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It was exciting day on the farm as the affiliates went 4-1 and won a couple of close games.


Las Vegas 1 at Salt Lake 2 (8 Innings)
Las Vegas 2 at Salt Lake 0 (7 Innings)

The 51s played a doubleheader and allowed a total of 2 runs over 15 innings, yet still managed to walk away with only one victory, in large part because they could manage only 3 runs of their own (and had an unfortunately timed defense miscue.) Lance Broadway got the start in game one of the double bill and tossed 5.1 scoreless innings, walking two and giving up 5 hits against 2 strikeouts. Josh Roenicke closed out the 6th inning before Rommie Lewis came in for the save, in what was a scheduled 7 inning game on account of the doubleheader. He allowed the first Bee to reach, who was promptly picked off by JP Arencibia (one of two Bee's he caught napping at first in the game.) Lewis then gave up a walk and a fielder's choice groundout before third baseman Christian Colonel threw away out number three, allowing the tieing run to plate. Similar unluckiness would befall Lewis in the 8th, as he would strike out the first two batters before giving up a single, a stolen base and another single, and that was all she wrote. The 51s got their only run on a Chris Lubanski homer in the third, his third of the season. Jarrett Hoffpauir had two singles as did the goat Colonel (that just seemed fun to write) and Jeremy Reed had a walk and a knock.

In game two the 51s could muster only two runs on 6 hits (they had 8 in the opener), but that would be all they needed as Zach Jackson made his first start of the season in his second go round with the Jays. He put up blanks on the scoreboard for five, extending his streak of scoreless innings to 11 to start off the year. He continued a trend of being less than sharp, however, as he walked 3 and struck out only one; in four appearances he has yet to whiff more than he's walked, and his k/bb ratio now sits at 6/9, against 7 hits. David Purcey and Sean Henn each contributed an inning of scoreless relief, and both struck out two batters, with Henn walking 2 and Purcey giving up a hit. Meanwhile the offense came from Brian Dopirak, who gave the 51s a lead they would never relinquish with an RBI single in the first, one of two hits on the day for the first baseman. Brett Wallace added a homer, his PCL leading 6th, for good measure, and also contributed with a walk.

New Hampshire 10 at Binghamton 3

As the score might indicate it was a big night for several Fisher Cats, as the team scored multiple runs in each of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th innings to take a lead and never look back. Adam Calderone was the big hitting star on the day, going 3/5 with a homer and a double with 4 runs driven in. Eric Thames scored 3 runs and stole 2 bases despite going hitless; he managed to walk once and reach twice on errors.
Darin Mastroianni, David Cooper and Jonathan Diaz each had two hits, and Brian Jeroloman continued his fine early play by adding two doubles; his OPS sits over 1.000 to start the year. Bobby Bell got the start for the Cats and allowed two runs over 6 innings, whiffing 7 and walking 1 while giving up 6 hits. Trystan Magnuson and Danny Farquhar closed out the game.

Brevard County 1 at Dunedin 6

Henderson Alvarez kept the beat going down through the system, turning in another fine performance. After getting into a bases loaded and none out jam in the top of the first Alvarez would escape unscathed, and go on to retire 11 straight before giving up a single in the fourth. In the fifth he would allow Brevard County's only run after a two out throwing error by
third baseman Justin McClanahan would eventually allow a run to plate. In total Alvarez went 5 innings and allowed 5 hits and one unearned run, with one walk against 3 k's. The D-Jays meanwhile would draw 8 walks and knock out 9 hits. Shawn Bowman, playing his first game of the year at DH, led the charge, going 4 for 4 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored, while Dan Perales added a homer and a double, driving in 3. Tyler Pastronicky continued to play well, reaching base safely on two walks and two hits while driving in 2, and Raul Baron walked 3 times. Travis d'Arnaud went 0fer.


Lansing 11 at Fort Wayne 8 (10 Innings)

Our last game of the evening was our most exciting, presuming you like late inning dramatics, lots of scoring and the Jays affiliates winning. Lansing fell behind 4-1 and 6-4 early as Ryan Tepera got knocked around, and the Lugnuts went into the top of the 9th down 7-4. That's when Ryan Goins walked, Ryan Schimpf singled and A.J. Jiminez tied the game with one swing of the bat. In the top of the tenth the Lugnuts wasted little time taking the lead, as Goins drew a one out walk, Kenny Wilson bunted safely for a hit and
Schimpf got hit by a pitch before 9th inning hero A. J. Jimenez walked in the go ahead run. After a strikeout  Brad McElroy tripled in three just to give Lansing some much needed breathing room, as Steve Turnbull would give up an unearned run in the bottom half of the frame. Mark Sobolewski and McElroy each had 3 of the Lugnuts 15 hits, while WIlson, Jiminez, Schimpf and Sean Ochinko each had 2. Ryan Goins walked twice and also had a base knock.  On the pitching side of the equation things weren't as pretty, as Tepera gave up 6 runs in 4.2 innings, walking 1 and whiffing 3. Brian Slover picked up the win with 2.2 scoreless innings of relief work.


Third Star: Adam Calderone - 3/5 2B, HR 1 R, 4 RBI

Second Star A.J, Jiminez - 2/5 HR BB 4 RBI, including the game tying and game winning.

First Star: Shawn Bowman - 4/4 2 2B 2 R 1 CS
Pitching, Hitting and Late Inning Dramatics | 22 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
DH - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 09:35 AM EDT (#214040) #
Would that be Shawn Bowman whom the Jays recently picked up from the Mets? Last I saw he had been assigned to extended spring via Las Vegas. While Colonel keeps hitting at AAA, his defense seems atrocious (9 errors so far) thus Bowman would seem to have a shot at his job.
Mike Green - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 11:02 AM EDT (#214041) #
Jeroloman seems to be on the Ernie Whitt schedule.  If he keeps hitting, it would make sense to give him some kind of a shot in a platoon role later in the year.  With D'Arnaud in Dunedin, Jimenez in Lansing and Perez in Auburn, there is plenty of reason for optimism that the big league club will be stronger in 2013 behind the plate than it is in 2010. 
China fan - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 12:36 PM EDT (#214043) #
Moises Sierra is on the DL with a stress fracture in his lower left leg, according to John Lott's Twitter feed.
92-93 - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 12:40 PM EDT (#214044) #

What are the latest reports on Jeroloman's defense? I remember reading that it had perhaps slipped from the sterling reputation he had - can anyone comment?

Sister - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 01:19 PM EDT (#214046) #
What has happened to David Cooper? I know it is a small sample thus far, but he is really bottoming our right now and is repeating AA again.

OPS and ISO by level:

A-  (2008)   963   212
A   (2008)    936  167
A+ (2008)    807  130
AA (2009)   729   131
AA (2010)   638   043

This is quite a profound drop and I don't know what to make of it.

China fan - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 01:36 PM EDT (#214047) #

Shortstop-of-the-future Adeiny Hechavarria will suit up at DH for Dunedin in their game against Clearwater on Saturday.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/mlb/bluejays/article/799783--jays-to-see-hot-cuban-shortstop-prospect-in-action-saturday

johnny was - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 01:41 PM EDT (#214048) #
Really looking forward to Cooper, chosen one spot before recently-called up Mets 1B Ike Davis, replacing Ricky Romero as the new JP draft record whipping boy.
Gerry - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 01:47 PM EDT (#214049) #

Jeroloman:  I don't recall seeing comments that Jeroloman's defense had slipped.

Cooper:  The drop is typical of hitting better competition as the player moves up a level.  Major league worthy players avoid that trend.  Cooper has yet to show he is major league caliber.  I would discount the 2010 numbers, the season is 2 weeks old, you have to give him more time than that.

Mike Green - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 02:36 PM EDT (#214052) #
For the record, I definitely preferred Cooper over Davis.  That one looks like it goes down in the "E" column, at least for now.
MatO - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 04:07 PM EDT (#214056) #

For the record, I definitely preferred Cooper over Davis.  That one looks like it goes down in the "E" column, at least for now.

Me too, but I think most of us at the time were disappointed that Lawrie got picked by the Brewers right before Cooper.  Lawrie seemed to be the last prospect that most were high on.

Maldoff - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 04:44 PM EDT (#214058) #
I'm sort fo worried about Stewart. I don't like the fact that not only was he sent down to AA, he has now been pulled from the rotation to work on a mechanical issue. This does not sound promising.....
Ozzieball - Friday, April 23 2010 @ 05:00 PM EDT (#214059) #
Me too, but I think most of us at the time were disappointed that Lawrie got picked by the Brewers right before Cooper.  Lawrie seemed to be the last prospect that most were high on.

Yeah, I remember quite clearly that the consensus was that the Jays had the 17th pick in a 16-pick draft. I seem to remember that at the time Cooper was considered a bit of a reach by the pre-draft rankings, but the observerati liked it.
TamRa - Saturday, April 24 2010 @ 12:26 AM EDT (#214072) #
Is it just me or is Gonzalez playing like a man possessed this year? He's been great so far. Or, at least that's what the linked article says. it's curious though because the D-Jays are also playing Clearwater. Is it a common thing for the teams who are playing a FSL game to also stage an EST game while the teams are together?

Reacting to rest of the thread in reverse order:

On drafting Cooper - looking over those that followed, I see a couple guys I'd like to have had instead, but I don't see anyone i was drooling over at the time of the draft.

On worrying about Stewart - I'm not. REMOTELY.

On Bowman - what was written when he was picked up was that he'd just tune up in Dunedin. Looks like he's tuned and I wonder if his promotion to Vegas won't coincide with Adeniy's actication (and will we see Pastornicky parked at 3B until the Golden Boy moves up?

****

In tonight's action, Wallace hit his SEVENTH homer. Yeah I know it's PCL but still. Jimenez had another excellent game too.

Arencibia, Jeroloman, D'arnoud, Perez, Jimenez, and don't forget Yan Gomes who's started off well....that's a strong position.

TamRa - Saturday, April 24 2010 @ 12:54 AM EDT (#214073) #
Here's the quote on Adeniy:

Exactly when is tough to tell. Hechavarria plays his first pro game Saturday as a designated hitter in an extended spring training game against the Phillies. He’ll soon join the Class-A Dunedin Blue Jays before the club decides where he’ll spend the bulk of the season.

Upon reflection, i think that it's just as possible that the writer was imprecise in calling this an "extended spring training" game as it is that he was erroniously implying that Adeny would suit up "for Dunedin"

I guess we'll find out tomorrow.


sam - Saturday, April 24 2010 @ 01:24 AM EDT (#214074) #
He certainly looks like an athlete. Hopefully he can piece together a nice stat line this year. In other news, it looks like Jake Eliopoulos has left his college baseball team.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=2103
Tough break for him, I hope he ends up getting drafted again and recoups some of the money he turned down.

Interesting though that both Eliopoulos and Paxton have had problems albeit different types of problems, since not signing. Jake Barrett on the other hand has pitched well in relief at Arizona State. What are the chances that Paxton or Eliopoulos are re-drafted by the Jays this year? Eliopoulos would certainly sign for much less, as I'd imagine Paxton would, although his season has yet to start. It would be nice to have both these prospects in the system. I wouldn't mind if Paxton was drafted with one of our supplemental first-rounders, or Eliopoulos with a late round pick. Any thoughts?
TamRa - Saturday, April 24 2010 @ 02:26 AM EDT (#214076) #
I'd love to see Paxton fall to the same pick we used on him last year. I'm not enough of an expert to guess whether that's possible but it seems not unreasonable to me.

As for Eliopoulos...maybe in the sixth, seventh round at best? His stock HAS to have fallen. But I wouldn't be busted up about giving him another goal once you are in the highly risky part of the draft anyway.


sam - Saturday, April 24 2010 @ 03:31 AM EDT (#214077) #
Ya I think there has to be a team and scout out there that sees something in Eliopoulos to have him taken between rounds 5-10. I think there's no doubt that if he gets drafted again he'll sign. I wonder with all the new scouts the jays have if the opinion on him has changed. But anywho, I'm for one, really excited for this upcoming draft and international signing period. It certainly sounds like we'll have some more exciting prospects to follow.
JayLibber34 - Saturday, April 24 2010 @ 11:33 AM EDT (#214081) #
Just curious....how do you know Stewart was pulled from the rotation to work on a "mechanical issue"?
Gerry - Saturday, April 24 2010 @ 12:01 PM EDT (#214088) #

First "pulled from the rotation" is too strong a statement.  He skipped a start, or was held out, as I said.  Stewart is scheduled to start again on Monday I believe.

The manager was quoted in the media as saying that Stewart had a "not good" start and they skipped his turn because of that.  Many pitchers get rocked and take their normal turn next time around, in general turns are skipped to work on improvements that will help in the next start.

TamRa - Saturday, April 24 2010 @ 12:11 PM EDT (#214089) #
Also, Marty "Gramps" McLeary has moved up to Vegas to take Cecil's turn, so there's definately a turn for Stewart in the near future just in terms of how the staff is put together.



TamRa - Saturday, April 24 2010 @ 12:18 PM EDT (#214090) #
Stewart is scheduled to start again on Monday I believe.

Interestingly, that's not convenient to their rotation.

O(n a normal 5th day turn, Drabek would pitch today, Monday is an off day, Bell would fall on Tuesday and Perez on Wed.

the obvious opening for Stewart would be Sunday unless the push some guys back.

Gerry - Saturday, April 24 2010 @ 12:25 PM EDT (#214091) #
I believe it's Drabek today, Boone tomorrow, Stewart then on Tuesday, followed by Bell and Perez.
Pitching, Hitting and Late Inning Dramatics | 22 comments | Create New Account
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