Jonathan Pettibone pitched well enough, but Cesar Jimenez and Phillippe Aumont gave up four runs in the seventh (all charged to Jimenez), to let the game get away from Lehigh Valley. Did you know Aumont is French for “Inherited Runners Score”? Versatile language, there. Maikel Franco was 0-5, while Steve Susdorf, Koyie Hill and Tyler Henson all had multi-hit games. That previous sentence really gets you excited about the future, doesn’t it?

Cameron Perkins had a hit and a walk in Reading’s shutout loss in New Hampshire. He’s got six walks on the year, a 7.5% pace, compared to 5.9% last year. We’ll see if he keeps that up. Jon Prosinski put up what was easily his best line of the year for CLR – 1R, 6H, 2BB, 4K in 7IP. The 2013 draftee out of Seton Hall had been hit around pretty hard before Saturday’s action.

Samuel Hiciano went 3-4 with his first home run of the year for Lakewood, while Carlos Tocci had two hits and J.P. Crawford drew two walks in support of another relatively dominant performance from Mark Leiter Jr., who allowed just four hits, two walks and struck out five in eight scoreless innings. And so begins the every-fifth-day ritual of talking about Mark Leiter Jr.

Leiter’s FIP is now under 3.00 on the year, a pretty good indicator of his status versus the league they’ve got him in. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him promoted the next time a rotation spot opens up in Clearwater, or for the club to just make a spot for him by mid-May otherwise. I don’t know that he’s much more than a middle relief prospect at best, but there’s little for him to prove against the mostly younger competition in the SAL. I was planning on trying to catch Lakewood in Hagerstown in a couple weeks whenever Lucas Giolito pitches for HAG, but now I may aim for Leiter. Ok, probably not, but that’s totally something I would do.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/26/2014 →

For those who have not heard, Tyson Gillies was slapped with a three-game team suspension, after a frustrated outburst that damaged some equipment and a wall in Thursday night. Gillies had four Ks on that night last night, and, well, I throw stuff and curse and whatever when I take the Golden Sombrero or the professional or household equivalent – hitting my thumb with a hammer while putting together an Ikea storage cabinet last weekend, for example. Those little nails you use to tack on the back panel are too small for stubby blogger fingers. Damned Swedes.

Anyway, I’m not too mad about this one if that’s all it was, and the games will go on. Oh wait, maybe not. Lehigh Valley was…postponed Friday?!?!?!? GILLIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tommy Joseph‘s dialed in at the plate right now – he’s hit home runs in three of his last four games. Aaron Altherr hit his first AA bomb in that one, while Kelly Dugan was lifted for a pinch hitter in the third inning. I have not seen a reason for that yet. That game went 12 innings, and gave us our first Ken Giles‘ run and blown save of the year. Good bullpen work during the first nine of that game to back up a lackluster looking line from Severino Gonzalez.

In Lakewood, Carlos Tocci had two XBH in the double header, while J.P. Crawford was 2-3 in the nightcap, with his his sixth steal and his fifth error. Not to be outdone, Gabriel Lino tallied his seventh passed ball. Jan Hernandez is 0-12 with six Ks (yikes) since he’s been filling in for injured Zach Green. FWIW, Green’s not on the DL, and remains with Lakewood even though he was moved to the XST roster. Seems like he may return shortly. One more injury note: Larry Greene Jr. is said to be day-to-day with a sore wrist. Those two injury notes come from Jay Floyd (@phoulballz), I think. If not, sorry to whoever reported those items.

And finally, Clearwater managed just two hits on the night, as the recently demoted Brody Colvin made his first A+ start of the year. Not sure they’re actually “merit” demoting him, rather than just needing somewhere to stretch him out. He hadn’t been bad out of the pen in a couple innings thus far in 2014. Perhaps, as Matt suggested tonight on Twitter, they have finally decided he’s nothing more than an org arm. Or perhaps they’ve found him a new pitch and they need him to get some innings to work on it. I won’t lose much sleep over the club’s logic, there, TBH.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/25/2014 →

Maikel Franco with his first home run of the year as he was a triple short of the cycle. Sean O’Sullivan and Hector Neris pitched well in that game, and you should probably stop at that point and move on to the Clearwater box, unless you enjoy feeling super sad and shaking your head real slowly.

Logan Moore with three singles tonight, he’s hit safely in six of his last seven games. Also for CLR, Malquin Canelo had two doubles, giving him three on the year to go with no singles, triples or home runs. He may be trying to challenge Cameron Perkins for the title of “That Dude Who Hits A Lot Of Doubles”. You should see the plaque they give you for that. Super classy with brass name plates of past recipients and they shine it up for you real good and let you take it home for a week before hanging it on the wall in The Carpenter Complex Clubhouse, and every June the new draftees come in for the first time and they’re all like, “Whoa, that’s way nicer than any plaque they give out at our colleges and/or high schools.” It’s pretty sweet, is what I’m saying.

And for Lakewood, Wilmer Oberto hit his second homer in three days, as Drew Anderson returned from injury to make his first start of the year, and pitched like a man just returning from an injury and making his first start of the year.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/24/2014 →

What a gem from Jesse Biddle – 2H 1BB 10K in 7 scoreless innings. He’s got 38k to 7BB on the year. You’d like to see him throw a couple more strikes, I guess, but 67/106 will get it done on most nights. Not much else to complain about, there. Kyle Simon and Ken Giles closed out the shutout, while Tommy Joseph drove in Cam Perkins, (2-4 on the night), for the only run of the game.

Here’s something I never thought I’d say: I’m not sure why Luis Garcia isn’t in the big leagues right now. He’s allowed just 0R, 3H, 3BB and 9K in 9IP in AAA this year, including another scoreless frame last night, plus he pitched a clean inning in the bigs while he was up. They optioned him off the big club the day after B.J. Rosenberg gave up home runs to three consecutive batters, instead of optioning Rosenberg, (who was optioned himself just the other day). Not sure the logic there. Anyway, a couple more days and he can go back up (after his ten-day option period is up). I imagine we’ll see him shortly thereafter.

Dan Child notched his first save of the year in support of an OK start from Jeb Stefan, as 19-year-old catcher Jesus Posso, just over from XST, hit his first stateside homer. Alejandro Arteaga got kicked around some at Lakewood. Carols Tocci and Sam Hiciano put up two hits a piece, while Andrew Pullin hit his first bomb of the year. We heard from BaseballHQ’s Brent Hershey (@brenthq on Twitter) that it was pretty well wind-aided, and came on Pullin’s best swing of the day, but still. I’m sure he’ll take them however they come.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/23/2014 →

Dylan Cozens with the big game of the day – 2-4 with a triple and a home run, while J.P. Crawford and Andrew Pullin had two hits a piece and Wilmer Oberto hit his first full-season bomb. Crawford also stole his fifth bag of the year – he’s been caught twice, so we’ll see if he can pick up the rate as the season rolls on. Tyler Viza worked through another decent start, and continues to look pretty good for a 19 year-old in the SAL. Would like to see his K rate up a good bit, but he’s only walked four in 23IP.

Tommy Joseph  with his second home run in as many nights, while Kelly Dugan was 1-2 with two walks and two runs scored – seems like he’s found his eye again, with 7BB and just 7K in 42PA. Lots of time for those numbers to normalize as he builds a larger sample, but a good start for sure.

A rough night for the pen in Reading, as only Ryan O’Sullivan kept Richmond off the board. And not a lot went right for CLR pitchers either, as they gave up 18 runs. The Lehigh Valley pitchers had a pretty decent night, With Phillippe Aumont and Justin De Fratus working scoreless innings to close out a victory. Also, the BRef linker makes me put a space between the “e” and the “F” in Justin DeFratus. Seems wrong.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/22/2014 →

It’s probably too early to start making promotions, but I wonder how soon you move Cameron Perkins to AAA. I would think if he’s still raking in mid-May, they’d have to consider it, especially with Dugan, Altherr and Collier also in Reading right now. Perkins or Dugan will be forced to play 1B to get all four prospects consistent time in the field, like Perkins did tonight as he went 2-4 with a 2B and a HR, his second of the year. Ken Giles struck out two in two scoreless innings to finish up after a decent start from Luis Paulino. Tommy Joseph also homered in that one.

Clearwater put up their five runs on three bombs, courtesy of Harold Martinez, Pete Lavin and Angelo Mora. Brian Pointer had an OF assist, throwing out Rock Shoulders trying to stretch a single into a double in the ninth. Yes, I just wanted to say “Rock Shoulders“. Can you blame me?

And for Lakewood, Mark Leiter took care of business again – 1R, 4H, 2BB, 7K in 6IP. Carlos Tocci with his first career triple in that one, as Willians Astudillo continues his torrid hitting pace – he’s on an eight game streak, with ten hits in his last four games.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/21/2014 →

Maikel Franco had himself a fine day – 3-5 with a 2B and two runs scored. Cesar Jimenez, Kyle Simon and Hector Neris stymied the RailRiders for 8 innings, then Neris fell apart in the ninth. Jeremy Horst had to come on to get the last out as Neris was nearing 50 pitches for his outing.

All the other affiliates were off.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/20/2014 →

Tyson Gillies went 2-4 with his first homer of the season, while Phillippe Aumont worked a clean inning with two Ks. Take that, Second Cliff Lee Trade Haters!

Cesar Hernandez, Zach Collier, Cameron Perkins and Tommy Joseph each had two hits – Perkins also drew two walks – he’s hit safely in eight straight games, include six multi-hit games and six extra base hits. He’s warm. Good line from Severino Gonzalez in a losing effort – 3R, 6H, 1HR, 0BB, 5K in 6IP, with a good strike rate of ~67%.

Brian Pointer and Aaron Altherr both drew a pair of walks, while Ethan Stewart was the star for CLR – 2R, 1ER, on 5H, 1HR, 1BB and 7K in 7IP. I’d love to see him do that a couple more times. Samuel Hiciano‘s having a fair start to his 2014 – his OBP is at .400, and his K Rate is around 21%. Not bad, if he can keep both going.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/19/2014 →

Jesse Biddle with the line of the night – 2R, 1ER, 2H, 1HR, 1BB, 11K in 7IP. He threw 64 of 94 pitches for strikes, though Mike Drago said he went 101 pitches. Not sure which is correct, and how many strikes he threw, but it was his best performance of the year, to be sure. Cesar Hernandez went 3-5 with a home run and two runs scored. Without him, and with Maikel Franco on the bench and Cameron Rupp on the shelf, that Lehigh Valley lineup is…well…Tyson Gillies is the interesting guy in that box score, if that tells you anything.

Clearwater battled back from a 7-0 deficit to take the lead in the seventh, only to lose the lead a half inning later and lose the game in the 13th inning. Brian Pointer hasn’t had a hit since he was pulled early on Tuesday, though he did draw a pair of walks Friday. J.P. Crawford, Carlos Tocci and Dylan Cozens wach with three hits for Lakewood. Cozens was a triple short of the cycle, and his home run was his first of the year. Zach Green, Andrew Pullin and Samuel Hiciano each with a hit and a walk in that contest, but all that offense wasn’t enough to take the game, as Ranfi Casimiro got shelled – 9R, 5ER, 7H, 1HR, 4BB and no Ks, as he couldn’t escape the third inning.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/18/2014 →

On a night where Lehigh Valley really could have used some innings from one of its starters, Greg Smith was equal to the task, throwing a seven inning CG shutout. The Pigs were shutout in the nightcap, managing just two hits. Cole Hamels threw a solid six innings in what looks to be his final rehab start. CLR couldn’t capitalize, as Lino Martinez walked four men in 1+ innings, one of whom Chris Burgess could not strand in the ninth, and the bats went (stayed?) cold.

Carlos Tocci put up three hits, two games after putting up four. All seven, and the one in the game in between, have been singles. Just sayin’. Dylan Cozens led the charge on defense, managing two fielding errors in right, thus encouraging four other Blueclaws to follow suit. You can’t teach that kind of leadership.

And finally, Willians Astudillo took three innings behind the plate after Gabriel Lino was pulled for unknown reasons after a Sac Fly RBI in the top of the sixth. I said yesterday in the comments that I’d take an empty average like Astudillo’s from a competent backstop. Seems like he’s got a chance to produce the former. We’ll see if he can deliver on the latter.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 4/17/2014 →