Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Opening Day in Vancouver

The short season leagues are starting. Vancouver get going on Friday. On the field on Thursday, New Hampshire had the only win with TJ Zeuch dominating for eight innings. Buffalo lost with Danny Jansen driving in the only run. Dunedin also lost but Logan Warmoth is getting back on track. Lansing haven't won since they clinched a playoff spot. On Thursday they lost in extra innings after tying the game in the ninth.

Buffalo

Buffalo has played some doubleheaders recently and as a result they were short of starting pitchers. Murphy Smith stepped up and promptly gave up three runs before getting two outs. He settled down after that and got through four innings. Those three runs were the difference as the Bisons lost 3-1. x x x

Danny Jansen doubled in the only run. He also walked twice. Richard Urena came off the DL and went 2-4. Urena was recovering from getting stitches in his finger after being spiked.

New Hampshire

The Fisher Cats won 3-0 and outhit Akron 5-2. TJ Zeuch had a very Zeuch-like start on Thursday. In eight innings he only allowed two hits, one walk and he had four K's. It was eight shutout innings. Zeuch had 15 ground ball outs versus three flyballs.

New Hampshire scored a run in the fifth to go ahead 1-0. Harold Ramirez reached on an error and scored on a single by Gunnar Heidt. Two insurance runs were added in the eighth. Connor Panas started the inning with a single, Juan Kelly reached on a strikeout. Panas scored on a sac fly and Kelly on a Jon Berti single. Bo Bichette was 0-4 and Cavan Biggio was also 0-4 with three strikeouts.

Dunedin

Zach Logue had a rough start, he was taken deep three times on his way to conceding five runs in five innings. He had just one K.

Dunedin tried to chip away but came up short at 6-4. Logan Warmoth was 2-3, David Jacob was 2-4 including a double, his first extra base hit of the season. Kevin Smith had just one hit, his third home run. Riley Adams picked up his usual hit.

Lansing

Lansing lost 4-3 in ten innings. Maverik Buffo had a good start. He went seven innings, didn't walk anyone and had five K's. He did give up three runs, one runs in three different innings and one of them was unearned. In total he allowed six hits but one was a home run and another a double that came around to score.

Matt Morgan hit his first home run of the season to put the Lugnuts on the board. That was it until the ninth. Brock Lundquist and Yeltsin Gudino singled and Brandon Grudzielanek doubled to make it 3-2 with the winning run on base with one out. Norberto Obeso walked to load the bases and then Morgan walked to tie the game. But with the go ahead run on third both Reggie Pruitt and Kevin Vicuna struck out. Lansing were unable to do anything in the tenth but Lake County were able to, and won. Gudino and Grudzielanek led the offense with two hits each.

Three Stars

Third Star - Matt Morgan

Second Star - Maverik Buffo

First Star - TJ Zeuch

Boxes

Posted by Gerry on Thursday, June 14 2018 @ 10:10 PM EDT.

Opening Day in Vancouver | 40 comments | Create New Account

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

PeterG - Friday, June 15 2018 @ 10:05 AM EDT (#359960) #

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/al-east-2018-international-signing-forecasts/

Shoeless Joe - Friday, June 15 2018 @ 08:44 PM EDT (#359988) #

Sean Reid Foley is having himself a season, another 7 strong with 3 hits, 2 walks, 1 run and 6 strike outs.

scottt - Saturday, June 16 2018 @ 06:38 AM EDT (#359992) #

So new 2018 draftees on the Canadians rosters are:

4th round Sean Myers RHP
5th round Chris Bec C
7th round Nick Podkul 3B
8th round Joey Murray RHP
12th round Nick Allgeyer LHP
20th round Vini Capra SS
25th round Will McAffer RHP
30th round Cobi Johnson RHP

uglyone - Saturday, June 16 2018 @ 09:44 AM EDT (#360001) #

SRF may be ready for his closeup.

jerjapan - Saturday, June 16 2018 @ 01:55 PM EDT (#360014) #

It's exciting to have a guy who projects to be a mid-rotation starter, rather than a 4th or 5th guy, close to big league ready. and fantastic to have the Cs back in action.
Two of last night's pitchers for Vancouver - Pondler and Rodriguez - are typical of what seems a newish approach to development / promotion among fringey pitching 'prospects'. Starter Randy Pondler had pitched at 3 levels over his first two seasons with the Jays, and has pitched at 3 levels this year alone, with a start in NH and a long-relief stint for Dunedin. Rodriguez has made four stops this season, and of course Justin Dillon comes to mind, who is scuffling after 3 starts in NH despite coming off 3 dominant starts in Buffalo.

Not sure if this is actually a trend, or what to make of it if it is, but this role used to be reserved for the older reliever prospects, or veteran org soldiers in the Murphy Smith / Casey Lawrence mode.

greenfrog - Saturday, June 16 2018 @ 07:09 PM EDT (#360032) #

Good start for Chris Rowley so far today (5 shutout innings). For a fringe prospect, he has had a pretty respectable season in AAA this year.

Bichette is still hitting (1/2 with a double so far).

uglyone - Saturday, June 16 2018 @ 07:12 PM EDT (#360033) #

looks like Pearce is the DH for Buffalo tonight.

uglyone - Saturday, June 16 2018 @ 07:32 PM EDT (#360035) #

Hiraldo didn't play for DSL today.

hope that means He's on his way to a rookie affiliate.

hypobole - Saturday, June 16 2018 @ 07:42 PM EDT (#360038) #

Biggio breaks out of his slump with his 14th HR.

greenfrog - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 06:47 AM EDT (#360050) #

Among yesterday's notable performers:

Tellez (June): .286/.375/.551

Taylor (June): .283/.411/.522

Noda (June): .366/.429/.829 (not a typo)

uglyone - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 10:58 AM EDT (#360057) #

really turning into a great year in AAA:

C Jansen (23): 212pa, 12.3b%/12.7k%, .329bip/.297avg, .171iso, 152wrc+
LF Smith (25): 160pa, 15.0b%/15.6k%, .302bip/.267avg, .145iso, 128wrc+
CF Pompey (25): 80pa, 5.0b%/26.3k%, .319bip/.275avg, .232iso, 128wrc+
2B Gurriel (24): 106pa, 1.9b%/19.8k%, .316bip/.290avg, .200iso, 123wrc+
1B Tellez (23): 220pa, 10.5b%/16.8k%, .296bip/.262avg, .147iso, 115wrc+
SS Urena (22): 63pa, 4.8b%/17.5k%, .319bip/.276avg, .138iso, 100wrc+
C McGuire (23): 162pa, 9.9b%/17.9k%, .275bip/.237avg, .079iso, 89wrc+
CF Alford (23): 145pa 8.3b%/29.7k%, .315bip/.212avg, .038iso, 54wrc+

RH R-Foley (22): 24.2ip, 27.1k%/6.5b%, .357bip, 5.11era, 1.94fip, 2.98xfip
LH Borucki (24): 70.0ip, 18.5k%/9.3b%, .262bip, 3.60era, 4.18fip, 4.15xfip

All these kids have or are starting to perform well enough that a callup for any of them wouldn't be out of line, even soon....and almost definitely by the time September rolls around.

except unfortunately for Alford, who has yet to show anything at all above AA....and in retrospect even his AA performance was more good than great.

hypobole - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 02:11 PM EDT (#360058) #

Alford with his 1st AAA HR.

Noda cranks his 8th on the season, 7th in the past 10 games..

Mike Green - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 04:56 PM EDT (#360063) #

Noda ended up 3-4 with a walk and a K. He moved back to first base from the outfield, and the bat reappeared. I'd move him to Dunedin asap.

greenfrog - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 06:20 PM EDT (#360068) #

Noda is now hitting .400/.463/.889 in June. He's becoming less fringe and more prospect by the day, it seems.

hypobole - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 06:40 PM EDT (#360070) #

"I'd move him to Dunedin asap."

Mike, what would you do with Dunedin's incumbent 1B/DH tandem of Kacy Clemens/David Jacob?

Shoeless Joe - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 08:32 PM EDT (#360077) #

Is Hagen Danner not making a Vancouver a major concern? How long is his leash behind the plate before they try him on the mound?

hypobole - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 09:04 PM EDT (#360081) #

Not surprised about Danner. Between hitting .160 in the GCL and needing a lot of work behind the plate, I figured him for Bluefield at best to start the season.

uglyone - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 09:16 PM EDT (#360083) #

for me, 19 in rookie ball is just fine.

but man, danner has to be worlds better this year to be interesting again.

Marc Hulet - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 09:22 PM EDT (#360084) #

The truth is, first year numbers really don't mean much, good or bad. This year is really a clean slate for Danner and others.

Mike Green - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 09:23 PM EDT (#360085) #

I don't know anything about David Jacob, hypobole. I can see that he had only 168 at bats last year and only 28 so far this year. Last year he played at 4 different levels. It seems that he is an organizational soldier.

hypobole - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 10:40 PM EDT (#360088) #

Yeah, I have no idea what the org thinks of Jacob either Mike. Was his late start because he was held back at extended or was he injured? He's put up meh numbers at each stop but never failed, as opposed to Clemens who was fantastic in Lansing and has been awful in Dunedin.

Right now, Noda does seem the most interesting of the 3. If they view Jacob as just an org guy they can move him back to Lansing or even up to NH.

jerjapan - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 10:42 PM EDT (#360089) #

Agreed that first year numbers don't mean much for the high school kids. I forget the source, but read a very promising preview on Danner last month, a scout was saying he looked like a completely different guy at the plate. I know, 'best shape of his life' type stories, but this was credible.

David Jacob is coming out of extended spring training I guess? Jacob has some Ryan Noda in him... 1B, lower draft pick, pretty much the same age, both prone thus far to scorching hot streaks. Clemens had his hot streak to start the season too.
Mike, I've been banging the Noda drum for a while now, but to me he's not that far ahead of Clemens and Jacob yet, and Jacob has an extra year of pro ball. I haven't paid attention to where Noda's playing so I didn't know he'd been shifted back to first - to me, you could promote him to Dunedin and play him in left over Eduard Pinto pretty easily.

hypobole - Sunday, June 17 2018 @ 11:58 PM EDT (#360090) #

McGregory Contreras with 2 HR's for the C's.

dan gordon - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 02:13 AM EDT (#360091) #

Jon Harris had a 2nd consecutive very good start. Has now surrendered only 5 hits and 1 walk in his last 12 innings. Has he turned a (very large) corner?

Biggio homered today for the 2nd consecutive game. Now has 15 in 214 AB's, which is some pretty serious pop.

Coming soon to a Blue Jay bullpen near you - Justin Schafer, Buffalo closer, who is having an amazing season combined in AA/AAA.

Nice to see Ryan Gold get some regular AB's now in Lansing after a terrific season in Bluefield last year. Some DH, some C, some 1B. A bit of a jump, skipping Vancouver. One of the under-the-radar prospects I like.

Yes, great to see the HR's by Contreras. He showed some pop last year with 5 dingers. Very young guy - a good season with Vancouver would really solidify him as a significant prospect.

rafael - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 11:56 AM EDT (#360116) #

The key to Harris's success is that absolutely everyone had to write him off as as starting pitcher before the baseball gods do their thing.

Gerry - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 12:07 PM EDT (#360117) #

The GCL Jays start playing today. Their roster is on milb.com. I didn't see anyone there who surprised me.

bpoz - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 12:44 PM EDT (#360123) #

Agreed Rafael.

uglyone - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 12:56 PM EDT (#360127) #

Groshans playing SS today. Strikes out his first AB.

#2JBrumfield - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 01:33 PM EDT (#360130) #

Baseball America says the Jays have released D.J. Davis and J.C. Cardenas have been released. They have also signed NDFA righthander Jackson Rees from Hawaii.

#2JBrumfield - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 01:39 PM EDT (#360131) #

Baseball America says the Jays have released D.J. Davis and J.C. Cardenas have been released.

From the department of redundancy department.

Gerry - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 01:40 PM EDT (#360132) #

18 y.o. Gabriel Moreno from Venezuela has hit two home runs today in the GCL. He had zero home runs last season in the DSL.

And Groshans now has his first hit.

uglyone - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 01:49 PM EDT (#360133) #

refresher on Moreno's skillset, Gerry?

hypobole - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 01:59 PM EDT (#360134) #

uo, I found this

Seventeen-year-old Venezuelan catcher Gabriel Moreno shows a lot of promise behind the plate, throwing out 32% of runners trying to steal in 24 games behind the plate. He also appeared to be a little more sure-handed than Ventura or Saavedra (see below), committing only four passed balls. Moreno will likely be working on his offense after hitting .248/.374/.296 with four doubles and a triple in 125 at bats. I can see Moreno staying put in the DSL in 2018.

https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/dsl-blue-jays-2017-report-part-1-blue-jays-from-away-awards

He was an August signing, which suggests an under-the-radar kid.

uglyone - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 02:06 PM EDT (#360135) #

so defense-first catcher. nice, thanks.

hypobole - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 02:52 PM EDT (#360141) #

Groshans with his 1st pro HR - a 3 run shot in the 9th.

Gerry - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 02:56 PM EDT (#360143) #

Thanks Hypo, I don't know a lot about the DSL guys unless they are a big dollar signing.

Gerry - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 03:00 PM EDT (#360144) #

The DH today was Leonardo Jimenez, normally a SS. He was signed out of Panama last summer for $800,000, and is just 17 years and one month old. He went 2-4 today.

Shoeless Joe - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 04:44 PM EDT (#360154) #

I find it interesting that Jimenez is stateside and Hiraldo is in the DSL. Usually the Jays seem to be more aggressive with they guys they value more.

hypobole - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 05:00 PM EDT (#360156) #

Jimenez got $800K, Hiraldo $750K.

Not sure one can say the Jays value Hiraldo more.

Marc Hulet - Monday, June 18 2018 @ 05:36 PM EDT (#360160) #

BA had Hiraldo rated almost twice as high as Jimenez last year at this time. Based on video I saw, though, I've always preferred the latter. Better body/more athletic, cleaner swing. Hiraldo is lauded for his power but I see a lot of swing and miss in his game, as well as questionable defence and a body that has some questions.

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