Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

Randy Ruiz hit a three run walk-off home run to lead Vegas to victory.  Auburn won a doubleheader 6-5, that was the score in both games.  Henderson Alvarez retired the first 13 hitters he faced as Lansing won.  Carlos Perez led the GCL Jays to a win.  Dunedin scored eight on their way to a win, only New Hampshire spoiled the organizational sweep.



 Colorado Springs 8  Las Vegas 10

Las Vegas trailed 8-5 heading to the bottom of the ninth.  Ij the ninth Aaron Mathews led off with a walk.  Howie Clark, Angel Sanchez and Buck Coats each singled to score two runs and make it a 8-7 game.  Joe Inglett tried to bunt but forced the lead runner at third.  Randy Ruiz then his a three run walk-off home run, his 22nd.  Earlier in the game Travis Snider and Kevin Howard homered.  Brian Burres started and was somewhat roughed up, he gave up seven runs in 6.2 innings.

Trenton 9  New Hampshire 4

The Fisher Cats scored four in the bottom of the ninth to make the score look a little better.  Luis Perez gave up three runs in six innings, Casey Janssen gave up four runs without getting an out, Clay Hensley tacked on two more.  New Hampshire had only three hits through eight innings before Scott Campbell and Nick Gorneault hit two run home runs off Humberto Sanchez in the ninth.

Sarasota 1  Dunedin 8

Dunedin were down 1-0 after a half inning but they bounced back to score two runs in the bottom of the first.  Each of the first four hitters recorded a ground ball single, Brad McElroy, Raul Barron, Moises Sierra and Manny Rodriguez.  But then the Sarasota pitcher recovered to strike out three of the next four hitters.  The score stayed the same until the seventh when Dunedin scored another run.  McElroy walked, Barron doubled and Rodriguez hit a sac fly.  Dunedin scored five more in the eighth.  Moises Sierra was 3-3 with 4 rbi's.  Raul Barron also had three hits and Brad McElroy had two.

Vincent Bongiovanni pitched six innings giving up four hits.  Tim Collins pitched three hitless innings with one walk and four K's.  Barron and Sierra had three hits each.

London, Ontario's Brad McElroy is now hitting .333, he has walked 11 times in 15 games, and has an OPS of .899.  McElroy was a 25th round pick last season.  McElroy hit .241 last season in the GCL and .166 this season in just six games.  It could be a hot streak or it could be a new level of performance.


Lansing 6  Peoria 2

Henderson Alvarez was perfect through four innings and left after five shutout innings with two hits allowed.  Jonas Cuotto relieved Alvarez and took two hitters to give up a two run home run.  Lansing scored two runs in the first, Tyler Pastornicky tripled and Johermyn Chavez hit a two run home run.  Mike McDade hit a solo home run in the fourth.  In the sixth Pastornicky reached on an error and stole second.  Brian Van Kirk singled him home, Chavez walked and Justin McClanahan doubled home both runs. McClanahan was the only Lugnut with two hits.  Alvarez's ERA is now down to 3.49.

Auburn 6  Tri-City 5 - game one

Wellinton Ramirez hit a two run home run in the first inning.  With the score 2-1 Auburn scored four runs in the fifth.  Auburn loaded the bases on a walk to Marcus Brisker, a Kyle Gilligan HBP and a single by Ryan GoinsSean Ochinko doubled in two runs, Yan Gomes singled in another and Brad Glenn singled in the fourth.  Scott Gracey, Auburn's starter gave up a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth to make it a one run game but the bullpen held the lead.  Goins, Ramirez, Ochinko and Eric Eiland had two hits each.


Auburn 6  Tri-City 5 - game two

Evan Crawford had a rough start, he was gone after 1.1 innings and five runs allowed.  But the bullpen held Tri-City off the board the rest of the way.  David Slovak pitched 1.2 inning; Jamie Lehman 1 inning and Brian Justice 3 innings with five K's.

Auburn scored all their runs in the fifth inning by stringing six hits, a walk and an error together.  Yan Gomes, Wellinton Ramirez, Ryan Goins and Kevin Nolan had two hits each.


GCL Tigers 1  GCL Blue Jays 3

The Jays scored their first run in the second, Carlos Perez doubled and John "JD" Roberts tripled him home.  Even though Roberts was on third with no outs the Jays were unable to score him.  The Jays were better at small ball in the fourth when they scored two more.  Nick Zaleski doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sac fly by Perez.  Michael Crouse then walked, stole second and third and scored as the catcher threw the ball away at third.  Those three run sheld up until the eighth when the Tigers scored an unearned run.  Carlos Perez led the hitters with two hits and is hitting .316 with a .917 OPS.


Three Stars

3rd star - Moises Sierra
2nd star - Henderson Alvarez
1st star -
Randy Ruiz


Standings

Las Vegas - 46-52, last place, 14.5 GB
New Hampshire - 45-52, 5th place, 10 GB
Dunedin - 14-11, third place, 2.5 GB
Lansing - 9-15, last place, 11.5 GB
Auburn 12-21, fifth place, 8 GB
GCL Jays 10-14, fifth place, 6 GB

Randy, Randy, Randy | 19 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Mike Green - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 10:30 AM EDT (#203062) #
Moises Sierra continues his rise.  He's 20, and has shown every significant skill except hitting for power.  He's a big guy and the power might very well come in the next year.  His offensive line is quite similar to Alex Rios' age 21 season in Dunedin, but a little better in every respect. 
Forkball - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 12:36 PM EDT (#203073) #
Depending on how several pitcher's eligibility plays out (and a Halladay trade), Sierra could end up as the Jays best prospect at the end of the year.
davidcanavan - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 01:59 PM EDT (#203079) #

What would the jays top ten prospects list look like right now? (only players who haven't played in the majors to keep it simple) I'd say:

1.Sierra 2.Jenkins 3.Paxton 4. JPA 5. Cooper 6. Alvarez 7. Farquhar 8. Dopriak 9. Collins 10. Pastornicky

Without the guys we just drafted everyone shifts up two spots and Tolisano and maybe Thames move up. I may have over ranked Sierra but his stats are impressive, he's huge so power may come and his arm is apparently a game changer.

Mike Green - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 02:07 PM EDT (#203080) #
One feels confident that Jenkins will sign, but isn't Paxton a different story? Sierra may indeed be the top prospect in the organization right now, which comes as quite a surprise.
davidcanavan - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 02:24 PM EDT (#203081) #
I really hope Paxton does sign. They need a guy with true ace potential in the system, and also to show they are willing to spend in the draft for top end talent.
Maldoff - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 02:40 PM EDT (#203084) #
Don't discount Carlos Perez on the top prospects list. Yes, he's only in Rookie ball, but is 18 years old, a catcher, and hitting .318 with a .930 OPS in his first North American season.
TimberLee - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 03:45 PM EDT (#203091) #
He's obviously too old to be a "prospect", but isn't it time to bring Randy Ruiz up for a shot as DH? Last year and again this he's shown that he has mastered AAA pitching. I find it hard to believe that he couldn't hold a Major League job with someone.
Sneeps - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 04:27 PM EDT (#203094) #
so lets say the Jays trade Doc to the Phillies for the rumoured package of:

Kyle Drabek
Michael Taylor
Carlos Carrasco
Jason Donald


lets also take for granted that all of this years draftees sign their minor league contracts. what would our top 30 prospects look like after that? in my opinion, we'd be top 3 in the league, and it would look something like this (ruling out any players currently in the bigs):

1. Travis Snider
2. Kyle Drabek
3. Michael Taylor
4. JP Arencibia
5. Carlos Carrasco
6. Chad Jenkins
7. James Paxton
8. David Cooper
9. Moises Sierra
10. Brian Dopirak
11. John Tolisano
12. Tim Collins
13. Jason Donald
14. Danny Faruquar
15. Justin Jackson
16. Kevin Ahrens
17. Jake Marisnick
18. Jake Barrett
19. Marcus Thames
20. Tyler Pastornicky
21. Darin Mastrioanni
22. Balbino Fuenmayor
23. Kenny Wilson
24. Mike McDade
25. Brad Emaus
26. Eric Eiland
27. Marcus Brisker
28. Gustavo Pierre
29. Carlos Perez
30. Michael Crouse

this could even be the best minor league system in baseball.
Mick Doherty - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 04:36 PM EDT (#203095) #

Sneeps, I admire your work on that, but that's a seriously homer-ific view. Presuming that trade -- which I think the Phils would never do, by the way -- maybe gets the Jays system to the outer fringes of the Top 10 in MLB. The Texas system, for example -- and yes, I work where I can see the Ballpark from my office window, but repeat as I have before, I am not a Rangers fan, particularly -- is baseball's best right now, and given that list you provide, would still be an order of magnitude better than the Jays.

Hardcore fans for EVERY team  can make a similar list and a bunch wouldn't hinge on a trade that probably won't happen to produce three of its top five and four of its top 13 prospects!

Forkball - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 04:45 PM EDT (#203096) #
Buerhle perfect game:  http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=290723104


Mike D - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 05:34 PM EDT (#203097) #

which I think the Phils would never do, by the way

It's possible the Phillies would "never do" that trade, because it's possible that they are highly attached to Drabek.  But in no way is that an unfair or unreasonable package.  The Jays may well obtain a better package than that.

Mark - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 07:11 PM EDT (#203102) #
Coming into the season BP had the Jays with the 10th best minor league system (and Phillie at 14) in MLB.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8633

In that proposed trade we would be getting the Phillies # 1,2,3 and 6th ranked prospects. Plus adding 5 picks in the top 104 from this years draft (with no overdrafts amongst them) plus considering our top three prospects Snider, Arencibia (both 5 star) and Cooper (4 star) have not graduated, I think it is very reasonable to say that Phillie trade would give the Jays one of the top 5 minor league systems in baseball.


damos - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 08:08 PM EDT (#203104) #
Keith Law has uhh...twittered that the Jays signed draft pick Ryan Schmipf today. 
http://twitter.com/keithlaw

I really liked this pick! 
He's a real small guy but saw him play for LSU awhile back & he was impressive. 
Mike Green - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 09:01 PM EDT (#203107) #
Arencibia a "5 star prospect"?  Really?

The Phillie list of prospects doesn't excite me. Drabek is a good pitching prospect, but not a great one.  Taylor is a nice left-field prospect, but nothing special. Donald and Carrasco are even less.  The problem with Taylor is that the Jays are backed up at the corner OF/1B/DH end of the defensive spectrum and light at the C/MI/3B/CF end.

Sneeps - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 10:15 PM EDT (#203108) #
I disagree on Taylor being nothing special.

He's huge (6'6", 250), fast, has power, good plate discipline, he's fast, and has a rocket arm.  What else does one look for in a player?  Intelligence?  He played for Stanford!

Sneeps - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 10:17 PM EDT (#203109) #
Sorry, I wrote fast twice (re: Taylor)

I meant to say that he has good hitting for average skills as well.

damos - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 10:25 PM EDT (#203110) #
A Sickels article on Taylor:
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/7/23/960031/prospect-profile-michael-taylor

NY Times article on Drabek / Halladay:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/24/sports/baseball/24drabek.html?_r=2&hpw

greenfrog - Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 10:54 PM EDT (#203111) #
"The Phillie list of prospects doesn't excite me."

Mike: don't forget about Jason Knapp (assuming he's healthy--he was recently put on the DL w/ shoulder fatigue). He'll be 19 in August and has impressive numbers in the SAL, including a BB:K ratio of 39:111 in 85.1 innings (with 63 hits allowed).

Drabek, Knapp, and one of Brown/Taylor would be a great start to a Halladay deal IMO. Depending on what other offers teams come up with, I think JP would probably go for a package focused on that trio.

But I agree that there are better prospects out there (Holland, Feliz, Smoak, Buchholz, Kershaw, Hughes, to name a few).
mamboon - Friday, July 24 2009 @ 11:05 AM EDT (#203120) #

Sneeps...thanks,  you put a lot of work in on the top 30 prospect list, but Justin Jackson needs to work on some things before I would place him in the middle of the top 30. 

Physically, he's an exciting player, but his record in Adv A this year is not so hot. 

18 errors in the field.  A higher SO average (.346) than his OBP (.324)  in 246 AB.  He should be hitting higher than his current .215 against Adv A pitching.  I think he has potential, but he needs to kick it up a notch soon.

Randy, Randy, Randy | 19 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.