Minor League Games - Saturday, August 4, 2018

[kikutaro]

Syracuse Chiefs (47-65) @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (69-43) game 2 (makeup of 8/3 ppd (rain)) | Gameday
N/A vs. Enyel De Los Santos (9-4, 2.51)

Final
Lehigh Valley 11, Syracuse 5

Notable

Jesmuel Valentin 2-4, 2 R
Collin Cowgill 1-4, 2 R
Aaron Altherr 1-1, R, RBI, 2 BB, SB
Joey Meneses 3-3, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR, BB
Zach Green 2-4, R, 3 RBI, 2B, 3B, K
Matt McBride 2-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB

Jake Thompson 2.0 IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 2K, game score: 45
Mark Leiter Jr. (W, 3-0), 2.0 IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 2K

Syracuse Chiefs (47-64) @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (68-43) 5:35 pm | Gameday
Phillips Valdez (4-7, 3.05) vs. Tom Eshelman (2-10, 5.48)

Final
Syracuse 3, Lehigh Valley 1

Notable

Jesmuel Valentin 0-3, 2 K
Mitch Walding 0-3, 2 K
Aaron Altherr 1-1, R, 2 BB
Logan Moore 0-2, 2 K

Tom Eshelman (L, 2-10), 7.0 IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 5K, game score: 50

Reading Fightin Phils (51-60) @ Bowie Baysox (51-59) 6:35 pm | Gameday
N/A vs. Dillon Tate (5-4, 3.83)

Final
Reading 7, Bowie 4

Notable

Cornelius Randolph 2-5, R, RBI, 2 K
Darick Hall 1-5, R, RBI, 2 K
Jose Pujols 2-4, R, 3 RBI, HR, K
Jan Hernandez 1-4, R, RBI, HR
Deivi Grullon 2-3, BB
Malquin Canelo 1-3, R, BB

Alexis Rivero 4.2 IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 4BB, 3K, game score: 56
Seth McGarry (W, 2-4), 1.0 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 0K
Kyle Dohy (H, 2), 1.1 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K
Josh Tols (S, 1), 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K

Clearwater Threshers (57-51) @ Bradenton Marauders (49-55) 6:30 pm | Gameday
Jerad Eickhoff (0-0, 0.00) vs. Evan Piechota (0-2, 4.94)

Final
Clearwater 1, Bradenton 0

Notable

Daniel Brito 0-4, 2 K
J.P. Crawford 1-3, R, BB, K

Jerad Eickhoff 2.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K, game score: 54
David Parkinson (W, 1-0), 7.0 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 7K

Lexington Legends (59-50) @ Lakewood BlueClaws (70-41) game 2 (ppd from 8/3) | Gameday
Jackson Kowar (0-1, 5.54) vs. Gustavo Armas (0-1, 2.00)

Final
Lakewood 1, Lexington 0

Notable

Nick Maton 0-1, 2 BB
Madison Stokes 0-3, 3 K

Gustavo Armas 7.0 IP, 5H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 6K, game score: 78
Zach Warren (W, 3-1), 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 3K

Lexington Legends (59-49) @ Lakewood BlueClaws (69-41) 5:05 pm | Gameday
Charlie Neuweiler (2-0, 2.61) vs. Andrew Brown (4-2, 2.05)

Final
Lakewood 3, Lexington 2

Notable

Simon Muzziotti 1-4, R, K, SB
Jhailyn Ortiz 0-4, 2 K
Nick Maton 0-3, BB, 3 K
Jake Scheiner 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, K
Rodolfo Duran 1-4, R, 2 K

Andrew Brown 7.0 IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 6K, game score: 68
Luis Carrasco 2.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 4BB, 4K
Connor Brogdon (W, 5-3), 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K

West Virginia Black Bears (17-31) @ Williamsport Crosscutters (20-27) game 2 (ppd from 8/3) | Gameday
Mike LoPresti (1-3, 5.29) vs. Colton Eastman (0-2, 5.63)

Final
Williamsport 1, West Virginia 0

Notable

Ben Aklinski 0-3, 2 K
Edwin Rodriguez 2-3, SB
Jake Holmes 0-3, R, SB
Seth Lancaster 1-2, RBI, SB
Lenin Rodriguez 0-2, 2 K

James McArthur (W, 2-0), 5.1 IP, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 8K, game score: 70
Rafael Carvajal (S, 1), 1.2 IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 1K

West Virginia Black Bears (17-30) @ Williamsport Crosscutters (19-27) 5:05 pm | Gameday
Francis Del Orbe (3-1, 4.39) vs. James McArthur (1-0, 1.00)

Final
Williamsport 5, West Virginia 2

Notable

Ben Aklinski 1-2, R, BB
Rafael Marchan 1-2, 2 R, 2B, BB
Ben Pelletier 3-3, 2 RBI, 2B
Danny Mayer 1-3, R, RBI, HR
Matt Kroon 3-3, CS

Colton Eastman 2.0 IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 4K, game score: 47
Jack Perkins (W, 1-0), 3.0 IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 4K
Keylan Killgore (S, 7), 2.0 IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 0K

GCL Yankees West (17-20) @ GCL Phillies East (22-15) 10:00 am | Gameday
N/A vs. N/A

Final
GCL Phillies East 3, GCL Yankees West 1

Notable

Julio Francisco 1-4, R, 2B, SB
Carlos Oropeza 0-2, R, 2 BB
Luke Miller 2-3, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB
Jack Conley 1-4, 2B, K
Carlos De La Cruz 0-4, 2 K

Mario Sanchez 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K, game score: 46
Dominic Pipkin (W, 1-1), 3.0 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 0K
Kyle Arjona (H, 1), 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K
Mark Potter (H, 2), 2.0 IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K
Brian Auerbach (H, 1), 1.0 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K
Bailey Cummings (S, 2), 1.0 IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 1K

GCL Phillies West - Off

DSL Phillies Red (23-31) @ DSL Mets1 (33-21) 10:30 am | Gameday
N/A vs. N/A

Final
DSL Mets1 5, DSL Phillies Red 2

Notable

Wilfredo Flores 1-4, RBI, 2B
Wilson Valdez 2-4, RBI, 2 2B, K, CS
Juan Carlos Smith 0-3, 2 K
Christopher Duran 1-2, R, BB, SB

Cristian Hernandez 5.0 IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 3K, game score: 55
Yosmel Naranjo 2.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K
Luis Candelo (L, 3-3), 1.0 IP, 2H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 1K

DSL Mets2 (27-27) @ DSL Phillies White (30-24) 10:30 am | Gameday
N/A vs. N/A

Final
DSL Mets2 7, DSL Phillies White 3

Notable

Jevi Hernandez 1-4, 2 K
Mani Boekhoudt 0-4, 3 K
Arturo De Freitas 1-3, 2B, BB
Wilbert Garcia 1-3, R, 2B, BB, K
Ellian Rondon 1-2, RBI, BB

Israel Puello (L, 4-5), 4.0 IP, 1H, 2R, 2ER, 5BB, 3K, game score: 49
Nathanael Bido 2.0 IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 3BB, 3K

(click on the start time for box scores)

[allentown]

Pipkin with 3 shutout IP, but 2 walks and zero strikeouts. Only two hits, so by and large good, but advanced metrics will not bless this outing.

[Austinfan]

Given he's 18, I just want to get him through his first pro summer without injury.
Listed at 6'4 160, something tells me he's going to get a tad bigger the next few years.

[phillychuck]

Interesting for Pipkin, because Sanchez is on a rehab assignment and started, Pipkin is eligible for the win (which he was awarded). Had he started and pitched only 3 innings, he would NOT have been able to earn the win. Weird rule.

[Squire]

Big day today 3 full season teams playing double headers and a rehab start by Eickhoff

[Lucky_Beagle]

After looking at the box score I agree. I had wrongly assumed the rehab start by Sanchez would have been 2 or 3 innings. After seeing it was only for 1 inning it seems as you say weird to think a pitcher who didn't pitch thru at least the end of the 5th inning could get a win.

[julio]

Interesting for Pipkin, because Sanchez is on a rehab assignment and started, Pipkin is eligible for the win (which he was awarded). Had he started and pitched only 3 innings, he would NOT have been able to earn the win. Weird rule.

Which is a way of saying that "wins" is often not very meaningful. If one only awards a "win" if the pitcher lasts five innings or more and holds a lead, then the "win" stat would begin to at least say something about the pitcher's durability/consistency. This would restrict "wins" to effective starters, or perhaps the rumored (and extinct?) "long man," whose job it is (was) to replace the starter when he blew up early, and pitch for multiple innings/multiple times through the order. As it is, "won-loss record" appears to be about baseball cards and arbitration hearings, and doesn't tell us much beyond that.

Yeah... that would mean a team could win the game without having a "winning pitcher." It's a team game. MLB did away with the "game-winning RBI," because it was ridiculous. The "winning pitcher" is frequently just as ridiculous.

[phillychuck]

Quality starts and "team record in games started" are better "gross" measurements of pitching efficiency and durability that wins, for sure. I also think as a minor league fan they should just do way with the innings requirement altogether. In the rookie leagues pitchers often pitch 3 or 4 innings, and in 7 inning games 4/7 of the game is greater than 5/9 anyway.

[andyb]

Or they should just do away with the 5-inning win rule. It is anachronistic and does not fit current pitcher use. Why can a starter go 4.2 IP and not get a win while a reliever can get one with one out?

[saycheese]

De Los Santos scratched interesting was he was out on the field stretching and long tossing before the game,

[allentown]

Wins are such an awful way of judging pitchers, but the one the fans and media seem to use as the go-to stat -- almost as bad as it was when I started following baseball 60 years ago. Wins depend upon so many things beyond a starting pitcher's control: how good offensively and defensively the position players and bench players are, how good the team's bullpen is, the pitchers he is matched up against, the number of times his team plays each other team, given the current unbalanced schedule. It's probably a good thing that the actually determination of whom the winning pitcher is has such arcane and stupid rules. I'd leave it exactly as asinine as the current definition is, lest the prominence of the almost meaningless win stat be increased by the improvements in its definition. If the win stat sinks of the weight of its inherent stupidities, then baseball discourse will be improved.

[Lucky_Beagle]

Quality starts and "team record in games started" are better "gross" measurements of pitching efficiency and durability that wins, for sure.

I do not understand why a teams record in games started by a pitcher makes a difference. What bearing does it have on the starting pitcher if the team wins or losses once he is no longer the pitcher of record. For example a pitchers leaves a 1-1 game after 7 innings and his team ends up losing as compared to a game in which a starter gives up 6 runs in 4 innings yet his team comes back and wins. Which starting pitcher gave his team the best chance to win that night.

[Austinfan]

Parkinson, 1st Clearwater game, 7 IP, 2H, 0R, 7K, guess maybe it wasn't the ballpark in Lakewood?

[Austinfan]

Meneses has been red hot since the Allstar break and is really improved his BB/K ratio.
Late bloomer, overage performer (breakout at 26) or someone they've taught how to generate more power and be more selective?
But he's having a heck of a season, and he's not some 30 year old career AAA player.
First year in AAA after two years in AA.

[zambonir]

He'd have to go on the 40 right? (I mean, obviously, to get called up in September, but in the off-season too no?)

[Austinfan]

This is why you pay your scouts/minor league managers - to make this kind of call.
If he's for real, you hate to see him walk, if he's a fluke you hate to waste a 40 man spot.

[phillychuck]

Meneses has had three comparable seasons in the minors where he has posted a 140 OPS+ or higher. He could probably handle a role on a major league team. I suspect he'd have to go somewhere where he could get lots of ABs and struggle for a while (he has mostly succeeded when he was in his second year at a level, excepting this year in AAA).

For the Phils, they don't have room for another 1B-only, slow, RH hitter (unfortunately for Meneses). He needs to go to the Orioles or Padres or another building team that has lousy 1B production and get 900 ABs (or more) over 2 seasons. Good luck to him--I like this kind of story to have a happy ending.

[andyb]

Meneses is a nice story and could probably be a credible bench bat, though like many of our homegrown older Reading stars, he really belongs in the DH league because his major league offense translation is probably not that great. An 800 OPS from a right-handed 1B is just not that special. He also has roughly the same OPS this year as Walding (1 year younger, left-handed, better defense) and Cozens (2 years younger so more improvement is possible).

So nice story. But really still the 3rd best potential bat of that group at a major league position where the offensive bar is very high (right-handed 1B). Still most likely a AAAA player, though one that is nice to have around if there is little cost like a 40-man spot.

[phillychuck]

Hi andyb,
Joey Meneses has a 911 OPS at Lehigh Valley, Heiker Meneses is at Reading. It is impressive and satisfying that Walding and Cozens have also been so productive in AAA. Meneses would get a better opportunity in the AL as you point out. I'd love to see him get a full shot somewhere, and I'd also like to see Walding and Cozens get their shot. Walding is the most likely to get that shot with the Phils, I think, given his positional versatility and higher OBP. Hope he can get past the rookie nerves and get 600 ABs somehow.

NOTE: Lakewood gets 2-hit in the second game of their DH and wins, 1-0, scoring the bonus runner in the bottom of the 8th without a hit.

[andyb]

I think what Meneses has done is great. I am just realistic that he improved himself from being a career minor leaguer to more of a AAAA guy. AAAA players generally make up the last couple of spots on major league benches.

One can praise what Meneses has done but also be realistic about his skills and chances. Baseball is a cruel game sometimes. I think we need to give Walding and Cozens more complete chances before we get to guys like Meneses. Look at Cozens for instance. He has an OPS of 888 this year. But has been thrust into a pinch hitting role which has never been his skillset since he has always been a low contact, high strikeout player. Maybe he'll improve, but sitting on the bench has not been helpful to him or Walding. And getting Cabrera and shortly Crawford is going to take away most of the potential at bat he could have had.

For those who think Rhys Hoskins is in a completely different world as Cozens, remember Cozens is a year younger. So while his 719 OPS in AAA last year was pretty bad, his 888 OPS this year is not that far removed than Hoskins' 966 last year. Hoskins is a bit better (and one could argue the strike zone discipline translates to the majors a bit more), but Cozens also has more defensive value as an average OF and is also a little faster on the basepaths. So the reality is not a great prospect versus a failure. It is a good prospect (playing out of position in the OF) against a decent prospect who is actually an OF.

I am all for Meneses getting a shot, but he actually is not better than the guys in front of him already on the 40-man roster and I am not willing to give him a 40-man spot where we might want one for someone like Irvin in September. There is just too much adulation here for overage performance from players who are marginal prospects. For instance I think it is great that Parkinson did well at Clearwater yesterday. But he was also a relatively high college pick who probably should have skipped Lakewood because of his age anyway. So what he did at Lakewood means less because he should have never been there in the first place and we really need to see a lot more Clearwater performances to know if the age appropriate performance can be sustained.