Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
When things aren't going so well for the Jays, I usually immerse myself in the minor leagues and think about what might one day be.  Sunday was a decent enough day for that as the affiliates went 4-2 and featured a few notable performances from promising youngsters.

Las Vegas 5    Fresno 4

Kyle Phillips pulled this one out for the 51s with a ninth-inning solo homer which made a winner out of reliever  Bubbie BuzacheroBrett Harper also homered for Las Vegas while Randy Ruiz knocked out his 36th (!) double and 73rd (!) RBI.  Joe Inglett had two hits while Travis Snider went 1-for-2 with a walk.

TJ Beam started for the 51s and was alright, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits in six innings.  Buzachero and Jonah Bayliss finsihed off Fresno with three combined scoreless innings.

 

 

Portland 9    New Hampshire 3

Kind of an ugly one in New Hampshire as the bats were relatively silent and the pitching was especially ineffective.  34 year-old Marty McLeary started for the Cats and allowed two runs over five innings.  He was replaced by Edgar Estanga who was knocked around for five runs on five hits in his two frames.  Celson Polanco picked him up and tossed a bit more fuel on the bonfire, allowing two runs in his two innings work.

At the plate, David Cooper, Todd Donovan, and Darin Mastroianni all had two hits.  Donovan chipped in a pair of stolen bases while Mastroianni had the only extra base hit on the day.  Brad Emaus was 1-for-4 while Brian Dopirak took an 0-fer.

 

 

Dunedin 6    Daytona 4

It was a comeback special in Daytona as the D-Jays rallied with 5 in the 8th and 1 in the 9th to knock off the Cubs.  Justin Jackson and Manny Rodriguez were the big stars of the day.  Jackson went 3-for-4 with a double, run, RBI, and stolen base while Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. 

On the mound, Andrew Liebel settled down somewhat after allowing three first inning runs and finished with a respectable six innings, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks to go along with four strikeouts.  Three relievers combined for three perfect innings to keep the game close enough for the late inning heroics.

 

 

South Bend 7    Lansing 1

It seems like every time I write about the Lugnuts they score a run on three or four hits.  Well, Sunday they stretched themselves thin for five base hits, all singles, in getting roughed up by the Silver Hawks.  Not much to write home about, but Tyler Pastornicky had himself a decent day by going 1-for-3 with a run scored and two stolen bases to give him 39 on the season.  Mike McDade wore the biggest goat horns after taking an 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and an error.

John Anderson fell to 2-6 on the year after allowing fours runs on eleven hits in six innings.  At least he didn't walk anybody, and did manage five strikeouts.  A couple of relievers finished things off.

 

 

Auburn 3    Batavia 2  (Game 1)

The Doubledays scored three times in the sixth to take the morning cap of a doubleheader thanks to Markus Brisker's first professional homerun.  Seeing as the Doubledays only managed 4 hits, Brisker had the only notable day at the plate.  But good on him.

Egan Smith got the start for Auburn and pitched 3.1 shutout innings.  Josh Wells relieved him with 3.2 frames of 2-run ball and scooped up the win.

 

 

Batavia 10    Auburn 11 (Game 2)

Another comeback win for the Doubledays as they trailed 6-0 after 1 and 9-6 after three and a half.  Lance Durham and Yan Gomes homered for Auburn who managed 14 hits in the nightcap.  Five players, including Durham, Gomes, and Brisker each had two hits while everyone else in the line-up contributed one of their own.

Matthew Wright started and left after 2/3 of an inning having allowed six runs (four earned) on four hits and two walks.  David Miller picked up where Wright left off allowing three runs of his own over 2.1 innings.  Two relievers helped calm things down from there on in.

 

GCL Blue Jays- Scheduled Day Off

 

Three Stars:

3rd Star- Yan Gomes; 2-for-3, R, 2B, HR, BB, 3 RBI

2nd Star- Justin Jackson; 3-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, SB

1st Star- Markus Brisker; 4-for-6, 2 2B, HR, BB, 3 RBI (doubleheader)

The Bats do the Talking | 17 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Gerry - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 10:18 AM EDT (#202132) #
The Hardball Times has a scouting report on some Dunedin players.  The review mainly looks at Justin Jackson, Eric Thames and Kevin Ahrens with notes on John Tolisano, Moises Sierra and Adam Loewen.
Mike Green - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 11:00 AM EDT (#202133) #
The scouting report is consistent with everything else we know about these Dunedin players.   Thames was probably DHing because he was recovering from injury; all reports are that his defence as a leftfielder is above average (with his arm being his weakest link).
Ducey - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 11:41 AM EDT (#202136) #

From that Hardbal Times piece:

 I saw a a guy with 165 IP in the majors, and he wasn't here on rehab. That doesn't happen so much in the FSL. But he's not a pitcher anymore; he's an outfielder. His name is Adam Loewen, and he can't hit. But he can scream "F*&k!" really loud after most of his at-bats, and he appears to know this.

LouisvilleJayFan - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 11:54 AM EDT (#202139) #

From that Hardball Times piece:

 I saw a a guy with 165 IP in the majors, and he wasn't here on rehab. That doesn't happen so much in the FSL. But he's not a pitcher anymore; he's an outfielder. His name is Adam Loewen, and he can't hit. But he can scream "F*&k!" really loud after most of his at-bats, and he appears to know this.


Maybe Loewen can teach Vernon Wells a thing or two...

Sneeps - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 12:55 PM EDT (#202143) #
Though I appreciate the review from THT, I think it's hard to draw such conclusions on players that you've only see play one game.  Maybe if he stuck around for the entire series, I'd be more inclined to take anything he said with more than a grain of salt.
Parker - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 02:01 PM EDT (#202149) #

Regarding Loewen, maybe the reporter saw a 25-year old hitter not exactly tearing the cover off the ball in high A and forgot that Loewen already made it to the show as a pitcher.  Technically speaking, he's already on his second baseball career, so perhaps a little more slack could be cut in future.

I still hold out hopes for a Canadian slugger on the team, though I'd prefer one named Justin Morneau.

Gerry - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 05:40 PM EDT (#202164) #
New Hampshire played this afternoon and won.  David Cooper had two more hits.  Since coming off the DL Cooper, in nine games, is 15-35, hitting over .400, with only 4 strikeouts.  Cooper is still not showing a lot of power, 3 of those 15 hits were for extra bases, but at least his batting average is getting better and he is still just 22 years old.
Sneeps - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 06:44 PM EDT (#202167) #
Gus Pierre hit his 1st home run as a professional today.  It will be interesting to follow the GCL team this year, especially once some of the high schoolers that we drafted in the early rounds get signed to contracts.

A few of the Int'l players will continue to get plenty of playing time in the meantime.  Most notably, Gus Pierre (18) who signed for a reported $750,00, Gari Pena (18), who banked $300,000, Carlos Perez (19), who recieved a "good bonus", and Nicholas Bidois (just turned 18), a middle infielder from Aussie Land. 

Mike Green - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 06:55 PM EDT (#202169) #
Marcum indeed is starting tonight for Dunedin. 

The Globe had a listing during the middle of last week that the Jays had signed a Latin American catcher whose name I have forgotten.  Perhaps I missed the reporting here, but does anyone know the details?

metafour - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 07:02 PM EDT (#202170) #
"A few of the Int'l players will continue to get plenty of playing time in the meantime.  Most notably, Gus Pierre (18) who signed for a reported $750,00, Gari Pena (18), who banked $300,000, Carlos Perez (19), who recieved a "good bonus", and Nicholas Bidois (just turned 18), a middle infielder from Aussie Land."


Pierre, Pena, and Bidois are all true 17 year olds.  Bidois just turned 17 in June, Pena turned 17 in March, and Pierre (the oldest) wont turn 18 until December.
metafour - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 07:08 PM EDT (#202171) #
"The Globe had a listing during the middle of last week that the Jays had signed a Latin American catcher whose name I have forgotten.  Perhaps I missed the reporting here, but does anyone know the details?"


We signed 16 year old Venezuelan catcher Santiago Nessy for a reported $500-$750k (mid to high six-figures).  It was talked about on here for a bit, he's 6'2 190lbs and apparently has significant power potential, but has a bit of a soft body and may be a 1B down the line.
Sneeps - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 07:15 PM EDT (#202173) #
Right you are, Metafour.  I mis-read their ages.

This bodes even better.  =)  I wonder which, if any of those kids will play full season ball next year.

ramone - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 07:21 PM EDT (#202174) #
Listening to the Dunedin game on line, marcum is pitching.  The announcer said he is throwing in the low 80's.  I know next to nothing about rehabing from TJ surgery, is that a fairly normal occurence to loose that much velocity?  I'm guessing it is as it's his first rehab start, but I'm assuming he's still weeks (months) away barring any set backs.
Gerry - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 07:36 PM EDT (#202176) #
Yes the low velocity is normal.  I remember seeing Kyle Drabek pitch against Auburn last season in his first rehab start after TJ.  I knew Drabek was a top prospect but I thought he looked nothing like it against Auburn.  Now this season he is pitching very well again.  Marcum will need at least a month, and maybe longer, before he can think of the major leagues.
Gerry - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 08:08 PM EDT (#202177) #
Marcum pitched three shutout innings.
LouisvilleJayFan - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 09:42 PM EDT (#202181) #
Interesting article on Yan Gomes transferring from Tennessee. How does a Second Team All SEC player "not fit into your system"? Another thing, I'm assuming Gomes took over the catching duties at Tennessee after Arencibia was drafted. Kind of a quirky little Blue Jays tidbit, I suppose.

http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2008/jun/14/gomes-lima-wont-return/

Gerry - Monday, July 06 2009 @ 10:19 PM EDT (#202185) #
Zach Dials took the loss tonight as Dunedin lost in the bottom of the ninth.  Someone asked recently why Dials was still in High A and not in AA.  I don't know for sure but there could be several reasons.  The minor league team might feel that Dials needs to develop more off speed pitches (or an off-speed pitch) before he can be successful in AA, or Dials might be working on something specific with the High A pitching coach or the coaches might see something in Boyd that he is close to fixing.  It's not always about results in the minor leagues, it's about development.
The Bats do the Talking | 17 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.