Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

It’s all over for the minor league regular season, save 3 more games for Auburn. Syracuse goes out on a winning note, New Hampshire and Lansing not so much.

Buffalo 6 @ Syracuse 11

John-Ford Griffin said goodbye to Syracuse with a 2-for-4 night, featuring a double and his 102nd and 103rd RBIs. It was a strong .254/.335/.475 campaign for the former first rounder, healthy (512 AB) for the first time since coming to the Toronto organization. His Major League audition begins tonight.

JFG wasn’t the star of this thumping of the division champs, however, as Kevin Barker, Chad Mottola, and Danny Solano each went yard and Justin Singleton reached the seats twice. Leadoff man Desi Relaford doubled and walked thrice. Chris Baker pitched a solid 8 frames (9 hits, 3 earned runs of 5 total, 4-0 K-BB) to wrap up the season with an 8-7 record.

Boxscore

New Hampshire 0 @ Norwich 5

It’s rather fitting that a team that struggled as much as the Fisher Cats did this year should be shut out in their final game of the season. Curtis Thigpen doubled, singled, and walked, but the rest of the team managed just 2 walks and a double. Thigpen, the Blue Jays 2nd-round pick in 2004, finishes the season with a line of .287/.397/.413 in 293 single-A at-bats and .284/.340/.426 in 141 double-A at-bats. Plenty to like there from a 22-year-old catcher.

Meanwhile, back at the ball game Bubbie Buzachero turned in a pretty good 4 innings of 2-run ball, striking out 6 and walking one while surrendering 4 hits. Jordan De Jong was charged the other 3 Navigator runs (2 earned), and Jesse Carlson worked one more scoreless frame to close things out.

Boxscore

Dunedin – Getting ready for the playoffs

The Blue Jays host the Lakeland Tigers tonight in the opener of their best-of-3 Division Series. Lefty Kurt Isenberg takes the ball for Dunedin.

West Michigan 2 @ Lansing 1

A pitcher’s duel in Lansing saw Russ Savickas go 6 innings and allow just one run on 4 hits and a walk while punching out 6. The Whitecap pitchers were just as stingy, however, and Aaron Tressler surrendered the go-ahead run despite whiffing 5 in two innings and allowing just one hit. Unfortunately, that one hit was a triple and it was preceded by a hit batsman. Scott Roy presided over an uneventful 9th.

David Corrente was the only Lugnut with a multi-hit night (2 singles), and Christian Snavely had the only extra-base knock (a double).

Boxscore

Mahoning Valley 1 @ Auburn 4

With 3 games remaining and a commanding lead in their division, the DoubleDays are in get ready for the playoffs mode. They had a nice session yesterday, rapping out 11 hits in disposing of the Scrappers. Catcher Brian Bormaster had a 4-hit night (including a double), Joey Metropoulos and Nick Thomas each hit solo dingers, and CF Matt Cooksey reached three times with two singles and a walk out of the leadoff spot. Randy Dicken went 5 shutout, 3-hit innings for the win, ably supported by Ed Rodriguez, Adrian Martin, and Paul Phillips (save number 13).

Boxscore

Three-Star Selection!

The Third Star: Aaron Tressler, Lansing. Punches out 5 of 8.

The Second Star: Justin Singleton, Syracuse. Knocks out 2 of 4.

The First Star: Brian Bormaster, Auburn. Reaches 4 of 4.

Posted by Jonny German on Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 09:00 AM EDT.

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The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

Lugnut Fan - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 09:41 AM EDT (#127464) #

One note. Ryan Klosterman will be joining the D-Jays from Lansing for the FSL playoffs.

Pistol - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 09:48 AM EDT (#127465) #

Yesterday Jordan mentioned that Cannon seemed to improve in AA as time went on, but didn't have the splits to show it.

I'm pretty sure Curtis Thigpen is in the same situation. He started off slow with the bat in NH, but ended up with a decent line, especially for skipping Dunedin.

Mike Green - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 12:05 PM EDT (#127470) #

Thanks, LF. Klosterman also picked up as the season went on. He's got some pop, some speed, reasonable plate discipline and he plays short reasonably well. He doesn't make the flashy plays, but I suspect that he will have a major league career. He's in the Bill Russell/David Eckstein mould.

Lugnut Fan - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 12:16 PM EDT (#127471) #

Thanks Mike,

Klosterman should be a welcome addition. He was one of the better short stops that I have seen at this level and led Lansing in home runs and RBI's. He has really good range, but every once in awhile he throws on wide because I think he rushes his throw. Hopefully he gets a chance to contribute to Dunedin starting tonight.

Unfortunately the season has come to an end in Lansing and I will have to turn my focus to the OHL and watch with baited breathe on whether or not my Saginaw Spirit can finally get an OHL playoff spot......

Jordan - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 12:32 PM EDT (#127473) #

Does that mean you'll posting as Spirit Fan this fall and winter? :-)

Just an update for our readers -- our 2005 minor-league coverage isn't done yet. Keep your eye peeled for a multi-part series later this month setting out the Top 30 (or maybe even Top 40) Blue Jays prospects, compiled by your minor-league reporters.

rtcaino - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 01:16 PM EDT (#127477) #

""Just an update for our readers -- our 2005 minor-league coverage isn't done yet. Keep your eye peeled for a multi-part series later this month setting out the Top 30 (or maybe even Top 40) Blue Jays prospects, compiled by your minor-league reporters.""

My girlfriend would be offended by how excited I am.

Jordan or Jerry: Do you guys know much about Jeff Tobin? Jays 33rd round pick. He's from Pickering and went to school at UBC.

Other than him being a LHP, I don't know much about him. According to Gerry's website, he isn't signed with the organization. I assume he's going back to finish school, as he is my age.(Jeeze, this guys drafted. What am I doing with my life?)

Jordan - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 01:37 PM EDT (#127478) #

Caino, Tobin hasn't yet signed with the Jays, which isn't really that surprising for a 33rd-rounder. He was a junior this past summer, which I would imagine means he'll still be available to the Jays as a draft-and-follow up until next June. But Gerry or Pistol can tell you more about the arcanities of the draft process than I can.

Pistol - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 01:45 PM EDT (#127480) #

Tobin is only available to sign as a draft & follow if he's at a junior college which I don't believe U of BC is.

Once he starts classes he's back in the draft for next year and unable to sign with the Jays. The team would have to re-draft him to be able to sign him.

kpataky - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 02:42 PM EDT (#127484) #

Jays Moves Today

Jordan - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 03:23 PM EDT (#127485) #

When an MLB.com correspondent travels to Toronto's road games, the Blue Jays are 25-19. When a contributor in another city picks up the writing responsibilities, the Jays are 5-19. For what it's worth, the correspondent is scheduled to cover nine of the team's 12 remaining road games.

Dr. Prison Fence, we hardly knew ye. Drop on back and see us sometime.

David Paul - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 05:47 PM EDT (#127496) #

Marcum finished off with several consecutive good starts and his k-rates are up there, so I think he's deserving of his callup. I don't think there's anyway of crystal balling next year's rotation given the current staff's health, Janssen, Jackson, or even Purcey pushing the issue next spring, plus possible free agent signings. Is it Bush over Towers? Some have said they have similar stuff, but I think Bush has a lot more movement to his breaking stuff. Towers' trade value has gone up, though (if he had any to start with).

rtcaino - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 06:04 PM EDT (#127499) #

Bush is definatly above Towers. If for no other reason than age and contract status.

Gerry - Tuesday, September 06 2005 @ 10:30 PM EDT (#127507) #

R. Howard Webster award winners:

Syracuse - John-Ford Griffin
New Hampshire - Josh Banks
Dunedin - Adam Lind
Lansing - Christian Snavely
Auburn - Ryan Patterson
Pulaski - Jacob Butler

All deserving winners. Players who were promoted rapidly (Jackson, Janssen) miss out by not having enough time at each level.

slitheringslider - Wednesday, September 07 2005 @ 01:25 AM EDT (#127523) #

I think Bush has a higher ceiling, but Towers is the better pitcher right now. Towers, much like Lilly, is a streaky pitcher. I wouldn't complain if he stays on as the number 5 starter. But I could see him dealt as a solid but unspectacular inning-eater to a club short on starting pitching. But if Towers is the centerpiece of the trade, I doubt it'll fetch much more than B-prospects or major-league ready young bullpen arms.

Sneeps - Wednesday, September 07 2005 @ 02:57 AM EDT (#127526) #

thoughts on marcum in his debut:

the good, i watched marcum's debut tonight on mlb.com. the bad, it was unfortunately on the orioles feed. marcum was working so quickly that the broadcasters were missing several of his pitches... pretty pathetic work for an "mlb calibre" crew.

anyways, he looked ok i guess. pretty small looking. 90-92 on the fastball, which is slightly above averge in my opinion. a little moven from left to right... he'll probably improve that over time as he's only 23 years old. he looked like a competitor. ready to get the ball and keep the game rolling. mine, and fortunately j.p.'s type of pitcher. works wonders for the defense, and brings a lot of intesity to the game.

his slider looked pretty decent when he managed to keep the ball low. a couple higher ones that looked kinda flat. again i'd have to think it will improve over time.

the only change that i saw (prolly due to the camera work) was left up in the zone. i think that was the pitch that roberts hit for a double. obviously he's not overpowering, so he'll have to limit that kinda of junk or he'll be getting lit up.

didn't see a curve or another fourth pitch.

all in all, i'd say he's maybe a b, b- prospect (ripping off sickles' valuing system). probably going to be a solid reliever unless he learns a killer out pitch.

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