Monday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Won, 3-0 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 8-0 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Wilmington | Lost, 1-0 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Fredericksburg | Lost, 8-2 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| FCL Nationals | OFF DAY | @ FCL Marlins, 12 p.m. | |
| DSL Nationals | OFF DAY | @ DSL Arizona Red, 11 a.m. |
Rochester 3 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 0
• Banda 3⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 3BB, 3K
• Willingham (W, 2-0) 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 0K, 2-0 IR-S
• G. Moreno (SV, 1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Rutherford 3-4
• Martin 1-3, 2RBI, SB
The Red Wings went full bullpen again and nevertheless threw a five-hit shutout to take the game, 3-0 and the series, 4-2 from the RailRiders. Anthony Banda was the opened and pitched into the 4th, allowing one hit and three walks while striking out three. The win went to Amos Willingham as the most effective relieve with five outs from seven batters faced and two stranded runners. Gerson Moreno struck out two in the 9th to earn his first save of ’23. Blake Rutherford led the Rochester hit column with three singles in four trips to the plate while Richie Martin drove in two during the Red Wings’ three-run 2nd inning.
Erie 8 Harrisburg 0
• Cuevas (L, 2-2) 3⅔ IP, 5H, 5R, 5ER, 4BB, 1K, HR, WP
• Ale. Hernandez 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Dunn 1-3, BB
• Tostado 1-4, 2B
Harrisburg couldn’t earn the series split and were instead shut, 8-0 by Erie. Michael Cuevas got knocked from the box in the 4th for the second time in June, giving up five runs on five hits (one HR) and four walks while striking out one. Jacob Young singled, Jack Dunn singled and walked, and Frankie Tostado doubled to account for the three hits by the Senators.
Jersey Shore 1 Wilmington 0
• Theophile (L, 0-2) 5IP, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 4K, BK, WP, DV
• Schoff 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• McKenzie 2-4, 2B
• White 1-2, 2B, BB
The Blue Rocks and BlueClaws each had five hits, but the Jersey boys were able to score on a single with a runner on 2nd to shut out the Tax-haven guys, 1-0. Rodney Theophile returned from an 11-day break to toss five innings of one-run ball on four hits and a walk. He struck out four and suffered his second loss. Jared McKenzie and T.J. White both doubled but neither had a runner in front of him as Wilmington went 1-for-8 with RISP, including 0-for-3 in the 3rd with White on third and Nick Shumpert on second base after Shumpert pushed White to third base on a single then stole second.
Myrtle Beach 8 Fredericksburg 2
• Lord 4IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 4K
• Denaburg (L, 3-3) 1IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 1K
• Abreu ⅓ IP, 4H, 5R, 5ER, 1BB, 0K, HR
• Lile 1-4, 3B, RBI
• Infante 1-4, R, 2B
Like the rest of the affiliates, Fredericksburg couldn’t get the series split and instead fell Myrtle Beach, 8-2. Brad Lord got the start and gave up a run on two hits and two walks while striking out four. Mason Denaburg reverted to form and walked two and gave up a run in the 5th to take the loss. A dishonorable mention goes to Juan Abreu for retiring one of six batters faced as the Pelicans put the game out of reach in the 6th with a five-run rally, all courtesy of Abreu. Daylen Lile tripled and drove in a run while Sammy Infante doubled and scored a run to highlight the FredNats’ four-hit attack.
FCL Nationals, 4-6, 5th Place FCL East, 2GB
Unlike a week ago, the F-Nats are on a three-game slide as they enter Week Two of the 2023 FCL East Carousel. A year ago, the early playing time went to aging batters, This year, it’s aging pitchers getting the look-see with pitchers aged 23 or older throwing a nearly a quarter of the IPs thus far.
DSL Nationals, 0-10, 9th Place DSL South, 8GB
The DSL Nationals are the only winless in team in the 50-team DSL and even a MASN Commenter can figure out why: They can’t hit. The D-Nats have scored 16 runs in 10 games and are dead last in every major offensive category except walks drawn and batting strikeouts. Yes, they are the fourth-youngest group of batters, but in the immortal words of George Oscar Bluth…
This may be a turnaround week to remember for T. J. White. He’s broken out of an 0-for-27 slump by going 7-for-13 over the last four games. Fingers crossed that he can keep it going.
I’m sure that I’m not the only one who sort of has in my mind that since Blake Rutherford has spent time in multiple organizations, he must be like 29 or so. He’s actually a month younger than Jake Alu. Most lists still consider Alu a “prospect,” while Rutherford hasn’t been on a prospect list in three years.
Whatever you want to call Rutherford, he sure seems to be carving a path that could lead to the majors. He’s always been a gap-power doubles guy, but his homers are up this season, and he really seems to have “found” something. He still won’t take a walk, but with K’s down at 17% percent, it’s hard to quibble too much.
I’ll have to wait and see where he ends up the year. he’s had nearly 1,000 AAA at bats and has not distinguished himself at that level. maybe he’s found something. not out of the realm of possibility.
There are some head-scratching things about Rutherford’s AAA stats. He had 30 doubles in 2021 but only ended up with a wRC+ of 80. His lack of walks has really suppressed his OBP, so he’s very much at the mercy of BABIP. He has cut his K’s from 25% in 2021 down to 17% thus far in 2023.
His HR power also is up significantly thus far in 2023, with the caveat that most of it has been at AA. His career HR high is 13 last season in 116 games. He has 8 thus far in 2023 in only 34 games.
Hassell in a full blown slump at this point. taking breaking pitches and late on fastballs. he’s still young and there’s still time to salvage the season but he could be sliding down the prospect page if he doesn’t get it turned around
The amateur draft is around the corner as we pick through the hitters in slumps and the starting pitchers struggling to get to 5 IP .
There are maybe 4-5 at most who hit 5 IP on average ?
Oh Henry
Oh Susana
Oh Lord
Oh goodness gracious
Lol
Jake Alu in the last 12 games has an OPS of 1.144! Don’t forget that last year he was rated the best 3rd baseman in all of the minors.
Happy Juneteenth everyone! I was living in Texas when it became a state holiday in 1980.
Ten years later I moved back to the area and no one had even heard of it. Finally getting the recognition it deserves.
Monday musings from the peanut popcorn
Gallery
How good will the talent be in second pick and third pick after Paul Skenes
Will Theophile follow along with JT in streamlining his pitching philosophy?
How will draft braintrust seed the infield depth chart ?