SF Giants Minor Lines 6/11/17: Did Heath Quinn homer? Yup

Happy Draft Day everybody. I’ve written a letter to Santa Scout and mailed it off to the great Hotel 6 in the sky and asked for a tooled-up, deluxe up the middle athlete. Oh please come down my chimney Santa Scout! Bring me somebody who can do THIS!

oh, and a hearty FREE SLADE! to you all.

HIGHLIGHTS: Ali Castillo had three hits with two doubles; Jonah Arenado had three hits including 3-run HR;

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Sacramento lost to Reno Aces (Diamondbacks), 7-5
losing their three game series, 1-2

Dan Slania’s 2016 was one sweet ride from the moment exigency caused the Giants to pluck him out of Richmond’s bullpen and make a starter of him to the post-season addition to the 40 man roster. But neither 2017 not the PCL have been nearly as kind to big Dan, who now sits with the 37th best, or worst, ERA of the league’s 38 qualifying starters. After serving up a solo HR to Socrates Brito, Slania is tied for 2nd most HRs allowed in the league (14), while he’s tied for 5th in issuing the most walks (31), which is a pretty killer combination. And to finish off the poison cocktail, he’s allowed the 5th most hits in the league as well (78). He’s allowed 5 or more ER in half of his 12 starts and 4 ER in four more. There’s no way to sugarcoat it, his PCL campaign has been a disaster thus far.

And, as long as I’m bearing bad news, there’s no denying this either: Mac Williamson is in a funk. For the third time in his last five games, Williamson struck out (at least) three times. Granted one of those was the marathon 17 inning outing, but long game or short, Mac’s been flailing with consistency this year. His strikeout rate for the year in the minors is now 33% (it was over 35% in the majors this year). Prior to this year, he’s never posted a 30% K rate; in fact his career worst came last year (28.6%). And anecdotally speaking, I feel like I’ve seen a number of at bats from Mac where the third strike was not his only swing thru of the at bat. He just seems out of sorts in the box in 2017. Here’s hoping he finds something...soon.

And the happier side, Ali Castillo picked up three hits including two doubles to spur the offense. Until a 9th inning, two-run PH single from Ryder Jones, Castillo was most of the RiverCats offense. You go, Ali! Whack those balls all over the ballyard.

And Heath Slatton made his AAA debut. Slatton was added to the roster to give the team a fresh arm after Friday night’s marathon. Dusten Knight, who threw 3 innings in that game, came off the active roster to make room, though I’m sure he’ll be right back when he’s had time to recover a day or two.

also, there was this:

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Richmond lost at Altoona Curve (Pirates), 9-3
winning their four game series, 3-1

The Squirrels season high four-game winning streak came to a crashing halt when the Curve broke loose for a pair of four-run outbursts in the 6th and 7th innings of this game. Richmond tried to stretch starter Jose Flores out to a season high 6 innings and poor Jose didn’t quite have it in him to get there, and there went the chance for a four game road sweep.

Still, Richmond has to feel pretty good about a 5-2 trip north that saw them climb firmly out of last place in their division (by 1.5 games!). Hit machine Miguel Gomez doubles in the top of the first and came around to score on a Jerry Sands single to give the team an early lead. Former Dodger (and Ray and Indian and White Sox) Sands continues to give the middle of the Squirrels order some presence. Sands had two hits, including a double, and a walk, scored one run and knocked in another as he was in the middle of every Squirrels rally.

If it weren’t for ex-big leaguers (and MIguel Gomez!) this would be one sorry lineup. Just one example? Check out this note from Conner Penfold:

But, you know, before you accuse Richmond, take a look at the fact that they’re the only affiliate that’s currently not in last place. Go Squirrels!

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San Jose won at Visalia Rawhide (Diamondbacks), 8-4
splitting their four game series, 2-2

The Giants split a series in Visalia? That’s like a win. No. That’s like a sweep! Well, ok, maybe not quite. Still, the last time the Giants won a road series in Visalia was the season opening series of 2013. In the 15 series they’ve played in Visalia since then they’ve gone 13-35, losing 11 series and (now) splitting three. Moral victory!

Unfortunately, with that moral (and game) victory came a bigger loss:

Ah the title years. I suddenly have a line from H.I. McDonough running through my head, “our love for each other was as strong as ever, but I preminisced no return to the salad days.”

Anyhoo, the Giants did really well in this game! They battered Rawhide pitching with their favorite weapon of choice: the long ball. Jonah Arenado gave the Giants a big lead with a two-out, three-run homer in the 3rd, and Heath Quinn later added his 7th HR of the year to help Conner Menez and a couple of vets cruise to the win.

You are so right, Joe. Quinn’s homer a day habits have pushed his Iso up to .270. Only the incandescent Brendan Rodgers (who frankly shouldn’t be in the Cal at this point with his gaudy .400 average and .700 SLG) is better among all Cal League hitters with 75 PA. And speaking of Quinn, thanks for the plug guys!

That’s two confirmed readers in a single week!

Ryan Howard picked up two more hits to take the Cal League lead in that category (77). The 40/9 K/BB ratio isn’t looking so great, but he’s certainly getting bat to ball in this league.

Hip Hip Paré, the Homeless Minor Leaguer, got an ultra-rare DH start and made it pay with three hits in the game. That pushed Matt’s season hit total up to 4! Nice going Matt!

Michael Cederoth, out of El Cajon, CA, made his Giants’ system debut in the 9th inning. Cederoth, a big 6’6” righty was a 3rd round pick by the Twins in 2014. He’s shown excellent swing and miss stuff but has been plagued by control problems in his pro career (142/70 K/BB in 129.2 IP on the career).

The Giants now have 60 HRs, second in the league behind only the Dodgers’ Rancho Cucamonga affiliate. When a San Jose team is out-homering Lancaster, you know they’ve the long ball thing going on.

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Augusta beat the Greenville Drive (Red Sox), 2-1

Look at those Greenjackets! Winners of five of their last six games, Augusta no longer sports the worst record in the minors (hello to you Syracuse Chiefs and Winston-Salem Dash)! Much of that success has come from a suddenly vibrant (though graybearded) offense that has scored 11, 5, 7 and 7 runs in their wins on this homestand.

Such was not the case in yesterday’s game. Augusta opened the 2nd inning with doubles from Jacob Heyward and Sandro Fabian, and then, well satisfied with that one-run eruption, hit the snooze button for the next 6-7 innings or so. But in the 9th they awoke from their stupor and looking around themselves found to their amazement that Greenville had managed to come back and tie the game at 1 apiece. That does it! cried Cristian Paulino, It’s too hot out here for extras! And he immediately stepped up and whacked a lead-off, walk-off HR off the foul pole to settle things.

It was the Greenjackets first HR since the opener of this seven-game homestand (when, you may recall, Brandon Van Horn came ever so close to hitting an inside the park Grand Slam) and their first HR to actually exit the building since Heyward’s shot last Sunday. Apparently Sunday is homer day for Augusta. Excellent. A tradition like no other.

Augusta finishes up their highly successful homestand tonight, but after a quick three game series in Rome they’ll be right back at Lake Olmstead Friday night to finish the first half at home. Augusta will have two representatives in the Sally League All Star game next Tuesday.

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Today’s Scheduled Starters:
Sacramento: Scheduled off day
Richmond: Scheduled off day
San Jose: Michael Connolly vs. Nathan Bannister
Augusta: Stephen Woods, Jr vs. Darwinzon Hernandez
DSL: ok, now I think i have it: Marco Gonzalez!

Hey, before we go let’s take a moment to appreciate Raffi Vizcaino’s first start of the year!

Way to shove it, Raffi! You know with Vizcaino and Williams lately joining with Adon and Woods this has easily become the second most interesting rotation in the system, and it’s gaining on you, Richmond. Good to see.

Now please Giants, be nice to Minor Lines and give us a Jordan Adell, Bubba Thompson, Drew Waters, Heliot Ramos type to call our very own, and if the other 29 teams want to collectively brain cramp and let Royce Lewis drop to 19, I’d be fine with that, too!

And good luck to you future Giants’ draft choices, where ever you may be. May you all grow up big and strong like Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey (or hip and fun and electric like Timmy Lincecum is ok, too). Our future is in your hands... hopefully.

Happy 1st round everybody! Make it a good one.