5/13 MiLB Gameday: Drive in the Afternoon

[Cuzittt]

Today's Games:

IL:Pawtucket (Rubby de la Rosa) @ Indianapolis (Brandon Cumpton) [7:05pm]
EL: Portland (Michael Augliera) @ New Britain (Taylor Rodgers) [6:35pm]
CL:Salem (TBD) @ Wilmington (Jonathan Dziedzic) [6:35pm]
SAL: Greenville (Ty Buttrey) vs. West Virginia (Dovydas Neverauskas) [2:05pm]
NYPL: Lowell - Opening Day - June 13th vs. Vermont
GCL: GCL Sox - Opening Day - June 20th vs GCL Twins
DSL: DSL Sox - Opening Day - May 31st

Notes:

Mookie Betts has reached safely in 62 consecutive regular season games. He has reached safely in 67 consecutive games (including playoffs).

Scoreboard:

Boston Red Sox Minor League Scores

Media:

MiLB TV
MiLB Radio

Local Media:

Pawsox:

Providence Journal
Pawtucket Times

Seadogs: Portland Press Herald

Salem: Roanoke Times

Greenville: Greenville Online

Lowell: Lowell Sun

 

[TheYaz67]

Hoping Rubby can keep his solid start going tonight against Indy.  Should Dooby or Buch suddenly contract a bad case of "Hellenic flu", Rubby at this point would be my choice to bring up the way he has been pitching so far....

 

[SaveBooFerriss]

Interesting question for the day: Is Wendell Rijo a better prospect than Mookie Betts?   

 

[Drek717]

Interesting question for the day: Is Wendell Rijo a better prospect than Mookie Betts?   

Well, Betts is putting up a better line in Portland than Rijo is posting in Greenville, so the edge has to go to Betts simply due to the level of competition.  But Rijo is becoming real interesting, and the worry that Rijo is just a flash in the pan is somewhat mitigated by the fact that he had an acceptable 2013 with a brace on his leg just coming back from a major injury.  Something about 2Bs man, the Sox got 'em in spades.  Betts, Rijo, Gragnani, Coyle who they've now moved off position to get him in games, etc..

 

[SaveBooFerriss]

Well, Betts is putting up a better line in Portland than Rijo is posting in Greenville, so the edge has to go to Betts simply due to the level of competition.  

 
That is certainly true, but at age 18, he is tearing up low-A ball.  Betts was in high school at this age and didn't reach low-A until two years later.  
 
I would still pick Mookie, but Rijo is putting up better numbers as an 18 yr than Xander did a few years back.  

 

[Cesar Crespo]

I think you'd have to see how Rijo handles Salem, but probably won't get promoted this year. If he does, holy helium.

The bb/k rate is impressive.

 

[Merkle's Boner]

As the keeper of the Rijo thread, it is my duty to reiterate that Wendell is the 4th youngest player in the SAL.  If he is still approaching these numbers a month from now, we probably have another Top 50 guy on our hands.

 

[ItOnceWasMyLife]

Who's on first?
 
 
Mookie of course.  63 is in the books.

 

[JakeRae]

 
That is certainly true, but at age 18, he is tearing up low-A ball.  Betts was in high school at this age and didn't reach low-A until two years later.  
 
I would still pick Mookie, but Rijo is putting up better numbers as an 18 yr than Xander did a few years back.  

 
As for the first part, it really isn't close and Mookie is a much better prospect right now. Mookie is 3 years older and 2 levels ahead, so age-relative-to-level is not a huge advantage for Rijo. Mookie is in his second year of playing incredibly well and has gotten better after his last 2 promotions. Rijo has good discipline, walks almost as much as he strikes out, but still strikes out a fair bit. Mookie walks more than he strikes out. Mookie also has more XBH than strikeouts and did in Salem last year too. Mookie is a serious basestealing threat, which Rijo has yet to show. Mookie is rated by scouts as a very good defender with potential to play multiple positions. Rijo's scouting report says that he has the tools to be a solid 2B but gets lazy at times and is still a work in progress.
 
As for Rijo v. Xander, Xander put up massive power numbers as an 18 year old. He had less of an ability to draw a walk and both strike out a fair bit. And, Xander did it over 300 PA rather than just 100, so far. Also, that half a season in Greenville started the buzz, but it didn't really take off until the following season. Bogaerts was not as good a prospect as Mookie is currently after those 300 PA in Greenville. Rijo really isn't close after 100.
 
All of that is not to say that Rijo isn't an intriguing prospect. He's off to a fantastic start. But, to compare him to Betts is either to massively underrate Betts or to massively overrate the value of Rijo's hot start.

 

[WenZink]

Hoping Rubby can keep his solid start going tonight against Indy.  Should Dooby or Buch suddenly contract a bad case of "Hellenic flu", Rubby at this point would be my choice to bring up the way he has been pitching so far....

 
My guess; Rubby is traded for an additional slot in the International Signing pool.  Almost 2 years of rehab, and he's still struggling to show consistency.  Sigh.

 

[Cuzittt]

Carlos Asuaje hits a walk-off HR, Drive win 7-5.

Boxscore

Ty Buttrey went 4 2/3 innings, allowing a run on 3 hits and 3 walks; striking out 3. John Ely went 1 1/3 innings; striking out one. Raynel Velette went 3 innings, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks; striking out 2.

Jordan Weems and Zach Kapstein each went 2/3 with a walk; Kapstein with a HR. Carlos Asuaje went 2/5 with a HR. Wendell Rijo went 1/3 with a HR and a walk. Bo Greenwell went 1/3 with a walk. Tzu-Wei Lin went 0/3 with 2 walks and a SB. Jake Romanski went 0/3 with a walk. Manuel Margot went 0/4. Jimmy Rider went 0/5.

Bottom 9th, Sox down 5-2

Pitching Change: Brett McKinney replaces Isaac Sanchez.
Bo Greenwell singles on a ground ball to third baseman Chris Diaz.
Jordan Weems walks. Bo Greenwell to 2nd.
Zach Kapstein homers (1) on a fly ball to left field. Bo Greenwell scores. Jordan Weems scores.
Jimmy Rider flies out to left fielder Justin Maffei.
Tzu-Wei Lin walks.
Carlos Asuaje homers (3) on a fly ball to right field. Tzu-Wei Lin scores.

 

[Cuzittt]

Salem loses 4-1.

Boxscore

Cody Kukuk went 2 2/3 innings, allowing 3 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits, 3 walks and a WP; striking out 3. Madison Younginer went 3 1/3 innings, giving up 2 hits and a walk; striking out one. Kyle Martin went 2 innings, allowing a run on 2 hits; striking out 2.

Matty Johnson went 1/3 with a walk. Kevin Heller and Dreily Guerrero each went 1/3; Heller with a PO/CS. Tim Roberson and Ryan Dent each went 1/4. Kevin Mager and Aneury Tavarez each went 0/3. Jonathan Roof and Carson Blair each went 0/4.

 

[Cuzittt]

Seadogs lose 4-2.

Boxscore

Mike Augliera went 7 innings, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and a walk; striking out 2. Miguel Celestino went an inning, striking out 2.

Mookie Betts went 2/4 with a double, walk and 2 SBs. Blake Swihart went 2/3 with a HR, walk and SB. Travis Shaw went 1/4 with a walk. Deven Marrero went 1/4 with a HBP. Shannon Wilkerson went 1/4 with a double. Carlos Rivero went 1/5. Heiker Meneses went 0/2 with 2 walks. Derrik Gibson and Peter Hissey each went 0/4.

Seadogs went 1 for 12 with runner in scoring position.

 

[Cuzittt]

Pawsox lose 6-2, game ended in the bottom of the 6th by rain.

Boxscore

Rubby de la Rosa went 3 innings, allowing 6 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks; striking out 4. Chris Hernandez went 2 1/3 innings, giving up 2 hits and a HBP.

Christian Vazquez went 2/2 with a walk. Brock Holt went 2/3 with a double. Daniel Nava and Garin Cecchini each went 1/2 with a walk. Ryan Roberts went 1/3. Ryan Lavarnway went 0/2 with a HBP. Alex Hassan went 0/2 with a walk. Bryce Brentz and Corey Brown each went 0/3.

 

[ScubaSteveAvery]

Seadogs lose 4-2.

Boxscore

Blake Swihart went 2/3 with a HR, walk and SB. 

 
He's up to .300/.319/.491 in his first 27 games in AA.  He has also thrown out 42% of runners.