8/20 MiLB Gameday: Seadogs look for 80

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

The Spinners contingent at yesterday's NYPL ASG in Brooklyn. L to R: Jordan Betts, Danny Mars, Carlos Pinales & Mauricio Dubon.

And today, one of them is no longer part of that contingent:

https://twitter.com/Dmars22/status/501928549918707714

Danny Mars @Dmars22 · 14h

Unbelievable night at the all star game tonight! Heading to Greenville tomorrow, very thankful for the opportunities I have been given!

https://twitter.com/Dmars22/status/502064815121391616

Danny Mars @Dmars22 · 5h

SC bound

SaveBooFerriss · Aug 20, 2014

I would love to hear a scouting report on Gabe Speier. He has dominated the GCL after coming back from TJ surgery. I would love to see if his stuff matches his statistical production. He is one of the guys I most interested in hearing about from the guys at Soxprospects when they go down to Instructs. Maybe Cousin Alex (kidding) will report on Speier's stuff.

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

With Jordan Procyshen promoted yesterday from Lowell to Greenville, the Spinners are left with just two active catchers (Alixon Suarez & David Sopilka) as they resume play post-ASG. So I'm wondering if Ben Moore, one of 5 active catchers for GCL and the only Division I college player among them, might be moved up to Lowell to finish the season. The 8th-rounder out of Bama hasn't shown any power yet but he's been an on-base machine, hitting .303/.432/.364/.796 with just 11 K in 81 PA.

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

SaveBooFerriss said:
I would love to hear a scouting report on Gabe Speier. He has dominated the GCL after coming back from TJ surgery. I would love to see if his stuff matches his statistical production. He is one of the guys I most interested in hearing about from the guys at Soxprospects when they go down to Instructs. Maybe Cousin Alex (kidding) will report on Speier's stuff.

Agreed. 5 shutout IP today with 3 H, 0 BB & 5 K. Really interested to see what sort of arsenal he has post-surgery.

When Speier signed (months before he went under the knife), Jim Callis reported Gabe had been throwing 93 along with a "hard curve" during the various high school showcases. MLB.com described him as having a "Solid four-pitch mix, gets downhill plane on FB". And BA's Aaron Fitt noted that he "lacks physicality, but has shown makings of 3 avg or better pitches."

A couple of assessments from February 2013:

Aaron Fitt ‏@aaronfitt 9 Feb 2013
Like what I saw from Santa Barbara LHP Gabe Speier, who spotted 89-90 fastball well, using it to strike out 3 in his perfect inning.

Todd Gold ‏@TGold_PG 9 Feb 2013
Found a new lefty I like: 2013 LHP Gabe Speier (Santa Barbara, CA). Cruised @ 88-90 with good command, arm works, projects. 74 CB, 77 SL

Alex actually addressed the kinship issue humorously last year: "For those asking, no relation of which I'm aware - probably for the best for Gabe Speier. I would qualify as bad bloodlines for an athlete".

However Gabe does indeed have MLB bloodlines, as his great uncle is Chris Speier (grandfather's brother), and his cousin is Chris's kid Justin.

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

After missing a week with an ankle injury...

Mike Antonellis ‏@seadogsradio 1m
Sean Coyle returns to the lineup tonight…hitting third and playing 2B.

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

To clear a spot for Coyle, Portland placed Mike Augliera on the Temporarily Inactive List.

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

Per the SoxProspects guys in attendance, Barnes wasn't all that sharp with his command, especially his curveball:

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 1h
Matt Barnes falls behind 1st batter 2-0. Then goes FB, FB swing-miss, FB swing-miss and strikeout's leadoff hitter.

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 1h
Matt Barnes picks up 2nd K swinging on FB up-in on RHH. Ends inning with 3rd K on 95mph FB up in the zone.

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 1h
Barnes is thru 3ip. Struggling to establish CB. Pounding FB 92-95. 6 swing-misses w/ 3k's so far all on the FB.

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 48m
Barnes picks up 4th K swinging on FB up to RHH to end inning. FB jumps on hitters. Would like to see better command down in zone. EZ plus FB

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 44m
Barnes tried to establish CB in 3rd. Tripled up on CB to Phillies prospect Maikel Franco. CB flashes plus. Inconsistent release pt/cntrl.

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 40m
Matt Barnes CB plays as fringe-avg but flashes plus. Needs to be more consistent and improve cmd/cntrl.

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 35m
Matt Barnes has retired 13 straight thru 4ip. 8 swing-misses, 4K's all on the FB.

Matt Huegel ‏@MattHuegelSP 51m
Another 1-2-3 in fifth for Barnes, only hit he's given up was grounder up the middle. Hasn't exactly been dominant, but chugging along.

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 26m
Barnes picks up 5th K on 3 swing-miss FB's [in the 6th inning].

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 26m
Barnes back to back K's. This time on well located CB on outside corner to LHH caught looking. Flashed the + CB there.

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 18m
Matt Barnes strikes out the side [in the 6th]. Tripled up on the CB again to Maikel Franco. Well located CB down-in for K looking to end inning.

Matt Huegel ‏@MattHuegelSP 26m
Barnes walked two on close pitches in the sixth, but had six more total swing-and-misses on fastballs. Really impressive pitch tonight.

Matt Huegel ‏@MattHuegelSP 25s
That's it for Barnes after one out in the seventh. Threw six straight balls to open inning, but came back to get an out. Allowed weak hit.

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 9m
Barnes did not pitch as well as box score indicated. Pitched up with the FB. Inconsistent secondaries.

Yet there he is with 6.1 scoreless 2-hit innings in the books as he exits with a 9-0 lead.

7 K, 3 BB, and 64 of 105 pitches for strikes.

Then there's this:

Chaz Fiorino ‏@cbfiorino 9m
FWIW Leigh Valley lineup is last in every offensive category in AAA International League. Team slash line .248/.311/.372. Last in runs.

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

Justin Haley has turned in quality starts in all 4 of his Portland appearances so far.

Tonight: 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 H (1 HR), 2 BB, 8 K, and 63 of 95 pitches for strikes.

Those 8 strikeouts are a AA high for him. Even with the 3-run night, his ERA for the Sea Dogs stands at 1.82 in 24.2 IP. His K/BB, which was 11/12 coming in (0.92), is now above water at 1.36.

Wilfredo Boscan is actually NOT being a can of kerosene tonight, tossing 1.2 scoreless relief innings through the 8th.

Also: KDLC singled to extend his hitting streak to 7 games.

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

How was Pat Light's night? The venerable golfing mantra "Drive for show, Putt for dough" comes to mind.

Josh Norris ‏@jnorris427 2h
Pat Light touched 98 in the first. He also hung a slider that Courtney Hawkins hit to Mars.

He lasted just 4.1 innings allowing 5 ER on 12 H, 0 BB & 3 K.

Salem trails 7-4, batting in the t-7th.

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

Well, this was a pleasant surprise. Myles Smith entered tonight's start with a 5.87 ERA in 92 IP and just 1 fewer walk (57) than strikeouts (58).

So he goes 5.2 innings throwing 97 pitches, allowing 2 unearned runs on just 2 H, 3 BB & 1 HBP with a career-high 8 K.

Greenville up 6-2, b-6th, as everyone in the lineup but Tzu-Wei Lin has reached base. Solo HRs by Danny Bethea & Franklin Guzman, and a 2-run shot by Sam Travis to go with an RBI double.

Plympton91 · Aug 20, 2014

That's interesting. As I noted, I saw Light's previous start and it was obvious that his fastball was several ticks above the other pitchers' that night. It didn't seem like it was 98 though, I was guessing 93-94. So, it seems like Lwe can't write Light off until we see whether his stuff can play up in the bullpen. I wonder how much longer they'll keep him starting?

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

For the second straight year, the PawSox have logged consecutive shutouts over the same opponent on August 19 & 20. Last season it was Buffalo, this year Lehigh Valley.

mabrowndog · Aug 20, 2014

mabrowndog said:
With Jordan Procyshen promoted yesterday from Lowell to Greenville, the Spinners are left with just two active catchers (Alixon Suarez & David Sopilka) as they resume play post-ASG. So I'm wondering if Ben Moore, one of 5 active catchers for GCL and the only Division I college player among them, might be moved up to Lowell to finish the season. The 8th-rounder out of Bama hasn't shown any power yet but he's been an on-base machine, hitting .303/.432/.364/.796 with just 11 K in 81 PA.

Well, the Sox did indeed promote a catcher selected in this year's draft from GCL to Lowell -- but it wasn't Moore. Instead, 31st-rounder Alex McKeon from Texas A&M International gets the call after a .250/.311/.339/.651 line in 61 PA, so perhaps they're more impressed with his work behind the dish. McKeon has cut down 7 of 20 steal attempts (35%) while Moore's thrown out just 7 of 35 (20%). Moore's also been charged with 6 PB and 5 E in 16 G; McKeon's had 1 PB and 1 E in 26 G.

RoDaddy · Aug 20, 2014

80 wins for Portland! Not quite the 1999 Trenton Thunder (92-50) but still a great year with lots of terrific player development performances (Swihart, Betts, Marrero, Owens, Ramos, Johnson, Coyle, Shaw, etc)

Plympton91 · Aug 21, 2014

Cuzittt said:
Jackie Bradley went 0/5 with 3 Ks.

...Sigh....shakes head...

Mighty Joe Young · Aug 21, 2014

Plympton91 said:
...Sigh....shakes head...

Well .. in some ways this isn't necessarily a bad thing .. given that he raked in Pawtucket last year, if he flounders at AAA in the next few weeks it would seem to evidence that there's something seriously screwed up with either his mental process or his swing .. probably both.

Which is to say it's probably fixable.

Frisbetarian · Aug 21, 2014

mabrowndog said:
Agreed. 5 shutout IP today with 3 H, 0 BB & 5 K. Really interested to see what sort of arsenal he has post-surgery.

When Speier signed (months before he went under the knife), Jim Callis reported Gabe had been throwing 93 along with a "hard curve" during the various high school showcases. MLB.com described him as having a "Solid four-pitch mix, gets downhill plane on FB". And BA's Aaron Fitt noted that he "lacks physicality, but has shown makings of 3 avg or better pitches."

A couple of assessments from February 2013:

Alex actually addressed the kinship issue humorously last year: "For those asking, no relation of which I'm aware - probably for the best for Gabe Speier. I would qualify as bad bloodlines for an athlete".

However Gabe does indeed have MLB bloodlines, as his great uncle is Chris Speier (grandfather's brother), and his cousin is Chris's kid Justin.

BaseballReference and MiLB.com still have Speier as a righty. Ugh. He now has a 16/1 K/BB raito in 2014, and 22/2 including his very short 2013 stint.

mabrowndog · Aug 21, 2014

Frisbetarian said:
BaseballReference and MiLB.com still have Speier as a righty. Ugh.

If only you'd shamed them by announcing this at the SaberSeminar before an audience of the world's best baseball minds, it would have been fixed on both sites within minutes.

pokey_reese · Aug 21, 2014

BCsMightyJoeYoung said:
Well .. in some ways this isn't necessarily a bad thing .. given that he raked in Pawtucket last year, if he flounders at AAA in the next few weeks it would seem to evidence that there's something seriously screwed up with either his mental process or his swing .. probably both.

Which is to say it's probably fixable.

One hopes, given that in the three games since going down, he is 2-15 with a 40% K rate and no walks.

8/20 MiLB Gameday: Seadogs look for 80

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