6/16 Minor League Wrap-Up

Season begins tonight for the Everett Aquasox and Pulaski Mariners. Get ready to see some of the M's 2008 draft picks!

With the T-Rats on their All Star Break and two other squads having Monday off, there's not much to report.  A rehabbing prospect took another big step forward today, one org squad is getting ready to play for a championship, the VSLM's pitched a shutout, and at this point I'm starting to wonder about Sean White.  And WLAD's still en route, as the Rainiers OF shuffle continues.

On to the wrap-up!

VENEZUELA~!  VSL Mariners 3, VSL Pirates 0
VSLMs:  17-11... VSL Bucs:  18-11
(League:  261/346/361... 3.76 ERA)

Jessie Nava:  7.2 IP, 5 H, 3 walks, 3 K, 2 wild pitches (6 GS +1, 1.52 ERA, 29.2 IP, 11/22 BB/K)
Manuel Campos:  1.1 IP, 1 H, K (10 app, 2.35 ERA, 15.1 IP, 5/12 BB/K)
Yidid Batista:  3-5, double, R (278/316/324)
Jorge Agudelo:  1-4, RBI, walk, K (326/440/382)
Michael Acevedo:  1-3, RBI, K (280/376/398)
Larry Gonzalez:  2-4, R
Roberto Velasquez:  3-4, RBI (276/427/355)

Jessie Nava gave los Bucaneros very little to work with while working into the 8th inning, as the VSLMs cashed in a leadoff double from Yidid Batista with some smallball in the 1st, and chipped away with singles and a bases loaded walk for 2 more in the 4th.  That was all the VSLMs needed in an excellent shutout.

Dominican:  The DSLMs had Monday off.  At 9-4, they currently lead the 5 team Santo Domingo North division (comprised of the two DSL A's teams, the DSL Phillies squad and the DSL Cards squad).

A:  As mentioned yesterday, the T-Rats and the rest of the MWL are on their All Star Break.  The T-Rats resume play Thursday in Appleton vs Burlington, likely with a revamped roster as players get sent to Everett and Peoria and others file in to replace them.

A+:  2nd Half Season Opener:  High Desert 8, Lancaster 6
(League:  267/338/398... 4.40 ERA)

Anderson Garcia:  6 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 2 walks, 5 K (9 GS, 6.85 ERA, 23.2 IP, 2 HR, 10/15 BB/K)
Austin Bibens-Dirkx:  one out, 3 H, 4 ER (HR), walk, K (22 app, 6.07 ERA, 29.2 IP, 6 HR, 10/20 BB/K)
Bryan Harris:  two outs, 1 H, wild pitch, hit batter (16 app, 6.11 ERA, 17.2 IP, 3 HR, 3/10 BB/K)
Steve Uhlmansiek:  1 IP, 1 H (13 app, 0.60 ERA, 15 IP, 1 HR, 8/11 BB/K)
Aaron Cotter:  1 IP, K (29 app, 2.97 ERA, 36.1 IP, 3 HR, 8/30 BB/K)
Kuo Hui Lo:  2-4, solo HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K, SB #15 (242/295/363)
Chris Minaker:  2-3, double, 2 R, RBI, walk (288/326/458)
Travis Scott:  1-4, double, R (261/311/400)
Leury Bonilla:  1-4, 2 RBI, SB (294/378/418)
Jamie McOwen:  1-3, double, R, 2 K (255/317/342)
Erick Monzon:  2-4, solo HR, K (189/250/270)
Ogui Diaz:  3-4, R, RBI, K, 2 SB (272/316/326)

ANDERSON!  It's finally starting to look like Anderson Garcia is close to being back, as he tiptoed through an actual full-length start beyond the minimum, rather than the smaller rehab starts he had struggled through all year.  The Jethawks also managed to get little going as the Mavs built a strong 8-2 lead before Anderson took his most gracious exit to date after the 6th inning.

Groundballs:  9
Flyballs:  7
Line Drives:  1
Pop Ups:  4
Walks:  2
Strikeouts:  5

But Austin Bibens-Dirkx's string of solid outings came to an abrupt end when he relieved Garcia in the 7th.  ABD walked Jorge Jimenez, then got launched by Daniel Nava for a 2 run shot to make it 8-4.  ABD struck out Jon Still, but Josh Reddick knocked a single into center, and Chih-Hsien Chiang smoked a grounder into right before ABD got the hook for Bryan Harris, also trying to undo early struggles with a string of solid outings.

But then Harris plunked Zak Farkes to load the bases with one out, then uncorked a wild pitch to cash in Josh Reddick, 8-5, as the other runners took 2nd and 3rd.  Then Luis Segovia beat out a grounder to 3rd, the runners stayed put, and everybody was safe.  Aaron Reza's flyout to left allowed Chiang to tag up and score to make it 8-6 before Jason Place grounded to 3rd to end the inning.

The good news is that Steve Uhlmansiek finished the 8th without much trouble, and Mavs closer Aaron Cotter pitched a perfect 1-2-3 9th for the save.

AA:  The West Tenn DIAMOND JAXX had Monday off.  They are en route to Huntsville, with whom the DIAMOND JAXX are tied with for the lead in the North division, for a 6 game series.  The first game will be a tiebreaker to decide the 1st half division title.

AAA:  Sacramento 8, Tacoma 2
TAC:  35-35... SAC:  42-29
(League:  274/346/434... 4.74 ERA)

Sean White:  4.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 3 walks, 4 K (14 GS, 5.63 ERA, 80 IP, 6 HR, 24/34 BB/K)
Scott Shoemaker:  1.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, walk, K, wild pitch (16 app, 3.77 ERA, 31 IP, 5 HR, 13/26 BB/K)
Jon Huber:  1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, K (24 app, 6.67 ERA, 29.2 IP, 1 HR, 9/23 BB/K)
Tracy Thorpe:  1 IP, 3 K (9 app, 6.97 ERA, 10.1 IP, 3 HR, 6/12 BB/K)
Rainiers 1-3 hitters (Chen, Tuiasosopo and Garrett):  0-12, 5 K
Charlton Jimerson:  2-2, 2 RBI (237/250/467)

Sean White had a lot of bad fortune with groundballs.  Tui at 3B and Oswaldo Navarro at SS show below average range, so now I'm starting to wonder about White's numbers, his high groundball rate, and how much of the damage is his fault.

Groundballs:  12
Flyballs:  4
Line Drives:  1
Pop Ups:  1
Walks:  3
Strikeouts:  4

Rainiers outfield watch:  Nick Blasi got the start in CF, Shawn Garrett in RF and Victor Diaz in LF as Jimerson DH'd.  It's an all-retread outfield for Tacoma!  No WLAD yet.