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The Batter's Box Institute For Finding Meaningless Patterns Which Inform the Naming of Minor League Updates would like to inform you that all three minor league contests on Monday night ended in scores whose sums were 11. Only the best here at Batter's Box.

Las Vegas 5 at Colorado Springs 6

There was no snow-out Monday night, but the 51s wouldn't mind a do-over. They actually led for most of the game thanks to a good start from recently-demoted Luis Perez (5.2, 3 ER, 8 K), but Perez let a couple runs score in his last inning and then Josh Roenicke allowed three more in the 7th. The Vegans couldn't muster enough of a rally in the late innings, and lost this one by a single run.

David Cooper did all he could to bring home a W, going 3-3 with a double, walk and sacrifice fly. Cooper check: David's line (before tonight) was .384/.430/.616 with 6 BBs and 6 Ks in 18 games. There's really nothing to complain about - let's see if he can keep it up for an extended period of time.

Eric Thames Watch: 2-5 with a double, no Ks. Just a regular day at the yard. Brett Lawrie Watch: 1-3, 2 Ks, no errors.

New Britain 9 at New Hampshire 2

Once again, a Jays affiliate actually got some good pitching out of their starter (Joel Carreno, 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 6 K) only to see the lead blown by the bullpen. This time, big time. Ronald Uviedo and Matt Daly each allowed three runs in their inning of work to put this one out of reach, though new acquisition Yohan Pino allowed just a solo homer in two innings while striking out three.

The first batter the Fisher Cats sent to the plate was the rehabbing Rajai Davis. He was promptly hit with a pitch and removed as a precaution, but he should be okay, according to Kevin Gray.

Moises Sierra hit a two-run homer to put the Cats on the board in the first inning, but that was all they could muster. Moises Sierra Watch: .300/.364/.450. Ricardo Nanita was the only hitter to reach base twice with a single and a walk.

Daytona at Dunedin - Postponed

Great Lakes 6 at Lansing 5

Casey Lawrence got the start and held the Loons at bay for four innings before imploding in the fifth, in which he allowed four runs. Lansing made a late-game push, scoring in the 6th, 7th and twice in the 8th, but it wasn't enough as the Loons had scored twice more against Alex Pepe and Scott Gracey.

The offense was balanced; only Gustavo Pierre had multiple hits (two singles plus a walk). Carlos Perez and Jake Marisnick each singled in five trips, and Michael Crouse hit a two-run homer.

Three Stars!
3. Luis Perez, 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 8 K
2. Joel Carreno, 5 IP, 2 ER, 6 K
1. David Cooper, 3-3, 2B, BB, SF
Going up to Eleven | 13 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
92-93 - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 02:14 AM EDT (#233537) #
Interesting that Lawrie bunted.
Sano - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 05:11 AM EDT (#233540) #
Does anyone else see Lawrie being shifted back to 2b if Hill continues to struggle? I know it's probably not likely to happen but we don't really have any other options in the minors and Lawrie has experience there.
dan gordon - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 10:06 AM EDT (#233553) #

Lawrie is struggling to handle 3B.  Since 2B is a considerably tougher position than 3B, I can't imagine they would be thinking of moving him in that direction on the defensive spectrum.  Moves in that direction seldom work.  I think a move in the other direction is much more likely.  In other words to LF or 1B.  His bat is probably good enough to work anywhere, although, of course, you want him to play the most demanding defensive position he can successfully handle.  Give him a season at 3B and see how much he improves. 

mamboon - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 10:12 AM EDT (#233555) #

I think I have been converted when it comes to Brett Lawrie.

I talked to someone who was at the last three 51s games and I was able the catch the LV games on streaming video myself.  One thing we noticed.  Lawrie seems to be a different fielder than he was earlier.  Maybe somebody is working with him or he has found his feet.  This kid is intense and he'll probably learn third base very well and will be ready for the bigs.  But let's not rush the youngster north. 

I think Lawrie bunted because they gave him the bunt sign to move a runner into scoring position.  After all he has 18 Ks to 4 BB.  But then he's batting .421 with an OBP of .470.  And he still does one for the team and moves a runner into scoring position.  That's why they call him the pride of Langley, BC.

TamRa - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 03:24 PM EDT (#233588) #
Lawrie is struggling to handle 3B.

Not really. Ask John Farrell.
Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 06:58 PM EDT (#233610) #
Was it just six weeks ago that I said Lawrie is going to Las Vegas, where could could do anything (pause whilst I enjoy this rare opprtunity to congratulate myself)? That if he's hitting .360 at the end of May, it's going to be very hard to keep him on the farm? Now, if he doesn't have a major slump, if he hits .315 or so over the next six weeks... he'll indeed be hitting around .360 at the end of May.

The David Cooper/Eric Thames situation also interests me. Two left-handed hitters, essentially the same age (Cooper is three months younger), both ripping up the PCL. But it's almost impossible to make room for both of them. As things stand now, you could use whichever one is still hitting at the end of May to take over a bunch of DH at bats while spelling either Lind at first base (if it's Cooper) or Snider in LF (if it's Thames.) But I don't see a way to use them both.... well, unless you moved Bautista back to third base and Lawrie back to second base and got rid of Aaron Hill. But I think that would be crazy.
cybercavalier - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 07:22 PM EDT (#233615) #
Are all the three players playing particularly well on defense ? If they (or any one or two of them) are to be promoted based on offensive performance alone, would other dimensions of their performance (defense, base stealing and running) benefit from playing in T.O. ? Not to mention the inflation of offensive performance in the PCL.

On the other sides of things, keeping them in the PCL would certainly help the 51s in their chase for postseason, given their offensive outburst and other dimensions of their game would not be significantly improved. Next year, the Jays would be moving out of Vegas, having a postseason appearance or even a championship certainly help the Jays get an International League team to sign a PDC. Then we as bauxites can get better offensive performance in the IL, not in the PCL and players travel less if AA wish to shuffle roster, once in a while.

Getting rid of Hill is a wild idea, for now. (As Magpie put it rightly.)


Maldoff - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 07:30 PM EDT (#233617) #
Travis d'Arnaud was pulled from last night's game and isn't playing tonight either. Anyone have any information on this?

Also, Rajai Davis appears fine and is playing tonight
Mike Green - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 08:00 PM EDT (#233623) #
Magpie, Thames has hit his entire minor league career. Cooper started hitting in the middle of last year. Thames also can run. Cooper cannot.
Kelekin - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 09:09 PM EDT (#233629) #
I'm fairly certain that Thames looking like the Old Spice guy is more than enough of a qualification.

Brett Cecil not looking so sharp tonight...and Gustavo Pierre just commits Errors #12, 13, and 14.

Magpie - Tuesday, April 26 2011 @ 09:46 PM EDT (#233632) #
Those are good reasons to have more confidence in Thames, and why he'd be slightly more useful on the roster. Still, it doesn't really matter when the light went on. As long as it's on.
sam - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 05:19 AM EDT (#233647) #
Ya talk about being allergic to the ball. Gus cannot catch the baseball.
mamboon - Wednesday, April 27 2011 @ 08:41 AM EDT (#233653) #
Tweets from Gray at the Manchester paper say that d'Arnaud suffered "concussion" like symptoms after getting hit in mask Monday night and is on 7 day DL.
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