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A rainout was the best news of the day on the farm.


Rochester 4 Buffalo 3

Rochester, NYMiguel Batista was in line for the win after getting one out in the sixth inning. He was charged with three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out four. His groundout/flyout ratio was 5-4. Brad Lincoln could only strand one of the two Batista runners left behind and was charged with the blown save against the Twins affiliate. He gave up three hits and struck out a batter in 1 2/3 scoreless frames. Lefty Juan Perez (0-1) gave up the winning run on two hits in his one inning of work with one strikeout.

The Bisons did all their scoring in the sixth inning to take a 3-1 lead thanks to a Luis Jimenez two-run triple and an Andy LaRoche RBI single to score Jimenez, who doubled to lead off the ninth. Lance Zawadzki pinch-ran for him but only made it as far as third.  LaRoche and Moises Sierra joined Jimenez in the two-hit club. Mike McCoy had the other base hit. Eugenio Velez walked once in his three trips to the dish. Anthony Gose, Jim Negrych and Ryan Langerhans were 0-for-4 each with Gose and Langerhans whiffing twice each. Mike Nickeas was 0-for-3.


New Hampshire @ Trenton

Trenton, NJ
— Postponed due to rain. The game will be made up this evening as part of a doubleheader.


Jupiter 6 Dunedin 1

Jupiter, FL — A few familiar faces played for the Marlins affiliate in this one. Adeiny Hechavarria doubled in four trips to the plate for the Hammerheads and Jake Marisnick was also 1-for-4. Anthony DeSclafani earned the win despite a WHIP of two (nine hits and a walk) over five innings. Derrick Chung gave Dunedin the brief 1-0 lead with an RBI single off DeSclafani in the second inning. That was one of his two hits on the evening for Chung but the Dunedin hit leader was Andy Burns, who had a double among his three hits. Marcus Knecht also collected a pair of singles. Jon Berti singled, walked and stole a base but was also caught once. Matt Newman and Nick Baligod singled once apiece. Peter Mooney, K.C. Hobson and Kevin Patterson came up bagels in their combined 12 plate appearances.

Casey Lawrence (2-1) endured his worst outing of the year by only getting through three innings. He was whacked around for 10 hits and a walk, resulting in six runs. He walked one and struck out one. His outing ended when Newman threw out a runner at second from right field. The bullpen did a great job picking up Lawrence. Ajay Meyer pitched three perfect frames, striking out five. Lefty Tyler Ybarra allowed just two hits over two shutout innings and struck out three.


Cedar Rapids 9 Lansing 1

Cedar Rapids, IA — This was just a one-run game before the Twins affiliate roughed up Taylor Cole (1-2) in the fifth inning. Byron Buxton — the number two pick of the 2012 draft — worked a one-out walk before the Kernels popped off for a natural cycle with two outs, resulting in five runs. Cole was burned for seven runs on six hits, two walks and a hit by pitch over five frames. On the plus side, he did strike out seven batters and recorded five groundball outs. One of Cole's runs was unearned because of a Gustavo Pierre error at third. He had two clanks during the contest and catcher Seth Conner was charged with a throwing error and a passed ball. Lefty Griffin Murphy yielded two runs on two hits and a walk over two innings but struck out a pair. Chuck Ghysels walked one but struck out one in a scoreless inning.

The lone Lansing run came in the fourth inning when Christian Lopes doubled home a Dalton Pompey triple. Conner, Chris Hawkins and Carlos Ramirez had the other base raps with Conner also drawing a walk. Pierre and Jorge Flores were both 0-for-4 while Kellen Sweeney and Dwight Smith Jr. were each 0-for-3.

Boxscores


*** 3 Stars!!! ***


3. Moises Sierra, Buffalo — Hitting .472 on the road and .459 with runners on base.


2. Andy Burns, Dunedin — Mashing lefties at a .579 clip and has an overall OPS of 1.027.


1. Luis Jimenez, Buffalo — Hitting .438 with runners in scoring position and is slugging .662 on the season.

Honourable Mentions - Andy LaRoche, Miguel Batista, Ajay Meyer, Tyler Ybarra, Derrick Chung, Marcus Knecht, Jon Berti.


Tuesday's Probable Starters...

Buffalo Dave Bush (2-1, 1.65) @ Rochester, 11:35 a.m. ET
LansingRoberto Osuna (1-1, 2.95) @ Cedar Rapids, 1:05 p.m. ET
New HampshireRyan Tepera (3-0, 2.42) & Austin Bibens-Dirkx (2-3, 3.16) @ Trenton (DH), 5:35 p.m. ET
DunedinJesse Hernandez (2-3, 2.86) @ Jupiter, 6:35 p.m. ET
Best Way Not To Lose? Don't Play! | 25 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
John Northey - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 05:50 AM EDT (#271256) #
Nice ERA's for todays starters.  The worst is a 3.16.  Now watch all games be slugfests.
92-93 - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 11:18 AM EDT (#271266) #
2012: 10.2 BB% 21.1 K%
2013: 14.4 BB% 18.6 K%

It's great to see Gose doing exactly what he was supposed to, cutting down the strikeouts and walking a bit more. It's probably costing him some extra bases because he isn't swinging freely like he was told to last year, but this approach will translate better to the majors and once he gets comfortable up here he can start tinkering and lengthening his swing to add some pop.

Lylemcr - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 11:32 AM EDT (#271267) #
Day off is the best news for the Major league club too.
hypobole - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 12:36 PM EDT (#271268) #
"because he isn't swinging freely like he was told to last year"

That would be 2 years ago in New Hampshire.
cybercavalier - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 12:40 PM EDT (#271269) #
May I ask why signing former Jays Miguel Batista and Dave Bush are goof for the team in Toronto ? Frankly, there are quite many free agent pitchers with MLB experience who are looking for jobs. Blake Hawksworth is an option off the top of head.
Thomas - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 12:52 PM EDT (#271270) #

The difference between Batista and Bush and Hawksworth appears to be that the latter hasn't spent a full season as a starter in more than half a decade and barely pitched in North American professional baseball in 2012, as far as B-R's stats indicate. It's possible he pitched independent ball or somewhere similar. Batista and Bush can both handle a full season as a starter. I'm not convinced that Hawksworth can and having Batista and Bush allows the team to promote prospects as needed, whereas if Hawksworth tired or wound up on the DL, the team may be forced to promote Jenkins or McGuire or another pitcher prematurely.

Wildrose - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 01:12 PM EDT (#271273) #
Hawksworth is out for 2013 after having surgery last season. He was born in Vancouver, but grew up in the Seattle area ( where he is rehabbing). His grandfather, Jack Poole , was heavily involved in the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
cybercavalier - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 01:20 PM EDT (#271275) #
Let me rephrase my question: what are the benefits or signing former Jays SPs ? Are the SPs, who are economical to be acquired and can handle full season in MLB, that hard to be found ? Do the performance histories convince the Jays that Batista and Bush can handle full season in MLB ? I believe MLB track record can be created when quality pitchers are given chances.

BTW, I am not picking Hawksworth as THE replacement but to illustrate my points.
cybercavalier - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 01:28 PM EDT (#271277) #
Thank Wildrose for the info. Just my tip for online discussion: once personal info is posed online here, it can be googled. So discussion forum could serve as online archive of information.

Anyway, per mlb trade rumors, Dallas Barden is available, away from his 3.35M contract with the 2012 A's.
Mike Green - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 01:41 PM EDT (#271278) #
Josh Thole is 3-3 with his 2nd homer today.  He is hitting .368 with 6 XBHs in 62 PAs and a 5/6 W/K in the early going.  I am quite sure that he would provide a better bat than Henry Blanco, and I believe that on balance, he' d add more value than Arenicibia against a RHP. 

My major concern about him was recovery from a concussion.  I have seen enough.
katman - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 02:38 PM EDT (#271279) #
Luis Jimenez should have been #1 today just for hitting a triple. File that one under the "are you kidding me?" category.
Thomas - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 03:04 PM EDT (#271280) #

CC, I don't think the fact that these players were former Jays really had anything to do with their signing. The club may have had extra information on them because of their time in Toronto, but I doubt it played a role here given that it was more than a few years since either pitcher pitched here. They were signed to provide Buffalo with starters who would ideally make the team more competitive and who could serve as emergency starter depth. The Jays signed or claimed several players for the same purpose who had never played with the club before, such as Ramon Ortiz and Justin Germano.

Is it your impression they were signed because they were former Jays? If so, where does this come from?

Beyonder - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 03:14 PM EDT (#271281) #
"because he isn't swinging freely like he was told to last year"

hyperbole: "That would be 2 years ago in New Hampshire."

Depends what you mean by swinging freely. As I recall the story, 2 years ago in NH Gose was told to swing for the fences even with two strikes, and to refrain from bunting. This resulted in a significant boost to Gose's: (a) power numbers (including 16 home runs), and b) strikeouts (154).

Last year, satisfied that they had tapped into Gose's natural power, the team apparently took the shackles off and permitted him to bunt, shorten his swing on two strike pitches, etc. This was supposed to result in a much improved on base percentage and batting average, but that never materialized. Moreover, his power evaporated.

I find it hard to get too excited about anything Gose is doing this year. Although he is walking slightly more often, his batting average is in line with his career average (excepting last years' PCL-fuelled .287 average), his strikeouts are almost exactly in line with his numbers last year, his slugging is more than 50 points below what it was last year.
John Northey - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 04:46 PM EDT (#271285) #
I suspect they signed here because they used to be Jays and liked it here, more so than the Jays signing them because they were more comfortable with them.  Both Bush and Batista would've had a few teams to choose from, many of whom would've had more ML potential jobs in the starting rotation I'd figure.  To them it might have been most important to feel they could trust the GM (AA seems to have a rep for being honest) or feel comfortable with others in the organization.
Mike Green - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 05:25 PM EDT (#271287) #
One more thing about Thole.  He's on a guaranteed contract for 2 years, with a club option for a third.  If he is ready to turn into Ernie Whitt, the club has all the incentive in the world to take advantage of it. 

greenfrog - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 05:35 PM EDT (#271288) #
Not to put too much of a damper on the Thole buzz, but there are four Buffalo regulars hitting .370 or above (Negrych, Sierra, Thole, Jimenez). In terms of quality, that group may prove to be more AAAA than ML.

However, Thole's career splits suggest that he could be a useful platoon catcher or backup, if his defence is up to scratch.
Four Seamer - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 06:16 PM EDT (#271289) #
I suspect you're right that Thole and Negrych are both closer to AAAA than ML.  That still puts them closer to the major leagues than Blanco and Bonifacio, who inexplicably remain on the big league roster.
Alex Obal - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 07:44 PM EDT (#271290) #
Thole's career stats are deflated by his dreadful post-concussion performance last year: 262 PA (out of his career 1026), .217/.273/.263 with 18 BB and 38 K. That's not Josh Thole. The real Thole has a very good chance to be another Gregg Zaun, possibly a better one.
Mike Green - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 08:55 PM EDT (#271295) #
Sierra is different.  Sierra is hitting .389 despite 1 home run, 4 walks and 14 strikeouts in 72 at-bats.  In other words, he's got a BABIP of about .480, and with anything like normal luck he'd be hitting his typical .290 or something.  Jimenez, like Thole and Negrych, is hitting the snot out of the ball, but he's a 30 year old DH/first baseman.  The IL is not particularly a hitter's league.
cybercavalier - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 10:20 PM EDT (#271302) #
I realized that someone online spent his precious time to replay is very nice, thank you.

Thomas, I was thinking from the GM perspectives: why would he bring Batista and Bush to pitch in Buffalo ? I could understand that they are pitching depth for emergency; however, as in the performances of Thole, Negrych and Jimenez, are Miguel Batista and Bush's pitching closer to AAAA or ML despite their experiences as former Jays and MLB pitchers ? Thole and Negrych could erase their "AAAA label" when given the chances this season in Toronto. Bush had not been regular starter in MLB since 2011, could he NOW also be an AAAA pitcher who could also thrive again in Toronto ?

For the impression of former Jays, Dave Bush was an MLB Jays starter, now an AAA starter and part time MLB reliever. Could his former Jays status create the impression that he could break out again in Toronto ?

cybercavalier - Tuesday, April 30 2013 @ 11:12 PM EDT (#271306) #
If IL is not particularly a hitter's league, do the performances from Thole, Negrych, Jimenez good enough for call-ups to Toronto ? Somehow, I guess Jimenez is a younger Randy Ruiz ? Both performed well enough in AAA which may suggest their promotion to the bigs ?

Even if Thole and Negrych are promoted to replace Blanco and DeRosa, the Herd in Buffalo still has Gomez, Langerhans, Sierra, Eugenio Valez, LaRoche and Gose who performed above the average and median 111 wRC+. Among Buffalo hitters, Thole' 151 wRC+ is the median which is well above the league mean. Even if Negrych and Thole are promoted to Toronto with Blanco and DeRosa contributing negative wRC pluses, the median wRC+ among Buffalo hitters is Gose's 120, which is still above league average, not to mention the IL is not particularly a hitter's league. In a nutshell, can Negrych and Thole be promoted soon ?
92-93 - Wednesday, May 01 2013 @ 12:02 AM EDT (#271308) #
I'm sure Dickey has a large part in Blanco > Thole. The Jays see Arencibia as an everyday C so they let the knuckleballer choose who he throws to.
Alex Obal - Wednesday, May 01 2013 @ 04:01 AM EDT (#271314) #
That makes some sense. I thought Thole did a thoroughly competent job catching Dickey last year, though I'm not R.A. Dickey. On the other hand, it's inevitable that Thole will get the call at some point, and be on the roster in the playoffs (don't talk about...)

The Jays seem committed to taking it slow with Thole, and making sure he gets plenty of regular action before being promoted and repurposed as a platoon catcher. They might have decided that he won't get the call before X date even if he's hitting .400. Which might not be the best strategy, but isn't insane on its face.

I'll be curious to see what people think of Thole's defense when he gets the call. I found him pretty average with the Mets - very energetic and enthusiastic, pretty good at blocking pitches and baserunners, though not noticeably above average at framing pitches, and he doesn't have a rifle arm either. He's not Wieters, but he can play.
Mike Green - Wednesday, May 01 2013 @ 01:57 PM EDT (#271345) #
I'm sure Dickey has a large part in Blanco > Thole. The Jays see Arencibia as an everyday C so they let the knuckleballer choose who he throws to.

That is the philosophy, but it's a mistake.  Arencibia's complete package (defensive liability, exceptionally poor strike zone control, and excellent power) is not worthy of a strict 4 games on/1 game off routine.  What happens when you have afternoon game after night game in non-Dickey starts facing RHPs.  If you put him out there both games, you are ultimately hurting your ball club.  He just isn't good enough. 


cybercavalier - Saturday, May 04 2013 @ 10:36 PM EDT (#271508) #
<quote>
That is the philosophy, but it's a mistake.  Arencibia's complete package (defensive liability, exceptionally poor strike zone control, and excellent power) is not worthy of a strict 4 games on/1 game off routine.  What happens when you have afternoon game after night game in non-Dickey starts facing RHPs.  If you put him out there both games, you are ultimately hurting your ball club.  He just isn't good enough.
</quote>

So was trading TDA to the Mets in JPA's stead a mistake ? John Buck seems to hit well this season as a Mets or Thole and Buck would be a good combo.
Best Way Not To Lose? Don't Play! | 25 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.