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Mighty Burke goes down swinging. Dang it. Whitecaps clinch division with their win. They are a really really good club. Impressed with what I saw. Sounds in the board after Vaughn triple and Dalbec single. Alright let’s get some more hits and runs. Hunt was trying to be the bright spot tonight, but runs into trouble in the 3rd with three hits allowed and gives up a run only with one out and 2 runners on Meanwhile - the Az Cubs are winning too making my blood boil I mean at least the big Cubs team lost. Baby brew down 2-0 after first inning, Renz on the mound. Hunt now walks the bases loaded this season is a tough one for him. Hits and walks aplenty.

Yoho 21 pitches , 19 strikes. 6 up and 6 down in 2 innings of relief. So that’s a good sign. In West Michigan. Areinamo grounds out and it’s 17 straight outs. Yikes. Dinges strikes out Dinges. Wow. 19 straight. Up to Burke - you’re our only hope….

Yoho in for the Sounds and a hard hit ball right at him, may have hit his abdomen. He got the ball to first for the out. A few practice pitches in front of the trainer, and he’s ok to stay in and Ks Cantrelle. Meanwhile TRats will have to wake up in the 9th when they are up. No base runners since the 3rd inning!! 4th inning on they have retired 16 straight times . Oh boy.. ‘Yoho recovers and gets a nice defensive play by Olivia in right center. It’s a clean 6th inning for Craig.

Rains could thwart any Mudcat comeback. It’s top of 8 and sounds like it’s hard rain. Umps are talking and may call it - yup its a rain delay now. in Nashville maciejewski gives up a single, but gets a ground out next. Still 4-0 Bad guys, and Nashville with only 1 hit on offense. Trats still down, and the offense is only Dinges (2 hits) and Areinamo (1 hit). Gotta do more than that to win. Let’s see if some late game magic can be summoned.

Henderson out at 74 pitches. He went 4.2 IP 7K but 7H, and allowed 4 runs and has a runner on first who he is responsible for. I’m not watching so hoping it was a pitch count thing and not any other concerns with Logan. Maciejewski is in now. TRats still trail now 5-2.

A sac fly gets the Mudcats a run back. Then with Ordonez at bat with a chance to try to get some runs back, but no Holguin gets picked off 2nd by the catcher. Ugh.

A sac fly scores that runner. So two runs allowed by Ordonez. Then a good grab by Holguin, but he doesn’t make a great throw, but I also think Bitonti could have scooped it, error on Holguin in what was a poor throw, but not awful. Ugh inning still goes on Well Ordonez make up for to with a good throw to get the runner trying to steal 3rd. Ok. Baby steps.

Not a great couple of innings by Ordonez as I have seen him drop 2 pitches, and one wild pitch he didn’t block allowing the runner to get to first. Two errors on throws to 2nd base. He will need some work behind the plate but has some offense in him and still young. But tonight may be a night to forget.

Bitonti had a HR earlier in the game. But his last at bat he was just lost. Swinging way over change ups. He wanted to hit a HR on those pitches. He has the raw power tools, and will punish mistakes, but just looks unsure in many at bats. Henderson running into more trouble on the 3rd, as a contractually obligated Cubs win somewhere seems to be in progress. It’s 3-0 deficits and two men (on 2nd/3rd).

Phew. Rivera strikes out Um with bases juiced. Nice breaking ball and Um swings and misses. Nice recovery Bryan. Maybe the offense can come alive and return the favor with a late inning rally and come from behind win?

Game may be getting out of hand soon in Zebulon. 5-2 deficit and the 5th run scored on a single (after lead off man was HBP then picked off), and error on catcher and CF on SB attempt the runner scores. Must haven’t gotten to Rivera as he went walk-hit-walk including a pitch clock violation.

As I was writing that - McGonigle goes hard and TRats early 2– lead is now a 4-2 deficit. Whitecaps have 3 top prospects in that order and a few others who are playing well solid team.

Henderson with a rough start so far - 3 hits (2 HR), a walk through 1.2 IP. I-Cubs up 2-0 The Whitecaps tie the TRats 2-2. Flores gave up a HR to 20-year old C/DH J. Briceno, who has a 1.032 OPS this year in high A. Wow. Tigers #4 prospect, and two other prospects are on this Whitecaps team in Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle. Pretty stacked offense at the top.

Anderson hit the ball hard and deep just inside the foul pole, its 4-2 deficit. But this is why we dream on Jose Anderson still…

Impressive for Dinges. He has 85 AB in low A and high A and his stats are similar, except for way more walks in Carolina. Car: .353/.500/.576, 21BB:14K Wis: .333/.385/.536, 9BB:17K coming into tonight, so the average and slugging ticked up slightly in that at bat.

I think he is going through the expected growing pains you would expect from a kid who would be a HS player right now, who is spending his first year in the States. Aggressive promotion, but he was excelling in the Complex as noted. He is overmatched, and will either adjust this year and could be a second half break out player, or he may continue to struggle this year and hope to work on those aspects (pitch recognition for example) in the offseason. He is a good player as noted by his early ACL success, being highlighted in the Prospect Showcase game, but he is also not at the same level as Made, Pena, and even Lara or Yophery yet. I have been trying to figure this one out too. I wonder if it is that they want him to log more innings on a more regular basis so reliever in a pseudo-piggyback role. I don't recall another prospect doing that recently, and I would have to look at his actual games last year in the ACL and see if the first innings were a problem for him, or if it an issue facing batters the 2nd time around, and they are trying to build him up for success now, and then test him more later. If they viewed him as only a reliever he is not getting typical reliever outings as noted. And it would odd for a draft HS pitcher to be relegated to just a middle/long reliever at such a low level so early in his career. I suspect there is a plan, and I would hope he will be tried as a starter this year or next.

Great point!! Shuckers are night and day from last year offensively (when they were the Suckers, because you know not a lot of hits). Obviously more talent (Adams, Lara Pratt joining; and Spain has been solid) and the players deserve the credit. It is much different offensive approach and a 3-0 deficit does not feel insurmountable this season like it did last year except for a few weeks in April (with Clarke) and July (Wilken hot streak and I think Boeve on the club). Also want to get back to the Wilken call up question. I’ve been very critical of Brock, and in my own notes a couple of weeks ago I had written under position players things to watch “1. Wilken - is he going to be consistent or just a few hot week streaky player?” Another week or two of some good offensive output for him (or at least not having a slump) and I feel he answers that question. His BA was low in May but you take a .230 average with a guy who walks (OBP > .368 each month this season) who is hitting it hard when he hits (most hits are XBH and he has 18 HR in the first half). So for one who is more of the “pump the brakes” on promotions, I am seeing a July bump as long as Brock doesn’t fall into a like major 2 week slump. Also I have wondered what his year would have been like if he was at high A for a few weeks last season (very loaded question since that HBP may not have happened) but in general he may have hit better like the guys drafted after him who shot up the prospect boards last year (B. Taylor). But without that struggle does he make the adjustments (and eye exam) to be where he is now. Who knows but I’ll take where he is now, as I am starting to believe in him as a prospect again.

Looks like the DSL Blue Brew Crew won to get back to .500 with selected stats: DH Antunez 3-5 with a double C Y. Lugo 2-4 with a double and a SB RF Done 1-3 with a sac fly Nice pitching Galindo 5 IP, 4 H, 1ER, 2BB, 3K L. Gonzalez 4 IP, 3 H, 1ER, 2BB, 2K and his ERA on the season is 0.73

If Bieder is referring to me, then whoa, that is some incredibly illustrious company that I don't deserve to be in, but if not (see my post a month ago when I thought I was the Greg that Joseph referenced when it was Gregmag I think) then nothing to see here as I may have made an assumption .... 😬 I work on the assumption that Spencer is the answer key, and Joseph is the eyes on the ground which leads to the answer key. But to try to summarize (which I do poorly ha!) I love that we have a great group of posters who love the prospect world and the minor leagues

Tomorrow. 4 opportunities to beats Cubs (Brewers, Sounds, Shuckers, and ACL Brewers). Let’s do it! until tomorrow evening @Joseph Zarr

No comeback. I guess there is contractually binding agreement to have one Cubs team with a win each night….

And Vaughn grounds into a tailor made 6-4-3 DP. Ugh. And Avans is down 0-2. Yikes

Both. First batter looked good. Second batter just lost it. No he’s struggling to get command.

Siegler hits it 104mph but right at the second baseman, I mean I don’t think he moved. Dang it. End of 8. Still a 1-run deficit.

And now he’s out. Walks Zamora. Not sure if I am happy having him out as he was sharp, or if I should worry that the next reliever will end this attempt at a rally?