July & August & September Minor League game thread

Cesar Crespo

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All up Doubon and have him play 3B?
Don't know if his bat would hold up at 3b, but he has the minor league profile of a guy who would probably adjust quickly to the big leagues, unlike Moncada. He's more Betts/Benny when it comes to plate discipline. Dubon just turned 22, so who knows what to think of this. This stretch of play is far better than any stretch by Marco or Marrero and he's doing it at a younger age. I'm excited.
 

j44thor

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Don't know if his bat would hold up at 3b, but he has the minor league profile of a guy who would probably adjust quickly to the big leagues, unlike Moncada. He's more Betts/Benny when it comes to plate discipline. Dubon just turned 22, so who knows what to think of this. This stretch of play is far better than any stretch by Marco or Marrero and he's doing it at a younger age. I'm excited.
Will be interesting to see what happens when AA pitchers stop throwing Dubon strikes. Believe he was one bb and two k in his last 40+ABs. Moncada has had over 10bb and ks over the same stretch.
 

Cesar Crespo

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Will be interesting to see what happens when AA pitchers stop throwing Dubon strikes. Believe he was one bb and two k in his last 40+ABs. Moncada has had over 10bb and ks over the same stretch.
Right, the lack of walks is a bit concerning but he isn't striking out anymore than usual, and during his hot streak he's striking out even less. He will never walk or k as much as Moncada. Looking more and more like a regular than a UI every day that passes though. Dubon has a quick bat that suggests he'll always hit for average so if his ISO spike in Portland is indicative of something, look out. That was his only glaring weakness offensively.
 

soxhop411

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“@ClearTheBases: First pitch to Yoan Moncada goes out in a hurry. HR 383 feet. 98 mph. Moncada’s 11th HR. And he did it right-handed”
 

Bob Sacamento

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Here is video I shot of the 12th overall draft pick, Jason Groome, against the GCL Minnesota Twins on 8/27/16 at the JetBlue Complex.

Jason threw 45 pitches in two innings, his fastball was 89-93 mph, his curve was 78-80 and his changeup was 78-81 mph. He was very shaky with his pitches, and he couldn't hold a runner on to save his life (4 SB) but completely turned it around in the 2nd and looked like the young stud the Sox were getting. The video has every pitch he threw in sequence as well as his warmups.

 

RoDaddy

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No excuse for that bad a performance but maybe he was working on secondary pitches?

How about promoting Dalbec to Salem to DH for the playoffs?
 

Plympton91

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No excuse for that bad a performance but maybe he was working on secondary pitches?

How about promoting Dalbec to Salem to DH for the playoffs?
The articles linked above say that he had been working on a change-up and hadn't broken it out in a game yet. Hopefully that's an explanation.

He went 7 innings for the first time in his previous start last Wednesday, and they had pushed him back two days so this start came on 7 days rest. I thought that was just to line him up to start the first game of the playoffs. But, the poor outing and the extra days off are worrisome.
 

Over Guapo Grande

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A friar that I am friends with, who was a (positive) influence on my life a good 20+ years ago threw out the first pitch for the Drive the other day. He does amazing work for Greenville, and for the school he is associated with, so it was awesome to get this recognition.
 

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Cesar Crespo

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Nonsense! Board experts have spent the week saying he's ready for a pennant race in the majors
While I agree he isn't ready, one bad outing doesn't mean much at all. Of course that one start did show why he isn't ready, along with a few other starts earlier in the year. Control/command.
 

Montana Fan

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A friar that I am friends with, who was a (positive) influence on my life a good 20+ years ago threw out the first pitch for the Drive the other day. He does amazing work for Greenville, and for the school he is associated with, so it was awesome to get this recognition.
Cripes, he's even wearing the robes. Love the picture..
 

djhb20

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I mean, that was an amazing start. Walks the first 5 guys (!), then rebounds to get a k and a pop up and a chance to salvage the inning with only two runs, but then a grand slam. Fin.

That's the kind of performance that would fit right in.
 

Sampo Gida

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While I agree he isn't ready, one bad outing doesn't mean much at all. Of course that one start did show why he isn't ready, along with a few other starts earlier in the year. Control/command.
Maybe a let down, he may have read here that he was ready for the Big Show. lol Could have had a huge party the night before, or maybe an injury, who knows. In the bullpen, he gets lifted after the 2nd walk and no harm done usually. My only concern about him was maturity and possible character issues. Some kids are best left to being out of the limelight until they mature. I don't know the kid of course, so maybe that's not the case here. It didn't look like he was getting a call up anyways, and that start probably eliminate whatever chances he had of getting one.
 

Brohamer of the Gods

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So the park just got a community service award from the Paw Sox. Me and my peeps just finished a behind the scenes tour, including a handshake with Larry. Just got seared front row right behind the plate.
 

soxfan121

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So the park just got a community service award from the Paw Sox. Me and my peeps just finished a behind the scenes tour, including a handshake with Larry. Just got seared front row right behind the plate.
1. Cool story, Brohamer.

2. Did you check to make sure your wallet was still there after you shook hands with Larry?
 

Brohamer of the Gods

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1. Cool story, Brohamer.

2. Did you check to make sure your wallet was still there after you shook hands with Larry?
Not until now. But it is.

We thought we were going to just get a plaque and quietly leave. But we got sent over to the VIP tent for free food, the tour and the Uecker seats. Oh, and numerous pics with Paws. They really do a nice job there.
 

Plympton91

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Sad to see how much Brandon Workman struggled to come back this year. Hopefully he can do some more rehab this winter and come back strong in spring training. It'd be terrible if he was one of the 20% who still don't quite ever make it back from TJ surgery.

On a more positive note. With the end of the minor league season upon us, my top 15 list of players who weren't promoted for the stretch run:

1. Kopech -- 105 mph. Nuff said.
2. Devers -- elite power prospect
3. Groome -- top of the rotation pedigree
4. Dubon -- above average defensive SS who hit .330 and showed power in AA
5. Basabe -- toolsy CF who showed signs of turning tools into skills
6. Dalbac -- elite power prospect who shined in advanced half season ball
7. Brian Johnson -- still effective in AAA
8. Sam Travis -- was a year ahead of schedule in AAA and solid before injury
9. Roniel Raudes -- young control artist with room to grow velocity

My Binkie Division:

10. Ben Taylor -- upper 90s fastball in switch to pen; solid AA success in first full pro season
11. Aneury Tavarez -- late bloomer getting last chance, hit .330 in Portland at age 24.
12. Jake Cosart -- upper 90s fastball, late convert to pitching still struggling w/control and secondary stuff
13. Tyler Hill -- Northern climate draftee so on slower path; hit close to .400 for a long time at Lowell

Sympathy Division:

14. Michael Chavis -- strong start marred by injury and poor second half
15. Trey Ball -- Might be time to see about that career as an outfielder.

Honorable mention:

Nick Longhi -- succeeding in contact, plate control, and average at high A, but not showing the power necessary yet

That's still a pretty impressive list of prospects even leaving off Moncada and Benintendi, and I probably could put Owens still in the top 10 as well (though I bet he has lost rookie eligibility, which usually causes them to drop from these lists.)
 
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Cesar Crespo

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Tavarez is going to have to be put on the 40, which is up for debate if he will or not.

Ockimey and Chatham deserve mention as well.
 

Plympton91

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Tavarez is going to have to be put on the 40, which is up for debate if he will or not.

Ockimey and Chatham deserve mention as well.
I thought about them. Ockimey completely collapsed in the second half, so I thought he was clearly in the 20-30 range. Chatham maybe should have been honorable mention. He came on strong at the end of Lowell's season. But many felt he was slightly over drafted and would be a Jeff Rutledge type. Not as good enough fielder for middle infield and not a good enough hitter for the corners. Nothing in his small sample suggests that was inaccurate. So, I think he's also in the 18-25 range or so.

It will be interesting to see what they do with Tavarez. Based on skills and stats he seems preferable to Brentz.
 

Detts

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I thought about them. Ockimey completely collapsed in the second half, so I thought he was clearly in the 20-30 range. Chatham maybe should have been honorable mention. He came on strong at the end of Lowell's season. But many felt he was slightly over drafted and would be a Jeff Rutledge type. Not as good enough fielder for middle infield and not a good enough hitter for the corners. Nothing in his small sample suggests that was inaccurate. So, I think he's also in the 18-25 range or so.

It will be interesting to see what they do with Tavarez. Based on skills and stats he seems preferable to Brentz.
This was Oak's first full season of baseball. It averaged 95 July and Aug. Strong possibility he just flat wore out.
 

RoDaddy

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good job on the ranking, Plympton - hard to argue much with what's listed. I would maybe add Jake Romanski who was a consistant .300 hitter all year to go with supposed pretty good defensive skills at a key position. Of course, he's nothing but a singles hitter but still, he would seem to have ML backup catcher potential somewhere. And as you mention, when is the time to throw in the towel on Ball? I would think it depends on his potential as a position player. If it's not that high, I would think the organization would be more likely to stick with his sinking ship as a pitcher
 

benhogan

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And again, this is why we need to pump the brakes on Kopech. He's a great prospect, but still a long way away. He started the first game of the playoff series, and did not appear to do well(2 1/3, 5H, 6ER, 2BB, 5K)
The kid threw up on himself the last two starts. He also had 2 HBP and 3 wild pitches in the playoff game.

Hopefully its just a couple of bad outings and he can handle the Arizona Fall League. Then would expect him to start in Portland next year.
 

Plympton91

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And the two bad outings follow his first 7 inning start as a pro. Dead arm? Injury?