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Minor League Update The Friday Minor League Summary
The minor league crew decided to intensify our focus on the organization's top prospects. As part of that effort, we will have less game reporting on Fridays and statistical summaries for the top prospects. We begin this week with the pitchers.


Thursday Boxscores and Highlights

Syracuse 4 Scranton WB 3 Adams HR, 2 H, 2W, Olmedo GWRBI
New Hampshire 6 Portland 1 Santos 3-4 HR, MacDonald 6.1IP, 1 ER, 4H, 0W, 2K
Lakeland 13 Dunedin 6 Hatch 2 run triple, Calderone on base 3 times, Ray SP 1 inning, 3 ER
Lansing 8 Kane County 3 Snider 5TB, Pettway 2-4 HR, C. Emanuele 3-4 HR, C. Lirette 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2W, 3K



The Summary

We use the Battersbox 2006 Top 30 Prospects as a guide to the top prospects. I have added in Dustin McGowan (who was with the big club in 2006), Mike MacDonald, Brandon Magee and Chase Lirette. The latter three pitchers received some support. Davis Romero had TJ surgery.

Pitcher Age Level BB
IP H HR W K GO/AO ERA Comments
R. Romero 22 AA #4 4.1 7 1 4 1 1.17 8.31
D. Purcey 25 AA #7 13.1 6 0 2 18 1.20 0.68 Wow
C. Cheng 21 HiA #8






Torn labrum, surgery, out for season
J. Litsch 22 AA #9 11.0 10 1 3 7 1.40 2.45
T. Taubenheim 24 AAA #11 10.2 16 2 3 7 1.25 4.22
K. Yates 24 AA #12 5.0 6 2 1 4 1.75 9.00
I. Ramirez 26 AAA #13 8.2 11 1 6 4 0.69 6.23
J. Banks 24 AAA #14 12.1 11 1 2 6 2.44 4.38 note GO/AO
E. Fowler 24 HiA #18







P. Keng 22 HiA #23







T. Thorpe 26 AA #24 3.0 5 0 2 4 0.67 9.0
P. Phillips 23 LoA #26 3.2 5 0 0 3 0.60 4.91
B. Carnline 23
#28







K. Ginley 20 LoA #29 8.2 7 0 3 9 1.43 2.08 Nice start!
S. Benson 20
#30







D. McGowan 25 AAA
15.0 12 0 6 22 0.69 1.80 switched GO/AO with Banks!
M. MacDonald 25 AA
18.1 20 1 1 6 2.77 2.45
B. Magee 23 HiA
6.0 16 1 5 2 2.20 45. Ouch
C. Lirette 21 LoA
11.2 5 0 3 11 1.08 0.77


It is early days, and the news, aside from the doctor's office report, is mostly good.
Posted by Mike Green on Friday, April 20 2007 @ 05:27 AM EDT.
The Friday Minor League Summary | 26 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Maldoff - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 08:55 AM EDT (#166233) #
Anyone know where guys like Keng, Fowler, Carnline and Benson are so far this season? I figure extended spring training, but anyone know why they were left down there?
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Gerry - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 09:09 AM EDT (#166234) #

The pitchers in general have been putting up good numbers.  With the weather warming up we will see if they can keep it up.

Keng, Fowler and Carnline are all nursing various injuries, I don't recall if Benson was injured.

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Mike Green - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 10:05 AM EDT (#166235) #
Almost all the Lugnut pitchers are off to good starts. Zach Dials and Nathan Starner in particular may find their way on to the chart if they continue.  The Luggies are now 9-1, and tied for first with Dayton.  Travis Snider is off to a great start, despite the absence of the long ball. 
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Maldoff - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 11:22 AM EDT (#166240) #
Another early season injury to Romero? That's not good news.  For a guy who was supposed to be relatively advanced, and able to move quickly through the minors, he really hasn't shown anything all that incredible since leaving Dunedin last season.
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Ryan Day - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 11:32 AM EDT (#166242) #
Snider hit his third triple last night. Does he have more speed than we'd been led to believe, or are the outfielders in the Midwest League just really bad? (or a bit of both, perhaps)
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Mike Green - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 11:49 AM EDT (#166243) #
By all accounts, Snider has fairly good speed now.  Adam Dunn did, too, when he was a teenager, and like Dunn, Snider is not a great bet to hold his speed well as he gets a little older.

Oh, to be 19...

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Marc Hulet - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 11:53 AM EDT (#166244) #
Both Carnline and Fowler have shoulder tendinitis...

Others:
Jesus Gonzalez- Right shoulder injury
Joey Metropoulos- Right knee injury
Yesson Berroa- Rotator cuff impingement
Po-Hsuan Keng- Not sure

I'm checking on the possible injuries to Romero and Yates.

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Pistol - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 11:55 AM EDT (#166246) #
Another early season injury to Romero?

Davis Romero is hurt, not Ricky Romero.
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Gerry - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 12:09 PM EDT (#166247) #
Ricky Romero and Kyle Yates have not pitched since April 10th and are not scheduled to pitch today.  It looks like something is up.
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ayjackson - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 01:13 PM EDT (#166249) #
Ricky Romero and Kyle Yates have not pitched since April 10th and are not scheduled to pitch today.  It looks like something is up.     According to today's FisherCats' game notes, Yates and Romero are scheduled to pitch tomorrow and Sunday, respectively.  The rain has played havoc with the rotation.  
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Jordan - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 01:13 PM EDT (#166250) #

I'm very pleasantly surprised to see Josh Banks showing signs of becoming an extreme groundball pitcher. I was always very high on him -- I once ranked him the organization's best pitching prospect -- before he began allowing home runs every other inning, or so it felt like. If he can get the gopher ball under control, he's David Bush waiting to happen.

I read numerous reports that McGowan looked like the Jays' third-best pitcher in spring training; those numbers would support that assessment. What a boost he could give this club if he keeps it up.

Great work as always, guys.

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Marc Hulet - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 01:54 PM EDT (#166252) #
I talked to Litsch's dad (Litsch and Ricky are roommates) and both are fine and will be pitching as mentioned above. No injuries, just the weather.
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braden - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 02:19 PM EDT (#166253) #
I recall reading that Cheng's injury wasn't as bad as initially feared and he'd be back early in the year.  Or am I making that all up?
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Mike Green - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 02:50 PM EDT (#166255) #
For those whose day is not complete without a minor league game report, Matt Michael did an excellent job on yesterday's 14 inning Syracuse game.
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MatO - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 04:47 PM EDT (#166264) #
I recall reading that Cheng's injury wasn't as bad as initially feared and he'd be back early in the year.  Or am I making that all up?   I recall that also.  I think it was mid-season return though.
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Mike Green - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 05:03 PM EDT (#166267) #
I recall word that he might be back in July after surgery in September 06.  Is it pigheadedness or skepticism about recovery times that leads me to believe that he will be effectively out for the season? 
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Mike Green - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 05:46 PM EDT (#166272) #
They're playing a doubleheader in Syracuse.  Josh Banks is starting the opener and has shut out Scranton through 3.  The Chiefs lead 1-0.

The top of the Chiefs lineup has some changes.  Wayne Lydon was called up from New Hampshire and is leading off.  Curtis Thigpen was moved up into the 2 slot and Russ Adams bats third.

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TA - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 07:02 PM EDT (#166278) #
The top of the Chiefs lineup has some changes.  Wayne Lydon was called up from New Hampshire and is leading off.  Curtis Thigpen was moved up into the 2 slot and Russ Adams bats third.

Hmm...If Lyndon was called up then where does that leave Vento? Is he about to become the Jay's 4th outfielder that we have been clamoring for?
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TA - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 07:11 PM EDT (#166280) #
I meant "Lydon" of course. And Vernon Wells is not in the pre-game line-up. The plot thickens.
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Rob - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 07:24 PM EDT (#166281) #
And Vernon Wells is not in the pre-game line-up. The plot thickens.

Nah, not really. Wells has a .153 career OPS (yes, OPS) against Cabrera in 20 AB.
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Gerry - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 07:26 PM EDT (#166283) #

Vento was injured in yesterdays game.

The Chiefs won game one of the doubleheader 8-2.  Josh Banks pitched a complete game, seven innings.  Yesterdays 14 inning game used up the bullpen so the manager would be very happy with Banks' complete game.  Kevin Barker had three hits, Lydon, Thigpen and Olmedo had two each.

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VBF - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 08:50 PM EDT (#166287) #
Nah, not really. Wells has a .153 career OPS (yes, OPS) against Cabrera in 20 AB.


I don't get Gibbons on this one. Vernon is a good hitter. He's not someone you sit because of a split. Bat him lower in the order if necessary, but if you plan on benching him against Cabrera, where else do you bench him? Do you always bench him against Cabrera? He's Vernon freaking Wells! He won't change that  split if you keep benching him.
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TA - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 08:56 PM EDT (#166288) #
Nah, not really. Wells has a .153 career OPS (yes, OPS) against Cabrera in 20 AB.

Vento was injured in yesterdays game.

Ah, oh well. It's amazing how creative the mind gets when you're sitting in Minneapolis longing for the Jays. Thanks for setting me straight, guys.
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ayjackson - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 10:54 PM EDT (#166329) #

Zach Dials and Nathan Starner in particular may find their way on to the chart if they continue.

Dials tonight - 5IP, 2H, 0R, 0W, 4K

What DO we know about him?

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Gerry - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 11:31 PM EDT (#166334) #
Pitchers like Dials might develop some from when they were drafted.  The scouting reports on Dials from last year say he is a groundball pitcher who pitches down in the zone.  Dials throws a fastball, change and slider.  Fastball speed is low 90's.  Remember command is as important as "stuff", if a pitcher can hit his spots he will do well even with average "stuff".
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Lugnut Fan - Friday, April 20 2007 @ 11:37 PM EDT (#166336) #

There are a few interesting things from tonights game.  #1 of interest to Blue Jay fans, Travis Snider hit his first home run tonight.  A smack that rang off the foul pole down the right field line.  It actually bounced back on the field and the coaching staff picked it up.  Presumably to give to Snider.

Zack Dials features a two seam and a four seam fastball as well as a slider and a change up.  His two seamer is around 90 to 92 while his four seamer hit 95 on the gun tonight in Lansing.  His slider was around 86 to 88 and his change up around 78.

The pitching staff in Lansing entered the game Friday leading the MWL in team ERA at 1.91.  I expect that dominance to continue as the next opponent (Beloit Snappers) are currently hitting .188 as a team.

The Lugnuts have now won nine in a row and that is a franchise record.  One interesting note, with the loss, Kane County falls to 1-11 on the season.

[ Reply to This ]
The Friday Minor League Summary | 26 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.