Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
Kevin Smith homered in the first inning and doubled in the walk off winner in the ninth. It was the only affiliates win on the night. New Hampshire only gave up three hits but lost 5-2. Vancouver and Dunedin lost one, the FCL Jays lost two.

Lehigh Valley 5 Buffalo 6

New Hampshire 2 Hartford 5

Vancouver 4 Hillsboro 7

Dunedin 1 Clearwater 3

FCL Blue Jays 3 FCL Phillies 10 - game 1

FCL Blue Jays 4 FCL Phillies 6 - game 2


This is what I noted from yesterday's games.


Buffalo won in a walk off in the bottom of the ninth. Ina tied game Breyvic Valera led of with a single, on of his three hits on the night. Kevin Smith followed with an RBI double for the win. Earlier, in the first inning, Smith homered.

Jacob Waguespack started and pitched three shutout innings. Nick Allgeyer and Joel Payamps each allowed two runs.


New Hampshire took a 2-0 lead in the second when Reggie Pruitt doubled in both runs. Demi Orimoloye and Chris Bec had two hits each. The red hot Vinny Capra had one hit, a double.

Simeon Woods Richardson cruised through three innings. At that stage he had six K's and had allowed no hits. But the fourth started walk, home run and that seemed to unsettle him. He walked two more that inning. In the fifth a walk and a single put two on. SWR did get two more K's and he was pulled. Brady Rodning came on and immediately gave up a three run home run. Hartford had only three hits but two of them were home runs that produced five runs.


Vancouver's Nick Fraze came off the IL to pitch two shutout innings. Cameron Eden was also supposed to come off the IL and was in the original lineup. But he was pulled before the start of the game.

Ronny Brito hit two home runs and drove in four. It was the 5th and 6th homers for the 22 year old. Unfortunately he also made his eleventh error. Phil Clarke also had three hits to push his average over .200. It has been a very disappointing season for the catcher.


Sem Robberse threw four innings. He ony allowed two earned runs but that was off six hits and tree walks. He only struck out one.

The D Jays had just five hits. The run came on back to back doubles by Dasan Brown and Addison Barger.


Rikelin De Castro had two hits in game one. He is hitting under .200 but getting close to it, at .194 now. JJ D'Orazio, the 19 year old catcher, had two hits and is hitting .346. He hasn't walked yet this season. You can't walk off the island, or in this case, out of Venezuela.

In game two, Dahian Santos who had been pitching well, couldn't get out of the first inning. A pair of 18 year olds, Gabriel Martinez and Angel Del Rosario, had two hits each. Both are hitting well this early in their season.



Three Stars

Third Star - Ronny Brito

Second Star - Kevin Smith

First Star - Breyvic Valera


Boxes

Kevin Smith Starts It and Finishes It | 16 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
hypobole - Friday, July 16 2021 @ 09:18 AM EDT (#402604) #
Smith had been really struggling the pat few weeks. Hopefully, this may be a kick-start to get back on track.
85bluejay - Friday, July 16 2021 @ 09:32 AM EDT (#402605) #
I know that Breyvic Valera is old but I like him more than most and would be comfortable with him in a utility/platoon role if the Jays had to move Biggio and/or Espinal.
bpoz - Friday, July 16 2021 @ 11:42 AM EDT (#402611) #
Robberse has ok numbers IMO but he is taking his time getting really good. I don't know how good his stuff is but he is the same age and levels as Max Castillo coming up.
uglyone - Friday, July 16 2021 @ 12:25 PM EDT (#402618) #

RHP Gunnar Hoglund signed with the #BlueJays for $3,247,500. That's $111,500 under slot for the 19th pick. #MLBDraft

— Carlos Collazo (@CarlosACollazo) July 16, 2021
Glevin - Friday, July 16 2021 @ 12:34 PM EDT (#402619) #
"RHP Gunnar Hoglund signed with the #BlueJays for $3,247,500. That's $111,500 under slot for the 19th pick. #MLBDraft

— Carlos Collazo (@CarlosACollazo) July 16, 2021"

Expected him to go for around slot but saving $100K+ isn't bad.
Spifficus - Friday, July 16 2021 @ 02:10 PM EDT (#402622) #
Not to mention that locking him in early gives you certainty that you have the 5% money-only penalty locked in for that amount. That'll help with any overslot guys, or the Day 3 hard to sign ones.
mendocino - Friday, July 16 2021 @ 03:48 PM EDT (#402630) #
Milb.tv free weekend. registration required

https://www.milb.com/live-stream-games/subscribe
Gerry - Friday, July 16 2021 @ 09:40 PM EDT (#402658) #
From Jim Callis:

4th-rder Chad Dallas signs w/@BlueJays for $497,500 (pick 121 value = $473,700). Tennessee RHP, low-90s fastball, mid-80s cutter, pounds zone, off-the-charts competitiveness.
Glevin - Friday, July 16 2021 @ 11:46 PM EDT (#402662) #
Orelvis with another HR. He's looking really good recently.
John Northey - Friday, July 16 2021 @ 11:56 PM EDT (#402663) #
The Jays have put their draft bonus amounts paid and how much available for each pick onto their web site. Confirming both signings of their first and 4th round picks. Funny - the 20th round pick is ranked #172 which is higher than the 4th round pick was ranked. Guessing he is only signed if the Jays free up a lot of cash somehow - I think I read he wants $1 mil as a bonus. Right now the Jays have enough for around a $200-250k bonus.

Last year the Jays signed all 5 picks, in 2019 19th rounder Gustavo Sosa (343 OPS in NCAA this year, 720 in a summer league) was the first unsigned, along with 25th round Nate LaRue (802 OPS in 2021, 929 in a summer league), 27th Roel Garcia (5.87 ERA in NCAA), and many more including Connor Phillips (ranked in the top 200 - 4.25 ERA this year in A ball, 13K/9 vs 6 BB/9 - drafted 2nd round by Seattle in 2020).
hypobole - Saturday, July 17 2021 @ 12:08 AM EDT (#402664) #
Orelvis July

47 AB, 5 2B, 6 HR.

.383/.482/.872

That .872 looks like an OPS, but that's what he's slugging.

Cynicalguy - Saturday, July 17 2021 @ 12:26 AM EDT (#402665) #
Orelvis is hitting over 900 OPS for the season now. Now if he would cut down on the strikeouts, that would be good.
John Northey - Saturday, July 17 2021 @ 12:28 AM EDT (#402666) #
Orelvis Martinez
2019: 275/352/549 in rookie ball at 17
This year: 282/368/537 at 19 in A-

His pitcher per plate appearance went up from 1.798 in 2019 to 3.749 this year. 14 walks in 2019, 24 this year, but K's from 29 to 70 and PA 142 to 227. Those K's gotta be moved down, but the walks are nice to see, as are the increased pitches per plate appearance and now that he is hitting well this month he might see the value in it. 35 games at SS, 12 at 3B this year so far.
OPS by Month: May: 772, June: 802, July (so far) 1.354. Keep that up and a move to A+ for August would be a smart move. That K rate is a worry though, on a pace of 217 over 600 PA this month. Given that scary K rate I'd be willing to listen to trade offers with him included, but I'd be valuing him a lot higher than I would've a month ago. Of course, I have no idea if something led to this hot month (change in approach/new glasses/who knows?) or if it is just a very hot couple of weeks. If the Jays feel it is just a hot few weeks then see if other teams don't guess that and value him more than he should be. Unlikely, but possible. I wouldn't trade him for a reliever though - he'd have to be part of a package for a top notch 3B IMO.
Jonny German - Saturday, July 17 2021 @ 03:59 AM EDT (#402667) #
Cutting down on strikeouts is a good thing for any hitter, but I don’t see it as a particular concern for Orelvis. His K rate is at 27%, exactly average in a league where he’s 2-1/2 years younger than average and he’s putting up a .250 IsoP.
scottt - Saturday, July 17 2021 @ 09:56 AM EDT (#402671) #
I saw a couple of non-draftees that have signed.
Cynicalguy - Saturday, July 17 2021 @ 11:52 AM EDT (#402676) #
Orelvis is pretty young, he could cut down the K rate as he progresses up the minors. There's also guys like Gallo who despite high K numbers, still provide an elite bat. I wouldn't trade him easily, as he does have a lot of hype among the prospect media and his potential is sky high.
Kevin Smith Starts It and Finishes It | 16 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.