Tue. 9/10 - And Then There Were Two (Regular Season)

[Jim Goulart]

This thread will be utilized for any minor league news Monday / Tuesday.

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[TURBO]

13 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

 

I'm a little surprised as he hasn't looked very comfortable the last couple times he pitched for the T-Rats.  Since he was injured so long, I expected he would be done and start back with the T-Rats briefly next season.

[SF70]

8 hours ago, TURBO said:

I'm a little surprised as he hasn't looked very comfortable the last couple times he pitched for the T-Rats.  Since he was injured so long, I expected he would be done and start back with the T-Rats briefly next season.

Love the team’s aggressive promotion strategy taken with their best prospects. Letson-Hardin are on the fast track to MKE and I love it.

The 2027 and beyond BL rotation is looking incredibly deep with solid or better starter arms, to the point, i think the team can forego spending on FA starters for as far as my eyes can see.

[MattK]

11 hours ago, TURBO said:

I'm a little surprised as he hasn't looked very comfortable the last couple times he pitched for the T-Rats.  Since he was injured so long, I expected he would be done and start back with the T-Rats briefly next season.

Makes some sense to me as his innings this year are very low, in comparison to Dorchies, Meccage, Renz, and Dubanewicz.  Maybe even some AFL time for Bishop?

[biedergb]

Letson - probably the only way to get him some game innings. It is interesting, as I had him on the border of repeating high A vs AA next year given the injury, his age. But this seems like he will get another start or two in AA, likely not go to the AFL as result (my guess only) and then hopefully healthy and ready to hit AA next year.

[Joseph Zarr]

Re: The Shuckers this week

The Barons are coming off recently clinching their second half Title (vs Chattanooga). They are 19 Games over 0.500 in this second half. They also swept the Shuckers @ Biloxi 6-0 in early (man, tooooo many affiliate sweeps in 2025 - sighs) July.

What's my point? This will potentially be a very good pre-playoff post-season barometer for the Shuckers new look and healthier roster. A 3-3 series split would be a massive Win given the way this second half has gone. Second half Barons have objectively been a much better team since the second half began. The Shuckers are 7 games under 0.500, after all. But, none of that matters all that much once the slates clean next Tuesday.

[MudcatsfaninBrunsCO]

Sad day for me, shoulda been in Zebulon for Carolina Mudcats.

[Ro Mueller]

 

[Jim Goulart]

I never quite know what to do about promoting affiliate jersey auctions. At one point I was directing to folks to all mentions (in prior years), but it became too overwhelming. If that's your interest, please follow the affiliates socials best you can and take part in the future.

 

[Ro Mueller]

18-year old 2B Jesus Made (.800 OPS in 501 High-A/Low-A PA) makes his AA debut and 3B Luke Adams returns from injury as Biloxi starts its series at White Sox affiliate Birmingham. RHP Brett Wichrowski (3.49 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 6.5 K/9 in 95.1 AA IP) has tossed 24 IP over his last 4 starts.

[Ro Mueller]

The AAA Sounds host Braves’ affiliate Gwinnett this week, with the organizational 2025 minor league innings leader LHP Bruce Zimmermann (4.32 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 7.2 K/9 in 127 IP) starting Game 1. 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr, has a 7-game hitting streak. 

[Joseph Zarr]

I am watching Brucey Z. sling the white rat. Farm chores are done. Smile on my face. Gets a swing and a miss on a vicious low and inside curveball.

[Joseph Zarr]

Lockridge sprints down a liner in the right CF gap and successfully doubles off the runner who had completely left 1B. Z-Man works around a one out walk for the unorthodox inning-ending DP.

[Joseph Zarr]

Urias has 6 RBI in his first 5 games with Nashville. He sneaks a double into the LF corner that lands just in front of the LF'er. Lockridge (single) and Black (BB) scores. 2-0 Sounds.

[duewizard]

Made's first AA at bat ends on a 2-2 count with a popup to the catcher

[Joseph Zarr]

Shuckers bats absolutely mowed down in their top half of the first. LHP Lucas Gordon looks quite nice on that Barons mound. Adams K, Made weak pop out, and Pratt K's.

[Joseph Zarr]

Not only did Oliva steal his 50th base this past weekend. He also became just the 4th Sound in their history to swipe 50 and it was the first player since 1984. He just stole his 51st base and the throw sailed into CF so he took 3rd. Important extra base as Mr. RBI Luis Urias grounded out weakly to 2B and Oliva scored. 3-0 Sounds.

[Joseph Zarr]

Wichrowski worked around a two out single and got some luck on a smoked ground-rule double that hopped the right CF 8 foot wall. He got the fly out to LF on a nice slider to end the threat. On to the 2nd. 0-0.

[Joseph Zarr]

So far these Shuckers bats are doing a bang up job of swinging and missing at off-speed balls off the plate. Two more K's on Gordon's change-up for Warren and Lara. Neither pitch was close to the zone. He has 4 K through 2 IP as the Shuckers can't take advantage of two walks in the inning either. 

[sveumrules]

If I didn’t know any better I’d say Wichrowski gave up that leadoff single bottom two just to set up the Pratt to Made to Burke 6-4-3 double play.

Records the third out of the frame via K.

[Joseph Zarr]

These are some seriously uncompetitive Shuckers AB's. 6 K through 3 IP. Nothing remotely hit hard. Mainly a lot of off-balance swings. Absolutely have no answer for Gordon's change-up.

[Joseph Zarr]

Meanwhile, the Barons are finding ways to hit Wichrowski hard. Second double to lead off their 3rd. This one high off the RF 12' wall. Second consecutive inning their lead-off batter is aboard. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Force out to 1B (ground out to Pratt) advances to the runner to 3B. Casual deep sac fly scores him. Fundamental baseball right there. 1-0 Barons. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Meanwhile, my guy Brucey Z has 3 K through 5 scoreless and something else IP. He is absolutely back. 

[Joseph Zarr]

This Wichrowski outing is very much like most Wichrowski outings: unpolished. Trying to work around his own inability to be precise. Getting away with mistake hanging pitches for the most part. Not very accurate. He has such an extensive toolkit and yet he remains very very raw in nearly every facet. I personally find him one of the more perplexing players in the entire system. He has the toolkit to be an absolutely dominant Ace and yet he rarely shows that form. Anyhow, he works around a two out walk by getting a K looking on an outer black slider.