4/28/2010 Minor League Game Updates

[dougdirt]

Lynchburg is underway and scoreless through the 4th inning. Travis Webb on the mound.

Carolina plays at 1 with Smit on the mound.

Dayton (Johnson) and Louisville (Chapman) play at 7.

[dougdirt]

Lynchburg is threatening in the 5th. Mesoraco led off with a walk and Buchholz singled before a sac bunt moved both guys over.

[dougdirt]

McMurray struck out and Rojas grounded to third. Heading into the bottom of 5, still scoreless for the Hillcats.

[dougdirt]

Travis Webb scoreless through 5. Still no score for the Hillcats heading into the 6th inning.

[dougdirt]

Josh Fellhauer singled to plate Justin Reed who had stolen 2B a pitch before. Hillcats up 1-0 in the 6th.

[dougdirt]

Neftali Soto homered to make it 2-0. His first of the year.

[nemesis]

Neftali Soto homered to make it 2-0. His first of the year.

He really ahs struggled at the plate for the last year and a half after excelling for a year and a half. Did the Reds make a mistake in rushing him to High A in 2009 vs letting him start out in Dayton?

[OnBaseMachine]

After last night's start, Brad Boxberger's 2010 stats are: 19 IP, 12 H, 1 HR, 6 BB, 24 K, 1.89 ERA, 1.73 GO/FO. Very impressive. He's emerging as the Reds best starting pitching prospect below AA.

[dougdirt]

He really ahs struggled at the plate for the last year and a half after excelling for a year and a half. Did the Reds make a mistake in rushing him to High A in 2009 vs letting him start out in Dayton?

Not sure. There have certainly been extenuating circumstances the last 13 months. First of course is the FSL, which eats even good hitters alive. Then of course is him having his hamate bone removed, which saps a players power for about a year.

[dougdirt]

Lynchburg tied at 2 after a 2 run triple with no outs ties it up. Pitching change coming.

[dougdirt]

It is now 4-2 Kinston over Lynchburg - 5 in a row reached to start the inning, including 2 triples and a double.

[dougdirt]

Carolina is down 1-0. Mike Stanton vs Klinker/Thompson is 1-4 with an infield single this series. Mike Stanton vs all other Mudcats is 9-11 with 5 HR, 3 doubles and 6 walks.

[dougdirt]

Carolina ties it up at 1. Alonso walked, stole 2B and scored on an Eric Eymann single.

Lynchburg is down 5-3. Dave Sappelt doubled to lead off the inning and scored on an error. 2 outs though and no one on after Mesoraco GIDP.

[OnBaseMachine]

From C. Trent:

Speaking of Chapman, Baseball Intellect releases its Top 100 prospects list -- and has Chapman at 8. Because most of these are done in the winter, the ones this year didn't know what to do with Chapman.

BI has Yonder Alonso at 75 and bring up the same old argument -- where to play him with Joey Votto already with the team. It also has Todd Frazier 78, Mike Leake 79 and former Red prospect (and current Blue Jay) Zach Stewart 80.

Also, gives a nod to Chris Heisey as an honorable mention.


http://cnati.com/blogs/ctrent/2010/04/thinking-out-loud-42810.php

[dougdirt]

Carolina has now lost 10 games in a row. Sad. Very sad.

[Kingspoint]

Carolina has now lost 10 games in a row. Sad. Very sad.

That's amazing. As much as the whole organization's win-loss records are bad. I thought we had depth.

[mace]

Carolina has now lost 10 games in a row. Sad. Very sad.

And the scary thing is, they're getting pretty darn good pitching from three of their starters--Klinker, Cochran and Thompson.

Even scarier: Lynchburg is not much better.

[dougdirt]

And the scary thing is, they're getting pretty darn good pitching from three of their starters--Klinker, Cochran and Thompson.


Yes, but here is the rest of the pitching staff:

Player ERA IP H R ER HR HB BB SO WHIP
Phil Valiquette 0.00 9 5 0 0 0 0 1 7 0.67
Jesus Delgado 0.00 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.33
Jerry Gil 3.48 10.33 7 4 4 1 1 10 11 1.65
Joseph Krebs 5.40 11.67 12 7 7 0 1 6 11 1.54
Daryl Harang 6.14 14.67 13 11 10 2 1 3 7 1.09
Ruben Medina 6.57 12.33 10 9 9 1 1 10 5 1.62
Dallas Buck 7.11 19 23 17 15 3 0 7 8 1.58
Alexander Smit 9.33 18.33 21 19 19 3 5 11 20 1.75
Jordan Smith 9.39 7.67 16 12 8 0 1 5 4 2.74
Curtis Partch 21.00 3 7 7 7 2 1 2 1 3.00
Sean Watson 27.00 4.33 14 14 13 1 2 5 6 4.38
Total 7.31 113.33 129 100 92 13 13 60 81 1.67


Yes, that is 100 runs allowed (earned + unearned) in 113.3 innings for the rest of the staff. Valiquette has done his job. Delgado is in AAA. Everyone else on the team has been an absolute batting tee.

[TRF]

Harang has just had bad luck... :)


*ducks*

If he ends the year with a sub 1.20 WHIP, I'd be pretty thrilled.

[fearofpopvol1]

After last night's start, Brad Boxberger's 2010 stats are: 19 IP, 12 H, 1 HR, 6 BB, 24 K, 1.89 ERA, 1.73 GO/FO. Very impressive. He's emerging as the Reds best starting pitching prospect below AA.

He is looking pretty darned good. Especially with Carolina struggling, I wonder how long before he is moved to AA?

[GOYA]

Bats @ Yanks - 7:05

Sutton RF .228
Heisey CF .232
Dorn DH .246
Francisco 1B .122
Cozart SS .268
Valaika 2B .328
Castillo 3B .234
Frazier LF .152
Miller C .265

Chapman P

[dougdirt]

Bats @ Yanks - 7:05

Sutton RF .228
Heisey CF .232
Dorn DH .246
Francisco 1B .122
Cozart SS .268
Valaika 2B .328
Castillo 3B .234
Frazier LF .152
Miller C .265

Chapman P
So Frazier gets dropped, but Francisco remains? Alright.

[GOYA]

Louisville
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Chapman 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.56

Scranton/WB
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Nova 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 1.80

[GOYA]

A walk and two infield hits give the Bats the bases loaded with nobody out.

Frazier up.

[GOYA]

Sac fly

1-0 Bats

[GOYA]

RBI single by Corky

2-0 Bats

[GOYA]

RBI groundout by Sutton

3-0 Bats

[JaxRed]

If they have an especially dismal season at AA I wonder if Carolina might be tempted to find a different dance partner?

[GOYA]

Line single by Heisey. He's 2 for 2 with a double.

Corky at 3rd

[GOYA]

Dorn singles

4-0 Bats

[GOYA]

Cisco grounds out to end the Bats' 2nd inning.

A little life showing in the Bats' bats.

[GOYA]

Louisville
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Chapman 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0.53

Scranton/WB
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Nova 2.0 6 4 4 1 2 0 3.12



Pitches-strikes: Chapman 37-24, Nova 48-32.
Groundouts-flyouts: Chapman 2-1, Nova 3-1.

[GOYA]

Valaika with a 1-out double. He's 1 for 1 with a walk.

[GOYA]

Maloney will come off the DL and start on Friday.

[Homer Bailey]

Chapman has to get that 0.53 ERA up if he wants to fit in with the big league club.

[GOYA]

Chapman gives up a 2-run HR. 1 run is unearned. (error on Castillo)

4-2 Bats

[GOYA]

Louisville
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Chapman 3.0 3 2 1 2 2 1 1.00

Scranton/WB
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Nova 3.0 7 4 4 2 2 0 3.00

Pitches-strikes: Chapman 58-39, Nova 64-39.
Groundouts-flyouts: Chapman 3-1, Nova 6-1.

[Kingspoint]

Yes, but here is the rest of the pitching staff:

Player ERA IP H R ER HR HB BB SO WHIP
Phil Valiquette 0.00 9 5 0 0 0 0 1 7 0.67
Jesus Delgado 0.00 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.33
Jerry Gil 3.48 10.33 7 4 4 1 1 10 11 1.65
Joseph Krebs 5.40 11.67 12 7 7 0 1 6 11 1.54
Daryl Harang 6.14 14.67 13 11 10 2 1 3 7 1.09
Ruben Medina 6.57 12.33 10 9 9 1 1 10 5 1.62
Dallas Buck 7.11 19 23 17 15 3 0 7 8 1.58
Alexander Smit 9.33 18.33 21 19 19 3 5 11 20 1.75
Jordan Smith 9.39 7.67 16 12 8 0 1 5 4 2.74
Curtis Partch 21.00 3 7 7 7 2 1 2 1 3.00
Sean Watson 27.00 4.33 14 14 13 1 2 5 6 4.38
Total 7.31 113.33 129 100 92 13 13 60 81 1.67


Yes, that is 100 runs allowed (earned + unearned) in 113.3 innings for the rest of the staff. Valiquette has done his job. Delgado is in AAA. Everyone else on the team has been an absolute batting tee.

That's way too many homeruns allowed.

[GOYA]

Another HR given up by Chapman

4-3 Bats

[GOYA]

Louisville
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Chapman 5.0 5 3 2 2 3 2 1.35

Scranton/WB
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Nova 5.0 8 4 4 2 2 0 2.79


Pitches-strikes: Chapman 89-55, Nova 83-53.
Groundouts-flyouts: Chapman 4-5, Nova 10-3.

[Kingspoint]

89 pitches.

Get him out, please.

I'd like to see him stay at 90 pitches during April and May.

[Homer Bailey]

Let him pitch.

[GOYA]

Louisville
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Chapman 6.0 5 3 2 2 4 2 1.29

Scranton/WB
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Nova 6.0 8 4 4 2 3 0 2.70


Pitches-strikes: Chapman 99-64, Nova 94-58.

[Kingspoint]

99 pitches is definitely enough.

[GOYA]

Del Rosario is pitching now.

[GOYA]

5-4 Yankees on a 2-run HR off Del Rosario

[GOYA]

Bats lose 5-4

Player AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
Sutton RF 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 .210
Heisey CF 5 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 .243
Dorn DH 5 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 .242
Francisco 1B 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .132
Cozart SS 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .270
Valaika 2B 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 .328
Castillo 3B 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235
Frazier LF 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .146
Miller C 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 .270

Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Chapman 6.0 5 3 2 2 4 2 1.29
Del Rosario 2.0 2 2 2 0 1 1 2.84

[mace]

Four more games, four more losses. This has gotten old early.

On April 11, the Reds' four farm teams were 13-3. Since then, they're 17-46. Good golly.

[OnBaseMachine]

Nice start by Chapman. Not a dominating start but a solid one - it was nice to see him throw more strikes tonight. Only two walks in 6 IP and 64 strikes out of 99 pitches.

[HokieRed]

Nice start by Chapman. Not a dominating start by very solid - it was nice to see him throw more strikes tonight. Only two walks in 6 IP and 64 strikes out of 99 pitches.

Agree. Chapman's strikes percentage is the best news of the night.

[OnBaseMachine]

Oh, and he was pitching in less than ideal conditions too, as it was very windy and cold. Having played in Cuba, he's never pitched in conditions like that.

[billy bob]

I think its about time for some roster shakeups at all the minor league levels. If guys don't perform then ship them out. Get someone in that might!

[lollipopcurve]

On April 11, the Reds' four farm teams were 13-3. Since then, they're 17-46. Good golly.

I have a feeling the system's far more pedestrian than I realized.

[HokieRed]

I have a feeling the system's far more pedestrian than I realized.


Unfortunately this seems like the lesson so far this season. There may have to be a lot of rethinking about who'll be where in Cinti in the future.

[GOYA]

A piece of sky just landed on my foot.

The Bats will be in the playoffs. Below that, the teams may not be contenders but there will be strong players.

[lollipopcurve]

A piece of sky just landed on my foot.

The Bats will be in the playoffs. Below that, the teams may not be contenders but there will be strong players.

Not really the issue. The issue is, how good are the best players in the system? Are they major league starters? The awful starts of most of the system's top hitters has to give one pause at the moment. April is a small sample, but in my opinion it's a bad sign that Frazier and Francisco have fallen off a cliff and Alonso remains mired in mediocrity -- while each of them still searches for a defensive home.

Louisville being a good AAA team means relatively little. And we know that the talent in A and AA is questionable anyway, with no premium prospect to be seen.

Look, I'm a big booster of the minor league guys, and I felt going into the season that the Reds had a top 10 system, easily. But 17-46, with top guys really scuffling, may be a waker-upper. And it's not like there haven't been other opinions out there saying the system is unremarkable. Maybe I was wrong and they were right. We'll see.

[mth123]

Not really the issue. The issue is, how good are the best players in the system? Are they major league starters? The awful starts of most of the system's top hitters has to give one pause at the moment. April is a small sample, but in my opinion it's a bad sign that Frazier and Francisco have fallen off a cliff and Alonso remains mired in mediocrity -- while each of them still searches for a defensive home.

Louisville being a good AAA team means relatively little. And we know that the talent in A and AA is questionable anyway, with no premium prospect to be seen.

Look, I'm a big booster of the minor league guys, and I felt going into the season that the Reds had a top 10 system, easily. But 17-46, with top guys really scuffling, may be a waker-upper. And it's not like there haven't been other opinions out there saying the system is unremarkable. Maybe I was wrong and they were right. We'll see.

The only impact guys are Chapman and Alonso. Cozart may be a starter since he has the defense and the offensive bar at SS is low. Mesoraco is coming forward at an area of need. The others are all role players. Valaika and Frazier are supersubs in the making (but could be really good ones), Dorn is Matt Stairs if all goes well. Francisco is the big question mark. Heisey may be decent if he can handle CF, but his bat may be a little lite for a corner. He and Dickerson may make a decent CF platoon, but Stubbs still may claim it as his own. Maybe Hesiey/Alonso could replace Gomes/Nix as the power platoon for LF.

The rest are depth guys and there could be lots of it with Klinker, Lecure, Maloney, Wood, Ondrusek, Valiquette, etc. The other strength area seems like LHRP where I think Thurman and Joseph could be real assets in a year or two. The team has the makings of a decent package for a proven guy or two or some guys to throw in to go with a contract at the deadline if the team is inclined to move Harang, Arroyo etc.

I'm pretty skeptical of the AA and A+ talent, though I do like Matt Fairel in addition to Klinker, Mesoraco, Thurman and Alonso.

[HokieRed]

We do need to remember our first round pick from last year went right through to the majors. System would certainly look more potent if Leake hadn't done that.