Slow night on the farm with Michael Wacha’s relief performance being the most noteworthy outing of the evening.
- Eugenio Velez was 2-for-5.
- Lance Zawadzki was 2-for-4.
- Memphis had 8 singles and 5 walks in the game. 3 of the walks were by Cedric Hunter.
- Jaime Garcia had a bit of a mixed bag for his final outing. On the positive side, he struck out 8 in 5 innings. Less positive were the 3 walks. He also allowed 4 hits for 2 runs.
- Maikel Cleto allowed 3 hits and 2 runs in 2 innings of work. He walked 2 and struck out 1. Cleto has appeared in 38 games and pitched 45 innings in the minors. During that time he’s walked 18 which is not an unreasonably high number. What’s noteworthy is that 8 of those 18 walks have come in the last 6 games.
- James Ramsey was 2-for-5.
- Chris Edmondson was 2-for-5 with a home run.
- Cody Stanley was 2-for-5. Getting off the PEDs hasn’t really done any favors to Stanley who is sporting a .600 OPS this season. Missing half a year of baseball almost certainly didn’t do him any favors either.
- Rainel Rosario was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles.
- Todd McInnis was knocked out of the game after 2.2 innings. He was tagged for 6 runs on 7 hits including 3 home runs. He struck out 1.
- Michael Wacha struck out 5 in 2 perfect innings. Wacha remains on a starter’s rotation: every 5th day he pitches 2 innings in relief. Through 8 innings so far, he has 1 hit, 1 walk and 16 strikeouts for Palm Beach. Not bad.
- Jose Almarante took the loss allowing a run in the 9th. Palm Beach had scored 6 in the inning to tie it up.
(Batavia) NL All Stars 8, AL All Stars 1
- Breyvic Valera was 0-for-2.
- Patrick Wisdom was 1-for-2.
- Tyler Melling pitched a scoreless inning allowing 1 hit and striking out 1.
- Lee Stoppelman struck out 2 in a perfect inning.
Johnson City 2, Kingsport 4 (Game 1: 7 innings)
- Ildemaro Vargas (2B) was 2-for-4.
- Jeremy Schaffer (1B) was 1-for-2 with a walk and his 8th home run of the season.
- Stalyn Lopez allowed 6 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) in 4.1 innings of work. He walked 3 and struck out 1.
- Cesar Aguilar allowed 2 hits and struck out 2 as he completed the remaining 5 outs of the game.
Johnson City 4, Kingsport 2 (Game 2: 7 innings)
- CJ McElroy (CF) was 2-for-4. McElroy is having a nice season for a teenager. It’s the kind of skillset that serves as a good base and you hope produces more power as he matures. Right now he’s hitting .278/.330/.348 on the season. He doesn’t strike out too often and he draws enough walks not to set off any alarms.
- Jeremy Schaffer (1B) and Bruce Caldwell (SS) both went 1-for-3 with a homer. It was their 9th and 4th of the season, respectively.
- Ronard Castillo (LF) was 1-for-2 with a walk.
- Thomas Lee struck out 8 in 6.1 innings. He allowed 2 runs on 4 hits. He was cruising until the 7th when he allowed 3 hits capped by a double and was pulled from the game.
Entries (RSS)
1. Shelby
2. Martinez
3. Rosie
4. Wacha?
Are you thinking this is the AAA rotation at some point next year? Or are you trying to look into the year 2015 or something?
I think he is ranking our pitching prospects. To me, there is no reason to not think this at this point. Jenkins hasn’t really progressed in my opinion. He is a level lower than Wacha and not pitching as well.
Yeah thats what I was going for, and yeah, I agree.
Though yes, this very well could be the AAA rotation next year, at least for a minute.
I don’t see Wacha pitching in AAA by next year. But i’ve been wrong before.
Wacha has looked great so far. Even though it is a small sample size the strike outs are very impressive. Wonder if they will move him up to Springfield since that team is headed for the playoffs or if they want to keep him in a lower pressure situation like PB for this season?
On the other end of the spectrum Cleto, who was terrible at the end of last month had put together a string of four good appearances before last night or can we take solace in the fact that the runs he gave up were both in the second inning of work? Cleto has been disappointing again this year–but the hope for guys like this that throw hard is that they can find it for a couple of years later in their careers, like a Bobby Jenks.
I want to see Wacha in Springfield soon. Knowing he is just throwing two innings every 5th game likely enhances his stuff a bit. Also, going into the season he was suppose to be a fast mover so him dominating at A+ sisn’t too surprising. However, the way he is going he doesn’t look challenged whatsoever and playing with Springfield would allow him to get an extra appearance or two through the playoffs, which for development means nothing, but just something I want to see.
I agree, John. I want to see him at AA for a couple outings. I believe it was Keith Law who said that Wacha would probably be one of the first players from the 2012 draft class to reach the majors because he’s so advanced.
Wacha’s FIP through 8 innings? -0.43.
How the club handles the end of this year aside, I’m assuming he starts next year in Springfield? Depending on results, we may not even get him here for a full year (nice problem to have). If he is lights out in the first half is it plausible that he spends half a seasonish in AA next year with the remainder in Memphis? Does anyone think it realistic that he could be pushing for the ML rotation as early as 2014? I guess that would require everything to break perfectly, and he isn’t old for a college guy, so we have time with this kid. Cautiously very optimistic.
2014 rotation: WR, Garcia, Lynn, Miller, Martinez with Rosenthal, Wacha & Kelly all legit and ready. I know they all won’t work out, but we only need 5 of the 8 to be healthy/reach their potential. I personally don’t find that altogether unrealistic. That is just awesome to think about. With three pre-arb starters and Garcia’s contract, regardless of WR’s new deal, the rotation will be inexpensive with boatloads of potential.
It’s pretty astonishing really. And if most of them do turn out, you have an unbelievable trade arsenal for an impact position player in the future.
I don’t think the Cardinals want to challenge Wacha this season. He’s coming off a heavy pitching load, and he’s simply getting work to get acclimated to the pro game. He’s doing very well, but again, he’s only pitched 8 innings so far.
Agreed Wacha will likely not see any of the Double A Texas League this season his below average but improving curve-ball and straight mid 90s fastball will not be tested against those more advanced hitters. 8 innings is a small sample size he’s got an impressive K:BB ratio 16 K/ 1 BB that still pretty intriguing.
Counting GCL I believe the number of innings is 13…. 13 IP, 5 hits, 1 walk, 23 strikeouts, 0.69 ERA.
I meant innings in Palm Beach. We’re talking about moving up to AA; what he did at the rookie league level really doesn’t factor in for me.
Was it PEDs with Stanley, or drug of abuse?
PED related: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120327&content_id=27674424&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb
James Ramsey has been very blah thus far in professional baseball. Could have had Gallo. Just sayin’.
But we saved all that bonus money by taking Ramsey!
Meh. Pitcher’s league, pitcher’s park, straight outta college.
The FSL plays hell with some hitters (e.g., when Ryan Braun was in the FSL [at the same advanced age as Ramsey, in fact], he hit a relatively punchless .270 or so — and Palm Beach wasn’t Braun’s home park).
We’ll know a LOT more about Ramsey by this time next year, when he’s left Florida behind, and fully acclimated to the pro game.
And there *are* positives worth mentioning: in just 40 games, he’s 10-for-10 as a basethief; and in centerfield he’s gunned down 5 runners without committing an error. Those are obviously exceptional defense/baserunning peripherals.
Gallo? I thought you said “Callo.”
CJ McElroy nickname suggestion—-CJ Tools :)
NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
C.J plus plus speed McElroy
Elroy Herrimientas? (Spanish for tools)
Got great seats behind home plate last night and was delighted to hear Jaime was pitching. Unfortunately I had some health issues, stayed the whole game but wasn’t really focused. I will say that Jaime looked great, no discomfort that I could see, curve was on all night. They had a few hard hits and one of them went really far. On my way to Springfield now.
Also, Zawadski made a spectacular play leaping and snagging a liner up the middle and doubling off the guy at 3rd in the 8th, I think.
I’m curious about why the Cards didn’t sign Zawadzki when they drafted him in the ’06 out of San Diego State. Granted, it was the 15th round, but they ponied up to get Tommy Pham in the 16th round. (IIRC, they gave him 3rd-round money.)
Zawadzki ended up going to an NAIA school for his senior year, and then signed with San Diego, who drafted him in the 4th round in ’07.
I don’t know if was ever destined for stardom, but he was a real prospect through 2009. No idea what happened after that. Injury?
Illdemaro Vargas has been a fairly consistent contact hitter this season his offensive line .322/.389/.449/.836 3 HR 23 RBI 66-for-205 sample 15 doubles. Vargas makes good contact with a line drive type swing one of the best defenders on the JC team excellent range with accurate throws from 2B he’s also a switch hitter.