Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 8-28-17

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa lost 4-3 Box Score

 

RF-CF J. Andreoli 2/5

SS A. Russell 1/3, 2B (1), K - rehab

PH-3B V. Caratini 0/1

LF-RF B. Rademacher 1/5, RBI, K

CF J. Hannemann 1/3, R, HR (4), RBI, BB, SB (19)

SP J-H Tseng 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 9-4 GO-FO, 71-50 pitches-strikes; batting: 1/2, 2B (2), K

RP J. Grimm 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1-0 GO-FO - rehab

RP D. Garner 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 4-1 GO-FO, balk

RP M. Carasiti 0.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1-0 GO-FO

 

Tennessee lost 4-3 (11 innings) Box Score

 

LF C. Burks 0/5, BB, 3 K, CS (12)

RF Je. Báez 1/6, 3 K

DH D. Bote 0/4, R, BB, 2 K

3B J. Vosler 1/4, R, K, HBP

C I. Rice 2/3, RBI, 2 BB, E (4, interference)

SS C. Penalver 0/5

SP C. Nunn 5.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 7-3 GO-FO, 87-57 pitches-strikes

RP J. Norwood 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 4-1 GO-FO

 

Myrtle Beach had the day off

 

South Bend won 6-3 Box Score

 

3B A. Monasterio 2/4, 2 R, 3B (2), HR (1), 3 RBI

SS A. Ademan 1/4, R< RBI, SB ($)

CF DJ Wilson 2/4, R, 2B (16), HR (9), 2 RBI, K, E (6, throw)

LF K. Mitchell 1/4, K, SB (20)

1B A. Upshaw 2/3, 2 2B (11), BB

C J. Pereda 0/3, R, BB, K, E (6, throw)

RF L. Ayala 0/4, K

2B Y. Peguero 2/3, R

SP M. Rondon 5+ IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 6-4 GO-FO, 94-57 pitches-strikes

 

Eugene in progress Box Score

 

AZL Cubs won 9-4 Box Score

 

CF J. Gutierrez 3/5, R, 2B (11)

3B F. Mejia 0/4, R, RBI, BB, 2 K

RF J. Sierra 1/3, 2B (8), 3 RBI, K

PH-RF Y. Cuevas 0/2, K

LF N. Velásquez 2/3, R, HR (8), 3 RBI, K

DH K-M Kwon 1/1, 2 R, 2 BB, HBP

SS D. Zinn 2/4, R, 2 RBI

SP F. Carrera 5.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 12-2 GO-FO

RP N. Sweeney 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1-1 GO-FO

[Jaxbro]

Addison goes 1-3 in his first rehab. Doubled in his first AB.

 

Grimm gives up a homer in his one inning of work

[Jaxbro]

Tseng solid again. 1 run on 5 hits in 5 innings. 71 pitches 50 strikes

[davell]

Velázquez hit his 8th HR in under 110 PA for Arizona. He's got some swing and miss, but the power is extremely impressive.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

José Albertos: 4 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 6-2 GO-FO, 66-37 pitches-strikes

 

Keegan Thompson: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K

[Aaron_Kennelly]

What's the consensus on Albertos' season? Everyone satisfied? Obviously health and durability are going to be a concern. But he got back out on the mound and is starting to get some innings and is finishing off strong.

[CubsWin]

What's the consensus on Albertos' season? Everyone satisfied? Obviously health and durability are going to be a concern. But he got back out on the mound and is starting to get some innings and is finishing off strong.

I'm plenty pleased with how he's done. As an 18-year-old in the NWL, he's been great. As a pitcher of any age in that league, he's been great after getting his feet wet. Out of his 8 NWL starts, only one of them has been really bad, and that was the one where he came back after skipping a start.

 

In his 1st 3 starts (including that one really bad one) 11.2 IP, 10 H, 0 HR, 7 BB, 12 K, .208 BAA, 4.63 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 1.00 GO/AO

 

For an ordinary 18-year-old pitcher, I'd take that, but of course, Albertos isn't ordinary...

 

In his last 5 starts, 23 IP, 14 H, 0 HR, 7 BB, 30 K, .165 BAA, 1.96 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 2.15 GO/AO.

 

That's a great line. And his stuff matches it. Mid-90s FB, plus change, plus curve. I'm excited to see what he can do as a 19-year-old in full season ball.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

I'm plenty pleased with Albertos right now. Even beyond the strong performance as an 18 YO in what is essentially a college aged player league what has me most optimistic is the body. He's strong, physical, loose....

 

Also: He hasn't given up a homer as a professional.

[weis21]

not long term thing or anything but any chance tseng's stuff will play up a bit from the pen? know he's not overpowering usually, but wasn't sure if his FB would tick up a bit if he were a sept call up?

 

he's been really good for a while now. i'm hoping he's a poor man's kyle hendricks (that kinda makes me feel racist to type but y'all know what i mean). maybe just because i've always liked him, but i legitimately think he COULD be a solid 5th starter in the future. Solid, unspectacular, low walks, low/moderate strikeouts, +soft contact, etc.

[CubsWin]

not long term thing or anything but any chance tseng's stuff will play up a bit from the pen? know he's not overpowering usually, but wasn't sure if his FB would tick up a bit if he were a sept call up?

 

he's been really good for a while now. i'm hoping he's a poor man's kyle hendricks (that kinda makes me feel racist to type but y'all know what i mean). maybe just because i've always liked him, but i legitimately think he COULD be a solid 5th starter in the future. Solid, unspectacular, low walks, low/moderate strikeouts, +soft contact, etc.

Tseng strikes me as a guy who has learned how to be the best starter that, specifically, HE can be. Using his unique style and combination of what he does best, he's unlocked a combo of pitches that has had him succeed at AA and AAA this year. He's learned that over 6 innings, he's better off commanding an 89 mph FB with some movement, than throwing it 92 but straighter. He's learned how to keep hitter off balance enough with his change and curve in order to make that FB play up. I really don't know how it will play in the bigs, but my sense is he'd make a moderately successful BOR on days when his command is on.

 

I agree with your assessment that he's Hendricks-esque. They both require really good command and generally keeping the ball down to get guys out consistently. The main difference is that Tseng doesn't have an out pitch or any one pitch that is clearly and consistently plus. For Hendricks, that's his change up. So I see Tseng as having even less margin for error at the major league level. On days when he doesn't have quite as much movement on his change, he'll likely struggle. On days when he's not hitting his spots with his 89-91 mph FB, he'll likely struggle. If his average curve is hung, it will be pretty easily crushed.

 

What Tseng does have is a FB he can command, a average curve he can command and a change with good movement that can be above average but not devastating. When he is throwing all 3 well, he can succeed. If he can consistently throw all 3 well 25 starts out of 30, he could be an above average BOR. That sort of consistency is rare but he's shown it this year in AA and AAA.

 

The big problem is that if he misses with his pitches, he's gonna get hit hard by major league hitters. It should be fairly easy for them to hit his mistakes. So the margin for error is pretty thin. Pitchers with really good stuff but spotty command (i.e. Arrieta on some days) can get away with a lot more mistakes than someone like Tseng.

 

If he's off on just a few pitches in key spots, he will likely give up 4 runs over 5 or 6 innings. If he's having a bad day, his team will be out of it by the 3rd. And when he's dialed in, he can pitch you a shutout (or allow 1 run) thru 5 or 6 innings. I just described most 5th starters in the league. The challenge then becomes, how consistent can he be?

 

As far as moving to the pen (in a role other than long relief), I suspect it would be a little like starting over. He'd have to learn what combo of pitches makes him most successful over just one inning or a few batters. Is he able to gain velocity if he out of the pen? Can he keep the movement and command of his FB if he starts throwing it harder? He'd have to find the right mix again to maximize his effectiveness in that new role. But he certainly could come up and try it out in a couple middle inning relief appearances and see how it goes.

[weis21]

really appreciate the detailed response and appreciate all you guys that have so much more knowledge and insight about these players than i do