Fri. 8/16: Can Cornielle Get Back on Track? Kuehner Looks to Keep Rolling in Biloxi

[Joseph Zarr]

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Friday. 

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[Joseph Zarr]

We have a scoreless pitchers duel between the DSL Cerveceros Uno and the DSL Orioles Black. 0-0 game as the two squads enter the final 1/3 of the game. Top of the 6th and, so far, the Uno have seen scoreless efforts from Dominican 17-year-old RHP Dariel Jacquez (4.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K) who continues to put together a really solid debut season and Panamanian 17-year-old RHP Lukas Gonzalez who is entering his second inning of work having pitched 1.0 IP with 1 H, 1 BB, and 2 K so far. Gonzalez picked up two more punch outs in his second inning of work - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K. 0-0 ball game as they enter the seventh frame. Tense!

[Joseph Zarr]

After falling behind 4-0 to the DSL Pirates Gold (29-21), the DSL Cerveceros Dos are making a game of it in the top of the 6th. CF Frandy Lafond started the inning with a lead-off double (3rd of his season - 2nd this week). He immediately scored when RF Roderick Flores (6th of his season) knocked a double himself. Flores went to 3rd on a WP and scored when 2B Jonathan Rangel grounded out to 2B - a productive out, as they say. With one down, and data very limited in its arrival, the game is currently stuck at one out with the bases empty for the Brewers Uno in the top of the 6th. Let's hope the Dos can keep it rolling and extend that winning streak to 5 games - with a 'W' today they would overtake 2nd place in their division from these same Pirates.

Lafond and Flores are two extremely intriguing players on the edge of the DSL Brewers discourse, as a whole, who continue to show up routinely but garner very little attention overall. Both young men have OPS's north of 0.800 as they approach 100 AB (both in the 90's entering today's tilt). This really just speaks to the wealth of solid outputs we have seen beyond the big names who receive the majority of hype and love. There is a pool of players having really solid seasons overall. Many a young man are responsible for the collective DSL Brewers record being really solid as a collective mark.

[wiguy94]

Someone needs to unplug DSL Brewers 1 and plug them back in again.

[Joseph Zarr]

32 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Someone needs to unplug DSL Brewers 1 and plug them back in again.

(Live feed from the DSL Brewers Uno Clubhouse Manager's Office)

[Madhawk23]

13 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

(Live feed from the DSL Brewers Uno Clubhouse Manager's Office)

I think this works better!

[CheeseheadInQC]

21 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

(Live feed from the DSL Brewers Uno Clubhouse Manager's Office)

[Madhawk23]

1 hour ago, wiguy94 said:

Someone needs to unplug DSL Brewers 1 and plug them back in again.

In fairness here - they played today without two of the best players in the history of the DSL league (Made and Pena), so what can we really expect?  (And I'm not even sure if I'm exaggerating that much with this statement?!).  

[Joseph Zarr]

[wiguy94]

14 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Enoli Pardes begins his rehab assignment tonight as the T-Rats' opener. LF Hedbert Perez continues to work his way back to form manning the LF grass CF Eduardo Garica is back in the fold spelling Luis Lara while SS Cooper Pratt will look to get his High-A motor running - he's been in a bit of a funk at the dish. The T-Rats currently hold a 2-1 series lead over the Chiefs.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Let's add a little shine on one of the newcomers in Biloxi. OF Connor Scott, frankly, has been a revelation since becoming a regular in the Shuckers line-up. The 2018 1st Rd pick (Marlins, 13th overall) clearly is benefiting from a change of scenery from Pittsburgh's Double-A affiliate the Altoona Curve (Eastern League). 

Signed just one week after being released, Scott's renaissance in Biloxi has been crucial for their playoff push. 

[Joseph Zarr]

In Durham, the Sounds will look to pull their 1-2 series deficit even at two games apiece tonight. RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez will look to continue a fantastic August (1.59 ERA / 0.171 BAA / 1.06 WHIP / 11 K/ 5 BB / 2 GS - 11 1/3 IP) against the pesky Bulls. CF Isaac Collins is on the line-up card as the everyday player continues diversifying his massive toolkit. RF Brewer Hicklen and 1B Wes Clarke will look to find their power strokes in a series where they have largely struggled through three games. C Brian Navarreto is back behind home plate with Zamora and Cargo continuing their run of every day play. 

 

[wiguy94]

10 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Let's add a little shine on one of the newcomers in Biloxi. OF Connor Scott, frankly, has been a revelation since becoming a regular in the Shuckers line-up. The 2018 1st Rd pick (Marlins, 13th overall) clearly is benefiting from a change of scenery from Pittsburgh's Double-A affiliate the Altoona Curve (Eastern League). 

Signed just one week after being released, Scott's renaissance in Biloxi has been crucial for their playoff push. 

Don't know where Biloxi would be without him this month with Wilken slumping big time.

[Joseph Zarr]

3 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Don't know where Biloxi would be without him this month with Wilken slumping big time.

Man, Wilken's August has been absolutely brutal. I really feel for him. He's uncomfortable in the box at present and even when he's making hard contact, which he is from time-to-time it is right at the defense. Just has to stay in the grind. This season just got off on the wrong foot, obviously, with the HBP and he hasn't really ever recovered any prolonged momentum.

[Joseph Zarr]

Looking through the Shuckers pre-game Game Notes for the day, not only do I shine the light on their vastly underrated bullpen - especially since Yoho's promotion - but it turns out they are tied for the best K% in all of Double-A @ 28.1%. They're just such a solid group. Seeing the solid work 'The Shookster' and Justin King have done since their trade and release, respectively, speaks to the amount of talent they've had in that Pen all season. They are also near the top of the bullpen leaderboard in other Double-A categories:

• 3rd in ERA with a 3.24 ERA
• 5th in Opponent Slugging % @ 0.327
• 6th in Strikeouts with 540

Just an extremely underrated group as a whole. Happy to keep celebrating their collective efforts!

[Joseph Zarr]

^^ To this post's end, I'm going to simply celebrate a guy I feel I'm the only one who repeatedly touts his wares: RHP Nick Merkel. Just an absolutely unsung hero in the Shuckers bullpen. Can very readily eat 2-3 innings in a major pinch. 

In the month of August, as the Shuckers cling to a 2.0 G lead over Pensacola, Merkel has been an absolutely crucial piece in the Pen:

• 8 1/3 IP / 4 G / 5 H / 2 HB / 3 BB / 12 K / 0.179 BAA / 0.96 WHIP  - Fangraphs is predicting a final FIP of 3.08...all he has done since joining the Brewers as an undrafted FA is improve each and every season and within each and ever season. 

[wiguy94]

21 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Looking through the Shuckers pre-game Game Notes for the day, not only do I shine the light on their vastly underrated bullpen - especially since Yoho's promotion - but it turns out they are tied for the best K% in all of Double-A @ 28.1%. They're just such a solid group. Seeing the solid work 'The Shookster' and Justin King have done since their trade and release, respectively, speaks to the amount of talent they've had in that Pen all season. They are also near the top of the bullpen leaderboard in other Double-A categories:

• 3rd in ERA with a 3.24 ERA
• 5th in Opponent Slugging % @ 0.327
• 6th in Strikeouts with 540

Just an extremely underrated group as a whole. Happy to keep celebrating their collective efforts!

Speaking of the Biloxi bullpen, they are about to get stronger with Blake Holub being sent back to Biloxi again. He’s clearly shown that he’s too good for AA, so I’m a bit bummed for him.

[Joseph Zarr]

LHP Tate Kuehner will look to build on two consecutive fantastic Double-A starts to open his Shuckers career (hopefully, brief!) as he takes the bump for the third time. DH Brock Wilken will look to break his August slump as he plays in his 79th consecutive game tonight which will tie OF Troy Stokes Jr.'s record set back in 2018. Those were the days! 2B Ethan Murray will also look to kick start his sleepy season as touted RF Connor Scott (above) is given the clean-up spot. 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

2 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Speaking of the Biloxi bullpen, they are about to get stronger with Blake Holub being sent back to Biloxi again. He’s clearly shown that he’s too good for AA, so I’m a bit bummed for him.

He's kind of in that RHP Justin Jarvis territory between Double-A/Triple-A. Dominating the Double. Not finding staying power in Triple-A. I actually thought he'd been much better this go around in Nashville. I'm hoping this doesn't pertain in any way to the debacle that ended their woeful extra innings loss in Durham when he threw that ball to 3B with nobody covering.  I agree tho. BUT, hey, he can keep dominating down in Biloxi as they push for the playoffs. That's a 'Win'. Meaningful innings.

[Joseph Zarr]

The pesky Delmarva Shorebirds (who, despite their record, have really given the Mudcats really competitive games throughout their two series and 9 games overall - that 8-0 shutout had to have felt cathartic for the Birds last night) will look to even up their home series versus our beloved Mudcats. RHP Josh Knoth will look to rediscover his form from earlier this season (Knoth has given up 18 earned runs in just 6 GS the past month and a half - batters are hitting to a 0.385 BAA in two August starts, for example, leading to a 12.91 ERA). I would gather this is the highest number of innings Knoth has ever pitched - perhaps, a 'Freshman' wall. He will have to keep grinding to overcome his recent struggles. We see recently returned 2B Josh Adamczewski will be given the night off as Guilarte moves to 2B and Di Turi will cover SS. 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez has hit his stride in August. I am absolutely HERE to witness this run. Whewwwww baby.

[Joseph Zarr]

It's early in Delmarva, but this is absolutely what we wanted to see from the young RHP Josh Knoth. Fantastic early answer after a really tough stretch.

[wiguy94]

2 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez has hit his stride in August. I am absolutely HERE to witness this run. Whewwwww baby.

His command/control unfortunately remain subpar especially with his FB (13% zone rate tonight on the FB), but that changeup is stifling the Durham lineup. Heavy changeup usage. 14 swings against it with 11 whiffs. Probably the best his changeup has looked this year.

[wiguy94]

2 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

His command/control unfortunately remain subpar especially with his FB (13% zone rate tonight on the FB), but that changeup is stifling the Durham lineup. Heavy changeup usage. 14 swings against it with 11 whiffs. Probably the best his changeup has looked this year.

Should say it's more been control than command tonight with his pitches being pretty well located in the zone, but lots of very wild misses.