Why do I post this? Well, it is the right forum. There are three former Reds top prospects playing in it, and I got to go to game one. Our hometown Sod Poodles won in dramatic fashion scoring 7 runs in the bottom of the 8th. Josiah Gray (he goes by JoJo. I did not know that.) started for Tulsa, Jeter Downs was at SS. Trammell is the leadoff hitter for the Soddies (I kid you not, that is one of the team nicknames.) and plays CF.
5159 people attended last night. And it was loud until the top of the 8th when the Drillers tied the game at 6 with a three run blast. Gray pitched 6 innings, struck out 2. His FB was sitting at 93-95. His defense didn't help him, but it's hard to pitch in Amarillo. Altitude flattens the breaking stuff a bit. Anyway, Tulsa's 6 runs all came via the HR. 3 solo shots, one 3 run bomb that may not have landed yet.
Josiah Gray, for those that have not seen him, is... short. I mean really short. I'm a shade under 6 feet. I'd tower over him. We were right behind the visitor's dugout not far from the bullpen, so I saw him warming up before the game. He throws moderately hard, seems to have really good stamina. His FB maintained velocity and he had a decent pitch count, 90 through 6 innings. He gave up only 1 HR, but Amarillo did hit a lot of line drives.
Now to make Alabama crazy. Jeter Downs is a STUD. He's listed at 5'11", but he might be shorter than Jose Altuve. He'll ABSOLUTELY stick at SS, and has tremendous range, and a cannon for an arm. He made a diving play to his right, rolled over on his back and still threw the runner out at 1st. From his back. Think that play Iglesias almost made a few days ago except from further away, going away from 1B. He got cheers from my section. Also, dude can hit. He could be a Dodger as soon as next year at 2B, but probably 2021. He's only 21. Fun Fact, Jeter's older brother plays at the same level, AA for the Red Sox.
And now, Taylor Trammell. Maybe the best I have seen him play. He went 2-4, but IMO it was 2-5. He was credited with a sac in the 8th. I read it differently. Runners on 1st and 2nd, nobody out, Trammell drops the head of the bat and lays down a perfect bunt. He was totally trying for a hit here and almost beat it out. He had two hard hit singles, scored from 1st on a single, stole a base and played very well in CF. He does have a LF's arm, to be sure, but last night you saw every tool he had used with skill. Also, Trammell is a very animated teammate. 1st out of the dugout to congratulate guys.
As for a non-former Red, the Sod Poodle's SP, Lake Bachar, was asked to bunt in the bottom of the 4th. He took a pitch that clipped his throwing hand. He stayed in, got the next pitch and laid down a very good bunt. Reliever came in for the 5th.
Justus Sheffield's brother plays for Tulsa as a RP. Torrens and Wong, the catchers for each team can flat out rake. Both are only 23. I'd have my eyes on both as acquisition targets.
31 year old Chris Parmelee with over 400 MLB games played is toiling in the Dodgers AA team after not playing last year. All for the love of the game.
And now, this:
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