Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - McAdoo and the Maine Monster

After pitching was the story of the first part of the season, that all stopped on Friday. Only one starter went five innings as it was tough for starters out there. The top two teams won, the lower two lost.

Durham 5 Buffalo 8

New Hampshire 4 Portland 3 - 10 innings

Vancouver 6 Spokane 8

Dunedin 4 Jupiter 5

Three Stars

Third Star - Paxton Schultz

Second Star - Michael Stefanic

First Star - Charles McAdoo

Boxes

NOTES

Buffalo found some offense, 11 hits and eight runs. They used the long ball for their first three runs. Solo home runs from Riley Tirotta, Orelvis Martinez and Rainer Nunez. It was the first homer of the season for each of them. A couple of experienced players helped the Jays get ahead. Michael Stefanic had three hits while Ali Sanchez drove in two runs with two hits. Jon Clase doubled and walked twice, Stewy Berroa scored two runs helped by a steal and forcing an error on a pickoff attempt.

Lazaro Estrada is having trouble adapting to AAA. In two innings he was charged with three runs on five hits. He did get five strikeouts. Some love has to go to Paxton Schultz who once again was outstanding in relief. Three innings, six K's and one hit. Dillon Tate got the save.

New Hampshire won in extra innings. Charles McAdoo doubled off the top of the "Maine Monster" to score the runner on second. The maine monster is Portland's version of Fenway's green monster. Yohendrick Pinango came over last July in the Nate Pearson trade. He hit under .200 for the Fisher Cats in 2024 but is off to a batter start this year. He had two hits and two RBI on Friday moving his average up to .294 and his OPS to .926.

Rafael Sanchez was charged with two runs in five innings. He struck out five.

The NH game ended on a double play. The tying run was on third with one out. The hitter flew out to left and RJ Schreck threw him out at the plate to seal the win.

Jackson Wentworth had an excellent first start for Vancouver but he had a dose of reality on Friday. In the first inning he was taken deep for a three run home run. In the second inning a lead off walk came around to score. Another run of his scored after he left the game. He was charged with five runs in 3.2 innings.

Sean Keys hit his first home run for Vancouver, a two run shot. Jay Harry hit his second, his was a solo bomb.

The NH game ended with a double play. So did the Dunedin game but in this case the bad guys turned the DP. The D Jays had just five hits.

Daniel Guerra started and gave up four runs in four innings.

Posted by Gerry on Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 07:46 AM EDT.

McAdoo and the Maine Monster | 11 comments | Create New Account

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

bpoz - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 10:23 AM EDT (#458693) #

NH game postponed, snow. DH tomorrow.

Marc Hulet - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 11:25 AM EDT (#458694) #

Clase has been the Bisons best player. Along with his offense, he's looked better in the outfield and actually bailed Schultz out with a leaping catch in center field that pulled back a home run. Schultz was lucky on a few hard hit balls.

Gowdy has looked good, up.to 96 mph.

I don't know velos in New Hampshire but Gregory has been overpowering hitters with his fastball. Lots of whiffs.

Yeager has been good in Vancouver and mid-upper 90s. Apparently has a goal.of hitting 100+

Kelekin - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 12:18 PM EDT (#458698) #

Clase was always a very interesting project and if he can really grow into a strong defender, then it changes his outlook completely. Been waiting for the Jays to have a proper table setting CF for the first time Shannon Stewart.

Marc Hulet - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 01:06 PM EDT (#458702) #

Eric Lauer is throwing batting practice with the cold temps in Buffalo today. He's sitting 88-89 mph and fooling no one.

Today, Clase is playing RF and made an excellent jumping play in foul territory to catch the ball after a long run, hit the wall, and then threw a strike to second base on a line (nice arm strength) to just miss the runner that tagged from first because Stefanic dropped the ball.

greenfrog - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 01:22 PM EDT (#458703) #

Marc, has Clase improved his approach at the plate in 2025? He has posted great numbers in a small sample, including 6:5 BB:K and 6:0 SB:CS in 9 games.

uglyone - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 02:33 PM EDT (#458706) #

Clase has always been solid in the walks/patience department. Solid approach.

Definitely has swing and miss issues tho.

Kelekin - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 02:46 PM EDT (#458708) #

A bit more on Clase's start to the season:

The good (expressed as percentile):
xwOBA - 88th
O-Swing - 72nd
Whiff rate - 66th
Z-Contact - 93rd
K% - 79th
BB% - 88th

The bad:
EV - 1st (yikes)
Barrel rate - 35th
Hard hit rate - 25th
Sweet spot - 16th

So, getting on base, not striking out, and hitting it weakly so far.

Barger on the other hand:

xwOBA - 97th
EV - 99th
Max EV - 100th
Barrel% - 99th
Hard hit - 98th
BB% - 77th

(The bad - 1st percentile O-Swing).

Marc Hulet - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 05:22 PM EDT (#458717) #

Hopefully Clase is just battling the cold weather.

We discussed Toman and his new stance earlier and how he's making more contact so far... but he isn't hitting for much pop. He has just two struck balls that have surpassed 100 mph and he's averaging just 80 mph so far.

finch - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 08:48 PM EDT (#458730) #

Like I said, the organization needs a couple of the younger players to really take a big step forward, specially Toman, Bonilla, Beltre or Polanco. I leave Nimmala off the list as he’s already a top guy and his continued development is expected. If two of the aforementioned can take that huge leap, my confidence is this next group of hitters will be high.

John Northey - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 10:25 PM EDT (#458732) #

For fun (as much as I hate Twitter) you gotta watch this bit from the Jays Dunedin team being walked 22 times in one game. It is the opposing team's announcers telling us that they are broadcasting for 2 people by this point, and an assortment of stuff that lands under the category of why are we here? Can't imagine watching a game with 22 walks, let alone needing to broadcast it. Heck, my daughter's softball team never gave up or walked that many times in a game (highest was 17 given up) and their control was horrid (the trick to winning was the pitchers just pumping it down the middle and hoping). So glad it was the other team doing it and not the Jays.

knuckeler - Saturday, April 12 2025 @ 11:10 PM EDT (#458733) #

Nimmala watch
So Nimmala hit his second HR today going 1 for 5 with a strike out. He currently is batting .310 with an OPS of .980 which is outstanding for a 19 yr old in high A ball. This got me wondering what's the most HR by a 19 yr old in the minor leagues history. Turns out Joey Gallo hit 18 in 2012 in 150 at bats. I think Arjun has the ability to hit 20 or more Hr's in this his 19 yr season which he will be 19 all year, albeit likely in considerably more than 150 at bats. This guy (Nimmala) could be special.

McAdoo and the Maine Monster | 11 comments | Create New Account

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