2017 Minor-League Player of the Day

[texasdave]

Games played on Monday, April, 17.

Player of the day - Michael Beltre, Dayton - It was a difficult choice among Belte, Senzel and Mahle. I went with the scoreboard effect. Beltre scored twice and drove home a pair. Line: 1 for 3 - HR (1), 2 BB, 2 RS, 2 RBI.

Honorable mention: Nick Senzel, Daytona - Senzel reached base four times in the contest, raising his average to .280. Line: 3 for 4 - 3 SGL, HBP, RS.

Honorable mention: Tyler Mahle, Pensacola - Mahle pitched well, but not long enough, IMO. Line: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. ERA lowered to 1.02. Game Score - 64.

RELIEVERS: Pensacola relievers continued to excel. Daytona and Dayton relief corps stunk.

Jake Ehret (0.00), Brennan Bernardino (2.25), Ariel Hernandez (0.00) and Geoff Broussard (0.00) each worked an hitless inning out of the pen for Pensacola. Broussard, recently moved up from Daytona, earned his first save.

NOTE: Daytona and Dayton sent a combined 7 pitchers to the mound on Monday evening. All seven gave up runs. Not good.

POSITION PLAYERS: Some good, but few very good performances.

Blake Trahan, Pensacola - Line: 2 for 4 - SGL, DBL.

Gabriel Guerrero, Pensacola - Line: 2 for 3. - 2 SGL, BB, RS. Batting .341 on the season.

Brian O'Grady, Pensacola - Solo shot (2).

NOTICE: Devin Mesoraco got hit by the pitch twice, and yearns for the Queen City.

Shed Long, Daytona - Line: 2 for 5 - SGL, DBL. 5 hits in his last 3 games.

Gavin LaValley, Daytona - Line: 2 for 4 - SGL, HR (3), HBP, RS, RBI. OPS up to .851 in the Florida State League.

Alfredo Rodriguez, Daytona - Line: 2 for 5 - 2 SGL, 2 RS, SB (3). Seems like his numbers should be better. But OPS is just .601.

Narciso Crook, Daytona - Line: 1 for 3 - SGL, BB, HBP, SB (1/2), RBI. Just 21. Missed most of 2016. Strong arm (18 assists in 168 games).

Taylor Trammell, Dayton - Line: 1 for 4 - SGL, BB, SB (3), RS, RBI. Being a big Led Zeppelin fan, I am waiting for Taylor to have a big game in a winning effort, so I can go with the headline "Trammelled Underfoot".

Tyler Stephenson, Dayton - Line: 2 for 4 - SGL, DBL, BB, SB (1), RS, RBI. Showing signs. Additional stats: Passed ball and throwing error. Tyler was a busy man.

John Sansone, Dayton - Line: 1 for 4 - SGL, BB, RS, RBI. Has hit safely in 7 of 10 games. But has not hit much.

Brantley Bell, Dayton - Line: 1 for 4 - DBL, BB, RS, 2 RBI. Another victim of confirmation bias, I always feel like his stats should be better than they are.

GAME RECAPS:

PENSACOLA - Improved their record to 8-3. First place by 2.0 games. Tyler Mahle allowed a run in the first, and that was it. Jacksonville did not get a hit after the 4th inning. You would think that with a team batting average below the Mendoza Line, that the Wahoos would be struggling. But that is not the case due to their team ERA of 2.07.

DAYTONA - Their record falls to .500 at 6-6. They led late, 4-3 after 7 innings, but coughed up 3 runs in the 8th to fall 6-4.

DAYTON - A tough loss for the Dragons after scoring 7 runs in the first. Final was 12-9 bad guys. Dayton's record of 7-4 has them tied for the division lead.

[mth123]

Taylor Trammell, Dayton - Line: 1 for 4 - SGL, BB, SB (3), RS, RBI. Being a big Led Zeppelin fan, I am waiting for Taylor to have a big game in a winning effort, so I go with the headline "Trammelled Underfoot".

This is perfect. Redszone has "A Whole Lotta Love" for Trammell.

[RedlegJake]

\Alfredo Rodriguez, Daytona - Line: 2 for 5 - 2 SGL, 2 RS, SB (3). Seems like his numbers should be better. But OPS is just .601.

No power so far but he's hit safely in 9 of 11 games, hitting .267. Basically he's been 1 for 4 or 1 for 3 just about every night - ony 1 double so his slg is just .289. 3 walks has his OBP at .313. The guy can put the bat on the ball but he doesn't hit it with authority.

[lollipopcurve]

AlfRod also with 3 SBs (of 3B last night). Reports said he could run, and so far he's shown the ability.

Bullish on this player.

[Sea Ray]

AlfRod also with 3 SBs (of 3B last night). Reports said he could run, and so far he's shown the ability.

Bullish on this player.

Sure, he's young and I think we're all fine being patient and wait for him to improve. What I don't get is why we don't show that same patience for another 22 yr old: Jose Peraza. AlfRod needs to improve in all kinds of areas. Peraza pretty much just needs to take a walk every now and then.

[lollipopcurve]

Sure, he's young and I think we're all fine being patient and wait for him to improve. What I don't get is why we don't show that same patience for another 22 yr old: Jose Peraza. AlfRod needs to improve in all kinds of areas. Peraza pretty much just needs to take a walk every now and then.

Lots of posters want OBP and SLG out of middle infielders. Players with a bat-on-ball, speed and defense profile come under immediate suspicion.

[podgejeff_]

Sure, he's young and I think we're all fine being patient and wait for him to improve. What I don't get is why we don't show that same patience for another 22 yr old: Jose Peraza. AlfRod needs to improve in all kinds of areas. Peraza pretty much just needs to take a walk every now and then.

Let's also not forget that Peraza is only a month and a half older than AlfRod. And he's doing his thing at the major league level as opposed to High A.

[Kc61]

Let's also not forget that Peraza is only a month and a half older than AlfRod. And he's doing his thing at the major league level as opposed to High A.

Last year, when Peraza came up for the first time, I thought he was tentative at the plate. I'm seeing the same thing now.

When he returned later in the year, he swung more decisively, with more authority, and he was terrific. If he gains that confidence again, he'll pull the ball more and hit it harder. I think he will.

Defensively I think Peraza is fine. He's not spectacular, but he's fine both at SS and 2B.

Alf Rod really deserves more time before folks make judgments. I'm glad he's not a complete zero at the plate. He's only been playing pro ball in the U.S. for a brief time.

[OGB]

Not trying to be a jerk, but lets leave this thread to the mlpod updates.

[Tom Servo]

Games of Tuesday, April 18

Brantley Bell, Dayton: 3-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB. The son of the Reds former bench coach is repeating Dayton after a lackluster 2016 and he started off the year in similar lackluster fashion, but every now and again he puts together a game like this, which also included a few impressive defensive plays at 2B, and makes you see the skills inherited from his All-Star father. Brantley has said his father's success motivates him, he might be extra motivated to earn a few promotions and land in Pensacola where his father, incidentally, was born and raised.


Honorable Mention: Tony Renda, Louisville: 3-3, 2B, BB. Unfortunately the diminutive utility man also committed a pair of errors playing third base, but on a night without many solid-but-not-standout performances, Renda will get some props for a big performance at the dish.


In other action:

Juan Perez, Louisville: 2-4, 2B, BB, RBI

Jesse Winker, Louisville: 1-4, 2B, RBI. Back to the grind.

Phillip Ervin, Louisville: 1-4, 2B, RBI.


Gabriel Guerrero, Pensacola: 3-4, 2B, 3B. GG has been stateside and toiling in the minors longer, but he's still only 5 months older than Aristides Aquino. Something to keep in mind as he pounds Southern League pitching to start 2017.

Aristides Aquino, Pensacola: 2-4, 2 RBI. AA has started slow but that was the case last year as well. This is a start.

Angelo Gumbs, Pensacola: 1-3, BB, SB

Brian O'Grady, Pensacola: 1-2, HR, 2 BB. A very Brian O'Grady game for the Rutgers product who takes a lot of walks and has some pop.

Luis Castillo, Pensacola: 5.1 innings, 5 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts, 3 runs, 2 earned runs. Luis also had a single and an RBI and was rolling until the 6th inning when an error started the inning and ended with a two run HR

Jimmy Herget, Pensacola: 1 inning, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 0 runs. A bit adventerous but Jimmy locked down save #6 of the year.



Gavin LaValley, Daytona: 1-4, HR. The Big LaValley drove in the only run the Turtles could muster in this one.

Narciso Crook, Daytona: 2-3, 2B, SB.

Jonathon Crawford, Daytona: 5 innings, 2 hits, 5 walks, 1 strikeout, 0 runs. I mean, 5 shutout innings is 5 shutout innings, but I wouldn't recommend trying to replicate this outing.

Blake Butler, Daytona: 1 inning, 1 hit, 0 walks or runs, 1 strikeout. Butler is, of course, a position player but took the mound with his team down 10-1 in the 9th and was the only Daytona reliever not to allow a run. A day to forget for Jake Paulson, Sarkis Ohanian, and Juan Martinez.



Michael Beltre, Dayton: 2-4, 2 RBI, BB. Beltre is hitting a cool .333 on the season, which is what got him moved to the leadoff spot from the 9 spot he was occupying to begin the season.

John Sansone, Dayton: 1-5, 2B, 2 RBI

Taylor Trammel, Dayton: 1-5, RBI

Tyler Stephenson, Dayton: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI

T.J. Friedl, Dayton: 2-5, 2B, RBI. The hyped Nevadan staying hot.

Brantley Bell, Dayton: 3-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB.

Hector Vargas, Dayton: 2-4

Scott Moss, Dayton: 5.1 innings, 4 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, 2 earned runs. The transition to full-time starter in the minors is gonna have some bumps (case in point, this was Moss' longest outing so far) for the Florida lefty, but Moss has already racked up 22 strikeouts in 14 innings. Not bad.

Aaron Fossas, Dayton: 3.2 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, 0 runs. Fossas saved the bullpen.

[Sea Ray]

Games of Tuesday, April 18





Brian O'Grady, Pensacola: 1-2, HR, 2B. A very Brian O'Grady game for the Rutgers product who takes a lot of walks and has some pop.

Thanks for the update. Just wonderin' how this guy was one for two but had a homer and a double...

[Tom Servo]

Thanks for the update. Just wonderin' how this guy was one for two but had a homer and a double...

Whoops, that was meant to say 2 BB, not 2B. Will fix.

[mace]

Games of Wednesday, April 19

Keury Mella, Pensacola . . . 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K. Mella's 72 game score topped Wennington Romero's 69, but that wasn't the difference maker. Romero was business as usual; Mella was decidedly and refreshingly not. He, however, could be a difference maker if he throws strikes as he did Wednesday night for the first-place Wahoos. On this night, the performance caught up with the hype.

Honorable mention: Wennington Romero, Dayton: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K. The smallish lefty, 19, has a sub-1.00 WHIP for his career.

Honorable mention: Daniel Sweet, Daytona: 3-4. Sitting at .340. Showing improvement over his Dayton stint last year, after being drafted in the 29th round out of Dallas Baptist.

Also notable on a night when the first-place clubs (Dayton, Pensacola) won late to split the slate.

Jesse Adams, Dayton: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K.

James Vasquez, Dayton: 2-3, 2B, BB.

Brantley Bell, Dayton: 2-4, R, BB.

John Sansone, Dayton: 2-5, 2B, R, RBI.

Hector Vargas, Dayton: 1-4, walkoff single in 11th.

Josh VanMeter, Pensacola: 2-5, 2 RBI. Game-winning single to cap 4-run eighth.

Blake Trahan, Pensacola: 2-4, R, 2 RBI.

Eric Jagielo, Pensacola: 2-4, 2B.

Adrian Nieto, Pensacola: 2-4, R.

Brian O'Grady, Pensacola: 0-1, 3 BB, 2 R, SB (2). What a distinctive player.

Angelo Gumbs, Pensacola: 1-1, R. Puzzled that he's not in the lineup more often.

Gabriel Guerrero, Pensacola: 2-5, .377. Hasn't hit over .234 the last two years. (But he was pretty good before that.)

Geoff Broussard, Pensacola: 1 IP, zeros, Sv (2).

Ariel Hernandez, Pensacola: Struck out the side in his only inning, but gave up his first run of the year.

Nick Senzel, Daytona: 2 BB, R.

Narciso Crook, Daytona: First HR, 3 RBI.

Tanner Rainey, Daytona: 1 IP, 2 K. That’s now 8 hitless innings with 18 K. Shades of Sidd Finch.

Sebastian Elizalde, Louisville: Triple.

Dilson Herrera, Louisville: 1-3, R, RBI. Does Peraza need a breather?

Zach Vincej, Louisville: 2-3, BB, R, RBI.

Kyle McMyne, Austin Brice, Louis Coleman, Kevin Shackelford, Louisville: 4.1 innings of 1-hit relief of Jackson Stephens, who sorely needed it. The fifth reliever was center fielder Beau Amaral (1 run).

[camisadelgolf]

Tanner Rainey since August 13th, 2016:

W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	HBP	BF	WHIP	H9	BB9	SO9	SO/W
2	0	0.00	12	0	1	17.1	9	0	0	0	3	32	1	65	0.692	4.7	1.6	16.6	10.7

He has struck out 32 of the last 65 batters he has faced. Um ...

WOW.

[Edd Roush]

Keury Mella now at 13 K : 2 BB for this season after being 101 K : 57 BB last year. Small sample size and all, but not a bad way to start.