Minor League Games - Thursday, May 16, 2019

[kikutaro]

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (20-17) @ Durham Bulls (23-16) 7:05 pm | Gameday
Nick Pivetta (3-1, 3.09) vs. Aaron Slegers (2-1, 6.15)

Final (Bottom 9)
Lehigh Valley 7, Durham 5

Notable

Shane Robinson 2-5, 2 K
Malquin Canelo 1-4, RBI, 3 K, CS
Lane Adams 0-5, 3 K
Andrew Romine 2-4, 2 R, K
Deivy Grullon 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, 2 K
Mitch Walding 1-2, R, 2 BB
Damek Tomscha 1-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 K
Gift Ngoepe 1-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 K
Ali Castillo 1-3, R, RBI, BB

Nick Pivetta (W, 3-1), 7.0 IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 4BB, 11K, game score: game_score
Yacksel Rios (S, 2), 0.2 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K

Portland Sea Dogs (12-24) @ Reading Fightin Phils (19-16) 6:45 pm | Gameday
Darwinzon Hernandez (1-3, 4.10) vs. Mauricio Llovera (2-0, 4.06)

Final (Top 9)
Reading 7, Portland 2

Notable

Scott Kingery 0-4, R, RBI, 2 K
Mickey Moniak 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 3B
Adam Haseley 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, SB
Austin Listi 2-4, R, RBI, K
Darick Hall 0-4, 3 K
Arquimedes Gamboa 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 K
Austin Bossart 1-3, R, BB, 2 K, SB
Luke Williams 0-2, 2 BB, 2 K, CS

Mauricio Llovera (W, 2-0), 5.0 IP, 7H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 7K, game score: game_score
Garrett Cleavinger (H, 2), 2.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K
Connor Brogdon (H, 1), 1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K

Lakeland Flying Tigers (15-23) @ Clearwater Threshers (19-20) 7:00 pm | Gameday
Tarik Skubal (2-3, 3.48) vs. Andrew Brown (2-3, 7.16)

Final (Bottom 11)
Clearwater 7, Lakeland 6

Notable

Alec Bohm 1-4, RBI, 2 BB
Matt Vierling 0-4, 2 K
Madison Stokes 1-5, R, 2 K
Colby Fitch 1-2, 2 R, 2B, 3 BB, SB
Jhailyn Ortiz 1-4, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, 3 K
Daniel Brito 2-5, R, 3 RBI, 2B
Dalton Guthrie 0-5, 2 K

Andrew Brown 4.2 IP, 3H, 4R, 3ER, 4BB, 2K, game score: game_score
Luis Cedeno 2.1 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 4K
Jonathan Hennigan 2.0 IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 2K
Zach Warren (W, 1-0), 2.0 IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K

Hagerstown Suns (17-22) @ Lakewood BlueClaws (14-24) 6:35 pm | Gameday
Jake Irvin (2-3, 5.06) vs. Dominic Pipkin (1-1, 4.13)

Final (Bottom 9)
Lakewood 4, Hagerstown 3

Notable

Jonathan Guzman 1-4, R, SB
Matt Kroon 0-4, 3 K
Abrahan Gutierrez 1-3, RBI, BB
Malvin Matos 0-4, 3 K
Carlos De La Cruz 1-3, R, 2B, BB, K
Ben Pelletier 3-4, R, 2B

Dominic Pipkin 5.0 IP, 3H, 2R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K, game score: game_score
Jhordany Mezquita (W, 2-3), 4.0 IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 5K

(click on the start time for box scores)

[Squire]

It's 7:30 and 3 teams are losing and another in a scoreless tie. Every single night it seems

[schillingfan]

It's 7:30 and 3 teams are losing and another in a scoreless tie. Every single night it seems

Well, it’s 8:30 and LHV and Reasing ar now winning with apparently good starting pitching.

[Squire]

Late life. Lakewood wins in a walkoff. Clearwater within 1 on a 3 run Jhailyn bomb. Reading and LHV up big.

[teabag259]

At least Moniak and Haseley had good days.

[DurhamBull]

I was at the LHV game tonight in Durham. Beautiful night for baseball. I think I heard that the Bulls won the series 5-1, but tonight it was LHV in control. They chased the Bulls' pitcher in the 2nd inning.

I wasn't impressed that after LHV staked Pivetta to a 5 run lead, he started the next inning by walking the first batter, but he was erased on a slick double play by Ngoepe and Romine.

In the 3rd, Walding almost hit one out, but instead it hit off the top of the wall in left. He must have started in a HR trot because he ended up being thrown out at second.

Canelo executed a beautiful safety squeeze in the 7th. Rolled a bunt right up the 1B line.

Durham threatened late but they were never really in the game. All in all a fun one to watch.

This past weekend I was supposed to take my Mom to an Asheville Tourists game, but we opted not to go due to rain. They played, and Asheville got an early 7-3 lead but ended up losing 9-8 in the late innings. That was a good one to miss.

[DurhamBull]

Also, Grullon with another nice game. He's 23 and OPSing 940 at AAA. That's way above his career numbers at lower levels. Has he figured something out, or is he just off to an extended hot start?

[andyb]

Also, Grullon with another nice game. He's 23 and OPSing 940 at AAA. That's way above his career numbers at lower levels. Has he figured something out, or is he just off to an extended hot start?

Could be a bit of both. 464 BABIP is unsustainable. But if he were only hitting .260 he is showing some consistent power to go with his defense.

[julio]

It's 7:30 and 3 teams are losing and another in a scoreless tie. Every single night it seems

... and the minor league clubs went 4-0. It would be nice if it were every single night!

[bigegypt0417]

I guess the sky isn't in a constant state of falling.

[phillychuck]

BE...Don't say that!--if you mention it the bricks start tumbling down...

Honestly, it's been a pretty awful year so far in the minors, wins and losses aside. I guess I'm most disappointed in Moniak and Haseley who I hoped might be decent...neither is doing anything that makes my wishes appear to be realistic. The injury to Howard is a negative wild-card. Garcia not hitting over .200 in Lakewood isn't great either. Romero and Medina have been poor so far, too. Bohm is about the only bright spot right now.

For now we have to pray the injuries are minor for the most part and rest our hopes on CLW and in believing .200 is a great BA for a 19-year-old or younger in the Sally League.

[Squire]

I feel like the fear of disappointing me is what actually turns the performances around.

[julio]

I guess I'm most disappointed in Moniak and Haseley who I hoped might be decent...neither is doing anything that makes my wishes appear to be realistic.

There are some indications that both Haseley and Moniak may be getting more on-track, after abysmal starts in Reading:

Adam Haseley, last 28 days (82 PA): .279/.378/.471/.849
Mickey Moniak, since May 1st (56 PA): .273/.286/.509/.795

In both cases, numbers that, seasonally, wouldn't be cause for one to consider suicide. Of course, both are small samples (as are their overall 2019 numbers at this point)... and the Moniak performance doesn't indicate that he's "mastering" AA, but he just turned 21 on Monday.

The most disturbing number above, to me, is Moniak's OBP in May: 56 PA, one base on balls. Now, maybe this is so low because he was so bad in April that no pitcher is even a little afraid to just challenge him... but that's awful.

Bohm is about the only bright spot right now.

Will Alec Bohm be the first of the Phils most recent four top picks to reach the majors? Enquiring minds want to know!

[andyb]

I would bet Haseley is the first of the 4 to hit the big leagues. Next year most likely. Not sure there is a starting spot for him but the ability to play CF probably makes him a better fit than Williams for a 4th OF role.

Bohm has had a nice start in Clearwater, but he is not dominating and he has work to do on defense. I'd love for him to make it to Reading in the second half and be knocking on the door after a fast start in AAA next year, but 2021 feels more likely. Now Haseley is probably the most likely trade candidate of a prospect at the deadline, so if the question is whether they reach the majors with the Phillies then I guess Bohm has a shot.

[julio]

I would bet Haseley is the first of the 4 to hit the big leagues. Next year most likely. Not sure there is a starting spot for him but the ability to play CF probably makes him a better fit than Williams for a 4th OF role.

There pretty surely isn't a starting spot for Haseley, unless we posit he beats out Herrera. McCutchen and Harper aren't going anywhere.

[allentown]

Mickey Moniak, since May 1st (56 PA): .273/.286/.509/.795

A sad state of affairs when a not much more than half a month of data produces a below .800 OPS at Reading for the 1.1 pick in the draft, who also isn't a defensive whiz

[zambonir]

There pretty surely isn't a starting spot for Haseley, unless we posit he beats out Herrera.
McCutchen and Harper aren't going anywhere.

Herrera's future is no sure thing IMO. If this year is like last year - which so far it is, albeit in part because of injury - he probably has to go. Hard to imagine the Phillies paying all three veteran OFs in 2021, even (especially) if Cutch becomes more part-time.

So yeah, Dubie is still the youngest/cheapest/most tradeable, or it could be a platoon situation.

No question this will be an easier conversation to have on August 1. Someone - Williams? Quinn? Haseley? Moniak? - probably won't be on the Phillies by then.