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Two slugfests, one pitching duel. Two losses, one win.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Anthony Alford is a man on a mission right now. He had a double and two singles, using an all-fields approaching and all of his hits were line drives according to the game log. He doubled to center field before pulling a single to left and going the opposite field to right. He's hitting .500 with six multi-hit efforts, a 10-game on-base streak and a four-game stolen base streak, swiping five bases in six attempts overall.

Shane Dawson allowed just three baserunners over six shutout innings on two hits and a walk, striking out five in a no-decision. He retired 13 of 14 hitters at one point and picked off a runner at first. That was a big bounce-back effort from his first start for the Alberta lefty when he was roughed up for eight runs over four innings by Reading last week.


Dunedin Blue Jays

Danny Jansen outdid Alford in the hit department with a four-hit evening, scoring three times and driving in a run to increase his batting average to .459. Lane Thomas is looking to get settled with the bat in 2017 and had a triple, a single, a walk and a stolen base. He has three multi-hit games in his last five contests as he looks to match the promise of his first season in 2014 when he hit a combined .281 with the Gulf Coast League and Bluefield Blue Jays.

Ryan Borucki was rocked for six runs (five earned) over 5-1/3 innings. The lefty has a K/BB ratio of 18-6 but right-handed hitters are batting .321 against him. Tom Robson struck out two in a perfect seventh but he lost his mojo in the eighth as he was unable to retire any of the five hitters he faced. The Richmond, BC native has a 9-1 K/BB total in seven innings but has lost two of three decisions with a 6.41 ERA.

Lansing Lugnuts

Bradley Jones has reached the 20-home run plateau in his young career. After 16 bombs with Bluefield last season, the College of Charleston product belted two three-run homers among his three hits to give the Lugnuts a come-from-behind victory. Jones' teammate last year, Edward Olivares, is trying to get going with the bat. He connected for his second homer of the season to highlight a three-hit game and drew his first walk of the season after striking out eight times. He also swiped his first two bases of the season.

Griffin Glaude allowed an inherited run and gave up one of his own but he soaked up 3-2/3 innings of relief that featured six punchouts. Jackson McClelland had his struggles trying to close in Vancouver last year, going 1-for-5 in that department, but the former Pepperdine Wave slammed the door shut by converting his second save in as many opportunities with the Lugnuts. He issued just one walk while getting the final four outs of the game. He has a 6-2 K/BB total in 4-2/3 scoreless frames so far.


*** 3 Stars!!! ***


3. Anthony Alford, New Hampshire


2. Danny Jansen, Dunedin


1. Bradley Jones, Lansing


Monday's Linescores


Extra Innings
Today's Schedule/Probable Starters

Norfolk @ Buffalo, 6:05 pm ET - Casey Lawrence (0-0, 0.00)
St. Lucie @ Dunedin, 6:30 pm ET - Jordan Romano (0-0, 2.08)
New Hampshire @ Trenton, 7:00 pm ET - Sean Reid-Foley (0-1, 10.80)
Lansing @ Dayton, 7:00 pm ET - Justin Maese (1-1, 4.91)

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Alford A New Man, Jones Keeps Up | 11 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Mike Green - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 08:22 AM EDT (#340821) #
Josh Palacios had two hits and a walk in his full-season debut for the Lugnuts.  The top of their order- Palacios, Woodman, Bichette, Guerrero Jr. and Jones- might give the Blue Jay top of order a run for their money at this point!
PeterG - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 11:54 AM EDT (#340826) #
Anyone know the nature of the current injury to Gurriel. He has not played yet for Dunedin. This would appear to be his 3rd injury since spring or a recurrence of one of the previous two. Expected return date?
uglyone - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 01:09 PM EDT (#340831) #
I'd love to hear more about Jones.

Also Geno Encina.
Gerry - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 02:24 PM EDT (#340835) #
Both Jones and Encina were 18th round picks, Jones in 2016 and Encina in 2015. Jones is an aggressive hitter. He strikes out in about 30% of his at-bats his walk to strikeout ratio is around 1:4. A ratio of at least 1:2 is preferred.

Jones obviously has some hitting skill, the question is "will that skill be maintained against better pitchers?". If Jones can remain at a 30% K rate or less, that could be acceptable. If it creeps up in the FSL or in AA then that would be a problem.

Jones is also in search of a position, he is playing 2B this year but it remains to be seen if he is good enough there.

I know less about Encina. He is pitching well but the Jays usually prioritize their best prospects as starters. Encina could be developing but its a long way for a long reliever from A ball to the major leagues.
PeterG - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 02:59 PM EDT (#340836) #
I think Jones is only playing 2nd because his normal positions are covered and Biggio is in Dunedin when he was originally penciled in for Lansing.

Can you find out anything about Gurriel's injury Gerry?
Gerry - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 03:30 PM EDT (#340837) #
I think Gurriel had a leg injury of some kind. He is playing in extended although I don't know how much running he is doing. I would expect him back in the next week to ten days.
uglyone - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 03:44 PM EDT (#340840) #
dang you're on the ball, Gerry! thanks!

Jones is sort of on the extreme periphery of my radar. And from afar I see too many Ks and not enough BBs to go with his power given his lack of defensive value and not quite young enough for his level age.

Encina i find a little more intriguing. I know he's nominally been mostly in relief so far in his brief career....but he's been closer to "long relief" or even "piggy back starter" than out and out reliever so far I think - averaging 2-3ip per outing this year and last - and he worked his way from long relief to starting in his first year in 2015 too. His numbers are excellent overall.

Not sure exactly what they're doing with him, tbh. He's a big boy that seems to have the starter's build that scouts love, and he's yet to be used as an actual short reliever type.

Does he have a breaking ball? How hard does he throw? Do we know anything about his ptiches?
bpoz - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 06:53 PM EDT (#340853) #
I like a few prospects that are less highly ranked in our system. Danny Jansen, Jordan Romano, Angel Perdomo and Francisco Rios to name a few. Tim Mayza. I will stop with my list of lesser ranked prospects that I like in our system.

I hope they all have a good year. Some are in AA and the others close to AA. They all need to be protected from the rule V draft in Dec. Including PatricK Murphy.

mendocino - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 07:15 PM EDT (#340854) #
Bradley Jones was PG #4 SS out of South Carolina in High school. Also played some SS in 2015 Valley League ranked #3 prospect by both PG and BA. BA "plus speed, 6.7 sec 60 yrd dash, no set pos." PG "solid all-round athlete, strong throwing arm,moves pretty well, hands to play SS, coaches think he will settle at 3rd."
BA 2016 CAA preview #1 prospect "played SS Valley League, scouts may project him at other infield spots."
Gerry - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 07:32 PM EDT (#340855) #
Max Pentecost is catching tonight. Two SB's for St Lucie so far off Romano/Pentecost.
Mike Green - Tuesday, April 18 2017 @ 08:48 PM EDT (#340860) #
Pentecost was taken out after 3 PAs and replaced with Jansen.

In other minor league notes, Lane Thomas has had quite a day, a single and a triple in four PAs but also 3 baserunner kills including two at the plate. Alford continues to hit with a single and a walk (and no Ks) in 3 PAs.  Sean Reid-Foley was pulled after 3 innings and 72 pitches (but no runs).  Justin Maese was hit all over the diamond by Dayton. 

Alford A New Man, Jones Keeps Up | 11 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.