Threshers’ and Affiliates’ Recap (7/15/2021)

Box Score Recap

Big day today, doubleheader at the Complex and a Mick Abel start at the Ballpark.  I’m a little wiped out, so the recaps will be short.

Lehigh Valley lost in a walk-off.  Reading blew their game late.  Jersey Shore won in a blowout.  And, Clearwater won a game but watched their top prospect leave the game early.  The FCL Phillies swept a doubleheader.  The DSL teams both lost in weather-shortened games.

Lehigh Valley (26-36) lost to Buffalo, 6-5.  

Mark Appel got shelled giving up 4 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks in 2.1 innings.  Mickey Moniak went 1-4 with a HR (9) and 2 RBI.  Darick Hall went 2-4 with a HR (5) and 2 RBI.

Reading (26-37) lost to Portland, 3-2.

Francisco Morales pitched six innings of one-hit, shutout ball.  He walked 4 and struck out five.  Aneurys Zabala blew the save and win with 3 runs in the eighth.  Arquimedes Gamboa went 2-3 with an inside-the-park home run (6).

Jersey Shore (28-35) beat Brooklyn, 13-3.

Dominic Pipkin pitched five innings and gave up one run on 3 hits and 3 walks.  He struck out five.  Hunter Hearn went 2-3 with a solo HR (2).  DJ Stewart went 2-5 with a HR (36) and 3 RBI.  Jhailyn Ortiz went 2-4 with a solo HR (11).

Clearwater (32-30) beat Dunedin, 3-1.

Mick Abel pitched three-plus innings.  He didn’t allow a run, gave up a bunt base hit, walked two, hit two more, and struck out five.  He left the game after a hit batter and walk in the fourth inning, 68 pitches, and 41 strikes.  Leonel Aponte stranded the two base runners and pitched three scoreless, no-hit innings walking two and striking out one. for his first Low-A win.

The Threshers scored a run in the third on Juan Aparicio’s sacrifice fly.  They added 2 runs in the fourth on Luis Garcia’s RBI single and a fielder’s choice on a Johan Rojas ground ball. Rojas went 2-4 with a double.  Marcus Lee Sang went 2-3 with a walk.

The Threshers were helped in the fourth when the Jays attempted a double steal.  Luis Garcia cut off the throw to second and gunned down the runner at the plate.  Catcher Abrahan Gutierrez announced his presence with authority when the runner tried to score standing up.  The firm tag drew a look but no action toward the burly catcher.

As you may have read on social media, I reported that “Phillies top prospect Mick Abel was removed from Thursday’s Threshers game in the 4th inning. He appeared to have some discomfort. A coach and trainer visited the mound to assess his condition. Hopefully, his removal was precautionary. It did not appear to be his shoulder or arm“.

I noticed Abel twisting his body from left to right at the waist in the second or third inning.  It was an unnatural move for Abel during his normal mound actions.  He did the same in the fourth inning only a little more pronounced.  A trainer and the pitching coach hurried to the mound.

Abel normally has impeccable command.  The unusual movement came after he hit one batter and walked another.  He hit both batters trying to go inside with 95 mph fastballs.  The first time on an 0-2 count (GameDay says 1-2, but it’s wrong, the guy counted the one as the actual hit by pitch). The second on a 3-2 pitch.

I recognized Abel’s actions as those that we do when we have a stiff back.  I’m certain that this is in no way arm or shoulder related.  Removing Abel from the game is what you would expect the Phillies or any team to do.  It’s mostly a precaution until he can be checked out further.  Young players never want to come out of a game.  It’s up to the team to protect them from themselves.  The Phillies are verrrrry good at being careful.

If it was some tweak or spasm in his back, that would explain his uncharacteristic loss of command.  If the Phillies stay true to form, this is the last we’ll here of this until Abel pitches again or mysteriously and quietly goes onto the IL.

FCL Phillies (7-5) swept a doubleheader from FCL Blue Jays, 10-3 and 6-4.

In game one, Sam Jacobsak pitched two scoreless innings, scattering 5 hits and striking out four.  Jamari Baylor and Felix Reyes stroked their first professional home runs, Reyes’ was a grand slam.

In game two, Wilson Gherbaz pitched two no-hit innings allowing just two walks.  Juan Herrera (.333) and Alexies Azuaje had 2 RBIs each.

The Affiliate Scoreboard, the FCL Scoreboard, and the DSL Scoreboard.

Transactions –

7/15/2021 – Jersey Shore sent OF Hunter Markwardt on a rehab assignment to FCL Phillies
7/15/2021 – Douglas Mijares assigned to DSL Red from DSL White

20 thoughts on “Threshers’ and Affiliates’ Recap (7/15/2021)”

  1. Thanks Jim for the details on Abel, yes I was a little worried when I saw your post last night but hearing more context makes me feel much better. Plus it sounds good that he only gave up just the one bunt single and is really hard to hit.
    Morales has really bounced back this season and isn’t giving up many hits. He has to improve the control though if he wants a promotion. Pipkin is another one who has had more good games than bad and is certainly holding his legit prospect status.
    I’m always happy to see a few hitters with good games. We didn’t draft many hitters so the ones we gave need to improve.
    I absolutely expect a few trades within the next two weeks and I expect we’re going to sacrifice some prospects in the process. We just gave to hope that DD knows what he’s doing and his valuations are correct.

  2. Went to Lehigh Valley/Trenton again last night.

    Excited to see Appel. He topped at 95 and seemed more fluid with his mechanics. By the end of the second he was down to 90-92 and started hanging his offspeed stuff. The second run he gave up should have been scored an E3 imo; Hall played a two hopper to the side and missed badly.

    Former Phriend Jacob Waguespeck pitched for Trenton and threw harder than I remember (sat 95-96). Has a Max Scherzer esque windup going now.

    Moniak and Guthrie had solid games at the plate, and Hall absolutely crushed a homerun (believe it went over the scoreboard in right center).

    LV manager called a safety squeeze in the 7th or 8th with Heinemann to tie the game. With a weak lineup, I love the call. He also has them steal with 2 outs and/or 2 strikes pretty often.

    Marchan batted leadoff Tues/Thurs at the games I was at; he doesn’t have a great OBP but he seems to get a decent amount of walks.

    1. Good to hear on Appel. Him and Gowdy feel like house money at this point. It would be pretty nice if they can carve out a role on the team in some fashion. A nice boost that would make the rebuild part feel less like wasted time/development

  3. moon shot indeed

  5. Dr. Romus – D.Hall with a few more hits will be off the Interstate. Can you or someone tell me what’s up with Adonis Medina? Haven’t seen his name of late in the box scores.

    1. Yeah, sometimes the Phillies farm system feels more like a witness protection program. Kids just disappear without any trace of their whereabouts.

      1. ciada/mark829…..now that is funny.
        Yeah……it is amazing how they may just fall off the radar….I assume they have an injury of some sort….or maybe they are in a protracted slump and the team wants to provide some helpful tips and guidance in private settings.

    1. I saw a while back on Twitter that there were rumors that it was serious for Randolph, not sure if that meant season ending or not though, haven’t heard anything since. I saw the other day on twitter that Muzzotti is still waiting on his visa.

  7. ” If the Phillies stay true to form, this is the last we’ll here of this until Abel pitches again or mysteriously and quietly goes onto the IL.”…..and hopefully he does not have to fly into Philly and see Drs. Michael Ciccotti and Steven Cohen, no not v1 Steve Cohen.

      1. rocco…sorry about hearing that, he is the head doc with the Phillies.
        Has it affected your 40 speed? 😉

Comments are closed.