Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Pitching Dominated Sunday

The affiliates were 1-3 on Sunday, despite strong pitching across the board. Liam Hendriks, Scott Copeland, Jeremy Gabryszwski, and Miguel Castro started for the affiliates and were all brilliant.

Buffalo 1 – Toledo 3 (11 Innings)

Liam Hendriks was fantastic today giving up 1 earned run on 6 hits over 8 innings, while walking one with 9 strikeouts. Bobby Korecky followed with 2 scoreless innings, before Ryan Tepera gave up the game winning runs on a 2run HR.

The bats weren’t able to put much together, as AJ Jimenez scored the only Bisons run in the 2nd inning. Ryan Goins, Andy LaRoche, and Kevin Pillar each had 2 hits as well.

New Hampshire 0 – Richmond 2

Scott Copeland was brilliant giving up 2 unearned runs over 7 innings with 4 hits, one walk, and 4 strikeouts. Gregory Infante followed a scoreless 8th inning.

The Fisher Cats bats only managed to have 5 hits all game, led by Yusuf Carter who had 2 hits, in his first AA game in nearly a month.

Dunedin (Weekend Off, FSL All-Star Game)

Lansing 1 – Great Lakes 2

Jeremey Gabryszwski was fantastic only giving up one earned run over 5 innings. Scott Silverstein gave up the game winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning.

The Lugnuts only had 3 hits, 2 came from Chaz Frank, and the other from Jorge Saez.

Vancouver 6 – Salem Keizer 1

Miguel Castro was fantastic in his debut for Vancouver with a line of 4IP 4H 1R 1ER 1BB 5SO.

The Canadians has 11 hits, including 3 from Jonathan davis, 2 from Franklin Barreto, and 2 from David Harris.

Three Stars

1. Liam Hendriks

2. Scott Copeland

3. Miguel Castro

Posted by tercet on Monday, June 16 2014 @ 09:59 AM EDT.

Pitching Dominated Sunday | 24 comments | Create New Account

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

Mike Green - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 10:13 AM EDT (#288497) #

Since returning to Buffalo, Hendriks has made 3 starts good for 21.2 innings with 1 walk, 1 HR and 18 strikeouts. He's 6-0 with a 1.92 ERA and full value for it. If Dickey has to go on the DL, he'll probably get another shot.

finch - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 10:26 AM EDT (#288498) #

I must say, you've got to love the depth of pitching in the minors right now. Norris, Castro, Osuna, Sanchez are 4 high end arms with Top 2 rotation potential first division starters. Plus you've got long term projects in Hollon, Tirado, Joubert, and Smoral (If he can figure out the strike zone). Plus you could classify Hoffman in the first group of 4. The future looks bright on the pitching side. If only the hitters could have the same outlook :(

Mike Green - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 11:05 AM EDT (#288502) #

The club has invested much more in young pitching than in young hitting, so this balance of talent is to be expected. For myself, I am most entranced by the development of Pompey this season. The Lugo, Barreto, Urena trio are the ones to watch this summer. Barreto looks like he might hit well enough to be an outfielder.

finch - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 11:14 AM EDT (#288503) #

I would like to see Barreto stick at SS but I'm not sure how good his glove is. How long does Reyes have? One must figure that he should be ready in 3 years for the majors? Or if Reyes is still around, he could potentially fit in at 2B. Love his bat. I'm heading to the game on Thursday and I can't wait to see him play!

uglyone - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 11:18 AM EDT (#288504) #

Urena seems to be the one with legit plus defense potential at SS. Lugo apparently looks more like a 3B, with arm but not great hands, while they say Barreto is a 2B or maybe CF but probably not an SS.

Hodgie - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 01:06 PM EDT (#288508) #

I don't know if he counts as a sleeper coming out of extended but I can't wait to see how Ryan Borucki performs in Bluefield. He is someone that could move quickly this year and it wouldn't shock me in the least to see him end the year in Lansing. It will be interesting to see where his velocity sits post-TJ. 6'4" projectable LHPs with low-90s fastballs in high school are the kinds of prospects to dream on.

92-93 - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 02:37 PM EDT (#288509) #

"How long does Reyes have?"

It depends if you're asking about his contract or his due date at SS, which has long since passed.

Mike Green - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 02:44 PM EDT (#288510) #

Watching Lawrie use his arm effectively at second base, I wondered about Reyes moving that way with Lawrie remaining at third base. I suspect that it might be a matter of pride for Reyes to play shortstop.

rfan8 - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 04:02 PM EDT (#288513) #

Didn't Reyes break in at second? I agree that his pride may prevent him from wanting to move back. I'm not sure if I would want him to move back anyway. He bails pretty hard on double plays already.

Richard S.S. - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 04:32 PM EDT (#288514) #

Does anyone know when each Minor League team updates their roster on their site? Vancouver is playing and there's no indication of any of the new Draft Pick/Prospects being assigned. The Bluefield site announces Roster on main page, but Roster on site isn't current.

Mike Green - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 04:32 PM EDT (#288515) #

He was always a shortstop until his second season when the Mets signed Kaz Matsui. Reyes had 43 games at second base that year, and then moved back to short.

Reyes would probably be very cautious around the bag, but with his arm, he would probably be all right. I guess I think of Julio Franco's move when he was 29. The diminished defensive responsibility seemed to have reinvigorated Julio's bat.

92-93 - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 04:38 PM EDT (#288516) #

"I suspect that it might be a matter of pride for Reyes to play shortstop."

You'd think a superstar like Reyes would be embarrassed by constantly having grounders go under his glove or just out of his reach, balls he knows he would have easily gone to a couple of years ago, but it just never seems to happen that way. Reyes probably still believes he's an excellent defensive SS. He's hitting .315/.374/.443 since May 8th, though, so we can stomach the defense if he keeps that sort of offense up.

Mike Green - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 04:54 PM EDT (#288518) #

Derek Jeter did not set the best example in this regard.

John Northey - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 05:12 PM EDT (#288519) #

By UZR/150 Reyes is a -4.7 per 150 games, not good but not horrid. Goins & Diaz were both amazing (25 & 33.5 respectively - over 20 is near impossible over a full season, only Andrelton Simmons is over 17 for 200+ innings at SS this year, just 3 over 20 over 100+ innings).

Of note: the 'great' Escobar who the Jays let go, who had an amazing defensive year last year for Tampa? He is last among those with 200+ innings with a -23.0 UZR/150 this year.

uglyone - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 06:10 PM EDT (#288522) #

Ya his defense has actually ranked decently by all measures so far this year.

And you brought up great ex-jay escobar.... Another great ex-jay in Yan Gomes is barely holding on to a .300obp and .700ops.

Gerry - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 07:12 PM EDT (#288523) #

LB Dantzler has been promoted to Dunedin.

Mike Green - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 08:15 PM EDT (#288526) #

Whoa, uglyone. UZR treats Reyes as -2/150 this year and -5/150 over 3 years of innings. DRS has him at -18/150 this year and -13/150 over 3 years of innings. Subjectively, I split the difference between the two systems and put him at -10. That's bad.

Incidentally, it does bug me that he does run out routine ground balls (DP situations excepted). He's going to lose a hit or two (or actually an ROE) over the season when a fielder fumbles a routine grounder but is able to make a recovery while he jogs down to first.

Mike Green - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 08:23 PM EDT (#288527) #

And as for Yan Gomes, his BABIP has indeed fallen to earth but nonetheless he has 1.4 fWAR and 1.6bWAR since the start of the season (and 5-6 WAR in one season's worth of PAs since he arrived in Cleveland) That's roughly 5 WAR more than Blue Jays catchers have produced during the same time frame.

Now, can we please stop the triumphal boasting that accompanies a winning team? I am glad that some of Anthopoulos' acquisitions have worked out better so far this year than last, but there's no need to run down Yan Gomes, a perfectly fine player who wasn't given a shot here.

uglyone - Monday, June 16 2014 @ 10:01 PM EDT (#288532) #

With the positional adjustments fangraphs has Reyes at +0.7dwar, and B/R has him at -0.2dwar. Of the 30 MLB SS who have played 300+ innings Reyes' -4.7uzr/150 ranks 19th. Not sure exactly how B/R does it but their listed "Total Zone Runs above average" has Reyes at a +1. So the fielding stats don't hate Reyes so far this year like they did last year. Averageish, maybe a bit below.

And I don't think it's boasting - after last year's ridiculousness, and after all the hate spewed AA's way for giving up these guys for nothing, I think we deserve to be able to reassure ourselves that maybe we didn't give up studs in escobar and gomes, despite their gaudy numbers last year. That maybe they were closer to what they thought we were. I mean everything conspired against us last year. Baseball gods really rubbed our noses in it.

Richard S.S. - Tuesday, June 17 2014 @ 07:57 AM EDT (#288539) #

Reyes defends very well, but he's not seen as an average or better defender. That's not all bad as he's got a very good arm. When Brett Lawrie is at 3B, he makes Reyes much better because he limits the territory Reyes needs to cover. With a good defensive 2B, you have this team's best defense. People will never be happy with everything, but this ain't broke, so don't fix it.

jerjapan - Tuesday, June 17 2014 @ 08:47 AM EDT (#288543) #

Now, can we please stop the triumphal boasting that accompanies a winning team?

Oh man Mike, really? I've read dozens and dozens of tangential comments dissing AA for Gomes since the deal went down. I could bring that deal up in every post I make all summer and it still wouldn't be equal. I'd think pointing out that the naysayers aren't always right is more than fair. The optimistic contingent on the Box have been far less vocal and strident than the haters.

China fan - Tuesday, June 17 2014 @ 08:57 AM EDT (#288545) #

"....The optimistic contingent on the Box have been far less vocal and strident than the haters...."

Very true. And we are a long-suffering lot, us optimists. In most years our hopes are dashed, our upbeat dreams are proven wrong. Please indulge us the occasional moment of mild "told you so" satisfaction in the first half of 2014 -- regardless of what happens for the rest of this year.

In baseball, it's far easier to be a hater than an optimist, since most teams don't make the playoffs and most teams eventually fire their managers and GMs. So anyone with a negative prediction about a team or a manager or a GM has a pretty good chance of being right eventually. As for us optimists, we have to suffer the slings and arrows of people accusing us of being "apologists." Well, this time I'm apologizing for a tiny bit of very mild gloating this year.

And no, I'm not glossing over the very real issues that the Jays still have. They still need another starting pitcher, and a 2B solution of some kind. They need a higher payroll, commensurate with the revenues that will flow into the pockets of Rogers as the team improves. They need a new turf in the stadium, and many other things. But please allow us this moment of quiet contentment in June 2014. It's not triumphalism, it's relief.

Mike Green - Tuesday, June 17 2014 @ 09:21 AM EDT (#288547) #

If you want to be prideful, how about something worthy? Rather than running down Yan Gomes, how about relishing the joy of watching Marcus Stroman pitch in Yankee Stadium tonight and facing Tanaka to boot? It doesn't get much better than that.

uglyone - Tuesday, June 17 2014 @ 10:57 AM EDT (#288549) #

I don't get why it's prideful to point out that guys like Escobar and Gomes have come back to earth this year.

You had no problem with everyone praising them to high heaven last year.

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