Tue. 9/10 - Playoffs?! Best-of-3 Semifinal Series Commence for T-Rats, Mudcats

[Ro Mueller]

Thread will be utilized for any minor league news Tuesday.

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[jay87shot]

Playoffs baby

[Joseph Zarr]

The scheduled starter for the Fredericksburg Nats is LHP Alex Clemmey (acquired at the trade deadline). Clemmey has faced the Mudcats offense four times this season before today - 3 as a Hillcat and 1 as a Fred Nat. How has he fared?

Game 1: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 0 R

Game 2: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 ER - same series on 5 day's rest

Game 3: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, 3 ER - Pratt long ball

Game 4: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 ER 

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Game 4 was his sole start as a National. @ Fredericksburg's Home Park back on August 10th. Clemmey is extremely talented with strikeout stuff and tools for days but at this stage of his very young career he is prone to the free pass. Mudcats bats will need to temper their aggression and make him work.

[Joseph Zarr]

The scheduled starter for the Quad Cities River Bandits is talented RHP Ryan Ramsey. Ramsey has faced the T-Rats offense four times this season before today - all as a River Bandit. How has he fared?

Game 1: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 2 HB, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 R

Game 2: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 4 K, 1 ER

Game 3: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 HB, 1 BB, 6 K

Game 4: 2 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 5 ER - the only runs scroed vs. Ramsey over the past 6 starts 😬

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Needless to say, RHP Alexander Cornielle and the T-Rats offense will need to bring their 'A-Game' to Quad Cities tonight. The River Bandits have played the Rattlers extremely tough of late. This is going to be a very challenging series for manager Victor Estevez and his squad.

[Ro Mueller]

 

[wiguy94]

With Sykora listed as the Nationals game 2 starter, this game 1 is pretty much a must win for the Mudcats. Sykora has completely decimated the Mudcats this season.

His season line against Carolina - 16 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 20 SO

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, Ro Mueller said:

 

[Ro Mueller]

Here we go! Game One of High-A Wisconsin’s Best-of-3 Divisional Series is in Quad Cities (Royals’ affiliate), with 23-year old RHP Alexander Cornielle (2.55 ERA with 25 Ks over last 17.2 IP) ready to roll! 19-year old CF Luis Lara has his safely in 10 of his last 11 games (.792 OPS with 6 SBs in last 45 PAs).

[Ro Mueller]

22-year old RHP Logan Henderson (3.57 ERA with 19 Ks in 4 AAA starts - 17.2 IP) is indeed back in action for his first game in 2 weeks, as AAA Nashville hosts Cardinals’ affiliate Memphis. 2B Christian Arroyo has hit safely in 8 of 9 games (.936 OPS in last 43 PAs).

[Joseph Zarr]

[Joseph Zarr]

IF we eliminate RHP Daniel Corniel's silly 7-run blow-up inning back on August 7th @ Fredericksburg - if any of you recall, he took a comebacker off his arm and remained in the game. Entered that fourth frame up 7-1. Finished that frame but left with zero outs and the Muddies trailed 8-7. It was such a weird inning and a total meltdown after that come-backer.

ANYWHO, that's really not the point here. IF we eliminate that outing, since the calendar flipped to August Corniel has actually been quite good: 5 GS, 24 1/3 IP, 18 H, 10 BB, 21 K, 4 ER. That's really solid especially considering he became the #1 after RHP Manuel Rodriguez suffered an IL stint. I imagine manager Nick Stanley is hoping he can get a solid 4 IP tonight and then he'd hope to have all options at his disposal - leave a humming Corniel in for an inning or two more or tap into his better bullpen arms. Either way, the outing back on the 7th was truly more an anomaly than anything else. We can only hope there's no lingering psychological cobwebs given Corniel is returning to that same park and that same mound.

[Ro Mueller]

DH Marco Dinges is back after leaving Saturday’s game early on an HBP and Low-A Carolina plays Game 1 of their Best-of-3 Division Series - at Nationals’ affiliate Fredericksburg tonight, then back home on Thursday for Game 2. 20-year old RHP Daniel Corniel (4.29 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 8.7 K/9 in 98.2 IP) gets the big-time start. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Dinges being back in the line-up is just awesome. Dodged a bullet there. Let's hope he rips some bullets off that bat! Let's get some of that vintage Dinges 100 mph + rocket launch.

[Joseph Zarr]

Honestly, I'd personally start Briceno over Di Turi but that's just me. Di Turi has not been good with the stick for some time. Let's hope he is sharp tonight and throws his 1-for-19 September line in the dumpster. For reference, Briceno is not only one of the more versatile players on the Mudcats team but he is also 10-for-20 in September. Just a better player at this juncture. AND, this after hitting 0.290 with a 9:7 K:BB ratio in 62 August AB's. Di Turi, in August: 0.177 with 20:14 K:BB ratio in 79 AB. And, this isn't me just stat pulling game logs. I watch these games. Di Turi isn't playing confident and he looks timid at the dish. Briceno is confident, sure of himself, and executing while playing smart but aggressive. 

Regardless, the decision is made. Here's hoping for the absolute best result for All.

[Joseph Zarr]

A trumpet is blaring the Natty Anthem in Fredericksburg. We are approaching first pitch. Let's GO Mudcats!!!

[wiguy94]

Amazing piece of hitting by Yophery to shot 97 to the left field corner for a should be double. Shocking that he was thrown out at 2B. He's right up there with Juan Baez in the "bad baserunner" talks.

[Joseph Zarr]

Yophery rockets a 2-2 liner down the LF line. Tried to stretch a double (looked like it should have been given where that ball went). Vaquero threw a very accurate bullet, however, and the ball beat him. THO, it certainly looked he beat the tag with via the slide. Ump was shielded behind 2B, however. Momentum right back to the Nats. AND, the ump is giving Clemmey pitches off the low zone to boot. One down. 1-2 to Baez.

[Joseph Zarr]

Just now, wiguy94 said:

Amazing piece of hitting by Yophery to shot 97 to the left field corner for a should be double. Shocking that he was thrown out at 2B. He's right up there with Juan Baez in the "bad baserunner" talks.

LOL. Yeah. AND, I think he thought there's no way he gets to that poke. AND, I would politely opine even tho the throw clearly beat him Yophery's slide beat the tag.

[wiguy94]

Just now, Joseph Zarr said:

LOL. Yeah. AND, I think he thought there's no way he gets to that poke. AND, I would politely opine even tho the throw clearly beat him Yophery's slide beat the tag.

I thought he was clearly out. Still shocked there was even remotely a play there. That should have been a relatively routine double. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Baez reached with a misplay on the gather by the Nats' 2B on a slow roller. Bitonti works the count 3-1. Upper zone strike. 3-2. Bitonti K's on a gorgeous inside upper zone 97 mph heater. Come and get it or don't.

[Joseph Zarr]

Just now, wiguy94 said:

I thought he was clearly out. Still shocked there was even remotely a play there. That should have been a relatively routine double. 

Yeah, the throw was really good. Obviously he got a favorable bounce. That was a rope of a toss.

[Joseph Zarr]

1 minute ago, wiguy94 said:

I thought he was clearly out. Still shocked there was even remotely a play there. That should have been a relatively routine double. 

I mean, you know I thought that ball went into the RF corner so I wouldn't trust my eyes on the tag there at 2B 🤭

[Joseph Zarr]

Hey, giving Clemmey an elevated pitch count early is a small victory. 21 pitches. Dinges goes down on a very weak lunge whiff on a low outside heater. 2 swinging K's. 

[wiguy94]

Hopefully Clemmey burns out early. He's very clearly throwing harder than normal reaching back to 96-97 multiple times in the inning.

[Joseph Zarr]

Lead-off man is aboard for the Nats - line drive single to RF. 108 mph smack. Belt high. Dead center.