Fri. 9/6 - After Gutsiest Win of Their Season Can Shuckers Stack Success ?

[Joseph Zarr]

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Friday.

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[Joseph Zarr]

As a friendly reminder:

With nine games to play, the Shuckers hold a 1.5 G lead over the M-Braves and a 3.5 G lead over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. The Braves were postponed last night so have a double-header vs Tennessee tonight at their home ballpark. Tennessee leads that series 2-0 as of right now. Next week the Braves will visit the Shuckers in Biloxi for a final six-game set - big implications, obviously. Pensacola will close out their regular season @ Home versus first place Montgomery (3.0 G lead over the Shuckers - divisionally speaking, of course. They've already earned a first half playoff berth). 

AND, I would just like to add the Shuckers and Biscuits have played each other extremely competitively over the past two series. The Biscuits lead 7-5 but those series very very easily could have gone either way. Anything is possible in the South division of the Southern League. It is truly wide open.

[Jake McKibbin]

Logan Henderson has been scratched for today, as well as last Sunday. Could be more innings control at the back end of the year, but does make these games a little less fun to tune in to

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, Jake McKibbin said:

Logan Henderson has been scratched for today, as well as last Sunday. Could be more innings control at the back end of the year, but does make these games a little less fun to tune in to

I'm not all that surprised. His velo was down his last outing and, realistically, he hasn't been nearly as sharp his past two times on the hill. He may be dealing with some fatigue as he nears last season's inning total. I'd prefer they play it very cautious with Henderson given his injury history. 

I'm more excited that RHP Manuel Rodriguez is back on the bump tonight. He's been out for awhile and he is the workhorse of that Mudcats staff. The number of times he's pitched into the 6th inning this year at his age is astounding. 

[Ro Mueller]

1 hour ago, Joseph Zarr said:

I'm not all that surprised. His velo was down his last outing and, realistically, he hasn't been nearly as sharp his past two times on the hill. He may be dealing with some fatigue as he nears last season's inning total. I'd prefer they play it very cautious with Henderson given his injury history. 

I'm more excited that RHP Manuel Rodriguez is back on the bump tonight. He's been out for awhile and he is the workhorse of that Mudcats staff. The number of times he's pitched into the 6th inning this year at his age is astounding. 

Woodward would have eaten any playoff opponent alive. Sigh. Hope his injury is not actually serious at the end of the day and we see him in the Arizona Fall League.

[wiguy94]

Can’t be too often that DSL players are popping for PEDs. Ever Urena was suspended 56 games for testing positive for Stanozolol

 

[Ro Mueller]

We saw CF Braylon Payne’s hitting debut yesterday (1-for-4 as DH) and now we get to see him in the field! 19-year old RHP Manuel Rodriguez (3.30 ERA with 75 Ks in 92.2 IP) returns from his 31-day injury absence! Low-A Carolina seeks a 3-1 home series lead over Delmarva. 

[Ro Mueller]

3B Luke Adams and 1B Tayden Hall are together in the High-A Wisconsin lineup for the first time since August 18, looking to lead the Timber Rattlers to a win to even their series in Cedar Rapids 2-2. RHP Will Rudy will add to his team lead in innings (107.1 with a 4.86 ERA and 99 Ks), seeking his 6th Win. 

[Ro Mueller]

24-year old LHP Nate Peterson has been very solid for AA Biloxi over the past 2.5 months (2.86 ERA with 39 Ks in 34.2 IP) and they need him to come through again as they strive for a 3-2 series lead at Rocket City. Adam Hall and Casey Martin have been principally infielders in their careers, but they now comprise 2/3rds of the outfield. 

[Ro Mueller]

AAA Nashville lead their home series against Gwinnett 2 games to 1, but can’t afford another defeat as they chase Columbus for a playoff spot. RHP Evan McKendry needs to put his rough 2024 behind him (5.42 ERA with 59 Ks in 78 IP). LF Isaac Collins has an 8-game hitting streak. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Rodrgiuez slung 2 IP 2K scoreless frames in a shortened first stint back. Muh man.

[Ro Mueller]

That’s a solid return to action for Manuel Rodriguez (retired 6 of 7 in 2 scoreless innings; 22 pitches, 17 strikes), who gives way to RHP Melvin Hernandez, the 2nd youngest pitcher in the Carolina League.

Yhoswar Garcia has the only hit for the Mudcats thus far (a bunt). He stole 2nd but was thrown out attempting to take 3rd. 0-0 game, still early.

[Ro Mueller]

Carolina has their leadoff man aboard for the 4th time in 5 innings, this time via a Blayberg Diaz single. Let’s score this time (please). Down 1-0 at the moment.

[Ro Mueller]

Young Melvin Hernandez only allowed 1 run in 4 solid innings, but Carolina trails 1-0 through 6 frames. Going 0-for-5 with RISP and having 2 players picked off/caught stealing has hurt thus far.

RHP Gerson Calzadilla enters for the 7th.

[Ro Mueller]

A Jose Acosta RBI double and Jheremy Vargas RBI single have put Wisconsin ahead 2-0 in the 2nd inning after Will Rudy escaped a 2-on, nobody out threat in the bottom of the 1st.

This is only Acosta’s 4th game (3rd start) in the last 29 days.

[Ro Mueller]

Carolina had 8 singles and 3 walks, but didn’t score, falling 3-0.

Rodriguez, Hernandez and Pena were solid (combined 8 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 7 Ks).

Each of Braylon Payne, Marco Dinges and Blayberg Diaz went 2-for-4. Walling and Di Turi also reached twice.

[Ro Mueller]

Biloxi started the game with a Dylan O’Rae walk and Darrien Miller double, but failed to score.

Still 0-0 in the 5th inning, Rocket City pushed across a run against solid starting LHP Nate Peterson (BB, WP, 2-out single).

C’mon Shuckers. Get those bats fired up!

[Ro Mueller]

The Shuckers have tied it up in the 6th inning without needing a hit: HBP, wild pitch K, 2 BBs - the latter by Adam Hall on 7 pitches to tie it up 1-1 in the 6th inning.

RHP Will Childers is entering for Nate Peterson.

[Ro Mueller]

Relatively poor results all around for Nashville, who now trail 6-1 through 5.5 innings. At least Isaac Collins has 2 leadoff singles.

McKendry and Stallings both allowed 2-run homers. In between, rehabbing Enoli Paredes faced 8 batters: 1 outfield hit, 1 infield hit, 1 BB, 2 Ks, 1 fly out, 1 pop out, 1 everybody’s safe fielder’s choice.

[wiguy94]

Payne's first single today was a 110 EV grounder/liner to RF. He just turned 18 last month and hit a 110 EV ball in a professional baseball game as a guy who scouts called a slash and dash type hitter. It's just one swing, but there's clearly some juice to that swing.

[wiguy94]

4 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Payne's first single today was a 110 EV grounder/liner to RF. He just turned 18 last month and hit a 110 EV ball in a professional baseball game as a guy who scouts called a slash and dash type hitter. It's just one swing, but there's clearly some juice to that swing.

His first AB was kind of a reach the bat out kind of swing that went all the way to just short of the warning track in straightaway CF.

His 3rd AB he ripped a hard hit liner to CF on a shoulder high FB that was caught.

His 4th AB he shot a line drive to LF on a first pitch that was outside.

His bat looks very intriguing.

[Joseph Zarr]

Mississippi lost tonight (game 2 of double-header postponed til tomorrow night). Shuckers are back to a 2.5 G lead with 8 games to play. Shuckers, land this plane!

[Ro Mueller]

Ernesto Martinez Jr. is very good at baseball. And he’s been clutch too!: 

 

[wiguy94]

9 hours ago, Ro Mueller said:

Ernesto Martinez Jr. is very good at baseball. And he’s been clutch too!: 

 

Every year there’s that one guy in the system where it’s just like why is he not getting promoted. This year that guy is Ernesto Martinez Jr. Just makes no sense why he hasn’t been in AAA for weeks/months by now

[Joseph Zarr]

I heart EMJ so much. He has absolutely come into his own before our very eyes over the past two years. The lightbulb absolutely turned on. In every way. The focus. The evolving discipline at the dish. Way less wild massive hacks with his head leaving the swing plane. And then he provides such a massive target in every direction at 1B with the agility to grab anything. In every way, He is a priority must re-sign with a MLB TC invite and likely start him at Triple-A with serious call-up possibility.