AFL Update: Oct. 17, 2019
The Desert Dogs put up crooked numbers in three of the first five innings as they doubled up the Saguaros for an 8-4 win.
Nick Banks and Cole Freeman (pictured) were in the Surprise starting line up in right field and designated hitter, respectively.
Banks went 0-for-4 at the plate and fielded three singles, throwing out the first baserunner who tried to stretch it into a double.
Freeman got off the interstate with his second straight two-hit game, as he led off the 6th with a single and doubled in a run in the 7th. However, he struck in his two other PAs.
Andrew Lee made his first appearance since the Fall Stars game and tossed two scoreless innings, thought did walk two and give up a hit. He threw 30 pitches, 19 for strikes.
Nick Raquet’s struggles continued as he gave up multiple runs for the third straight appearance (fourth overall out of seven) with three runs let in on three hits and a walk over an inning, which required 25 pitches to complete.
Peoria also lost to reduce Surprise’s magic number to four. After an off day today, the Sagauros and Desert Dogs will switch venues and rematch tomorrow.
SHARP NAMED AFL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Five goose eggs on Oct. 8 was enough to earn the honor for RHP Sterling Sharp. MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo has the story.
Terrific writeup on Sharp. Next year will see multiple pitchers knocking on the door of the big club.
Lee, how tall is Freeman to you? Luke always says not to look at the ‘official’ stat.
So true about the stats. I’ve asked players, I got friendly with, if the 5’9″ or whatever was in heels?
Cole is probably 5’8″.
Makes one think of Casey Candaele , Cane!!
Sharp is just about a lock to be added to the 40-man roster next month. Great kid, solid pitcher. Excited to see him potentially develop into a Blake Treinen type.
Just curious about Sharp – how hard does he throw?
Per my conversation with him he throws low 90’s.
His main pitch is a sinker and he’s working on a curve ball.
Sitting right behind the plate I can see he’s got good movement on his pitches and he hides the ball well.
Great to hear – thanks Lee!
Lee you see in time some Oil Can Boyd in him ??
MLB is going to propose dramatically reducing the size of each team’s farm system. Reducing the number of minor-league franchises by a quarter (over 40 teams) and limiting the MLB draft to 20 rounds. The plan will also increase minor league salaries. Among the goals of the proposal is to address the concern that minor league players are grossly under-paid.
This is the flip-side of advocating on the side of minor league compensation. You will get salary increases at the expense of the number of actual jobs.
Purging the low level A clubs short season and long with perhaps more co- oping as seen decades ago ??