Thurs. 7/31 - Shaking Off Wednesday's Results

[Jim Goulart]

This thread will be utilized for any minor league news Thursday. 

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[Ro Mueller]

Impressive LHP Tate Kuehner (2.39 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 9.9 K/9 in 94.1 IP) starts for AA Biloxi at Pensacola and Eric Martinez starts at first base for the first time since 2023. Zavier Warren gets a rare rest day and we await Matt Wood’s return (exited early Tuesday). 

[Ro Mueller]

The High-A Timber Rattlers are tied 1-1 in this week’s home series against Lake County and have solid 19-year old RHP Manuel Rodriguez (1.76 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 8.2 K/9 in 46 IP) starting tonight. DH Hedbert Perez leads the team in homers (14) and triples (3). 

[Ro Mueller]

Low-A Carolina needs a victory at Augusta behind LHP Wande Torres (5.61 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 9.4 K/9 in 59.1 IP) tonight to edge ahead 2 games to 1 in this week’s series. 2B Josh Adamczewski is hitting .333 with 2 HRs in 10 games since returning from injury.

1 - Adamczewski - 2B
2 - Made - DH
3 - Pena - SS
4 - Bitonti - 1B
5 - Anderson - CF
6 - Walling - RF
7 - Holguin - 3B
8 - Lameda - LF
9 - Walther - C
X - Torres - P

[Ro Mueller]

An Adamczewski leadoff double goes for naught, as Made, Pena and Bitonti all go down swinging.

Similarly, a Boeve 1-out single and stolen base lead to no runs for Biloxi in their top of the 1st inning.

[Ro Mueller]

Through 2 innings, the Mudcats are 0-for-5 with 4 Ks with runners in scoring position. Oops. Gery Holguin doubled in that 2nd frame.

[biedergb]

2 hours ago, Ro Mueller said:

Impressive LHP Tate Kuehner (2.39 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 9.9 K/9 in 94.1 IP) starts for AA Biloxi at Pensacola

Not Tate's night. HR allowed then what walk, HBP and an awful awful misplay by E. Martinez at first, allowing 2 more runs and the hits keep coming - a "Single" off the ankle of Pratt. Should have been out #4 and he misplays it, and the ball clanks off his leg. Inning is going south quickly. Yikes a passed ball.  It's 6-0, on a six run 2nd inning.  Oh boy.  After the deadline stuff today, expecting a good game by the Shuckers and Kuehner was going to be my therapy??

Now I need therapy for my therapy. Let's TRats, Muddies, and Shuckers please.

 

EDIT: Removed Sounds who will not play as game postponed.

[Joseph Zarr]

15 minutes ago, biedergb said:

Not Tate's night. HR allowed then what walk, HBP and an awful awful misplay by E. Martinez at first, allowing 2 more runs and the hits keep coming - a "Single" off the ankle of Pratt. Should have been out #4 and he misplays it, and the ball clanks off his leg. Inning is going south quickly. Yikes a passed ball.  It's 6-0, on a six run 2nd inning.  Oh boy.  After the deadline stuff today, expecting a good game by the Shuckers and Kuehner was going to be my therapy??

Now I need therapy for my therapy. Let's TRats, Muddies, and Shuckers please.

 

EDIT: Removed Sounds who will not play as game postponed.

[Joseph Zarr]

Down 6-0, and now Kuehner has consecutive walks and a single to load them up with nobody out in the 3rd. 

OUCH!

[biedergb]

Man Kuehner's next inning is still a struggle. Walk, walk single. Yikes.

[biedergb]

And Mudcats get the bases loaded and Adamczewski up, forces a pitching change and he flies out.

Torres then gives up single, grounder, single and it's 1-0 GreenJackets. Dang it. No runs score and now give up one. C'mon Muddies

[biedergb]

Kuehner gets a K, but then he just misses the zone with the next batter and walks the next batter. Now 7-0

Kuehner out, and Peek will come in. Tough night, the Shuckers defense tonight was not sharp and Kuehner paid the price.

[biedergb]

And Peek walks the next batter. Yikes. Gotta get pound the zone. I mean you're down 8-0, just throw strikes and make them earn the hits.

[biedergb]

First time watching Wande Torres in a while. Still with command issues, but he seems to be a little more consistent a least the last several batters I watched. Still too many non-competitive just missed the target pitches, but his velo is good (95 mph on his 50th pitch), and he has movement but not a lot of movement so his stuff feels flat, but a lot to work with. From April/May (when I last watched his start) to now I see some growth which is encouraging.

[biedergb]

Runners at the corners at the Mudcats have been 0-8 with RISP.

Stay 0-8 as Anderson runs and is somehow called out, seems like his hand was there before the tag, but the camera angle is no good, so it's 50/50. Either was out #3 and Mudcats fail to get a run home again.

[biedergb]

And Wande rewards me complimenting him by hitting a pitcher. Torres says "you think my command issues are improving, I'll show you command issues..."

[Ro Mueller]

Gotta figure the pick-off error (charged to Kuehner, throwing to Eric at first), Pratt error (which scored a run) and pop-up misplay (by Eric at first, which should have ended the inning down only 2-0) sapped the rest of Kuehner's energy.

He stayed in for 7 more batters (2 singles, 3 walks, 2 outs), ending up with 8 runs charged against him (3 earned).

[biedergb]

Torres strike the batter out on three breaking balls (all sliders?). OK his offspeed stuff can move as the second one was nice had the batter completely fooled despite seeing offspeed on the first pitch. He is through 5 IP, let's see if he comes out for inning 6, or if it Griffin Tobias for the last 4 innings.

Offense will need to get something going. A hit with a runner in scoring position is a good way to get a run across, right?

[Joseph Zarr]

I think it is very fair to say SS Cooper Pratt has had an underwhelming season. I expected more. I wanted more. A baseball progression is rarely linear. Pratt hasn't showcased any more power - he's stalemated giving those concerned about his lack of power or power projection more merit. He also has been too inconsistent for a defense first player. He's had some really poor errors. For every incredible play he has made - and he has made them - he has a boneheaded focus error. He lowered in my most recent prospect rankings. I just don't see any helium right now. <Sad Face>

[Joseph Zarr]

I'm absurdly curious to see how the promotions and draft placements shake out over the next two weeks. Very very curious. I personally feel like the only Mudcat we should see promoted in the near term is Adamczewski. Peña and Made would both benefit by staying in Low-A through the end of the season. I think both the Dickinson, Fischer, and Ragsdale signings make the T-Rats composition suddenly interesting when it has been generally snoozy.

[Joseph Zarr]

Have a week Eduardo Garcia. 2-for-2, 1 R tonight. Just having a really nice series overall. T-Rats just took a 2-1 lead with the bases dripping and only one out in the bottom of the 4th. Nicasia and Nava singles have each plated one run. RHP Manuel Rodriguez has given up 1 R on a solo jack through 4 IP. 3 K. 2 H. 0 BB. Doing Rodriguez thangs.

[biedergb]

Manuel Rodriguez is at 64 pitches through 5 IP, and really only given up the HR, giving up a total of 2hits, with no walks and 3K.  His fastball is only 88-89, but he just has command and confidence.  If he could every get his fastball to the 91-93mph range he would be a serious starting pitcher prospect.

Griffin Tobias looked decent - my second time watching him. Nothing flashy or overpowering, he is just around the zone and his offspeed stuff does move. Will need to dig into his profile and stuff again later.

[JCREW]

18 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

I'm absurdly curious to see how the promotions and draft placements shake out over the next two weeks. Very very curious. I personally feel like the only Mudcat we should see promoted in the near term is Adamczewski. Peña and Made would both benefit by staying in Low-A through the end of the season. I think both the Dickinson, Fischer, and Ragsdale signings make the T-Rats composition suddenly interesting when it has been generally snoozy.

I'm definitely excited to see how at least some of those Muddies do at the next level.

[biedergb]

Was hoping that the 4 walk night Tuesday was the beginning of that turnaround by Blake Burke. But I'm still waiting, and despite a walk tonight, he had a simple grounder to 2B and a fly out, at least no strike out tonight. I really was expecting more from Blake this season particularly with a bunch of guys injured (Adams, Wilken, Boeve), he had a chance to make a move, but is more at risk of being replaced by Fischer.

[biedergb]

Luis Castillo with nice defensive in RF stealing a XBH away from the Lake County hitter. Trying to help get Rodriguez through 6 innings.