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The top half of the system has not been producing a lot wins but they took care of business on Thursday. The Bisons used a distributed attack to win 7-2. Patrick Murphy did not need much support but the hitters relaxed and produced 11 runs. Dunedin's bats went cold and they wasted a good start from Maximo Castillo. Lansing also lost.

Buffalo 7 Gwinnett 2

Braves prospect Touki Toussaint was no match for the Bison hitters. Jonathan Davis led off the game with a home run, he also walked three times. Andrew Guillotte had three hits. He singled in the second Bisons run in the second inning and doubled in the third run in the fourth. Lourdes Gurriel and Cavan Biggio also drove in runs and had a hit each. Andy Burns picked up two hits. Gurriel played left field again.

Shawn Morimando has not pitched well for Buffalo but this was his best start of the season. In six innings he allowed one earned run on five hits while picking up seven K's. Jordan Romano was another who was glad of a good outing, two perfect innings. Kirby Snead finished up.


New Hampshire 11 Portland 1

Patrick Murphy was hot. He had a slow start to the season but each start recently has been better than the last. It will be hard to top this one, seven shutout innings with one hit and one walk allowed. Murphy had seven K's. Murphy used his mid 90's fastball to both sides of the plate to keep the hitters off balance. The hitters included Dustin Pedroia who went 0-3 against Murphy.

The Fisher Cats scored their 11 runs on 12 hits. Two lighter hitting players went deep to get the offense going. Vinny Capra hit his first home run of the season in the third, a solo shot, followed by Nash Knight's second home run of the season, also a solo shot. Capra finished at 2-4 and Knight 3-4. Brock Lundquist doubled in two runs and scored another on a ground out. Riley Adams had a double and Forrest Wall a triple. Chad Spanberger drove in a couple of runs.


Clearwater 5 Dunedin 2

Dunedin were out-hit 12-4. Alejandro Kirk doubled in the first run. Luis De Los Santos homered for the second run. De Los Santos was a call up from extended spring but he has hit, in a very small sample. His BA is .375. Cal Stevenson had a hit and a walk but he also threw out two runners in the same inning.

Maximo Castillo pitched five shutout innings, four hits, four walks, three K's. Kyle Weatherly and Connor Law were responsible for the five runs, Weatherly took the loss.


Lansing 1 Kane County 3

Otto Lopez has had a quiet campaign so far but he went 3-4 on Thursday to raise his average to .287. Lopez will take a walk but his OPS is hurt by his lack of extra base hits. Ryan Gold also had three hits. In total the Lugnuts had eight hits, Lopez and Gold had six of them. Groshans was 0-3. Lansing's only run came on a double steal, Nick Podkul stole home.

Troy Miller started and he allowed all three runs. Cre Finfrock came up from extended and pitched two innings. He struck out five. Jackson Rees pitched the eighth. Rees is racking up the K's so far, he is averaging close to two per inning.


3 Stars

3rd star: Andrew Guillotte

2nd star: Nash Knight

1st star: Patrick Murphy


Boxes

Murphy's Law | 43 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
hypobole - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 01:13 AM EDT (#373888) #
Cal Stevenson finding out some strike zones are very different.

https://twitter.com/EddyAlmaguer/status/1126524434263752704
dan gordon - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 01:44 AM EDT (#373889) #
Murphy's last 3 games - 21 IP, 9 H, 3 BB, 22 K, 4 ER. Very impressive.

Kevin Smith is 0 for 28 in his last 9 games. At some point they've got to start considering moving him back to Dunedin. His OPS last year in Lansing was 1.046, then in Dunedin it was .799, and now in NH it's .485. That's not what you want or expect from a top prospect.

Samad Taylor is 3 for 24 in his last 7 games, and is now hitting .193 with an OPS of .616. He's been caught stealing in 50% of his 10 attempts after 44 steals last year.
Glevin - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 06:17 AM EDT (#373893) #
So far, some big movers in personal prospect rankings. Smith by far the biggest drop as he is flailing at AA. SRF and Alford also dropping because of poor performance. Was hoping for more out of Chavez Young who is also really struggling. Groshans, Biggio, Kirk all risers early. Groshans is one of the best hitters in A Ball and he's young for the league. Biggio smashing the ball with a great eye in AAA, and Kirk has been even better than last year despite being young for his level. Murphy and Wall also looking interesting in AA right now. Other than that, most of the prospects are sort of in the same place for me, either by not playing yet or by not having extreme results in either direction.
lexomatic - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 06:37 AM EDT (#373894) #
I remember someone mentioning Smith changed his approach when reaching Dunedin -or revered to previous tendencies - that seems to have continued with bad results.I'm curious if that's true.would also he curious to know what kind of work is going on
Jonny German - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 08:52 AM EDT (#373896) #
Smith has been terrible, but I don't see him leaving the Jays top-10 just yet. Jansen has graduated, Vlad will very soon (I go by rookie eligibility), and Alford and Reid-Foley have been bad enough that they're now below Smith in my mind (others probably had them behind him already).

Biggio is the most exciting development, handling the move up with ease and showing that he's not a one-year fluke.

The biggest riser is Maximo Castillo. It's amazing that he wasn't on ANY top-30 lists this past offseason. Easily 15-20 range now.
Maldoff - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 09:03 AM EDT (#373898) #
Chavez Young has been on the temporary inactive list for a little while now. Anyone know what's up?
Mike Green - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 09:09 AM EDT (#373899) #
I don't know, Jonny, about Castilo.  The FSL has been its usual extreme pitcher's environment.- Cal Stevenson is hitting .224/.319/.337 and that translates to a wRC+ of 101, for instance.  Castilo's K rate is down slightly from last year, and the big improvement is in HR/FB.  Obviously, it's very good to be 20 years old and holding your own (net of park and league) in the FSL.  He's a riser, but I wouldn't say that he has risen as much as Kirk, who has moved from Bluefield to Dunedin seemingly without missing a beat.  We'll see where they both are in a month. 

It would be cool if the club ended up calling up Bichette and Biggio together, but obviously you don't want to hold Biggio back while Bichette recovers and adjusts to triple A after that.
Glevin - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 09:53 AM EDT (#373901) #
Castillo apparently throws high 80s to low 90s. Not someone I'm going to get too excited about even with good minor league numbers.
uglyone - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 10:15 AM EDT (#373903) #
I'll zag against the Smith zig here....

Imo Smith is finally starting to show the right adjustments.

Last 10gms: 41pa, 19.5b%, 22.0k%, .091bip, .065avg, .000iso, 39wrc+
Before that: 84pa, 3.6b%, 28.6k%, .241bip, .188avg, .125iso, 55wrc+

Obviously the overall line still stinks, but that last 10gms line shows a pretty clear adjustment with the huge spike in bb% and a significantly lower k%, with the impossibly low babip over that stretch probably sabotaging an improved performance at the plate.
hypobole - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 10:18 AM EDT (#373904) #
Smith is hitting a ton of FB's (2nd highest rate in the league) and IFFB's.
uglyone - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 10:20 AM EDT (#373905) #
More recent reports have Castillo's fastball in the low to mid 90s, and as high as 96.

hypobole - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 10:46 AM EDT (#373908) #
Just found Smith's April FB distance #'s at Prospects Live

April 2018 vs 2019

2018 .330/.381/.568 AVG FB 292.9 ft

2019 .200/.253/.318 AVG FB 316.5 ft
uglyone - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 10:54 AM EDT (#373909) #
that's encouraging.
bpoz - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 11:32 AM EDT (#373912) #
That is very encouraging UO about Castillo. He is very young, earned every promotion and been healthy.

I follow him closely. Last year he had some v bad games sprinkled into his season. This year in yesterday's game he walked 4 in 5 innings which is unusual for him. He survived and gave up 0 runs. The start before he gave up 6 runs, 3 unearned.

It seems that his velocity has increased. We don't know if it happened this year or last year.

He has been getting hitters out most likely with a variety of pitches that are pretty good I assume. He must also know how to pitch his way out of trouble.

I saw Doyle Alexander use brains to get hitters out. I think J Key did it too. G Madux probably also was a brainy pitcher.

During our long window that started in the 80s, Detroit had a SP that threw junk very successfully against us. I forget his name.
GabrielSyme - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 11:33 AM EDT (#373913) #
Pearson might have been highly thought of it's hard to "move", but he's increased his value more than anyone else. He was last seen being unhittable in short-season ball. He's now unhittable in high-A and AA (albeit just one start there), his strikeout rate has gone up and his walks down.
GabrielSyme - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 11:45 AM EDT (#373914) #
Another guy I'll be keeping a close eye on is de los Santos. Being promoted directly to high-A before extended spring is over suggests that the coaching staff have a high opinion of him, and his very early results have been good.
uglyone - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 11:50 AM EDT (#373915) #
refresh my memory on de los santos - was he injured last year or something?
Glevin - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 11:56 AM EDT (#373916) #
" During our long window that started in the 80s, Detroit had a SP that threw junk very successfully against us. I forget his name."

Frank Tanana who actually threw very hard early in his career.
bpoz - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 12:01 PM EDT (#373917) #
Thanks Glevin. As I read F Tanana, I remembered 1st name Walt then the rest Terell. That was the guy.
Mike Green - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 12:08 PM EDT (#373918) #
bpoz,  Baseball Reference has franchise pages for each team.  If you want to look through the players who played for Detroit in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987, it is easy to do that through those franchise pages.
bpoz - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 12:12 PM EDT (#373919) #
Thanks Mike Green. I will try doing that.

GabrielSyme - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 12:14 PM EDT (#373920) #
De los Santos was in Bluefield last year, had a not-terribly-impressive year with the bat, but showed a little power, and struck out at a high but not staggering rate. He's played mostly SS, although I don't know what his defensive reputation is like.
uglyone - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 12:26 PM EDT (#373921) #
potentially interesting about de los santos.

his first year in the GCL was a solid overall line at 107wrc+, but a horrendous swinging strike rate of 32.7% and a high .361babip maybe boosting the line overall.

last year in bluefield his overall line looked weak at 88wrc+, but he completely got his swinging strike rate under control bringing it all the way down to 14.0%. so this was arguably a better year for him, not a worse year.

that could suggest a swing correction made last year, and the fact that they've skipped him all the way up to Dunedin this year (age appropriate level for him too) might support that idea.
hypobole - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 12:47 PM EDT (#373922) #
Don't like being the bearer of bad news, although it's probably not news at all for those who've seen him a few times this year

ToddBJMB
12:42 Is it time for Jays fans to give up on Alford?

Eric A Longenhagen
12:42 he looked no bueno when I saw him a few weeks ago, we're getting to that point.
bpoz - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 01:17 PM EDT (#373923) #
Pitchers are ranked Ace, #1-#5. I would like to know what is a #2-#5.

So Ricky Romero 2011 225 IP 2.92 era #1 or#2?
Romero 2010 210 IP 3.73 era #3 or#4.
Romero 2009 178 IP 4.30 era #4? Maybe #5?

P Murphy with current stats 7 AA starts was described "More and more the signs are pointing to a bright future as a #4 or #5 starter".

I am not upset but curious about this ranking definition because it is referred to all the time. Stud etc...

The Romero results above show a V good member of a pitching staff.

I like what we have in the system AAA and AA. If healthy Pearson, SRF, Zeuch, Borucki, Logue, Y Diaz and of course P Murphy.

Borucki in 2018 97.2 IP 3.87 era. If he ever does 180 IP with 3.87 era then that is a solid year.
#2JBrumfield - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 02:36 PM EDT (#373927) #
Latest Baseball America mock draft has UNLV shortstop Bryson Stott going to the Blue Jays with the #11 pick.
Mike Green - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 04:18 PM EDT (#373933) #
MLB.com has Stott going to the Giants before the Jays' pick.  He's striking out more and hitting for more power this year than previously and looks like a true shortstop. 
ayjackson - Friday, May 10 2019 @ 11:02 PM EDT (#373952) #
"...looks like a true shortstop"

does backflips between innings?
scottt - Saturday, May 11 2019 @ 06:27 AM EDT (#373958) #
Ramirez didn't see a path to Toronto before they traded Pillar, dumped Smith Jr and Pompey took himself out of the picture. I don't think he can play CF, anyway.

Mckinney is the only Blue Jays hitting over .200 in the last 7 days.
After the Minnesota series, that's not too surprising.

The Pale Hoses starters are not very good. They better keep scoring early runs.

 Vladdy has some very nice swings yesterday. It seems like he beaned a little girl with a line drive.


bpoz - Saturday, May 11 2019 @ 02:18 PM EDT (#373961) #
It would be great to have 1 or 2 great pitchers in our rotation.

We have the history for it. Stieb/Key. Guzman/Hentgen and Halladay/Carpenter. So to be quite honest I am definitely expecting it.

So who will it be I wonder? Maybe a strikeout pitcher like Sherzer. Or not as big a strikeout pitcher like Stieb and Halladay. All 3 are great pitchers.

ISLAND BOY - Saturday, May 11 2019 @ 07:09 PM EDT (#373972) #
I'd settle for one pretty good starter at the moment.
ISLAND BOY - Saturday, May 11 2019 @ 07:12 PM EDT (#373975) #
By the way, nobody mentioned Cre Frinfock ? Now that's a name!
bpoz - Saturday, May 11 2019 @ 07:18 PM EDT (#373976) #
Thanks for your response ISLAND BOY. Cheers!!

So are you a little or a lot frustrated? Either is good in my books. This year is another struggle. Possibly the biggest.

I can hear the horses coming. I expect them to be charging in later this year and next.

ISLAND BOY - Saturday, May 11 2019 @ 08:21 PM EDT (#373980) #
bpoz, I'm just a little frustrated. I knew there would be growing pains and lots of losses. What concerns me right now is that there are few young players on the roster who look like they will be stars. I'm not worried about Vlad because he's only 20 years old and pitchers are scared of him. Tellez might be good, and Jansen will be serviceable, but other than that, our future is still in the minors.
I wish Eric Sogard was younger. He plays the game well.
bpoz - Saturday, May 11 2019 @ 09:20 PM EDT (#373984) #
You are right ISLAND BOY. I feel the pain everyday because we are finding a variety of ways to lose. I will not deny that.

In a strange twisted way I enjoy the companionship of da box in this experience.

There was no internet for the early 80s growing pains.
dan gordon - Sunday, May 12 2019 @ 03:01 AM EDT (#373998) #
Some good stuff in AA Saturday. Adams had his first really big game in AA, with 3 hits, including a HR. Espinal had another 3 hits, after 4 on Friday. Hitting .317, with an OPS of .805. Splitting time about equally between 2B and SS, with 2 games in the OF. Probably going to be Buffalo bound soon, as he's 24. Another multi-position candidate. A good start for Logue - 6 innings, 5 strikeouts, 1 walk, 1 run. I know some aren't too high on his potential, but he keeps putting up good numbers year after year, and has moved up pretty quickly, from Bluefield 2 years ago, to New Hampshire now. Career K/BB ratio of about 4/1.

Large had a single and HR for Dunedin and is now hitting .307 with an OPS of .896, after OPS'ing .979 in his short season last year in Lansing. At 23, he probably will move to New Hampshire this year if he keeps this up.
scottt - Sunday, May 12 2019 @ 07:11 AM EDT (#374000) #
Is this like he joke about Ms Prussy the HS teacher?

At any ready, Cre FinFrock was drafted in the 26th round out of high school and didn't sign.
The Jays signed him last year in the 29th round out of UCF. He's from South Carolina.

He's mostly a relief pitcher. He started 3 games last year. He seems pretty average.
bpoz - Sunday, May 12 2019 @ 10:13 AM EDT (#374003) #
I noticed that Pearson pitches every 6 days. That would be tomorrow. Y Diaz is starting today. Maybe Pearson comes in later in the game.
hypobole - Sunday, May 12 2019 @ 04:42 PM EDT (#374006) #
The Alen Hansen Experience for the Bisons. A hit, a walk, a sac bunt, a stolen base and a fielding error.
Glevin - Monday, May 13 2019 @ 05:48 AM EDT (#374011) #
Sogard has been the Jays best player so far but IMO, it'd be better if the team moved on soon. He's 33, will regress to his usual mediocrity soon, and most importantly, the Jays are stacked at 2B in the minors. Biggio and Gurriel are raking in AAA and Espinal is amazing at AA and needs to move up a level. (Not to mention Drury and Travis, who at least have a shot of future value). Having veterans is fine if they aren't blocking anyone or if they are someone you think can find a different level so I don't mind Galvis for example. (Espinal can play SS as well but Urena is at AAA. I might switch them because Espinal has proven himself at AA and Urena has struggled mightily above A ball and is younger anyhow).
scottt - Monday, May 13 2019 @ 07:55 AM EDT (#374012) #
Urena has been one the best Blue Jays position player in WAR, both offensively and defensively, despite playing only in 11 games. Age does not matter. Urena will be out of options next year and Espinal is not even on the 40 roster yet.

Sogard has already regressed. Over the last 6 games he has an OPS of  .192.
Lots of Blue Jays are scuffling.

Biggio should be the next guy up. He's 24, 6 homers, 27 walks and 21 strike outs.
I don't think they're pitching to him much now.

Don't expect instant success in Toronto. Davis was as hot as anyone can be and he's 0 for 6 in his first 2 games.

ramone - Monday, May 13 2019 @ 07:43 PM EDT (#374035) #
Groshans was removed before his first at bat in the Lugnuts game tonight. Assuming he re-aggravated his foot injury.
bpoz - Monday, May 13 2019 @ 09:26 PM EDT (#374037) #
J Winckowski had a v good game today for Lansing.
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