Ironpigs-Bisons AAA Tourney (Final 10 Games)

andyb 2021-09-23 15:17:59 UTC #1

No new threads but here is the box for game 1 of the Triple A tourney. 10 games. 5 away this week. 5 home next week. Lehigh Valley wins a rain shortened game 3-0.

Moniak with the big day (HR and 3B, BB). Stott also great in his AAA debut (1-1, 2 BB). Muzziotti also made his AAA debut but was 0-2. Bohm 0-4 with his OPS down to 629 so he is not coming up. Eastman with a 6-inning complete game shutout for the win (he has only been so-so this year).

One could argue that lineup is almost as good as the big club's lineup. Take Harper out of Philly and it is not that far apart.

[n.b.: Moved to it's own thread; I think a ten-game AAA tourney warrants that. - J]

Video of the home run here. Not off a great pitcher (9+ ERA at AAA though was good 2 years ago), but it was off a LHP and it was a no doubter over a wine pavilion in RF.

Minor League Games - September 18, 2021

Austinfan 2021-09-23 20:34:24 UTC #2

I certainly haven't given up on Moniak yet - he's filled out and developed legitimate power. Coming out of HS he was considered an elite pure hitter. With the right coaching, I don't think it's impossible that he can't combine the two, rather than the "swing for the fences" approach, get his HS stroke back but with a lot more power.

The fact that he's playing CF in an OF with Haseley and Muzzoitti suggests he still has some decent range left, he probably is as good as Herrera, who's lost a step or two.

phillychuck 2021-09-23 20:56:07 UTC #3

Muzziotti is an elite CF, so I think Moniak is in CF as a "test" for him, not because he's better at it than Haseley and Muzziotti. I'm in agreement that it's too early to give up on Moniak, I'd like to see him get a couple of months in the big leagues PLAYING next spring.

andyb 2021-09-23 22:44:10 UTC #4

Tonight's box. Pigs up 1-0 so far. Stott walked and scored.

Note for the title, next week's series at home is against the Worcester Red Sox, not Buffalo which is this week's 5-game series.

andyb 2021-09-24 17:23:43 UTC #5

Pigs lose 5-4 to even series 1-1. Stott 1-3 with a BB. Haseley and Bonifacio homered. Maton played CF!

And looking at the bullpen, Seranthony looking a little better. It was JD Hammer who blew the save. Hammer really needs to throw 96+ to have any success with his lack of command.

Morales starting tonight:
https://twitter.com/IronPigs/status/1441481038992117766/photo/1

andyb 2021-09-25 00:51:22 UTC #6

Morales 5 shutout innings. Stott first AAA HR. Tied 4-4

Philsmania 2021-09-25 15:42:30 UTC #7

What is the format of this "tournament"?

andyb 2021-09-25 17:49:04 UTC #8

It is really more 10 games added to the schedule with some bonus money. Teams play 10 games in 2 5-game series. 1 on the road and 1 home. Opponents determined by some winning percentage formula with the goal of fairness and not seeding. Then the best winning percentage team over 10 games gets the trophy.

As I said, with the shortened schedule it replaces some of the April games lost. I like it because everybody is promoting their best prospects from AA too, so it is a little more like the Arizona League with better prospects playing. I would not be shocked if they kept some version of it in the future. MLB teams probably like having 2 more weeks to add a player if they get injuries (remember all the potential adds would have already been on the expanded roster in years past). Now we could add a reliever that has recently pitched rather than one who had finished their season a couple of weeks ago.

zambonir 2021-09-25 18:31:17 UTC #9

It also makes sense with the 28-man roster limit. Since you can't bring 6-10 guys up when the AAA season is over, let them keep playing. And since MLB runs the minors now the AAA team owners don't really get any say. I'm sure it's a money-loser for them, usually even the postseason is, since you can't do big advance marketing and back-to-school/football has people's attention.

Austinfan 2021-09-25 19:37:10 UTC #10

Maybe not, when fans realize they're watching teams full of prospects, better shot at seeing a future ML star.
It's great for the Phillies, head start on Arizona and then ST next year.
Which matters for a team desperate for a couple prospects to step up and fill holes (freeing money for other holes).

phillychuck 2021-09-25 20:13:57 UTC #11

I'm going next week if Haseley, Bohm, Moniak, Marchan, O'Hoppe, Maton, Muzziotti, and Stott are still playing. That's a fun, young group. Their pitching is in shambles, though.

Austinfan 2021-09-25 21:21:25 UTC #12

It'll be just like watching the Phillies these days, lots of hitting by both teams.

zambonir 2021-09-25 22:49:42 UTC #13

That's just not how the minor league baseball business works. There are maybe a few thousand fans in the Lehigh Valley like us, and another half a million who go in groups, for a family night out, because their company has season tickets, because there's a cool giveaway or non-baseball entertainment, etc. But none of that happens with post-season ball, so you're only left with the die-hards. The people who might come to a game this week to see Bryson Stott aren't paying the bills. This tournament, if it continues, could be a little easier to sell since at least they will know the dates, and already did this year too.

phillychuck 2021-09-26 00:09:25 UTC #15

Didn't watch today, huh?

bkox 2021-09-26 02:29:10 UTC #16

Lehigh Valley had six first-round picks play today:

Mickey Moniak
Adam Haseley
Cornelius Randolph
Alec Bohm
Bryson Stott
Mark Appel

Two 1-1 picks, five top-10 guys. #Phillies
— Josh Norris ( @jnorris427 ) September 26, 2021

andyb 2021-09-26 12:09:29 UTC #17

Saturday the Pigs lose 4-3. Lots of baserunners (9 hits, 5 BB) but only 3 runs. 1-3 for the week.

Long lost wayward soul Alec Bohm starting to hit at least (HR, 2B). He actually pulled a ball.
https://twitter.com/IronPigs/status/1441830400616194053

kmc1019 2021-09-27 13:02:20 UTC #18

Iron Pigs lost on Sunday but there were some bright spots - especially for a team needing bullpen help NOW:

-Brogdon pitched 1 perfect inning with 2 Ks
-Seranthony 2 scoreless innings with 3 Ks
-Moniak HR
-Bohm 2 hits
-Stott 2 hits and 2 BBs
-Haseley (.593 OPS) don't ask

Austinfan 2021-09-27 14:28:41 UTC #19

Didn't Haseley miss a couple months or so? He's been jacked around the last two years and missed about a year's worth of PA. So he's probably struggling to regain his stroke and batting eye.

Philsmania 2021-09-27 15:00:30 UTC #20

He did take a personal leave at some point and was on the covid list at another point.

phillychuck 2021-09-27 15:05:59 UTC #21

If he's not driven to succeed at this point it's going to be hard for him to get his form back. The personal leave makes a fan skeptical of his drive, but there's really no substantive support from other sources that he's not dedicated.