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Rain played havoc down on the farm tonight. Buffalo’s doubleheader with Gwinnett was rained out, though Dunedin was able to sneak in a rain-shortened win down in Palm Beach. Lansing went to extras with the Reds Low-A affiliate and New Hampshire had an off day.

Gwinnett vs. Buffalo Game One RAINED OUT

Gwinnett vs. Buffalo Game Two RAINED OUT

New Hampshire OFF DAY

Dunedin 4 Palm Beach 1

Jesse Hernandez scattered six hits over five innings of work. He walked two to one strikeout. I’m a bit perplexed by the Jays’ handling of Hernandez. Sure he was not drafted and by no means is a blue-chip prospect, but he’s put up solid numbers here these past two seasons while logging some serious innings. Why is he not pitching in AA? It doesn’t send a good message to kids in the organization when guys perform and are not rewarded.

Some small ball and two out hitting paced the D-Jays at the plate as Dwight Smith Jr. and Dalton Pompey both scored runs at the top of the order and Derrick Chung and Emilio Guerrero provided two out singles. Daniel Norris pitches tomorrow.

Dayton 5 Lansing 4 Extra Innings

Dayton scored two runs in the top of the tenth off Lugnuts’ reliever Griffin Murphy to edge out to good guys tonight. The Lugnuts had fought back earlier in the game to tie it at three in the eighth, but were unable to do so again in the tenth—though they did threaten—scoring one while having runners at first and second with none out at one point.

On the mound Chase De Jong was OK through four and two-thirds. He allowed two earned runs on three hits and a walk. At the plate, Santiago Nessy had three hits, L.B. Dantzler had three RBIs and a triple, and Dickie Joe Thon and D.J. Davis had two hits apiece with a double each.

Three Stars

3. D.J. Davis and Dickie Joe Thon

2. L.B. Dantzler

1. Jesse Hernandez

Box Scores

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The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
John Northey - Friday, May 16 2014 @ 08:50 AM EDT (#286355) #
Jesse Hernandez is interesting.  Made it to A+ in 2012 and was hit around (6.61 ERA 1.3 HR/9). 2013 he had a 3.49 ERA 0.6 HR/9 2.6 BB/9 and 6.0 K/9. Given the number of pitchers in the Jays system I can see why he was left in A+ to start this year, although at 24 last year he was getting old for A+ (0.9 years older than average).  This year in A+ he has a 3.03 ERA 0.7 HR/9 1.4 BB/9 and 4.9 K/9 in 7 starts, 5 1/2 IP per start.  Good numbers, but not 'wow'. 

Also in A+ rotation this year...
7 Starts...
Taylor Cole 24 2.31 ERA 0.2 HR/9 2.1 BB/9 10.8 K/9
Daniel Norris 21 0.81 ERA 0 HR 2.7 BB/9 11.3 K/9
Ben White 25 3.00 ERA 0.4 HR/9 2.4 BB/9 4.5 K/9
5 Starts then promoted to AA...
Matt Boyd 0.29 ERA (!) 0.3 HR/9 (that 1 HR was the only run he allowed) 1.5 BB/9 10.7 K/9
3 Starts after promoted from A ball...
Kendall Graveman 3.60 ERA 0 HR 1.2 BB/9 6.6 K/9

3 other guys had starts, 2 rehabbing major leaguers (Happ & Janssen) and Kramer Champlin (10 relief, 1 start).

Looking at that list I think Hernandez has a long wait to get to AA.  Boyd clearly was beyond this level, Norris should be promoted next, then Cole (or vice versa, both are worthy), then a 3 way fight between Hernandez, White and Graveman as all 3 are having success just not 'wow' success like Boyd/Norris/Cole.  I don't see anyone in the system thinking Hernandez is hard done by right now.

Next challenge is who is in that AA rotation....
Deck McGuire, Aaron Sanchez, and Casey Lawrence all have ERA's in the 3.10-3.30 range. IE: doing well but not well enough to force the Jays hand to put them in AAA.  Matt Boyd has been getting his butt handed back to him in AA with a 10.00 ERA in 3 starts 9 IP 20 H 1 HR 5 BB 12 SO.  Hopefully his next start goes better.  The 5th slot has been all over the place, Scott Copeland had 5 starts (3.58 ERA), Austin Bibens-Dirkx got 2 as did Shawn Hill with both getting promoted to AAA, plus 2 starts for a rehabbing Janssen.

Right now Boyd is hurting the rest of the A+ rotation by not doing well in AA. If he tore apart AA like he did A+ then the rest of them would be seen as more likely to handle it I'd think. Still, this is a good problem - too many guys doing well in A+ means more for AA next year and AAA as well.  Ideally in a year or two there just wouldn't be room in the high minors for guys like Romero who cannot get guy out (6 starts, 6.00 ERA, 23 walks in 27 IP vs 20 K).
bpoz - Friday, May 16 2014 @ 02:06 PM EDT (#286377) #
As far as promotions go, I wonder if making the playoff is a factor. Buffalo is in 1st and looks good. Dunedin should qualify in the 1st half, they look comfortable. Lansing has to get pretty hot to qualify in the 1st half. NH, does not look good.
For A & A+, the 1st half should be finished in about a month, I think.
Hodgie - Friday, May 16 2014 @ 05:41 PM EDT (#286387) #
Update on the Ricky Romero Experiment:

The good news is Ricky has a no-hitter through 2 IP. The bad news is the Bisons are losing 2-0 as a result of 5 consecutive walks issued by Romero in the top of the 2nd. He has currently thrown 17 of 49 pitches for strikes and issued 6 walks overall.

PeterG - Friday, May 16 2014 @ 05:44 PM EDT (#286388) #
I still think he should be demoted or released. Keeping him in Buffalo is doing no-one any good. Promote Deck to Bisons.
jerjapan - Friday, May 16 2014 @ 06:44 PM EDT (#286389) #
I hate to be a broken record, but Romero is not blocking McGuire.  Nolin's now on the 7 day DL, so there are two spots in the Bisons rotation occupied by the Shawn Hill's of the org. 

Nice to see Goins looking good at the plate in AAA.

PeterG - Friday, May 16 2014 @ 07:16 PM EDT (#286390) #
Not saying Ricky is blocking McGuire...saying McGuire can go to Buffalo so they have adequate # of starters. Ricky should not remain in Buffalo because his present level is FAR below that of AAA.  His whip is 1.98....His starts average  LESS than 5 innings. I am sure that Bison fans are pissed and they should be....probably players too though no-one would say so. I have nothing personal against RR. He is probably a good man but it's time to get real.

There is still hope for McGuire....realistically,  there is no hope for RR returning to majors. Whatever is decided for Deck, the bottom line is that RR should not remain where he is and likely won't much longer.
Magpie - Friday, May 16 2014 @ 08:32 PM EDT (#286394) #
What has happened to Romero has now morphed into a full-fledged case of Steve Blass Disease. Which, historically, has been a career-ender.
ayjackson - Friday, May 16 2014 @ 09:13 PM EDT (#286395) #
MILB.com has pitch counts tonight for Dunedin. Norris threw 88 pitches in 6.2 IP. Not much of pitch count that would explain the two previous 4.2 inning starts. Regardless, the clock is ticking on Norris' A ball career.
Hodgie - Friday, May 16 2014 @ 09:15 PM EDT (#286396) #
As I avert my eyes from the pitching disasters in Buffalo and Lansing, my mind wanders to Dunedin and I ponder the odds of Norris joining New Hampshire once Dunedin has clinched the first half title. The man gave up one earned run in 6.2 IP and it caused his ERA to rise.
bpoz - Saturday, May 17 2014 @ 11:54 AM EDT (#286423) #
Thanks John N for your post with links on the Dunedin rotation. Promotions have been earned by those pitchers. Before looking I concluded that if the promotions took place, nobody from Lansing would be able to replace them.
So after looking, M Dermody, C De Jong & J Gabryszwski may be able to handle A+, but after another 5 starts. De Jong & Tirado are tandem starters who can now go up to 5 innings per game. Tirado has a great ERA 2.70 but the walks are very high. I would keep him in Lansing until that facet improves.
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