Thursday 7/26/2012 Minor League Updates

[texasdave]

Bakersfield hosts San Jose in about 30 minutes or so. Daniel Renken tries to get back on track for the Blaze.

[texasdave]

The Cactus Canine host the AZL Moneyballers in about 10 minutes. No pitchers posted as far as I can tell.

[mace]

Originally Posted by texasdave

James Allen pitched seven innings of one-hit, shutout baseball. Dragons took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth and nearly coughed it up. Dennhart pitched a scoreless eighth, but Yovan Gonzalez was taken deep on a two-run blast. Dayton didn't have on their hitting shoes but didn't really need them. A double by Silva, singles by YRod and Perez and two hits by Ryan Wright were enough. Dayton hangs on 3-2.

James Allen is suddenly getting our attention. His conversion to starting is looking good.

Meanwhile, Dayton's top of the ninth went down, rather strangely, like this:


Pitching Change: Matt Shelton replaces Duke von Schamann.
Sean Buckley walks.
Ryan Wright singles on a line drive to center fielder James Baldwin. Sean Buckley to 2nd.
Kyle Waldrop out on a sacrifice bunt, catcher Pratt Maynard to second baseman Pedro Guerrero. Sean Buckley to 3rd. Ryan Wright to 2nd.
With Junior Arias batting, Sean Buckley scores on a balk. Ryan Wright advances to 3rd on a balk.
Junior Arias walks.
Pitching Change: Michael Thomas replaces Matt Shelton.
With Juan Silva batting, Junior Arias picked off and caught stealing 2nd base, pitcher Michael Thomas to first baseman O'Koyea Dickson to second baseman Pedro Guerrero, Ryan Wright scores.
Juan Silva strikes out swinging.

[corkedbat]

Originally Posted by mace

I've read on several threads now (well, at least two) that Didi might soon be shoving Cozart aside. I just don't see it. And that's no disrespect for Gregorius, who looks like an outstanding prospect. I just think that Cozart is being decidedly undervalued. In my view, he has become a guy you can seriously trust as a defensive SS. He makes his share of outstanding plays, to boot (ooh, bad choice of word). Offensively, he's an extra-base hitter and a decent baserunner. His OBP skills are lacking at the moment, but I think that is exaggerated by the fact that he's misplaced at the top of the order. He's no leadoff guy. At least, not as a rookie. But on the whole, Cozart is not a guy I'm looking to replace in the lineup.

I like Cozart a lot too, but I don't let that color my view when it comes to the future at SS. Gregorious is a solid defender too, is very speedy and is hitting more power daily it seems. Zach has had a lot of good things going for him this year, but he hasn't been so good that he'll be imune from competition next fall.

I say let them battle it out next spring training. What's the worst thing that can happen? One wins the job and the other is a solid INF backup. Between them, they're like having a SS. Let them fight over the job a year or two, choose the one you want and the other is a valuable trading chip (someone's always looking for a young SS with some offensive pop/upside).

What, if neither of them meets the standards you want? Blazin Billy should be ready or Billy moves to CF if one of them does.

[Scrap Irony]

Juan Perez's second half has me moderately intrigued: .293/ .356/ .496/ .851 from a SS (or 2B, if you believe the scouting reports). He's only 20 as well. It looks like he's found his power stroke or figured something out.

[camisadelgolf]

Originally Posted by texasdave

James Allen pitched seven innings of one-hit, shutout baseball. Dragons took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth and nearly coughed it up. Dennhart pitched a scoreless eighth, but Yovan Gonzalez was taken deep on a two-run blast. Dayton didn't have on their hitting shoes but didn't really need them. A double by Silva, singles by YRod and Perez and two hits by Ryan Wright were enough. Dayton hangs on 3-2.

I believe you meant CarAGon. I'd call him "CarGon", but that name's kind of taken.

[mace]

In Pensacola's 3-2 loss, Donald Lutz was 3-4 with a HR and 2B.

[mace]

Travieso started tonight for the AZL lads: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. The hit was a HR.

The kiddies trail 4-0 after four.

[Vottomatic]

Originally Posted by mace

I've read on several threads now (well, at least two) that Didi might soon be shoving Cozart aside. I just don't see it. And that's no disrespect for Gregorius, who looks like an outstanding prospect. I just think that Cozart is being decidedly undervalued. In my view, he has become a guy you can seriously trust as a defensive SS. He makes his share of outstanding plays, to boot (ooh, bad choice of word). Offensively, he's an extra-base hitter and a decent baserunner. His OBP skills are lacking at the moment, but I think that is exaggerated by the fact that he's misplaced at the top of the order. He's no leadoff guy. At least, not as a rookie. But on the whole, Cozart is not a guy I'm looking to replace in the lineup.

Yeah, I was kind of kidding about Cozart, because I like him too. Gregorius has simply surprised me. I had Cozart penciled in as the definite SS of the now and the future, partially because of his skills, and partially because I didn't see any SS's in the system that had any slugging ability. If Gregorius hits for average and adds power.........and maintains his stellar defense, all I'm saying is that we might have a position battle on our hands. I just didn't expect it.