SF Giants Minor Lines, 9/10/15

San Jose lost at Stockton Ports (A's), 4-2

	Name	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	3B	HR	BB	SO	BA
SS	Christian Arroyo	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.111
LF	Daniel Carbonell	4	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	.250
1b	Angel Villalona	4	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	2	.500
DH	Tyler Horan	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	.143
C	Aramis Garcia	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	.286

Name	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	HB	WP	ERA
Andrew Suarez	3.0	7	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	3.00
Jose Reyes, L 0-1	5.0	5	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	0.00

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Giants-Ports North Mini Series Game 2 from Stockton <a href="http://t.co/h1JZPvlVMZ">pic.twitter.com/h1JZPvlVMZ</a></p>&mdash; Joe Ritzo (@JoeRitzo) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeRitzo/status/642157261754793984">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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San Jose kicked away it's chance at a quick two-game win with a sloppy effort. kdl and groug were at the ballpark so we'll probably get some more in depth notes from them later on, but as usual we'll rely on their twitter timelines to build the social media collage game story (because I'm lazy like that!)

The story of the first few innings was the Giants surviving a barrage of hits against starter Andrew Suarez. They were very fortunate not to get far down right off the bat. But thanks to another Angel Villalona HR they got through 3 tied at 1-1.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Suarez was hittable in the second. Real lucky to escape only having given up one run. 1-0 Ports going to the third.</p>&mdash; groug (@moonwalkmcfly) <a href="https://twitter.com/moonwalkmcfly/status/642164533117632512">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Arroyo just made an incredible play to turn 2.</p>&mdash; Kristin (@legaleagle88) <a href="https://twitter.com/legaleagle88/status/642168386084978688">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Villalona can still crush one. <a href="http://t.co/dkhqYEWCrp">pic.twitter.com/dkhqYEWCrp</a></p>&mdash; Kristin (@legaleagle88) <a href="https://twitter.com/legaleagle88/status/642169445763317760">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Baby Giants not fooling around. Suarez is already out of the game. He was lucky to just give up one run in 3 innings. Jose Reyes now in.</p>&mdash; groug (@moonwalkmcfly) <a href="https://twitter.com/moonwalkmcfly/status/642170727794241536">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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In the 4th, with erstwhile starter Jose Reyes now in the game, the infield defense began letting the team down.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bad defensive inning for Arroyo. First a throw Villalona couldn&#39;t handle, then late to cover second on a steal, then he muffed a grounder</p>&mdash; groug (@moonwalkmcfly) <a href="https://twitter.com/moonwalkmcfly/status/642172967275786240">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I think the throw was Villalona&#39;s fault, and the grounder would&#39;ve been a tough play, but he could have handled it</p>&mdash; groug (@moonwalkmcfly) <a href="https://twitter.com/moonwalkmcfly/status/642173291717783552">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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As described by Joe Ritzo the first play was a fairly routine grounder to short that Arroyo turned into a very unroutine play, first by having something of a slow game clock and making the play too close and then by short-arming the ball to first. He then forgot to cover 2nd on SB attempt and when the throw sailed into CF the runner took 3rd. And he completed the gift wrapped run by not handling a tougher ground ball.

That was slow drip drip style of unearned run. In the 4th it was the lightning style. Reyes seemed on the verge of getting out of the 5th with a five pitch inning when 3b Brandon Bednar booted an easy grounder on what should have the third out.  The next man up hit a 2 run HR and that would be the difference in the game.

Other than a long HR from Daniel Carbonell (like Villalona's it was also to the opposite field), the Giants were completely stifled by Daniel Mengden (acquired in the Scott Kazrmir trade) and a trio of relievers the rest of the way, piling up 10 Ks to just 5 hits overall (no walks).

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Carbonell&#39;s homer went out to right-center. Probably 415 feet.</p>&mdash; groug (@moonwalkmcfly) <a href="https://twitter.com/moonwalkmcfly/status/642178762629496832">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Arroyo <a href="http://t.co/uFLkftmzV0">pic.twitter.com/uFLkftmzV0</a></p>&mdash; Kristin (@legaleagle88) <a href="https://twitter.com/legaleagle88/status/642165813068173312">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The other Arenado <a href="http://t.co/zt0gl1gtIB">pic.twitter.com/zt0gl1gtIB</a></p>&mdash; Kristin (@legaleagle88) <a href="https://twitter.com/legaleagle88/status/642164988644233216">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A few of my favorites Tyler Horan at bat &amp; Aramis Garcia on deck <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sjgiants?src=hash">#sjgiants</a> <a href="http://t.co/lyzEK8fjqh">pic.twitter.com/lyzEK8fjqh</a></p>&mdash; Julie (@phibear35) <a href="https://twitter.com/phibear35/status/642180865070530560">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Selfie with Cody Hall! <a href="http://t.co/4fs52qVgzw">pic.twitter.com/4fs52qVgzw</a></p>&mdash; groug (@moonwalkmcfly) <a href="https://twitter.com/moonwalkmcfly/status/642158872954830848">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cody Hall stayed for the whole game, for the record <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/great?src=hash">#great</a></p>&mdash; groug (@moonwalkmcfly) <a href="https://twitter.com/moonwalkmcfly/status/642189864306282496">September 11, 2015</a></blockquote>

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So, like Salem-Keizer the mini-series comes down to a final game on the road, and the Giants hand the ball to Martin Agosta to help keep their season alive for one more series.  It'll help if people field balls cleanly!  Game Three at Stockton tonight.

* * *

And now for the stirring conclusion to my retrospective of the best minor lines of the year!  Pitching Lines edition:

5/4, Richmond at Altoona, Kelvin Marte, 7IP, 4H, 1R, 4Ks
Marte had been a mainstay in Richmond's rotation in 2014, but he started the year in the Squirrels bullpen. Covering for injuries and ineffectiveness, he was put back in the rotation on this day and all he did was break a 15 game losing streak with this quietly competent performance and help turn their season around.

5/24, San Jose vs. Rancho Cucumonga, Chase Johnson 5.2IP 2H, 1R, 2BB, 9K
Like much of the SJ team, Johnson had been up and down through the first two months of the season. This game vs. the Quakes was where he seemed to find his footing. His season high in Ks prior to this game was 6, and there would be just one other game the rest of the year in which he exceeded this total, while there would likewise be just one game the rest of the year when he allowed fewer than 2 hits.

5/30, San Jose at Inland Empire, Tyler Beede 7IP, 4H, 0R, 1BB, 11K
This was Beede's signature moment of the year. By far his best start by almost any measure. It was tied for the longest outing of his season. His second highest K total during the year was 7.  He had only four starts during the year in which he didn't allow a run, and three of those starts came consecutively right here at the end of May, beginning of June. This 11K shutout would be the last game he'd pitch in the Cal league. (as an aside, before Beede had finished accepting congratulations and toweling off, Ian Gardeck had blown his 4-0 lead in 0.1 of an inning's work).

6/8, DSL Giants vs. DSL Orioles, Raffi Vizcaino, 5IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 9K
After missing nearly all of last season with an arm injury, Vizcaino came back to throw a career high 72 innings this year. In this, his second start of the year, he showed that the arm the Giants had given a quarter of million in signing bonusses for three years ago was still there.

6/9 Augusta at Greenville, Samuel Coonrod went 7 IP, 2H, 1R, 1BB, 10K
Against a team absolutely dripping with high end hitting prospects and playing in one of the most offense friendly stadiums in the Sally, Coonrod flat shoved it. I feel pretty confident that Greenville's manager was one of the guy's who voted him for Best Pitching Prospect after seeing this performance.

6/19 San Jose vs. Inland Empire, Martin Agosta 7IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 9K
The start that turned around Martin Agosta's season. After getting knocked out of the rotation in April Agosta pieced things back together from the bullpen, but upon returning to the rotation things seemed just as rocky as before. He'd allowed 20 runs in his previous three starts.  But this gem kicked off his finest stretch of the year. He allowed 0 runs in three of his next four starts, while wracking up tremendous K:BB numbers as well.

6/21, Salem-Keizer vs Vancouver, Andrew Leenhouts, 7IP, 5H, 0R, 0BB, 9K
After two consecutive years in short season NWL, Leenhouts no doubt hoped for an assignment to full season ball. For a brief period in early June he got it, when he replaced Tyler Beede in San Jose's rotation for three starts. But the results were mixed and SJ moved in a different direction and suddenly Leenhouts found himself back, once again, in Salem-Keizer. He didn't pout; he just went about being the Volcanoes stable ace and the league leader in Wins, starting with this terrific debut.

7/9, San Jose vs. Bakersfield, Martin Agosta 8IP, 3H, 0Runs, 1BB, 8K
This is was the bookend of the previous Agosta game, and unfortunately immediately after this he started suffering from various nagging injuries that curtailed his second half.

6/25, 7/1, 7/7, Augusta at Rome, at Savannah, vs. Kannapolis, the D.J. Snelten Triology
After being demoted to Augusta in early June, D.J. Snelten had a couple of outings where it looked like the season might slip away from him. But then he recovered his footing and started taking it to the Sally. He would mostly be consistently excellent the rest of the year, but these three starts are definitely what he's going to hang his hat on over the winter.  Over the three consecutive starts combined he threw 19 IP, allowed 3 Runs, with 4 BB and 30 Ks. Perhaps the final one over Kannapolis was the summit of his year: 6IP, 4H, 1R, 0BB, 10Ks.

6/29, DSL Giants at DSL Orioles, Victor Concepcion, 6IP, 5H, 0R, 2BB, 8K
Concepcion wouldn't make another start for more than six weeks. At this point he'd had six starts and allowed 2 ER. He'd had 40 Ks and 6 BBs. Basically all of the starts looked something like the above numbers.

7/11 San Jose at Modesto, Chase Johnson 7IP, 1H, 0R, 8K
Another contender for best Chase start of the year, and it came at a crucial juncture in SJ's season. With the second half underway and the Giants still 10 games under .500 they went to Modesto for an important road series. Johnson's start helped set the tone for SJ's extraordinary second half team pitching, as he combined with Christian Jones and Jake Smith on a one-hit shutout.

7/15, San Jose vs. Stockton, Ray Black, 3.2IP 3H, 2R, 2HR, 2BB, 9Ks
Possibly the most Three True Outcome start in the history of baseball. Black faced 15 batters. He K'd 9, walked 2, and allowed 2 HRs. Only two of the 13 batters had a non-TTO PA. Definitely the most Ray Black game of the year.

7/17, AZL Giants vs. AZL Dodgers, Jordan Johnson, 5IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 9K
He'd already had a game in which he K'd 6 of the 10 batters he faced, and his overall AZL numbers were dominating, but this was really the start where the questions began to be serious: who WAS this guy? And was there really something to pay attention to in a 23rd round pick with pedestrian (at best) college career who was starting his second season back in the rookie league?

7/21, San Jose vs. Lancaster, Luis Ysla (in relief), 5IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 8K
The game that got Ysla his rotation spot back. Following a 1 inning start for Black, Ysla came in with a dominant long relief performance, retiring 15 of the 17 batters he faced including 8 Ks.

8/5 DSL Giants vs DSL Dodgers, Sandro Cabrera, 5.2IP, 3H, 2R, 1BB, 11K
The game that helped push Cabrera to the top of the DSL strikeout leader board and his most dominant outing of the year.  It followed a 6.1 inning start in which he'd allowed just 2 hits, 0 runs, and had 9 Ks.

8/14, San Jose vs. Lancaster, Chase Johnson (in relief), 6IP, 3H, 0R, 1BB, 14K
The game of the year. It's always a great idea to impress the visiting major leaguers (who will take word of your performance back to SF), and there was no better example of it than this. Relieving Tim Hudson and pitching to Andrew Susac, Chase Johnson had the game of his life and it earned him a ticket to AA. Coming very close to the all time franchise record for K's in a game in a necessarily shortened effort, Johnson K'd 14 of the 22 batters he faced.

8/20, San Jose vs. Bakersfield, Andrew Suarez 4IP, 1H, 0R, 5Ks
Andrew Suarez got one of the most aggressive first season promotions I can remember seeing in recent years, and he made introduced himself with flair to the SJ crowd, allowing just two baserunners over four innings.

8/25, Richmond vs. Harrisburg, Kelvin Marte, 8IP, 4H, 1R, 9K
Probably the finest start of Marte's long long career, he had career highs in both innings and Ks in this game, capping another excellent year, in which he was the steady force in Richmond's league best rotation. The fact that he outdueled wunderkind Lucas Giolito in this 2-1 victory was icing on the cake.

8/26, AZL Giants at AZL Reds, Phil Bickford, 3IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 6K
Bickford's final appearance of the year. He k'd 6 of the 10 batters he faced allowing just one to reach base. It capped an end of season run in which the first rounder struck out 18 of the final 31 batters he faced.

8/31, Sacramento vs. Reno, Clayton Blackburn, 7.2IP 2H, 0R, 0BB, 9K
The exclamation mark on Blackburn's tremendous second half of the season (in which he won the PCL ERA crown) was this 2-0 shutout. It was only the second start of the year (and first since May), in which Clayton allowed 0 runs and he matched his season high in Ks to boot.  He faced 24 batters and allowed just 2 to reach base. He'd have one more start of the year and that too was a 7 inning shutout performance.

9/1 San Jose vs. Modesto, Jason Forjet, 8IP, 3H, 0R, 10K
Essentially stamping the Giants ticket for the playoffs this game capped a three start run in which Forjet didn't allow a run and put the exclamation mark on the extraordinary run of pitching that the San Jose team got for the final six weeks of the year, allowing them to come back from 13 games under .500 to a playoff spot.

* * *

Ok, that's it for me. Brute will take you the rest of the way this season, and hopefully that extends more than just one day. For one thing, I'm excited to see what Sam Coonrod might do with a playoff start. I still remember when Jonathan Sanchez came up for the Cal league playoffs following a season in the Sally in which he'd matched strong peripherals with mediocre run prevention. He lit up the Cal league playoffs with two electrifying starts and was a major leaguer just two months into the following season.