Wednesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Auburn | Lost, 8-6 | @ Batavia, 7:05 p.m. |
Crowe (0-0, 2.55) vs. Perez (4-1, 1.88) |
| GCL Nationals | Lost, 2-1 | vs. GCL Yankees East, 12:00 p.m. |
State College 8 Auburn 6
• Romero 4⅓ IP, 4H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 10K, 2WP
• Guillen (L, 0-3) 1⅔ IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 3K, HR
• Esthay 3-5, 3R, 2B, HR, 3RBI
• Scudder 2-4, 2B, RBI
• Choruby 2-5, 2R, SB
Auburn lost its season finale in walkoff fashion as State College’s Ricardo Bautista smacked a two-out, two-run home run in the 9th for an 8-6 win. Seth Romero struck out a career-high of 10 but also gave up five runs on four hits and three walks over just four and a 1/3rd innings. The loss went to Angel Guillen, his third, with four hits allowed, no walks, and three whiffs over an inning and 2/3rds. Kameron Esthay missed the cycle by a triple and drove in three while Jake Scudder singled and doubled and plated one to lead the Doubleday offense.
GCL Yankees East 2 GCL Nationals 1
• Ma. Pena (L, 0-1) 5IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 2BB, 5K, 2HBP
• N. Ramirez 4IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, BB, 3K
• R. Mendez 1-3, 2B, BB
• L. Garcia 1-4, RBI
The G-Yankees East pitchers outdueled the G-Nats for a 2-1 win that forced a decisive Game Three today. Two stolen bases and a passed ball led to the first GYE run while the second came on a walk-single-single sequence with two outs in the 7th. The G-Nats took advantage of a two-base error to lead off the bottom of the 8th, which Luis Garcia cashed in with a two-out single. The GYE committed another error with one out in the 9th to put on the tie run on. A sacrifice moved the tying run into scoring position with two outs but the G-Nats couldn’t get the equalizer.
Malvin Pena took the loss with an unearned run on one hit, two walks, and two hit batsmen over five innings. Nector Ramirez followed with four innings of one-run relief, with three hits and one walk allowed. Ricardo Mendez was the sole G-Nat to reach base twice with a double and a walk as the GYE pitchers held the offense to just three hits and four walks.
Thus ends the short, wildly uneven pro demi-season of Seth Romero, with tons of K’s (35 in 22 IP) but also a lot of runs allowed.
I guess of the later-round college draftees, the one who showed the most potential was probably Esthay, slashing a competent .275/.323/.415. Chance Shepard hit for less average but more power. The most disappointing hitter at Auburn was probably Armond Upshaw, the JUCO who got a decent bonus in the 2016 draft. He barely hit at all at Auburn (.183), with the only redeeming feature being the 41 walks he took over 57 games, giving him a respectable .356 OBP. His SLG was non-existent, though (.226).
Overall, there was a lot to like from the 2017 pitching draftees at Auburn, several of whom got the push on to Hagerstown.
What do folks think about the organizational POYs? I’d say it’s between Robles and Johnson among the positional players, with the lean probably to Robles. It’s been a while since one of the truly top prospects won the POY.
I’m stumped on pitchers. McKenzie Mills probably would have been my front-runner, but he’s no longer with us. I know it would be rare to give it to a reliever, particularly one who is about to turn 26, but Suero comes to mind for me.
My vote for organizational POY would be Daniel Johnson. While he is older than Robles and their stats are similar, he went from likely to organizational player to a MLB prospect in a blink of an eye. When the season started at H’town, Johnson was hitting 9th, and by the end of the season he was leading off in Potomac. Legit 5 tool player; 20/20 season. Deserving of the Nats POY.
Agree that pitcher is really tough to pick. Suero probably wins by default; he was dominant out of the pen for both Harrisburg and Cuse. Really hard to even find a candidate among the Nats’ organizational starting pitchers (guess that was the rationale behind the 2017 MLB draft strategy). The best starter in the system was probably Eric Fedde, and even his numbers were mediocre.
Agree. Although crushes on Kameron Esthay are developing across Nat Nation
This GCL run is cool in the fact talent corp is young Latin and multi tooled.
My guy JJ in with his gas. Maybe someday soon he will make us forget Taylor Hearn. (FSL in 17)
Doesn’t Marlin park silence remind us old expo fans of Olympic before the move ??
not sure this guy has the gas but he would make Crash Davis very happy
Jeff, Loria has left a lot of silent ballparks in his wake!
Indeed
Foretaste of things in 18 in
The auburn final series with state college and GCL championship with Yankees. ( nice to have a West and east squad , Hal!!)
Crowe tonight. Who tomorrow ?
Robles over Johnson for POY, by a nose.
Suero is the only pitcher who even deserves consideration.
for those interested, the CGL championship has been moved up to 10:00
There might be a prevailing breeze . . .
GCYanks 5-4 over the GCNats.
bases loaded for Antuna w/2 out in the bottom of the 9th. alas, mighty Yasul struck out.
Maybe Yasul will be in that position
Next year for Anderson in hags .
Anybody think head will get bumped for Johnson @ auburn next season ?