Monday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | Lost, 9-7 (10 inn.) | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Harrisburg | Won, 7-3 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Wilmington | Lost, 5-4 | END OF SEASON | N/A |
| Fredericksburg | Won, 7-2 | OFF DAY | N/A |
Worcester 9 Rochester 7 (10 inn.)
• Stuart 4IP, 6H, 5R, 5ER, 5BB, 2K
• R. Garcia (L, 5-3) 1IP, 1H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 2K
• Meneses 3-5, 3R, 2-2B, HR, 2RBI
• Lipscomb 2-4, R, BB, 2B, 3RBI, SB
• Hassell 2-5, RBI, 2K, SB
Rochester rallied for three to tie it at 5-5 in the 6th and got a run in the 9th to force extras. In the 10th, closer Rico Garcia was dinged for three runs and the Red Wings could only get one back despite loading the bases and lost, 9-7. Starter Tyler Stuart was knocked around again, giving up five runs on six hits and five walks while striking out two. Joey Meneses doubled twice, homered once, and scored thrice while driving in three, as did Trey Lipscomb, who reached base three times with a double, single, and a walk to lead the Red Wings offense.
Harrisburg 7 Bowie 3
• Solesky 6IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 7K, HR
• Schoff (W, 4-0) 2IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 2K
• Lile 3-4, R, BB, 2B(15), 3B, 3RBI
• D. Garcia 2-3, 2R, 3B, RBI
• Morales 2-3, BB, RBI, 10G hit streak
The Senators scored in each of their last three “ups” to erase a 3-2 deficit and take the series finale, 7-3. It came too late for starter Chase Solesky, who “earned” his tenth no-decision with a quality start of two runs on two hits (one HR) and a walk over six innings. He struck out seven. The win went to Tyler Schoff, who allowed the last Bowie run on two hits over two innings. Daylen Lile once again fell a HR shy of the cycle, driving in three and scoring the go-ahead run ahead of Yoyo Morales’s second single of the game to highlight the Harrisburg offense.
Brooklyn 5 Wilmington 4
• Tepper 3⅓ IP, 5H, 4R, 3ER, 3BB, 4K, E(2)
• L. Young (L, 4-11) 1IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 2K
• White 3-4, R, 2B, SB, K
• McKenzie 2-4, RBI
Wilmington blew a 3-1 lead, tied it at 4-4, and coughed up the game in the 8th to lose the series and season finale, 5-4. Mikey Tepper got knocked from the box in the 4th after letting in four runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out four and threw 75 pitches over three and a 1/3rd innings. Brendan Collins and Miguel Gomez locked things down through seven, and Luke Young struck out the first two batters in the 8th befoer giving up a two-out double and a two-out single to wear his 11th loss. T.J. White singled twice and doubled once to get off the interstate one last time to lead the Blue Rocks’ ten-hit parade.
Fredericksburg 7 Lynchburg 2
• C. Sanchez 4⅓ IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 1K, HR, WP
• Meckley (W, 1-0) 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Vaquero 2-4, 2R, 2K, SB
• K. Diaz 2-3, 2R, BB, 2RBI, SB
• King 1-2, 2B, SF, 2RBI
A four-run 4th put the FredNats up 5-0 and the ‘pen held on for a 7-2 win that clinched the C.L. North 2nd Half title and took the series, 4-2. Camilo Sanchez got the start and gave up both Lynchburg runs on five hits (one HR) and two walks over four and a 1/3rd innings. Alex Meckley got his first pro win in relief, getting the last two outs of the 5th and pitching a scoreless 6th. Cristhian Vaquero singled twice and scored twice while stealing his 29th base while Kelvin Diaz reached three times with two safeties and a base-on-balls to power the FredNats attack.
RIP to the 55-75 Wilmington season, where careers went to die. The only two hitters who played more than 10 games there with an OPS over .700 were Glasser (.837) and Lile (.762). Among the pitchers, Lara and Grissom used Delaware as a nice steppingstone to AA success, and Lord made one start there before ascending rapidly. Susana’s 4.18 ERA is somewhat scary, even if attached to a dominant 14.1 K/9.
KW. Celsius moment followed by first cup of Joe .
Then head off to shop for a buzz and a shave since I look like a reliever in October on the face .more white hair than Whitey Herzog .
Speaking of White , I’m pleased that TJ shows some promise for eventually reaching City Isle someday .
Who else off the highway record slate Claws claw their way to AA? (55-75). ??
I have to wonder if some of these hitters produce slightly better in low A than FCL because of the lighting and the Carolina League mojo ?
Here is TJ White becoming a poor man’s Cliff Floyd !!
I think a few weeks back I compared the 2024 Blue Rocks hitters to the 2023 DSL Nats in their futility. I think the DSL Nats might have been worse, but even they weren’t no hit multiple times in the same season!
I really wonder if the Blue Rocks’ extremely pitcher friendly-ness is having profound negative effects on the development of our hitters. Wonder how long we’ll be straddled with them as our A+ affiliate…
On Susana, I wouldn’t be too worried about that 4.18 ERA. The peripherals are otherwise extremely solid. He has a 2.25 FIP, which is the best rate at any level at any point in his career. His walk rate is also the lowest it’s been since rookie ball with the Padres. He’s just been plagued with a .371 BABIP. It’s pretty unlucky, but there does seem to be something about Susana’s profile that supports an abnormally higher BABIP, which consistently sits in the mid-to-high .300s. What a weird anomaly.
Any high A affiliate openings in the Midwest or elsewhere coming due ?
Unless the team is sold to a group that has a new or compliant stadium or MLB revokes the Blue Rocks PDL, nothing will change until after the 2030 season. That’s a big part of why MLB wanted to end the every other year affiliate dance.
I say Chase Solesky free agent signing for Harrisburg biggest surprise result in chain outside of the aforementioned pitching promotions in Lord Lara and Luckham .
How do people feel about Susanna? Someone recently posted a scouting report on him and it wasn’t exactly glowing, despite his strikeout ability.
Kind of concerning he hasn’t really improved his command or fastball movement
It’s important to remember that Susana won’t turn 21 until March. He’s the age of a college sophomore. With his massive size, easy/sustainable 100, and lack of arm problems, he’d very much be in the conversation for 1/1 pick next summer if he was in college. We tend to lose sight of such things with guys who have already been in the minors for a few years.
Susana had incredibly “bad luck” at A and A+ this year (.373/.371 BABIP). Despite ERAs in the 4’s, his FIP numbers were a stellar 2.44/2.25. He lowered his walk rate from last year, and again in the step from A to A+. Despite throwing so hard, he only surrendered two homers all season, so they’re not exactly getting good wood on him.
Susana had two struggling starts in August that really elevated his numbers. It’s reasonable to suspect that he may have hit a wall after surpassing his previous number of innings in a year.
He does have one glaring issue that Keith Law properly highlighted: he needs another pitch against LH batters:
vs. RHB: .193/.247/.269
vs. LHB: .276/.407/.344
He also had 75% of his walks against LH hitters.
That’s a super weird righty/lefty split. Usually when you give up more contact, you give up BETTER contact too, so as AVG increases SLG increases significantly too. And yet, Susana has actually allowed fewer extra base hits against lefties relative to righties. The ISO against righties is .076, while against lefties, it’s only .068. I wonder what’s causing Susana to miss his spots so much more vs LHBs. Is the movement of his slider just not fooling lefties?