Box Score Recap – 7/18/2017

Box Score Recap

Ranger Suarez made his second start since his promotion to the Threshers.  He faced the Dunedin Blue Jays in both starts.  This familiarity did not help the Blue Jays.  Nor did the addition of top prospects Bo Bichette and Vlad Guerrero Jr. in the interim.

Suarez has held the Jays scoreless in ten innings.  He has given up 8 hits, walked three, and struck out 17.  The 21-year old lefty was particularly effective last night in Clearwater’s victory.  More below.

Lehigh Valley won scoring 4 runs in the 8th, 9th, and 10th innings.

Reading mustered little offense in a loss.

Williamsport dropped both ends of a double header.

Lakewood had the day off..

The GCL Phillies were rained out.

Lehigh Valley (58-37)  beat Gwinnett, 5-3.

Ben Lively (2.27) pitched 5.0 innings and gave up 2 runs on 5 hits and a walk.  He struck out four.  Cesar Ramos (3.99) walked 2 and struck out 3 in 1.0 inning.  Jesen Therrien (1.75) gave up a run on 4 hits in 2.0 innings.  Edubray Ramos (2-0, 1.86) got the win with 1.0 scoreless inning.  Pedro Beato walked in 1.0 inning while notching his 27th save.

The IronPigs scored in the second inning on Herlis Rodriguez’ RBI double.  The offense remained silent and missed a few opportunities until it scored a run in the eighth on Hector Gomez’ single.  Trailing by one entering the ninth, the IronPigs tied the game on Scott Kingery’s RBI single.  They won in the tenth on Pedro Florimon’s pinch hit, 2-run single.

Rodriguez (.278) went 4-5 with 2 doubles and an RBI.  Gomez (.242) went 2-5 with 2 runs scored, a double, and an RBI.  Dylan Cozens stole his 6th base to get in scoring position in the tenth.  The Pigs went 5-15 with RISP.

Reading (52-41)  lost to New Hampshire, 5-2.

Tyler Viza (6-7, 6.03) stumbled in the seventh inning when he gave up a 2-run HR.  On the night, he pitched 7.0 innings and gave up 3 runs on 9 hits and 3 walks.  Victor Arano (2.75) gave up a 2-run HR in relief.

The Phils managed 2 runs on 6 hits and a walk.  They scored a small ball run in the first inning on Carlos Tocci’s RBI single (following Zach Coppola’s single and stolen base).  The offense remained impotent until Mitch Walding’s (22) solo HR in the ninth inning.

Clearwater (51-42)  shut out Dunedin, 6-0.

Ranger Suarez (1-0, 0.00) earned his first Threshers’ victory.  He pitched shutout ball for 6.0 innings on 5 hits and a walk.  He struck out ten.  Luke Leftwich (2.96) pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in relief.  Jeff Singer (2.56) had one of those “crappily” good innings, walk the bases loaded and strike out 2 batters, getting rehabbing Anthony Alford for the final out.  No big deal though on Alford, everybody struck him out tonight (Suarez 3 times, Ledftwich once).

Deivi Grullon (.268), Jan Hernandez (.226), and Grenny Cumana (.256) each had 2 hits and each hit a home run.  They accounted for all 6 RBIs.  Hernandez (12) hit a solo HR in the second inning, Grullon (8) hit a 2-run HR in the fourth,  and Cumana (2) launched a 2-run HR into the bullpen in the seventh.  Grullon had an RBI single in the sixth.  Cornelius Randolph (.257 ) singled in his fourth at bat to extend his on base streak to 27 games.

Ranger Suarez pitched from behind most of the evening.  He threw first pitch strikes to just 52% (13/25) of batters.  In spite of this, he was still able to be effective, albeit at the expense of a higher pitch count.  Another anomaly was the number of foul balls that Dunedin was able to effect.  Almost half of the strikes they did not put into play (swinging strikes, called strikes, and foul balls) were foul balls (24/53, 45.3%).  This was even higher in the first three innings (17/27, 63%).  Suarez was able to counter the above with a slider that accounted for 70% of his strike outs.

Let me just bullet point Suarez highlights and higherlights –

  • 95 pitches/66 strikes, 69.5% ( I know the box score states 96 pitches, but they are wrong.  They made a mistake at the beginning of the fourth inning, and although they tried to correct it, they were still wrong.  The actual pitch sequence was swinging strike – foul ball – called third strike.  Originally they had – ball, called strike, foul ball, foul ball, called third strike.  They “corrected” to ball, foul ball, foul ball, called third strike.  I only mention this because these types of mistakes are made quite often, even in Game Day.  I’m surprised that discrepancies haven’t been pointed out here.
  • two, three-ball counts – resulting in a walk and a controversial called third strike.
  • 7 of 10 strike outs came swinging – 85, 84, 84, 83, 84, 93, 85 MPH.
  • 3 of 10 strike outs came looking – 94, 93, 84 MPH.
  • 15 swinging strikes – 1 FB (93 MPH), 14 SL (83-86 MPH)
  • 14 called strikes – 9 FB (92-94 MPH), 5 SL (83-85 MPH)
  • FB sat 92-94 MPH early, touching 95 (four times),
  • FB sat solidly 93-94 MPH over the last three innings, dipping to 92 (only twice)
  • SL sat 84-86 MPH, dipped to 83 (on four random pitches)
  • Only 4 swinging strikes in the first three innings, 11 in the final three, 5 in the sixth. They were really flailing at his slider.  Of the 40 he threw, only 3 were put in play – a ground single in the first, a fly out in the third, and an infield single in the sixth.
  • Suarez struck out Alford all 3 times he faced him – looking at a 94 MPH FB in the first inning, swinging at an 84 MPH SL in the third, and swinging at a 93 MPH FB in the fifth
  • He kept Bichette and Guerrero in check even though they both went 2-3 off him – Bichette ground a single through the hole into right and a single off Greens glove; Guerrero ground a single through the hole into left and a bloop into shallow center.
  • The hardest hit ball was a lead off line drive double down the right field line that amounted to nothing when Deivi Grullon threw out a runner trying to steal second.
  • Twice Bichette and Guerrero it back-to-back singles – in the first inning with one out and Suarez responded with a strike out and a ground out to Grenny Cumana at second (a really good play up the middle); and leading off the fifth and Suarez responded with back-to-back strike outs and a fly out to Randolph.

Lakewood (51-43)  no game scheduled.

Williamsport (14-12)  dropped a double header to State College, 9-3 and 3-1.

Game One:  The Crosscutters fell behind early in the seven-inning affair.  Julian Garcia (2-2, 3.13) gave up 5 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks in 2.0 innings.  David Parkinson (12.00) gave up 3 runs on 7 hits in 2.0 innings.  Orestes Melendez (5.40) gave up 1 run on 2 hits in 1.0 inning. Jhon Nunez (6.17) pitched 2.0 scoreless innings and struck out two.

The Crosscutters scored 3 runs to close to within 8-3, but that was as close as they would get.  They scored in the fourth inning on Jhailyn Ortiz’ 2-run triple and Austin Listi’s SF. They collected 10 hits, but 9 were singles.  They reached on one hit batter, but no walks, and 10 ‘Cutters struck out.

Greg Pickett (.368) went 3-3 with a run scored.  Josh Stephen (.266) went 2-4.  Ortiz (.290) went 2-3 with a run scored, triple, and 2 RBI (17).  Adam Haseley was not in the line up. Ortiz had an outfield assist (home).  Parkinson picked a runner off first base.

Game Two:  The Crosscutters tied the game at one in the bottom of the seventh, but lost in extra innings.  Luis Carrasco (1.80) held the Spikes to 1 run on 3 hits and a walk in 6.0 innings.  Damon Jones (0-1, 5.40) gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and 3 walks in 2.0 innings.

The Cutters scored in the seventh inning on 2 of their 5 hits, a walk, and an error on the second hit.  They were unable to convert a first and third with one out into the winning run.

Colby Fitch (.471) went 2-3.  Greg Pickett (.368) was walked intentionally in the seventh as a pinch hitter.

GCL Phillies (11-7)  postponed, rain.

Here’s the affiliate scoreboard from MiLB.

I’m going to forgo reading the Comments in the Recap and Open discussion for a while.  If any one wants to contact me with questions or wants to call an error to my attention, please e-mail me.  Put something in the subject line that will induce me to open the e-mail, I routinely delete e-mail from correspondents that I don’t recognize, especially the ones with the “spammy” subject lines.

Transactions:

  • 7/18 – Phillies activated RHP Vince Velasquez from the 10-day disabled list
  • 7/18 – Phillies optioned RHP Mark Leiter to Lehigh Valley IronPigs
  • 7/18 – 3B Harold Martinez assigned to Lehigh Valley IronPigs from Reading Fightin Phils
  • 7/18 – SS Jorge Flores assigned to Reading Fightin Phils from Lehigh Valley IronPigs
  • 7/17 – Phillies activated 2B Cesar Hernandez from the 10-day disabled list.
  • 7/17 – Phillies placed RF Aaron Altherr on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to July 15, 2017. Strained right hamstring.
  • The organization’s rosters are up to date.

45 thoughts on “Box Score Recap – 7/18/2017”

  1. From his sitting out the first game and not hitting well in the second I am guessing that this very long season of baseball has had the better of Haseley. He showed what he can do in his opportunity. My guess is that he will stay at Williamsport, rest more, and be ready if they make the playoffs. The Crosscutters will need his bat against the Spikes. They have a good line-up.

      1. bellman….the Crosscutters must now lead the league in HBPs.
        They also lead the league in AVE, SLG and OPS, and second in OBP…..so I guess it comes with the territory.

    2. Maybe that explains him being ice cold and also DHing the other day, at 21 and 75 games he should probably be pretty strong still, if he were a teenager I would think he would be wearing down and maybe that is sill some issue this probably his longest season so far, I’m not concerned but I am taking notice

      1. Nothing to take notice about. He wasn’t supposed to play the second game yesterday because of the HBP but they made a change between games. He’s still putting together really good ABs. He didn’t have a hit Sunday, but lined out to first and third on a pair of rockets.

        He’s not tired, he’s not worn down. But his career started in the stratosphere and everything he hit was finding a hole. He had no other place to go but to fall back to Earth a little. Not even close to time to be concerned. Production be damned this summer, it’s more important that he get out and play. Worry about production next year after a full offseason to prep as a position player only. As long as he’s still seeing a ton of pitches, working some walks and barreling the ball, then he’s just fine.

        1. I’ve noticed he has cooled down, and wondered why Is all, since you have first hand knowledge of how he feels I defer to your knowledge. Good to hear he is still having strong at bats, although I would expect him to crush this league as he is most likely older than most of the players whom are prospects and not just late round org fodder.

  3. It certainly looks like Suarez is putting himself of the map in terms of being a prospect. Any thoughts on where he ranks in our top 30? My guess (subject to change depending on how he finishes out the year) is in the 15-20 range

    1. Without putting too much thought into it, I would say top 15 for me. With his stuff (sitting low 90’s, touching 95) and the fact that he is LH AND his performance, I’m pretty excited by him.

    2. Yes he’s jumped up my list after watching him pitch. I was surprised that he threw 93, with his control and his off speed pitch, he definitely has a future. Top 15 feels about right but he could soon be top 10 if a few guys get promoted. He’s definitely part of a growing group of our pitching prospects.

    3. I would have him right around Kilome, honestly. His fastball is the same level (extra Kilome mph mitigated by Ranger’s lefthandedness). Ranger’s secondary stuff doesn’t have as high a ceiling, but his control is definitely already better.

      Kilome likely will be able to throw more innings, so that gives him the edge I think, but less risk-averse folks should lean Ranger.

    4. I’d like to think Suarez would be that high, but the numbers get really tight with the system being so deep. I’d be more curious just to get an expert’s take on the young pitching alone. After the first couple of Sixto Sanchez, Franklyn Kilome, Kevin Gowdy, JoJo Romero, Adonis Medina, Ranger Suarez, Seranthony Dominguez, Nick Fanti, and Jose Taveras, it gets really tough to fill in the rest. They’re all exciting, and that’s not even mentioning the new draftees.

  4. If those are accurate gun readings then we have a legit #2-3 in Ranger. I thought he was more of a junk baller. Of course nothing will be known for sure until he gets to Reading. For pitchers Reading is the true test, for hitters its LHV.

    1. You totally nailed it. Reading for pitchers, LHV for hitters. And, yes, I didn’t realize he threw that hard either. Depending on his command a secondary offerings, he could be mid to upper rotation pitcher. We are getting spoiled by the quality of our younger pitchers, but I think many are the real deal. Finally, we can get out of the rut of middle back end starters created by the last regime. We don’t need 4s as the Phillies can buy and acquire them at will (see Hellickson) – we need guys with higher ceilings.

  5. FO deserves some credit for drafting and/or developing LHPs lately. Two years ago we all lamented no quality LHPs in the system.
    Romero (’16,Rd4) and Suarez have both continued to shine after promos to CLW. Fanti (’15, Rd31) continues to impress (even dominate) at LKW. K.Young (’16, Rd22) upside is making us drool at WPT.
    Bailey and Irvin are 5th Rd picks in ’15 and ’16 and worth watching.
    And we more young guns in Lindow (Rd5) and Mezquita (Rd8) now from ’17 draft.
    (…And someday El.Garcia will return.)

    1. I think it’s important to recognize the last lineup Suarez dominated last night and time to get real excited here. Reports say up to 95 last nite. I think this one is legit

  6. Jhaylin Ortiz…NICE! Shows off the athleticism ( triple) and the arm ( outfield assist)…

  7. New Post from Keith Law: http://insider.espn.com/blog/keith-law/insider/post?id=7430

    Title: Law’s scouting notebook: Phillies’ pitching prospects are ridiculously good

    Here is the Philly’s portion:

    The Philadelphia Phillies’ 18-year-old right-hander, Sixto Sanchez, has one of the best fastballs of any starter in the minors, perhaps the best, with his three pitches last Wednesday coming in at 99, 100 and 99 mph — easy velocity with a little life to the pitch as well. He threw 62 pitches over six innings, 46 of them fastballs and six of those 100 or 101 mph. He thoroughly overpowered the Rome Braves’ hitters twice through the order before they started to time his fastball more the third time through, showing the weakness of his secondary stuff and his present fastball command.

    Sanchez is a surprising guy to hit triple digits with so little effort, as he’s about 5-foot-10, 175 pounds or so and not overly muscular but blessed with a lightning-quick arm. His is some of the easiest velocity I have ever seen, comparable to that of Cincinnati right-hander Hunter Greene (the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft). Although Sanchez doesn’t really command the pitch, he was around the plate enough his whole outing Wednesday. His changeup was his best second pitch, solid average right now, mostly 88-89 mph with some late downward action, though he can overthrow it and turn it into a batting practice fastball. He doesn’t have a present average breaking ball; he’s throwing a curveball-ish sort of thing at 81-85 mph that’s a grade-40 pitch at the low end of the range, but it creeps up when he throws it harder, and it starts to take on slider characteristics.

    Sanchez does everything so easy and clean that I don’t see any physical or mechanical reason he can’t start, but he’s going to need to improve that offspeed stuff to do that. An 80 fastball, 60 change, 50 breaking ball with 50 command is at least a No. 2 starter, but that’s projecting a lot of improvement on the last three points. I have had scouts say they think he’s a closer, and that’s certainly possible, but I’d call it an absolute worst-case scenario. If you want to be the optimist here, bear in mind that Noah Syndergaard was also up to 99 mph with no breaking ball to speak of when Toronto drafted him at age 18 out of a Dallas area high school, and he has worked out OK. Sanchez isn’t built like Thor but has a similarly easy, clean arm swing and tremendous arm speed, so perhaps there’s a future plus-slider in there that no one can see just yet.

    Lakewood’s rotation is just ridiculous this year, and that’s without JoJo Romero, who was recently promoted to high-A after dominating the Sally League. I know a few scouts who rate Adonis Medina over Sanchez in the Phillies’ system because Medina has the present secondary stuff that Sixto lacks. I saw Medina on June 30 against Hagerstown, and the right-hander was throwing 91-96 mph with a four-pitch mix, including a hard-action changeup at 84-87 mph that was better when he eased up on the pitch, an above-average curveball at 76-79 mph and an average slider at 79-82 mph. (That’s assuming those two were distinct pitches, which they looked like out of his hand.) Like Sanchez, Medina gets his velocity without much effort, but his delivery isn’t as pristine — he flies open at release too often — and hitters were on his fastball, which is hard but straight. I’d rank him behind Sixto, but both have above-average starter ceilings.

    Both those guys were outpitched by lefty Nick Fanti, from my hometown of Smithtown, New York (although Fanti went to Hauppauge High School, a terrible decision on his part). Fanti threw a no-hitter this week in Lakewood’s game against the Yanks’ low-A affiliate Charleston — the second time Fanti was involved in a no-hitter this year. Fanti is 88-91 mph, but hitters don’t see the pitch well, and he worked heavily off the fastball all day, showing a potential average curve and changeup but using them to change speeds and keep hitters from timing him. I worry a bit about the lack of a clear out pitch here, but the awkward swings he got are promising, and it isn’t as if hitters adjusted the third time through the order. He could be a back-end starter, especially if there’s a little more velocity in here and he can pitch with that deception at something like 90-93 mph.

    Lakewood has a few bats of note, but the big two prospects aren’t doing much at the plate this year. Mickey Moniak is struggling to get on base this year, though he’s just barely 19 and in his first full pro season. His narrow stance and soft front side are preventing him from driving the ball, and I’ve seen him swing at sliders like he has never seen one before. This doesn’t make him a non-prospect or a bad one, but he isn’t as advanced at the plate as the Phillies thought when they took him first overall in 2016.

    Second baseman Daniel Brito is an athletic kid with a lot of fast-twitch actions, but he has looked physically overmatched the three times I’ve seen him this year — reminiscent of another very slight Phillies prospect, Carlos Tocci, when he was with Lakewood at ages 17 and 18 a few years ago. I’ve seen Brito work several great at-bats, but offspeed stuff away gives him fits. He has great hands at second base and a quick transfer from glove to throwing hand.

    Fanti’s no-hitter came at the expense of two of the Yankees’ top hitting prospects, outfielders Blake Rutherford (who has since been traded to the White Sox) and Estevan Florial, both of whom are left-handed hitters and did not like what they saw from the southpaw on Monday. Florial, who represented Haiti on the World Team at this month’s MLB Futures Game, is a physically imposing, athletic kid with a big, furious swing who is loading his hands a little deep and creating some length, which might explain his high strikeout rate this year. He punched out in all three at-bats against Fanti, twice swinging on breaking balls and once looking on a fastball that was probably high. Rutherford was also 0-for-3 but had better at-bats. His approach is very simple and quiet, but he’s opening his front hip and rolling his front foot over, which produced a bunch of foul balls and a groundout to second. The one time he kept his front side closed, he lined out to left.

    1. Wow, that’s fantastic! Thanks v1. That may be the most promising thing (other than the part about Moniak) that I’ve read about Phillies prospects in awhile.

    2. Thanks for that,
      I wonder if they try to change Moniaks swing a little, I wonder if ol Charlie saw those things when he went to have a look at him before he was drafted

    1. Great article. This stood out to me: “in the last three seasons, from Low-A Lakewood to High-A Clearwater to Reading, Tocci is slashing .291/.343/.374.” Those are his age 19, 20, and 21 seasons. That’s good.

    3. Tocci will be in the 40-man this year – Phils or other team. I think the Phils will protect him. Tocci’s glove is MLB ready and he can be a good 4th OF (pinch hit and defensive replacement) if another team snatched him via Rule V.

      1. I agree , I think Perk and Stassi get left off the list, neither of them will get picked and if they do no great loss in their production vs anybody else I would venture to say

  9. I think Ranger Suarez has been in the radar for most of us although the lack of scouting reports and his pitching velocity in the past years is not catching attention despite of the very good statistical results.

    Ranger’s has career WHIP, 0.94 and 1.7 BB/9 which shows good control of his pitches and has a decent 8.3 K/9. If Jim’s velocity report is accurate and Ranger can keep his velocity consistently in most, if not all, of his game, then he is worthy of having a closer look.

    However, I will withhold assigning a #2/#3 ceiling until I can see a grade of his pitches and a decent 3rd pitch. So far, Ranger is working on a FB-SL combo that carried him in the low minors (a potential floor of high end reliever). Being a LH and soon to be a 22 yo, I want to see Ranger develop at least an average CU to continue to be a viable starter.

    On the hand, the other lefty Nick Fanti may not have Ranger’s velocity. However, at 20 yo and growing, Fanti is already showing a good 3-pitch combo with almost similar WHIP and BB/9 as Ranger’s but with a better K/9 of 10.2 showing a good swing and miss ability.

    Ranger will definitely shoot up the prospect ladder, but I have Fanti ranked over Ranger as of now.

  10. Yikes this excerpt from keith law article is scary:

    Lakewood has a few bats of note, but the big two prospects aren’t doing much at the plate this year. Mickey Moniak is struggling to get on base this year, though he’s just barely 19 and in his first full pro season. His narrow stance and soft front side are preventing him from driving the ball, and I’ve seen him swing at sliders like he has never seen one before. This doesn’t make him a non-prospect or a bad one, but he isn’t as advanced at the plate as the Phillies thought when they took him first overall in 2016.

      1. So far, he’s been a disappointment. Not a disaster, but a disappointment. If he’s performing the same way next year, whether at Lakewood or Clearwater, he will start to become a big disappointment. But let’s see how it plays out. Randolph really hasn’t had a great month in the minors until now, so sometimes it takes a little while. But, yeah, he’s no Bryce Harper, that’s for sure.

        1. I think Randolph led the gcl in ops and walked more than he struck out his first season, I guess it wasn’t spectacular but it was better than Moniaks debut last year

      2. No, but i am optimistic. I think he has shown solid ability and this wasn’t an immediate return draft. I don’t think the phillies thought this kid would go out and hit .320 with 10 HR. It would have been great but this one is going to take some time and I’m not so worried personally

          1. while I don’t think anybody thought he would win the sal MVP most FO people before the season would have said he would have played better and looked better than what KLaw said about him, when he was drafted they tossed around 70 hit tool and advanced approach etc etc and while he is young for his league. I take a look at Acuna who is now the same age and at AAA so it’s not unheard of young guys dominating older competition. He still has a lot of time but the expectations of being drafted 1:1 and the long season might be having their toll on the kid.

  11. One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is the caliber of some of the names of the pitching prospects as well: Adonis, Ranger, Sixto? That’s good stuff. Harry Kalas would approve of those names

  13. https://www.milb.com/milb/news/midseason-farm-system-grades-american-league-national-league-east/c-242893458/t-185364810

    Philadelphia Phillies
    Grade: A-
    After a breakout 2016, Rhys Hoskins is looking like a bona-fide Major Leaguer in waiting at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and bash brother Dylan Cozens has a legitimate shot at a second consecutive 40-homer season. Then there’s Scott Kingery. The 5-foot-10 infielder is enjoying perhaps the breakout season of the Minors, hitting long balls like he’s shooting a TV spot with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. On the other side of the diamond, top pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez is moving along just fine, and JoJo Romero has been deadly at Class A and Class A Advanced. The bad news is that the club’s top prospect, J.P. Crawford, has struggled through the first three months of the season, though he’s showing signs of power in July, and No. 3 prospect Jorge Alfaro is right there with him at Lehigh Valley. The Phillies’ collective .559 winning percentage (third-best in the Minors) is enough to push the farm into the A range, and a continued bounceback by Crawford, Alfaro and 2016 first overall pick Mickey Moniak after a slow start could take away the minus.

  14. Looking at Cozens’ developmental trend over the season.
    He seems to be coming around rather well.
    First 90 PAs……slash of .136/.211/.296 – OPS-.507
    Last 291PAs……slash of .270/.347/.537 – OPS-.884
    …will be interested in seeing how these last 6 weeks turn out for him.
    Last year , about this time, is when Nick Williams went into his funk.

  15. Apparently the Jose Pujols prospect venture as a RFer may be put on hold.
    It seems Jan Hernandez is now going to try and become a right fielder. based on the latest Thresher lineup boxes.

    1. Romus I believe me and you talked about Hernandez earlier this year, I thought him and Valentin would be breakout players, Based on what I read, hasn’t happen. But I guess they think Hernandez has a chance to be a major league player. he has shown some power. By his numbers.

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