, R, RBI, .265) had two, 3B Yung-chi Chen (2B, RBI, .286) had a double, and SS Matt Tuiasosopo (R, SB, .290) was 1-for-2 with a walk.

Tri City 3 (COL – 4), Everett 4
RHP Jeff Gilmore (1.59, W) was superb, going five innings and giving up a couple of runs on five hits (HR) and striking out eight. LHP David Asher (3.78) went the next three and two-thirds, giving up a run on a hit, a hit batter, and a walk against four strikeouts, but it was RHP Stephen Kahn (20.25, S) who let that run score after giving up a hit, a wild pitch, and a walk before striking out the final batter. 2B Luis Valbuena (HR, 2 RBI, .253) had the big two-run home run for the Aquasox, but 1B Jeff Flaig (2B, RBI, CS, .276) also added a double and a walk.

The Aguirre game appears to have been rained out, and with the season winding down, it’s hard to tell if they’ll make it up.

Tomorrow’s Schedule:
Tacoma: LHP Bobby Livingston at Tacoma, @ 7:05 pm PT
San Antonio: RHP Juan Sandoval, at San Antonio, @ 5:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: RHP Chad Fillinger, at Lancaster, @ 7:00 pm PT
Wisconsin: RHP Randy Frye, at Burlington, @ 5:00 pm PT
Everett: Off day
Peoria: TBA, at Peoria, @ 7:00 pm PT
Aguirre: TBA, at Aguirre, @ 8:00 am PT

Tacoma Rainiers: 60-48, .556, 2 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 20-17 (58-49), .541 (.542), 2 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 13-22 (41-63), .371 (.394), 5.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 20-17 (59-48), .541 (.551), 3 GB in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 21-19, .525, 5 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 3-0 (12-18), 1.000 (.400), 1st (1 GA) in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 34-20-2, .630, 1st (2 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 15-12, .556, T-1st in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 302-276-2, .522

posted by Jay Y. @ 11:03 PM

Game Recaps (7/30/05)

I got to the trade scene late because I was working, but man do I ever dig the action on that front. Foppert alone is enough to sell me on the point, but getting a couple of decent back-ups at catcher and a potentially interesting late-bloomer in Mateo, who also happens to be a hard thrower. I don’t know how the catching position is going to shake out from here, but I’d watch my back if I were Wiki Gonzalez. The only problem is that this leaves us without a “starting catcher”, though arguably we’ve been in that position for quite a while.

Omaha 3 (KC –12), Tacoma 9
RHP Felix Hernandez (2.25, E), in what may be his last triple-A appearance, walked two and struck out seven over the course of four innings. RHP Scott Atchison (27.00) struggled in the next inning, giving up three runs on three hits, a wild pitch, and a walk against two Ks. RHP Jeff Heaverlo (5.43, W) picked up the pieces after that, going two innings, giving up three hits, hitting a batter, and punching out three. RHP Clint Nageotte (0.96) took the final two innings, giving up a couple hits and striking out one. RF Chris Snelling (R, CS, .377) had another three hits in this game, 3B Justin Leone (3B, 2 R, 2 RBI, .255), 2B Jose Lopez (2B, R, RBI, .294), and C Ryan Christianson (2B, R, RBI, .254) each had two, and LF Shin-soo Choo (HR, 2 RBI, A, .257) and 1B Greg Dobbs (HR, .325) both added home runs.

Midland 8 (OAK + 6), San Antonio 7
RHP Michael Bumstead (4.72, L) went four+ innings and gave up five runs on six hits (HR) and four walks against two strikeouts. LHP Tim Rall (2.82, E) went the next three innings and struggled uncharacteristically, giving up three runs on four hits and three walks against four strikeouts. RHP Renee Cortez (3.86) gave up two hits over the final couple of frames. 2B Ismael Castro (HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, .259) had a home run and three RBI in the game, C Rene Rivera (2B, R, 3 RBI, PB, .267) had three hits, and CF Gary Harris (2B, 2 R, .286) and SS Adam Jones (2 2B, 2 R, .316) both had two hits.

Rancho Cucamonga 6 (ANA + 3), Inland Empire 0
LHP Ryan Feierabend (3.82, PO, L) wasn’t bad, getting through six innings and giving up two runs on seven hits and a walk against seven strikeouts, but he got the L as the Sixers’ offense was unable to muster much of anything. For all I know, Feir might be leading the minor leagues in pickoffs too. LHP Nick Bourgeois (2.67) came off his DL stint (broken hand) to strikeout a batter in the next inning, and RHP Aaron Trolia (4.32) gave up four unearned runs in the final two innings on six hits and a walk against two Ks. 3B Erick Monzon (E, .262) had two hits and RF Sam Bradford Jr. (2B, SB, .111) had a double, but the offense wasn’t exactly running on all cylinders in this one.

Wisconsin 1, Burlington 9 (KC + 6)
RHP Mark Lowe (5.40, PO, L) would get the loss after giving up nine runs (eight earned) on eight hits (HR), two hit batters, and four walks against two Ks in four innings of work. LHP Donny Langdon (5.54) went the next three innings, giving up two hits, a wild pitch, and two walks while striking out four, and RHP Jon Lockwood (2.70) struck out one in the eighth. The two hits by 1B Marshall Hubbard (HR, .301) and the pinch hit by PH-LF Josh Womack (2B, .262) were the extent of the T-Rats offense, literally. There were no other hits or walks or plunked batters. That home run by Hubbard was his fourteenth though, and that’s promising.

Tri City 5 (COL – 3), Everett 6
RHP Roman Martinez (4.05) got the start instead, and went three and one-third innings, giving up five runs on six hits (HR), two wild pitches, and three walks against two Ks. LHP Justin Thomas (4.10, W), the regularly scheduled starter, went the next three and two-thirds and gave up two hits, a hit batter, a walk and two strikeouts, but no runs. RHP Cory Koliscak (3.77) went the next inning and a third, giving up two hits and a walk while striking out two, and LHP Rollie Gibson (3.24, S) got the final two outs. DH Reed Eastley (HR, 4 RBI, .338) had the big hit for the Sox, a grand slam home run in the fourth, but 3B Ron Prettyman (.322) and C Danny Santin (.305) added two hits each as well.

Peoria was rained out today, along with all the other games in the desert.

Aguirre 3, Tronconero #2 2 (NYM + 5)
LHP Kervin Montbrum (1.77, W) went six innings and gave up a couple runs (one earned) on five hits, a wild pitch, two hit batters, and a walk against four Ks. RHP Jorge Acosta (3.27) struck out a pair in the next two frames, and RHP Diomny Gaetano (0.66, S) picked up another save in the ninth. SS Deybis Benitez (.230) and CF Manuel Pinto (RBI, .283) both had two hits, but there wasn’t a whole lot of action from the Aguirre bats.

Today’s Schedule:
Tacoma: RHP Cha Seung Baek, at Tacoma, @ 1:35 pm PT
San Antonio: RHP Jon Huber, at San Antonio, @ 4:05 pm PT
Inland Empire: RHP Brandon Moorhead, at Rancho Cucamonga, @ 6:11 pm PT
Wisconsin: RHP Aaron Jensen, at Burlington, @ 12:00 pm PT
Everett: RHP Jeff Gilmore, at Everett, @ 4:05 pm PT
Peoria: Off day
Aguirre: TBA, at Aguirre, @ 6:00 am PT

Tacoma Rainiers: 60-47, .561, 1 GB in PCL Pacific North
San Antonio Missions: 20-16 (58-48), .556 (.547), 1 GB in TL West
Inland Empire 66ers: 13-21 (41-62), .382 (.398), 5.5 GB in CAL South
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers: 19-17 (58-48), .528 (.547), 3 GB in MWL West
Everett Aquasox: 20-19, .513, 6 GB in NWL West
Peoria Mariners, 3-0 (12-18), 1.000 (.400), 1st (1 GA) in AZL
Aguirre Mariners, 34-20-2, .630, 1st (2 GA) in VSL Valencia
Santo Domingo Mariners, 15-12, .556, T-1st in DSL Santo Domingo Norte
Organizational Record: 300-273-2, .523

posted by Jay Y. @ 2:07 AM