Minor League Games - Monday, May 7, 2018

[kikutaro]

Pawtucket Red Sox (15-13) @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (15-14) 7:05 pm | Gameday
Josh Smith (0-1, 1.86) vs. Cole Irvin (2-1, 3.86)

Notable

Dean Anna 2-4, 2 R, RBI
Collin Cowgill 2-4, RBI, K
Danny Ortiz 2-4
Trevor Plouffe 1-3, 2 RBI
Dylan Cozens 0-4, 3 K
Joey Meneses 1-4, R, 2 K
Nick Rickles 2-4

Cole Irvin (W, 2-1), 7.0 IP, 5H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 5K, game score: 68
Hoby Milner (H, 1), 0.2 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 0K
Pedro Beato (S, 8), 1.1 IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K

Reading Fightin Phils (10-17) @ Trenton Thunder (19-10) 7:00 pm | Gameday
Ranger Suárez (1-2, 4.25) vs. Brian Keller (2-2, 4.62)

Notable

Zach Coppola 0-4, 2 R, BB, 2 K, SB
Damek Tomscha 4-4, RBI
Kyle Martin 0-5, 3 K
Zach Green 2-4, RBI, 2B, BB, K
Jiandido Tromp 0-4, K, SB
Deivi Grullon 3-4

Ranger Suarez (L, 1-2), 6.0 IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 6K, game score: 56

Clearwater Threshers (12-19) @ Lakeland Flying Tigers (13-17) 6:30 pm | Gameday
Connor Seabold (0-2, 4.73) vs. Austin Sodders (1-2, 4.46)

Notable

Arquimedes Gamboa 2-4, R, 2B, K
Adam Haseley 1-4, 3B
Henri Lartigue 1-4, 2B
Raul Rivas 0-4, K, SB
Jose Pujols 0-3, 3 K

Connor Seabold 7.0 IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 9K, game score: 79
Aaron Brown (L, 1-1), 1.0 IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K

Lakewood BlueClaws (16-15) @ Columbia Fireflies (17-14) 11:05 am | Gameday
Ramon Rosso (1-0, 1.10) vs. N/A

Notable

Jake Scheiner 1-4, R, 2 K
Dalton Guthrie 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, CS
Nick Maton 2-4, R, RBI, 2 K
Danny Mayer 1-4, R, 2 K
Rodolfo Duran 1-4, R, 3 RBI, HR, K
Yahir Gurrola 0-4, 2 K

Ramon Rosso 6.0 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 9K, game score: 77
Kyle Dohy 2.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 2K
Addison Russ (W, 4-0), 2.0 IP, 0H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K

(click on the start time for box scores)

[schooldoc]

Look for Ranger Suarez to go for Reading and Connor Seabold for Clearwater.

[andyb]

BA Hotsheet. No Phillies this week.

Top MLB Prospects Hot Sheet (5/7/18)

One ex-Phillie stands out though with Jonathan Arauz checking in at number 6. Arauz was the 3rd middle infielder signed with Gamboa and Brito. He was a half year younger than the other two and is only in Low A (same as Brito, lower than Gamboa). He also had a 50-game amphetamine suspension last year that hurt his development a bit.

But......he is dominating this year at Quad Cities. Hitting .309 with 13 XBH and 18 BBs against 14 Ks. 976 OPS playing more SS than 2B.

[gmwannabe]

Yes, arauz was the one that we all hated to see go to the astros as an extra player. He could be a good one. Although I have high hopes for each of gamboa and brito. Don't count out canelo yet either.
gm

[Squire]

Lakewood currently in the middle of perhaps one of the most boring baseball games ever played.

[andyb]

Lakewood currently in the middle of perhaps one of the most boring baseball games ever played.

Though it is Lakewood's most effective starter and relievers against a college number one pick from last year - so a pitcher's duel should have been expected.

[Philsmania]

Lakewood currently in the middle of perhaps one of the most boring baseball games ever played.

Though it is Lakewood's most effective starter and relievers against a college number one pick from last year - so a pitcher's duel should have been expected.

The pitchers duel led to a wild tenth inning. Claws win 5-1 scoring five in the top of the 10th before allowing a run in the bottom of the extra frame.

[phillychuck]

Rosso has really been good. I actually think they should bump him a level this year.

[California_Dreamin]

Just throwing this out there for discussion...scouts say Sanchez has about as much stuff as anyone they see in the minors, universally acclaimed and lauded. Scouts now say that Medina at 21 is "just about as good as Mize" and he is considered the top pick in the upcoming draft, veritably almost a man among boys.

Yet it seems to me [and I could be wrong] that both Sanchez and Medina struggle more often than not when they actually pitch. I still recall a point then pitching coach Bob Gibson made when asked about his coaching philosophy..."I teach pitchers how to win and not simply how to pitch" and it always resonated with me.

It seems to me that the Phils have more than their share of solid pitching prospects [the aforementioned two and Kilome come to mind immediately] yet all three struggle to ever win a game. Now I know that winning is considered secondary in the minors to development yet I can't help with this nagging feeling that winning has almost lost its relevancy with the advent of so many other stats...WHIP etc.

I always admired Gibson's philosophy and remembered when he mentioned that when his team got him two runs he would make sure to give up 1 and if his team got him 8 runs he would make sure not to give up more than 7. In the end, both were still wins.

For all the talent that Kilome, Sanchez and Medina have they sure don't win very often, 1 bad inning always derailing their efforts. Just an observation on my part but one that nags at me more and more as I hear the raves about Sanchez and Medina dwarf their actual performances.

Pitching is more than simply having wonderful stuff.

[phillychuck]

Sanchez and Medina were close to unhittable at times last year. Sanchez is coming back from being sick most of spring training with a pretty serious flu that has sapped his strength. Medina is rumored to be trying to overcome some sort of physical issue this year. I don't think their results so far have anything to do with how they've been taught how to win, it's how they are adjusting to higher levels and physical issues.

Scouts are, of course, looking at their stuff right now and projecting how they will develop in a few years. Scouts look at stuff, not at results, that's their job.

Bob Gibson, in his 3-year stint as a pitching coach, took the premier staff in the NL, the Braves (led by Phil Neikro), and had them steadily decrease their effectiveness from leading the league in ERA by 0.7 points to the middle of the league, whereupon he was fired. I don't think he's the place to go to look for coaching wisdom.

[California_Dreamin]

PC..thanks for the comments, though I was not trumpeting Gibson's coaching prowess, merely his seemingly lost philosophy. You mentioned Medina's physical issue...is it his arm?

[phillychuck]

It's only rumors; I heard a "dead arm".

Gibson was certainly a better pitcher than a coach, like Ted Williams.

[BostonRoss]

It's only rumors; I heard a "dead arm".

Gibson was certainly a better pitcher than a coach, like Ted Williams.

Or Ryne Sandberg

[schooldoc]

Just a 2-2 night in the W/L column, but the story is excellent starting pitching today at all 5 levels counting the big club.

Irvin and Seabold both with strong 7-inning outings, clearly their best performances of the young season. The key for both of them? No walks. Good to see these two guys whose bread & butter isn't overpowering stuff but control/command have it going.

Another pretty good control/command guy in Suarez also pitched well--really, though he gave up 4 in 6 innings Suarez was victimized by one bad inning.

And Ramon Rosso continues to get people out at Lakewood. Can't imagine this 21-year-old has much more left to prove in the Sally League, although sometimes the promotions don't happen until early to mid June. Incidentally, Rosso went pitch for pitch with the Mets' 1st rounder out of Oregon State last year, David Peterson. They matched zero's and the Claws won it in extras. Reliever Addison Russ is off to a dominating start to the season out of the pen for Lakewood. Has to be another eventual promotion candidate.

[fish]

And Ramon Rosso continues to get people out at Lakewood. Can't imagine this 21-year-old has much more left to prove in the Sally League, although sometimes the promotions don't happen until early to mid June. Incidentally, Rosso went pitch for pitch with the Mets' 1st rounder out of Oregon State last year, David Peterson. They matched zero's and the Claws won it in extras.

Rosso is cutting and riding the ball really well to move his fastball in either direction and throwing a nifty breaking ball, all with good command. He looks to me like he's got the ability to compete in AA right now.