Another update from John Neary, with some good news about some highly touted prospects at Triple-A Syracuse. The pitching lines aren't quite as good lower in the minors, though. Thanks, John!
Syracuse 3-3 at Buffalo 0-4
Josh Phelps had staked Syracuse to a 3-0 lead after three innings before the rain caused a suspension of play on Tuesday night. When the game resumed on Wednesday, Cliff Politte pitched like the Cliff Politte of old, striking out one in a perfect fourth; however, Doug Linton and Scott Cassidy also pitched like the Doug Linton and Scott Cassidy of old, giving up four runs on six hits (two home runs) and two walks in two innings. Syracuse bounced back to win the nightcap 3-0 behind some strong pitching from Jason Arnold (5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K) and Brian Bowles (1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K). Arnold's line for the year in Syracuse is now 80.2 IP, 84 H, 31 BB, 64 K, 9 HR; those long balls worry me a bit. Combining the batting lines over the two games, Phelps went 3 for 5 with the three-run blast and a walk and Gabe Gross went 3 for 6 with a double and two walks. Kevin Cash went 1 for 3 in the first game, and Dave Berg was hitless in two trips in the second game.
New Haven 8 at Altoona 9
With many of these minor-league teams, one doesn't care about wins or losses as much as the way in which games are won or lost. If Sandy Nin is starting for Charleston, a 1-0 loss is much better than a 10-9 win: none of the hitters on that team is anything resembling a hot prospect, so you're really only interested in the pitching line. Similarly, when Chris Baker starts for New Haven, I'm OK with a 9-8 loss. Russ Adams went 0 for 4 with a walk; he's been cool for the past little while and is down to .282/.342/.359 in 142 AA at-bats. Alexis Rios went 2 for 5, John-Ford Griffin went 0 for 4 with a walk, and Guillermo Quiroz went 2 for 5 with two solo home runs. Jordan DeJong was the only prospect to toe the rubber; the best thing that can be said about his 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER outing (blowing an 8-7 lead) is that he didn't walk a man -- so far in AA he has walked 12 in 12.2 innings.
Dunedin 8 at Clearwater 5
Bob File pitched a perfect first inning in his second rehab appearance. Chad Pleiness relieved him and struggled through six innings, allowing four earned runs on nine hits (including a home run) and one walk while striking out three. He's been giving up a lot of hits recently; I guess his $H really was too good to be true. A bunch of guys hit well; I'll cite Jason Waugh's 2 for 4 with a double and a walk as a representative for the group. Waugh is up to .287/.356/.427 in 143 Dunedin at-bats, which isn't great, but it's the best on the team.
Auburn 6 at Staten Island 5
Chad Mulholland worked four scoreless innings, fanning three and allowing two hits and a walk. Jamie Vermilyea recorded 5 K's in 3.1 relief innings, but gave up three runs on five hits and a walk; he didn't help his cause by making an error. Davis Romero and Bubbie Buzachero coughed up two more runs in the ninth. Aaron Hill went 1 for 4 with a walk, and "V. Chiavarllt" walked once and provided the big blow, a three-run double in the seventh that put the Doubledays ahead 5-1.
Pulaski 8 at Burlington 2
Joey Reiman hit two doubles and a sacrifice fly in five plate appearances; he's at .345/.430/.512 on the year and has a ridiculous 12 doubles in 84 at-bats, but has also struck out 24 times. Catcher Robinzon Diaz doubled and walked in four trips. In 76 at-bats, he's hitting .408/.439/.592 with 9 doubles; last year in Medicine Hat, he hit .297/.344/.345. He doesn't turn 20 until September 19, so he is mildly interesting.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20030724122432999