Tuesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup |
| Fresno | ALL-STAR BREAK | ALL-STAR BREAK | N/A |
| Harrisburg | ALL-STAR BREAK | ALL-STAR BREAK | N/A |
| Potomac | Postponed | vs. Fayetteville, 12:05 p.m. | Raquet (5-8, 4.97) vs. Dubin (2-4, 4.25) |
| Hagerstown | OFF DAY | vs. Lexington, 7:05 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD |
| Auburn | Lost, 9-6 | @ West Virginia, 7:05 p.m. | Rutledge (NYPL Debut) vs. Valles (0-0, 5.09) |
| GCL Nationals | Winning, 5-3 (Suspended, 11th) |
vs. GCL Cardinals, 12:00 p.m. |
Fresno – ALL STAR BREAK
Despite treading water all season long, the Grizzlies have the fortune of playing in a weak division – a 46-44 record has them just a ½ game out of first place vs. the 7 to 9½ games behind that would be in the other three divisions. It’s the first time Washington’s AAA affiliate has not been in last place at the break since 2014.
Harrisburg – ALL STAR BREAK
Harrisburg enters the break on a five-game losing streak and in last place. The Senators are beneficiaries of the half system that was adopted for this season, as without it they’d be 1½ games behind Altoona and just one game ahead of Erie. Since their high-water mark on May 15 (28-10), the Sens have gone 19-31.
Potomac vs. Fayetteville – PPD
The rains that stranded D.C.-area rocket surgeons also postponed yesterday’s game between the P-Nats and the Woodpeckers. They’ll make it up with a doubleheader on Saturday, July 20, which just happens to be a fireworks night and another eBay distribution bobblehead giveaway.
Hagerstown – OFF DAY
Hagerstown dodged a bullet with a scheduled off day. Assuming the field is playable, they’ll begin a one-series homestand tonight against Lexington.
Roster moves: C Nic Perkins, CF Cody Wilson placed on the 7-Day I.L.; LHP Matt Cronin (4th Rd. pick) assigned from Washington; RHP Jared Brasher released.
West Virginia 9 Auburn 6
• Strom 3⅓ IP, 3H, 4R, 4ER, 4BB, 1K, HR, HBP, 2WP
• Willingham (L, 0-2) 2⅔ IP, 3H, R, ER, 4BB, 2K, HBP, 2WP, 3-2 IR-S
• Strom 3⅔ IP, 3H, 4R, 4ER, 7BB, 1K, HR, HBP
• Willingham (L, 0-2) 2⅓ IP, 3H, R, ER, BB, 2K, HBP, 3-0 IR-S
• Randa 3-5, R, 2B, RBI
• Vega 2-3, R, 2B, 2BB, 2RBI
• Alu 2-5, R
In the lone game that was completed (but still rain delayed), the Doubledays fell, 9-6. Starter Leif Strom was lifted after ten outs and four runs charged on three hits (one HR) and four walks. The loss went to Amos Willingham, who let in two of three inherited runners and one of his own over two and 2/3rds while giving up three hits, four walks, and one Victor Robles. Jake Randa led the regulars with two singles and a double, followed by Onix Vega with a single, a double, and two walks. The two combined for three RBI.
GCL Nationals 5 GCL Mets 3 – SUSP., Top 11th
• Yean 5IP, 3H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 2K
• Ribalta 2IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 0K
• Jameson 3IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Doolittle 3-5, 2R, 2B, HR, 3RBI, 2K
• Tovar 2-3
• Martina 2-4, 2R, 3B
We have the spirits promotion @ the ballpark in the future. Jameson and Strohs( chein).
Cane the chorus line cuts continue . Brasher good luck but the completion for your skills role was tight .
Fascinating factoid on Jack Dunn. Northwestern hits leader ahead of Joe Girardi
Ok where are the Greek chorus singers anticipating / pontificating the stroll of Rutledge to his Auburn debut ?
Fresno beer league climate vs old SYR IL league club climate.
Fresno more fun.
Mason Doolittle and Junior Martina are, to borrow a phrase from Robert Smith and The Cure, hot hot hot!
Best of luck to Jackson Rutledge today. Here’s hoping his Auburn debut goes better than his GCL debut.
Yeah, was going to comment on these two: Martina in particular. The guy is 16 for 29!! Most encouragingly is that they’re both displaying power too. It’s not just a lucky spell of the ball happening to find the gaps in the infield. 6 of Doolittle’s 8 hits have been for extra bases, and five of Martina’s 16 hits have been XBH, and two HR in the notoriously power-deprived GCL (2 HR is tied for second most, and the leader is a guy on his rehab assignment).
Also Jake Alu has been a metronome. The guy has basically got 2 for 5 every game for 12 games now. Logically, his avg evenly sits at .400. He’s kept his strikeouts down, but hasn’t displayed much power yet (only 3 2B so far), but another positive 2019 draftee start!
It’s been so long since we could talk about multiple quick impact bats.
Big news that Cronin is starting his pro career with a full-season team. He’s said to be very advanced and polished. If you’re looking for a reliever who could make a Glover-like run to the MLB team a year after he’s drafted, this indicates that the Nats think Cronin is it. Not saying it’s going to happen, just that it’s possible. I would guess that the high placement also indicates that they’re going to keep him in relief and not switch him to starting.
It’s good to see Randa showing some life at Auburn. Arruda (.220) and Ydens (.083) continue to struggle. Those guys are the higher-drafted hitters, along with Mendoza and Cluff, who got the advanced placement.
Elite college relievers, particularly lefties get pushed up the organizational chain the fastest. The Rockies drafted Ben Bowden with their 2nd round pick in 2016; he was a closer at Vandy. He missed the entire 2017 season with TJ, and even so, he is likely to be promoted to the Rockies this season. He is a perfect 20 for 20 in save opps this year (he did blow a save in the Futures game on Sunday).
If Cronin dominates early in Hagerstown, he could quickly climb the ladder.
I’d be curious to know what’s behind Brasher’s release. His ERA this year is 2.77; something’s up.
His ERA masks bigger problems. He’s 2.5 years above league average in his second season in Hagerstown, and still struggling with his command (BB rate near 6 per 9 IP). All that amounts to a FIP near 5 (4.88).
It does indeed feel a bit premature, after all we’re still giving games to guys like Luis Reyes, Rafael Bautista and Luis Sardinas. I’d still liked to have seen him given a promotion to Potomac to either sink or swim.
But best of luck to him in the future. He’ll always get to claim he was an 8th round pick.
I believe they did him a favor; they could just as easily put him on the I.L. to sit and wait for an actual injury to happen and activate him in lieu of signing someone from the indys.
As for Reyes, et al: it would appear that the IFAs are getting chances the way single-digit-round picks used to, and especially pitchers. Why? Because Rizzo is obsessed with getting relievers on the cheap. Do not be surprised if Joan Baez gets protected next in the quest for the next Wander Suero.