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Since it's a slow news day, I do have one little item from the weekend to take care of. As you all remember, after Kevin Frandsen was re-signed back into the fold, Grant posted a front page article called "Ranking the ex-Giants who are obviously going to return." And in that post, I made the following comment:
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And then Saturday, when the AZL opened, what do I find on the Giants roster page but this little bit of news:
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It's true! Doug Clark, 7th round pick of the 1998 draft who played in 8 games for the Giants back in 2005 has come back... as hitting coach, it's true, not player, but still.... returned.
Guess we all know who won that little game!
HIGHLIGHTS: Ricky Oropesa went 4 for 4 with two doubles and 3 RBI. Kevin Rivera went 3 for 4 with a double and triple. Manuel Geraldo was 2 for 2 with a triple, BB, and SB.
Sacramento had a scheduled off day
They begin a road trip at Fresno tonight in a series that matches the top two HR hitters in the PCL (Adam Duvall and Jonathan Singleton) and which will no doubt continue the rather silly twitter war that the two team's social marketers seem to have going.
.@FresnoGrizzlies ’ brand has changed, but Sacramento rivalry still very much in play http://t.co/3M2qtkPVvY pic.twitter.com/N1gER0JlKN
— Fresno Bee Sports (@FresnoBeeSports) June 23, 2015
Richmond lost to New Britain (Rockies), 7-3
winning their five games series, 3-2
|
|
Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
2B |
3B |
HR |
BB |
SO |
SB |
CS |
BA |
|
SS |
Rando Moreno |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.303 |
|
RF |
Mac Williamson |
4 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
.296 |
|
3b |
Mitch Delfino |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.257 |
|
1b |
Ricky Oropesa |
4 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.301 |
|
Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
K |
HR |
HB |
WP |
ERA |
|
Joe Biagini, L, 6-4 |
3.2 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1.97 |
|
Carlos Diaz |
2.1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3.86 |
|
Stephen Johnson |
2.0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3.78 |
Squirrels back at it today at 12:05 PM @ The Diamond w/ Mommy & Me Day. RHP Joe Biagini gets the start. #GoNutz pic.twitter.com/FPKYTf4dsq
— Squirrels Baseball (@GoSquirrels) June 22, 2015
The top five hitters in the lineup provided Richmond with 10 of its 11 hits (only Engel Beltre, in the 2-hole, went hitless at the top of the order) and all 4 XBH. The big game came from Ricky Oropesa, whose 4 for 4 punctuated a tremendous couple of months and finally pushed him over .300 for the year. Since May 1, Oropesa is hitting .340/.373/.571. That walk rate is still pretty scary, but it does appear he's figured out AA pitching. Oropesa knocked in all the runs that Richmond scored on this day.
Joe Biagini had his worst and his shortest game in AA. A 4.2 IP vs Bowie back in mid-April was the only other time he'd failed to pitch 5 innings this year and in each of his previous three outings he'd pitched into the 8th inning. This was also the most runs and earned runs he'd allowed in a game this year. So, all in all, not the day Joe was hoping for. Myles Schroeder didn't help him any, committing two errors which led to unearned runs.
LHP Carlos Diaz made his AA debut here. Diaz had been with Augusta all of the first half (and all of last year) but was brought up to help fill innings in this brutal stretch where Richmond is playing 30 games in 29 days (without a day off) leading into the All Star break.
Richmond was no doubt hoping for a decisive 4-1 series victory over the 1st place team in the EL's northern division, but had to be happy with the long series win instead. The five game series included a makeup for a rainout in April.
San Jose had a scheduled off day
this is the first of their three day All Star break. The Carolina-California League All Star game will be held tonight in Rancho Cucomonga, featuring five members of the SJ team.
Augusta had a scheduled off day
this is the first of their three day All Star break. The Sally League All Star game takes place tonight in Asheville featuring four members of the Greenjackets.
Salem Keizer lost to Vancouver (Blue Jays), 5-3
winning their five game series, 3-2
|
|
Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
2B |
3B |
HR |
BB |
SO |
SB |
CS |
BA |
|
CF |
Brennan Metzger |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.133 |
|
1b |
John Riley |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.067 |
|
3b |
Chase Compton |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.214 |
|
DH |
Fernando Pujadas |
5 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
.308 |
|
LF |
Shilo McCall |
4 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
.333 |
|
Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
K |
HR |
HB |
WP |
ERA |
|
Michael Connolly, L, 0-1 |
5.2 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
6.35 |
|
Armando Paniagua |
2.1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
|
Ramon Del Orbe |
0.1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
27.00 |
Bases loaded, no outs. #ReadyToErupt
— Volcanoes Baseball (@SKVolcanoes) June 23, 2015
Mostly the eruptions never came on Monday night for the Volcanoes. Despite putting 20 runners on base, including 11 (!!!!!) via walks, SK was only able to come up with 3 runs, thanks. They managed the feat with the help of only 1 GIDP, but they did go 3 for 17 with RISP, which is pretty remarkable stat on both ends of the scale.
Starter Michael Connolly, 23 yr old 27th round pick in the 2013 draft out of baseball hotbed the University of Maine at Orono, is in his third year with the organization and aside from 4.2 innings in Augusta last year, has yet to make it to full season ball.
24 year old Armando Paniagua is now in his 8th year in the org and has also yet to make it to full season ball as he starts his fourth year with SK. He's started out well with a 0.00 in two appearances and 4 Ks in 16 batters faced. Ramon Del Orbe, who suffered through a horrible first couple of months in Augusta, isn't improving his luck any with the demotion. Del Orbe was picked up as a minor league FA in the winter.
EDIT: The fine folks in Salem-Keizer's front office put together this great You Tube package on the five game series vs. Vancouver:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NQfihkYFNVs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
AZL Giants lost to AZL Athletics, 10-6
|
|
Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
2B |
3B |
HR |
BB |
SO |
SB |
CS |
BA |
|
RF |
Byron Murray |
5 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
.417 |
|
2b |
Kevin Rivera |
4 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.500 |
|
C |
Geno Escalante |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
.667 |
|
Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
K |
HR |
HB |
WP |
ERA |
|
Julio Benitez |
3.0 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3.00 |
|
Cesar Yanez, L, 0-1 |
0.2 |
1 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
54.00 |
|
Randy Ortiz |
1.0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4.50 |
|
Alvaro Diaz |
2.0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4.50 |
|
Connor Kaden |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
Byron Murray continues his hot start for the AZL club. The 19 year old, selected out of HS in the 25th round of last year's draft put up a .758 OPS in 75 PA for AZL after signing last summer. You may remember him from such showcase video's as this one, when he was just 15 years old! Kevin Rivera, who just turned 19 last week, was a 14th round selection in last year's draft, one of several picks the Giants have made out of Puerto Rico the last few years. Rivera, a 2b, put up a pretty meagre .577 OPS in the AZL last year in 180 PA when he had just turned 18. Here was his MLB draft video montage:
Geno Escalante is a 23 year old Catcher (from Vallejo, CA) who was drafted in the 15th round in the 2013 draft. Like Dylan Brooks, he is just coming off a 50 game suspension for a second violation of what the CBA considers a "drug of abuse."
20 year old RHP Julio Benitez posted a 0.87 ERA in the DSL last year, with 42 Ks and 16 BBs in 43 IP. He appeared in 16 games but didn't start any of them. Randy Ortiz continues his Pitcher conversion experiment. Alvaro Diaz is a 22 year old RHP who saw time in the DSL bullpen last year, striking out 37 (15 BBs) in 27.2 IP. Connor Kaden was a 27th round pick last year out of Wake Forest. He saw time at the end of last year and earlier this year in Augusta, but has been returned to the AZL, which is never a great sign for a college kid.
DSL Giants lost to DSL Twins, 6-5
|
|
Age |
Name |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
2B |
3B |
HR |
BB |
SO |
SB |
CS |
BA |
|
SS |
18.9 |
Manuel Geraldo |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.308 |
|
LF |
20.9 |
Juan Rodriguez |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
.382 |
|
2b |
19.3 |
Robert Antunez |
3 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.380 |
|
3b |
17.2 |
Francisco Medina |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
.270 |
|
Age |
Name |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
K |
HR |
HB |
WP |
ERA |
|
19.8 |
Prebito Reyes |
5.0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3.00 |
|
20.9 |
Reymi Rodriguez, BS, 4, L, 2-1 |
0.1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1.80 |
|
17.6 |
Jasier Herrera |
0.0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5.14 |
18 year old SS Geraldo continues to put together a nice season in his return to the DSL. He hit .251/.323/.338 as a 17 year old last year in 231 PA. He was signed for $375k in July 2013. Geraldo, Rodriguez, and Antunez all continue to be terrors on the bases. In this game, Antunez and Rodriguez each stole their team leading 10th bases (5th on the DSL leaderboard), while Geraldo stole his 9th.
This game was blown in the bottom of the 9th in some typical DSL fashion. After a one out single, Reymi Rodriguez, hit a batter and walked a batter, sandwiched around 3b Francisco Medina's fielding error. Jasier Herrera, signed for $150k in November then entered and gave up the game losing single.
* * *
Chris Stratton and Adalberto Mejia highlight the scheduled starters for today, and of course, there's a whole bunch of guys headed to All Star games where they can hopefully be heroes and get noticed a bit.