July & August & September Minor League game thread

Byrdbrain

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Andrew Benintendi homers to Right center - 416 feet. 105 mph off the bat,

Benintendi is on fire, a long homerun after a double earlier in the game.


Edit:Oh and Devers just hit a triple, now just needs a single for the cycle.
 

The Gray Eagle

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Moncada with an RBI triple, to go along with his double and walk so far. Seadogs are fun to watch lately.
 

Byrdbrain

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My bad, Moncada had one earlier in the game and I was thinking it was Benintendi.
 

The Gray Eagle

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Now Moncada ranges up the middle to make a nice stop and take away a hit.

Couch trying to finish the complete game, not helped by a Dubon error with two out in the 9th.
 

Cesar Crespo

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Alejandro Basabe goes yard and continues to build on a phenomenal season. Kyri Washington hits his 12th of the year as well and is now OPSing over .900. Granted he'll be 22 in a few days, and the strikeouts are very alarming. Joseph Monge is probably a name worth adding to your fringe list too. Chavis also really needed this game, prior to tonight he had 9 strikeouts in his last 19 at bats. The previous 100 at bats, he had a total of 14.
 

Plympton91

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Add Roniel Rhodes with a quality start to last nights list.

Rhodes, Chavis, Benintendi, Moncada, and Devers. Nice to have that to fall back on after the abomination in Boston.
 

simplicio

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Which is good, because in AAA our last great starting hope Aaron Wilkerson fell apart to the tune of 7ER.
 

Cesar Crespo

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Another 3 strike outs for Chavis today, 0/4. It looks like the early season improvements were either a mirage or the injury has screwed him up. Alejandro Basabe with another 3/4 game.
 

Plympton91

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Did anyone catch any news about why Chris Acosta isn't playing anywhere this season, even in the DSL? He signed for as much as Espinoza did, and Sox Prospect has an article saying they were considered equal prospects. The Google didn't turn up anything recent.
 

RoDaddy

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Henry Ramos seemingly hit for the cycle today. He's been great this year and finally injury free, and deserving of promotion if the opportiunity presents itself. It'd be good to see some other quality prospects/suspects come around as well like Marrero and Coyle.

Devers also hitting very well of late and finally over .250, which is still impressive given he's only 19 in high A.
 

Heating up in the bullpen

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Saw Salem play at Carolina tonight.
Devers went 2-4 with a double (smoked line drive off the wall in straightaway center), single (also hard hit line drive) and two Ks.
Nick Longhi also hit the ball hard a couple times, including his second homer of the year. He had some trouble in right field, twice misplaying balls (one bouncing, one rolling) that allowed runners to advance an extra base.
Travis Lakins had a decent start - 2 runs through 5 innings, those coming on an opposite field homer by Gordon Beckham on a rehab assignment. (Beckham's not much of a major leaguer, but he clearly outclasses the lads in high A.) He gave up a hit and a walk to start the 6th, leaving with a 5-2 lead, and was replaced by Mario Alcantara.
Alcantara brought his gas can and matches, giving up a hit and 4 walks while getting two outs. Simon Mercedes then allowed two of Alcantara's runners to score when the first batter he faced lined a double to left.
That was pretty much the game, as Salem lost 9-6. My 10-year-old son was disappointed the Sox lost, but the fireworks after the game made up for it.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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MYRTLE BEACH!!!!
Wouldn't shock me to see him skip AAA and end up at Fenway in a month. Not saying I advocate it, but I wouldn't be shocked.
 

soxhop411

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“@RyanHannable: Michael Kopech in his first start with High-A Salem (calf strain): 4 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 6 K. 60 pitches/40 strikes.”


“@RyanHannable: Last inning was: 9 pitches, 9 strikes, 3 strikeouts. In-stadium radar gun had last pitch at 101 mph.”
 

RoDaddy

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90-92 mph change-up!? Is that really a change-up? It might be even less separation than ERod, who has been criticized for his 88 mph change-up. But that's nit-picking for a prospect throwing that kind of heat, and also 9 of 9 strikes despite a history of control problems

Moncada and 10D look like they're on a fast train to Fenway, almost too fast. If this happens within the next year, where are they, especially Moncada, gonna play when they get there? Nice problem to have I guess
 

ZMart100

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“@seadogsradio: Yoan Moncada just cleared the batter’s eye in centerfield a line drive homer that probably went 420 feet.”


WATCH THE VIDEO
I was a few rows back from where that video was shot. That ball was absolutely crushed. It didn't go far over the wall, but it left the bat at a low angle. Everything, even foul balls, just comes off Moncada's bat hard. His other two hits were line drives as well. Moncada (3-5, 1K, 0BB, 1HR, 1SB) did miss a play in the shift on a ball hit by the 2nd base bag that he should have gotten to, however.
Benintendi (1-4, 2K, 1 BB) was not nearly as impressive at the plate. He did look good going first to third off a single by Decker in the 6th. I didn't notice him in the field.
Tzu-Wei Lin (1-4, 0K, 0BB, 1 SB) was a little maddening in the field. He launched a ball in the stands on a routine play in the first, then made a few nice plays including a barehanded play charging a slow roller in the third inning before misplaying another ball later in the game. If he can get more reps at third, I think he could be a really base running and defensive replacement in some future September.
Dubon (2-5, 0K, 0BB, 1 SB) wasn't making great contact, but had a nice line drive single to LF in the 6th. He seems like he's still adjusting to the level. He did a good job starting a double play with Moncada to end the game.
I wouldn't read to much into the base stealing tonight. The Fisher Cats weren't great at controlling the running game, though Moncada was almost caught leaning in the first. Only Lin's SB probably would have held up at higher levels.
Edit:Corrected Moncada line.
 
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ehaz

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I was at the game as well, Moncada's swing is really pretty. He looks so calm at the plate it reminds me of Cano. Btw, he went 3-5 not 2-5. Two singles and the homer.
 

ZMart100

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I was at the game as well, Moncada's swing is really pretty. He looks so calm at the plate it reminds me of Cano. Btw, he went 3-5 not 2-5. Two singles and the homer.
Thanks for catching that. I mentioned the HR and other two hits, but somehow didn't add them up when I went to write his line.
 

burstnbloom

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Devers now has more walks this season than he did all of last season. If his early season struggles are the tradeoff for a huge increase in plate discipline, that could be a very healthy trade long term.
 

Buzzkill Pauley

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Devers now has more walks this season than he did all of last season. If his early season struggles are the tradeoff for a huge increase in plate discipline, that could be a very healthy trade long term.
That's exactly what I expect the plan was, from the very start of Spring Training. Teaching plate discipline had to happen in A-ball, before Devers faced advanced breaking pitches.

I still expect good things from Devers and Espinoza both, even if they haven't been turned loose by the player development folks the way Benintendi and Moncada have been.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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MYRTLE BEACH!!!!
Devers now has more walks this season than he did all of last season. If his early season struggles are the tradeoff for a huge increase in plate discipline, that could be a very healthy trade long term.
Plucked this from yesterday's Globe column by Spier.

Through 40 games, the 19-year-old hit just .180 with a .268 OBP and .293 slugging mark. Since May 24, he’s hitting .349 (second best in the Carolina League in that time) with a .388 OBP and .504 slugging mark to raise his line to .258/.322/.391.
 

smastroyin

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Moncada and 10D look like they're on a fast train to Fenway, almost too fast. If this happens within the next year, where are they, especially Moncada, gonna play when they get there? Nice problem to have I guess
We should get some hints of that with the rest of this season. Moncada probably needs some time to adjust to whatever position they try him at, it's his glove that will keep him from getting promoted right now anyway.

But, there are a few potential options in play, even if you go with the assumption that they'll need day 1 roster spots (which is already something of a big assumption)
- I think JBJ could be traded this off-season if DD is desperate for another starter. He should have good value on the market but he doesn't feel as essential as Bogaerts and Betts. If Bradley goes, I could see them trying Moncada in the OF.
- Assuming Moncada can cover 3B, the Sox have a bunch of ways to fill 1B/3B/DH. They may try to move Hanley after he rebuilds some value, opening up 1B, or they may deal Shaw as soon as this trade deadline, or dump Panda completely.
 

Byrdbrain

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Per the Spinners Twitter feed Brandon Workman will be pitching there tonight.
 

simplicio

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We should get some hints of that with the rest of this season. Moncada probably needs some time to adjust to whatever position they try him at, it's his glove that will keep him from getting promoted right now anyway.

But, there are a few potential options in play, even if you go with the assumption that they'll need day 1 roster spots (which is already something of a big assumption)
- I think JBJ could be traded this off-season if DD is desperate for another starter. He should have good value on the market but he doesn't feel as essential as Bogaerts and Betts. If Bradley goes, I could see them trying Moncada in the OF.
- Assuming Moncada can cover 3B, the Sox have a bunch of ways to fill 1B/3B/DH. They may try to move Hanley after he rebuilds some value, opening up 1B, or they may deal Shaw as soon as this trade deadline, or dump Panda completely.
JBJ is probably the second or third best CF in the game this year. That doesn't feel essential to you?
 

Cesar Crespo

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Unless they believe in Sandoval, it shouldn't be an issue anyway. You can just use a rotating DH and move Holt back to super sub. Moncada at 3b and Nintendo in LF.