Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Ernie and Spenny Sock It to Syracuse

Buffalo and Vancouver won big. New Hampshire was walked off and Dunedin also lost by a run. The FCL Jays were rained out but the DSL Jays got in the win column to make it a triumphant Tuesday on the farm.

Buffalo 13 Syracuse 4
Portland 9 New Hampshire 4
Vancouver Spokane
Lakeland 4 Dunedin 3
DSL Blue Jays 5 DSL Orioles Black 1

Boxscores

*** 3 Stars!!! ***

3. Abdiel Mendoza, Vancouver - 5IP 4H 0R/ER 1BB 3K 2HBP (W, 1-2)

2. Spencer Horwitz, Buffalo - 5/6, RB, SBI

1. Ernie Clement, Buffalo - 5/6, 2 2B, 3R, SB

Notes

Orelvis Martinez homered in his first Triple-A contest and Davis Schneider went deep. Addison Barger added two doubles and two RBI. Otto Lòpez and Cam Eden had two-hit efforts with López getting a triple. Seven Bisons hitters made a dent in the hit column and all nine reached base, including Tyler Heineman who walked four times. The win went to Zach Pop who worked a scoreless fifth. Hagen Danner struck out a batter to put up a zero in the sixth. Jimmy Burnette overcame two walks for a shutout eighth.

Jimmy Robbins did not make out of the first inning. He needed 42 pitches to get two outs and gave up three runs in the process.Luis Quiñones prevented Robbins' line from looking worse as he stranded the bases loaded. Quiñones did give up a solo homer over 2-1/3 innings. Andrew Bash struck out five over three shutout frames and Mason Fluharty put up a perfect frame with a strikeout. T.J. Brock was charged with a blown save after giving up a run over one-third of an inning. Connor Cooke stranded the bases loaded but took the loss when he gave up three runs in the ninth. Gabriel Ponce walked the only two batters he faced, with the latter forcing in the losing run. Trevor Schwecke and Rainer Nuñez both homered with Nuñez getting two hits. Miguel Hiraldo had two hits, including an RBI single and a stolen base on the back end of a double steal that saw Will Robertson swipe home. Andrés Sosa singled home a run. Steward Berroa had a hit, a walk and two stolen bases. Leo Jiménez and Damiano Palmegiani were 0-for-4 with a walk.

The C's steamrolled Spokane as all nine hitters got at least one hit. Josh Kasevich had three hits while Garrett Spain, Gabby Martinez, Devonte Brown and Ryan McCarty had two hits apiece. Spain homered off rehabbing Rockies hurler Tyler Kinley who was also joined by fellow rehabber Brendan Rogers who played second base. Dasan Brown had an RBI triple to open the scoring. Ryan Boyer gave up his first run of the year after beginning his C's tenure this year with 12-1/3 scoreless innings.

Dunedin scored their runs without a hit. They came home on the Lakeland starter's throwing error and two wild pitches. Glenn Santiago had two hits and Manuel Beltre had one. Dylan Rock walked twice but Tucker Toman was 0-for-4. Eliander Alcade gave up all four runs in four innings. Yondriel Rojas and Grayson Thurman combined for five shutout innings and 11 strikeouts with Rojas contributing eight whiffs over 3-2/3 innings.

Brazilian hurler Sann Omosako spun five shutout frames for the win, giving up just one hit and striking out four. Daniel Perez homered and walked twice. Maykel Minoso had a two-hit game while Enmanuel Bonilla heard ball four twice.

Extra Innings

C's Plus Baseball checks in with pitcher Kevin Miranda.

Posted by #2JBrumfield on Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 01:22 AM EDT.

Ernie and Spenny Sock It to Syracuse | 25 comments | Create New Account

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

greenfrog - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 08:39 AM EDT (#432003) #

Horwitz is not an especially fashionable prospect, but he is now hitting .308/.427/.417 at AAA. His OPS is right in line with his career average (.844), but he has more OBP and somewhat less power than in previous seasons. If OBP is around twice as valuable as SLG (based on the definition of wOBA), then Horwitz is more valuable than ever. He might have more value than, say, Rowdy Tellez.

I like Mike's suggestion of trying him out next year as a Brandon Belt substitute on the roster.

hypobole - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 11:18 AM EDT (#432011) #

Watched bits of the Bisons game last night. This was the 5th game i saw with Schneider in LF. I watched every ball hit to ward him those 5 games. Almost every one was pretty well a can of corn. Only twice was there a catchable ball with a degree of difficulty. A few games back he had to charge a sinking liner and made a nice diving catch. Last night he had to race back and make an over the shoulder catch on the warning track. Not enough to make any definitive statements, but has probably improved.
The Mets broadcast seemed to have access to EV's but only shared 2 I heard. Barger's 1st double was a LD into the LF corner, 107 mph. His next PA, hit another LD right at the CF.,110 mph. That, if accurate, is excellent. Half the Jays haven't hit a ball 110 mph all season. I checked Bargers FG page and noticed his 33% line drive rate. That's top 2% in all AAA. Bo leads the majors at just over 29%.

hypobole - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 11:44 AM EDT (#432012) #

Proofread after posting. Barger pulled his 1st double into the RF corner. I was also interested in how the hitters would do against Magill, who I remember ed from a game where he stifled the Jays 2 yrs ago. The Mets announcers comments prior to the game sounded like what Schneider said about Manoah last night, pitching better than his results show. Not last night. Whatever he had 2 yrs ago seemed gone. The Orelvis HR was the epitome, a hanger right in the middle of the plate. Reminded me of the pitches Vlad was getting at the HR Derby.

uglyone - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 12:21 PM EDT (#432013) #

Horwitz is fashionable enough for me! Great approach, and possibly good enough contact to keep a solid average. His lack of power will always limit him thouhh.

As a no-D guy that projects as more of a league average hitter, i'd be fine projecting him as a solid bench piece at least.

bpoz - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 12:28 PM EDT (#432014) #

I fully expect Chapman to leave as a FA. 200 ABs left in AAA this year for Barger and Orelvis. I feel it is unlikely that either is on the Opening Day roster. I could be wrong and 1 wins the 3B job and bats 9th until he earns a higher place in the batting order.

greenfrog - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 12:29 PM EDT (#432015) #

If the Jays can find a way to use Horwitz as a sometime starter and bench bat against RHP, they could really have something. This year he has hit .335/.471/.477 in over 200 PA against RHP -- a superb slash line.

uglyone - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 12:54 PM EDT (#432017) #

The walk rate is probably very portable, but i'm a little worried his average is a little babip-dependant until he proves otherwise.

Mike Green - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 01:34 PM EDT (#432019) #

Horwitz hit .330/.449/.576 against RHP in AA last year. He has massive platoon differentials.

This year with longer dimensions to RF in Buffalo, he has been going more the other way. With the new layout at the RC, he's a prime candidate to work on a more pull approach before 2 strikes as he did in NH.

Schneider is making an interesting case for himself also. Thanks, hypobole, for the report on his defence in LF.

Ducey - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 01:34 PM EDT (#432020) #

There is a bit of a cloud hanging over Barger because he has missed so much time and is still rehabbing his elbow. Davidi mentioned he might need off season elbow surgery.

So planning on having him ready to go in the spring might be a stretch. I am also not sure on the D, he did have a strong arm, but there are a lot things that come into play at 3B, including consistency.

I dont think he or Orelvis would be good bets for the beginning of next season. Signing a place holder 3B who can be replaced midseason by one of them should be the plan

Gerry - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 01:41 PM EDT (#432022) #

Baseball Savant has the stats for yesterdays Bisons game. Barger had five exit velocities over 100 mph. On the other hand Horwitz had a lot of seeing eye balls, one ball over 100 mph. Two of his singles were 89.9.

I am not trying to downplay Horwitz, and one game does not a season make, but arguably Barger with his two hits had a better night than Horwitz with his five.

Gerry - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 01:46 PM EDT (#432023) #

Make it six exit velos over 100 for Barger. Buffalo hit 9 balls over 100, six for Barger, one for Horwitz and two for Otto Lopez.

hypobole - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 02:02 PM EDT (#432025) #

Thank you for the info Gerry. Do you have a link for the Bisons game?. I've never figured out how to get milb stats at savant.

Gerry - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 02:25 PM EDT (#432027) #

This is how I do it.

I open baseball savant and click on a game to open the details for that game. At the end of the hyperlink there is a six number code for the game, it usually starts with a 7.

Then, in another tab, I open gameday for the game I want to look at. It has a six digit number at the end of the hyperlink as well. I note the six digit number and go back to savant and replace the six digit number of the game I have there. Presto, the details for the minor league game.

Only some parks have savant. Most AAA and Florida State League games have it. Not so much in AA or high A.

hypobole - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 02:48 PM EDT (#432029) #

Thank you again Gerry. It worked!

greenfrog - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 03:33 PM EDT (#432031) #

Maybe Horwitz is a bit like Arraez, with exit velocity being less important than for other hitters (Arraez's average exit velo this year is in the 35th percentile, and his max exit velo is 9th percentile).

scottt - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 05:36 PM EDT (#432036) #

It's not uncommon to hit for average without hitting for power.
Kirk gets a fair number of hits on balls in play considering his speed.
It's the guys who hit a lot of flyballs or who don' t go the other way you end up with lower babip.

Evair Montenegro - Wednesday, July 19 2023 @ 07:52 PM EDT (#432039) #

Great interview with Kevin Miranda, he is from Panama but I didn't know about him until recently.
A friend of mine got him into college.

bpoz - Thursday, July 20 2023 @ 08:55 AM EDT (#432068) #

Barger is having a good July. Playing DH, SS & 3B.

Orelvis did dominate AA in the last few months. Buffalo 1K in 10 ABs is good.

I believe in Horwitz bb/k, Eden good Avg, improved bb/k from last year (22% K in 54 July ABs) and has speed and strong arm. Schneider having a great year. For July 36 ABs 3/2B, 3/Hr, 361 Avg and most impressive 13/bb and 9K. Eventually they will get tested in the ML by some team I expect.

Glevin - Thursday, July 20 2023 @ 09:29 AM EDT (#432070) #

Barger coming on (his exit velocities recently are crazy) would be huge for the Jays. Espinal and Biggio have combined for -0.1 WAR in 300 PAs and being able to replace most of that with a + player would have a huge impact.

greenfrog - Thursday, July 20 2023 @ 09:41 AM EDT (#432071) #

The Jays will probably try to trade Barger and keep Orelvis.

Marc Hulet - Thursday, July 20 2023 @ 09:58 AM EDT (#432072) #

With Barger's wonky elbow, not sure he'd pass a trade physical... Rumors of possible offseason surgery.

I believe Orelvis is likely on the block - esp with the recent AAA callup. I suspect Toronto would also be more than willing to part with Horwitz, Lopez and Zulueta to free up 40-man space. Thornton and Hatch, too, but I doubt they have any value.

bpoz - Thursday, July 20 2023 @ 10:27 AM EDT (#432074) #

The trade deadline is fast approaching. I expect rumors to start and get wilder and wilder as we find out who is on the trade market. Buyers and sellers have already been sorted out. I have doubts the buyer/seller mix will change much by the trade deadline.

greenfrog - Thursday, July 20 2023 @ 10:37 AM EDT (#432076) #

Orelvis is a potential middle-of-the-order bat who can take over third base at low cost for the next 7+ years. It seems a bit crazy to trade a player like that, unless the Jays are getting a very good outfielder in return (one who is controllable for at least 2-3 more seasons).

Marc Hulet - Thursday, July 20 2023 @ 02:31 PM EDT (#432096) #

The Blue Jays have limited assets of interest to other teams -- no one is looking for a future bench player or middle reliever.

greenfrog - Thursday, July 20 2023 @ 02:49 PM EDT (#432105) #

"future bench player or middle reliever"

This is what the Jays used to acquire Merrifield.

Ernie and Spenny Sock It to Syracuse | 25 comments | Create New Account

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