Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Vancouver Takes the Lead, While Dunedin is Eliminated

Vancouver Takes the Lead, While Dunedin is Eliminated

After a very strong season in Lansing and Dunedin, Taylor Cole had one of his most disappointing starts of the year, giving up 6 runs. Dunedin was unable to come back from the early deficit, and lost the game, which gave Daytona a 2-0 series win.

Vancouver won a pitching duel in game 1 of their series versus Spokane, as Ryan Borucki and the bullpen were brilliant.

Dunedin 4 – Daytona 9 (Daytona Wins Series 2-0)

In game 2 of the Best of 3, Dunedin fell behind early again, as Taylor Cole had allowed 6 runs over 1.1 innings. Migues Castro Came in for the 1.2 innings and wasn’t much better, as he allowed 2 more runs.

Being down 8-0 before scoring a run, it was a tough task for the Dunedin offense to come back. Mitch Nay had a 2 run HR in the 2nd, and Marcus Knecht doubled home Dwight Smith in the third.

Spokane 0 – Vancouver 1 (Vancouver Leads 1-0)

Ryan Borucki was fantastic pitching 7 scoreless innings, allowing 5 hits, with no walks and 4 strikeouts. Michael Kraft pitched 2/3 of an inning and Phil Kish came in for a 4 out save.

Vancouver started game 1 with a surprise addition in Rowdy Tellez who was the DH. The only run of the game was scored in the 7th, when Mike Reeves singled home Jose Cardona.

Posted by tercet on Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 09:14 AM EDT.

Vancouver Takes the Lead, While Dunedin is Eliminated | 18 comments | Create New Account

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

Sano - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 09:26 AM EDT (#292998) #

Any scouting reports on Borucki? Seems like he's been doing well lately...

uglyone - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 11:24 AM EDT (#293001) #

Borucki - 6'4" lefty who throws mid 90s. Fell in the draft and missed last year due to injury. Questionable offspeed stuff. Has had a great year at 3 levels now. Legit prospect for sure.

On another note, I never wish ill on a jays prospect but i'm not unhappy to see guys like cole and boyd get blown up in the playoffs. They're way too old for their levrls and shouldn't be considered real prospects imo.

At the same time its really nice to see legit prospects like nay, smith, and borucki come to the forefront in the playoffs.

Mike Green - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 11:33 AM EDT (#293003) #

Age for level isn't quite the same thing for pitchers. It is much more common for good pitchers to emerge later.

Borucki is not exactly young for his level, having turned 20 in March and still in short-season ball, but obviously he has the ability to be right on track with good development next year. That said, throwing in the mid 90s with movement and good control is a nice start.

uglyone - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 11:35 AM EDT (#293004) #

It might not be the same thing, but a 23/24yr old pitcher dominating A+ shouldn't make him a prospect, imo.

Nigel - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 11:51 AM EDT (#293006) #

I don't know what he looked like prior to drafting but now Borucki is not throwing mid-90's with iffy secondaries. I saw him in one start earlier this year and he was 89-92 on his fastball with excellent control and command of the fastball to both sides of the plate. His fastball also has good movement down in the zone (not sure its a true sinker - if its a sinker then its a bit inconsistant). He also has an effective breaking ball - a bit slurvy (either a slower slider with lots of break or a harder curve with less break - not sure which). Hard to get much read on his change as he didn't throw it much the start I saw. The C's announcer has often said on the radio that Borucki reminds him of Nicolino and I can see some similarities although I think Borucki throws a tick harder and with more life on his fastball but Nicolino was far more polished when he was with the C's.

Also I think people need to be careful with "mid-90s". For example, Smoral threw one or two pitches his last start that were mid-90s but he's mostly throwing 90-92. There have only been three pitchers through Vancouver that I have seen that sit mid-90s - Syndergaard, Labourt and Castro (I missed Sanchez when he was here). Frankly, Labourt might be the hardest thrower of the bunch (while in Vancouver).

Mike Green - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 12:02 PM EDT (#293008) #

Thanks, Nigel. Borucki may have been throwing mid 90s earlier; sometimes velocity is taken off to increase movement and control. So far, in his career, Borucki is striking out RHBs at a better rate than LHBs. Which is strange for a pitcher throwing 90-92 and with a slurvy breaking ball and a seldom-used change. Your scouting report makes it sound as though he's got quite a bit of work to do.

uglyone - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 12:19 PM EDT (#293011) #

Thanks nigel.

Scouting profiles told me he sat 92-93 and topped out mid 90s. Unfortunate that he's not up that high now, though the development of secondary pitches sounds promising.

Either way, great year for the kid.

Richard S.S. - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 12:24 PM EDT (#293012) #

Prospect should be ranked in three tiers to make it easier to evaluate. First is the elite, the top studs, the fast movers, the top talent. Second is the rest of the best not contained above and everyone under 21. Third contains the rest of the talented, the overage, the slower movers, those with missing time. Movement between levels happens often. If not one of the above, usually organizational players filling needed spots. Movement from here happens.

If a pitcher misses time in his Pitching Career due to injury or any other unavoidable obligation (ie Church Mission), his mileage on his arm/experience doesn't match his age. Cole's arm is two years younger, while Borucki's arm is a year younger as is their corresponding experience. The fact that Cole isn't doing better makes it likely he's lower level, while Borucki is probably top level and moving fast.

ayjackson - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 12:35 PM EDT (#293014) #

Charley Caskey tweeted last night that Borucki's fastball was topping out at 88mph.

SJE - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 01:36 PM EDT (#293022) #

I believe Charley Caskey's tweet was
Borucki with first clean IP. FB only topping out at 88 now but change shows more movement and mixing in odd curve #BlueJays
By looking at the summary this seems like the 5th inning.

ayjackson - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 01:49 PM EDT (#293023) #

Perhaps when Charlie lands in Boston, he can give us a proper scouting report.

Nigel - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 02:07 PM EDT (#293027) #

Borucki is tough on RHBs I think because he is one of the few lefties at this level that can consistantly work on the inside corner to RHBs with his FB. The night I saw him he tied up a lot of RHB with his FB. The best news would be that his change is a decent pitch - I didn't see enough of it to really gauge it.

raptorsaddict - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 05:06 PM EDT (#293060) #

Is Pentecost hurt?

PeterG - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 05:55 PM EDT (#293063) #

Yes, he has a wrist injury.

raptorsaddict - Thursday, September 04 2014 @ 10:05 PM EDT (#293079) #

Thanks.

jerjapan - Friday, September 05 2014 @ 11:06 AM EDT (#293116) #

a 23/24yr old pitcher dominating A+ shouldn't make him a prospect, imo.

Surely Cole needs to be viewed as a 23 year old, not a 25 year old, given his 2 year Mormon mission in which he rarely touched a baseball? I fhe can carry his success into AA next season - he struggled in 2 starts there this year - he's a prospect.

bpoz - Friday, September 05 2014 @ 01:04 PM EDT (#293136) #

Cole and Boyd most likely make the NH rotation to start the season. I can see Osuna & Castro getting promoted to NH at some point in the season from Dunedin. Probably late.
Our 1st pick Jeff Hoffman, I expect to hopefully start in Lansing rather than short season ball and then possibly advance to Dunedin.

ayjackson - Friday, September 05 2014 @ 01:23 PM EDT (#293138) #

Hoffman will likely have his workload managed, coming off surgery. Starting in Vancouver might be one way of accomplishing that.

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