Minor League Games - Sunday, August 6, 2017

[kikutaro]

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (67-47) @ Buffalo Bisons (50-64) 1:05 pm | Gameday
Jose Taveras (1-0, 0.00) vs. N/A

Notable

Scott Kingery 1-4, BB
J.P. Crawford 1-3, 2 BB
Rhys Hoskins 0-3, 2 BB, K
Andrew Pullin 1-4, 2B
Matt Williams 1-3, BB, K

Jose Taveras 5.0 IP, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 6BB, 3K, game score: 55
Cesar Ramos 2.1 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K
Colton Murray (L, 2-2), 0.1 IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 0K

Akron RubberDucks (55-56) @ Reading Fightin Phils (59-52) 2:05 pm | Gameday
Shao-Ching Chiang (0-0, -.--) vs. Jacob Waguespack (0-0, 9.00)

Notable

Angelo Mora 1-5, RBI, SB
Kyle Martin 1-4, 2B, 2 K
Jiandido Tromp 1-3, R, 2 K
Drew Stankiewicz 2-4, R, RBI
Cord Sandberg 3-4, R, 2 2B, K

Jacob Waguespack 7.0 IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 3BB, 8K, game score: 66
Austin Davis (H, 8), 1.2 IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 0K
Ranfi Casimiro (BS, 1)(L, 1-4), 0.0 IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 0K

Clearwater Threshers (61-52) @ Palm Beach Cardinals (60-49) 1:00 pm | Gameday
Ranger Suarez (1-2, 2.33) vs. Sam Tewes (0-0, 1.50)

Notable

Cornelius Randolph 0-4, 2 K
Derek Campbell 3-4, 2 R, RBI, HR
Jose Pujols 1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, K
Carlos Duran 2-4, 2B
Emmanuel Marrero 2-4, CS
Jose Antequera 2-4, 2 2B, K

Ranger Suarez (W, 2-2), 6.0 IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K, game score: 76
J.D. Hammer (H, 1), 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 3K
Trevor Bettencourt (H, 2), 1.0 IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K
Seth McGarry (S, 16), 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 2K

Hagerstown Suns (60-50) @ Lakewood BlueClaws (60-53) 1:05 pm | Gameday
James Bourque (5-6, 5.04) vs. Adonis Medina (4-7, 3.24)

Notable

Raul Rivas 3-5, RBI, K
Austin Listi 2-4, R, RBI, 3B
Gregori Rivero 0-2, 2 BB
David Martinelli 0-3, RBI, 2 K

Adonis Medina 6.0 IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 7K, game score: 62
Will Hibbs (BS, 3), 1.2 IP, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 2K
Ismael Cabrera (W, 7-5), 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K

Auburn Doubledays (18-27) @ Williamsport Crosscutters (24-19) 5:05 pm | Gameday
Nick Raquet (0-1, 2.37) vs. Julian Garcia (3-2, 3.38)

Notable

Adam Haseley 2-4, 2B
Jhailyn Ortiz 2-4
Malvin Matos 1-4, R, RBI, HR

Julian Garcia (L, 3-3), 6.0 IP, 9H, 4R, 3ER, 0BB, 5K, game score: 51

GCL Phillies - Off

DSL Phillies White - Off

DSL Phillies Red - Off

(click on the start time for box scores)

[Squire]

Another interesting group of starters today.

[phillychuck]

I think Wilson Garcia is starting his first game at catcher this season today. Also hitting cleanup, as usual for CLW. I don't think his bat can carry him at the higher levels as a 1B, but he may be able to play if he catches. Probably not for the Phils given his age and FA status.

[California_Dreamin]

And the zeroes continue offensively for the minor league teams. I know a few others [believe squire was one of them] have mentioned this, it has been going on for about a month now and has really made it difficult on a organization wide group of pitchers who have been outstanding.

I am not sure what has happened to the system's offense but it is no longer a SSS but has become, in my opinion, a real problem. It has gotten to where I am shocked when a minor league club scores. Pitchers like Suarez and Medina seem to continually pitch with almost no runs.

Sure hope it ends soon.

[phillychuck]

CLW leading 3-0, Lakewood leading 2-1 as I type this. LV tied 0-0.

[California_Dreamin]

PC...and 3 runs is a bonanza right now! Look at the totals so far today...0, 3, 3 and 2. I do understand that promotions and injuries have taken some good hitters out of the equation [Quinn, Williams, Alfaro, Perkins, Walding] but still, this drought has been going on for a month now and I have to wonder about some of the hitting coaches in the minors.

[California_Dreamin]

Rivas doubles Alastre in the bottom of the 10th and Lakewood wins 3-2. Suarez with a one hitter, a 3-0 win. Hammer struck out the side in his one inning of work and McGarry with save #16.

LHV in a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the 10th and Reading leads 3-2 in the bottom of the 7th.

[Austinfan]

I think a lot of it is young hitters getting a bit tired, Phillies have one of the younger farm systems and they've been pretty aggressive about promoting players in the second half - I think a strategy to get them used to the next level for a month, then starting them at that higher level next year with an offseason to think about the adjustments and improvements they need to make to compete. But it can be physically draining, especially at Clearwater, and I don't think that's a huge concern.

The hitting is where the "donut hole" in the organization is most apparent, they added a lot of pitching in trades and had a bunch of young pitchers jump out and get promoted on merit - this is by far the best pitching depth I've ever seen in the organization, in the past they'd have one team with a great starting staff that we'd follow from level to level as they burned out - now, there's two guys ready to jump in when one guy burns out!

[California_Dreamin]

Don't buy it, just don't. Other teams and organizations have players just as tired and they aren't going through this. I still can't help but feel that nagging suspicion that the system still has problems with the dual messages. In fact I read it this week, Klentak talking about controlling the strike zone while Peter Mac talking about hitters being aggressive.

Look, I think hitters like Kingery and his ilk [the guys with more collegiate experience] are less likely to be confused, they have been around long enough to simply trust their abilities and let it flow. But younger guys, players more prone to try and impress the organization, may be getting confused and the last thing you want to do when hitting is think too much.

[julio]

The minor leaguers aren't listening to Pete Mackanin's post-game comments.

Much ado about nothing.

[bkox]

The Good Phight (TheGoodPhight)

[California_Dreamin]

I never said they were, I said there seems to be dual messages being sent organization wide. And its not much ado about nothing, it has become a problem and I do not believe its because they are tired. No more tired that other systems.

[julio]

I never said they were [listening to Mackanin], I said there seems to be dual messages being sent organization wide.

But you cited Mackanin as sending the message that's different than what the GM (and player development folks) are preaching. If the kids aren't listening to Mackanin, then where is the evidence for them getting dual messages? Is there such evidence, or is this just your speculation/imagination?

Or is "Peter Mac" somebody other than Mackanin?

[allentown]

My brother and I were at the Reading game today. Waguespack pitched remarkably well. Although I didn't like the 3 walks, he gave up only 2 runs in his 7 IP on 6 hits, none for extra bases. He actually only gave up 5 hits, but the scorer inexplicably gave a hit on a ground ball one step to the side of Mora, which he hit in his glove, bounced out right at his feet and rolled away as he tried to pick it up. He also should only have given up one run, but his 1B came home on a grounder, where he had no chance to get the runner and could have made the 2nd out of inning. Next batter hit a long sac fly, which should have been out #3. Waguespack looked gases in the 5th, not unexpected for a converted reliever, but gutted it through the inning. He pitched two more, getting half his Ks in the final 2 innings. His FB on the stadium gun was 91-94 T95. The game summary says he threw 100 pitches, but it was actually 103. It was a cool day, but that still seemed a lot of pitches for a guy converted from relief in season.

Phillies had more hits, but no walks.. Tocci had a hit, but looked inept on the slow breaking stuff. Sandberg looked very good offensively, with 3 hits including two doubles. Should have had a third double but was thrown out at second on a sure double, because he watched the ball too much on the way to first and was then thrown out at second. Grullon looked good behind the plate, caught a couple of foul pops, blocked pitches well and caught pitches with a steady glove which got called strikes. He was erratic throwing -- picked a guy off first, had another nice snap throw to first, but threw very wide on a steal of 2B.

Legg lost his game of reliever roulette.

[julio]

CD's concern about a run-scoring drought in the Phils' minors provoked me to actually look at the data:

Note that August is just 4 to 6 data points, depending on the league, so focus on April thru July.

AAA: April is very similar to July; May was a very good month.
AA: Strong April, strong June. May and July less so.
A+: Decent April and May, decline of nearly a run/game in June-July.
A: Poor April and July, much better May and June
SA: Good June, so-so July.
RK; (Didn't pull the GCL data, because the non-standard website makes that far more difficult than the others.)

I don't really see a "drought" here (YMMV, of course). July something of an outlier, in that NONE of the clubs had a really good month, but for each full-season team, July wasn't out of line with at least one prior month.

Nice early uptick for several clubs in August - but again, so little data as to be meaningless.