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On the back of perhaps the best night we’ve had this season recapping the Minor Leagues, there were few performances of note. Daniel Norris, however, looks to have turned the corner as he continued his recent strong play by striking out eight and walking just one batter in five innings. Brad Glenn homered in his first game at AAA and the New Hampshire offense had a good day. Not too many wins on the night as the affiliates went 2-5.

Rochester 4 Buffalo 2

Justin Germano was bit of hero tonight for the Herd. The Herd are thin on pitchers at the moment, so much so that Mike McCoy pitched the ninth the other night. Germano went nine in a losing effort, yielding four runs. Three errors, including one by former Batter’s Box favourite child Jim Negrych, played their part as just two of the four runs allowed were earned. Brad Glenn making his AAA debut went deep in his first at-bat and Ryan Goins had three hits.

New Hampshire 9 New Britain 3

The bats came out for New Hampshire and we got a rare Chad Jenkins appearance tonight. Jenkins pitched four and a third of shutout ball. He was efficient—using just 44 pitches. He was in control—walking none. And he kept the ball on the ground with a 5-3 groundball to flyball ratio. He struck out three. Gabe Jacobo had four hits, Andy Burns and Ryan Schimpf homered, and A.J. Jimenez had two doubles to go along with a single and drove in four. Note: that is Schimpf’s league leading 20th homerun.

Lakeland 14 Dunedin 9

Former Jays’ draft pick Aaron Westlake had a nice little day for himself for the visiting Tigers’ affiliate. Westlake went 6-6 with a homerun and five RBIs. He was by no means the only offensive star for the Flying Tigers as they racked up twenty hits and fourteen runs on the hometown Blue Jays. Scott Copeland took most of the beating as he gave up eleven of the fourteen runs. Remarkably, his ERA is still under four. The Dunedin squad created a bit of offense their own as Michael Crouse homered and drove in four. The frustrating Marcus Knecht homered as part of a two hit day, and Jon Berti and Matt Newman both had three hits in the one and two holes, respectively.

Lansing 2 West Michigan 1

Daniel Norris has put together a nice little string of starts here. While his control comes and goes, he’s still striking people out and tonight he struck out eight in five innings of work. He allowed four hits and walked just one. I don’t think a challenge promotion at Dunedin is appropriate for Norris. On the balance, he’s been poor this season and I don’t see the point of promoting a guy who has just found some success for really the first time in his professional career to a level he’s arguably not ready for to see that success potentially turn. Keep him at Lansing, let him build on what he’s doing so that he can go home this off-season with some real confidence. Kellen Sweeney provided the offense with both RBIs and only extra-base hit for the Lugnuts. Dwight Smith Jr. and Santiago Nessy both had two hits.

Everett 4 Vancouver 3

The Canadians kicked the ball in extras to lose to the Mariners’ affiliate. In the top half of the twelfth errors by pitcher Joe Spano and second baseman David Harris allowed the winning run to score. Kyle Anderson pitched five solid innings and a medley of pitchers kept the AquaSox at bay until the mess in the twelfth.

Princeton Bluefield Suspended Rain

GCL Blue Jays 3 GCL Yankees1 4

Not much to report here as Gabriel Cenas had a hit, an RBI, and two walks and was the offensive star for the GCL Blue Jays. Reliver Jimmy Cordero worked two innings and recorded all his hits by way of the strikeout.

DSL Blue Jays 1 DSL Tigers 5

Rodrigo Orozco had two hits and was just about the only offense on the day for the DSL Jays. Not much happening on the mound either as Miguel Burgos pitched five unspectacular innings.

Three Stars

3. Gabe Jacobo and A.J. Jimenez

2. Justin Germano

1. Daniel Norris

Box Scores

Norris and Glenn with a dash of the New Hampshire Offense | 15 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Mike Green - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 08:39 AM EDT (#278113) #
In Norris' last 4 starts, he's thrown 18 innings with 6 walks and 27 strikeouts.  He's allowed 4 runs in those 18 innings.  The club might decide to call him up to Dunedin to get him some playoff experience. 
tercet - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 09:37 AM EDT (#278116) #
Yea, Norris has been very good the 2 months almost!  He made a freaky catch last night as a ball almost hit him in the head aswell.
92-93 - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 09:45 AM EDT (#278117) #
Jesus saved him. Angels in the infield.
Ryan Day - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 10:21 AM EDT (#278118) #
This is all amateur psychology, but I wonder if it might be better to leave Norris at Lansing for the rest of the year and let him finish strong. He's had a rough start to his pro career, so it might be a good idea to let him end the year feeling like a top prospect again.

He's only 20. If he really is putting things together, he could start moving fast next year.
Mike Green - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 10:32 AM EDT (#278119) #
That too would be reasonable. 
jayBlue - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 10:35 AM EDT (#278120) #
Matt Boyd supposedly promoted to Dunedin.
Ryan Day - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 12:14 PM EDT (#278124) #
Video of Norris' face-saving catch. I don't know if he's much of a fielder, but he has some pretty good reflexes.
John Northey - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 03:18 PM EDT (#278127) #
Ryan: I'd agree with you on that. Last year he was in rookie/A- and this year has been entirely in full season A.  I'd figure he is nearing his inning limit anyways so might as well let him continue in Lansing and at 21 in A+ with a shot at AA if he does really well by mid-season.  If he is a stud he can jump from A+ to the majors in the same year (for example, Dave Stieb did it with a stop at AAA on the way to the majors) if he just does well then 22 in AA (2015) with a real shot at the majors by mid-season if he is hot there.

Pushing guys is good, but you want to be careful too.  For A+ all I'd want to do is maybe send him there to be in the bullpen for the playoffs (if allowed) more to watch and learn than anything.
mendocino - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 04:00 PM EDT (#278129) #

Dawel Lugo to Vancouer

“Just a young kid (Lugo), 18 years old, who is three years away from maybe being a real impact player that he is capable of being. He goes to Vancouver and gets to compete at a little higher level in the Northwest League and hopefully in the next couple of weeks he can hold his own.”

Bluefield has already added a pair of talented players from the Gulf Coast League to its roster, including Venezuelan shortstop Franklin Barreto, who was the top International prospect available in 2012. He was hitting .299 with 16 doubles, six triples and four home runs in 44 games for the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla.

“We saw him in extended spring training, he is a very good player, he is a good defensive ball player,” Holmberg said. “I think he is going to fit in just fine. He is not going to supply the quick strike power that Lugo provides, but he is going to hit and I am assuming and I have confidence he is going to play well and do well and fit in well here.”

Also added to the Bluefield roster was 18-year-old Clinton Hollon, a second round draft choice and 47th overall selection by Toronto in June out of a high school in Kentucky. He had appeared in four games in Dunedin, with a 1-0 record and an 0.00 ERA in four games, striking out 10 in 12 innings on the mound.

“A second round pick this year, a high school kid, he is moving rather quickly, threw very well in the Gulf Coast League,” Holmberg said. “All the reports are just dynamite about him from his pitching to this stuff, his makeup and his attitude, just everything is off the chart.”

Mike Green - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 04:07 PM EDT (#278132) #
That's interesting.  Lugo is so young.  I wonder if he'll be brought back to Bluefield for the playoffs.

It'll be a lot of fun if Nay, Lugo, Barretto (at second) and Matt Dean move up together to full-season ball (probably in Lansing) next year.  LF would enjoy 2014 more than 2013 in that case, and a trip to Lansing will be pretty much mandatory for TO minor league watchers...

Ryan Day - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 04:57 PM EDT (#278137) #
We'll probably see DJ Davis in Lansing at some point next year, too.
greenfrog - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 05:53 PM EDT (#278139) #
Lugo has had a nice year, but he will need to start walking more if he's going to be successful. In 2012, his BB% was 3.8. This year, it's 2.5.

By way of comparison, Arencibia has walked at a 4.1% clip this year.
Lylemcr - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 06:16 PM EDT (#278140) #

The jays have a nice set of 18\19 year olds that are showing some promise.  Those are the prospects I like to see.

You think of the exceptionally great players, they seem to skip through systems. 

greenfrog - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 06:25 PM EDT (#278141) #
Barreto's last ten games: 389/476/917 (1393 OPS), 3 SB, 0 CS
uglyone - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 09:59 PM EDT (#278145) #
so yeah, maybe barreto is our best prospect.
Norris and Glenn with a dash of the New Hampshire Offense | 15 comments | Create New Account
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