AZL-DSL

[mace]

By winning their last six games and seeing the AZL Dodgers lose last night, the AZL Reds made the league playoffs as the wildcard team. Tonight, they meet the Giants in a semifinal game. Apparently, both the semis and the championship are one-game affairs.

The DSL Reds knocked off the DSL Cubs in their semifinal series, and open the 3-game championship series tonight against the DSL Giants. Consider that the DSL has 34 teams.

The AZL Reds, of course, feature Ronald Torreyes, Junior Arias, Yasmani Grandal, Kyle Waldrop and Ismael Guillon. But that team has also gotten big production out of David Vidal, Robert Maddox, Kurtis Muller, Samuel Diaz, Jaren Matthews and pitchers Mitchell Clarke, El-Hajj Muhammad, Joel Ernst, Jose Amezcua and Wes Mugarian.

The DSL Reds, except for first baseman Carlos Sanchez, appear to be almost all pitching. The staff is spearheaded by Abel De Los Santos, Eliezer Beard, Jose Guzman, Wandy Peralta, Eury Cantalizo and Carlos Ramos. It's an outstanding group.

[SidneySlicker]

Feel like I keep thinking and saying this, the the thought never gets old, and that is that it's hard to believe that the pitching in the Reds organization is as deep as it is. Been a long, long time since the Reds could boast this.

[mace]

I posted this on today's game thread, but . . . the DSL Reds were thumped by the Giants, 7-0, in the first of their three-game championship series. Jose Guzman started and only faced three batters.

[mace]

The AZL Reds beat the AZL Giants 6-5 Monday night to advance to the league championship game (I believe it's Tuesday night) against the AZL Brewers.

Ronald Torreyes: 3-5, 2B, 3B, 5 RBIs
Yasmani Grandal: 2-5, 3B
Ismael Guillon: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
Save: Joel Ernst

The first four Giants pitchers were all born in the 1980s. The first four Reds pitchers (Guillon, Amezcua, Clarke, Quinn) were all born in the 1990s.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by SidneySlicker

Feel like I keep thinking and saying this, the the thought never gets old, and that is that it's hard to believe that the pitching in the Reds organization is as deep as it is. Been a long, long time since the Reds could boast this.

The Reds organization has rarely been known for having great staffs. The BRM was known so much for the hitters and it's staff wasn't stellar, but they got a lot done in a "meat & potatoes" sort of way. I would suggest that we've only had a couple of brief periods with very good pitching - early 1960's and the late 30's-early 40's staffs. So really, I think we're in uncharted territory.

Mace, thanks for keeping us uptodate on the series.

[mace]

The DSL Reds have forced a third and deciding game in the league championship series. Today they rocked the Giants, 13-3, behind ace Abel De Los Santos, an 18-year-old pitching on three days rest.

After falling behind 2-0, the Reds scored 6 in the first and 5 in the sixth. Carlos Sanchez, their leading hitter, was 2 for 2 with a 3B and 3 RBIs. Catcher Edward Bens was 2 for 2 with a HR.

It means that Reds' rookie teams will play for league championships on consecutive days. Tonight, the AZL Reds take on the Brewers in a one-game final. And tomorrow, the DSL Reds and Giants will do it again for the title.

[mace]

After winning seven straight to reach the AZL championship game, the AZL Reds fell just short, losing 10-8 to the Brewers. But big nights were had by Ronald Torreyes (2/4, 2B, 2 RBI), Robert Maddox (3/5, HR, 2 RBI), Kurtis Muller (3/5, 3B) and Juan Silva (2/4, 2B, 3B).

Just as impressive as the winning streak is the fact that the AZL Reds did it with a very young pitching staff (to say nothing of the youth represented by Torreyes and Junior Arias). I mentioned last night how the Giants' first four pitchers were all born in the 1980s and the Reds' were all born in the 1990s . . . Tonight, all five of the Brewers' pitchers were born in the eighties, and the first three Reds pitchers (Radhames Quezada, El'Hajj Muhammad and Nathan Driessen) were born in the nineties. Quite a testament to the organization. (Unfortunately, the Reds' fourth pitcher, Jose Marizan, took the loss, surrendering a decisive two-out, two-run rally in the eighth.)

The AZL Reds have been a very fun team to follow. The roster is rife with prospects that we'll continue to watch with interest.

[lollipopcurve]

Huge sea change in the talent flow pipeline -- used to be the GCL and the latin leagues were a wasteland. Among the many things going right under Jocketty is the revitalization of these lowest levels.

As noted, it's been fun to see a few of these kids stand out -- especially Torreyes and Guillon. And kudos to those followers who have pointed out the strength of the staff in the DSL -- that one had eluded me.

Given that the system appears a little thin at AA-A, though not barren, it's encouraging to know that there are some real players deeper down.

[mace]

lollipop--if you're interested and happened to miss it, there's a brief listing/discussion of those pitching prospects in this thread from late July:

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84009

[mace]

I just posted this in tonight's game thread, but for the record:

In the final game of the DSL championship series, the DSL Reds came up short, losing 8-5 to the Giants.

The Reds' usually staunch pitching betrayed them a bit in the series. 19-year-old Eliezer Beard, a 6-4 righthander, took the fall today in an uncharacteristically rocky start. The bright spot was 18-year-old reliever Jose Munoz: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K. No hitting stars for the good guys. Their main man, 19-year-old first baseman Carlos Sanchez, was 1 for 3.

That team went a long, long way on the strength of outstanding pitching.

[mace]

By the way, Carlos Sanchez led the DSL in hits. He was top-five in most of the other major categories.

[mace]

Ismael Guillon led the AZL in strikeouts. Also, the Reds, as a team, led the league.

[mace]

The AZL Reds, as a team, led the league in slugging (.425) and OPS (.777). David Vidal was their leader in those categories, followed by Robert Maddox.