Tue. 6/6 - DSL Faceoff and Rehab-Palooza Elsewhere

[Jim Goulart]

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Tuesday, lineup updates, etc.

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores

[Jim Goulart]

Occasionally you will see day games, particularly the DSL games, which are always AM affairs, detailed within our forum thread in the same format you will see that overnight in the subsequent formal Link Report. Among the three Link Reporters, it won't always be a match as we help cover for each other as the effort level increases with three extra games to document each day - games that don't give us the benefit of game summaries or highlights. So, we'll be copying and pasting from the thread to the article.

[Joseph Zarr]

Well, someone had to lose.

The DSL Brewers clashed head-to-head in only their second game. The DSL Brewers Uno prevailed 5-0 - all runs came in the first two innings and held for the duration. The DSL Brewers #1 pitching staff - led by 17-year-old Nicaraguan starter RHP Enniel Crotez's 5 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 ER - held the Dos to a single hit over s prototypical DSL 7-inning affair. 19-year-old RHP Yeferson Tales did manage to grab the Save after RHP Roman Perez (in his second DSL Brewers season) walked the bases full in the 6th frame. Tales went 1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K. INF Kevin Ereu continued impacting the bottom line in just his second game: 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB (his 3rd in two games).

 

[Ro Mueller]

Our excitement yesterday at 95mph-throwing 17-year old RHP Aldrin Gonzalez’s direct placement stateside was evidently misplaced, as he was put on the full season injured list.

In an interesting though less exciting matter, we appear to have a 2-way player in the DSL, as 17-year old Argenis Aparicio is listed as a RH pitcher but the switch-hitter DH’d today (0-for-2, walk). Though I guess we should wait until he pitches and collects a few hits before assuming he’s the next Ohtani.

[Ro Mueller]

High-A Wisconsin plays at Tigers' affiliate West Michigan this week, with rehabbing SS Willy Adames apparently still with the team (not Nashville, as previously suggested). Perhaps this is because usual SS Eric Brown Jr. is still absent from the lineup after exiting Saturday's game early. Today's start goes to surging 21-year old RHP Edwin Jimenez (1.91 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 10.8 K/9 in 42.1 IP). 

[Ro Mueller]

The Low-A Mudcats host Astros' affiliate Fayetteville for 7 games this week, with eye-opening RHP Will Rudy (0.74 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 9.2 K/9 in 24.1 IP) indeed getting the opening game start. In the 12-team Carolina League, 1B/3B Luke Adams is T-4th in RBIs (28), T-5th in walks (31) and T-10th in homers (6). 

[Ro Mueller]

The AAA Sounds finally have a sixth starting pitcher on the roster, with rehabbing LHP Eric Lauer facing the Marlins' affiliate in Jacksonville. Over his last 9 games, 3B Patrick Dorrian has a .351 average with 4 homers and 12 RBIs. 

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, damuelle said:

The Low-A Mudcats host Astros' affiliate Fayetteville for 7 games this week, with eye-opening RHP Will Rudy (0.74 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 9.2 K/9 in 24.1 IP) indeed getting the opening game start. In the 12-team Carolina League, 1B/3B Luke Adams is T-4th in RBIs (28), T-5th in walks (31) and T-10th in homers (6). 

0.5 game lead over red hot Down East. 16 days before the first half's end. THIS is the series the Mudcats needed. IF it's going to be a Home series, it may as well be against the team with the worst record in the Carolina League. 

Come on Mudcats, let's hand that 'longest playoff drought in the Minor Leagues' title to somebody else!

[Ro Mueller]

AA Biloxi is in Pearl (outside of Jackson) this week to battle the Mississippi Braves, with RHP Tobias Myers (5.06 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 11.1 K/9 in 48 IP) starting tonight's series opener. 3B Tyler Black (.856 OPS in 188 PAs) and his 26-game on-base streak return to the lineup after missing 3 games. 

[Joseph Zarr]

As the upper level games approacheth, take a minute (or 5) to listen to up-and-coming INF Ethan Murray in his June 4th interview with Shuckers broadcaster Javik Blake. Murray is extremely hard not to love (even if he is a former Duke Blue Devil - hey, not everyone is perfect. We'll let it slide. For now 😜):

Interview HERE

Included in this interview is a very interesting tidbit: Murray has his own glove company! Wild! Check out the wares:

 

[Joseph Zarr]

6 minutes ago, damuelle said:

AA Biloxi is in Pearl (outside of Jackson) this week to battle the Mississippi Braves, with RHP Tobias Myers (5.06 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 11.1 K/9 in 48 IP) starting tonight's series opener.

I'll be watching to see if the Shuckers continue to use Myers' heater as a third offering - it worked quite a bit better the last time out. Given its flat and realtively level plane, they really need to use that pitch as a 'keep them honest' as opposed to the dominant get him into trouble pitch it had been. OR, hey, he could also just throw it like he did in his first outing when it had massive tailing movement; some sink; and was generally un-hittable. We haven't seen that kind of liveliness since his opener.

[Joseph Zarr]

Hey the Mudcats with a Lynchburg series recap vid? Sweet!

 

[Joseph Zarr]

INF Robert Moore  just ripped a 93 mph heater to the gap in deep center-right. A lead-off dub.

[Joseph Zarr]

Fun obscure Minor League baseball League factoid:

INF Wily Adames actually played for the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2014. He is now in West Michigan on his rehab stint with the T-Rats. 

He walks in the two-spot working a full count to a free pass. Men on 1st and 2nd for C Matt Wood. 

[Joseph Zarr]

And, Wood keeps cooking. He takes what looked like a two-seamer and reaches a line drive one-handed poke up the middle into CF. Moore scores. Adames moves to 3rd. Joe Gray Jr. will try and put forth further damage. Nobody out, btw.

[Joseph Zarr]

Oh my. Darrien Miller just missed a 2-2 grand salami by about 6' down the RF foul line. Whew. That. Was. Close. Still 2-2. Nobody down. Pitch count up to 27 for the Whitecaps starter. He hits the deep line drive for a sac fly to CF. 2-0 T-Rats. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Boy, Miller missed a grand slam by about 6'. Je'Von Ward hit a screamer to the warning track in RF. Sounded great off the bat. I don't know how that didn't leave the yard. The T-Rats lead 2-0. It really could have been a lot worse. On to the bottom half.

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Edwin Jimenez is not on early. He's struggling to find the plate - this is reminiscent of a 2022 outing if I'm being honest. 3-0 count leads to a walk. 0-1 count falls to 3-1 and leads to an oppo poke. He leads off batter 3 with a ball low and in the dirt for a 1-0 count. Not a good beginning. Let's hope he finds his form.

[Joseph Zarr]

He's really starting to find the zone with his change-up. That's consecutive K's. A K looking on an outer change to a lefty. A strike swinging on an outer change to a righty. He follows with a pop out to CF. A really nice escape. 

[Joseph Zarr]

I am getting a wee tired of the Low-A infield umpires egregiously missing CS throwout by the Mudcats catching battery. The ump just missed another clear tag beating the slide by about 3'. I don't quite understand what these men are looking at. Sheeesh.

[Joseph Zarr]

Two web gem diving stops - one by Robert Moore in West Michigan and the other a sliding grab by Kaylan Nicasia in RF at Five County Stadium. The defense has really come on across the system of late. These two plays exemplify that.

[Joseph Zarr]

It's only the 2nd inning but it's a really nice pitching match-up at Low-A Carolina between the Woodpecker's Fleury and the Mudcats' Rudy. Really interesting match-up. Fleury is really keeping the Mudcats on their heels with a really nice curve and change-up combo.

[Joseph Zarr]

Rudy has 4 K through 3 IP but he did just give up his first HR of his season. A two-run shot down the RF line. Mudcats trail 2-0.

[Ro Mueller]

Sounds’ switch-hitting OF Michael Reed is a speed-first player, but after a key late double Sunday (reached base 4 times), he smacks a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning to give Nashville a 2-0 lead. 

[Joseph Zarr]

4 minutes ago, damuelle said:

Sounds’ switch-hitting OF Michael Reed is a speed-first player, but after a key late double Sunday (reached base 4 times), he smacks a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning to give Nashville a 2-0 lead. 

AND, Lauer just got those bases loaded with nobody down and gave up a classic seeing eye chopper up the middle and beyond the diving Alvarez. 2-2 just like that. He is routinely missing his release point on heaters high and outside to RH batters. It reared its head early some but it's a problem in the 3rd. With the infield in, he just gave up a liner to LF over the leaping Devanney. Sounds trail 3-2. This is 2023 Lauer in a nutshell. He looks exactly the same