Here is a hurry-up wrap-up, featuring short blurbs, not more than a couple paragraphs if that, but with stats in full. Well, except for High Desert, who didn't play today, so I gave you some info on Inland Empire and a comparison. The VSLM's knocked off the (current) top team in the VSL, Juan Ramirez had a sobering outing against Cedar Rapids, Ryan Ketchner gave a noble effort but the bats couldn't get going against Mobile, while Jeff Clement is brilliant and Sean White gets squared up a lot but what else is new.
On to the wrap-up!
VENEZUELA~! VSL Mariners 10, VSL Mets 0
VSLMs: 5-3... VSL Mets: 7-1
Gerardo Esparza: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 walks, 3 K, wild pitch
Mayckol Guaipe: 3 IP, 2 H
Ricardo Pereira: 1 IP, 3 walks
Roberto Velasquez: 2-4, R, RBI
Jorge Agudelo: 3-4, double, 2 R, walk
Jetsy Extrano: 2-4, double, 2 R, 3 RBI, walk
Mario Yepez: 1-3, RBI, walk, K
Rafael Torrealba: pinch double, R
Kenny Hart: 1-3, triple, R, RBI, K
Cesar Del Rio: 2-3, R, 2 RBI
Reginald Lampe: 1-5, RBI
Now THAT is how to kick some ass in the VSL! The formerly unbeaten VSL Mets came crashing down to Earth as the VSLM's cracked them with a 4 run 3rd that chased starter Roberto Diaz, and got the rout going with a 3 run 5th sparked by a Kenny Hart triple.
A: Cedar Rapids 11, Wisconsin 6
WIS: 19-22... CED: 20-24
Juan Ramirez: 3.2 IP, 4 H, (6 R) 1 ER, K, hit batter (8 GS, 3.86 ERA, 44.1 IP, 0 HR, 13/44 BB/K)
Jacob Wild: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER (HR), walk, K (10 app, 3.38 ERA, 18.2 IP, 1 HR, 6/16 BB/K)
Ryan Moorer: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, walk, 2 K (14 app, 3.52 ERA, 15.1 IP, 1 HR, 8/13 BB/K)
Justin Souza: 1 IP, K (14 app, 4.00 ERA, 18 IP, 1 HR, 5/17 BB/K)
Juan Diaz: 1-4, RBI (258/319/325)
Edilio Colina: 2-4, 2 RBI, walk, SB (310/373/407)
Alex Liddi: 2-3, R, walk (228/309/324)
Calvin Beamon: 0-2, sac fly RBI, walk, K (218/288/315)
Denny Almonte: 2-4, 2 run HR, 2 R, K, SB
Yeah, let's not order those plane tickets to SoCal for Juan Ramirez just yet.
A+: The Mavs had tonight off. They are home to start a series with Inland Empire (19-26). Empire averages a below-average 4.89 runs per game, right behind High Desert's 5.00 per. They draw more walks and strike out less than the Mavs, of course, but the Mavs steal far more bases (57) than Empire (38).
As you'd guess, the Mavs allow more runs than anyone else (6.53) thanks to their home park, while Empire is 4th in the Cal League with 4.80 runs allowed per. They have also had more extra innings than anyone else, though: they lead the league with 406 innings pitched, while the Mavs are tied for fewest innings with Rancho Cucamonga at 392. Empire, however, leads the league in walks issued at 211, while High Desert is 2nd with 194. Expect a lot of free passes... or, in High Desert's case, a lot of swinging strike threes out of the zone.
Compounding High Desert's home-park problem is their defensive efficiency, easily worst in the Cal League at .599, which goes great with their league leading 95 errors (the next highest total is Lancaster with 65). Inland Empire's .657 is 3rd best behind Modesto (.661) and San Jose (.667). Top bats include catcher Carlos Santana (314/418/526, 14 runners gunned down in 42 tries) and top prospect LF/RF Matt Berezay (279/333/493, good range in corners) with support from 3B Joshua Bell (270/376/434, crappy defense), RF Thomas Giles (269/338/438, okay in RF) and 1B (Not that) Eduardo Perez (271/344/416).
Their rotation isn't very good. Cody White (9 GS, 2.84 ERA, 44.1 IP, 2 HR, 19/33 BB/K) is having a decent year but regression's coming to get him. The bullpen's got some good arms: Francisco Felix (14 app, 2.81 ERA, 25.2 IP, 1 HR, 12/31 BB/K) mows down hitters, Paul Koss (15 app, 1.80 ERA, 25 IP, 1 HR, 12/24 BB/K) has been effective, and Jordan Pratt is unhittable, whether or not he hits the zone (15 app, 5.24 ERA, 22.1 IP, 1 HR, 24/28 BB/K).
AA: Mobile 4, West Tenn 1
WTN: 28-17... MOB: 19-26
Ryan Ketchner: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 7 K, wild pitch (9 GS, 4.34 ERA, 45.2 IP, 2 HR, 16/31 BB/K)
Travis Chick: 2.1 IP, 3 H, (2 R) 1 ER, 2 K (12 app, 2.60 ERA, 27.2 IP, 1 HR, 13/24 B/K)
Jason Mackintosh: two outs (14 app, 4.08 ERA, 17.2 IP, 5/12 BB/K)
Michael Saunders: 3-4, double, RBI, walk (311/370/485)
Johan Limonta: 2-5, K
rest of DIAMOND JAXX lineup: 4-27, R, 2 walks, 6 K
FINALLY we get a game in this series that isn't a one run nailbiter, but the bad news is that's because the DIAMOND JAXX couldn't get their bats going against Adam Howard (9 GS, 3.70 ERA, 48.2 IP, 4 HR, 20/35 BB/K) and Mobile was eventually able to seize the lead and extend it in the final frames.
Ketchner didn't have a terrible game by any means: the only damage he gave up came in a 2 run 4th inning. But his BIP was all over the place, indicating that he wasn't necessarily dominant, though he did strike out 7.
Groundballs: 4
Flyballs: 3
Line Drives: 5
Pop Ups: 4
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 7
Also, Luis Oliveros is back in West Tenn, having started at catcher today to rest Adam Moore.
AAA: Tacoma 7, Las Vegas 1
TAC: 23-21... LVG: 22-23
Sean White: 7.2 IP, 10 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, K, wild pitch (9 GS, 4.50 ERA, 52 IP, 4 HR, 14/22 BB/K)
Potatoes: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K (10 app, 3.65 ERA, 12.1 IP, 1 HR, 4/14 BB/K)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 1-4, double, 2 R, RBI, walk, K (246/329/357)
Jeff Clement (DH): 1-3, GRAND SLAM, 2 R, 2 walks, 2 K (388/527/706... yes, his OBP is .527. He has gotten on base in 52.7% of his plate appearances. I can't believe it either.)
Victor Diaz: 2-3, RBI (306/409/472)
Rob Johnson: 1-4, double (235/301/273)
Well, that was easy for Sean White, especially after the Rainiers, already leading 3-1 in the bottom 4th, loaded the bases for Jeff Clement, who pulled a Mike Koplove pitch over the RF wall with one out to lead the rout. White only threw 98 pitches, but faced 32 batters, an impressive display of quick work, though the quick ABs ended in too many line drives. White's strength is getting groundballs, but his weakness is that his stuff is a little too easy to square up. The 14 groundballs would be terrific if they didn't come with an incredible 11 line drives.
Groundballs: 14
Flyballs: 3
Line Drives: 11
Pop Ups: 1
Walks: 2
Strikeouts: 1
Did I mention Jeff Clement is incredible?