Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
Minor League Update Osuna struggles for Dunedin

With 3 of the affiliates off on Wednesday, the remaining teams managed to go 3-2.  Scott Copleand pitched well for New Hampshire, and Roberto Osuna got hit hard with Dunedin.  Starlyn Suriel was solid for Lansing, and the GCL Jays pitched well. Finally, the DSL Jays pitchers couldn’t find the plate racking up numerous wild pitches and hit by pitches.



With 3 of the affiliates off on Wednesday, the remaining teams managed to go 3-2.  Scott Copleand pitched well for New Hampshire, and Roberto Osuna got hit hard with Dunedin.  Starlyn Suriel was solid for Lansing, and the GCL Jays pitched well. Finally, the DSL Jays pitchers couldn’t find the plate racking up numerous wild pitches and hit by pitches.

 

Buffalo – Off Day

New Hampshire 3 – Erie 1

Scott Copeland was solid, pitching 8 innings allowing one earned run, on 7 hits, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts.  Gregory Infante came in the 9th to close the game out for his 17th save.

Jon Berti scored in the first, off a Andy Burns doubles.  Andy Burns scored as well in the first off of a Cory Aldridge ground rule double.  Andy doubled to lead off the 4th, and later scored on a groundout from Mike McDade.

Dunedin 3 – Lakeland 5

In his second start for Dunedin, Roberto Osuna struggled allowing 4 earned runs over 2.2 innings, on 4 hits, with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.  Efrain Nieves followed with 3.2 scoreless innings, and Wil Browning closed out the game allowing one earned run over 1.2 innings.

Despite having 10 hits, Dunedin only managed to score 3 runs.  Christian Lopes had 3 hits, including his 3rd HR of the season, while scoring 2 runs.  Dwight Smith scored the other run in the 5th, he started with a double, and then the next batter Markus Knecht drove him home with a single.

Lansing 7 – Fort Wayne 0

Starlyn Suriel was fantastic, pitching 6 scoreless innings, allowing one hit, with no walks and 4 strikeouts.  The Bullpen was solid afterwards with scoreless appearances from Scott Silverstein, Brady Dragmire and Phil Kish.

Lansing scored 7 runs on 12 hits, and 3 walks.  They also had some minor help from Fort Wayne defense which committed 3 errors.  David Harris had 3 hits, Derick Loveless, Mitch Nay, and Daniel Klein had 2 hits as well.  Derick Loveless had 3 RBI, knocking home one in the 3rd, and 2 in the 9th.

Vancouver – Off Day

Bluefield – Off Day

GCL Blue Jays 6 – GCL Astros 1

Grayson Huffman had a line of 4IP, 0H 0R 0ER 3BB 3SO, Brandon Hinkle followed with 3IP 2H 1R 1ER 1BB 4SO, and Francisco Diaz closed out with 2IP 0H 0R 0ER 2BB 0SO.

Lane Thomas continued to be solid for the GCL Jays, going 2-5, with a triple while scoring two runs.  Juan Kelly was 2-3, with 2 RBI, a walk, and a run scored.

DSL Blue Jays 6 – DSL Rangers2 10

The DSL Jays allowed 10 runs despite only allowing 7 hits, and 4 walks.  A combination of 3 Wild Pitches, and 7 Hit by Pitches contributed to the 10 runs.  The DSL Jays pitchers today included Manuel Cordova, Erick Hurtado, Juliandry Higuera and Wilmin Lara.

Emanuel Moreta had the best offensive performance for the Jays, as he was 3-5, with 2 doubles, while scoring 2 runs and driving in 2 runs.


Three Stars

1. Scott Copeland

2.  Starlyn Suriel

3.  Christian Lopes

Posted by tercet on Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 09:05 AM EDT.
Osuna struggles for Dunedin | 23 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
bpoz - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 10:37 AM EDT (#291480) #
Grayson Huffman sure looks good. Does anyone have a scouting report on him.
I am having trouble with a straight forward problem. His DOB May 6, 1995, drafted from a CC, so just turned 19. He has to be protected in 4 years, but S Reid-Foley has 5 years and he turns 19 this August 30.
[ Reply to This ]
TangledUpInBlue - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 11:19 AM EDT (#291482) #
For ChinaFan or anyone else interested in Kendall Graveman, Andrew Stoeten had a post on him yesterday, which included some scouting information and links.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 11:29 AM EDT (#291484) #
Andy Burns

APR .555ops
MAY .676ops
JUN .773ops
JUL .884ops
AUG 1.240ops

Hopefully he keeps it going and gets a callup. I'm still a burns believer.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 11:32 AM EDT (#291485) #
I think Huffman projects as a Brad Mills type prospect ( not necessarily with the same results in the end).
[ Reply to This ]
Marc Hulet - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 11:41 AM EDT (#291486) #
Huffman actually has much better FB velo than Mills... The younger prospect is up to 93 mph with the heat.
[ Reply to This ]
Gerry - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 11:41 AM EDT (#291487) #
Ba's pre-draft report said Huffman throws 88-92 from the left side. He has a big athletic body. He has a very good changeup and a slider that needs work. If it all comes together he could be an innings-eating workhorse.
[ Reply to This ]
dan gordon - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 11:58 AM EDT (#291489) #
Huffman has given up only 6 hits in 22 IP, which is great, of course, but he has walked 13 which is way too many, and the K:BB ratio of 19:13 is not good. I think K:BB ratio is one of the better evaluation tools for a young pitcher, and you'd like to see 3 to 1 or better for a really good prospect. Small sample size, of course - let's see what he does with some more starts, although the BB situation does not seem to be improving, with 11 walks in his last 14 innings.

Aaron Sanchez never reached that 3 to 1 ratio because of all the walks - time will tell if he works out despite the less than stellar K:BB ratio. Hutchison and Stroman, by comparison, were well over 3 to 1 for their minor league careers. Sean Nolin has had some excellent K:BB ratios until reaching AAA, where he has been under 2 to 1.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 12:01 PM EDT (#291490) #
Hey Marc, are you still all the high on Nicolino? I was surprised to see you (and others) still talking him up after his dramatic drop in k-rate at each level (6.0k/9 A+, 4.5k/9 AA).

(and I was going to ask you how a prospect like Dawson compared to him but i just noticed that command has become a bit of an issue for dawson this year for the first time. In prior years the comp looked pretty good i thought.)
[ Reply to This ]
TangledUpInBlue - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 12:33 PM EDT (#291496) #
Oh, it's the very Marc Hulet quoted in the piece I linked to. Kudos for getting the "could be a fast-mover" part before anyone else.
[ Reply to This ]
metafour - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 12:49 PM EDT (#291498) #
I think K:BB ratio is one of the better evaluation tools for a young pitcher, and you'd like to see 3 to 1 or better for a really good prospect.

Maybe once they get to full-season (A, A+) ball.  It seems ridiculous to chastise a newly drafted 19-year old who is pitching in the lowest level of the minors because he's "walking too many".  You're expecting too much in this case.
[ Reply to This ]
dan gordon - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 01:57 PM EDT (#291503) #
I don't agree. There is no magic switch that flips in A ball. Now, as I said in my earlier post, this is a small sample size, and let's see how he does with some more starts. I think that's a very reasonable approach, and certainly does not qualify as "ridiculous".
[ Reply to This ]
metafour - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 02:26 PM EDT (#291506) #
What do you mean "magic switch"? Its called development and growth.  Players develop, its not a "what you see is what you get" scenario for a 19 year old pitcher who just came out of JUCO and who has received little to no Pro instruction yet.  I brought up full-season ball (~A+) because by that point the pitcher would have had a few offseasons to develop mechanically and physically.  If he is still putting up bad K/BB splits at that point then you can safely make some sort of deduction, I just dont see the relevance to fawning over it when the kid is in the GCL.  Matt Smoral was walking over 9 per 9 innings last year...this year it is 4.81 and its been even lower over his last 4-5 outings.
[ Reply to This ]
dan gordon - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 02:39 PM EDT (#291507) #
Perhaps you are reading too much into my earlier comments. I certainly never said anything about a "what you see is what you get" conclusion on Huffman. He's only pitched 22 innings. As I said previously, let's see what he does after some more starts. I was simply pointing out that in those 22 innings that he has pitched so far, he's walking too many batters. Somebody else had said that he looked great - I was simply pointing out that there was an issue. He needs to walk fewer batters. Maybe he will.
[ Reply to This ]
finch - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 03:18 PM EDT (#291510) #

Metafour,

I think the "magic switch" was a metaphor.

 

#ironic

[ Reply to This ]
finch - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 03:23 PM EDT (#291511) #
And generally I wouldn't be too concerned about a high walk rate in a lower level. There could be mechanics tinkering to arm angles, throwing motions etc. You want to see a high strike out rate and improves in base on balls.
[ Reply to This ]
PeterG - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 05:48 PM EDT (#291523) #
Minor league pitching stats (especially lower minors) don't meant much at all as often things or new pitches are being worked on or developed. A perfect example was Daniel Norris in Bluefield and Dunedin....and to a lesser extent Aaron Sanchez at NH......and many more we likely don't know about.
[ Reply to This ]
#2JBrumfield - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 05:51 PM EDT (#291524) #
Apparently, Matt Smoral has been promoted from Bluefield to Vancouver according to Blue Jays Moves on Twitter. A 13.6 K/9 rate with the Bluef-Jays could be a bit of an indicator he's ready.
[ Reply to This ]
#2JBrumfield - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 05:58 PM EDT (#291525) #
The Smoral promotion has also been confirmed on the Northwest League transactions page. Charlie Caskey posts a review of the Jays minor league system, including a tidbit on Smoral, on his Vancouver Sun blog.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 07:19 PM EDT (#291527) #
I agree with dan - high walk rates are always concerning, even (especially?) at lower levels.

Giving norris as an example against that argument might be wishful thinking.

Not respecting the importance of walk rate leads to overrating big arms like tirado and labourt.

This doesn't mean doomsday for a prospect, of course. And its obviously less of a concern with a physical monster with monster k rated like smoral.

[ Reply to This ]
Gerry - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 07:32 PM EDT (#291529) #
Brad Mills was taken out of the Buffalo game in the third inning. I assume its another injury for the Jays.
[ Reply to This ]
Gerry - Thursday, August 07 2014 @ 07:34 PM EDT (#291530) #
Double checking I see in that inning there was an out at second after the ball was "deflected" by Mills. That deflection could have been a direct hit.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Friday, August 08 2014 @ 12:14 AM EDT (#291549) #
Vancouver will now have five lefty starters (Smoral, Labourt, Borucki, Lietz and Wasilewski) which has to be unusual at any level. Only Wasilewski could be described as having fringy stuff so LHB will not be looking forward to games with the C's.
[ Reply to This ]
PeteMoss - Friday, August 08 2014 @ 11:52 AM EDT (#291575) #
Bit of a strawman there. I don't think anyone beyond the biggest dreamers expect anything more than a 4th/5th starter type.
[ Reply to This ]
Osuna struggles for Dunedin | 23 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.